Add One More

Back to my mom's side of the family. Three of my cousins and myself were all expecting babies within 8 weeks of one another. Kyra was born a little over a month ago and early last week we had the 2nd of the four babies born. Renee and Pete didn't find out what they were having and when they got to hold their little girl, they were head over heels.

Sarah Delany joined Big Brother Matthew on Wednesday, April 20th at 5:03 pm, weighing in at 8 pounds 2 ounces and measuring in at 19 inches long. Congratulations to Renee, Pete and Matthew-so excited to meet Little Miss Sarah and so happy for you guys!

Two babies down, two to go. Guess that means we are up next and since Casey Jo already knows she is having a girl, Logan will be out numbered 3 to 1! 

38 Weeks...

We have made it another week but at this point who is counting? ME! That's who is counting and I am counting every second, every hour of every day and Logan couldn't be in my arms quick enough. It isn't that I want the pregnancy to be over, I just want to meet my little baby boy.

I recently reread a few posts from when I was pregnant with Kaden and when he was first born and I can tell you that the things are certainly different this time around. For instance, I am not worried about the actual delivery of this baby but instead I am worried about leaving Kaden for a few days and him wondering or thinking that Mommy doesn't love him as much. 

Another difference, with Kaden, we worried about introducing the dogs to him when we first brought him home, now I worry about introducing Kaden to Logan and seeing his reaction.

The first time around, the kicks and movements were never ending but this time around, they are never ending and painful-must have been the extra fatness I carried with Kaden.

Speaking of weight, this pregnancy, I have gained 18 less pounds than the first time around and no, I will not say what I have gained this time or last time because frankly it is kind of embarrassing and took way too long to get back into my pre-pregnancy jeans.

I have also experienced little, if no swelling which has been amazing in itself because I haven't had to resort to flip flops yet!

Sleep, was tough while pregnant with Kaden, sleep now, impossible. Logan moves at all times of the night and when he moves, he MOVES but then again, I guess I need to get use to it because I see a lack of sleep in the near future.

So are we ready for this? As ready as we ever will be. We have all the baby gear items ready to go. Pack and Play up, bouncy seats assembled and placed strategically throughout the house, crib is raised back up for an infant to sleep in, diapers and wipes are out, infant bathtub is accessible, clothes and blankets washed-we are ready when it comes to the baby gear. Are we ready emotionally is the bigger question, probably not but I do know that the moment Logan is placed in my arms, all the worries, doubts will go away. Everything is exactly as it is suppose to be-Me and my boys, my three boys. Life is good now but life is going to get so much sweeter in a matter of days!

Not the best picture, trust me, there is space between my bump and boobs! 

As you can tell, Monkey's nose got a little more black and blue but it isn't broken, well Dr. Mom says it isn't broke. He has been in such a great mood and has no care in the world when it comes to touching his nose or me messing with it so because of the lack of pain, we don't believe it is broken-I know, scientific. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the black and blue-ness goes away soon because family pictures will be done soon after Logan is born and gotta get a shot of my two boys together. 

*Also to note-the haircut. We finally trimmed it up, hopefully now he doesn't look so homely. 

A Happy (But Accident Prone) Easter and A Happy Birthday

I guess the Easter Bunny takes after Santa Claus and works from a list too. This year, Kaden fell on the nice list and Mr. Easter Bunny didn't skimp and brought him lots of goodies. He got a few puzzles, a mini bowling set (maybe he can beat his Daddy to that 300 mark too), a few books and a Micky Mouse Clubhouse dvd (he just loves that darn hot dog dance! Heck, who am I kidding, I catch myself signing and dancing along too!) He also had some new pjs from Grandma Sara and Papa Tom. All in all he made out like a bandit this morning and we hadn't even made it over to Grammy's.

