The Hakes Family

A Few Easter Pics...

2011-05-06T22:40:00.000-04:00

Our Sweet Allyson

2011-05-06T22:36:00.000-04:00

Our sweet Allyson turned 5 in April. I can't believe it! Nor can I believe that she will be in Kindergarten in the fall! YIKES!

She was so excited to get a Nintendo DS & a Build-a-Bear game for her birthday!

After the Easter Egg hunt at Preschool...

Each year at Preschool, they have eggs in an incubator that the kids get to watch hatch & then they get the opportunity to hold them. Ally was very hesitant to hold them, but Mommy helped her and she really did well & ended up excited that she held one!

For some reason, Mommy doesn't quite trust this little guy alone with the chick!

Ally shares a birthday with a lady in our church, and to celebrate their birthday's, they went to the The Gilbertsville Tea Room. Ally had such a wonderful time and is still talking about it. She wants to take the whole family, although I'm not quite sure it's the place for our young family! Thank you, Lisa & Jenna...Ally will always have these fun memories!

Loving Technology!!!

2011-05-06T22:25:00.000-04:00

My children have always loved technology, electronics, you name it....

and Anderson hasn't missed a beat.

For Anders' 1st Birthday, Grandma sent him a smart phone!

He loves it!

And He LOOOOVES Laptops!

...and I just had to sneak this one in of Daddy wrestling with the boys ~

I loves this smile (really giggles)!

Some Spring Break Fun!!!

2011-05-06T22:09:00.000-04:00

This year we took a day the week of Spring Break & headed to the Please Touch Museum for a fun family day. The kids had such a great time....

Building a Fire

Our Pianoman...Anders!

Cooking Up Some Grub

Alice in Wonderland

My Baby is Growing Up!!!

Ready To Work Some Construction!

Grocery Shoppin'

Time to Check Out

Aidan, Ally & Abby

We're Alive!!!

2011-05-01T14:11:00.000-04:00

Yes, we are alive! I know it's hard to believe...but we really haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I can tell you that I think about blogging every day, and for some reason or another it always gets pushed to the side & now 9 months later...here I am...finally blogging! I guess I really have a lot of catching up to do! There's so much to say, I don't know how I will ever catch up, but we'll see! :) I hope to be blogging a little more now!

We are all doing very well! Life with 4 kids within a span of 6 years is overwhelming! Don't get me wrong...I love every minute I have with my kiddos and am so thankful to God for entrusting us with these 4 very precious little lives. I think I feel overwhelmed the majority of the time & not sure how I'm going to get it all done in the amount of time there is to get things done, but I'm constantly learning & being reminded that my time spent with my kiddos is ultimately the most important. The past year definitely hasn't been an easy year for me as a wife & mom. Lots of learning & adjusting & growing, and I will forever be learning & adjusting & growing. I'm so thankful that God is patient with me & continues to guide me out of bed each morning reminding of the little lives that he has given me to take care of and to teach to follow & depend on Him. I've always thought and said, "God will never give me more than I can handle", but when I was pregnant with Anderson, I remember David preaching about this and he said "God can and will give us more than we can handle.....(ME: ahhhhhh! noooo!!) for us to learn to follow and depend on him fully!" This is so true....I don't think I will ever tell anyone again that God will not give them any more than they can handle....because He does....and I am a true picture of this. I could never have gone through this past year without His hand literally holding me up. He has definitely given me more than I can handle with 4 very young children, but I think He's wanted to see how I would handle it...would I turn to Him for help? Some days, yes...other days, not so well. I'm still learning & I'm still trying & am so thankful for a God Who understands & is patient with me & doesn't give up on me, despite all my mistakes!

Stay tuned....more updates to come!

Anderson Has Found His Tongue...

2010-07-15T21:34:00.002-04:00

And so has Ally! :)

4 Months Old!!!

2010-07-15T21:13:00.006-04:00

I cannot believe my littlest man is really 4 months old! Anderson is so precious. He is such a happy, smiley little guy who loves his family, but loves everyone who will talk to him. He rewards them with huge smiles! Anders is really doing very well...he's still very small, but he is developing right on track & I can't quite believe we are already ready to start cereal! We went for Anders' 4 month well-check today & the doctor mentioned giving him cereal whenever I was ready & I just wanted to blurt out how "NOT READY" I was. I almost couldn't believe myself. With all of my other kids, I was/am ready & excited about helping them develop and grow into the next phase of growing up....but not Anders! I am truly cherishing these times with having him so little (& he's extra little). I think it might be because my chances of having any more are pretty slim, since the hubby is "DONE". :)

Today's Stats @ 4 months:

Weight: 11 lbs. 10 oz. (up from 9 lbs. 4 oz. @ 2 months)

Length: 24 1/2 inches (up from 22 3/4 inches @ 2 months)

We go back in a month for a weight check. Not necessarily to see if he'll catch up to a more "average" weight, but just to see if this is just the trend he will be keeping. The doctor is not at all concerned, especially since his length is in the 50th%. I am so thankful for my healthy little man.

Click Here For....

Anderson's 3-month Pictures

Knoebels!!

2010-07-15T19:38:00.008-04:00

A couple weeks ago, our family took a day trip and went to Knoebel's...our first amusement park experience with the kids! We had so much fun! The kids so much fun! This park is great for families as you don't need to pay to enter the park, but pay for the rides...you can buy #'s of tickets or you can purchase a day pass. It is really great & inexpensive (for amusements parks, that is).

We were there right at lunchtime...ate our lunch at the van & then we weren't walking back to the van until 10:15 p.m.! We never imagined the kids would last that long, but they were crying as we left because they wanted to go on more rides! Amazing fun!

Daddy w/His Girls

(one of daddy's favorite Rides, so of course,

it was on of the girls favorites, too!)

Yes, that ornery face is Aidan!

Why did our son pick the pink car?

No idea, but the girls loved the idea & hopped on the back!

Aidan could have lived in the ball pit all day! He LOVED it!

He would hold his arms out and fall backward...it was so funny!

(The smile on Ally's face never went away all day!)

There's a very wet, Daddy & Ally!

Crazy Abby & Her Ginormous Slice of Pizza

And of course, we had to get cotton candy for Ally!

Our sweet Ally!

Abby

Mommy & Aidan

This was the last picture we took that day...

can't quite believe they are still smiling so big at 10 p.m.

A 1st Grader???

2010-06-21T16:34:00.007-04:00

Do we really have a 1st grader? Oh my! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone, & that we are really old enough to have a 1st grader! Oh goodness! The kids & I went to Abby's class picnic last Monday & then her last day of Kindergarten was Tuesday!

Abby & Her Teacher, Mrs. Coffey

Abby's Kindergarten Class

Getting Abby Ready to Graduate

Ally, Aidan & Anderson Waiting to Begin

The Graduate

Getting Her Diploma

Daddy & Abby

Mommy & Abby

Mommy, Daddy & Our 1st Grader!!!

Cheese!!!

2010-06-21T16:30:00.003-04:00

A Birthday Gift from Grandma!

Abby's Art Show

2010-06-21T16:26:00.005-04:00

West-Mont Christian has an all school art show 2x a year. We went just a couple weeks ago to Abby's last art show this year & here is some of her work!

Cool Dude!!!

2010-06-21T16:20:00.002-04:00

Anderson Update

2010-06-21T16:18:00.005-04:00

Anders is such a joy! Such a very easy, pleasant, happy baby! I love that he is smiling and talking.

Sorry for the blurriness, but when he smiles...he kicks & moves so much that our camera can't get a still enough picture, but I love this one! What a smile!

Time For A Big Boy Bed!!!

2010-06-21T16:10:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago, I finally put together a toddler bed for Aidan & moved him from the crib. He has so done sooooo well! I think he's going to like consistency, though, because I he wouldn't lay in it for a nap with the comforter up. We had to pull it down, so he could sleep on the sheet that is identical to the one on his crib!

Just Testing It Out!

And Asleep In Minutes!

