The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Grandma Ginny and Carter
Clara


So, I guess I skipped right past Thanksgiving this time! Oops. Life these days is kind of a whirlwind. Seriously, where did 2011 go? It has gone by faster than any other year. We started of the year with a surprise gift from Jesus - that would be little Carter man. Kylie was busy with kindergarten and dance, voice, and piano. Jackson was keeping us all on our toes as he continues to be "all boy" and pretty much do everything very curious and adventurous boys do.

I feel like I will look back on this year and it will all be blur! Between work, lack of sleep and keeping up with three kids, I feel like each day just goes by and I can't even remember how I got to the evening!!!

Kylie is doing so well in school. Her teacher says she is such a joyful child, which makes my heart so happy. She has such a great smile, in fact, her whole face smiles! I hope she never loses that joy she has in her heart. It is contagious and people are so drawn to her, because who doesn't want to be around a joyful heart? She is loving horse riding lessons and is getting to know the different personalities of the horses. It's funny how they each have their own personalities. Her teachers love what they do and you can tell. We have taken a little hiatus with piano but hope to start up in the new year again. She is still doing dance as well. I'm pretty sure the graceful ballerina is not going to be miss Kylie Marie. She's more the hip-hop, jazz kinda girl! She just got the wonderful pleasure of being Clara in their Christmas program. I was so proud of her!!!! She had a solo and was absolutely adorable. This mom was smiling from ear to ear. Hard to believe in about a month she'll be seven years old. My goodness, she is growing up so fast.

Jackson is truly the most hilarious little boy. He makes these facial expressions that I just wish I could freeze forever and never forget them. We keep saying this kid should be on tv. He would be a hit! He is so talkative and says the most funny things. I can't believe how well he can converse now. I can tell he is so smart and inquisitive. He is always studying how things work and how they are put together. He loves his trucks and trailers and has discovered Bob the Builder now too. He continues to challenge us with his silly little antics and curiosity, like pouring a coke into the dog bowl because "the dog wanted a coke." Uhhhhh, okay. He likes to get things out of the fridge and throw just about anything that will fly. He is making great friends at school and the teachers seem to enjoy him in the class. No incidents yet! Phew. We will be working on potty trainging in the new year. He is so capable of going in the potty, but it might have to be a battle of the wills. I can't wait for Christmas. He is old enough now to understand it a bit better and he is going to be so excited!!!!

Carter is growing like crazy. He's our little chubber wubbers. He is smiling and giggling much more these days and is really enjoying using his little hands to grab things. I love to watch him play with his little toys - adorable! He's found his voice too! We are getting a bit more sleep these days. He can make it until about 2 or 3 in his swing and then he's with me the rest of the night. We're working on getting him out of our bed, so I hope we can make that transition soon. He started his rice cereal which he does not like, but I'll keep trying. I'm surprised somewhat since he is such a big eater, but I think it's just the texture of it. I had a dream last night that he rolled over, so maybe that will happen soon:) I am anxious for him to sit up and play with his toys!

I am looking forward to a fun Christmas weekend with our families. So thankful for Jesus and God's abundant grace.

Boo!

My little punkins
Cutest Fireman Ever

Our littlest punkin

Well, we had a great time celebrating Halloween with or beautiful bat fairy and our handsome fireman. Carter was festively dressed, but no costume this year! Our neighborhood was full of kiddos on the prowl to fill their bags with treats. This was Jackson's first year to really get into it and seeing his face light up when we hit that first house and they handed him candy was priceless. He just couldn't believe that was just for him! I love it!

Happy 2 Months!

Happy 2 Months Carter!

Hard to believe he's 2 months old now!

We are loving his sweet smiles and little "goooos" when he talks to us:)

He weighs 11 lbs. 9 oz. and is 23" long!

Wow - October already!

My Beautiful Indian Princess

Bath Time!

Cutest. Thing. Ever!

SO SILLY!

GRANDMA MARY and her newest love

It's hard to believe October is already here and baby Carter will be 2 months old soon. Kylie is doing so well in first grade and is really enjoying horseback riding lessons and her weekly dance class at school. Every day I ask her what was the best part of her day and it never fails for her to answer "outside". She loves to play outside and chase the boys (I think that's what she really likes).

Jackson is doing really well at school too! He's now in school 4 days a week - two days at Bannockburn and two days at Westlake Presbyterian. I actually think it works really well to change things up a bit and not go to the same place every day. We sometimes hear that he has a hard time with "kind hands" which always makes me sad, but I hope it's something he will grow out of. Basically, if someone has something he wants, he has no problem using force to get it from them. He really has such a sweet heart, but he uses his strength to get his way when he needs to. He's talking up a storm too! We get tickled at him all the time over things he says. It's like he's just sponge soaking up every word he hears. It's amazing! And, here I was worried he wouldn't be a big talker. Proved me wrong!

