Baby J at 27 weeks...

Sweet Baby Jack!!

Wacky Wednesday

The B-man's class celebrated Dr. Suess' birthday...and in honor of him, they dressed WACKY!!

Nana and Gator, big boy beds and mini vans, oh my!

Last weekend, the boys' slumber partied it at Nana and Gator's house!

While they explored new playgrounds...




and learned to earn their keep...


and practiced sleeping in big boy beds...


...Mommy and Daddy were busy working at the office, trading in our beloved Suburban for a mini van...ugghh...yep. Just really wrote that. And transitioned the boys' room from their original "nursery" with sailboats, fish and pirates...into their new BIG BOY sports room! Thank you Nana and Gator for allowing us the time to get things done!

OK. Back to the trade in...I swore, with my best friend Kelly in college, that I would never, ever, ever, ever drive a mini-van. We swore and agreed...and low and behold, I broke the pact!!! I still cannot believe it...and although our needs at this time greatly outweigh our wants, it still stings, just a bit. I am driving the Mommy bus. But, what choice did we have? We will have 3 children under the age of three. That means 3 carseats and all of the 'boyness' that comes with it. So, a tearful goodbye to the Suburban, and hello Toyota Sienna! Todd actually shed a tear driving off of the lot...poor guy. The trade in will be WAAYY better on gas mileage and a lot cheaper a month in payments. And functional. And, I actually LOVE it! I am truly grateful that we are able to have a vehicle that delivers such functionality, is VERY nice inside and rides as smooth as pie, baby.


We have waited as long as possible to move the boys from their cribs into big boy beds. Simply because they share a room and we had no idea how they would do...would they play all night long? Run around like a bunch of banchies? My Mom urged me to do it before Jack gets here, so that we will not have that worry added on to the stress on a newborn. So that is what we did all weekend! We originally planned on converting their cribs into twin size beds. Bought the mattress, sheets, mattress covers and protectors, quilts, shams...you name it, we were ready. Until Todd pointed out that they actually converted into FULL SIZE BEDS. Ended up buying 2 bed frames and said to heck with it. This way, we will not have to buy Jack a crib and when the boys desire it, they can turn their beds into full size. The only thing left is buying 2 box springs and bed skirts...viola:




To say the boys' were excited would be an understatement. They were thrilled...ran around the room for a good 1/2 hour...shreiking in delight!!


They love to sleep in them, as well, and have gone immediately to sleep for naps and bedtime...so far so good!!


Listening to their Daddy tell them the rules of the new big boy beds...so sweet. I cried when we tucked them in for the first time. Last time we decorated this room, I was pregnant with the boys....


Starting to enjoy Spring...all of the sunshine, cool breezes and bright blue skies! Bring on the flip flops baby!


This also means parades and Bowleg's events. Gotta love the hut!




Don't forget to look for me in the mini-van!!!! Oh boy...............Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Weekend with the Daddy Man...

Last weekend, the boys relished in time with their Daddy.  Todd has been "on the road" an awful lot lately, causing him to leave before they wake up in the mornings, coming home after dinner or even spending the night away...

They just do not like it when our whole family is apart! Now, don't get me wrong...99% of the time, Todd is able to spend every morning, evening and weekend by their side, it has just been recently that work has pulled him in other directions. Not complaining, well, maybe just a little bit, but we all love us some Daddy time!!

Playing at the park:


And, yes, we are fully aware that poor Wade's haircut needs immediate assistance. The poor guy has had HORRIBLE haircuts for the past 8 months, because he hates it, cries the whole time and jerks his head around. We are in the "growing out" process. Do not say a word. Please.


Wearing our hats to look like Daddy...seriously, are they not mini-Todd's??


We even went over to the Hipsh's to watch a little Nascar. Well, the guys watched, the women chased the kids and we had a wonderful time together...




The boys' soaked for over 30 minutes that night. Every inch of their little bodies was covered in dirt and filth. All boy I tell ya. Got the bruised up knees to prove it!


This post just would not complete without a few snippets of conversation and a discussion of Mr. Bear.

As we are driving to Target earlier this week, Brody yells from the backseat to the car in front of me, "Go Dummy!" My heart skipped a beat...I asked my little "angel" what he just said, he repeated it loud and clear...then Wade started chanting the same phrase...both of them giggling between turns of shouting "Go Dummy!" I called Todd immediately, made him listen to what his son's have picked up while driving with him. He was silent and then we both started laughing. Gotta really watch what we say.

