Dog Days of Summer.

You KNOW it's time for school to start

when your kids go from this:

to this:...

...in an instant! 

In our house that means summer has been WAY too long, and someone needs to go back to school!!  I honestly can't wait.  Now, don't get me wrong, at the beginning of summer I had high hopes of creating some great memories this summer.  And I think we have done a fantastic job at that!  But I think now we are creating the memories we might not be so fond of! ;)  Maybe Ethan's got a typical 4 1/2 year old attitude?!  School can't come fast enough - well wait - that means winter comes - and the 20 minutes of bundling - lets enjoy this just a little longer!! :)  How's your summer?

Paci Face {no more}

It's official.  Sam is a.d.d.i.c.t.e.d. to his paci.  Today, while he sleeps so peacefully, something is going to happen that he is NOT going to like.  The paci fairy is coming to take all the paci's away!!!  Actually she's not, I am hiding them on top of the fridge {just in case}.  I have to work tonight and I hate to make Nick go through it alone, so just in case things don't go well, there is a back-up....BUT ONLY FOR TONIGHT!! :)

I know he LOVES those things...but gosh, he needs to learn to talk without it, not with it!  So rather than just limiting it to nap time and bed time..they are all going away for good.  Not even sure if they will return for Baby G...we will have to see his fussy-ness level! ;)

Here's some shots of paci face that I am going to miss dearly:

But I am sure going to enjoy seeing this more often:

{those cute little kissable lips, and his face!}

Sammie's Quilt

I whipped this up today while Sammie was napping.  Literally "whipped" it up!  This is the one that has been on the back burner for about a month now that I found the tutorial for HERE.  I was pretty impressed as I eyeballed most of it...but had to start pinning towards the end.  I am pretty impressed with how it looks.  A little busy, but for a little boy {it works great}.  This one is for Sammie. 

 It was going to be the size of his bed...but I chickened out, and made it more like a toddler bed size.  Not quite finished yet, but need the binding and the back!  I am still not sure which fabric I like the best for the back...Any suggestions?? :)

Swimming Again...

{I wish I could get closer pictures, but I wasn't brave enough to go into the "sauna" like conditions to watch him...I sweat enough as it is!}

Here we are again!  Ethan is taking his final swim lessons of the summer over the next 2 weeks.  He is FINALLY in a class that isn't so baby-ish...which I think is really good for him as he made huge leaps today! They actually get them off the wall and away from the toys and focusing on whats going on in the water, rather than just getting acclimated with the water.  This is so good for him!

•  He got his head wet all by himself
• He jumped to the teacher, and went all the way under!
• Layed on his belly with his face in the water {with help}

Overall, he is doing great!  I think having the kids at his age or maybe a year older is helping out a ton!!  He is watching them and seeing what they can do and wanting to try it too!!  I am so excited for him! :)  Hopefully he passes with flying colors

Updates!

{I think it's so fun to take these pictures...you can definitely see the shape of my belly is different in just 1 week, in comparison to the last picture...I think it's a combo of weight gain, and maybe he is laying different??}

31 week appointment highlights:

• Weight: 3 lb gain over last 2 weeks {thanks to Culver's turtle sundae's!}
• Blood Pressure:  great
• Belly Measurement:  31 weeks {right on}
• Fetal Heart Rate:  great, 147
• After being on "bed rest" through the weekend, and off the last 4 shifts at work...things have settled down enough that I am allowed to "try" working...but if it starts up again, I am on bed rest until the baby is ready to come out!
• Dr.'s orders:  relax, take it easy.......funny
• Major Complaint:  Actually feeling pretty good! :)  Maybe it all the laying around? ;)
• Next Appointment Scheduled:  33 weeks...unless things get bad again {keep your fingers crossed for no more bleeding!}

Baby Scare!!

What an eventful afternoon we had yesterday!  I had to call Nick and tell him to get his butt home right away as I was bleeding, and the Dr. wanted me to go to the hospital.  Talk about such a scary feeling!  Luckily Grandma came over to stay with the boys while Nick and I went to the hospital.

After an ultrasound, a pelvic exam {oh joy} and 7 hours later, they determined it could be a small plactenta tear.  I was supposed to stay overnight to be observed, but begged the Dr. on call to let me go home since baby seemed to be doing fine, and the bleeding had stopped.  {Plus we live so close to the hospital anyways..if anything happened we could be there in 3 minutes!}  So I got to spend the night in MY OWN comfortable bed.  I think I have a back ache just from the 7 hours we were there and that uncomfortable hospital bed!

{the baby and I were under constant observation - he seemed to be doing great}

I wasn't having any contractions {thank goodness}, and baby looked great

{except for the fact that he is still breech - on his 6th week now} I hope he makes a turn before he gets too much bigger!  My biggest fear is having to go through a c-section!  I know we still have 9 weeks for him to turn, but he seems to be pretty darn comfy like that!

{Daddy was under constant observation too - and seemed to be enjoying his nap....see the partial "smile" when I took his picture?!}

I was taken off work for the time being to rest, and am supposed to see my Dr. again next Wednesday.  Hopefully everything is still looking good with no more bleeding!!  This baby needs to stay INSIDE!!  And the boys need their Mama at home...not in the hospital. 

So the couch will be seeing lots of me this weekend!

Bouncing off the walls...