Carter is growing and growing. We are still having some issues with his tummy and trying to figure out what it is that has him so uncomfortable. We've tried different meds and I've cut out just about everything from my diet, but he's still very sensitive and wants to be held 24/7. It is puzzling and frustrating to not know what is bothering him, but I am hopeful things will turnaround soon. Now, it's time to decide if he needs to see a specialist or just continue doing what we're doing. His hair is slowing falling out, but I still think we have a brunette, brown-eyed hunk this time! He loves being outside and his warm baths. He smiles when Kylie and Jackson talk to him, which is so precious. I think he gets overwhelmed by them sometimes, but I can tell he knows who they are.

Adam has been so busy taking care of Kylie and Jackson and working. He's really stepped up and is doing a great job! Having three kids is a whole new level of activity which requires some serious stamina. I am now back working full time, so Grandma Mary has now become the caretaker for a third time. She's like super woman trying to manage hers and everyone else's schedules. I don't know what we'd do without her.

I'm so looking forward to Fall activities with Halloween and Thanksgiving... just one step closer to Christmas!

I can swim!!!

Jackson has really caught on to swimming this summer with the help of Grandma Debbie and Big Pa. And, when they put him in his vest, he was off on his own! He could swim across the whole pool with his vest and jump in from the side too. We are so proud of him! It is so nice to have a pool we can use right down the street that is small and private. He loves to say
"I go underwater!"

Yay Jackson!!!

Introducing Carter James Biehler!

He's here! Our healthy, beautiful baby boy is here.

He was born at 12:38 p.m. on August 17th and weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 19 3/4" long. Just a perfect little guy. He has pretty dark hair and it's even got a wave to it! So, we'll see if it sticks or if we end up with a third blonde-haired kiddo.

The delivery went pretty well. Dr. McIntyre and the nurses, etc. were all amazing. I wasn't really that nervous at all. I will admit this surgery was a bit more intense than the others. I felt quite a bit more tugging and pulling than ever, which was a bit unsettling, but it didn't last too long.

Carter is doing really well. He's gained back all his weight from birth and is eating like a champ. He wants to be held all the time, which is quite challenging for me, but I know he still so young. I just hope he gets over that here soon!

I'm not getting much sleep, but I know sooner or later this little guy will be snoozing the night away (wishful thinking I guess!).

Kylie and Jackson are the best sister and brother ever. They are both so adoring of Carter and love him to death. Jackson is still learning how to be gentle, but he loves giving kisses and gets the biggest grin on his face when he sees his baby brother.

Kylie is a great helper and can even hold him for me sometimes so I can do a few things. I love it!

It has been a huge relief to get a break from the stress of work as well. A very much needed break for my brain! It's going by too quickly though!

I'll do my best to post often as these sweet kids of mine continue to bless my life every day. I love to share my greatest blessings with friends and family!

Happy Baby Eve!

My sis sent me an email that said "Happy Baby Eve" and I thought that was pretty cute!
So, tomorrow is the big day when we will welcome Carter James into our lives.
I just now packed our bags and I guess I feel like we are ready? I don't know how ready we can be, but I guess we are there.
If it's anything like Jackson's birth, we will go in at 10:30, I'll slip into a gown have my pulse and blood pressure checked and wait around for a bit - then off to surgery! It's actually a pretty low-key affair. Everyone loves Dr. McIntyre and you can tell. It's a pleasant, joyful environment. I've requested the same anesthesiologist I had for both Kylie and Jackson. He's kind and has been so great with the other two, of course I wanted him for Carter!
Nothing can really explain the way it feels to see your baby for the first time. What an amazing experience it is. I can't wait to hold him and snuggle with him.
No doubt I'm anxious about all the things that come along with a newborn and taking care of two other kiddos at the same time. It's a bit overwhelming, but one day at at time.
Here are my prayer requests:
A safe delivery of a healthy baby, a quick recovery, the ability to juggle schedules with school starting, the strength to make it through sleepless nights, and the ability to (despite how tough it might be to adjust) truly appreciate these three precious gifts God has given us. For one day, soon enough, they will all be grown up and we'll wonder where the time went. As much as we like to speed the time up, Lord please slow us down so we can enjoy our greatest treasures.
My next post will be of Mr. Carter! God be with us!

Mark your Calendars for August 17th!!!

