Chicken Bones

Since Anna Kate was born several families in our church have been so kind to bring us meals. One night we had a chicken and vegetable meal. I don't think my boys have ever had chicken on the bone. Jim isn't a fan of any meat on a bone so I always buy boneless chicken breast.  I grew up eating drumsticks and had forgotten how yummy they taste. BUT I must say that my boys loved the chicken so much more and we enjoyed watching them eat it almost as much. 

Quote of the Day

Jim has started something called Quote of the Day. I thought I would share several things Jake has said to me since Anna Kate was born. I know that Jim would never post these quotes.

While I was pregnant with Anna Kate Jake always asked about my belly and he would ask me if it would be small again after the baby came out. I would tell him yes.

The first belly comment came three days after Anna Kate was born. Jake and I took her to the pediatrician for a check up. While we were waiting I picked him up to look out the window and he asked me if my belly was little again. Of course, I told him yes! My sweet little boy looks down and rubs my belly and says "It's not that little mommy." Thanks Jake:-)

The second comment came several days later. All of us were playing upstairs. The boys love to tickle and blow on our bellies. They were blowing on Jim's and then Jake started tickling my belly. As soon as he started I could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking something. This is what he said as he was pushing on my belly, "Mommy, your belly is so squishy." Once again, Thanks Jake:-)
Little ones keep you humble!

All Alone...

 Anna Kate will be two weeks old on Wednesday. This has been a busy couple of  weeks. My mom, Mema, and Benny came to visit the day Anna Kate was born and stayed until Sunday morning. Mom took the boys to run errands and all of my clothes were washed for 5 days straight. Not to mention all of the diapers and other goodies she hauled up here for us. 

This is a picture that Mom took after Anna Kate's first bath.

Jim and Benny stayed busy doing jobs around the house. Their greatest accomplishment was painting all of the shutters on the house and the front door. The shutters and door are now black and I am very excited. It looks great. We really enjoyed having them come and visit for a few days. Benny told me that he isn't planning to make that drive again unless I have another baby. "See you again in 2010"

Nana, Jim's mom, arrived Sunday afternoon and stayed until Thursday. Nana was also busy helping us with sewing projects and trying to keep up with the boys. Nana even swept and mopped the floors the night before she left. :-)

Thursday Jim and I had to face the three of the all alone. I think we did a pretty good job. 

Uncle Jim arrived Sunday for an overnight visit. It was good to see him and he got to play with the boys and meet Anna Kate.

It's Monday, Jim is at work and I am at home with the boys ALL ALONE. They are down for a nap and I must admit today hasn't been bad. We went to the library and to Walmart to pick up a few things. I am glad that my first day went smoothly. I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds for this stay at home mommy of three.

I hope to update Wednesday. We are taking all three of the them to the doctor for there well visits.

Little Bitty Bulldog

Baby Boy

Look at this ADORABLE picture of my baby boy!

edit: My mom took this picture. Judd is not supposed to be on the table, but it did make a great picture.

Best Friends

Anna Kate is 3 days old and she is doing great. We went to the doctor this morning and she is very healthy and almost back to her birth weight.

These are a few pictures that we took yesterday with the boys. Anna Kate lost interest very quickly.

"Best Friends" explanation: One of the prayers that we have for our children is the kids would have a genuine love for and bond with siblings, so recently we started teaching Jake that Judd was his best friend. Jake has really caught on to the concept and he now says that he has two best friends, Judd and Anna Kate. Enjoy the pictures of the "best friends."

The last picture is one I took of Anna Kate before nap time. I will update more very soon.

Meet Anna Kate

Today has been good. Anna Kate is doing well and passed her first test (hearing) this afternoon. We are looking forward to going home sometime tomorrow.

She's here!

I started having contractions at 10:00 PM or so tonight. We arrived at the hospital at 1:20 AM and I was already at 9 centimeters. It was too late for ANY medication or epidural so I delivered her completely natural at 1:54 AM. I pushed for two minutes.

She was born April 9, 2008, at 1:54 AM. She weighed 6 lbs and 15 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Still no name yet but that update will come soon!

We are going to the hospital

I am having contractions every 3 minutes and we are leaving now! We will see what happens!

It's Official

It's official this is the longest I have ever been pregnant. After having two kids and being pregnant with this little girl this is the longest I have ever been pregnant. Jake was born 13 days early, Judd 9 days early, and here I am 8 days away from my due date wondering if I am going to carry this little lady until April 16. A whole 40 weeks! I don't think I can be pregnant for 10 months! Yikes! I just hope she isn't getting to big staying in there baking so long.

I have been doing aerobics everyday for a week and then walking at night several times. Today she seems to be very low, but that could be a my imagination. I am either really sore from working out so hard or she has dropped lower because I am in full waddle mode.

I go to the doctor for my 39 week check up tomorrow. We will see what he has to say. Hopefully, she will come before next Wednesday. Actually, Thursday would be fabulous!

When is she coming?

Jim has a poll on his blog. He wants to know when everyone thinks she is coming. Go to his blog and comment on her due date. Let's see who is right.

I hope you are having a great day....

Have I ever said that I have the most amazing husband in the world! 

These flowers were delivered to our house today. He just hoped I was having a great day.

Side note: He sent me flowers on the Friday before I had Jake. It makes me a little nervous getting flowers on a Friday again so close to my due date.:-)

Easter Projects

This is a picture of the projects Jake and I complete the week of Easter. Judd did make one of the palm branches at the top. It was hard to get him to stop eating the tissue paper, but he had fun. 