**this post comes a little late....sorry**

29-week appointment highlights:

• 
  
  weight:  a 6-lb gain over the last 4 weeks for a total of 20 lbs!!
• 
  
  blood pressure: great
• 
  
  belly measurement: 29 (right on target)
• 
  
  fetal heart rate: great, 140's - 150's
• 
  
  I passed my glucose test!! :)
• 
  
  major complaint:  pelvic pain.  Feels like he is drilling his head into my tail bone...very uncomfortable to sit, stand, lay...oh joy!
• 
  
  doctors orders: begin daily kick count {shouldn't be a problem considering he bounces off the [uterine] walls}
• 
  
  next appointment scheduled: 31 weeks

I can't believe I only have 9 1/2 weeks left.  It is seriously coming so fast!!  I am so excited to meet little "G", yet so nervous to see how I will be able to handle all the boys's needs at the same time.  I know it will all work out just fine!! :)  Nick and I have been hustling on the basement now.  Maybe we work better under pressure?!?!  Talk about procrastinating!!  Pictures of the basement to come soon!  It's nowhere near being done, but it's getting there!

It's finally done!!!

Well, there it is!!  The finished product.  I am debating on actually quilting it or not.  I like how it looks now, but am not sure how it will wash up?  More than likely I will end up "ditch stitching" it {stitching in the squares that are already on the top, so it goes to the back too}.  I dunno yet.  But I am in love with the colors and how cute it is!! :)  I think Baby G will love it!  **Yes, there are a few flaws, but hey, for really never sewing anything in my LIFE, and to just up an sew a baby quilt...I am pretty damn impressed! ;)

Up Next!  Amy Butler's pattern from "Little Stitches for Little Ones" for the crib bumper, skirt and a super cute monkey that's a dirty laundry bag.  Don't know if I will actually have time to get to the monkey...since I only have 10 weeks left...I think the crib stuff is a priority! :)  Can't wait!

I'm taking a break...

From school that is.  Maybe a year....maybe 3.  {Who knows}  I need to.  I have to.  And this pretty much sums it all up:

"The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make.  I did not live int he moment enough.  This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs.  There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four and one.  And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night.  I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get onto the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed.  I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and getting it done a little less"           Anna Quindlen

I don't want to look back and regret not spending as much time with them, while they are little...because one day I will look back and cry as they are walking out the door to move onto college or a new "adult" life...and wish I had those little boys back, all to myself.  Maybe I will start journals of all our fun adventures, and those little moments that I will want to remember.  So I can look back and "re-live" the moment...like in a diary, with pictures....we'll see. 

Our Weekend

We went to Okoboji again last weekend.  The boys spent 4 1/2 hours playing in the sand and water on Saturday!  I think if Sam had a nap and we had brought more food along, they would have played ALL DAY!  Ethan even got in the water by himself, but was too scared to venture out to the trampoline - because it actually required you to swim! (even with Daddy)  Sam really really loved digging and throwing sand, and getting his toes wet.

Ethan loves fishing.  He could do it all day!  He caught so many fish, and was so EXCITED!!

Someone's having a fit because it wasn't time to go outside yet!!

Daddy to the rescue!  Sam didn't even like being in the water up to his waist.

I am suprised they actually went for this!  Didn't last long, once the waves started hitting their bellies, they were out! :)

Playing with a new friend

Notice Ethan's cheeks??  Daddy applied sunscreen....he's a "pro"! ;)

cuddling with Mama for an evening boat ride

Can you see Ethan going wild in the background?  This caused him to sleep the entire way home from the lake.  That hasn't happened since he was a baby! :)

Her Special Day!!

(Photo courtesy of Breanne's facebook)

Today, my Best Friend of 16 years, Breanne, married her "new" Best Friend!!  I couldn't be happier for her.  I was to be her Matron on Honor, but because the pregnancy is so far along, I was afraid to travel 1800 miles to be there to celebrate with her! 

Breanne, I love you!  And I am sorry I missed your special day!  I hope it was everything you have always dreamed of and more.  I am so lucky to have you as a best friend, you are an amazing woman, and will be an amazing wife, and someday "mother"! :)  I can't wait for the next visit we have.  Love you girl!!!  Congrats!!

Sneak Peak :)

I started sewing baby G's quilt today...what do you think??  The bumper is going to be made out of the fabric with the green background and white dots outlined in brown.  I might change my mind, and buy more apple fabric instead...I think it's SO CUTE!

**Stay tuned for the finished product!!**

29, Here I Come!!

Today, at 12:53 I turned 29.  This is the last year of my 20's.  Seems like just yesterday it was the last year I was going to call myself a "teenager".  Wow.  Time sure does fly.  I had to work today, but ended up getting off early to celebrate with my fav. meal ever....homemade spaghetti and meatballs!!  We have actually decided to avoid the fireworks this year.  #1 Too many mosquitos, and if you saw how I react to mosquito bites, you would totally understand why.  #2 The boy's have been up since 5:45am, and I don't think it would be pleasant waiting until the 10:30 firworks start!  #3  Did I mention too many mosquitos?!!?  ;)

So instead we took a ride in the mustang, and the entire time Ethan was shouting "THIS IS SO AWESOME"!!  To say the least he had a blast.  Sam was tired and didn't care for the wind too much...but still managed to enjoy himself.  Thanks for a great 29th Birthday my hubster and kiddos!  Love you guys!

Have you ever seen this kid, SO EXCITED???