Carter James will be arriving on August 17th (no earlier we hope) around 12:30 p.m. at St. David's Hospital!
So crazy to think that we are only about 2 weeks away from having another baby. Wow! I really love the idea of having it all planned. I can actually get up and get dressed (no breakfast - boo) and have a bit of time in the morning before we head to the hospital. If it's anything like Jackson's birth, it was absolutely low-key and not stressful at all. Dr. McIntyre is always a joy and I can tell nurses and other doctors really enjoy working with him, which makes a huge difference. I've requested the same anesthesiologist (Dr. Allen) I had for Kylie and Jackson. He is also amazing and helped me stay calm through both of their births! He even took some great pictures for us:) I remember when I was having Jackson they were discussing funny commercials and other just casual conversation topics. It really is quite amusing, and then all the sudden "here comes baby!".
I am so anxious to see what he is going to look like! And those tiny little hands and feet that are just the most precious site ever. I really do enjoy those few days in the hospital where Adam and I will be able to spend some time with Carter on our own. Kylie will hopefully be there for the birth and come to visit a bit, but then she'll be off to have her own fun adventures with friends and family. Mr. Jackson will get to meet Carter when he comes home. I'm not too sure he'll be comfortable with mommy lying in the bed with machines all around, so we'll just spare him that experience!
The house is pretty much done except for a few minor things here and there and I've finally gotten around to washing and getting baby clothes, bibs, blankets, etc. all washed and ready. Still have more to do, but at least we are making progress!
Jackson is doing really well in his big boy bed and really made the transition nicely, thank goodness. He still gets a bit hyper at bedtime and wants to play with his toys or heaven-forbid jump on the bed (which has already given us one bloody nose). Overall, I am very proud of him! He has changed so much just in these past few months. He went from not a whole lot of talking to sentences so quickly. My favorite things he says are:
"I love you so much"
"Thank you so much"
"Mommy, get up" (of course when I'm still wanting to sleep!)
"Hi, how are you?" he says this in the cutest little voice ever. It makes me smile every time!
"Mommy, pick it up please" any time he drops something.
It's really funny when he tells Kylie she needs to go to time out!
He really has a sweet demeanor to him and is actually a very polite little boy. So proud of him.
Of course, he likes to play with things he shouldn't and draw on pretty much anything, but overall he is a great kid. We just have to keep a good eye on him!
Kylie is growing up so fast. She's had a great summer of camps and spending the night with friends. She even put up a "DO NOT DISTURVE" sign on her door. Love it! She goes in there more frequently now for some alone time, which I think is really good for her. She'll play with toys, write in her journal (that she locks by the way), or read books. She is going to sleep on her own now, which took us literally up until this summer to make happen. Bad parents. I love our talks at bedtime, so we still have those now and then. Instead of laying in her bed until she falls asleep, I simply give her a kiss and tell her good night. She is really starting to show her personality... sometimes a bit more daring than I would like, and she can be quite the drama queen. We have some moments of talking back or just a snotty tone, but she seems to recognize our disapproval very quickly. I hope that she will really enjoy having another baby brother and being a part of it even more this time, now that she is older.
I'm preparing to take off some time from work which is always hard to do. I'll work up until Wednesday to get ready to be out. Quite stressful! It will be nice to have a few weeks to not be so focused on work. Probably a good break for my brain. Although, my brain will be a little wacky from lack of sleep, I'm sure.

Well, here's to what will hopefully be an uneventful next two weeks! We love you Carter James and can't wait to meet you!

Biehlers hit the beach!

We managed to get in a beach trip before baby gets here, and I am so glad we did. This is Kylie's absolute favorite place to be and I was determined to take her before the summer was over.

We headed to Port A. and stayed from Thursday to Sunday. Grandma, me and the kids drove down on Thursday and then daddy joined us on Friday.

We went to the Rockport beach the first day and I was pretty anxious about how Jackson would do. Last year when we took him to the beach it was a disaster! He took off into the water and didn't want me to hold him so he just screamed. We ended up banning him from the beach for the rest of the trip. So, this time was so much better. Actually, he was very cautious the first day and didn't really even want to get in the water unless I was holding him. Being almost 8 months pregnant makes that a bit tricky!!!

Things were definitely better once Adam got there so he could hold Jackson if needed or take Kylie out to ride the big waves. There weren't many jellyfish this time (thank goodness) and the beaches looked really great.

Jackson really warmed up to the ocean by the 2nd and 3rd day and had a great time in the shallow part letting the waves get him.

So glad we got to spend some time together having a great time and making memories!!!

Baby Brother in 3D!!!

I didn't do a 3D sonogram with Kylie or Jackson, so I decided why not do one this time? Adam bought be a great present from Blooming Pregnancy Day Spa that included the sonogram and a massage - yippeeee!

So, here he is, our sweet baby boy! I still can't believe how cool it was to see him like this. At first he had his little hands up at his face, but with enough poking around, he moved them. Then, he smiled and was actually opening and closing his mouth. Kylie got to come see the sonogram too and she thought it was super cool. It is hard to believe he'll be here in just 8 weeks. I am still feeling very unprepared, but we'll get there. Soon, we'll have the house all back together and I can get his baby gear ready to go. The anxiety seems to get a bit worse as we get closer to the big day. I think my biggest fear is being able to be the best mom I can be to all my kiddos. I want to be able to nurture this new little guy as much as possible while still being there for Kylie and Jackson. I know it will take some time for us all to get acquainted, but my hope is that this sweet little guy will just add to the joy of our household! I'm sure he will:)

Raised to walk in a new life...

Kylie Marie got baptized on Sunday, June 12th!

She spent the week at VBS with Hyde Park and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior - Hallelujah!!!

I am so happy for her. She has been talking about it for over a year now and I just hadn't been sure she really understood what it meant, so I didn't make too much out of it. I wanted it to be choice that she really understood and could remember forever.

I believe she was completely ready and has such a great foundation of faith already. In fact, I feel like she has taught me so much about my own personal faith starting at a very young age.

