East Texas Gators!

(This was around Febuary 2012)

We had been in the house for way to long, and I really needed to get out and do something fun, so we did! The boys and I went on an adventure together, and it was tons of fun-although we did miss daddy!

I found this place near Canton, called East Texas Gators! Out in the middle of nowhere! Literally, the directions go to a certain point and then you just have to figure out the rest, which by accident I did! It is in the middle of a forest, so even if I did get lost GPS and cell phone signals didn't even work out there-thankfully it all worked out perfectly! 

We drove up and there was only one other car their, I kind of started getting nervous it was closed (and mind you it is an hour and half away) So we walked in and they said they were open, and we had to whole place to ourself the whole time : ) The boys were in heaven, well Zach, Con was a little scared at times. They got to touch snakes and gators and even hold a couple random small animals! They had a bounce house, and an awesome petting farm with tame deer! I believe there were over 40 gators but being that it wasn't summer and it was a bit chilly, most of them didn't come out, we saw at least 10 though! The biggest one they had was over 14ft long, crazy.

They were the nicest people that owned the place, and we got to walk around and do whatever we want, how ever many times we wanted considering we were the only people their. It was a great get-a-way for me and the boys. We all had a blast and can not wait to go back in the summer with daddy when all the gators are all out!

30 Weeks!

I just hit my 30 week mark on Friday. I am feeling pretty good. I have a better appetite, some pains have actually gone away a little! The only new thing now are fainting spells! I had them with Connor too. I think it is just when the baby gets in a certain position that maybe is blocking some blood flow. One time I called Tyler and told him I was about to pass out and gave the phone to Zach. I think I just blacked out for a second and then got really sick and started puking. It made me really tired the rest of the day, but then I was fine! He still is not much of a big mover or kicker. I have braxton hicks contractions all the time, and sometime feel cramps, mainly in my lower back, but nothing too serious. Connor loves to lift my shirt up and play with my "new" belly button, he thinks it is so fun. He knows there is a baby in there but I'm not sure he knows it's going to come out and be his little brother ;). 

Zach wanted to be in all the pictures, with the "baby." He loves him so much.

Poor, poor Baby!

(26 weeks) And in case you are wondering it's the bump in the front, not the
one in back ;)

Well, I have slacked on poor baby #3! So I am going to write everything that has gone on with me and baby boy in the last six months, so here goes! We happily found out we were expecting baby #3 in the beginning of August (if I remember right)! We were thrilled with the news, but also cautious. I can be a paranoid person, and since I already had miscarriages, I didn't want to get too excited until I knew baby was past the "scary" phase and I knew he/she was healthy and good!

With this baby I felt the symptoms much earlier on, or I was further than I thought. The first trimester was full of extreme fatigue, worse than the other 2 but I attribute that to having 2 to already chase around! Really, really bad nausea-worse than the other boys, I did puke a few times, but not to much, so I feel blessed for that! And extreme depression, which I have never had before. It was very bizarre and very hard, I don't know if most of it was just a mixture or hormones + being sick 24/7=depression, either way I was glad to see it leave as I entered into the 2nd trimester! I also had lots and lots of cramping and just bad abdominal pains which worried me a lot. It was a very hard first trimester to say in the least.  Of course, it was worth every minute and I am VERY lucky I wasn't puking all day long like other women do.

I finally got to go to the doctor I think around 16 weeks, it was a long hard wait, but thankfully the baby was fine and healthy so it didn't really matter! We got to hear the heart beat which is always a huge relief and the next week we got to have the sonogram! We found out we were having a BOY! Which was no shock to me, but poor Tyler and Zach REALLY wanted a girl, so they were both a little sad, but got over it quickly : ). He looked great and measured perfectly, even a week bigger than what we had thought so the due date was moved up! That is ALWAYS great news! My 1st trimester symptoms didn't fade away until about 14 weeks, so that was nice. Although I never have gotten over the fatigue. In the beginning I just really wanted protein. I could have probably eaten a steak for dinner everyday! It was the only thing that made me feel ok. Although, I felt much better than the first 3 months, I still was no where near 100%. I still couldn't eat much, and sugar always sounded delightfull, but always made me sick. I could/can only eat one big meal a day, I got sick very easily if  I ate to much, I think I even ate more then when I wasn't pregnant. One thing I did crave for a little while was anything chocolate and caramel! Yummo! I also was sick a lot during my second trimester (like with viruses). I continually got the horrible colds, strep, and stomach bugs going around. Which made things that much worse. I think I felt his first movement somewhere between 17-18 weeks, which I don't know if that is longer than normal or not. I had my first braxton hicks contractions at 16 weeks. Somewhere in my second trimester I also developed horrible looking, painful varicose veins under my left knee. They hurt so bad sometimes I couldn't/can't even straighten my leg out, and it hurts to walk. In the beginning of this trimester I also had really bad sciatica, but just on my right side. It made it really hard to stand or walk for long, but most of all I could not sleep with it. I think that about wraps up the 2nd trimester to where I am right now!

