Pink & Blue Easter

When Zachary and I went shopping to get his Easter duds we were also out shopping for the Gender Reveal Party.  Zachary insisted we needed to wear pink and blue for Easter.  Honestly, I think he got confused on what we were buying for what event but I was not going to say no to some pink.  Uncle Vern...don't worry he doesn't wear pink all the time. :) 

Here's how pictures go for Zachary these days....it's an entire sequence of emotions. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT.  I had to capture all of the faces and moods of Z.  My moms says I have no room to complain because she said I was a lot worse when it was time to take pictures at Zachary's age. I used to stick my tongue out at the camera.  Sorry MOM!  I now get it! 

Our "normal" Easter morning routine is Karen & Marvin (my in-laws) come over before church to eat breakfast and take family pictures however this year they had to be at church super early for choir.  We missed them.  We missed their picture taking ability too.  Since they were not present we had to improvise.  We put the camera in a kitchen cupboard and set it to do automatic pictures.  After the fact Kevin and I could not stop laughing....You'll see why...Check em out. Zachary totally looks like a ventriloquist.  I asked Kevin to pick him up for the pics and this is what he did.  Crack me up! 

 Yes..Kevin is holding Z like this, he is not sitting on a table or anything.  These two guys make me laugh all the time.  It's hard to believe that in less than 20 weeks we will have another little guy to keep me entertained or awake all night. I really can't wait to see what Baby A will look like and what his demeanor will be like.

I hope everyone had a blessed, fun Easter of 2011. 

Egg Dying and Gram's Birthday Party

The day before Easter we all got together to dye eggs, celebrate Grams Birthday (very belated) and celebrate Easter.  Because of conflicting work schedules and family plans we did Easter at my parents on Saturday so that we could do the egg hunt with Elliott & Jerrytt.  Let me just begin by saying it has been raining here for the past 3 days, so we had to do everything inside. 

Zachary getting ready to dye eggs....playing with Grams special egg dying tools.

 Monkey see...Monkey do....Elliott had to do it too.  These boys crack me up!

 This is how my parents dog greeted us at the door. Sweet Claire Bear

Our sweet baby Jerrytt

 Jerrytt hunting Easter Eggs....he did quite well...until he found a hidden container of baby puffs.  That stopped him in his tracks.

 The Three Grandsons at Grams & Pops

 Celebrating Grams Birthday!

 Grams with her favorite little guys! Happy Belated Birthday MOM!

On Easter Sunday we celebrated Easter at my in-laws house with my mom (dad had to work).  Unfortunately I did not take a single picture.  :(

VOLCANO!

Zachary likes loves projects.....I mean LOVES projects. I think he gets it from his mom...because I do too.  We saw directions on how to make your own volcano in a Chick*fil*A kids book and immediately Z wanted to do it.  After asking about it for about a week I finally had all the items need to make it.  So the other night after dinner we all sat down to do it.  Please note...that both of my guys have p.j. pants on. Now you know why Zachary is always without his clothes...because daddy is always without a shirt around the house. They really do look naked in these pics but they refused to throw shirts on. Silly boys! 

1. Pouring red vinegar into baking soda

 2. Small reaction = happy boy

 3. Pouring lots more = very excited little boy

4. Daddy going all out with a lot of baking soda & vinegar = Super excited, thrilled little boy

We spent most of the night making the volcano explode. So much so that we used an entire box of baking soda. It was a fun project!

19 weeks!

How Far Along: 19 weeks

Size of baby:   The baby is the size of a cantelope.  Last week when we had the ultrasound the baby was 9 ounces. I am amazed that something smaller than a can of soda can be so active and pokey. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: At the doctor I am up 5lbs but I know that I am up at least another 3lbs because we have been eating, eating, and eating.  Every time I turn around we are out to dinner with family or friends, at a party, or celebrating Easter dinner. 

Maternity Clothes: I have officially pulled out my maternity clothes. I can't stand to wear jeans...even maternity. I can't wait for the warmer weather because I am going to be in maxi dresses, sundresses, and skirts all summer.

