The Lake 2014

I got to spend my yearly visit to my favorite place with almost my entire family!

Being the only mobile children with a house full of adults that think you are adorable was pretty awesome for the boys.  They had plenty of people to play with and had a great time.

I was really excited for Zack since this is the first year I think he will hold onto some of these memories.  He still talks about the cousins, aunts and uncles...not to mention the boats

Look...Adam got to relax!

We didn't participate in tubing because I was too pregnant, Adam was happy with his view from the beach, Zack was too timid and Hunter was too crazy.

Zack got to spot Bethany and Kathryn while they were on the tubes.

apparently it was a boring ride...

Zack LOVED playing in the sand.  And there were surprisingly plenty of people willing to be bossed around by a 3 year old.

We got to meet baby Emma for the first time.  She is basically a year younger than Hunter and was born in Thailand.

Zack couldn't have been happier on the beach...

and Hunter couldn't be happier in the shade on the swing...

that is unless he was playing ball

with daddy...

We also got to meet our newest family member Luxia, She stole Kurties heart and they got married in May.

I mean if this little stinker isn't the cutest thing around I don't know who is.

OK...when did my baby grow up?  Zack was super excited about our first trip to the tee pee this summer and he picked out a candy necklace.

We took Zack to the carnival and he won a free ice cream slip...he didn't quite understand...this is Adam trying to get him to look excited about his prize.

Sweet Emma had a baby shower...it's always more fun when you get to pass a baby around at a baby shower.

Hunter loved the boat too...you can't tell by the expression on his face but after the trip was over he ran back into the water toward the boat and Adam ended up sitting in a docked boat with him for a while.

I love that these lifejackets were worn my by brother, my cousins and countless friends and I...

You can see a little smile here...

Who is this big kid that is driving the boat?  If you notice the boat is actually in gear and Uncle Steve let him drive almost the length of the lake.

recreation of an old cousin photo...minus Karl

Tante Lorie made up a trivia game and it was a blast...

This is our attempt at getting a photo of Great Grandma with the two boys...although it isn't an ideal frame worthy picture it is very true to life and will someday be appreciated...right?

18 Months

Oh Hunter...

 what can I say about Hunter?  He is my mystery kid

 he failed all his developmental milestones except gross motor...in which he is very advanced...

 I told the doctor that I just don't think he wants to stack blocks or wave buy...

 he would much rather destroy, climb and jump off things...Lord help me...

 the doctor looked at me like I was crazy, but look at this kid...

 you can tell he is thinking about how he will get away...

 then he uses his sweet smile to soften me up...

 it isn't easy to have a broken ankle or be pregnant while being this kids mother...but I've learned to embrace it and I make sure to always have mu insurance card ready and I just hope that Zack is ok while I hobble/waddle after him while my friends sit on the bench watching their kids play...

The only way to really contain him is with food or TV...so we are developing some great habits.

It's a Girl

EEEEK!  I was in total shock...which doesn't make any sense because for the past few weeks I knew we were having a girl.  I was almost willing it to be a boy by searching boy nurseries and forcing Adam to talk about boy names.  I am not afraid of a daughter, I am not afraid of a teenage girl (or protecting her from teenage boys), I am not afraid of making sure she has the confidence she needs to make smart choices, I am going to love having a best friend in 20 years who will call me and do girly things with me, I love pink and I love bows.  The main reason for my initial reaction was that I lost who I thought I was.  I was a boy mom, I raised boys, I loved raising boys...I had no desire for a daughter (not that I am not happy about it)...most people I know with multiple boys would LOVE having a daughter and want a little girl...I never felt that need.  I felt that this desire to be a boy mom and my love of all things boy was God's way of preparing me for my life with no girls.

I had this reaction one other time in my life.  On the trip from our house to a friends house the night before we left for China.  I was a teacher, I was an independent woman, I was a homeowner, I LOVED my life...I loved my life married to Adam.  I was leaving EVERYTHING I thought I was and had no idea what I would be or do in my new life...never did I think I would quit my dream job for a guy...and have it be a positive.  Moving to China was the best thing I ever did.  I am a better person because of my experience in the life I never expected.  I'm imagining becoming a mom to a little girl will also make me a better person.  What I realized is things in my life don't make me who I am and those things don't make me who I am going to be.  I am still the person that LOVES raising boys and I will be a person who LOVES raising her little girl.

It kind of annoys me that people say "now you are getting your girl" like I was missing something with my two boys...because they are totally awesome and if they were my only kids I would be the luckiest girl on the planet.  I usually respond with "actually now my husband gets his girl".  The more I think about it the more I know Adam needs a little girl.  He is a great daddy to our boys but he needs that little girl who has him wrapped around his finger...he needs that girl to spoil rotten...he needs that girl to protect and take care of.  Maybe we are an "old fashioned" family but I don't think Adam feels he needs to "protect" or "take care of" the boys...besides the obvious feeding and providing for them. He has very few opinions about what the boys do or wear (as long as they don't wear nail polish or carolina blue...we're good).  I am already looking at girl clothes...infant girl clothes mind you...and saying to myself Adam would hate if his daughter wore this.  Adam would hate those bows as big as her head, he would hate if she wore short skirts or shorts (yes infant girl clothes...it's crazy...short shorts for a baby????).

It didn't take me long to plan her nursery...or big girl bedroom...or teenage bedroom (because she will love the same things I love).  I have learned my way around the girl clothing department and she already has a few bows for her collection.  We need to finalize the name...move Hunter out of her room and repaint...other than that we are good to go!  November will be here before we know it.

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