We started on Palm Sunday and did various activities throughout the week. We also read Benjamin's Box and hunted the Resurrection Eggs throughout the week. He loved finding the eggs and discussing what was in each one. Then on Sunday morning we made Resurrection rolls. They were yummy!

Here are a few of the questions Jake asked me while we were making the cross picture:

Mommy, why did that man on the other cross make a bad decision and not want to go to heaven with Jesus? 

Mommy, if those men beside Jesus had to die because they did bad things then why did Jesus have to die if He never did anything bad? 

This one will make you laugh:

"Mommy, does Jesus and Baby Trey live in your heart?"

"No sir, just Jesus lives in my heart. Baby Trey is in my belly."

"Oh!"

Easter 2008

This week we have been celebrating Easter and teaching Jake why this day is so important. I will post pictures of our projects a little later, but here are some pictures of the boys in their Easter outfits.

We had a great day at church and the preacher was awesome! I am so thankful we have a Risen Savior!

Happy Easter!

36 weeks and 29 years

Today is a very special day. It's my birthday and I am also 36 weeks. I had a great birthday. Jim surprised me with an awesome birthday present. He bought me a new camera. He bought me a Nikon D40. It is really great, but I have a lot to learn in order to use it the way I would like. I have a great husband!

I also had a doctors appointment today. He said that Baby Girl is in position and that I am 1 cm and 50%. She is progressing, but not too fast which is fine with us.


These are a few test pictures taken today with my new camera. I am excited! It just so happens that Jim took all of these. Maybe he is the photographer in the family?!?!

Silly Boys

Here are a few of the boys silly faces. Jake started making us laugh last night at dinner so that explains the blueberry and spaghetti faces.


Are we really adding a girl to this wild world of boys!

Is Spring Near?

It has been 75 degrees here the past few days so I wanted to get some outside pictures of the boys. We have been sick all Winter so we have very few pictures of the last few months.

We went to the playground at the church today and that is where most of them were taken. The others were taken at our house.
Enjoy!

Speaking with Grace

The past few months I have caught myself being a mom that is frustrating and raising my voice at the boys to get them to obey. We spend a lot of time trying to train them to "obey the first time with a happy heart" and it is very frustrating when Jake obeys in action but then proceeds to whine or cry while "obeying." You see we define obedience as the complete act "obey the first time with a happy heart" not just action. Life has also gotten interested as Judd is really starting to test us and we are training him to obey also. Yes, many days I feel like I am correcting them all day whether it is their actions or their attitude, (their heart).

I have prayed that God would show me areas specifically how I can be a better mom. He has been answering my prayers more than I would like in one specific area, speaking with grace. The Holy Spirit has convicting me as I yell, fuss, whine, or beg my boys to listen and obey. So yesterday I was praying that my speech would be pleasing to Him and then I read this verse:

Let your speech always be seasoned with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Col 4:6

I find that I try VERY hard to speak with grace to Jim and even others, but so many times I "lose it" with the boys. I know that more hurtful words are spoken when I am angry or frustrated than at any other time. I don't feel that my words are nearly as hurtful as the tone in which I speak. Many times see my tone and reactions imitated through Jake when he is trying to communicate with Judd. This is when the Holy Spirit gently nudges my heart and reminds me that if I want my children to know Jesus, I must be Jesus to them. I must speak gently to them, but in order to do that I need to spend more time with Him. I need to be closer to Him so that I will know how He would respond.
As a child of God and a mother to two precious boys (soon to be girl), I want this verse to represent me and the way I speak to our children:
"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26
Here are a few things to remember when I feel frustrated:
1. wait. Cool off before I speak. This will give me time to think rather than react. I must remember that I will most often react with words that are from my old nature than my new life in Christ.
2. speak softly. Frustration and anger is fed by an increase in volume. I want to speak softly and take down barriers.
3. Ask God to help when the temperature begins to rise. He alone can change me.

I pray that He will keep me sensitive in this area. I want our home to be a haven for our children as well as my husband.

I found this quote and I thought I would share it:
In every conversation we choose whether we are going to

• affirm the positive or dwell on the negative
  
• spotlight the growth or the weakness
  
• celebrate the victories or rehash the failures
  
• encourage (give courage to another) or discourage (take courage from another)
  
• think the worst or assume the best
  
• draw them to Christ or push them away
  
• And what we choose will make a difference in someone's life. . . . one way or another.
  

I want to begin now setting healthy patterns of communication children. If I am not their primary source of encouragement to, who is going to encourage them?

We only have a few more weeks before Baby Girl joins us. I want to cherish each day since these are the last days that I will have with just "the boys."

More Snow Pictures

This morning we got up and went outside to play in the snow. Jake was so excited to go outside and run through the yard. Judd still didn't find must interest in the snow. He just wanted us to hold him the whole time. We tried to build a snowman, but it didn't work. I guess building snowmen are not skills that are developed when you live in the south your whole life.


Jake was so excited that they were all wearing Carhart Overalls.


Can't you tell just how excited Judd was to be standing in the snow? He was watching Jim make the snowman. 

Edit: we took both boys to the Dr. after lunch and found out that Judd has double ear infections and Jake has another infection in his right ear. This could explain why they didn't enjoy the snow as much as we had hoped.

Snow

It is snowing! When the boys woke up from their naps we took them outside to experience the snow. They were not as impressed as I thought they would be. I guess they are still a little young. They were freezing and I was being a good mom and taking pictures for them. :-)

I think Skye enjoyed the snow more than anyone.