Bubbles...bubbles

Found a fun little project on pinterest. Man, I love that site. If I have free time to surf the ipad (never) that is where you would find me. Or playing words with d or something! 

Bubbles galore. Free and Fun. 

All you need is in our case. 

1 empty milk container - with a hole in the side

1 straw

water 

dish soap

Just fill the container with water and add drops of soap. Insert straw and let them blow. 

(note - if you child is little they will not blow and they will suck - so they will drink soapy water - something that Ells hated. so I blew her bubble and just let her play with them)

We had so much it sat on the table all day so we could show Dad when he got home from work! 

Extended Family Time

Just another reason we went home last weekend. FAMILY. My sis and her hubs were in town with their new little girl. She is 2 months old already and D hadn't even seen her. Isn't she beautiful!

I know. I know. She just makes me so ready to meet this new little one that hangs out inside my belly. In due time we will. Hopefully sooner than later as I am feeling pretty big. In fact, my mom snapped a picture of my belly but I don't think I would ever post it. I am officially huge! 36 weeks and counting!

Of course, I have to share some pictures of my other adorable niece too. She is on the verge of crawling, which is hard to believe she is already that big. She is so close that I gave her till the end of the week before she is full blown all over the place.

Then there's these two. Blakes was in playing in the bath with them but the loud noises and splashing just wasn't what she had bargained for. I don't blame her! These two could live at Papa and Frama's house and maybe we will someday (at least for a few months).

Sledding Fun

While visiting home this last weekend, we got to take the kiddos sledding at the elementary. It was a blast as we haven't gone sledding there since I was little I think. Of course, Papa worked the hardest even with his brutal cough. Ells loved every minute of it. In fact, she rode down the hill by herself multiple times and Shadd took his far share of rides trying to make it to the fence. Always a goal or competition with that one. 

Papa giving a big push. 

Not only did they get to ride down but back up - now that's my kinda sledding, uh?

A full load on the ancient toboggan sled that my parents still have. Its older than me! 

Blake's first sledding experience. She did awesome!

Here they go.

Daddy being silly. Just a little big for this sled.

Ells on her solo run

Daddy rolling down the hill. 

Shaddy taking a solo ride

Daddy lovin on Blakers

Sissy and daddy racing sleds

Papa and Sis racing

an interesting ride up

The start of sibling competition. You should see these two race to put their jammies on. 

Enjoying the snow! 

Pulling the double load. I think Papa and Dad got their workouts in for the day! 

Best Dad in the world, uh? 

My little man

I am just amazed at how quickly my oldest is growing up. Lately, he has just amazed me with some of the things he has done and said. He has always been the nurturing type - always looking after Ellsyn and helping her. So the other day after nap I heard the two of them talking and coming down the stairs. When I went to meet them they were sliding down the stairs holding hands. Of course, I made them do it again to get it on camera. 

He has also been spending a few days a week without napping. However, sometimes this mommy (especially being oh so prego) needs a nap. The other day he just snuggled in my bed and watched a movie while I took a nap. Now I am by no means saying he is perfect as today I fell asleep before he did and woke to him and Ells 45 minutes later playing in there room. Not sure how she woke up so soon. Hopefully, he won't ever do that again. 1:15 wake up made for a really long afternoon. We did get all these puzzles put together one afternoon. And the earlier bedtime is nothing to complain about as he is exhausted by the end of the day. 

A couple other random tidbits about this little boy that I don't want to forget so I guess you get to hear about them too. He got to stay at grandma's this last week due to our trip up north. Well when we had to leave, my mom said she was sad to see them go and would see them soon. Shadd's response, " It's alright grandma...don't worry. we'll be back soon."  His sensitive sweet soul will melt some lucky girl's heart someday and until then I guess he will just have to melt mine.

He's been throwing lots of random funny things lately but the only one I can think of other than some pretty serious heartfelt prayers that are especially funny to  Dad as he isn't quite sure where they are coming from is the other night...we were putting on lotion and getting pjs on, when I discovered some dry patches on his skin. I kinda freaked as they were ring like so I called D in to examine the possible ringworm. We decided to try some cream and examine them in the morning. So the next morning, Shaddy takes off his shirt and says, " look mom, the caterpillars are gone."

My little guy isn't so little anymore and I know once this new addition arrives I will have the best helper on the block plus I will realize once again how big Shaddy is really getting! 

Follow Up to Mayo

Thank you, thank you for praying for us.

We made it safe and sound up to Rochester and back. Nothing majorly wrong with D which is great. However, does have chronic migraines - which we kinda new. However, didn't realize how many people in the US alone deal with them. Thankfully, they seem positive that we will be able to find some medication that will help mitigate or eliminate them. At least giving us back the control to manage them, which in of itself is a blessing!

Now what remains is a sleep study. They believe due to his constant fatigue and energy levels that he may have a sleep issue. So we will be getting that done. They also increased some of his current medications and gave us some to take to eliminate a bad one. So we will see in the next 3 months if this helps the headaches.

Again we really appreciate all the prayers. We were surrounded by love and it made the whole trip a lot easier. Plus the baby decided to sit tight, which was one of my answers to prayer. We are still a few weeks out but the nightly contractions that I have been having for a while made me a little nervous.

