Disappointing my little girl

On Wednesday afternoon Katelyn requested that we cook something 'special'.  Since I haven't been very adventurous in the kitchen this pregnancy I decided to give in and bake some cookies with my precious 3 year old.  I didn't get any pictures, but Katelyn loved measuring, dumping, stirring, sampling the dough...  After they baked and cooled I let her have one, but since it was almost dinner time I told her she'd have to wait until after dinner to have another.  She turns, looks at me with a very serious face and says, "Mommy, you are really disappointing me."  Then stares at me, I'm assuming waiting for me to change my answer and give her more. No. Such. Luck.  

Adelyn- 16 and 17 Months

Shame on me, I completely missed Adelyn's 16 month post.  Hopefully she'll forgive me :)

Adelyn is still just as sweet as ever, maybe a little more clingy, but still sweet as pie!  She is growing up way too fast.  These past 2 months she is changing and learning new things every day.  She took her first bike ride with Jared on the front of his bike instead of in the trailer. 

 Adelyn has found the fun in the random things laying around like boxes and the rolling cart at a hotel.

 She loves the water and fully enjoyed her first trip to the beach.  She had no fear and was quite happy to just walk around in the shallow water or sit in the shallows. 

 Adelyn and Katelyn are good buddies!  Adelyn is really obsessed with Katelyn and wants to do whatever she is doing!  Katelyn likes to help her, boss her, and play with her.  They have started to want the toy that the other has, neither one of them is so laid back that they just give the toy up, strong-willed little girls!

 You can tell when Adelyn is tired because the thumb goes right in the mouth and she gets this dazed look on her face... see picture below-

 Adelyn also likes to have books read to her (so do her cousins, love this picture of them with JoJo)!

 Adelyn is ALL GIRL!  She is into accessories just like her sister.  Necklaces, bracelets, purses, cell phones, hats, you name it, she wants to wear it/carry it! 

 She is little miss independent when we are out in open spaces.  She has been quite clingy at places like HEB and church.  She typically cries when getting dropped off at childcare.  Hopefully it doesn't last too long!  At the end of the month she is flying with Nanny and PawPaw to Amarillo for a few days.  I'm thinking a few days away from Momma is going to be the medicine she needs to get over this clingy phase! 

Pointing and waving are 2 of her favorite things.  She loves to be asked where is Katelyn (or whoever else), then she'll search, find and point. 

Here she is riding the tractor with Bubba waving at us as they go by. 

She loves the water.  It can be the bath, little blow up pool at Bubba and JoJo's, the big community pool- any water, she is happy to play in it!  (which means, yes, we have to leave the bathroom doors closed at all times because toilet water is fun to play with for a 17 month old- gross!!!)

Adelyn is still my good little eater.  I actually usually have to stop her because she will keep eating, and eating, and eating!  She eats really fast (like her Daddy), which always scares me that she is going to choke.  She has 12 teeth, but I still have to cut most of her food because she doesn't stop to chew her food!  She still takes 2 naps a day, about an hour in the morning and then 2-3 in the afternoon.  I've tried to drop her morning nap, but she isn't wanting to give it up just yet!  Well, I think that covers the past 2 months!  Happy 17th month sweet girly!

She's a little Momma

Who Me?  Yes you little girl!  Katelyn is such a little Momma.  She would love to claim Adelyn as her own most days, and does all she can to 'help' me around the house.  Since this pregnancy has been pretty rough on me, Katelyn has decided to step up her mommy-ness a notch or ten!  One day, a particularly nauseous day, I was sitting on the couch looking up at the ceiling trying really hard to keep my lunch down.  Katelyn asked me what was wrong and I told her Mommy wasn't feeling well.  She went to the kitchen and came back about 2 minutes later with a glass of ice water in hand.  She said, "Mommy I got you some water to drink, and I put ice in it because you are REALLY special!"  Her face was full of pride at her act of kindness.  I, of course, thanked her, gave her a hug, thanked Jesus for such a sweet little girl and then cried because my heart was overflowing with love (and hormones). 

Another funny- One morning last week I was in the kitchen getting breakfast ready when, BAM, I had to run to the bathroom due to morning nausea.  Adelyn was very curious to see what was going on, so I was trying to be all acrobatic by holding Adelyn back with my leg while hugging the toilet.  Next thing I know, Katelyn steps between my leg and Adelyn and starts 'gaurding' the door saying in her sweetest mommy voice, "No, no Ada-girl.  Mommy is spitting up right, don't you worry, she'll be done in just a few minutes." 

Love this little momma and so thankful for her sweet heart!

Baby #3 is on their way!

We couldn't more excited to be expecting William, Gloria, Tiny, Baby, Grilliam, Jared (but don't tell Daddy), Adelyn, or Just Baby (those are a few of the names Katelyn has been pondering for the new baby.  And yes, she did say we had to keep the name Jared a secret from Daddy).  Our official due date is February 17, 2012. 

A few things to note about this pregnancy:
1. Mommy throws up daily.
2. Mommy gags at least 10 times each day.
3. Katelyn thinks it's funny to pretend gag.
4. Katelyn is pretty sure it is going to be a boy.
5. Katelyn tells everyone she sees that Mommy has a baby in her tummy (got a weird look from the check-out guy at Target).  But Katelyn is proud so I think it's precious!
6. Adelyn is oblivious, however she can say baby
7. Daddy is excited to be having another little one.
8. Daddy has done more dishes, taken out the trash and gotten the girls and himself more meals prepared in the last month than he has in a very long time.  He has been SUPER sweet and thoughtful!
9. Mommy is VERY READY to be out of her first trimester (10 1/2 weeks along so far)
10. Mommy can't stand to walk into the kitchen.  It has some sort of smell and it makes her throw up.
11. Mommy can't open the refrigerator or deal with raw meat (it is actually making her gag just to think about it).
12. Mommy loves this baby dearly and while she might complain, she would go through whatever the Lord gives her for another sweet baby.

