Wishing it wasn't over...

I'll admit upfront that most people may find this post a little lacking in substantive content- but I am putting it here so that I remember later what an AWESOME weekend this was. With it being Memorial Day Weekend, it was the first day off I've had in a LONG time. I don't have any vacation days this year- or else I won't get paid later on maternity leave (as it is, my vacation days were slashed by a third this year, so I won't even come close to being paid through 6 weeks of maternity leave). We didn't have any plans this weekend, and we used it to its fullest!

We kicked off the weekend with a walk to the park and a supper there of peanut butter sandwiches. These pictures may be some of my all-time favorite (in these first two, you have to know that Moses and ZuZu are looking at each other):

On Saturday we planted flowers (Well, Moses planted. ZuZu kept stealing the pots and eating clumps of potting soil):

Sunday we relaxed all afternoon! I think Moses watched 4 hours of Bob the Builder, but that's okay. Sundays are really hard on pastors' kids. Behaving for 4+ hours really takes a lot out of a kid, ya know?

On Monday morning it was storming, so we spent it inside eating orange rolls (Moses' favorite) and watching Disney's "True Life Adventures" (Remember those? Those were the narrated nature stories you used to get to watch on Friday afternoons in grade school... with a projector and screen. Now on DVD!)

Later it cleared up, and after Moses and I came home from shopping for Father's Day, Moses blew the BEST BUBBLES EVER with his new bubble blower from Uncle Jarrett and Aunt Emily:

ZuZu's reaction to the bubbles was priceless:

Swimming in Moses' new pool followed an early dinner (he enjoyed it, even though the water was still FREEZING):

ZuZu wasn't so into the freezing water; she opted to dance at the side of the pool instead.

We were left with two TIRED kids (and oh- that was ZuZu's choice- wearing two hats...)

Now I am filled with a sense of dread at the prospect of going back to work tomorrow that I haven't felt since my sophomore year of high school, when I had to go back after breaks to an evil choir director who terrorized students. I've been crying all night. Weekends like this make it all the more clear how much of their lives I miss each day having to work. So, while all you stay-at-home moms are at the pool tomorrow, think of me slaving away in my office! Not that I am bitter or anything... but if I read one more weekday facebook status about going to the pool/zoo/park/library/etc., I am going to start de-friending people... it's depressing.

This one is for the Dye Family

Reminiscing...

A blogger friend of mine recently went to Laguna Beach, and her posts are bringing back memories- so I have been looking back at pictures of Moses. I can't believe he was ever this little:



Today was the end-of-year picnic at school, and he was so cute with his friends. He's such a friendly little guy. Probably will post a few pictures once I get them uploaded to the computer...

In the meantime, I am a little teary-eyed that the little guy up above is already going into pre-K...

Summer!

Last day of school, and "Promotion Day" for the 3-4s class. The class did a presentation for the parents and received certificates. Moses was so excited to take flowers to his teachers at school!

I love that there is a little face peeking in this picture- I didn't notice when I took it:


I could post a lot of pictures, but I think a video would sum it up the best:

Hmmmm... future prom date?

Moses and his best buddy:


Tomorrow, the all-school picnic. And on Thursday, the surprise we had planned for Moses: K and Moses are going to STL for the Cardinals game! Or, as Moses puts it, "to see Fredbird!"

What's in a name?

I posted a long "note" on facebook last night about Baby #3's name. I really put a lot of thought into spelling out why we have named her what we have. But for some reason, blogger is being difficult and I cannot get it to also post here-- not without re-typing the whole thing, anyway. And since a large portion of it was part of another person's commentary on the meaning of a word, I decided I better just rephrase and shorten here.

I had a girl name in mind months ago, when we found out I was pregnant. But I REALLY thought I was having a boy-- when we went for the appointment last week, we had a boy name picked out. We had barely even talked about girl names!


But after several nights of combing books and baby name websites, I came across this entry by John Piper, which brought me back to the original name. Really, take the time to read it. It is beautiful.


Well, that sealed it for me-- I am having a Hosanna! As for the middle name, we have chosen Eliana. Eliana is a Hebrew name meaning, "my Lord has answered." (It is pronounced el-ee-ah-nuh)


Together, those names encompass exactly what Piper talks about regarding Pslam 118-- Hosanna, which means, "save, please!," and Eliana, "my Lord has answered."


We can't wait to meet her face-to-face!



20 weeks!!!

pink or blue?

PINK!!!

