Justin at 7.5 months

Justin at 7.5 months
his first pontoon boat ride

Austin at 1 year

Austin at 1 year
when dandelion seeds are still cute

Saturday, May 23, 2009

New teeth/New sleeping arrangements/New baby

I keep forgetting to post that Justin has 2 more teeth, the upper right and lower right canines. They broke through at the beginning of May. Only 6 more baby teeth to go!

Justin is talking a lot (altho still only understandable to mommy & daddy & Austin), and appears to be trying to repeat most of what he hears. It is very cute when we say we are going somewhere, albeit to bed or outside, he swings his little arm nearly out of its socket while saying "mawn, mawn", that would be "come on, come on". He says "I'll get it" which sounds like "i et it" and "meee" is "please". He does "thank you" pretty well, "oh man", "uh oh", "ball", "mommy", "daddy" , & "apple" are all pretty well understandable. He readily shakes or nods his head in accordance w/questions, appropriately most of the time. He understands and participates in meal prayer time, however, don't give him his food first if he's starving or you can forget participation. Love this age of discovery, hate this age of discovery (only because both of my boys miraculously became/become deaf when it comes to listening outside around cars & traffic!). The gray hairs just keep on coming! But once again, they will not be this age forever, and altho I occasionally feel guilty about not getting enough done at home, it doesn't take long for me to remember that some day there will be plenty of time to get my list done. I ask myself, and occasionally God, why I am blessed to have these experiences (its a rhetorical question really, because in all honesty I am SCARED TO DEATH of the answer).

Austin is finally in his own bed at age 3. Altho Matt and I are pro co-sleeping for our family, even a king sized bed isn't big enough for the 4 of us with me getting bigger every day. We had been telling him for 2 months, prior to turning 3, that when he turned 3 he was a big boy and he would have to sleep in his own bed (Funny side note, he has been very proud of turning 3 and being bigger, but as soon as it came to actually having to sleep in his own bed he has informed me a couple of times that he is only 2.). I fully expected the worst but prayed for the best. And, thank you God, we have mostly had the best. There were some tears the first night, less the second night, no issues w/getting out of bed disobediently, and so far no pottying the bed (Matt makes an effort to get him up at least 1x each night). He has noticed that if he gets up closer to morning and if Matt isn't in bed, that I let him get in the bed and stay there. He said tonight, when we went to Dairy Queen, that the reasons he can't sleep in our bed are: I'm 3 and a big boy, daddy coughs all night, the new baby is coming, & mommy doesn't have enough room. He got most of them right. Then he proceeded to tell us that when daddy's spot is empty he can sleep in it. He is very eager for Justin to join hi in the room, but we have told him that can't happen until Justin stops nursing (prayerfully no later than age 2, like Austin). He wants bunk beds for him & Justin, which we have told him they are to little right now, but they could have them some day when they are a little bigger.

This pregnancy has definitely been the worst I have felt consistently, if that makes any sense. My lower back, which hurts often anyway, often hurts so bad I feel like I look like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame with the way I walk. My pregnancy induced carpel tunnel is HORRIBLE this time around. My hands/wrists are at their worst at night, but even during the day just eating breakfast or peeling potatoes or typing on the computer or writing causes them to go painfully numb (isn't that an oxy moron?). This baby has been very active the last month, to the point that I watch my stomach do the wave, back & forth. Of course we continue to pray for a healthy baby, a healthy pregnancy, and we continue to pray that I will be able to have this one at home in water just as we did the other 2. Having had 2 babies at home, in water, I feel very disconnected at the thought of having to go to the hospital. It seems like such a foreign concept to me. I hope it stays that way.

Monday, May 11, 2009

F/P/B

F-Friends forever, Austin & his cousin Savannah

















P-Playtime in the backyard!

"Hey daddy, I think the grass needs mowed."













"I think I can, I think I can, I think.....ok, maybe not."














B-Birthday celebration begins!

Austin mixes the cupcake batter for his 3rd b-day party.
















Austin decorates the cupcakes with edible Diego faces.
















We have celebrated Mother's Day & Austin's b-day together for the past 3 years.










"I wish you would just let me eat one already!"










"I am THRILLED to get yet another piece of clothing!"











One of 2 of his favorite gifts, new sandals from g-ma Paula.











2nd favorite gift, a goodie box from Karen Stevens full of things mommy never lets him have.











Bubbles anyone?













Busted! Thankfully, altho mommy doesn't approve of going potty outside if it isn't an emergency, Aunt Therese had the where-with-all to move him beside the shed where the very high winds wouldn't create a really big mess!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Busy Busy day!

To the zoo, again! This was the best pic of 3 unrestrained kids I could get by myself. My 2 kids plus Matt's niece Savannah. They are showing off their $3.99 plastic elephants I bought them after we saw the baby elephant. The toys squeak like a dog toy. And that sounds like an elephant how?










Creepy bats! Their called flying foxes....I would much rather see a flying fox than one of these! I think.....











Fluffy the python.











Tiger kitty.











Markhors (sp?)













A pheasant.













A sunbear.















THE baby boy elephant.











I took a few cute pics of the kids outside in the backyard tonight while Matt was cutting grass. I will post later.