Gender: He's a BOY!  We are diligently working on a name for this little guy.  We all have our favorites we just need to combine them into the perfect name for our little man.

Movement: Baby Austin is a mover. I am starting to feel a lot more jabs and flips. I love that feeling!
I am hoping that Kevin and Big Brother Zachary will be able to feel him this week. My mom felt him last week when he was doing sommersaults up by my rib cage. 

Sleep: I am starting to sleep a lot better.  I still wake up a lot earlier than normal. 
What I miss: Being able to carry Zachary.  I can't do it...he's just too heavy for me. 

Cravings: No really cravings this week.

Symptoms:  I am officially symptom free! PRAISE GOD!
Best Moment this week: Seeing the baby and all of his functioning parts.

Friends come to visit

I've said this before and I will say it again. We love it when our friends call us and let us know when they are in the area.  Even if it only for a 5 minute visit or a lunch break.  It's a special treat.  This week on Thursday we were contacted by our sweet friend from Kevin's home town.  They were headed down for a mini-vacation and stop by on Friday.  We met up at Kevin's office since they have not seen it yet. Then we hit Lambert's a famous tourist restaurant that throws rolls.  Because we have have children now it's harder to get pictures of the craziness but I managed to get a couple group shots at the office.  Thank you Erick, Mary, Bill, and Sara for letting us know you were in town. We had a great visit!  We love you guys!

Back Row: Grant, Bill, Sara, Hil, Kevin, Noah, Mary, & Erick

Front Row: Chase, Carter, Zachary, Riley

This picture was a lot easier....just the adults/good friends

 Bill, Sara, Hil (+ baby boy), Kevin, Mary, & Erick

The highlight for the kiddos was not the game room....it was the fireplace. They loved it! 

 Carter & Noah "hiding"

Noah, Riley, & Chase

Pictures of our new little BOY!

I have had several questions about whether or not we are 100% sure we are having a BOY! My best friend Melody is still in denial.  To be honest I think I would be too if....
1) I hadn't seen the baby in full action and
2) the photos were not so obvious.
So I thought I would share. I took these pics with my iphone so they are not the best. I did not want to scan because I did not want to edit the name on the ultrasound for privacy sake. 

The first pictue is the first thing we saw when the ultrasound tech put the wand on my growing belly.  It sure was a good thing we wanted to know what the baby was.  The same thing happened with Zachary.  I immediately asked, "is it a boy?"  The lady ignored me so I asked again. She said, "we usually start at the top and go down to check all the anatomy first." I said, "I understand that but I saw a boy part (using the correct anatomical name)."  I also told her that I would be able to focus more on the rest of the ultrasound if I knew. So she said, "Yes it is a boy!"  Geez...it wasn't like we couldn't tell.  Kevin and I have decided we have the most non-modest children in the world. Zachary posed the exact same way during his ultrasound and he still loves to be naked.  I cannot keep clothes on him unless he is in public. 

I guess this little guy is going to be the same way.  We have a very proud little guy!  It's a little blurry from my phone but you can definitely tell it's a boy

This picture is of two photos combined....the first pic on the  baby's head (he is looking up so its a profile shot). The second picture is of the baby's legs. If you look right in between the his legs you can see his man parts again.

In this picture you can his little foot on the right and his hand and arm on the left. 

Here's the last one...Baby Boy is looking up and waving at us.  The white area you see on his head is his maxilla and mandible (the upper and lower jaw bones)....Kevin and I were thrilled to see those formed completely :)

We think he's pretty cute. We are just so relieved and thankful that he has all of his parts, bones, and that everything is working. He truly is a miracle baby considering I have only been able to keep about 5 prenatal vitamins down this entire time and he survived all of my medicines.  Thank you for the prayers. 

Gender Reveal!

On Monday night we hosted our "Gender Reveal" Party.  Zachary and I chalked the front entry to greet our guests.