More Simple Fun

2010-06-21T16:06:00.006-04:00

Brothers

2010-06-21T16:01:00.003-04:00

Goofy Boy

Ally...

2010-06-21T15:54:00.004-04:00

Ally is such a sweetheart. She loves her baby brother so much! She is constantly caring for him and loving on him. I can see in how she takes care of Anderson that she is going to make a great Mommy some day! She still constantly wants to hold him & is giving him kisses & is really just all over him. This hasn't worn off for her as it has a little more with Abby & Aidan. Everyday, she prays that Anderson won't get sick again. She loves him so much!

Ice Cream Stop

2010-06-21T15:50:00.003-04:00

On the way home from the hospital on Sunday evening, the kids & I stopped at a cute little ice cream shop that we'd all been eyeing for the past 4 days while Anderson was in the hospital. The kids had all been trooper's through the whole ordeal & I really wanted to do something for them, so we stopped for some ice cream...such fun!

Anderson's Hospital Stay

2010-06-21T14:27:00.008-04:00

At 1 month old, Anderson was admitted to Bryn Mawr Hospital (about 45 minutes from our house) with RSV. This is a respiratory virus, pretty much like a severe cold. We all had colds in our house & he ended up catching it even though I did everything in my power to keep him away from everyone and keep the house sanitary. I guess his siblings just loved him a little too much! He was in the hospital for 5 days. I am so thankful for my husband who juggled life with me those long 5 days. It really did feel like a month. I was sent to the hospital with him directly from our pediatrician's office and we ended up down in the ER at 10 p.m. on Wednesday evening, April 7th. We were in the ER most of the night & were finally admitted and headed up to the pediatric floor at 4:15 a.m. I left my precious baby boy (so tough) around 6:30 a.m. to drive home and meet everyone before Abby needed to leave for school. I knew Abby would have a really rough day if I didn't see her before she left and explain what was going on. After taking Abby to school, and going home to talk things over with David and figure out a plan, David left for the hospital to stay with Anderson. One of us needed to be there at all times. I stayed with the kids & ended up going to bed at 8:30 p.m. after I'd gotten them all settled in their own beds! I don't think I'd slept for about 38 hrs & I felt like I'd been hit by a truck! David & I ended up trading spots at the hospital about every 24 hrs. or so. David was so great to help me deal with everything going on. He dropped everything and was there when we needed him! Awesome Daddy!

Anderson was hooked up to a hi-flo oxygen for 3 full days before they started weaning him down & then on Sunday afternoon they took him completely off the oxygen. He was such a sick little guy, but such a trooper. We are so blessed to have him with us & a part of our lives. I thought I'd share with you some pictures of his stay in the hospital....

Our Sick Baby Boy

Anders' 1st Breathing Treatment

Daddy's 1st Time Holding Him Since Being Sick...

A Tired Daddy, That Is.

Mommy's Turn!

And Mommy Got His 1st Smile!

Looking Much Better!

YEAH!!! No more tubes!

Some Grandma Love

2010-06-21T14:25:00.003-04:00

Some Family Fun

2010-06-21T14:09:00.006-04:00

At a Local Park On a Beautiful Day

& Some Scooter Races

Brother Kisses

2010-06-21T14:05:00.003-04:00

Sorry for blurry pictures, but I just had to get Aidan in motion as he was coming in to kiss his new brother! His kisses are too precious...

Coming Home

2010-06-16T16:09:00.009-04:00

Anderson & I just could not wait to come home from the hospital. The kids were not allowed to visit because of the H1N1 virus, so it was actually the most unrelaxing hospital stay I've had because the kids wanted to see Mommy to make sure I was ok & I wanted to see them and have them meet their new baby brother. It was so nice to come home!

The Kids Ready at Home to Meet Their Baby Brother!

Home...At Last!

Some Very Proud Sisters

(Notice the construction paper streamers on the wall!

Abby made them for our homecoming & decorated the whole house! So Sweet!)

All of my Loves

Trying Out My New Swing!

Anderson Cole

2010-06-16T15:26:00.009-04:00

Wow...I can't believe how fast 4 months has gone by, or that it's even been that long since my last post! Please forgive me!!!

I would like to introduce you (if you haven't already met) to our sweet son, Anderson Cole Hakes, born on Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 11 a.m. weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long.

36 Week Update

2010-02-16T21:44:00.006-05:00

I had my 36 week OB appointment this morning & had a great surprise when I arrived at the doctor's office...my hubby was sitting in the waiting room! It was so nice to see him in the middle of the day, but even better that he came to my appointment with me! Besides some ultrasounds with our children, I think the last time he was at an appointment with me was when I was pregnant with Abby, our first child, or maybe Ally. He's normally watching the kids while I go to these appointments, or working. It was such a sweet surprise! Everything with Baby "A" is looking great. He remains head down and I am 2 cm dilated.

I haven't posted any pictures of myself during this pregnancy, so I just had David snap a couple to share with you!

Snow Day Baking

2010-02-10T21:41:00.006-05:00

There's just something about snow days, that makes me want to bake & create some special treats for my family. Although the standing in the kitchen makes my back hurt tremendously & makes me tired, I still love it...especially when I see the surprised looks on my family's face.

So, this morning, I made my first batch of 'Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls'. I found this recipe on a blog I read & decided to try it. This is terrible, but I don't think I've ever made homemade cinnamon rolls since I've been married! Anyway, these were absolutely delicious & the family loved them! I thought I'd share the recipe with all of you!

Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour (Add a bit more if dough seems too wet after first few minutes of kneading in the bread machine.)
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling (I doubled this since we like our filling, oh yes we do!):
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing:
1 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons (or less) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put the dough ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and run on the dough cycle. After the dough cycle is finished, roll the dough into a large rectangle and spread it with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Roll up and cut into 10-15 rolls and place in two greased round cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned. Spread the icing on as soon as they come out of the oven.

You can also cover the unbaked rolls with plastic wrap, stick them in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake in the morning.

34 Week Update

2010-02-10T21:30:00.002-05:00

Ok...so I know...I'm now 35 1/2 weeks and am just getting a chance to update from my OB appointment a week ago! I'm so sorry for the delay! Thank you for all your prayers. The ultrasound last Tuesday showed that Baby "A" has now turned and is head down. The ultrasound tech said he is in a perfect position. Yeah God! Thank you so much for praying. His kidney's remain the same as they have over the past several months. Baby "A" weighed approximately 5 lbs. 1 oz. although I'm told that can vary 1 lb. more or less. His heart-rate was 143 bpm.

I also told the doctor about the contractions I've been having over the past 4 weeks or so, and he, once again, assured me that I have been doing the right thing to rest & drink lots of water.

So, now, we wait...once I reach 36 weeks this weekend, the doctor will deliver the baby if I go in to labor.

Thank you, again, for all your prayers!

My Baby Is Growing Up...

2010-01-25T11:25:00.006-05:00

Yes, Abby, our 5 year old has seemed to grow up overnight! The last couple of weeks, she has been doing a really good job of getting up on her own (without Mommy having to wake her up) & getting dressed immediately without me having to keep at her about it. Yesterday & today, Abby has gotten up and gotten dressed (for church yesterday & school today), fixed her own hair, gotten her own breakfast, then brushed her teeth...all without me having to tell her each step or helping her with them. It's amazing to me how this all seemed to happen overnight. It's a wonderful sound to hear first thing in the morning as I listen to her climb out of her top bunk and start getting ready. She normally wakes Ally up in the process, but then will also help her get dressed and then tries to help Ally fix her hair, too. Then, this morning when I heard her pouring her own cereal & milk, I really couldn't believe my baby had gotten that big already. Now, believe me, I'm not as emotionally sad about it as you might think. I'm actually excited about how God is developing Abby to be a very independent little girl and a great helper. This really couldn't have happened at a more perfect time...when I am weeks away from delivering our 4th child and have really had to slow down within the last week because of having contractions. Her independence will be a huge help to me as we have this 4th baby & will to focus my attention more on the baby & Aidan. Ally has always been a great helper, and I'm sure will continue to be as well. She is also growing up fast and able to get dressed by herself now, for the most part.

