less than 4 weeks to go....

Can you believe it....4 weeks from now I will have a baby! We haven't officially settled on a date for my c-section. Koen's preschool graduation is May 25 in the evening. My doctor originally wanted to schedule me for that day but I am hoping to do the 26th instead so I don't have to miss it. He said it depends on the Memorial weekend weather. ;) We shall see....either way it is coming right up.

here are the details as of now....

*Heartburn became a frequent in the past few weeks. I started prevacaid last week and have felt much better!
*I have gained 22 lbs so far. Hoping to not gain too much more considering that was my total with the other two.
*Pretty much feel like I dont even look like myself anymore. When I look in the mirror or look at pics of me, I think "that isn't really me" or "that is SO not what I look like" I think I have got a seriously swollen face goin on this time.
*People always so "your so lucky you don't gain weight in your butt and legs and can wear the same pants the whole time your prego" but I am not so sure. I think I might prefer a more even gain that just belly, boobs and face. Especially the face, it kinds kills me.
*Just barley felt the little man have the hiccups last week. It has been a regular occurance everyday since.
*Still feeling overall good. Picking up Brigs and carrying around his generally flailing body has become quite difficult, so I often pawn him off on Phil. :) Did I mention I don't think having kids this close together is turning out to be such a good idea? ;)
*Still get lightheaded some days but I have found it is generally when I sit or lay in one position for too long. You should see the positions my doctor suggested I sit in at church....LOL
*Ready to be done. All though I am pretty nervous about 3 and a baby with Brigs, I feel like at this point it is just causing me anxiety. I'd rather just be doing it, and figuring it out. My main concerns are....(input from those of you with closely spaced kids is welcome.)
-Brigs climbing on me and wanting me to hold him while I am nursing.
-Where to put the baby when I am not holding him...I feel like B will bug him.
-Going out. I am scared I am gonna be a hermit. Brigs is such a terrible shopping buddy as it is, I cant imagine venturing out with the two of them together, let alone adding Koen in the mix.
-Will you judge me if I get one of those leash backpacks for B?

Easter Weekend!

Saturday before Easter we enjoyed the day together with Phil having it off. We had swimming lessons, enjoyed the weather outside, Phil took Koen to the store to pick out a new toy for getting his bean jar full, we colored eggs(Koen and I, Phil and B napped) and then we took Steve and Laura out to dinner for Steve being our official Christmas light hanger. ;) Love Tepenyaki, literally LOVE!

Easter morning only Koen and I went to church B was feeling good from his recovery with HFM but we still thought he might be contagious so Phil kept him home. I'll have to get a pic of my boys next week.

When we got home the boys found their Easter baskets. Koen was also excited to see the Easter Bunny had left LOTS of eggs in the backyard.

 Do you like how Koen has like a million and B like 3? haha We had a great dinner at my brothers house. It was a great Easter. I love when I ask Koen why we celebrate Easter and he replies "because Jesus was resurrected" I think sometimes it is hard to keep it fun but make sure they are learning (and us remembering) the meaning. 

HFM...we are NOT friends!

Well we have had a lovely visitor at our house the week before Easter...Hand Foot Mouth. If you dont remember Koen had this TWICE....here and here. He was like the exact same age as Brigs when he got it the first time, and it was the same time of year....matter of DAYS apart. It is so not fun. Luckily B got a new tooth during the mix so we just had a whole ball of grumpiness. Also lucky no one else seemed to get it. He was one miserable little boy! Dont let the big cheese fool you. Interestingly he only had 2 teeny ones on one hand, no feet, but at least 10+ on his tongue. OUCH!

Let the hunting begin....

Our neighborhood had a big hunt the weekend before Easter. We were a titch late because of Koen's swimming lessons and when we got there, it was over! WHAT THE? I couldn't believe it. I for sure thought it would take at least 10 to get organized, not so much. We just ended up doing our own little hunt with Laura's kids and one other family who missed it.