After a delicious breakfast brought to us by Winstead's, we had the first of our Easter Egg hunts, we first started out with animal crackers and then headed to money which Kaden happily deposited into his piggy bank. Gotta start saving early! After a quick nap and lunch, we headed to Grammy's and it wasn't 2 minutes after we arrived and we had our first causality--Kaden was taken out by the stair and it wasn't pretty. The nose started to bleed, we had instant bruising, the only question-was it broke? A couple of wash cloths, an ice pack and one very sad little boy later, we decided that it wasn't and that we would just watch it in case more bruising showed up but so far, so good. After the initial run in with the stairs, the accidents just kept coming. We ran into the grill (it wasn't on!), we fell running to Daddy on the deck, we fell carrying a chair and after all of these mishaps, he jumped up, dusted himself off and went to the next adventure with a smile.

Last year, Kaden was a little young to enjoy decorating Easter eggs but we thought maybe this year he wouldn't be...WRONG! Did you know that blue dye actually dyes your hands! And who would have thought that a 20 month old would just want to dump the bowl of blue dye on the deck. He rolled the egg once and then he picked up the bowl and lets just say, we didn't end up using all 6 colors for the eggs nor did we make it to egg number 2! Better luck next year!

Oh and not only was today Easter but it was also Papa Tom's 56th Birthday and all he asked for was to hear Kaden say Papa. As we were dialing up Skype, "PAPA, PAPA" was all Kaden wanted to say and as Papa came onto the screen-Kaden was mute and all Papa Tom got was a EEHH! Again, better luck next year!

His poor little nose!

One Year Later-and Yes, a haircut is on its way!

Happy Anniversary to...

US! Three years ago today, with our toes in the sand and the waves hitting the beach, we said our vows (for the second time) to one another. As you can imagine, I am already planning our return trip and I am happy to announce that we are headed back to the exact spot in just a few short years to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary and this time, we will have both Kaden and Logan! In honor of our big day, here are a few of my favorite pictures-btw, thanks honey for the wonderful Christmas present without it, I wouldn't be able to share our photos! Love you and our little life we have together.

New Look For Old Room

It is time. Time for the big reveal of the new formal living room. We still aren't 100% complete, missing a few accessories and a couple floating shelves but that might not get done until after baby arrives... A huge thanks to Mrs. Sarah Jones, her polyvore and vision really came to life and is now our reality. I won't lie, as she was pulling things together, I thought to my myself, "that doesn't go together. is she crazy. she really does this for fun on the side." But I kept my faith and sure enough it all works perfectly together. She truly has an act for interior design, I wish I had half of the talent she has in her little pinky finger!! So without further ado

The before and WAY before (kitchen remodel and paint happened last August.)

and now, what we all have been waiting for-okay, okay, what I have been waiting for-the AFTER.

and the AFTER of the kitchen (I have had a few requests to see the kitchen again).

What is new? What is recycled? What piece traveled the farthest? And what, if anything, stayed put during the redesign?

We can start with the easiest of the questions-what stayed put-the couch. It use to be in our family room but when we bought a new sectional, we moved part of it upstairs. The curtain rod, we just raised it about 24 inches, all the way to the ceiling to add some height to the room.

What was recycled? The mirror on the fireplace, it received a new facelift. The picture near the door, my brothers master piece, it received a new frame and mat. Three of the 5 pillows on the couch, we just bought fabric and had pillow covers made (added zippers so we could wash easily). 

What traveled the most distance? The two pillow cases that sit on the new chairs. They made it all the way from Indonesia-gotta love Etsy!

What is new? Reread the above and anything else, well it was bought. 

-Accessories-purchased at TJMax, Marshals and Home Goods. 

-Curtains-West Elm

-Cubes-Target

-Rug-Pottery Barn but bought on Ebay at a SUPER discount!

-3 brushed nickel frames-Crate and Barrel-Love these and will have to get more!

-2 circle mirrors-Ballards on SUPER discount

-2 AWESOME Chairs-Home Decorators Collection

Again, I only have Sarah to thank for this room. She made it so easy. She did the majority of the shopping and she kept track of what I owed her and I wrote a check. The one, well two, items that I can take partial credit for are the chairs, the show stoppers in the room! We were looking for chairs on CL but after an unsuccessful purchase of Navajo chairs that weren't going to work, I went to the internet in search for the perfect chairs. I finally found what I thought would work and with just a click of a mouse we found that they came in a fabric similar to what Sarah had initially picked out. Done and Done. I couldn't be more excited about how they look in the room! 