Big Day...Headed to Mayo

So today is a huge day for us...we head up to Mayo (well actually we are already there). Anyways. We are scheduled to see a headache specialist for D at 7:45am. We are praying for a miracle. Anything to give my sweet hubby back his life! Now we have nothing to complain about as he is not on his death bed fighting for his life or anything but I would just like to see him feel good consistently. We have come along way from last year thanks to some medication and the chiropractor but he still isn't himself. In fact, my heart breaks as I write this. And I know it breaks his as Shadd's question each day when D gets home is...Dad do you have a headache?

So if you think of it today... pray for the doctors. Pray that they can figure out the triggers and give us back our lives! Also just pray that we have peace if nothing can really be done. We know God is perfect and His ways are not ours.

Jesus Loves Me

So each night before bed...my two sing Jesus Loves Me, a song they both know by heart as it has been sung to them from the day they were born. You know one of the classics that you know by heart that you sing to them in the middle of the night rocking. Yes. One of those!

Well... here is Ells debut...

Frosting Cookies for VDay

So we attempted to make and frost sugar cookies. A hard act to follow as many of you know my mother-in-law is a professional when it comes to decorated frosted sugar cookies. In fact, I am a little embarrassed that I even tried. So I tired out a couple recipes I found on pinterest. Yuck on the sugar cookie dough. In fact, D had one bite and threw his away. Now the frosting was from a place called Scratch Bakery in Cedar Falls and really good (however I would use imitation vanilla or maybe not as much next time).

But the kids loved them and enjoyed frosting their own!

Valentine Painting

My good friend had a great idea to craft with some stencils cut from my silhouette, so thats just what we did. However, the kiddos did struggle to keep the paint out of their mouths and onto the canvases. Plus we had a hard time sticking to red, white and pink when there were other way cooler paint colors on the table.  Still what is better than hand painted artwork by your kiddos, uh?

In all the fun, I forgot to get some pics of the final outcome. Well they turned out great! 

Just another quick update on the littlest squeak

So I had a follow-up ultrasound yesterday morning with the Perinatal office. Wow. That was expensive.

Thankfully, the members of Samaritan will help us pay for that need as well as the whole maternity cost. Thanks to our friends, we found out about the neatest organization: Samaritan Ministries. It is a group of christians who support one another in helping each other pay for medical expenses. It has been an answer to prayer as we would have been on our own completely with this pregnancy due to Blue Cross denying me for maternity insurance and D being self-employed. And if you don't have insurance...the cost of having a baby is well, pretty crazy. I mean we even tossed around the idea of a home-birth! I could go on and on about what an amazing blessing it has been to us both financially but also the priveledge of praying and sending our monthly share directly to another member each month. So there's my plug. If you want more information...d and i will do our best to explain the process to you!

Now...the good news. No more follow-up visits with perinatal. The kidneys were within normal range of dilation. So we don't have to do anything else. Also the baby looked good and healthy. Great amiotic fluid levels but she did warn me this babe is bigger weighing 6.2 lbs today. So if I go around 38 wks like I did with the other two. Might be a 8lb+ baby this time around. All in all. I was just thrilled that everything looks good!

Praise the Lord!

Daddy's girl

Her request for a ride downstairs...never seems to go unheard. I guess she just owns a piece of daddy's heart! 

We gotta horse...

Well sort of...Daddy acts like one. He even comes with sound effects. Of course, he only lasts a few minutes but with over 60lbs riding on your back. Its hard on the ole knees. Thankfully, they have both seemed to understand and not be too disappointed when Mom nicely declines the request for rides. 

Sometimes we are all just a little silly

Don't ask me what was so funny at the table the other day but these two sure couldn't stop laughing! 

Update on our littlest

So I am officially 33 weeks, I believe. Sometimes it is just a big blur. Well...we had an another ultrasound this past Thursday and everything looked good. We have never had a late ultrasound just usually the normal 20 wk one but this little one's kidneys are a bit dilated so they needed to be checked out a bit. We were hoping they would look great this time around but they were still a little dilated. Fairly normal these days, I guess but they were supposed to give us a call with the plan from here on out but still haven't heard anything. We will just continue to pray that this little one is healthy once he/she arrives.

Of course, we got some more detailed pictures which just makes us more and more excited to meet this new little one. Daddy thinks this little one is a boy because he/she looks like Shaddy did as a baby. After doing a little comparing to baby pictures - I think this little one looks like both Shadd and Ells. So I guess only time will tell what sex this little one is. I guess for now, only God knows.  A phrase that seems to suffice Shaddy for now.

As far as the pregnancy goes. I am feeling good. Big but good. This little one is extremely active and tends to love it when I hold my arms across my belly and when I am reading stories to Ells and Shadd at naptime and nightime especially. Still getting pretty decent sleep at night and no really crazy cravings - although i have been known to drink almost an entire pitcher of OJ or whip up brownies from scratch due to a need for chocolate. Crazy I know.

I know we are just getting more and more ready for this one to arrive. I monogramed a couple of onsies Friday and made Ells a big sister shirt (Shaddy already has a couple). I would share pictures but then you might be able to guess this little one's name. So the final reveal will be on delivery day.

Thankfully, we have gotten our taste of newborns in the last couple of months with the birth of our niece Shaye in late December and our new nephew, Micah, born last week. This little one regardless of his/her gender will be blessed with lots of loving cousins. What a blessing!

Just a little snowball fight

I know I know the snow has melted but last week we still had some plus it was beautiful outside so we got to enjoy it. Well, I don't know how but somehow we got into a snowball fight, me included. This is quite a different Ellsyn. She is actually enjoying the snow rather than crying and being scared to death like she was in November.