Update on Baby #4

2010-01-05T11:06:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I had my 3rd ultrasound & another doctor's appointment for our precious baby boy. In a previous posting, I had mentioned his enlarged kidneys. This was the reason for more ultrasounds. I am glad to say, we are seeing progress. The baby's kidney's have gone down in size...from each being 0.5 cm to being 0.3 & 0.2 cm. Although these measurements are the same as my ultrasound 4 weeks ago & still not where the doctor's would like to see them, I have been assured by the ultrasound tech, who has been doing this for a very long time, & my doctor, that this is nothing to worry about. They are larger than normal, but not over the 0.6 cm mark where something more serious could be wrong. I will continue to have ultrasounds until the baby is born & then once he is born, he will have an ultrasound done & my doctor is certain that his kidney's will then be normal size. For this, we are thankful.

In addition, to the baby's kidney size, the baby is also in the breech position. The ultrasound tech told me that the baby still has a little room to move, but the doctor said she would have liked to see him turn by now. I will go again in 4 weeks for another ultrasound where we will check and see the position of the baby. If the baby is still breech, my doctor says I'm the perfect candidate for an external version, which is when the doctor will manually turn the baby, because I've had 3 natural, non-complicated births previously. I have heard this is a pretty painful process, so we are praying hard that the baby will turn within the next 4 weeks. This is our focus now. If not, then we'll go from there. I've also wondered if this could be why I've been so oddly uncomfortable...because his feet are kicking so low, rather than his head being low!

We appreciate all your prayers & concern! Thank you all!

My Mission Field

2009-11-12T12:48:00.002-05:00

I received this little e-devotional from a friend this week. I just finally got to read through it and loved the great reminder it brings me. There are so many times I struggle with the balance between where my service to God needs to be within our church and community and my 3 (almost 4) very small children who take my time and attention (as they should) and whom I want to instill God's values. This is a great reminder to me as to where my first priority mission field needs to be. I hope this speaks to you as well.

MY MISSION FIELD
Matthew 9:37-38, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."

Do you sometimes hanker to be doing some great work for God? You feel as though you are wasting your life in your home. You would love to serve the Lord in some harvest field. Yes, it is true, the harvest is great and the laborers are few. But why are they few? Because mothers have not understood God's purpose.

Are you looking for an easy path in life or do you have a heart to serve God as a missionary? Dear mother, you are already a missionary. God has chosen your specific mission field for you. It is your home and family. You are employed by God to train laborers for His harvest field. You don't raise children and then send them to Bible College to prepare for service. You train them for God's service from the time they are little. They should be ready to labor in the harvest field when they come forth from your home.

Is a missionary's work easy? No, it takes sacrifice. Is motherhood easy? No, but it will be worthwhile. It takes everything you've got--all your resources of time, energy and strength--but you will influence nations. It takes sacrifice--many mothering days are exhausting and overwhelming--but you will receive the fruit of your labors and an eternal reward. It will take committed prayer and intercession, but your prayers will be answered. Remember, you are not on vacation; you are on the mission field!

Maybe God has only given you one laborer to prepare for Him--that is His plan for you. Maybe he has given you six, or even twelve! Wow, would twelve be too many? Jesus trained twelve disciples who impacted the world. How would you like to train laborers who "turn the world upside down"? (Acts 17:6)

What kind of laborers does God want us to faithfully prepare for His service? The following is my vision for our children, grandchildren and future generations. I believe He wants us to prepare children who are...

Baby lovers
Blessing imparters
Bible believers
Bible obeyers
Committed laborers in God's harvest
Courageous overcomers
Demon destroyers
Diligent workers
Evil haters
Faithful servers
Fearless soldiers
Freedom fighters
Fruit bearers
God fearers
God lovers
God pleasers
God worshippers
Gospel preachers
Holy Spirit empowered witnesses
Home lovers
Israel supporters
Jesus fanatics
Justice keepers
Life choosers
Light shiners
Liberal threateners
Obedient listeners
Parent honorers
Responsible citizens
Sharp arrows
Tomorrow's leaders
Truth bearers
Truth keepers
Truth lovers
Truth preservers
Truth seekers
Truth speakers
Persecution endurers
Prayer warriors
Righteousness lovers
Uncompromising disciples
Valiant conquerors
Wisdom getters and
Zealous servants of the Living God!

Wow! Can you imagine anything more exciting and fulfilling that raising laborers such as these? You couldn't have a greater mission field or a greater vision.

A Mischievous Little Man

2009-11-11T14:26:00.003-05:00

Ok...so all I did was go upstairs to switch the laundry. I came back down and this is what I found! I think these pictures speak for themselves...more and more lately we have been seeing more mischievous & ornery behavior out of this little man! Oh the fun!

Time To Clean Out...

2009-11-06T21:01:00.004-05:00

So, now that we know we are having a boy, & according to my husband "4 and no more"....I am cleaning out all my girl stuff. I have girl clothes from 0-3 months up to 3T plus girl blankets, bibs, towels, toys, shoes, socks....everything! I'm just trying to find the best way to get rid of it. I'd love to make a little money on everything as I have a lot. I was planning to go to a local consignment store, but they aren't taking any appointments until January for Spring/Summer things. Hmmm...so what to do...eBay, Craig's List? Does anyone have any great ideas? If so, let me know!

Baby #4....is on the way.....& is a BOY!

2009-11-06T20:44:00.006-05:00

Yes, we are expecting our 4th child! We are excited that God has chosen to bless us with 4 children...2 girls & 2 boys. Yes, that's right, we are having a BOY! I am due March 14th...and although it has taken us some time to get used to having another baby so soon, we are getting excited. I had my ultrasound on Thursday & have found we have another VERY active little man as he changed positions many times throughout the ultrasound. Baby #4 weighs approximately 1 lb. 1 oz. & his heartrate was about 143 BPM. He is developing great & is healthy. Praise God! This is one thing I have been very nervous about this pregnancy. We have had so many friends and people we know either have trouble getting pregnant, have problems with miscarriages, or have problems with their children developmentally that it has made me feel that it just wouldn't be fair for us to have 4 healthy children. I praise God we do, but my heart goes out to those friends who have or are struggling with these things.

We do have one prayer request for Baby #4. At our ultrasound, the technician saw that the baby has renal pyelectasis. This is a dilation of the kidney(s) and a blockage between the kidney(s) & ureter. Although, the doctor did say this is a characteristic of down syndrome, 9 times out of 10 this will resolve itself throughout pregnancy. This is the only characteristic of down syndrome that was seen, so that is great! I will continue to have ultrasounds at my appointments until the doctor sees that this resolves itself. If it does not resolve itself before birth, the baby will have an ultrasound within the first week after birth and we'll go from there. So, please pray with us that this issue will be resolved during pregnancy!

Here are some ultrasound pictures...I don't think they are the best pictures I've seen, but that's ok!

Picture of Baby #4's Face with his mouth open...singing to us already!

Baby's Face & Arm/Hand

This one proves we are having another boy...even Abby was able to guess that!

Our Little Music Man...

2009-09-17T10:26:00.003-04:00

Just a few minutes ago...I put new batteries in our little toy piano as Aidan was trying to play and sing. I don't think Aidan has ever played with the piano with working batteries, so he didn't even know what it would do! (Ooops! I think toys with batteries get changed a lot less the more kids I have!) Once, the batteries were changed, he went and grabbed a toy guitar and handed it to me to play and then he went back to the piano to play and sing. If I put the guitar down to take a picture, he would get up and put it back in my hands & start pushing buttons on it showing me what to do, then go back to the piano! He's got the idea at just 15 months! So, we had a little band practice, right then!

I Wonder Where He Gets This?

First Day of Kindergarten!!!