I am now approaching 29 weeks! I have actually felt really good the past 2 days, no nausea and a better appetite. I can not sleep at all at night. I have extreme pain in my lungs when I lay on my left of right side, and it isn't my rib cage, it feels like my lungs. I obviously can't lay on my stomach and it kills to sleep on my back. So for now I sleep sitting up basically. I just have to prop lots of pillows behind me and take a couple Tylenol PM and that is the only way I can sleep, so I'll take it, plus I have bad heart burn everynight so that helps with that too! Both boys LOVE my belly bump. They love to pull up my shirt and talk to and kiss the baby. Zach is very thrilled and excited about this baby, he always ask if the baby is coming yet, he really can't wait. He has always loved babies, he loved Connor so much when he was born too. It is fun to watch my tummy. Every night when I lay in bed I like to just watch the ripples across my belly and place my hand on top of his hand/foot which ever one it is! Sometimes he actually tickles me, I wonder if he has long toes or fingers? Ha, I don't know what it is. He doesn't seem very active to me, much less than Zach, and I don't think Connor was very active either. Zachs punches and kicks were very hard and sometimes painful, he would wake me in the night many times. This one never wakes me (or at least not yet!), and only seems to be awake at night before I go to bed and sometimes in the morning. During the day I will feel an occasional kick, but not much really. He has never gotten the hiccups, which I am glad, Zach got them ALL THE TIME, and it got annoying as horrible as that sounds. Connor got them a couple times at the end, but not that much. I seem to have less and less room for food. It is very hard to eat a big meal, and actually painful when I do-there just isn't space for baby and a full meal!  I have horrible scar tissue pains, that I have had ever since the first trimester. They are sharp and very painful. Sometimes I feel like I have a hernia on my lower right side, because I can't sneeze, lift, cough, laugh without it hurting really bad. Somedays it feels like I just had a c-section, I guess that's all the stretching. I have been super out of shape with this baby. I was to sick in the first trimester so I didn't work out and then I tried to when I reached the 2nd trimester but then once I kept catching viruses over and over, the energy just wasn't there, and I can tell a huge difference! :/ Oh well!

We all are already so in love with this little guy, but are ok to wait another 3 months before he comes! We have much to do, like move, and get ready before this little blessing comes to us! And as for now we do not have any names, we are working on it!

The final games!

Zach and I had our last tee-ball and soccer games this month! It was a sad and happy good-bye! Super fun season though! Here are some of my favorite pics!

Connor put on one of the little girls hat from the team!

My friend Paris and I played together on the team!

Cayden and Connor came to watch!

too bright!

that's better....haha

he even has the pose down :)

Because that's what Aunties do...

This is my sweet little niece Carly, ain't she purty? We were over hanging out at their house one evening and she insisted on having a "make-over" night. So as any good auntie would, I got my make-up, she got the hair supplies, we went up to her room ( where no boys are allowed of course!) and we got to work! 

There is a cute little braid leading to the pony tail but I didn't get a picture of that part!
And you can't tell in the picture but you better believe she is wearing make-up :)

shoot, I didn't even know my hair could go in pig tails! And look how much more
color those cheeks have ;)! 

Birthday Fun

Well, I just had the big 2-5 Birthday! And my day was spent with family at the lake. It was pure awesomeness! Thanks to Cade and Stacey for taking us, It was a perfect way to spend my special day!

And then to top it off I got to go to Zach's Pre-school graduation-which was about the cutest thing I have EVER seen!

burnt and tired from being at the lake all day!

His amazing teacher,Shannon Critchfield

Gettin' his dance on!

hahah, always striking a pose! I love him!

poor boy couldn't last any longer!

My fun Birthday Cake!