On a side note, I have some lovely Navajo chairs for sale if anyone would be interested, all they need is a little bit of fabric and some serious outside the box thinking! 

Up next, hall bathroom and the master bedroom! It may have taken us 6 years and one attempt to sell the house but now, I wouldn't move unless our DREAM house was calling our name. 

Happy Anniversary To.....

Zack and Lindsey! Can't believe Lindsey has been able to put up with my little brother for the past 2 years. You, my dear SIL, are a saint! Just kidding Officer Hartley-Love you both!!

Hop, Hop, Hop

Saturday was the big day. Kaden had his first Easter Egg Hunt. Did I get him prepared enough? Would he be the fastest kid under 3 and collect the most eggs? Or did he stand in shock and just watch all the other kids pick up his eggs?

Well, I am happy to report, Kaden did GREAT! He actually found the first of the 24 GOLDEN eggs. Okay, I might have spotted it but Kaden was already heading straight for it so it was just a matter of time before he picked it up, I just hurried him along before some bigger kid came barreling through! After he found the golden egg, he ran for the grass and picked up an egg here and there but for the most part he just wanted to jump and crack them open. Next thing I know, he has a chocolate chip cookie in his hand. Where did this come from? I'll tell you, my child is a klepto, he stole a cookie from some other little kiddo's Easter Basket.

After the excitement settled down from the hunt we got in line to see the Easter Bunny. We weren't too sure how he would do since we didn't get to Santa in time but while Daddy waited in line, Kaden and I watched the other boys and girls get their pictures taken. By the time it was his turn, Kaden was ready to go. Daddy picked him up, sat him down and Kaden froze. No crying but no smiling either. He wasn't too sure about this whole fluffy white person but when his time was up, he got down and happily waved bye-bye to Mr. Bunny-where was that enthusiasm while he was sitting on his lap?

Now that the hunt and the pictures were done, it was time to run and play. Kaden got to play with Cousin Colton, Cooper and Jackson, and Hannah and Jake. The kids ran and ran and when it came time for nap time, he slept and slept!

As soon as Kaden woke up from his nap, our visitors had arrived for the night. Uncle Adam, Aunt Becky, Cousin Colton and Grammie Janet all came over for some of Daddy's famous burgers. Soon after dinner it was Kaden's bath time (nightly routine to remove all the allergens per Dr. Rawson). Colton wanted to continue to play so we just stripped him down and put him in the tub too. Their favorite game, dumping water out of the tub-they laughed and laughed. Grammie Janet just laughed and laughed. Mommy and Becky-not so much. After bath time we got to experience the loudest, yet funniest, game of tag ever. The boys just chased one another around the kitchen and squealed the entire time. Needless to say, Kaden slept like a baby that night and didn't wake up until around 8 on Sunday! I just wish I would have caught some of this on video to share! But, we always have next time!

Who's The Boss

For the most part, I would say Daddy is the boss, I might be bossy but he has the final say. In this instance, Logan is the boss and is making sure we all know just how in charge he is. We had our 36 week appointment today and we got some so-so news, not the life-ending-cry-my-eyes-out news (thank heavens!) and not the butterfly-and-rainbow news, just so-so new. Logan is what we believe to be breeched so needless to say he is no longer head down. I hadn't even noticed the positioning of his hiccups lately but with the doctor asked me where they were located, it all kind of fell into place. He just got over another case of the hiccups and it was like he was yelling "don't test me mom!"

We had already planned on being induced at 39 weeks 1 day but now it seems as though we may have a real reason for having everything planned besides convenience. We will give Logan another week of chilling out in hopes he turns on his own but if he doesn't we will have a couple options. We could try aversion (which I hear is VERY painful) or maybe acupuncture or just let it be. I am not all that sure about doing the aversion and part of me thinks that Logan knows what is best so if a c-section is in store for me, then a c-section is what it will be. Guess the boss will have the final say here too.

Time to Play at Chick-fil-A!