2009-09-17T09:58:00.007-04:00

Wow! I still have trouble believing it, but Abby is now in Kindergarten! Where has the time gone? Is she really that old? Am I really old enough to have a Kindergartener?

Abby started Kindergarten last Wednesday & is absolutely loving school! I knew she would as she loves to learn & loves making new friends!

I do have to say, though, it was not easy letting her get on the bus that first morning! I kept my composure until she was up the steps of the bus and couldn't see my face close enough to know that I was about to lose it. She just looked so small climbing those HUGE steps on to that big bus! It took everything in me not to follow that bus all the way to school!

Waiting for the Bus
There She Goes...

More Wedding Pics

2009-09-03T20:21:00.001-04:00

FINALLY....Wedding Pic's!

2009-09-03T11:35:00.001-04:00

I know...I'm way behind....once again. I'm beginning to think this is the story of my life! Anyway, so many of you have asked to see pictures from my sister, Emily's wedding back in June. So, here are a few pictures from her special day!

Cousins

Sisters (& Messy Faces)

Em...Ready to Walk Down the Aisle

Mommy with My Girls!

Our Little Family...Minus Aidan

Daddy & His Girls

Flowergirls...Taking Their Job Very Seriously

Em & Dad

Almost Husband & Wife

First Dance as Husband & Wife

Aidan Carter @ 1 Year

2009-09-03T10:13:00.005-04:00

Ally's 3 Year Pictures

2009-06-26T22:48:00.003-04:00

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I'm in Denial....My Little Man is 1!

2009-06-26T16:51:00.002-04:00

Yes, I think I'm still in denial. Aidan turned 1 on May 30th. He's growing up so fast. Aidan is such a happy boy & we all enjoy playing with him, and really wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't a part of our family. We had a birthday party and invited all of his little friends from church.

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Memorial Day

2009-06-26T13:04:00.008-04:00

We spent Memorial Day with some special friends in New Jersey. All of our kids are very close in age & had so much fun together. Here is Clay & Abby enjoying the fun of water shooters.

Thank you, Jusin, Lee Anne, Clay, Hallee, & Caden for a great day! We can't wait to get together again!

After leaving the Dyer's home in New Jersey, we headed to a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game. We had such a great night as a family....here are some pictures of our fun evening!

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A Busy May

2009-06-24T23:01:00.016-04:00

I didn't really realize until just last week, when I finally unloaded our camera's memory stick on to my laptop, that we had quite a busy month of May. We had some significant events happen in May & I thought I'd just do a quick catch-up for all of you.

Abby finished her year of Preschool, but before that Mommy, Ally & Aidan got to join her for a field trip to a local farm. I have to admit, my girls are definitely city girls! It's kind of funny to see how they act around animals and on a farm after I grew up on a farm with animals most of my life.

Abby & The Peacock....We Were Hoping It Would Open Its Feathers, but No Such Luck

The Kids Got to Touch a Peacock Egg....So Cool!

A Mommy Pig with Her New Babies...the kids got to pet a baby pig & thought that was great!

Then, on May 21st Abby graduated from Preschool. We started the day with a fun fair at school & then a program where the kids sang some songs for us & graduated.

Aidan Singing As We Wait For the Program to Start

Abby & Her Teachers....Mrs. Z & Mrs. Rhoads

Early Mother's Day Surprise

2009-05-08T12:02:00.005-04:00

David is at a Pastor's retreat right now in Western PA and told the girls that a package would be coming on Thursday and that Abby needed to make sure she got it. She thought she needed to hide it and not let me have it until Mother's Day, but Daddy called and talked to her yesterday and let her know that she needed to have Mommy open it right away.

So, last night the girls were very excited to help me open the box that said "ProFlowers" on the outside! :)

We opened up the most beautiful TWO dozen roses! The girls helped me get a vase ready and put the "flower food" in the water and then after I trimmed each stem, the girls took turns putting the flowers in the vase. They were thrilled....it made me enjoy the flowers even more, just by watching their excitement. Abby just kept saying, "This was Daddy's idea....This is a great surprise!....Daddy has great ideas!" It was so fun!

I also had the most precious note included with the flowers, and I'd love to share it with you!

To the best mom in the whole world! You serve so tiredlessly & unselfishly to help meet the daily demands of our family. You deserve flowers every day for all the wonderful ways you take such precious care of all of us. We can never tell you enough how much we love you! muhrffmm u 7u89.lAjaj8AZz (Aidan typed that) Love, David, Abby, Ally & Aidan

I LOVE YOU ALL MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY!

Sleepy Boy

2009-05-08T11:59:00.002-04:00

Aidan was teething terribly this day and was having so much trouble getting a good nap so I ended up bringing him down to the couch and laid with him. He finally fell sound asleep....

Ally with Pigtails....isn't she cute?

2009-05-08T11:58:00.002-04:00

Reading Phillies Game

2009-05-08T11:44:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to a Reading Phillies baseball game. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed time with friends and as a family.

Abby Meeting Quack the Duck

Cool Dude!

Aidan Loves To Be Upside Down...

Easter

2009-05-07T22:27:00.003-04:00

My mom flew out for a long Easter weekend with us. It was a busy weekend, but a lot of fun, as we celebrated Ally's birthday along with Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection! How awesome!

Easter Egg Hunt at Church

Some Fun Pictures of the Weekend...

Ally's 3rd Birthday

2009-05-07T21:42:00.010-04:00

On Good Friday, our precious and very sensitive little girl, Ally, who by the way, has the best smile in the world....turned 3 years old! WOW! She has definitely grown up so fast....maybe it's because she's the middle child (so far) or because she and Abby are only 20 months apart and I've always been busy taking care of another very busy busy little girl at the same time. Ally is amazing, though, she is so sensitive and right now is very much into making sure that Mommy & Daddy are happy and not sad or upset with her. She loves running errands with Mommy, too. Just this morning, we dropped Abby off at preschool and Ally immediately asks, "What next, Mommy?" I love it! She really is such a fun little girl & I love to be with her! I love taking her soft little hand in mine and walking across the parking lot as we get ready to enter a store. And it doesn't matter what store either, Ally always has a great time....even as we left Staples, Ally said "Mommy, I love that store!" A great little girl, with a great view of life and a huge love for her family!

Here are some pictures of our precious little girl on her birthday!

Our Princess at Chuck E. Cheese

Check Out These Smiles...

Proud To Share The Ride With My Brother...

And Some More Princesses...

The Little Man Of The House

2009-05-07T16:48:00.004-04:00

The little man of the house is quickly growing up before our eyes. He is the love of the house....he naps & the girls just can't wait until he wakes up. He is a lot of fun. Here are some fun pictures of our Aidan...

Aidan's 9 Month Pictures

Kitchen Floor!!!

2009-05-07T16:41:00.003-04:00

Yes, so many of you have been waiting to see the final result of our new kitchen floor. Now, I'm still working on some minor changes...like curtains above my kitchen sink, but here you will see my new paint job and the flooring. I removed the old apple wallpaper & border that my sister-in-law, Heide, & I put up now almost 8 years ago. I am sorry to say, Heide, but it was time & I was not the least bit sad to see it go! :) After the kitchen is complete with curtains & all, I will post more pics.

Someone Snuck Into The Picture!

Fun Times...

2009-05-07T16:40:00.000-04:00

Reading with Daddy...

Aidan's Favorite Place To Be...

Best Buds

2009-05-07T16:34:00.005-04:00

Pictures!!!

2009-05-07T16:15:00.009-04:00

I haven't posted in so long....that I have some pictures I'd love to share! Enjoy!

Our First Snowfall....& Eager To Get Outside In It!

This Time We Got More Snow & Daddy Joined Us And Posed For A Picture...

Now....for the hot chocolate! (Gotta Love The Hair!)

It's A New Day...