I felt like making my own birthday cake this year! Tyler makes me something special every year, I gave him this year off! I was just in a cake makin' mood! This is how it turned out...

I really do look 12...

I always get told I look anywhere from 12 to 16...I never saw it, I just figured it was because I was short. Tyler randomly (and definitely without my consent) took this picture. It's true, I look 12. HA. And yes I look pretty ticked off, I wasn't. It was more of a confused "what the heck are you doing, you better delete that" type face :)

And Then There Were Stars....

Noun 1. exhaustion - extreme fatigue
inanition - exhaustion resulting from lack of food
fatigue, tiredness, weariness - temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work.
frazzle - a state of extreme exhaustion; "he was worn to a frazzle"
brain-fag, mental exhaustion - exhaustion that affects mental keenness

Well, that about sums it up.

I never doubted it, but I must admit, everyone is right. It is not the terrible twos, it is the terrible threes. Zach keeps me on my toes and constantly out of breath. All of you that wonder how I stay thin...just spend a day with Zach...seriously. I know that his new little phase is wearing him out as well because he is always very tired it seems. He REALLY needs a nap these days..but that only happens if I catch it in the EXACT window..which only happens on a good day....which is maybe, maybe twice a week. No matter what he has to have quiet time for a couple hours each afternoon, but only on occasion does he go tuck his little self to sleep. Oh how I love those times.

I'm so tired. My feet hurt. My neck hurts. My back hurts. My arms hurt from holding the chunk. And my legs hurt from running up the hill (Connor in arms) chasing Zach as he is "going to wok wit daaddy."

And yet, after doing it day after day...just waiting for the black of night and the bright shining stars to appear to bring back my sanity. They are tucked tightly (and I mean tightly, just kidding ;)) into bed, and some how I still want more! Am I crazy, probably.

I love you speedy, even though you wear me out. As for you chunkers, thanks for the constant smiles and the next to perfect behavior.

Wait. what's that? 9:45pm....Zach crying. Nightmare perhaps. And just like that there it goes.There goes my peace. dang.

34 Weeks And Doing Great!

I'm still NOT in the hospital and I would have had Zach 2 weeks ago by now! Crazy. I am so glad this baby is staying in his hot tub. I had an appointment last Tuesday. Somethings didn't look "normal", he said I already lost my mucus plug and my cervix is changing. It is all very vague because he didn't do an actual "check" as to not create more contractions...although he did do the "other" kind of ultrasound, if you will, to check everything, but can't be exact on how soft my cervix is or how dilated I may be, because from the ultrasound he thought I was. Anyway, I am still on my medicine and went into the hospital this past Tuesday and Wednesday for steroid shots for a precautionary for the baby's lungs, which went great! With Zach the nurse must have hit a nerve because it burned all the way down my leg, but this time around it was no big deal! I have only had one really bad day of bad contractions all day long, but other than that the medicine has been working just great, It makes me feel crappy, but I just have to remember it is much better then being in the hospital. I go back this Tuesday where he will do a more thorogh check and we will go from there! Yay, for answered prayers and for baby #2 staying in for a nice little ride with mommy!

Sorry no pics this time! I will try to get Ty to take one this week!

Lately...

We found some slithering friends at grandma's and kept them as pets...but mom only let me keep them for about a day... (June 10th)Tyler and I celebrated 4 wonderful years of marriage here...
And ate this at Firehouse Pies.....yum yum!

On May 28th I celebrated my 23rd Birthday (neither of us could remember how old I was hence the beautiful poster I woke up to)
I had a wonderful care-free day of shopping with my Mama and with Tyler, and then enjoed a free dinner at the Cheesecake FActory! We did alot of this...

And of course this..(Tyler stops up the drains at this water park to make a mini pool..haha)

We modeled with our fake dog friend at Old Navy while mom tried to shop We got to go to the lake with friends and have my first tubing experience!

Tyler: "Zach is this fun?"

Zach: "Yeah! Daddy I scared!"

(he lasted a good 5 minutes)

Can't get enough of water time!

Despite the heat I still can't resist a little of this.. We went to the dock a lot and did this...And mama caught this!

We ventured down to San Antonio and hung by the pool..

And saw a lot of these...ya know...in the neighbors yard..
By the end of each day (ok maybe every other if mom was feeling lazy) I got to do this and give my duckies a ride on their boat! And then by the end of every week I was a good boy and went to church!