Beginning Preschool Graduation

Miss Kelly and Miss Jenn were Zack's first teachers...and they truly gave him a first school experience.  I am so glad we did this because it improved his speech and provided the activities that pre-kids Lindsay dreamed she would do with her kids and post-kids Lindsay doesn't make the time for like crafts and themed activities.  Zack is a very social person and he loves a rutein so I knew he would love school and according to his teachers he was a star student.

 Before I puff my chest out in pride at my mad parenting skills...because obviously he is such a great student because of something I did...I have to remember that they will have this guy next year.  As awesome as Hunter he isn't the teachers pet type.

 They came down ready for their performance...in the 100 degree heat and hot noon sun.

 I think Miss Kelly did most of the singing.

 They each got to put a star by their name.

 And they each got a graduation gift.

 Thank you Miss Kelly and Miss Jenn!!!!

Expecting #3

This was a big surprise to us...personally I wanted another but not quite this soon.  This is proof that Gods timing is much better than our own.  Hunter will be basically the same age Zack was when he was born and I love that they are close in age...and I know that it would be much harder for me to start over with a new baby if Hunter was older, more independent and at an "easier" stage of life.  I also LOVE that this baby is due on Thanksgiving...I am looking forward to an excuse to not go anywhere for Thanksgiving and Christmas (moms of littles...you know how Holidays are).  It is going to make 6 months of every year pretty intense while the rest of the year we have almost nothing (October - Halloween, November - #3 Birthday, December - Christmas, January - Hunters Birthday, February - ahhh breathe, March - Zack's Birthday...I didn't include my September birthday, our April anniversary or Adam's May birthday).  I know I don't have to do all these events in a big way but I LOVE it and I will.

Baby 3 will most likely be our last so I am planning on enjoying this pregnancy (no matter how I feel) and enjoy getting ready for baby.  This will also be the first pregnancy where I don't have to move...twice (let alone once)...and the only pregnancy were I can really REALLY decorate the nursery (again I know this isn't a need but it is what I love).

I'm expecting a boy...just because I'm a boy mom...it's who I am.  I would of course be the best mom I can be no matter what.  I think Zack will be very excited about a new baby and take excellent care of him/her and I'm almost positive Hunter won't notice there is another person in the house until baby is old enough to move and take his toys.  Talk about different personalities.  I'm very curious to watch both of them interact with a new baby...and I know they will be so different and so much more grown up when the baby comes.

Adam has been so calm in all this...I totally freaked out when I saw the positive test and Adam...being Adam was totally calm...which both annoyed me and helped me accept this news.  In my defense this was the WORST day to take a pregnancy test...even if I was expecting it to be negative.  Picture this...2 sick kids...the threat of more snow/ice storms...5:00 wake up call...7:30 trip to walk in hours at the pediatrician...ped office walk in hours closed due to storm threat...first appointment 8:30 am...killing time at Harris Teeter...hmmm maybe I'll pick up a test (just in case)...Several negative tests over the past year since my body never really recovered from pregnancy with Hunter...double doctors appointment...double co-pay...nothing we can do...take two cranky sick boys home...take the test...get snacks to get a second of quiet...ok results are in...throw the test away...WAIT! NO WAY THAT LOOKS LIKE A POSITIVE!...do I call Adam...do I wait until I take a confirmation test tomorrow and tell him in some cute way...wondering around the house followed by two cranky sick boys not knowing how to process this...call Adam "I think I'm pregnant" "are you sick or something?" "No I took a test and it was positive...clearly positive...it might be wrong I'll take another tomorrow...what if it isn't wrong...this is crazy...what are we going to do..." "I't will be fine, we have 9 months to get ready...it will be good"...head spinning.

Anyway I've heard the heartbeat and I am in love.  I am so looking forward to completing our family!

Easter Egg Hunts 2014

I didn't get many photos this year because I had to make sure a certain 1 year old didn't run away.  But here is what I have!

Zack LOVED egg hunting...especially since he knew there were treats in the eggs.  My smart boy realized that some of the eggs had stickers and learned to shake them before putting them in his basket.  Silent eggs didn't make the cut.

must be a sticker

yummy

I think he ate like 30 pieces of candy

Hunter had no interest in carrying his bucket or picking up eggs.  He did however like opening the eggs and dumping the contents out...he either didn't realize what fell out was candy or it wasn't what he wanted.

I kept putting eggs in and he would take them out

"I don't get it"

I don't know why these kids are so excited about those little balls...look what I found

yep...I don't get it

Farm Days

We had to go so Zack could hold a chick again...

I have a picture with Hunter making the same face from the year before

waiting in line for chicks is manageable when you can look at Turkeys

I know he wanted to stick his fingers in there soooooo bad

he did such a good job...last year he dropped the chick.

More photos to come once I get them off my phone...

Zack is THREE!

I am way late doing this and I have no photos...mommy fail :(

BUT I wanted to share what my THREE (man that's crazy) year old is up to...

Z-man is still in speech and is doing much better...

in fact I recently asked his therapist to get him to say less words...

He is potty trained which has lead to some very fun quotes...

my favorite "Mommy I go poo poo potty...(gets up pauses goes back to what he was doing)...no mommy just darts (farts) just darts in mine underpants...

He is super sweet...

He is always willing to make Hunter laugh with a tickle or a game of peek-a-boo...

He is also a big brother...and bosses poor Hunter around...

Zack loves everything and enjoys everything and gets excited about everything...

He loves art, cooking, running, throwing, and growling among other things...

I love watching this kid grow up...

and being a part of his story.

PHOTOS TO COME SOMETIME

Zack's Cars Party

Ever since Hunter had a birthday party Zack had been talking about his party.  I gave him two options superhero or Cars...he chose Cars.

When he said he wanted a party, what he really wanted was decorations.  Almost daily he would say to me "I want Cars party right here...right here...right here..." pointing to all the places where I had decorations for Hunters party.

I knew I had to do the decorations in a big way because that's really all he wanted.

We kept the guest list small so we could do things that Zack would love.

We had a second party for Zack the next day with all our family (minus my brother and sister-in-law since it was her birthday weekend as well).

Winter Walking

Hunter has been a walker for a pretty long time...almost 4 months.  However I don't really trust him to walk in an unconfined place.  Unlike Zack he is super quiet and super sneaky and super skilled combine that with his fearless nature and desire to run away from home...and well yeah...I don't trust him.

Typically when we go for a walk Zack walks with me and Hunter rides...unlike Zack, Hunter doesn't mind the stroller and I might go so far as to say he kind of likes it.  I however would love to not have to carry or push Hunter everywhere we go.

Lately on our walks I have let Hunter walk...basically it goes like this...

Hunter "runs" in whatever direction Zack isn't going

I chase him and turn him around

he turns right back in his preferred direction (usually into construction)

and I carry him far enough away that he finds a new preferred location

Last time I just let him go and we followed...within reason...I didn't let him run into the road.

He pretty much stayed on the sidewalk until we got to a driveway then he headed right into the road again.

Zack is great.  He will stay with me.  He is loud...so if I can't see him I can always hear him.  He is safety conscious...he makes me stop and look both ways at the store.

Last weekend we went on a family walk...you know the weekend it was 70 degrees...the weekend between the two snow storms.

Zack brought his car and Adam managed Hunter so I could snap a few pictures without endangering my children.