Tonight Daddy started his golf league which meant that Kaden and I had a date night. We called Tiffany and Sophie to see if they wanted to join us for a little grub at Chick-fil-A and then for some playtime in hopes of wearing Monkey out. They were in and away we went. Sophie wasn't completely into the date-as you can see from the picture- but as soon as Kaden started putting on his moves, she started turning around. Kaden = Prince Charming! Not only did we have a great time at Chick-fil-A with Tiffany and Sophie, Kaden ate his chicken!! Check that-he gobbled up his chicken and this is such a shocker-Kaden hardly ever eats chicken, I guess it he prefers only the best.

Wide Open Spaces

This weekend was our last trip home to my mom and dad's until after Logan makes his debut into the world. Besides family, I haven't missed a lot of the "small town" things about my hometown or neighboring cities until now. We arrived a little before 7 and sure enough, Papa Tom was outside sitting under a tree with the dogs waiting for his little man. We jumped out of the car and Kaden began his adventures. He explored every nook of the fenced in yard and when that was done he headed straight for the gate and unlocked a whole new world. No six-foot privacy fences staring down at him, no streets with racing cars on them-just wide open spaces and it was all his. He ran, he fell. He pushed his motorcycle, he fell. He kicked his ball, he fell. Yes, falling was a constant but so was the smile he had on his face each time he got up. When it was time to come in, he even brought me flowers-he takes after his daddy quite well. Luckily for Kaden, Sunday brought more great weather and some cousins to play with and less falls. Papa Tom decided to make his famous burgers and homemade french fries and before we knew it, the entire family was coming over. The kids played kickball, hid Easter Eggs, threw the football and flew a kite. I was not looking forward to saying goodbye and taking Kaden away from his new found freedom but the time came and we loaded back up for home. We can't wait to go and visit again and I can't wait to see both of the boys running along side one another in a few years.

What a difference a year can make!

Daddy's 30th Birthday! Cousin Colton wasn't too happy when he found out he couldn't join the fun.

The weekend might have been filled with lots of highlights but there were a few low notes too. For starters the air conditioner broke on Saturday (Kaden and I were already gone so Daddy had to deal with the heat). Lucky for us, AB May came right over and fixed our issue and the house was on its way to cooling down. Normally, we would just open up the windows to cool the house down, it is still a little early for the air conditioner but Kaden has allergies-the worst case they have seen all season so far. Last week I took him to the doctors and we walked out of there with 3 prescriptions and an order to start the breathing treatments again. No windows open at home, no windows down in the car and baths every night. So a functional air condition was a must! Just as AB May was leaving a gust of wind came through our backyard, lifted the patio umbrella up into the air and when it fell, it fell right back on top of the table and shattered the entire glass top. Sadly, our favorite pastime is grilling and being on the back deck but Kaden didn't seem to mind the missing table one bit, in fact, he kind of liked not having to run around and dodge chairs. Daddy got out the sprinkler and started watering the grass and Kaden, well he was a little excited.

T-8 Days Until...

Kaden's first Easter Egg Hunt and it is never to early to start practicing our egg hunting skills since we want to be at the top of our game for the hunt. Did I say we? I meant Kaden, so Kaden can be at the top of his game for the hunt. We got down his Easter basket, opened up the eggs and went to hiding. After I "hid" a few of the eggs, I helped point Kaden in the right direction and it wasn't long until he got the hang of it and was running after each egg on his own. A few more nights of practice and we might just have the best 19 month Easter Egg Hunter around. Wonder if they give out any trophies or ribbons for this kind of talent!?

Sneak Peek!

After months of planning and some bargain hunting, the living room is starting to come together. Sarah, the-dear-co-worker-that-has-mad-decorating-skills-that-i-am-a-bit-jealous-of, has done some amazing things thus far. It really doesn't even look like the same room and feels so much more like a home. If I could make the grand unveiling now, I would, but I got sad news today, the chairs won't be in for a few more weeks, then again, one shouldn't rush perfection! Outside of the chairs we are just waiting on a few things to be hung and we have a few minor things to pick up to complete the room. So what parts of the room are my favorite and add just the right touch of personalization? For starters, the pictures by the fireplace-they will be black and white pictures of Justin's and I's parents from different points in their lives and then the picture over our new console table that was done by my brother in high school. Confession-I stole this picture (charcoal drawing) from my mom but I am sure she won't mind after she sees what we do with it. So without further ado here is a sneak peek, the last of the sneak peeks before the grand unveiling...