It made it even more special that Dr. Bowman who married Adam and I baptized her. It was at the Quarries which is the church's newer location with recreational activities and a beautiful man-made lake.

I just loved the look on her face as she stood there getting ready to go under. She just seemed so excited and so content. This is truly a moment I will never forget...

Jackson Turns Two!

Pure joy on this little man's face! He was so excited to blow out his candle I had to light it twice.

My little boy turned two! Wow, it's hard to believe he's already two years old. He had such a great time at his birthday party at Gymboree. He takes a class there on Tuesdays with Grandma and his teacher Aaron did his party. Aaron was awesome and really helped the kids have fun. There were maracahs, bubbles, parachutes, balls, jumping, you name it - they loved it. Kylie was such a good big sister and really heped make the party fun for everyone.

The theme of the party was trains of course!!! Are we noticing a trend here?

It's amazing how much he's changed just even in the past few months. He went from saying a few words to sentences and can pretty much repeat anything. I have been amazed at how quickly he is changing. He actually learned how to crawl out of his crib on his birthday too. No fun for us, but it will make the transition to his big boy bed a bit easier for us to do before little man #2 arrives. So, now he comes into my room and says "Mommy Get Up". It really is adorable how he says it no matter how much I really don't want to get up. I still think one of my favorite things he says is "Cuse me" meaning "excuse me". It is so darn cute. Or maybe how he says lollipop like poppypop.

He wants to walk everywhere and does not like to have to sit in the stroller or be carried. The only problem is - he's an escape artist! He will get away from us so fast it's scary. So, that continues to be a challenge. Playing outside is still his most favorite activity. Anything where he can climb, run, throw balls, and just be a rambunctious little boy makes him happy. His favorite toys are his trains, grocery cart, hammer (that's so much fun), his old-school puppy on wheels, and his little cars.
He likes to eat little pancakes every morning and that is typically what he asks for first thing. He still has a major attachment to "roar" his lion. It is very well-loved. He still loves his suckies too. That's going to be a hard habit to break - yikes. His crocs are his favorite shoes and pretty much the only ones he won't take off all the time. He loves to run around the backyard completely naked. I don't know why kids like that so much; Kylie was the same way. FREEDOM!!!! His favorite foods are pizza, oranges, pancakes, chicken, broccoli, and any kind of snack cracker really.
He gets very irritated with bugs that fly in his face or jump on him and he does not like to share mommy. He and Kylie like to have "mommy wars." Having another one could make things very interesting indeed! I'm so blessed by this little boy. He is certainly keeping us very busy, but he's truly a joy.

Grab your umbrella!!!

You know we needed rain so badly when Facebook is inundated wtih comments about how excited people are that it is raining. Jackson spent quite a bit of time just staring out the window this morning. It's like a phenomenon that it's raining. Hopefully this will bring some pretty flowers and green, green grass! Thank you Lord for the rain!

This past weekend was a big weekend for me. On Friday, I turned 33 years old. Hard to believe, but yes, one more year closer to 35. Kylie came into my room in the morning and with her sweet little voice said "happy birthday mommy" and it started my day off perfectly. Then, Adam and Jackson brought be back breakfast tacos for breakfast, yum! I don't reallydig breakfast very much, but I love me some breakfast tacos! For lunch I met my mom and Deanna at Kerbey Lane for a birthday lunch which is always a treat. We all live here, but our schedules rarely allow us to have even a meal together. Aunt D gave me a free night of babysitting and a movie! Yay! My kids love her, so I am excited they will get a fun night with Aunt D while mommy has a fun night out. Recently Jackson has started spending time with D on Thursdays and he loves it. She truly has a true gift with kids. They are just drawn to her and my kids are no different. He talks about her all the time. I know they always have fun adventures when they are together and I am so happy they are making some sweet memories together. Kylie loves Aunt D too. She thinks having slumber parties at her house might just be the greatest thing ever. Nevermind that she is treated like royalty when she is over there! I am so glad our family is all close. We are so very blessed.

For my birthday evening, Adam and I went to Hula Hut to have my favorite meal - the chicken and avocado tubular taco. It is the greatest thing ever!!! I would have loved to down a margarita, but not this year! After dinner we went and saw the movie Source Code which was actually pretty entertaining. I didn't fall asleep so it must have been good. The kiddos spent the night with Grandma and Big Pa so we slept in until 10:00 on Saturday! Wow! That was AWESOME!

Mother's Day we went to a very nice brunch at Perry's Steakhouse hosted by some of my mom's very dear friends. The set-up was so nice and the food was amazing. I got a pork chop that could have fed about 3 people I think! We don't eat out much, so going to a place like this is super special. I love celebrating my mom on a special day, however, one day would never be enough! She is the most amazing mom in the world and I could never express how much I love and appreciate her. After the brunch, we headed over to the Biehler's to enjoy some more family time (in the pool of course) and dinner. Having the pool has been so much fun for the kids. They have such a blast. Jackson still isn't quite sure about getting off the side ledge, but honestly, I am glad! He is usually so daring that it's scary, so I'll take it while I can get it!