2009-03-01T19:20:00.003-05:00

Today marks a new day, a new ministry, a new "new" for our family. Today, David officially began his new role as Lead Pastor at our church, Daybreak Community Church. Although this day has almost felt surreal as we have walked through it, we are so extremely excited about this new ministry we have begun together. This is what God has been calling us to do & it is so exciting to now be doing it! The passion that David has for God and his willingness to do whatever....wherever God takes him is exactly what attracted me to him even in high school. I admired from afar at that point, but even then I knew that God had amazing things planned for David. The best part...is that I have been able to walk along this incredible journey with him for almost 10 years now & get to continue down this new path right by his side. I am so excited! I am so excited to see how God is going to work in-and-through us in this new role. My prayer is that I will be the encourager, the supporter & the shoulder that David needs. At times I can't even try to comprehend this new journey God has called us to, as I get overwhelmed and begin to put so much pressure on myself. I constantly have to stop myself from that thinking and pray that God will use me in the moment that I am in....whether it is those teachable moments with my kids, conversations with friends, or simply talking with my husband. I am so excited, honey, to be with you through every moment of this journey! I love you!

Aidan's 6 Mth Appointment!!!

2008-12-09T12:11:00.005-05:00

I know, I am once again very behind in my blogging! It drives me crazy that I have so much to update, and not enough time to get it done!

Aidan is growing so fast! It really is unbelievable that he is already 6 months old, and he is a very big boy! I took him for his 6 month well-check last week and he just keeps growing like a weed!

Here are his stats:

Height: 28.25 in. long (up from 25.25 in. @ 4 mth) - 90th percentile
Weight: 17 lbs. (up from 15 lbs. 7 oz) - 50th percentile
Head: 44.75 cm (up from 42.5 cm)

The doctor was really amazed by how tall he is for his age. I think he is definitely taking after his Daddy! She said he was very strong, as he does really well sitting up on his own and standing on his feet. He can also roll both ways! The doctor always thinks it is so funny that he just giggles and smiles at her when she is talking to me. She said she never gets smiles and giggles like that - normally the kids are crying because they are scared to get their shots!

Aidan continues to enjoy life! He adores his big sisters and his Daddy! If Daddy or one of the girls walk in the room, he just smiles & giggles with his whole body...he just can't stay still! He wouldn't know what to do if they weren't around. The girls love Aidan just as much. Abby says, almost every day, "Mom...Aidan is just the best brother ever!" Abby is a great little babysitter. She loves to have him sit between her legs on the floor and play. Ally is Aidan's entertainer. She is always standing over him or jumping up and down making him laugh.

Fall Celebration @ Preschool

2008-11-09T22:18:00.006-05:00

Abby had a fall celebration at preschool last Thursday. It started with a costume parade where the kids dressed up in their costumes and paraded them for the parents. Abby was proud to be Princess Liana from the new Barbie & the Diamond Castle movie.

Abby then spent the day playing games and doing fun things. Ally, Aidan & I then joined her for lunch. The kids sang a couple songs for us and then said a prayer together for lunch. It was really cute. After lunch, I helped Abby make a scarecrow. We traced around her body and then we painted it. Abby did such a great job! I was impressed with how she had to have both arms, legs, and feet the same color. I just thought she'd paint every one of them a different color. This was fun to do together.

A Big Weekend for Our Little Ally!

2008-10-26T20:18:00.002-04:00

This was a big weekend for our little Miss Ally! While Daddy was away at Men's Retreat Thursday night thru Saturday, Ally gave up her pacifier! I never thought we would accomplish this with Allyson. She's always been so attached to her 'paci' and her blanky. For some reason, though, we couldn't find her 'paci' on Thursday night as we got ready for bed, so I told her she'll probably need to go to bed without it. She was all psyched. We went upstairs to bed and as I pulled her covers down, her 'paci' appears from under her pillow. I quickly snatched it and stuck it in my pocket before she saw it. There was no way I was going to give it to her after talking her into sleeping without it. I wanted to at least try it and see, so we did it & Ally did great! She's been napping & sleeping at night ever since with no problems! What a big girl!

The second big event in Ally's weekend has been her decision to start using the potty! Yes, that's right! Of course, with my girls, this has always seemed to click at bedtime, but that's the way it's gone, so I'll take it. Last night, I had given the girls a bath and was drying Ally off when she said "diaper, diaper" rather urgently. I asked her if she needed to go potty...she said, "yes"...and I asked her if she could sit on the potty and she was all excited about it...so off we went. I sat her down on the potty & she went potty just like that! She went twice before she went to sleep last night and then has been doing really quite well today. I didn't push it today with church this morning & then we had a birthday party this afternoon, but she's done quite well this afternoon and actually while we were at the party. I am so proud of her & and am so excited that she has decided it's time. It's the moment I've been waiting for! So....for those of you reading, please pray with us that she will continue to be a "big girl" and use the potty!

YEAH ALLY! MOMMY IS SO PROUD OF YOU!

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-10-24T23:15:00.003-04:00

At playgroup on Wednesday, we decorated some pumpkin cookies. This was right up Abby's ally as she decorated quite a few. Ally really enjoyed it more than I thought she would as well...or she at least enjoyed eating the frosting off as she put it on!

Apple Picking

2008-10-24T23:07:00.002-04:00

Last Friday, we went apple picking with a couple of friends from church. It was a great day and the kid's enjoyed eating the apples as we picked them. We then got together on Tuesday and made applesauce. We've really enjoyed the homemade applesauce this week!

Field Trip with Abby

2008-10-24T22:49:00.004-04:00

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to go with Abby's preschool class to Evansburg State Park to participate in their Fall Leaves program. It was fun to spend some quality time with Abby. Here are some pictures I took of her class...

Our Trip to the Farmer's Daughter Market

2008-10-24T22:23:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, David had the Saturday off and the Farmer's Daughter Market was having their Fall Fest, so we decided to take the kid's and go. There was a lot to do and the girl's had fun. It was nice to spend the morning doing something fun as a family.

More of Aidan

2008-10-24T22:18:00.002-04:00

Aidan is loving his exersaucer....

Aidan's 1st Cereal...

Aidan

2008-10-24T21:45:00.005-04:00

Aidan is growing, growing, growing....and teething, teething, teething. These are fun times. He continues to be such a happy baby. He is teething so much right now and hasn't been sleeping well through the night for several weeks now, but I keep hoping things will get better once a tooth appears. He is a little fussy & wants to be held more during the day, but it's not too bad. I just know he's uncomfortable and that bothers me more than anything. I definitely don't mind holding him more! He has such a great personality. He's very laidback, but loves to laugh. He really loves his sisters and gets such a kick out of them. Just tonight the girls were getting ready to take a bath, and they were jumping around and playing and Aidan was just laughing and giggling so hard at them. His eyes even started to water! It was great. I love to see my kids having so much fun and enjoying each other! The girls are enjoying Aidan more and more, especially now that he is more responsive. Ally really can't get enough of him. She is constantly coming up to give him hugs & kisses and still wants to hold him all the time. Aidan also loves his Daddy (of course). If David is talking, he just turns toward Daddy and just stares at him or will smile at him. He also loves to hear Daddy sing. A couple of weeks ago David was singing a solo at church and I noticed Aidan turned his head toward Daddy and then I stood him up on my lap and he just stared at Daddy the whole time. What a love!

Here are Aidan's stat's from his 4 month appointment:

Weight: 15 lbs 7 oz. (up from 13 lbs. 4 oz. @ 2 mths)
Height: 25 1/4 in. (up from 24.5 inches)
Head: 42.5 cm (up from 41.5)

No....We Haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Earth!!!

2008-10-24T21:40:00.002-04:00

Yes....We are alive & kicking! I feel so terrible that it has been so long since I last posted. I am here tonight trying to catch up. I think every day has gone by and I've said, "I need to blog today. I need to blog today." and then before I know it, the day is gone. So....hang in there! I'm blogging tonight!

Our Little Model...

2008-09-18T19:17:00.011-04:00

...I think the pictures say enough...

