Summer!

I LOVED last summer in Kansas. We had crazy mild temps, went to Mexico, ate outside everyday, camped, traveled, etc. But...this summer is really stacking up and I'm so glad. It's really making this pregnancy fly by and in my opinion, that's a good thing:) We just got back from a spur of the moment trip to the lake with our Austin college buds and some a little further away that we probably hadn't seen since college. Out of the 4 couples, EVERY woman was at a different stage of pregnancy. But with 8 adults, 5 kids, and 3 dogs running around a lake cabin, we all managed. The house and the company were LOVELY! We had a blast...swimming, eating, riding jet skis, laughing, and relaxing. Now, we have TWO days back home before we're up and at 'em again with our Dallas buds at a South Padre beach condo. We've been planning it for a while and it's finally here - yay!!! We have some amazing friends and I do not take it for granted. God is sweetly gracious to allow them in our lives!

20/20

20 weeks preggo with number three! That means I'm HALF WAY THERE! Baby is moving and active, I'm not sick, and until early evening when I crash on the couch every night, I have some pretty good energy. Even going to the gym (although my weight gain thus far doesn't reflect that!). I'm blaming it on the heat and humidity making me swell. Ha. Piper is coming along nicely accepting the idea of a baby BOY. We even made our first baby purchase...bedding! So cute, too. We were going to make it because I hadn't seen any that I loved. I had colors in my mind...brown, blue, and orange. But - we found a clearance floor model (last one!) that was perfect, so we grabbed it up. Still contemplating that name. So far, our top two are Phoenix and Payson with middle name as possibly Kyler? Trying to stick with "PK". We'll see what he actually ends up with! Until then, I leave some belly pics. I was so enthusiastic with them last pregnancy. Not so much this time. Below is 21 weeks with the twins and then 20 weeks today...

21 weeks pg with twins:

20 weeks pg with #3

Out-numbered...

We knew either way, girls or boys were going to be out-numbered in this house. The question answered yesterday was which one? Well, boys win. This baby is an active, healthy, baby boy! We ALL packed into the sonogram room and saw baby on the screen. Porter was excited at the news and said he knew it was a boy all along (although he would have been just as excited for a girl). Piper, however, is still in a bit of depression. She really had her heart set on a girl and afterwards if we would try to explain and console her, she just said "I don't want to talk about this right now". I know she will be a great big sister, though, and love this baby as soon as he is born. We got a cute little profile pic on the sono and in comparison to P & P at this same age, he is Porter's third twin - identical this time. So, now the hard part is here...a NAME! We had a girl name ready and a few boy names we were playing around with, but now that he is a sure thing, I want to LOVE his name we pick and I'm not there yet with any we have on the short list. We may just have to stray from "P"??!! Who knows. Feel free to offer your suggestions. We need them! Name or not, we are praising God for this healthy little life and overjoyed and still in shock that he is in there:)

Stitched

We spent a long weekend in Dallas for Tyler's family reunion. It was a great trip - got to see family we haven't seen in a while and our college buddies, too. We stayed in a hotel which is always the greatest thing for kids for some reason. They loved it and even more so since there was a pool.

However...the swimming was cut short when Piper jumped in too close to the side, spun around mid-air to grab the side, and came down on her chin, splitting it open an inch wide and chipping a back baby tooth. My kids have never even been to the doctor except for a well visit, so this was a major event for us! One look at her chin, though, and Tyler and I knew she was going to need stitches. There was an urgent care really close by, so we rushed her there. They were fast and sweet and took great care of Piper.

I have to say, she was an absolute trooper! She was so calm after the initial shock, and only screamed when the doctor deadened her chin with the needle (I would have too!). She was absolutely still and controlled for every stitch (5 total). Only Tyler got a bit queasy and had to sit a while:) Love it.

Since then, she has yet to complain one time about her chin and was back playing and running around the next day like nothing ever happened. Porter is my more dramatic child, so it's actually a good thing that it was Piper instead of him. However, he is also my sensitive one and as soon as we left to take Piper, he went over to Aunt Kristine and said a sweet prayer for his sister.

We hope there are no more stitches, but are thankful that it wasn't any worse than it was and that she is totally fine!

16 weeks

Well, the good news is I'm hardly nauseas anymore. Still lots I won't eat and some crazy things I do, but that's just pregnancy. The bad news is I'm exhausted and a total bump on a log. And I guess that's just pregnancy with two 5 year olds. At the doc yesterday I'd gained 10 pounds. I thought that was great (considering I only have a twin pregnancy to compare this one to and I'd probably gained double that at 16 weeks last time)!! My doc didn't praise me for my 10 pounds, but didn't really say it was bad either. Just said it was "ok". Whatever. I'm still not feeling baby kicking around in there. Maybe in the next week. The heartbeat is always good and strong and easy to find, though. Super excited to find out the sex...June 30th - woohoo! I can't believe it's already time for that.

*We just attended cousin Matt's wedding. Lots of work, lots of fun, lots of pretty scenery. Kids had an absolute blast! If I had turned sideways for this picture, you'd see a bump:)

2 Wheels

Thursday Piper said she wanted her training wheels OFF! She's been riding with the training wheels raised pretty high and doing well, so I knew she could do it if she would get over the fear. This was the day. She's a determined little girl:)!

So, it was just too much for Porter to watch Piper two-wheelin' it all day while his training wheels were still on (although he was hardly relying on them), so that night, I asked him to try out Piper's bike and he did and he rode it with ease!!!! It took him about a day to catch on to starting off and turning, but now they are both pros and want to ride every chance they get!

I think I was in the 3rd grade before my best friend, Heidi, taught me how to ride a bike by letting me go off the end of her driveway (in Austin)!

So, Preschool graduation AND no training wheels all in one week!!! I guess having a new baby around is going to be good because I'm not ready to let go as they grow so fast...just yet:)

My babies are FIVE!

Five sounds old! I remember being five. They will remember everything from now on! They are registered for Kindergarten. Piper can tie her shoes and Porter can whistle. BUT...they still love their mama and will hold my hand and give me plenty of hugs and kisses, so I'm still hanging on:)

We've had a fun few days celebrating...party with friends on Saturday at the park with a jump house (that showed up super late, but gave us a super discount, so it was all good!), donut holes taken to preschool to share, special day with Mommy and Daddy on their actual day (scavenger hunt to gifts, kites and play at the park, dinner of their choice - Pei Wei), plus TONS of fun, new toys and gifts to occupy.

I also always love celebrating Mother's Day the same weekend we celebrate their birthdays - so special!!

Before too long, we are going to start all over and will have a REAL baby around again. So weird! God's plans are surely not our own! However, we are getting super excited. My belly has popped out this week (almost 12 weeks pg). I was on the treadmill and after he asked why I was "just walking", Porter was staring at my belly and said "It looks funny, but I'm not going to laugh". Thanks, Son.

*Side note: A friend recommended to me recently that I start a separate blog of all the funny things Tyler says. Not a bad idea. It may get a lot of hits and I know I would never run out of anecdotes. Well, today, I learned that Tyler says "Yokey Doke" instead of "Okey Doke", as in - "Hey, Tyler, will you get me a glass of water?"..."Yokey Doke, coming right up!" How have I not caught this until today? I'm not sure.