Better get back to work, just needed a little break for my mind!

Dallas Girls' Weekend

New bed for her doll!

Smoothie with her American Girl Doll!
Shy, Heather, Jackie, Trimble, Becky (four baby boys and a girl!)

Miss Kylie went with me to visit my sweet friends in Dallas for a baby shower and then we had some fun Mommy-Daughter time together!

Jackie is having her first baby, little Olivia. The shower was absolutely adorable. Decorated all in Red, Black, and White. Cutest theme ever. I didn't get to see my friends for too long, but I always treasure every minute I have with them. There were five of us pregnant at the shower! That's out of 9 girls! Very funny.

After the shower, Kylie and I headed to the Westin at the Galleria. Shortly after we got there Kylie was ready to swim, of course. It was maybe 80 degrees, so too cold for mommy! She had a great time and met some friends at the pool. We headed back to the room for a shower and then it was off to ice skate! I couldn't ice skate with her, so I was very apprehensive about her going, but she assured me it was just fine. Of course she did fabulous! She loves ice skating and has gotten pretty good at it for only her second time! After ice skating I told her we could go anywhere she wanted to eat and she picked none other than McDonald's (seriously?). So, we ate at the Food Court - yum. Last, it was a stop at the American Girl store. She picked out a friend for the doll she has and a few other things, such as pj's since she would absolutely need some of those for the night! It was about time to call it a day so we went back to the room. Once we got back, there were little cupcakes, a glass of milk and a doll bed for her American Girl Doll! She was super excited.

The next day we had brunch at the American Girl Bistro, which is actually a pretty great place to eat! They have a little box filled with question cards that you can ask each other so we had fun doing those while we waited. She came up with some pretty funny answers. After brunch, we hit the mall for a few minutes, bought some goodies at Claire's Boutique and hit the road! I just love these fun times with Kylie and I hope she'll remmeber the special times she has with Mom. I know I will!

It's a boy!!!

Oh, he's already so cute! I can tell! So amazing that this is going on inside my body. And, it's just as amazing as it was the first time I did it! The doctor said everything looked good and the baby seemed to be right on track. I have to say, I am so glad to finally know. I was thinking it was a girl for some reason, but it seems I was the only one. Kylie really wanted it to be a girl, but I think she'll soon realize that she is glad it's a boy. I'm so glad Jackson will now have a little running buddy and I don't even have to redo the nursery! I still love it, so I am leaving it as-is. Check that off the list. Now, if we can just figure out if we are going to get to make some changes to our house. Next thing we have to do is meet with a contractor. If only Papa was still alive, we'd be all set!

So, now I am officially halfway done. Hard to believe. Still feeling great, but I run out of steam around 5:30 or 6:00 and I am exhausted! More to come later!!!

April 18th Folks!!!

Man, it seems like a long way away, but this pregnancy is already flying by so it will be here soon I know. We moved my due date up to August 17th today. I wasn't very sure about my "dates" so we used the ultrasound and size of the little peanut to give us a better indication of just how far along I really am. It looks like I'll probably deliver around the 12th (by c-section of course). I liked doing it on a Friday before because it is easier to get help with the kiddos over the weekend and Adam doesn't have to miss too much work.

I have my next sonogram scheduled for April 18th, so we'll finally know what we are having! Yay!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I never really knew the story behind St. Patrick, which I'm a little embarrassed to say. I wonder how many people out there who aren't Christians realize that Saint Patrick was actually responsible for converting many people in Ireland to Christianity. He faced many odds along his way and yet he was faithful and steadfast. He is a great example to all Christians and I am proud to say Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

Baby Kicks

Not a whole lot to report today, but I've started to feel little baby kicks now. My little pregnancy app says the baby is about the size of a sweet potato! Funny! It doesn't matter if I've already done this twice before, it's always neat to be able to feel the baby. It certainly makes it more "real". I go to see Dr. McIntyre on Thursday, and it's actually been about 7 weeks since my last appointment. He had knee surgery so I had to postpone my regular appointment. No big deal really. At this point, they are pretty uneventful anyways. But, the fun news is, I'll get to schedule my next big sonogram when we find out what we are having!!! Yippeee. I simply can not wait. It is so hard to wait to find out. I could never let it be a surprise. I can imagine it would be a neat experience to not find out, but I love getting to know ahead so we can start calling the baby by it's name (if we can pick one) and getting baby gear that doesn't have to be gender neutral!

I got rid of most of my maternity clothes, but I'm going to try and keep it simple this time. Summers here are so hot anyways, that a tee and shorts will suffice almost any day.

I'm so grateful for sweet friends who have already offered to lend me some of their baby gear. I just love my friends. Don't know what I would do without them!!!

Apple Juuuuuuice...

We're in to two word phrases now people! Yay! After a little concern on my end for Jackson not being quite the talker Kylie was, he has really blossomed lately! Just yesterday he started saying Apple Juice and not just juice. He can say "kitty cat", "daddy's truck", "hot dog", "bye bye ______" and quite a few other things. I'm so happy! He's a smart little dude. Every parent thinks their own kids are smart, right?