The kiddos had a good time. B loved his sucker and the dog someone brought. I sure love getting such cute pics of my kids and I. :)

Things I am lovin....

*saying "next month" when people ask when I am due....it just feels good
*HOT showers. Like where I see stars. I really just love it.
*open windows, nuff said.
* exercising. I have just been working out on the wii fit 4 times a week(run, box, step etc) and it just makes me feel like that much less of a heffer. Plus it weighs me every time so I know where I am at...I'm a little OCD.
*Koen's imagination and self entertainment. He is so content to play while I shower, nap or whatever. I am SO grateful for that. (Just playing with a toy in his own world while I was in the shower.)

*Koen's art. He has become quite the little drawer and writer. I love the things he does. They usually include pictures of me, with a baby inside. (picture from school and spotlight poster, with a baby next to our family picture)

*making cookies....a little too much lately, but they are so good! (I just noticed our door in the background...haha we were in the middle of painting)

*Brigs getting bigger. 2 was my favorite age with Koen. I am hoping to say the same with Brigs. We shall see because he is just quite temperamental.

*Brigs voice. He has decided he loves talking. He tries to say everything and his voice is really just SO cute. My favorites right now are apple (which he thinks is HILARIOUS to say with a screaming "ahhh-pple") Elmo, thank you and Wii.
*Brigs enormous smile. And his giggles.

*Brigs in the shower. He hates bathing by himself so he usually showers with me or bathes with Ko. It is the ONLY time he plays with anything but the wii or me. He sits on the bottom and plays with Diego's submarine, so cute.
*This handsome guy. The bigger one. :)

I am a very lucky girl!

Paradise

Minus the beach and sun. :) my normal paradise would be somewhere tropical, a beach, the sun and a frozen drink in hand. But this place called scrapaway is a good 2nd. I went with a bunch of friends, my mom, sis and sister in law this past weekend to scrap the day and night away, as well as eat amazing food I didn't lift a finger to prepare, and it was kid free...minus Rhett (but he was good, so we'll keep him:) I had a great time and got all caught up again on my scrapbook. Phil was Mr mom here at home. He even took Koen to his first swimming lesson! What a guy! Thanks honey!
I look huge and gross in these pics, just so we are all on the same page, I do realize this. I think my body pretty much prefers to only gain weight in the belly, bust and facial areas. :) Oh well huh?

Sad. :(

I have decided it is sad when someone passes on to the next life. Regardless of how long you have known them and what exactly the situation is, it is just sad. Even though I know that we will all be together again, I think it is still hard to wrap my head around. And even though this "life is short" it still feels long when you think about doing it with out someone.

My friend Lacie passed away on Saturday. I haven't known Lacie all that long. Her husband, Jace, works with Phil. Jace was Phil's manager for a month and then transfered. I had met her a few times at some different functions, but really got to know her on our cruise. It was one of those times you meet someone and you just click. You know you could totally be friends with that person forever. We spent most all our time with Jace and Lacie on our cruise. Stayed up late chatting, playing games and did all of our excursions together. Lacie and I have kept in touch since and we have loved hanging out with them.

It was quite a surprise to hear of her passing. Although she has a few different illness' I had talked to her just a few days before and nothing was out of the normal. I have cried on and off everyday since finding out. She left behind a sweet husband and 4 kids aged 4-10. My heart aches for Jace and those little kids. Koen keeps asking me why I am so sad. I told him that Keini and Ki'sen's mommy died and he has been praying for them. I see how little he understands when we talk about it and think that he (and Ki'sen) are the same age Phil was when Mary passed. It makes me sad to think that Ki'sen will have hardly and memories of his mom as he goes through out most of his life without her. I think of Jace and how he now has to be mom and dad and how my own father in law was in that same situation 24 years ago. I feel like all I can say is it is just SO sad. It is hard not to think "what if that was us?" I can't even imagine, which makes me just cry and hurt for Jace. Please pray for him and the kids. They will surely need it.