Haircut Friday

Today Miss Katelyn Grace got a summer haircut.  Truth be told, her hair is still very uneven.  The hair on top of her head is a good 2 to 3 inches shorter than the sides of back.  So, this is our 'summer cut' that is also attempting to even out her length once and fore all.  Here she is before:

Here she is after:

Adelyn almost got a haircut today as well, but I decided to wait at the last minute.  Her hair is getting long in the back while staying short on top, but we'll give it a few more months before we chop the back off... 

Canada, Eh!

 A few weeks ago we loaded up and headed to Canada for a family vacation and send off for SaSa.  The weather was amazing, highs in the low 80's.  The views were beautiful as we were able to see some of God's creation that is new to us.  The company was even better!

 We fly into Seattle where Jean and Stanley picked us up.  We stayed one night in Seattle before driving to Vancouver.

 James, Stormi, Caleb, Micah and Ellie drove into Vancouver with us.  Katelyn and Adelyn were so excited to spend time with their cousins!  Caleb (5) is such a sweet, full of energy, loves to play, can be kinda shy kid!

Micah (4) is a teddy bear, bull in a china cabinet, sweet, lovable little boy. 

Katelyn (3) tried her hardest to keep up with the big boys.  But she also enjoyed spending time doing 'girly' things with Ellie and Adelyn!

 Ellie (2) is all girl, all sweet, all precious and I can't get enough of her sweetness!

Adelyn (1) had fun just watching all the big kids play and did her best to play with the girls when she could!

Here are the girls playing with Katelyn's hair set that she bought at the dollar store.

 We tried to soak up every minute we had with Sarah before she flew out.  Here she is reading to all the big kids one night before bedtime. 

One day while in Vancouver we walked a mile or two down to the skytrain stop.  Unfortunately that was the day that Adelyn was getting over being sick and the day the stomach bug really hit Katelyn.  Needless to say, they were carried or in the stroller a lot that day!

 It also happened to be Canada Day.  Caleb was on a flag hunt and found a whole handful to hang on to.  Here James is with his boys in front of a fighter plane that was displayed in the street. 

 We also went to the Vancouver Aquarium.  It is by far the best aquarium I've ever been to!  Here is Stormi with her kiddos.  I just love spending time with Stormi.  I think the thing I love most about her is she is truly a woman who seeks the Lords will for her and her kids lives.  I love watching her be a mom, she is a great one!

 Here we are in the aquarium...

 Then we had to make the trip to the airport to drop off Sarah.  There were lots of tears trying to be held back in the picture while we awaited her departure.  While we are all so proud of Sarah and know she is where God wants her to be, we miss her already!

 The day after Sarah left we went to a local squirt park we had seen driving down the road.  The water was FREEZING!!!  In Texas a squirt park in July is refreshing, in Vancouver a squirt park is bone chilling!  Katelyn wasn't having it, but Stormi was trying to at least get her to catch water in her hands...

 I really like this picture of Jared with his dad and brother.  Each has a different expression, different personality, yet all family.

 While we were at the squirt park someone had the bright idea to squirt me with ice cold water.  Burrr, that is all I have to say!

 When we left Vancouver we headed back to Seattle for a day or two before we flew back to Austin.  It just so happened that we came back on July 4th.  The hotel we stayed at had a great view of the Seattle fireworks show.  The show didn't start until 10:15 because it doesn't get dark until pretty late.  However, the view from our room was great, then as soon as it was over, we could go right to sleep!

 We also made a trip to the zoo.  That was the 1st day the stomach bug hit Jared.  I could tell he wasn't feeling good, but he isn't one to complain.  Here is my little monkey at the zoo.

While Jared, Katelyn, Adelyn and myself weren't feeling 100% at some point on this trip, Nanny was our saving grace.  She would help out however, whenever she could.  What a blessing to have a Nanny who is so willing to help, play, carry, tickle, clean throw-up, etc.

 The day that we arrived in Seattle we watched Cars 2 then James and Stormi took their gang home.  Before they left we got a great cousin picture.  In case you didn't catch this earlier- Adelyn 1, Ellie 2, Katelyn 3, Micah 4 and Caleb 5!  A big group of trouble!  Lovable trouble!  Can you imagine when they are 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16?!?

Weekend with Friends

This past weekend our dear college friends Kasey and Jeremy came to Austin for a fun visit.  We went down to South Congress Avenue to eat lunch at the newest rage here in Austin, trailers.  However, once we parked we realized we were right across the street from Magnolia Cafe, an Austin hotspot that none of us have eaten at before.  So, Magnolia Cafe it was...

Adelyn enjoyed some time with Kasey.  Adelyn's cheeks are getting pretty red in the picture, she was hot.  Oh who am I kidding, we were all hot!!  The Texas heat was in full force on Saturday!  So of course we then headed to get frozen banana's covered in chocolate and slushies!

 Katelyn and her buddy Jeremy. 

 It was fun for me to be hands free for a walk down the street.  I can't believe Adelyn is already big enough to walk around just holding on to someones hand!

 After Kasey and Jeremy left Jared decided to have some fun with the girls.  He built a tent in the living room, gave each of the girls and himself each a flashlight...

 They thought this was tons of fun!  Jared then let Katelyn pick some books that he read to them under the tent.  To top it off, Jared even took the tent down after the girls went to bed so that I didn't have to do it- the girls are lucky to have him as a Daddy and I'm lucky to have him as a husband!