Only Kevin & I knew the gender of the baby.  When I sent out the invites for the party I asked party guest to wear either pink or blue depending on what they thought the baby was.  I was so excited when all of the guest came in pink and blue (and my sis in green because she didn't have blue).  We started the evening with Guess the Baby's Birth Date on the Calendar.

Here is a collage of our party guest in their colors....

Here is the "Candy" Bar & Dessert Bar with Cake Pops, Cupcakes, and toothbrushes

Team Pink

 Team Blue

***Please note the laptop in the background...My Aunt Ann in PA was able to attend the party via *SKYPE.  (technically she was team pink)

 After introductions and team pictures Big Brother Zachary opened a gift to reveal the gender of the baby.  He opened it SO SLOWLY.  I thought I was going to have to open it for him.

 Here it is...Baby is a BOY!

 My sweet friend Lori took pictures for me to get the reaction of the guests.  We had a lot of suprised guests.

 My best friend Mel was holding back the tears because she really wanted me to have a daughter. 

 Showing "Aunt" Steph the "boy parts".

 Mel couldn't believe it....but let me say we are 100% without a doubt sure that He's a BOY!

 Pops and MaMaw checking out the ultrasound pics

 Aunt Rachel just knew it was a boy...

 Big Brother holding up his Baby Brothers first outfit

The last picture of the night was taken by my dad.....isn't this sweet. Big Brothers...Elliott and Zachary are best buddies.

We had the best night celebrating Baby Boy!  I am so glad I through the party for ourselves because it was a lot of fun to surprise our family and friends, it was also great to celebrate this little guy that God blessed us with, and it will probably be the last time my house sees this much pink. LOL!  We feel so fortunate to have such an amazing support group that will help us raise our boys!  Thank you to everyone who was present for the Gender Reveal!

18 weeks!

POST was written on Sunday April 17th!

How Far Along: 18 weeks

Size of baby:   The baby is the size of a mango...I'm starting to think this comparison thing is a joke. My mango is smaller than the sweet potato I had last week.  But my iphone app said mango so I am going with it. I must add that the mango is my nephew's favorite fruit so I couldn't leave it out. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Last week at the OB I have officially gained weight.  I am up 5 lbs.  She was very pleased. I was shocked.  I'm still under compared to most at 17 weeks but I will take it!

Maternity Clothes: I have officially pulled out my maternity clothes. I can't stand to wear jeans...even maternity. I can't wait for the warmer weather because I am going to be in maxi dresses, sundresses, and skirts all summer.

Gender: Today's the big day!  We will find out the gender at 11 am on Monday April 18th. However we are not posting any information about it until our gender reveal party that night. I'm so excited!

Movement: Baby Austin is a mover. I am starting to feel a lot more jabs and flips. I love that feeling!
Sleep: I really dislike going to bed at night. I'm exhausted but it takes forever to get cozy even with my snuggie. This past week I have been waking really early ready to tackle the world. This is great...if and only if I get a nap at 9 am.

What I miss: Being able to carry Zachary.  I can't do it...he's just too heavy for me. 

Cravings: No really cravings this week.

Symptoms:  This week I have had a lot  fewer moments of morning sickness.  I haven't gotten sick in 4 days.  I AM THRILLED!    I still have major heart burn but I am so happy I am doing better.

Best Moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat last week at the OB's office!

It's a.....

So I wanted to post pictures from the ultrasound, the actual ultrasound photos, and pics of the gender reveal party however I had the ultrasound photos wrapped in the gift with the gender specific baby items.  I can't post pics of the gender reveal yet...because we haven't had it. So I guess without further ado....you'll just have to be happy with the gender of Austin Baby #2  until after the party. Be prepared for a lot of updates from the party and the actual ultrasound tonight. 

Have I made you wait long enough?

IT'S A VERY HEALTHY BABY

BOY!

Are you surprised? 

Check back later for full details and pictures! 

Coming Soon: Gender Reveal Party

*** I have set up a BLOG POLL....its over to the left of this blog post.....so don't forget to vote on what the gender of this baby is going to be.  I will tell you this.....Boys run in Hilary's (mom) side of the family.  (We have one boy, my sister has 2 boys, and my two cousins each have a boy ...no girls.  On Kevin's side of the family there are 2 girls and Zachary)  Good luck!