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-18T19:17:00.009-04:00

Abby started preschool this year and is doing great. She's having fun and Mommy is actually enjoying some time with just Ally & Aidan. Abby goes to school from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. two days a week. Abby is very comfortable now at school, but Ally is still having some concerns with Abby being gone. She cries when Abby leaves and then on the way home she talks about Abby's car seat and then all morning talks about going to school to pick Abby up and then on the way to school she talks about Abby's car seat again. She really misses her sister, but I'm sure she will get more used to the idea over the coming weeks and will end up enjoying her time with Mommy once she figures out she has me all to herself. So far, she's just been clingy. :)

A Weekend at the Shore!

2008-09-18T19:17:00.005-04:00

We spent last weekend at the shore...we love the advantage of living on the East Coast and the ability to get to the shore within a couple of hours or so. The only unfortunate part is tropical storms & hurricanes! We left last Saturday during Tropical Storm Hanna not too shore how our time at the shore would be, but we were just excited to spend some time away as a family. We got to the shore mid-afternoon and just a couple hours after we arrived, the rain stopped. It was still windy, but we were able to get a little Saturday evening and walk the boardwalk. Then, on Sunday & Monday, the weather was gorgeous & we really the weekend filled with times on the beach, the swimming pool at the hotel and even some napping. It was a nice weekend!

3 Months Old!

2008-08-30T23:02:00.001-04:00

Today, Aidan is 3 months old! It's so hard to believe 3 months have gone by already! It's been a great day, too! First, he slept through the night last night (9:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m.)! Mommy's really more excited about that than anyone else. Then, this morning I decided to spend some tummy time with Aidan, and then he rolled over!!! and he wouldn't stop rolling over!!! Every time I put him back on his tummy he'd roll over! This is a big deal for me, because both of the girls never rolled over until they crawled...and then they would only roll over to crawl.

Here are pictures I snapped of the first time he rolled over....

SURPRISE!!!

2008-08-30T23:01:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday night, I threw a surprise party for David's 30th birthday & the completion of his Master's Degree. It was a great time with friends and I was so glad that I could do this for him. He's worked so hard to complete his schooling and I'm really very proud of him. There were about 75 people that came & we just a blast hanging out & eating!!! We thank you all for coming and celebrating with us.

Here are a few pictures...

Summer Fun!!

2008-08-30T22:30:00.007-04:00

I know I had a pretty big span of time there that I wasn't blogging....so here are some updates as to what we've been doing this summer!

First off...Abby turned 4 on July 25th & wow has she grown up just since then! It's amazing to hear some of things she says now...just all of a sudden! We had a little party for her the Saturday before her birthday & here are some pics of her day!

We also spent a day at a little zoo nearby...

2 Months Old Already!!!

2008-08-14T11:44:00.007-04:00

On Monday, we went for Aidan's 2 month well-check & he's doing great! Here are his stats...

Weight - 13 lbs. 4 oz.; 90th percentile (up from 10 lbs 14 oz @ 1 mth)
Length - 24.5"; 90th percentile (up from 23" @ 1 mth)
Head - 41.5 cm; 75th percentile (up from 39.5 cm @ 1 mth)

I know I have a lot of blog catch-up to do & I will post pictures soon!

Spaghetti Face!!!

2008-07-25T16:07:00.002-04:00

Chuck E. Cheese

2008-07-25T15:57:00.005-04:00

We recently met my boss from CertainTeed & her daughter, Leah at Chuck E. Cheese. The girls had such a great time and keep asking to go back.

Pictures!!!

2008-07-14T11:28:00.005-04:00

Last week was picture week at our house...I needed to get the kid's pictures taken because I want to be able to take some pictures home to Iowa in a couple weeks when we go to visit Grandparents...so we made 3 trips to Sears and each kid did so well! It was such a hard decision to make!

Ally Turned 2 Years Old on April 10th!

Abby Will Be 4 on July 25th!

Aidan Is 6 Weeks Old Already!

Our 9th Anniversary!

2008-07-11T21:53:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, was our 9th wedding anniversary. It was a nice day as David had the day off and was able to be home with us. Last night, we were able to go out for dinner and spend some time together...of course, we had Aidan as our 3rd wheel, but it was still wonderful. We travelled down to Philly for dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse. We had never been there before and we enjoyed our wonderful pasta dishes with salad and bread. We caught some traffic, which caused us not to be able to stop by IKEA or the mall on the way home, but it was still nice to have the time alone in the car together.

I just want to take a minute and let everyone know that I have the best husband in the world! I honestly can't believe it's been 9 years already...and that we have 3 kids! It really just doesn't seem possible. He is really a great husband and wonderful father to our children. I couldn't imagine it any other way. He is so funny and loves to have a great time, yet is caring and honest and a man of integrity. He is such a hard worker and I am so grateful to him for working so hard so that I can stay home and be with our children. He is such a great dad. The kids just adore him and can't wait for him to walk in the door every day. He spends time with them and plays with them and shows them he loves them and I think that is so important in their little lives. He is so creative with them and even though we have lots of silly games as a family...the girls just love him. I can only hope and pray that they will one day marry a man like their dad.

I LOVE YOU HONEY & CAN'T WAIT TO SPEND FOREVER WITH YOU! Happy Anniversary!

1 Month Appointment

2008-07-04T12:50:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Aidan had his 1 month check-up at the doctor. He is growing so fast! I've said over the past week or so that I thought he was getting so big and was very interested to see how much he weighed at his appointment...and he didn't prove me wrong! Here are his stats compared to what his was when he was born:

Birth:
Weight - 8 lbs. 13 oz.
Length - 20.5 inches
Head - 36 cm

1 Month:
Weight - 10 lbs. 14 oz. (75th percentile)
Length - 23 inches (90th percentile)
Head - 39.5 cm (75th percentile)

Aidan is doing really well and we are enjoying him so much. It's been fun having a little boy in the house. He really is a good baby. He smiles all the time and is starting to coo and even laugh a little. I could listen to it all day! I just can't stand it that he's growing so fast!

Who's Sleeping in My Bed?

2008-06-30T16:48:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon, David took Allyson up to lay her down for a nap, and here's how I found them a little while later....

A Day at the Shore!

2008-06-30T12:45:00.006-04:00

We spent this past Thursday in Atlantic City enjoying the shore! It's definitely a place we have to go at least a couple times each summer, although we wish we could go more often! David & Abby just love it and Ally is learning to. She did much better this year than last year. Last year Ally wouldn't even step off the blanket onto the sand and wouldn't go near the water. On Thursday, Ally didn't like the sand at first but soon warmed up to it and before we left, she even let Daddy & Abby bury her. Aidan enjoyed his first trip to the shore by sleeping in the sun tent all day! It was a great day spent together!

Allyson just getting warmed up to the sand...and letting Daddy bury her legs.

Abby's Working Very Hard...but Having Tons of FUN!

Aidan...Doing What He Does!

Abby Could Easily Live at the Beach...

Ready To Hit Some Waves with My Daddy!

Ally's Turn!

Me & My Girls!

More of Our Little Man!

2008-06-25T15:06:00.004-04:00

Aidan is a very happy baby & loves to smile! He really likes it when we click our tongue! Here he is smiling!

Aidan & Aunt Emily!

Another sweet picture of Aidan sleeping...

Aidan's 1st Bath!

2008-06-25T15:02:00.002-04:00

Well, Aidan's cord finally fell off last week, & I was so excited to be able to give him a bath in his little tub instead of just a sponge bath! I was able to get some pictures too! He really didn't care for it the first time around, but he hasn't minded his bath since then!

A Surprise Napper!

2008-06-25T14:59:00.002-04:00

The other day, I had laid Ally down for a nap up in her room & then gone downstairs to get Abby set up to watch a video so I could lay down for a little bit. When I went back upstairs to lay on the couch, I found this little person asleep on the floor between the coffee table and the couch! She even brought a book down to read!

Swimming Fun

2008-06-25T14:56:00.001-04:00

Father's Day!

