"Can Caroline stop being a girl now? and she can be a boy"

So I didn't post this picture at first because I couldn't believe how HUGE I was- now I look at it and can't believe it was taken less than a week ago! I look at Caroline and can not even imagine how she fit in there! I also forgot to write about what Sam asked the other night when she got home from the hospital. "Can Caroline quit being a girl now and she can be a boy. We have lots of boy clothes". We had to do some explaining that God made Caroline a girl and that she will always be a girl. I just love his sweet and innocent spirit!

Sweet moments

So this has been such a fun time for our family. The kids think it is Christmas every morning- they run into our room looking for the baby and can hardly wait to hold her. Emer runs to the pack & play with her arms wide open saying "hold baby". She is a great eater and fair sleeper- she stays awake for at least 2 hours during the middle of the night- I even watched a movie at 3 in the morning!! But then she will sleep for about 4 or 5 hours straight so I feel like I am getting more sleep than I am.

Sorry for the side-ways picture- Sam was cuddling with Caroline singing "Sweet Caroline, bum..bum...bum" It was really cute!

Caroline was SO over-stimulated by her first bath! She is sound asleep now.

I know it is hard to see but Caroline has a cute little mohawk- Sam thought it was hilarious!

Emerson & Caroline going home dresses

It was a close call if Sam was more excited to see us or that his butterflies had hatched from their cocoons!

Caroline wore a beautiful dress that her Great Grandma made home from the hospital! I also had to put a picture of Emersonin her going home dress! I think they look so much alike!

Caroline hospital picts

Introducing....Caroline Rose

Here is the last pregnant picture of me! Caroline Rose was born at 12:34 tody- she weighed 8 lbs 7 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long!

Big Brother Sam & Big Sister Emerson were so excited. Sam said "Thank you for giving us a new baby, Mommy" and Emerson just wants to hold her and touch her ALL the time. We were blessed with so many special visitors- Meredith & Andrew came by- they are exactly 4 months apart. Caroline also got to meet Grandpa Gary & Grandma Karen, Grandpa Len & Grandma Peggy, Great Grandma Dottie & Grandpa Bob, Uncle Joe, Aunt Misha, Brian, Jessie and Tyler, Uncle Josh, Tracey, Brooke, & Max, our friend Pennie from church, Sam, Amanda, Hayden & Berkley. Thank you for all of your sweet messages today and prayers! I am going to sleep now- I am EXHAUSTED!

And the final names are....

Kindergarten already!!!!

So we dropped Sam off for his first day of Kindergarten today! He was so nervous last night he didn't go to sleep until after 10:00- at one point I went in to check on him and he was crying into his pillow and he said he wanted to say prayers again- He prayed that he wouldn't cry tomorrow at school, that he wouldn't forget his Mommy & Daddy, and he asked if I would give him one more bedtime kisses and he "promises not to wipe it off". I of course had to go get Kirt so I could go to my room and cry without him seeing me! I can't believe my little guy is going to school. He is so sweet- he always wakes up with a smile on his face! This morning his special request was ham & cheese omlets for breakfast! He didn't cry when we left him but I definetly wore my darkest sunglasses so he wouldn't see me crying when I left! Now I just want to get in my pj's and cry but Kirt says we have to go out and stay busy! I go to the doctor at 4:30 and then to the hospital at 9:00 tonight!

Rainforest Cafe

Tracey & I took the kids to Rainforest Cafe last week before Sam started to school!

Top Ten reasons I can't go into labor today!

1. OK so my day started when Kirt woke me up to say bye at 5:30 a.m. He had a day full of important meetings!
2. Emerson woke up with her left eye matted shut- now it looks like it may be conjuctivitis or pink eye (luckily, I have the eye drops already)
3. Sam woke up with a cough and did I mention that he has been awake since about 6:15?!
4. Sam also has a huge scratch on his left cheek and then he slipped on the wet tile when he got out of the shower so now he has a big bruise and mark on his right cheek!
5. Emerson has a fat lip! She fell off the bed yesterday- So needless to say my kids would look very classy in pictures- they both look like they got in a fight!
6. I finally just gave up and put everyone in the car to go to my moms house and I realized that my cell phone had NO battery!
7. We have meet the teacher tomorrow night for Sam and also the kindergartners at church have a fun evening planned so they can see their new Sunday school classes because starting Sunday Sam will go to "big" church with us!
8. I STILL haven't gone to the store this week to get groceries! We are living out of the pantry! I may resort to going grocery shopping at Braums- you can get almost anything at Braums!
9. I still need to get a pedicure before the baby is born- so I definetly can't go into labor yet!
10. This baby really needs to come out though because I noticed that I now have a stretch mark on my belly! Can you believe I have made it thru 3 pregnancys and now in the home stretch I am going to start getting stretch marks!?!!

Being Content

Today at church we listened to a sermon about the 10th Commandment and it was about being content. It was such a great sermon- Pastor Gary talked about being content is not having what you want but wanting what you have. It really made me think about embracing this last week with my kids before Sam starts Kindergarten, Emerson starts preschool, AND we meet the newest member of our family. The real joys in our lives are not the things that we have, but loving the people around us and raising children who are confident, humble, and have a servants heart. It makes you stop and think about the fact that so many people aren't raising their children to serve others, but they are raising kids to be served by others which ultimately leads to our materialistic society. I have been reading a wonderful book "Raising Kids for True Greatness" by Dr. Tim Kimmel. It is a must read!

Our busy day

Yesterday we went swimming at Grandma Peggy's. Sam brought his lizard so that Tyler could help put him in a new container! I'm not sure the lizard survived the cage transfer- I haven't seen him since then! It was a great afternoon- Peggy, Tracey, & Misha helped so much with the kids so I could just relax in the pool! What a difference it made! I had been having contractions on & off (painful ones too) but I felt so much better yesterday afternoon!