Just Playing Around...

With Kaden asleep and Justin in Houston, I started playing around on my Mac and updating software to see what all the fuss was about. One of the updates gave me access to apps that would download straight to my computer. Must have known I was needing some sort of app since I have been looking for a way to make collages to share more pictures but not overwhelm everyone super long posts plus I want to be able to save space on my blog and not have to buy more space. The app that I used to create the collage below is simply called Collage and was a little more than I was looking to spend but oh well, it accomplished what I wanted it to. Just like the Mac, I am sure there is more to it, just gotta play around with it. Monkey turned 19 months last week and I figured I could do my first collage with a few of his 18 month pictures. 

A Weekend Visitor

Since we are 34+ weeks along with this pregnancy and Justin was headed out of town for the Final Four and to celebrate his 30th birthday, my mom decided to come up for the weekend and keep Kaden and I company. I was very thankful for the extra help which she brought and the Taco Town Cheese dip too!! As soon as mom made it into town, we headed to Texas Roadhouse where we were meeting up with Tugce, Gisele and Anne for dinner. Texas Roadhouse was the perfect place to take two talkative children that have a difficult time controlling their volume, at least Kaden does... Plus they have the best rolls which keeps the kiddos satisfied until dinner arrives.

I saw Tugce and Anne pull up with Gisele and ran out to greet them since we were already seated and when I came around the corner with Gisele, Kaden just squealed in excitement. He didn't stop smiling and flirting with Gisele for the longest time. The food was great, the company was even better and before we headed home, we stopped to get a few pictures of the kiddos together.

Saturday was Daddy's 30th birthday and we knew he would be having lots of fun in Houston with JG and Jay so we decided to have some fun of our own and head to the zoo. We had planned to meet Becky and Colton there at 10 and we were keeping our fingers crossed the boys would be more interested in the animals this time around than their last trip to the zoo. 

We got there a little early, bought out tickets and headed in to wait for Becky and Colton. As we walked in they were getting ready to feed and "speak" with the otters, Kaden jumped out of the stroller and ran to the glass, he was so excited and we were off to a good start. Soon after Colton came through the gates and joined in on the fun. Next up, the Polar Bear and boy was he in a very good mood and willing to show all his tricks. The kids ran up to the glass and it seemed as though the bear came right up to say hello and then he did a back dive into the water and Kaden and Colton's eyes got SOO BIG. Luckily the bear was able to do this over and over and the boys just followed him along the glass. We visited Australia and saw the kangaroos, we saw lions and tigers but no bears. We visited Africa and saw the hippos and a few gators but no giraffes, chimps or rhinos because of the construction, oh well, next time maybe. As we were leaving we decided to let the boys ride the carousel-we wanted to end on a high note. Unfortunately, they both loved the carousel so much, they were very sad when the ride ended and we had to get off and they both let us know just how unhappy they were. Enter Grandma and the gift shop to save the day, Grandma Sara took Kaden into the gift shop to find a special toy for him. We walked around showed him a few things and he immediately clenched onto the stuffed monkey. He hugged and hugged this monkey until we paid for it and after we paid for it, he threw it to the ground-go figure! We spent 3 hours, walked what seemed to be 4+ miles and please don't forget all while being 9 months pregnant and we were all tuckered out. Kaden climbed into his car seat and in a matter of seconds, he was out and by the looks of it, the zoo was a success! We can't wait to go back and luckily, I bought a FOTZ pass for myself and we will be able to go back as often as we would like and a double bonus, we got free passes for our friends too!! Should be a fun summer at the zoo for all! 

To: Daddy, From: Kaden

Since Daddy was in Houston at the Final Four, we decided to head out to the zoo (more on that later) but Kaden still wanted to say...