Sunday, March 22, 2009

SPRING TEASE

Cheese!


Spring day tease...


We had a couple of nice days this week. So nice we broke out the sandals and shorts (paired with a sweater and blanket) and enjoyed several outings that didn't include freezing as we were buckling in the car. It made running around so much less stressful because we weren't cold or rushing to get in and out of the car. It was so nice. As have the days we've been outside playing. We were able to get the swings out and hooked up and have been outside 3 or 4 times this week already! I am so ready for things to change in our routine and for the kids to get up in the morning and not keep their pajamas on til 11! I still might, but that's besides the point (haha!). I am ready for the kids to get up in the morning and get those play clothes on and head right outside after breakfast is served and cleaned up! And we can spend all morning outside, come in for lunch and then head right back outside after. We typically have blanket time after lunch, but we might be adjusting our routine a tad for the summer. The more time they get outside while the weather is nice (not too hot), the better! Then blanket time can happen after naps while they have their "juice-water." And then we will head back outside. Ah, I can't wait! The regular spring weather can come and stay soon!

Our weekend was great! We had Grandma Judy and Grandpa Bill here for the weekend. They came up Saturday and we all went to dinner (Grandma Pam and Grandpa Alllen joined us too) just down the street at a local seafood and pasta place. Then headed back to our house for dessert (chocolate peanutbutter mousse pie). It was great to spend time with them. We all headed to church Sunday and then to lunch at Bob Evans afterwards. The kids always love spending time with their grandparents. We will head down to them in May or June! I will take some more outside pics this week!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

OUR BABY IS 4!



Averie Jean - aka - bubba, moose, bubba-moose, sweetie, girl, sissy, sissy sue, aves. You are my princess. You are my girl. We love you so much. You are amazingly smart. You love playing and organizing "games," or being the leader while you play. You enteretain yourself very well (and your brother too), and can keep playing from one end of the house to the other. You make up play as you go along, which shows me how wonderfully creative you are! You are into cutting with scissors and writing letters. You always want to know how to spell things and are very good at writing your name. You also write Baylor's name well too. Girl, I am just amazed with you more every day. You understand so much, and come up with ideas that are all your own. I love how you play in your bed during naptime if you aren't tired, and how gentle you are (most of the time) with your brother. You are very helpful when he is sad and very sensitive to him when he is sad too. You have always been very sensitive and empathetic. It is great to see you nuture him. You are like a little mommy! It is wonderful. Averie Jean, you are so special and sweet and I am so lucky to have you as a daughter. I love spending every day with you and watching you grow and mature and learn. That sparkle in your eye makes me smile every day. XOXOXO. I love you sweetie.

Monday, March 09, 2009

WORKER BOY, BIRTHDAY GIRL

Baylor, helping daddy "work," while Averie and I had a girls day.


Hanging a towel rack in the laundry room.



THE BIRTHDAY DINNER!!!!!!
Averie and her cake.


Averie and Baylor at dinner.


Ice cream face! YUMMY!

Friday, March 06, 2009

Sunday, February 22, 2009

SWIMMING


Relaxing after lessons.


Baylor getting his bar.


Baylor swimming.


Averie doing the backstroke.




Monday, February 16, 2009

DATE NIGHT FAMILY UPDATE

Fun outside last week.

Climbing on the snow drifts.


Date Night


Sorry the picture is a tad blurry. The kids have taken a liking to my camera and there must have been a finger print on the lens. Silly kids! So, Daddy and I had a date on Saturday evening. We ended up at Max and Erma's. Not our first choice, but there were a ton of people out and about Saturday (it was like 45 degrees outside). We realized that we haven't been out on a weekend in a while and week nights are much easier to get out and not have to wait! But, it was a great time. We got to talk and just connect in a way we don't when the kids are our first priority. Before we left, Baylor was crying and so upset. I felt bad leaving, but he was tired and had a cough for a week or so, and as soon as we were gone, he was done crying.

As for the kids, they are so active and busy. They were almost crying because they wanted to go outside so bad! I took them out and it was so nice. It was still only 35 degrees, but it felt nice and crisp. The kids walked on the tall snow drifts we still have left, we threw the ball to the dogs and they ran around, rode bikes and pushed the mowers around. We were probably outside for 40 minutes! I took a couple of pics (see above). We have been going to swimming lessons again. We have lessons (refreshers) this week and last week too. Averie loves them, but Baylor is anxious. He was so small when he was in them before and didn't really "get" the whole swim, float, swim concept. Today was the first day of the second week and he went and didn't cry! He was in his float and could flip to swim and get Miss Cindy's hand! And then float again. All without tears! YAY!! His confidence must have gotten a boost last week. They are both doing so well. Averie is learning the backstroke. She already swims to the bar and to Miss Cindy and back...she is a fish!

So, today I started exercising again! And we bought a treadmill! It has been a few weeks since I've done any exercising since I (we) went through a pretty emotional week the end of January. We also had a Dr. appt with a fertility specialist last week too. The process of expanding our family has not been as easy as it was when Averie and Baylor came along. And I never dreamed it would take as long as it has. After we had a break cycle over the holidays, we decided to make an appt. with a fertility specialist and proceed with a "newer" drug called femara (tried clomid for several cycles over the summer/fall). The femara basically tricks your brain in a different way then clomid. And it worked, 1st cycle. I ended up pregnant, but had a very early miscarriage a week after I found out. We had already made the appointment with the fertility office, so we went and met with the Dr. and discovered that we do have a mild form of secondary infertility (or I do more specifically). My eggs are not growing fast enough, meaning they are not "great" for fertilization when I do ovulate. So, we will be trying femara again, since it made my eggs grow faster, like they should. After this appointment, I was also diagnosed with MTHFR by some blood work my ob's office did after the miscarriage. I am on medication (basically extra vitamins) now, and that should be what my body needs to reduce my risk of having another miscarriage. I hope it works...I can honestly say bringing my babies into this world were best days of my life. Losing one, well, was the worst.