I was SURE that this was a boy! I was right about Moses, I was right about ZuZu... and I felt even more sure about this one. I was shocked!

Not in a bad way-- I just didn't think I could be wrong. :)

Moses is excited- ZuZu, of course, doesn't understand at all why she sat in a dark room with Mommy lying on a table.

We were so sure that this was a boy, that we had a boy name picked out. We don't have a girl name yet, so you will have to stay tuned for that announcement!

TALENT.

19 weeks!

Time is flying! And this baby has been so neglected... I have been so terrible about blogging this time around....

We find out on *WEDNESDAY* if this little person is a boy or girl! I am so excited!

Moses and ZuZu (and the new baby!) all got special shirts in the mail from Uncle Jarrett and Aunt Emily this week, and we tried to get a few pictures before church on Sunday. Moses and I tried very hard to get ZuZu to cooperate:

We finally gave up, and just got a good shot of Moses:

If it is this hard now... how I am ever going to get a decent picture of THREE children?!

Watch for a post on Wednesday night!

We're still here...

I am so behind. SO, SO behind on blogging. Little catch-up: Moses turned 4 on April 16 (hence the video below). I meant to put up some pictures from his parties, but never did (although they ARE on facebook!). I am 18+ weeks pregnant (will try to get a pic with my kiddos before church tomorrow). ZuZu has been to the Children's Hospital twice in the last month, but she is fine!

Actually, her second appointment was this week. And there are just some things in life that pull you right out of blogging apathy. Our stay at the hotel this week was one of those things.

ZuZu's appointment was at 8:00 on Thursday morning, and the hospital is 2 hours away. So we decided to make a fun little family trip of it-- stay the night in a hotel, swim, etc.

We checked into the hotel at 6:00. We walked off the elevator and into a hallway that smelled like a bowling alley (and were quickly reminded that we were no longer in IL with the wonderful no-smoking laws!). Our room was okay, but every time you opened the door, the nasty smell filled the room. SO, by 6:30 we were back down to the desk demanding a room on a different floor. That room was SO HOT when we went in, but the AC had been turned off. We cranked it and settled in, unpacking things and getting stuff ready for the next day.

Moses and K changed and went down to the pool. They came back to the room within three minutes. The pool was closed for cleaning. Nice of them to tell us that when we checked in, right? Moses was SO disappointed. How do you make that up to a four-year-old? We tried with the vending machine (m&ms and popcorn) and tv. About an hour later, Moses and K headed out to buy 1) a memory card (I brought the camera, but neglected to replace the memory card) and 2) milk for ZuZu. While they were gone, it became clear to me that this pregnant woman was HOT. I checked and made sure that yes, the AC was indeed on the coldest setting- but was clearly not working correctly. By the time K and Moses came back, I was nearly in tears I was so hot and frazzled.

By 9:30 that night, we were in Room #3. Not bad in 3.5 hours.

About 10:00, K was rocking and walking with ZuZu, trying to get her to go to sleep. She then threw up. All over the room. There was a path of undigested food from the location where K was standing, to the bathroom. Thankfully, I have a husband who is good at cleaning up vomit.

After clean-up, K took ZuZu for a ride in the car to get her to go to sleep. She eventually fell asleep about 11:00. And then was up at 1:00, 2:00, 3:17, and 5:00. My alarm went off at 5:30. FINALLY, at about 6:00, she was sleeping soundly:

Since Wednesday, Moses has repeated two things over and over:

1) "The water [pool] was closed. I didn't know it would be closed." [He knows how to tug at a momma's heartstrings!]

and

2) "ZuZu throw up at the hotel. ZuZu, stop throwing up!"

While we were waiting for the doctor, he even drew a picture of ZuZu throwing up:

It was not a total loss, however. We did make a trip to the Children's Museum. Moses had a ball. I could post a ton of pics, but just a few will suffice:

Moses, making a "pizza" in the little pizzaria (complete with apron):


Moses put on a puppet show for ZuZu. She thought her brother was HILARIOUS:

After we convinced Moses that the hotair balloon would NOT go up, he was excited to get inside:


ZuZu was there, too!

AND, any time spent in a Children's Hospital is a very humbling experience. I think there were more cancer patients there this time than the times we were there before. To get to leave the building--knowing that ZuZu is okay-- I can't describe the feeling. Relief, mixed with a little bit of guilt. And thankfulness that the roughest part of our stay there was a closed pool and vomit on the hotel floor.