2008-06-25T14:28:00.005-04:00

For Father's Day this year, we took a trip down to Shady Maple Smorgasboard for breakfast and then we went to the grocery store to stock up on produce, lunchmeat & coffee! This was also an anniversary weekend for Shady Maple, so they had some extra things going on. Outside the restaurant, they have a little fountain with some fish in the water. The girls absolutely love watching the fish and we were able to catch a few pictures of them!

We took the kids over to a petting zoo, which was really cool. We saw some animals we've never seen before and the girls (& Daddy) really enjoyed feeding the goats.

Update!

2008-06-09T22:23:00.002-04:00

We are all doing very well & getting well adjusted to having a new little baby in the house. My mom flew in on Friday night, May 30th...just after Aidan was born, and was here until this past Friday. It was so nice to have her here. I know David enjoyed having her here to help juggle the girls so he could be at the hospital as much as possible. She was such a huge help when Aidan and I came home from the hospital as well! I couldn't have done it without her here! Thank you, Mom!

The girls have done very well getting adjusted to having another little person taking some of Mommy's attention. Ally got a cold 2 days before I had Aidan and Abby caught it while I was in the hospital, so that definitely didn't help matters at first. They weren't sleeping well and they felt miserable, but they were troopers! We definitely had our good moments and bad moments that first week.

This week, I've been on my own when David's been at work. Things have gone well, and I'm actually surprised at how easy it's been so far. I think Aidan is going to be a pretty good baby. Ladies from church are bringing us meals...which is such a blessing. It's very nice not to have to worry about fixing dinner, yet. David's been cooking a lot when we don't have meals, so I still haven't had to worry about it!

It's been extremely hot & humid here, so we haven't been outside all week. The humidity just takes your breath away as soon as you walk outside. I think it's supposed to cool off a little tomorrow, so hopefully we can get outside and burn off some energy!

Aidan is doing very well. He is eating regularly, about every 3 1/2-4 hrs, and is waking up on his own in the night! Other than that, he is sleeping! The girls can't believe how much he sleeps. He does seem to have his most awake time from 9:30-11:30 p.m. Definitely not the best time of day, because normally by then I am ready to crash. Hopefully that will change soon!

Bringing Aidan Home!

2008-06-09T18:42:00.002-04:00

We were all so excited to bring Aidan home from the hospital...and get Mommy home, too!

More Pictures!

2008-06-09T18:17:00.001-04:00

Proud Big Sisters!

2008-06-09T17:58:00.002-04:00

Abby & Ally are very proud of their little brother. They are both so very good with him and always want to hold him. Here are some pictures of their first meeting...

Introducing....Aidan Carter!!!

2008-06-06T13:15:00.009-04:00

We are so excited to welcome Aidan Carter to our family! Aidan was born on Friday, May 30th at 10:41 a.m. weighing 8 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20.5 inches long.

Memorial Day Fun!!

2008-05-28T22:19:00.002-04:00

We had a great weekend as a family. We enjoyed the down time and really had a great time all together. It started Friday night when we went together to a "cheap seats" theatre and watched the movie "Horton Hears a Who". It was funny and the girls did really well. Abby sat and watched the whole thing while Ally was a little restless at times, but she enjoyed it too.

On Monday, Daddy made a nice breakfast for us and then while he went golfing with a couple friends, I took the girls & met my sister at the mall. We walked around and did some shopping for a bout 3 hours. I could hardly walk by the time we were done. We came back home for the afternoon so Ally could take a nap and I could rest. Then, for dinner, we grabbed some pizza and went to Emily's to eat by the pool & enjoy a swim. The water was a little cool still, but David & Abby didn't seem to mind and loved getting a swim in. Ally still wasn't too sure about the water, but as we were about to leave, she decided to get in the baby pool, so we all spent some time in the baby pool before hitting the playground and then heading home.

Here are some fun pictures we took at the pool:

37 Weeks, 6 Days & Counting!!!!

2008-05-22T10:40:00.005-04:00

Well, we're almost there! I was at the doctor's office this morning and am now 3 cm dilated. This is right where I was with both of the girls when I delivered them at 38 weeks, so we'll see. I'm not keeping my hopes up, though, because I believe this little boy has already proven himself to be ornery....so he may just keep us wondering! Now, I am off to cleaning my house in hopes to induce some contractions!!!!

For those of you who haven't seen me, I thought you might enjoy seeing a picture!

Spring Pictures

2008-05-18T20:31:00.001-04:00

Family Update

2008-05-14T09:48:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I've blogged, so I just thought I'd give an update on the family...

The girls are doing great and loving the warm weather. They could be outside all day and is hard to keep them in enough for me to get some things done around the house.

We've decided that Allyson is going to be our "bruiser". She is going to be the child that takes us to the ER at least once a year (or so it's been so far). 2 weeks ago, she grabbed my curling iron and got second degree burns on her right hand. (Thankfully she is left-handed.) I ended up taking her to the ER because after 2 hours, I still could not get her calmed down. They put some cream on her hand and bandaged her whole hand up. It looked like a little cast. We had to change the bandages 2x a day for 4 days. She was a trooper and did such a great job washing her hand every time we changed the bandage and helping Mommy put the new bandage on. Her hand is doing much better now, but still shows us at least once a day her boo-boo and tells us it's better now. Here's a picture of her with her 'cast'.

At Ally's 2-year well-check, the doctor recommended that we have a speech evaluation done. She was only saying 3 or 4 words at the time and the doctor had said she should be putting 2 and 3 words together at 2 years old. So, last Tuesday, 3 ladies came to the house and did their evaluation. She had really started talking more and saying more words between the time of her dr's appt. and the speech evaluation, and the speech therapist that was here working with her said that she can say at least 20 words and although her speech is at the lower end of the normal range for her age, she didn't see anything to worry about at this point. She does want to reevaluate her in 3 months to see how she is doing, especially since a new baby will be joining the family and she is just now starting to talk. She said a lot of children can regress in a situation like this. So, we'll see, but as of now, Ally is really beginning to talk a lot and say words that we can understand. She is also so very expressive. It's so cute!

Abby has been amazing the past couple of weeks. Every since I was at the hospital 2 1/2 weeks ago and was told to stay off my feet as much as possible, Abby has been such a big helper. She has been very well behaved, but above and beyond that, she has been so helpful & has had such a great attitude when I ask her to do something...doing it right away and not asking why or me having to ask several times. I really felt as if I needed to reward her for being such a great help & she knew exactly how I could do that. So, yesterday the girls and I went shopping at the outlets that opened last November just down the road from our house and we went to the toy store. Abby was on the hunt for a Barbie. We found 3 or 4 that I thought would give her more than just the Barbie to play with but some things to do with the Barbie. (They were also on sale, of course!) So, then she had to decide which one she would like. It was really neat to see her make this decision. It took her quite a while and she took it very seriously, but I let her take her time. She ended up with a Barbie that came with a kitchen set (over 30 tiny pieces). She was very happy with her decision and took much pride in carrying her special purchase the rest of the time we were at the outlets and all the way home. She hasn't played with anything else since.

Daddy is keeping very busy as ownership has changed at The UPS Store where he works and he's been putting in quite a lot of hours there and where they have become pretty dependent on his knowledge of how things are done around the store while the new owner learns. He also only has 2 more weeks before he is done with his last class! YEAH! We are so excited and really are having a hard time believing that he's actually finished! He's excited to be done and be able to spend more time doing what God has called him to do and spend more time doing work for Daybreak.

I am hangin' in there. I'm pretty uncomfortable and consider it "awesome" when I get a good night of sleep! I do think I'm pretty much ready for the baby to come. On Monday night, I got the swing, bouncy seat, & car seat out of storage and washed the covers and got them all put back together. Abby & I got the car seat all buckled in to the van yesterday, so we are ready to bring home from the hospital whenever he decides to show up! I think we've also finally settled on a name. (We'll keep you in suspense, though!) I had a doctor's appointment this morning and nothing has really changed since I was at the hospital 2 1/2 weeks ago. I'm 2 cm dilated and the baby's head is down. So, we'll see! Who knows when he might come! I will be 37 weeks on Friday and everyone keeps telling me how boy's will be boy's and keep us wondering!