Adam and I got to help out at school for a little bit this morning for Kylie's Reading Rodeo. They did a big two-week Reading Round-Up to raise money for the school library. Each child read as many minutes as they could for two weeks and then people pledge money for their reading. It's a great tradition at Regents! This morning, Adam and I helped with the Spin Art booth at the Rodeo. It is so wonderful that Adam is able to be a part of things like this at school. We are so lucky. I know it means the world to Kylie when we are involved at school. Adam and I had fun helping the little kids make their spin art papers. They really enjoyed it! The Rodeo was really quite a treat for the kids. Other than spin art, they had bounce houses, an inflatable slide, tug-of-war, popcorn, face painting, ball toss, and more games. The kids had a great time and it was a great reward for their hard work reading.

This whole growing a human thing is really wearing me out! I can't seem to shake off the fatigue! I guess on top of working and raising two other kids, it's just a bit much. I'm going, but man I'm tired. It's too bad I can't tank up on caffeine! One thing that has always been strange about my pregnancies is my inability to drink coffee. I love coffee. I typically drink it every day, but not now. Really the thought of it just gives me a sick feeling. So weird. I guess it's a good thing though! I've switched to hot tea which is probably much better for me.

I'm loving this beautiful weather and hope it stays around for a while! God's glory truly shines on these pretty days!

Irish Wednesday

Kylie was really intrigued today with people walking around with ashes on her forehead. But, it was so funny because she said "today is Irish Wednesday and so all the Irish people have crosses on their heads after they went to church and asked God to forgive their sins." It was really cute how she explained it all to me. Made me chuckle.

My Aunt Patsy passed away on Sunday after being in and out of the hospital for quite some time. I think her body finally had just had enough. My dad drove to Midland and got to see her and speak to her before she passed and she was surrounded by all her loved ones when she earned her wings. I was hoping to get to Midland for the funeral today but I just couldn't make it happen. I feel bad that I wasn't there to be with my dad. I'm glad he's getting to spend some quality time with his family in Midland though. He doesn't get to see them very often and I know he needs that. I am sad that we have grown distant from my family in Midland. When we moved to Austin we just didn't get back there very much at all and now it's been years. Family is so important to me so I don't know why I've let that slip away. It was always a little different for my sister and I because our cousins were so much older than we were. Many of them were already grown ups when we were kids and we were closer in age to their children. Needless to say, this has reminded me of how important family is and you really never know how long you'll have them here.

Spring Break is next week already? I really feel like Kylie just started kindergarten. She is super excited to go to camp a few days next week with her friend Erin. They are going to Main Event, bowling and Gatti-Town. She can't wait and I am so thankful to have something for her to do since Mom doesn't get a Spring Break. I'm going to try a new place for Jackson this week too. It's called KidSpa and is more of drop-in childcare place. It seems fun and I think he'll like it, but I guess I'll find out on Friday. He's been so great about being in new situations so far. He loves school and church and never gets upset when we leave him. I love that! It makes it so much easier for me to leave him.

Baby #3 seems to be doing well. Not much action so far though. I can actually still fit in my normal clothes which is unexpected. I imagine one of these mornings I'll wake up and go WOW, where did that belly come from? I'm anxious to feel some movements here and there. It's a comforting feeling to know the little peanut is moving around and hopefully feeling well.
We start our next book in our missional community this week on Sacred Parenting. I am so excited to read this book and discuss it with the group. I'll make sure and share some of my favorite parts in my blog!

Introducing the newest addition to the family...

We are happy to announce our little peanut who will be joining us in mid-August!

So far the pregnancy has been very easy (thank you Lord) with little to no side effects for mommy. Now, we have to start figuring out how to fit this new addition into our house! I am excited about doing a few renovations to our house to make my office a bedroom and add a playroom to what is now our back porch. So, we'll see what comes of our ideas and if we can make it work.

God really has opened my eyes to His plans for my life and as Adam said, we must be doing something right with our kids for him to bless us with another one!

Now, the big question is going to be.... boy or girl? We should know around the end of March.

God's Plans

Sweetest doggy ever...

Kylie and Mom at competition.

Weeeeeeee.... love these moments!

We spend so much time planning for tomorrow, don't we? We tend to get lost in our plans, ambitions, and goals that we forget about today. I know I do that. I am thinking I have it all down. My life is going pretty well... I have two kiddos whom I adore, a husband who I've loved since childhood, and family and friends who are a true blessing. I have a job that allows me to work from home and still be involved in my kiddos lives more than I would be working away from home. I love our church and we are making some great friends through it and through Regents (Kylie's school).

So, I imagine the conversation a little like this...

"God, it's me Becky. I know, I know. I haven't been spending as much time with you lately. But, there's so much to be done. Just not enough hours in the day. I'm a hard-working mom and it is just exhausting! I'll do better I promise."