I let the kids play out in the rain in with their umbrellas this morning- when the phone rang and I went back outside I found Emerson with no clothes on, Sam was covered in mud and Andy (the dog) was digging in a HUGE mud puddle and getting mud all over everyone! So needless to say this 37 week pregnant lady was giving the dog a bath! Luckily it had just quit raining! The kids thought it was SO fun- Andy loves to have his hair blow-dried- he was running crazy and jumping on the bed. It was probably the most attention the dog has gotten in a long time!

Sam got his catepillars in the mail today! He is SO excited about watching them turn into butterflies! His face just lit up when he opened the mail box & they have been sitting in his lap ever since he opened them. I keep trying to explain that they have to have a still and quiet place away from the sunlight but he is just so excited he can't leave them in one place! So it looks like we should (if they survive day 1) have butterflies in about 2 weeks!

Emer's new dress

Someone sent Emerson this cute dress for her birthday but there was no card attatched! I would love to send a thank you note! Just let me know who sent it! And yes, she loves to dig thru the fridge! The girl is always hungry- some days I wish I had a lock for the fridge to keep her from bringing me stuff all day. She went for her 2 year check-up today and she weighs 30 pounds and is 35" tall! She ranked in the 90% for both- I think she is definetly going to be tall like her brother!

The Circus Party

Proof that Emerson thought she was the queen in the limo- every morning she has gone to the window to make sure it is still out front and says "Limo- mine". I have a really cute picture of Tracey & I wearing my Aunt Suzie's sunglasses! So I thought this was really cute!

Part of the "limo" crowd. I made the tie-dye shirts. Emerson, Tyler, Max, Brooke, Sam, & Jessie- we are so lucky to have all of our cousins living in town.

We celebrated Emerson's birthday with a few friends at the circus. We had such a good time- I have some other really cute pictures but I hate to post pictures of other children without permission! =)

Big Bro & Big Sister class PLUS our ride for the weekend!

As you can tell Kirt came home with a different kind of car for the weekend! Sam has been wanting to ride in the Interstate limo since we saw it at the convention back in June so Kirt got it to take the kids to the circus on Sunday! Talk about making a grand entrance! Sam is just too excited that it has 2 tv's inside! Emerson sits in her carseat like a little queen! Too funny!

This morning the kids attended the sibling class at the hospital (also a good excuse for Kirt & I to tour the hospital since I will be delivering at a new hospital this time) I think they had a good time. Sam really likes his new hat & mask! I also got to go by and visit with my friend Adrienne who had her first little girl- I am so glad I have other friends who are venturing into the 3 kid arena with us! I think I will definetly need the support!

Celebrating Emerson's birthday

Here are a few pictures from Len & Peggy's house Thursday night. We had a little family party for Emerson's birthday! She was so excited-

Happy birthday to my sweet girl!

It is SO hard to believe that Emerson Grace is 2 years old today! I had to add a few of my newborn pictures! I can't believe she is such a big girl now! I don't know if she looks bigger to me because I know she is about to be a big sister or what!

This was her going home outfit that my Grandma made for her! Isn't it precious!

She was so HAPPY that it was her birthday- even at 6:45 in the morning! (Sam was awake early because he had to check & see if the tooth fairy visited)

She loved her new princess shoes! I know that is not real suprising that my sweet girl who loves to paint her toenails would like princess shoes!

The first of many celebrations! We went and had lunch with Lucy Kate & Halle & Cason and Brooke & Max at the Purple Cow today! The kids had a great time- luckily they sat us in the corner when they heard we had 4 adults & 7 kids! We were able to barricade everyone in! And yes, Emerson did wear her princess shoes to lunch! Tonight we are celebrating with our family and then taking her to the circus on Sunday!

Baby update

My sono today estimates that the baby weighs 6 lb 6 oz- I will be 36 weeks on Wed according to the measurements! Needless to say I am a little nervous about this baby being 9 pounds by the time I deliver in 3 weeks! My induction date is set! I am a little anxious because I am set to be induced the day AFTER Sam's first day of kindergarten. So I am very emotional about missing his first week of school! At least I will be able to take him the first day of school!

Baby names----we have about 3 1/2 weeks to figure it out!

Kirt & I had a wonderful dinner at Fearings & then I made him go see Mamma Mia with me. It was a great evening- although I'm not sure Kirt liked the movie as much as I did.

This morning I took Brooke & Sam to Slappy's Puppet Playhouse at the Galleria- they seemed to really like it. Brooke & Sam were discussing what we should name the new baby. Brooke says she wants to name her new cousin "Janet" and Sam insists on "Eden"- I don't where they came up with either of those names! But Sam STILL INSISTS that he KNOWS its going to be a boy and wants to name him "Cash". Which I like the name Cash (you would have to be super cool if your name was Cash), but Kirt quickly vetoed the idea!

So if you notice at the right I added a naming poll! I can't believe we still don't have this figured out!

Getting ready for preschool

My mom & I finally got Emerson's nap mat made for preschool! Poor little girl had to carry Sam's car & truck napmat last time she went! She was not happy to have Sam laying on her new napmat! True brother/sister love!

Happy Anniversary!

I awoke this morning to find a beautiful blue box with a big white ribbon! Gotta love finding a Tiffany's box at 6:30 in the morning! Kirt got me this perfect cross necklace for our 8th anniversary today! I'm not sure if I feel up to going out tonite, but his mom has been so kind to come over and babysit for the evening! Kirt was shocked that Sam had not told me what my gift was! He thought for sure Sam would tell me!