For All Those Concerned...

2008-04-27T20:21:00.004-04:00

Thanks to all of you who have been concerned for me, thinking of me & praying for me. I thought I'd give a quick update. I did end up spending most of this day at the hospital being monitored. I went to church this morning as usual, but was feeling pretty uncomfortable. At 10:45 a.m. I noticed that I'd had a couple contractions pretty close together so I started keeping track and ended up having 5 in a 30 minute period and then 10 in a 70 minute timeframe. My doctor had said at my last appointment that if I experienced more than 6 contractions in an hour to call. So, after church I called and talked to the answering service and the doctor on call called me back about 12:30 p.m. and said he'd like me to go to Labor & Delivery at the hospital to be monitored...so on I went. I dropped the girls off at home and Emily met us there. She ended up keeping them all afternoon. Thank you Em! I went on to the hospital and sure enough I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes. I was 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced (sorry if that's too much information). They kept me monitored and started an IV of fluids because I was dehydrated. They were hoping that getting me rehydrated would stop the contractions, but it didn't, at least not as quick as they had hoped. They kept me on the fluids and then betwen 4:30-5:00 p.m. the contractions finally started fading and not coming as often. Since I wasn't dilating anymore they decided to send me home around 7 p.m., but not before telling me that I needed to stay off my feet as much as I possibly can and make sure I'm eating and drinking regularly. I have to be careful for 2 more weeks & once I reach 36 weeks, as of right now, I can resume regular activity pretty much & if I go in to labor, they will let me go ahead and deliver. So, now I am on to all the books I can read to the girls & games we can play. I will definitely have to constantly be reminding myself to take it easy as that does not come naturally to me.

I do have to say that the highlight of my day was spending some extra time just David & I. He's been extremely busy lately and was able to spend about an hour and a half with me at the hospital before needing to leave to go to a Pastor's Enrichment Retreat with Pastor John. I think he was kind of hesitant to leave me, but I assured him I would be fine & that there was nothing to worry about. He so deserves this time to relax, unwind & be refreshed. It was, of course, hard to see him leave (as it always is) but I know he will only come back a better husband & father for taking the time to regroup and be refreshed in his relationship with Christ.

Fun Coloring Times!

2008-04-25T09:36:00.005-04:00

As many of you know, Abby loves to color. Not just color, but anything crafty. She loves to write as well. She is doing so well learning how to write her letters and numbers. Here are some pictures we snapped of the girls actually sharing a coloring book & crayons. This sharing concept is really hard to come by these days, so we had to capture it.

Just another fun picture of Ally & I:

My House Projects

2008-04-15T14:12:00.005-04:00

I am proud to blog that I have completed my powder room project! I painted, hung border & hung a new mirror. I really love it! Here are some pictures...

I have also finished painting Abby's room, which will soon be Abby & Ally's bedroom. I still need to paint the trim, but I'm glad to have the bulk of the painting done. This has been quite the project with ripping down the wallpaper, removing all the leftover paste, spackling, sanding & then painting. The painting was definitely the most fun! Abby even helped me paint & here is a picture of her artwork, along with pictures of the finished product...

Ally's 2nd Birthday!

2008-04-11T11:54:00.002-04:00

It's so hard to believe that Ally is 2 years old already! She started the day by going with Daddy to Dunkin' Donuts to get some munchkin's, and then Daddy took the girls to the park for a picnic lunch and to play. (Mommy stayed home with Adrienne to get some things done around the house.) Then, for dinner Emily & her friend Justin came over and we grilled out, and then enjoyed some cupcakes that Ally helped Mommy make, and some ice cream. Ally then opened up a little gift from Mommy & Daddy and some cards she'd gotten in the mail.

We had a little party for Ally on Saturday. She really likes The Wiggles, so that was our theme. Here are some fun pictures from the party...she had a great time and thoroughly loved opening presents this year. She was very meticulous and had to find where the paper had been taped to open it. I think she is definitely our perfectionist.

Easter 2008

2008-04-11T11:36:00.005-04:00

Ok, I know...I am very behind on blogging, so I'm trying to play catch up. We've did have a very fun Easter with the girls this year. We, of course, went to church and the girls went on the annual egg hunt after the service and then we went to Texas Roadhouse with friends for lunch. (This has also become an annual tradition, believe it or not.) We came home and everyone took naps, and then the girls and decorated eggs and we gave them their Easter baskets. It was a fun day, but also a day that we were able to really emphasize (mostly to Abby) what Easter is really about. The story of Easter really came "alive" to her after her Preschool class at church. She really seemed to understand a little more about Jesus dying on the cross and that he came back to life. Just this past week, Pastor John's Grandma went home to be with the Lord. He was able to go to Ohio and be with her a couple days before she passed away and be with his family. This also has brought on some interesting conversations with Abby. Just this morning, she was telling me about Pastor John's Grandma and how she is in heaven now, but then asked me if she was going to come back to life. It may sound funny, but I know she was relating this to what Jesus did for us on the cross, but then came back to life. It was a very neat conversation to have with her. She doesn't forget anything and I know that soon, all of these little conversations we've been having with her will cause her to realize her need for Jesus to live in her heart so that she can go to heaven and be with him someday.

Here are some pictures from Easter!

Baby Boy Update

2008-03-20T13:17:00.005-04:00

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and just thought I would quickly update. I had gone last Wednesday to have my glucose screening test done and the results really came back borderline, but they aren't going to make me sit through a 3-hour glucose testing since everything was fine with my previous pregnancies. I also gained 8 lbs. this month which is almost double what I've been gaining per month and it kind of worried me a little. The doctor said to watch my carbohydrate intake and eat more protein foods, but that it is common for babies to go through a little growth spurt around now and it could just be that as well. She did say that they baby measured right on track, so she didn't think he was any bigger than he should be (they did say that same thing about Ally though, too). :) They will be watching my weight gain closely, to try and prevent a big baby delivery, especially since Allyson was 8 lbs. 11 oz. and 2 weeks early. She said that, most likely, if I haven't delivered by 39 weeks, they will induce me. I also start going to the doctor every 2 weeks now. I am feeling great, though...a little uncomfortable, but that's ok. This boy is very active...I thought the girls were active, but this one is something else. It's very fun!

Grandma's Visit

2008-03-13T15:07:00.001-04:00

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-03-11T23:26:00.004-04:00

I can't quite believe it's already been so long since I've updated our blog. Believe it or not, I've actually been keeping myself quite busy. I believe I have been going through a "nesting" phase. I never went through this with my pregnancies with the girls, or at least nothing to this extent. I have literally cleaned out and organized every closet and cabinet in our house, I think. I have also cleaned things that I wouldn't normally clean, at least on a regular basis, and some of them probably haven't been this clean since we've lived in this house.

We have also been working on taking the wallpaper down out of Abby's room. This has been hard work, but I don't think it is as hard as I expected. I was really dreading this project. We've got all of the wallpaper off now and my mom helped me this past weekend with going back over the walls and remove more of the wallpaper paste that didn't come off the first go 'round. This, I believe, is the worst of it. We have 2 walls to go and then we'll need to go through and spackle and sand and then, I believe we will be ready to paint. I can't wait for that! Poor little Abby is extremely excited to paint. She is living in a very "yucky" room right now and she can't wait to help with the painting. Once, we get the painting and decorating done, I believe it will be time to move Ally in to a big girl bed in Abby's room. That will be another exciting adventure!

Today, I've taken it easy. I've felt so lazy compared to how I've been feeling the past few weeks. I couldn't seem to pull my body off the couch or my head off the pillow. I guess I will be moving in to my 3rd trimester this week and to think I could deliver in about 10 weeks is pretty crazy to think about. It feels like so little time to get all the things done I would really like to get done. I'm sure it will happen in time, though!

The girls are both doing well and David is keeping busy as he begins to finish this semester of classes! The end is definitely in sight now and it won't be long for him now!