God..."Becky, you seem to say this to me every time we talk. When are you going to stop making excuses and stop planning. I AM the plan. I AM your life. I AM the way. What do I have to do to make you understand that?"

"But God, I think I have it all figured out if you'll just humor me here. If we can just make this much money. If we can just have this much time. If I can just do this with my kids. Yada, yada, yada (as I'm sure God hears it at this point)."

God... "Okay Becky, here's the deal. You can spend all the time you want planning, but you WILL see, that my plan is the greatest and it will trump your plan any day. So guess what? I'm going to make it so blatantly obvious that you are NOT in control that you simply will not be abe to ignore it. How does that sound?"

And so HE has, and as anxious as I tend to get when things don't go as I have planned, in some way it is so incredibly humbling to know that the pressure of being in control of my own life is somewhat lifted. Don't get me wrong, it makes me crazy anxious. I'm a worrier. Anyone that knows me well can tell you that. But, it's hard for me to even admit that. Worrying is a lack of faith, period. We worry because we don't have faith that God is in control and knows better than we do. We worry because we are afraid we can't cope with what life brings us. I know this will be a life-long struggle for me to not worry, but I am so grateful to recognize now what it means and why it's so harmful. So, I will continue to work through it every day of my life. I know I will stumble, probably many times. But, I also know God will be there to pick me up every time, without fail.

My Baby Girl Turns Six!

Great View From the Hotel!

Silly Blue Tongues!

Happy Birthday Dear Kylie!

Look Mom, No Training Wheels!

American Girl Store

I'm watching a show on 20/20 as I write this blog and it happens to feature children who are homeless. Basically, these kids have no one to take care for them or provide them a loving, nurturing environment. I watch this thinking what a shame it is for their parents to not realize what a gift they have been given and how I will do absolutely anything to make sure my kids know they ALWAYS have a loving, safe place to come home to. Kids don't care if they live in biggest house in the most expensive neighborhood. They just want a place to feel secure and loved. So, I hope many people who watched the show tonight will join me in praying for those kids that they will some how find that safe place surrounded by people who love them.

My sweet Kylie turned six years old on Monday. It is just so strange how one minute I look at her and she still seems so young and the next minute I feel like she's so grown up. When I talk to her on the phone she still has the most precious little voice that I will always remember as one of the sweetest sounds on earth. Sometimes when I'm out of town for work she'll call and leave me messages and I just listen to them over and over as it blesses my heart more every time.

We are really going to focus more on her independence this year. She has started taking showers (most of the time) and brushing her own teeth. Now we are working on going to sleep on her own. We are starting with 5 songs and then we'll take one off until we get to just one song. So, eventually, I'll stay in her room for one song and then leave. As much as I love that cuddle time with her, I know it's not good for her to rely on me to be there when she goes to sleep. I almost forgot - Adam taught her to ride her bike without training wheels and she's so great at it. It took her about 15 minutes and she was a pro.

On to her big day! We started off the celebration the week before with a trip to the American Doll Store in Dallas with just Mom and Dad. We stayed at the Westin Galleria, went ice skating, and then had brunch at the American Girl Bistro before shopping. It was a special trip! Then, last weekend she had a slumber party with her cousins at Grandma Mary's house. Grandma decorated for her, they went rollerskating, and had dance party and karaoke fun. The next morning was a trip to Kylie's favorite breakfast spot - IHOP! Kylie really loves hanging out with her cousins and I'm so glad they had the chance to share her birthday with her. On Monday, I took cupcakes to school and got the house all decorated for the big party. All the family came over for pizza and cake! It was a Peace, Love, and Rock'n'Roll theme picked out by little miss birthday herself. The cake was really cute and very colorful. So colorful that we all had blue teeth and tongues after we ate it! Jackson chowed down big time on it.

Want to know what was on Kylie's birthday list? A Big Time Rush CD! What? Yes, that's right, a boy band cd. Huh-larious. And, now, she goes to sleep with it playing in her cd player every night. And notice in the picture her pink hat says "another year of fabulous." So fitting.

Adam and I were talking the other day about how we love life with our kids so much more than we ever loved the single life. Even when we're all tired and cranky, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Would I love a vacation - well, yes, of course! But, rest assured, no matter where I go I would be thinking about my kids and missing them terribly.

Happy Birthday Precious Kylie! I am so proud of you and can not wait to see what God has in store for you my sunshine.

So much to say...

I am being a big overachiever here already in the New Year! I'm sure it won't stick, but I am waiting for some of my work to print out and thought I would catch everyone up on where Jackson is right now and all of the fun things he is doing!

Here are the words he can say:

Shoes

School (very cute when he says this as we pull up to school)

Juice

Eat

Choooo Chooooo (for train of course)

Bye Bye

Hi

Up (or Ups sometimes)

I want that... this is his very favorite thing to say, followed by a fit if he doesn't get what he wants!

Cheese

Car

Bath

Please or (pease)

Those are the main ones. He's starting to really be able to mimick words which usually means he'll start saying many more things pretty quickly. Man, we have been waiting a while to get that boy to talk to us and tell us what he wants!