I have had a lot of questions about our upcoming ultrasound, so I thought I would post a little bit about it on our blog.  Back when I was sick my husband brought home a "cake pop" from a local bakery that was a left over from an office party.  It was beautiful!  However there was no way in the world I was going to eat it.  I couldn't eat anything however that cake pop laying in front of me sparked an idea. 

I cannot take the credit for coming up with the concept of a Gender Reveal party.  I had seen a few online and I remembered them.  Basically because I wanted an excuse to have cake pops and I love a good excuse to have family and friends in our home. I decided to throw ourselves our very own party.

Here's the details....On Monday April 18th, Kevin and I are having our ultrasound.  Of course we are praying for 10 fingers, 10 toes, a healthy heart, functioning kidneys, smart brain, and a healthy baby.  That is our #1 desire.  After we find out all of the parts are functioning we will be finding out the gender of the baby.  Kevin and I wish we were that cool, calm, and laid back couple that does not find out the gender of the baby but we are WAY TO TYPE A for that. We want to know, we want to plan, and we want to celebrate the rest of the 20 weeks. Which brings be back to the party....so we will find out that morning the gender of the baby.  From there we will go have lunch and then go pick out a gender specific baby gift and have it wrapped in blue and pink.  Later that night our close family and friends will be coming over to induldge in cake pops, cupcakes, and a full blue & pink candy bar. I have asked our guest to arrive in either pink or blue; depending on what they think the gender will be.  I can already tell you I will be wearing Team Blue and Kevin will be wearing Team Pink. At the party we will be taking Team Blue & Team Pink photos, guessing the baby's 'birth' day, and then we will have the big reveal.  Big Brother Zachary will open the present when all the guest are present to reveal what the baby's gender is.

As for all of our other family and friends on FB & my blog I bet you are wondering when you will find out. Well we are going to post the gender on FB and I will have an automatic blog set up to go at 8 p.m. (Central Time).  I will also send out some text messages AFTER we have the reveal, as well. 

It's hard for me to believe that I am already to this point in my pregnancy.  There were several hours and days that I could not see this day in my future because of the hyperemeresis gravidarium (extreme morning sickness).  I'm sure some people think it's silly to throw ourselves a little party but my thoughts are this....it's our last biological child, I survived hypermeresis gravidarium (extreme morning sickness), I love an excuse to eat cake pops, candy, and most importantly celebrate this baby that God has given us with our closest family and friends. 

I do have one favor...please pray for our ultrasound on Monday. Pray that the baby is healthy, pray that mommy is healthy, and pray that Baby #2 cooperates!  Thanks!  I'll keep you updated

The zoo with Grams & Pops

Last weekend we had an 80 degree day with beautiful sunshine and a light breeze.  Daddy was fishing with one of his best friends, Erick in a Bass tournament.  Z and I wanted to have a play day too so we went to the zoo with Grams & Pops.  It was a perfect day for the zoo! 

All of my pictures are of Zachary with Pops & Grams feeding either the fish or the petting zoo animals.  Z had a blast with his Grams & Pops. Our local zoo has a lot of neat features (train, feeding the giraffes, etc) however we spent so much time feeding the fish, watching the elephants get a shower, and playing at the outdoor play land that we missed the train and the Giraffes were full.  It didn't matter at all because we had a fun afternoon doing whatever we wanted. 

Pops and Z feeding the Carp

 I like this one. Z is hanging on to Grams for balance and grabbing food out of Pop's hands.

 At the petting zoo. 

 This calf wanted the food so bad but Z was a little scare of his snotty nose.  The calf would stick his tongue out and Z would throw the food on his tongue.

 Z was worried this baby wasn't getting any food.  :)

That's all the pics I took because we were just enjoying the day.  It was perfect.

I must add that Kevin had a perfect day too. Erick and him caught 17 bass fish....5 of which were keepers. They got 2nd place in their tournament.