Happy Birthday

Happy 4th Birthday to my best boy!

Even if you already think you are 4 because you had a birthday party last weekend...not sure I am ready to believe you can really be 4 already!!

Enjoy some(a lot) pictures from Jake's 4 year photo shoot. While we enjoy soaking up sometime with our boy!

Take Me Out

to the Birthday Party!

Although, Jake's birthday isn't actually until this Sunday we had his party this past weekend.

And at his request we did a baseball theme party. For the first year we didn't have his party at our house, but at a local park. It seemed to be more relaxed(at least for me).

It started with these invites and for the kids a bag of sunflowers seeds. (Thank you to my very best friend's husband for making the invites for us...they looked just like a baseball game ticket)

 An autograph game day baseball...instead of our usual scrapbook page we had everyone sign this baseball

                                           excited about his money & straight into his pocket

 

Several pictures of him opening his presents, but mostly just because he was so excited and made some of the best faces while he opened presents.

 Jake knew months before his party he wanted a pinata...and as it would turn out he was able to be the one who got the last few hits in before the candy was out and all the kids were grabbing what they could

It wouldn't be a birthday without the cake...right? Again my very best friend make Jake the most perfect baseball birthday cake. He was so excited about the cake and kept saying it was the best birthday cake & it was exactly what he wanted. His one cake request was for it to have a big baseball. And when he saw the giant baseball on top of the cake he declared "everyone else can eat the green cake part, I am going to get the baseball just for me." And as if it was a 1st birthday he was given the whole baseball to eat like a smash cake. It was only a few bites in before he reached for the bowl of chips and was eating them along with his cake. Which by the way tasted every bite as delicious as it looked!!

29

Today I turn 29...

I celebrate my final year of being in my 20's

While in my 20's,
I married my best friend and love of my life
Gave birth to the most amazing little boy
And will become a Mommy of two
Will welcome our daughter during my final year in my 20's

In my 20's
I have learned who I am
Things I like & don't
Learned to take better care of my body
Love being a stay home wife & mommy
But still don't know what I would be if I was choosing a career

Through my 20's
My relationship with God has grown tremendously
My faith in Him is like nothing else
Trusting in His plan has been tested & proven

I am so very blessed & love this life I have been given. I am beyond excited to see what 29 brings! Looking forward to celebrating a final year of being in my 20's.

Junior Firefighter

Our county offers a day class called "I want to be a fire fighter," although, Jake wants to be a baseball player when he grows up I still thought he would enjoy the class.

We went to a local park that is near a fire station. The class started with a short lesson in 9-1-1 & stop, drop, & roll. Then a book about fire men was read and the kids all got to make their own Junior Fire fighter badge.

The class then took a short trip over to the fire station & were given a tour. It was a little confusing for Jake that the firemen slept there and needed beds, but he liked seeing they had a kitchen and an exercise room.

Then of course they all were able to see a fire truck. Surprising Jake got really shy during the class and didn't want to do much but stay right with me. He did get his picture in front of the truck, but had no interest in getting in or taking his picture with the firemen. Afterward he talked all about the class, even though he was so shy once we got to the fire station.

Tears...

You could blame it on being pregnant, but the last few weeks have really been all for my first born.  In just 10 short days Jake will turn 4. Did you read that FOUR??? He is so big and acts so grown. We have big kid conversations daily. And he is beside himself to be a big brother.

However, he did let me know that he was never moving out and he will always live with me and Jason. Which at 10 days away from being 4 I will let him believe that. Plus I might need to keep the dream that my little boy is never going to leave his mommy. Although, I do realize that come some preteen or teenage day he is going to inform me he will be moving out.

It seems that this birthday has been exceptionally difficult for me. Or is it that every birthday is hard? He is growing so fast. This birthday though, I keep thinking after this birthday everything is going to change for him. Everything we have done over the last month I think, "next time we do this he won't be an only child any more."

Will he remember when it was just the 3 of us? When he turned four and his sister wasn't here yet.

We were talking about Lily/Lillie(be sure to vote for her name) coming the other day. I asked if he knew that meant she would always be with us? He said, yes...I want her to always be with us. We can't leave her at home." And I said "well, sometimes we can have someone watch her and you & I can have mommy dates." He said, "no, she is always going to come with us." I am sure when the reality of it sets in he might be all for leaving her and having time away. As for me I am trying to soak in every last minute when it is just he and I.

It is all in a Name

The latest picture of our sweet girl...kind of hard to see! It is a profile view with her knee up to her chin. It was nice to have another confirmation that she is indeed a girl. I had been so worried they were going to tell me they had been wrong at my last visit.

But now we have come to her name. Jason didn't want to talk too  much about names before we knew if we were having a boy or girl. As soon as we were told she is a girl Jason knew he wanted to name her Lily. So it was set.

Our sweet girl will be Lily, but we aren't for sure on the spelling. Lily is the typical way to spell her name, but I also like Lillie. However, we know she will always have to tell people how to spell her name and correcting the spelling.

And then you have her middle name our 2 choices are Grace or Kate. We both like them and would be happy with either, but we are kind of at a stand still. The time is coming when I might want to start getting some things monogrammed and of course we will be putting her name on the wall in her room. So it has come to a time when we need to make a decision.

We have been calling her Lily/Lillie for several weeks now because the spelling doesn't change what her name is. It has been nice to have a name, and be able to call her by it.

Here is where you our wonderful family, friends, and blog readers come into play...we are putting her name to a vote. Yes, you read that right a VOTE. We will most likely choose what has the highest number of votes, but being that we are her parents we do have final say!! If you look at the top right of the blog just below the header you will see the poll. Click your favorite and get your vote in. Please feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think along with your vote. Can't wait to see what you guys pick.

24 Weeks

24 Weeks pregnant!!

Things are going great.
She moves around a lot. I think she already misses Jake when he is not awake. Given that Jake talks all day long she gets used to hearing his voice. Once Jake goes to bed and it is quiet for awhile she notices. Usually around 8 or 8:30 she starts moving like crazy. I imagine she is thinking where did Jake go...or anyone for that matter. It is usually just me & some nights the tv at that time so it is very quiet. I enjoy this time of her moving around. Jason still hasn't felt her from the outside yet. She does most of her moving when he isn't home so he hasn't really had a chance.

We ordered her furniture this week. It is beautiful and curvy and girly. So excited to see it in her room. Although it is going to take 8-10 weeks to arrive which kind of gave me a small panic. But I am hoping it comes in early. My goal is to have her room finished by Thanksgiving.

I have a doctors appointment and another scheduled ultrasound. I am looking forward to seeing our girl again...and if I am being honest one more confirmation that she really is a girl.

We are still talking about names. Well, if you asked Jason he would say it is set. And we do have her 1st name picked, but haven't settled on how we will spell it. And the middle name is between 2. I have joked it is going to come down to a blog vote, and maybe it really will.

Fair, Food, & Fun

When you think of the Fair what else is there, but food & fun! Really at 6 months pregnant not being able to ride a ride...along with seeing Jake have the best time the other reason to go the fair has to be the food. Of course Jake and his cousins weren't lacking in the fair food either. The North Georgia State Fair is always a fall tradition with us & every year we love it.

Tomahawk Chop

Jake loves baseball. And we finally took him to his 1st professional Braves game this summer. It was pretty hot, but for the most part he loved it. Around the 6th inning he started asking to leave, but after a short walk around he was ready to go back and finish the game.

                                                            Doing the tomahawk chop...