He continues to be extremely agile and can pretty much climb up or onto anything. He seems to have no fear about climbing or jumping off of things (yeah for us, right?). He is a good eater and seems to actually prefer veggies and fruit most of the time. We officially retired the bottle about 3 weeks before Christmas and he could really care less, so no more cleaning bottles! He still loves his suckies at night time, but doesn't really ever use it out of the bed at all, so hopefully the attachment won't be too severe to kick fairly quick.

He loves going to school and church and his teachers seem to enjoy him so very much. He's the life of the party! He has not had any separation anxiety and just dives right in to what is going on. No doubt he keeps them on their toes, but he is a true delight.

He is always on the GO and when I mean on the go, I mean, he does NOT like to stay home too long. He likes to get out of the house. If Adam or I are going somewhere and he figures it out, he goes and grabs his shoes and brings them too us. He loves it when Grandma Mary shows up at the house because he knows she'll take him on an adventure somewhere!

Oh, I am so anxious to see what this little man will be like when his personality truly shines out. He really seems to have a sweet spirit about him and at the same time he is very determined. He likes to look at how things work and then try it on his own. It doesn't take him long to figure anything out. His mind is always working. I like to say he's like his namesake Papa Ralph who was always tinkering with this and that. I think Adam would agree with me that if he is anything like Papa, we've done something right. I'm sure he's smiling down on him as he watches him grow and says "that's my boy!"

Cheers to you!

My two favorite gifts!

Sweetest moment of the holiday:)

I have to admit, it is always a bit sad for me when the holidays are coming to an end. I find myself starting to count down to the holidays around September and anxiously await this time of year. So,when it's all over, I am sad that yet another holiday has passed. This time of year is just so magical in so many ways, but here's to a new year full of more wonderful memories.

Kylie had a great last day of school before break. Many moms helped to put together a fun party for the class. They ate some yummy snacks, did a book exchange, and then made homemade snowglobes (I was in charge of this-yikes!). The kids got to wear fun Christmas outfits and Christmas socks instead of their normal uniforms, and they all looked so cute. The next week was full of playdates and more fun for Kylie. She has really made some sweet friends at school and enjoys spending time with them. The parents are all great too, which makes it that much better! She actually had her 2nd sleepover this past week! She had so much fun she didn't want to come home when I went to pick her up. I have to say, though, it is hard for me when she spends the night out. I don't like going in to her room at night and seeing an empty bed! Gosh, there are times (many) when I want to hold on to her so tight and never let go. I am really going to have to pray about it, because I know she's not mine to keep forever. Easier said than done though.

We spent Christmas Eve at the Biehlers' house with the whole family. Kylie and Jackson both love to spend time with their cousins so much. It's crazy with everyone there, but it's fun too. They are playing trains, playing Wii, chasing each other, building things, and generally making a big mess! I think they will all be really happy when the D'Amura's move to Austin. The cousins have never lived in the same town, so I know they will be excited to see each other more often.

Christmas morning was amazing of course. Kylie and Jackson both woke up about 7:00 and then we had them come out together. I will never forget how adorable it was to see them walk around the corner hand-in-hand. It will be a memory I treasure forever! Kylie was happy to see Santa left her a cookie and a letter. Some of her favorite gifts from Santa were a Nintendo DSi and games, Squinkies, earrings, and Hello Kitty rain boots. Jackson immediately started playing with his little basketball hoop. He got a Chuck the Truck (he's still not sure about this one yet), and lots of bath toys. Bath time is always a fun time at our house!

When it was all said and done, the kids ended up with a plethora of new toys and games to play with. Many more than they will ever need! They have been so blessed beyond measure by the family and friends who are so gracious to them.

Adam gave me a beautiful jewelry box which I really enjoyed organizing (I'm a dork). It is perfect! He also got me a sweet new cordless vacuum for my tile (again, I'm a dork)-best gift ever!!! He got a coffee mug made for me with Jackson's handprint made into a Santa face. Oh, it is precious!

Christmas Day afternoon was at my mom's house. Again, more presents, great food and fun! Kylie looks up to her older cousins so much and they take good care of her. Grandma got her an American Girl Doll, which she has been asking for for a while now. It's really a beautiful doll.

The rest of the holidays have been spent just hanging out and playing with our new toys. I managed to get pretty much nothing done around the house that I had wanted to and I even had to work over the break, even though I was supposed to be off. A little bummed about it, but moving along...

Now, on to 2011! I have to be in College Station next week for what will surely be the biggest change my company has made yet. We will hopefully launch a new computer system on January 10th. We will be going from being very paper-driven, to being almost paperless! Very scary transition, but a huge step in the right direction.

My hopes for 2011 and really pretty simple. I want to be content and peaceful. I want to enjoy my family and be able to make more time for them. I want to stress less about stuff that just doesn't matter. I want to invest in people's lives and open my heart. My theme for 2011 will be "Let go, Let God." Gosh, my mom has witnessed this to me so many times. Just let it go and let God do with you what He wants. Stop getting in the way of his work!

Okay, God, here I am...

Cheers to you!!!!