Sorry for the super in depth post. I've been really wanting to post all of that. Not only for my own vent, but for the kids. Someday they will want to know (maybe) what we go through for our family. I love my children so much and would do anything for them. Averie and Baylor are true blessings and I would never want anything different than them. Yet, at the risk of sounding selfish, I just know deep down in my heart that we aren't done expanding our family. I truly believe we will be blessed again, all in good time. I hold on to that hope everyday.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

WE "LOVE" YOU







We will have a family update soon. We've had a lot going on January and February. Stay tuned and enjoy your Valentine's Day! xoxo

Monday, February 02, 2009

FUN PLAY PLACE & BRONSEN

We visited a neat play place and boutique.

Averie, Bronsen and Baylor climbing the hill!


Cute gear!


Look out fire! Here come the firefighters!


Both kids in the fire engine.


Here is Averie pushing the "car" around on the "road." She is standing in front of the market. And beside the baby area (all enclosed for non-walkers).


Here is Baylor in the "home."

Urban Toddler was very neat! They have you take off shoes (but you must have socks) and it is so clean. They have little sections - the cafe (where you can eat real food), market (kid food), home (kid kitchen, babies etc.), library (books and puzzles), a theater (music, puppets, blocks, a stage), a room with a huge chalk board wall, like a craft room and a half wall oval in the center of the main room for infants to play. I really liked how the workers would come and put away toys as kids finished up and were done playing. It was nice to know that there was a place for everything too. We will be going back again soon! Oh, and the boutique was unbelievable. Tons of wonderfully amazing things, babylegs, squeaky shoes, beautiful maternity clothes, baby clothes...ooooo if I had an endless supply of money. The kids each picked out a book, because we can never have enough books to read! We do love to read.
* * * * * * * *
Here are the kids at Bronsen's Birthday Party.


Big boy! Bronsen turned ONE!

SINGING TIME


Song by MiMi

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Saturday, January 24, 2009

FUN VISITS

Here is the clan! Averie, Carmine, Baylor and Rece. We were at the boys Birthday Party and decided to get brave and interrupt the dancing to snap a quick pic! They did great! I am sure that Carmine and Rece are looking at their Mama's camera while Averie and Baylor are looking at mine.


They are all so big!


Averie at Grandma Judy and Grandpa Bill's for Christmas (last weekend)!






We had a great time visiting! We love visiting Grandma Judy and Grandpa Bill. We have fun looking out at their lake, watching for the geese. And reading books and sleeping in their big king size bed (with Mama and Daddy...). we can't wait to get back when the weather is nice and we can go for a boat ride!

I will be updating more soon, we have some videos to upload!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

BIG BOY AND MARBLES

Max, Maddie, Baylor and Averie having Christmas!


The Marble Run Averie and Baylor got from Max and Maddie.
It has produced HOURS of fun so far! For me too!








Well, we have been "snowed in" for the day today and just playing and playing and getting all of the toys out and having a fun time! I think we'll get out tomorrow, even if it is only to Kroger down the road. Baylor, evidently, was very ready to potty train...he has been telling us since yesterday that "pee [is] coming," and he'll find his potty and with a little help pull down his cars (cars aka pull-ups) and pee! It is great to have him going on the potty and the hard part was literally only Saturday and Sunday, getting him on the potty before he peed, many many times. Now he can feel it coming! YAY! And the bm's are coming along as well. He has had a couple little bm's, Sunday and Monday and then today he let it all out, on the potty without being upset! He said "poop coming" and sat down! So great! SO BIG! I am so proud of you B!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

IT'S POTTY TIME!!

Boxers or briefs? Boxer-briefs!


Modeling them!


He wasn't so sure about wearing them...but he did! His front tooth is brown because he just had an M&M for peeing on the potty.


So, potty training has begun! YAY! And Baylor is doing so great. We decided to start because he peed on the potty on his own Friday before his bath. He has been acting like he could do the potty thing...but I have honestly been so distracted and just knew it would need to be all or nothing to get it going...but Saturday we started it. He started out on Saturday with 2 accidents and about 10x peeing on the potty. He was even dry for his nap. Today, he had 1 accident and went on the potty 10x or so. He had an accident at dinner today, but went pee on the potty while we were out and stayed dry while we were there and until we got home. We picked him up some pull-ups for when we are out and about...but it is undies at home! We are only going through 1 diaper a day now. He was dry for nap today as well (I swear it is a fluke, but we'll see!). Today he could pee when I asked him. Only once has he peed without me asking him to, so I am waiting for him to start "feeling" the urge. Soon I hope! We will be staying home tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and most of Friday...so we will see soon if it is really time! Okay...more potty updates soon!!

Friday, January 02, 2009

SILLY BATH TIME

Wild hair!


Soapy and silly!




Served Averie fresh milk for 1 year, 2 months and 5 days! Served Baylor fresh milk for 1 year, 6 months, 1 week and 5 days! Served Colbie fresh milk for 1 year, 3 months exactly!