Wade looks up at me last night, while I was behind him on the steps heading up for bed, and says, "I love you Mommy. I make you happy and smile". I almost started crying. I grabbed him and told him that "yes, you always make me happy and smile and that I love you so very much...". he then planted a huge kiss on my smacker, then on my cheek, patted my shoulder and smiled. Oh, how I melted.

The B-man is still completely obsessed with Mr. Bear. Mr. Bear is his constant companion. We do not go anywhere without him. Todd does not like the fact that B has an item that he is so attached to, but I think it is sweet. He is not going to go off to college, bringing his bear out on dates with him. We would have a major problem at that point :) He spent an extra 5 minutes the other morning, when we pulled into the school parking lot, "giving his bear extra lovin' and makin' him feel safe Mama..."!!! I have recently begun the search for an identical Mr. Bear. Harder than you think...wish me luck, as Mr. Bear's head could fall off any day now. (Thank you Nicole for holding up Mr. Bear for me...)

To the moon and back.......

I am so excited to meet you little one! I have already started going through bins and bins of Brody and Wade's baby blankets and clothes and burp cloths and bibs...and it brings back a flood of emotions as I try to imagine your arrival. Jack, you are so wanted and already extremely loved. I love to feel you move and jab and dance around my belly. You are most active between 9a-noon and then again when I lay down for the night, although you tend to adjust all day long.  You have an eager family waiting for you and you will be treasured and celebrated and admired. You are not my first son, but the next...and our last. You are the next chapter in our growing family...and you are my little one. We love you to the moon and back!!

Here are pictures from the day your big brothers were born!

Our Valentine weekend in pictures:

We started off the weekend with a party at the boys' school, where we watched the munchkins decorate cupcakes:


and where we handed out our homemade valentine jars to all of the teachers (the boys' had a BLAST making these):


Brody and Wade received their valentine gifts from Mommy and Daddy...rain boots(they have been begging for these for weeks now) and Buzz and Woody figurines:


Took a trip to the Niceville park, which actually ended in an ER trip...A child pushed poor Wade down a very big slide...he couldn't bear weight on his right leg...so off to the ER we went. Ended up with a sprained ankle that seemed to heal it self by the next afternoon??)




His last ride down the slide before the incident. (It took every once of self control for me not to yell at the child that pushed Wade):


Spent some down time at Barnes and Noble:


Said to heck with the down time and headed to the beach to chase birds:


My 3 Valentine's...


And ordered Outback take out for dinner. This is what happens when you end up waiting for 20 minutes in the car for take out and your kiddos are bored:


Happy Valentine's Day to everybody!

Well, it seems I have been on a blogging hiatus. I just haven't felt like taking the time to be completely honest! But, there are moments passing by, that if I do not take the time to document, they will be memories scattered with the wind, completely lost for forever. Heck, I cannot even remember what I did last weekend for heavens sake!

The boys have become smarter than Todd and I. I swear. It is as though they woke up one morning as little boys...toddlerhood gone...well except the distinct smell of a diaper needing changed....gross.

They tell me to drive faster...and how to cook eggs...and to fast forward a DVD when it comes to a part that they do not like...and they take off their own clothes...and can unbuckle their car seats partially (grrrr)...

They are extremely hard to reason with at times, but incredibly loveable...they are craving independence and making their own choices. They know which activities are supposed to happen in the mornings, on school days, before nap, at bedtime...They list off their "best friends" on the way to school each morning and are quick to tell us that they "aren't gonna be my friend" if we upset them...They have favorite toys, will not wear each others jackets and demand certain color cups to drink from...

My little boys. All growns up. :)




Wade brought home the class "pet" a few weekends ago...a little stuffed ducky named Daisy. Daisy came with her own blankie, a notebook to document our adventures and off we went!! We brought her with us on a playdate to Campbell and Cailey's:


She even got to spend the night with us at Nana and Gator's house and camp out on the family room floor, ride our bikes and help feed the ducks!


We are still opening Christmas presents. We were blessed with so many, that we decided to tuck some away for a rainy day...best idea ever!! This one was a huge hit...thank you Aunt Lowie and Uncle Tom!


Leave ya with a sweet shot I snuck of Wade playing Daddyman......