The Thayer Family

our Thursdays

2012-01-26T14:07:00.000-06:00

On Thursday mornings, Logan comes to play while his mama works. It's a lot of fun for my boys. Wesley is especially interested in playing with Logan. On Thursdays, I think we play with ALL of our toys. They are usually spread out all over the family room. I feel like our house is kid central...toys, baby swing, exersaucer, crafts, etc. I'm sure someday that'll change! I thought I would try to take a picture of all three boys, but as you can see they are quite busy bodies!

(Troy-26 months, Wesley-5 months, Logan-13 months)

Like I mentioned, Wes really likes Logan!

Troy is always with this toy gun.

He even sleeps with it! :)

How many people are THIS happy on a Thursday??!

I love this picture.

Have a Happy Thursday!

Wesley {5 months}

2012-01-20T13:42:00.000-06:00

You are officially 5 months, big boy!

Boy have you changed during the last month!!

You have an obsession with your toes...you always try to reach for them.

Big brother is very fond of you. He enjoyed taking pictures of you today with mama.

You love playing with toys now.

This is your favorite toy. It makes fun sounds and you try to eat the orange monkey!

You can almost sit by yourself! You are getting strong!

I see your bottom 2 teeth coming in. You have been gnawing on everything lately!!

You are also becoming an expert at taking your paci out of your mouth and almost getting it back in.

You have beautiful eyes and a sweet smile.

You nurse every 3 hours and haven't started rice cereal yet.

Nights are okay, but still not sleeping through the night.

You wear size 3 diapers and weigh about 16 pounds.

You wear some 3-6 month clothes, but mostly 6-9 months.

Barely any hair still, but that's okay. We think your eyes are turning brown like mama's!

Bath time is so fun for you! You really get into splashing.

Whenever we drive in the car, you sing. It is precious.

We love having you in our lives!

lil' helper

2012-01-09T16:01:00.003-06:00

I've got quite the little helper in the kitchen these days!

Troy is so interested in helping me make things.

It is fun, but also a bit more messy!!

(It seems like a lot of my pictures has Troy in pjs...

I promise they aren't always in their pjs!!)

His favorite thing is using the food processor.

We've been busy! This week we are cutting

sugar out of our diet, so we made some tasty snacks.

Last night, we made chicken salad and hummus.

Today, we made homemade fruit roll ups & energy bites.

All of it has been really good!

My other little helper

Checking on the fruit roll ups.

In other news, Troy is starting to be potty trained

and is wearing BIG boy underwear!!

He's done okay, but I think this will be a long process.

And we've had great weather! I can't believe it's January

with no snow and nice weather!

Think Troy will follow in his dad's footsteps with guns??!!

Christmas & End of 2011

2011-12-31T13:19:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!!

And Happy 1st Christmas to Wesley!

We were blessed to spend part of Christmas with the Smith side.

Here we all are!

We haven't had a group picture for like 5 years!

My Grandma Hope was able to spend the week with the family.

Gma Hope got Troy this cute Santa that sings.

Becca and her boyfriend, Greg, were able to join us on the 23rd.

They both live in Denver, so it was so special that they could be there.

Christmas Eve---the boys reading together.

Hopefully there are many more moments like that in the future.

Wes still loving his fingers.

A fun rocking horse Troy got from Grandma and Grandpa.

My mom got a GPS from my dad...which is good for her!

Let's just say she gets lost frequently :)

Troy somehow got a Kleenex box stuck on his foot.

It was quite funny...also because he was so wound up!

Wes' new toy! Loves it already.

Daddy & Wes

We spent Christmas Day with the Thayer side.

I didn't end up getting any pics because

both boys kept me busy.

Kathy took a lot, so I'm sure

she will share them.

We had a lot of fun and feel SO blessed!!

Poor Wes got sick on Christmas Eve.

He started with a fever and cold and now it's turned into

a rattly cough and the start of pink eye.

I took him to the dr. yesterday and she got him set up

with a nebulizer. That has really helped. I hate to see

my baby sick!

With the last few days of the year,

we have been keeping busy.

It's been pretty nice out and we've enjoyed

the outdoors, but when it's cold

we've been doing these activities indoors.

Playing cars a lot

We made this stuff called cloud dough. Here's the recipe.

It has entertained Troy for many hours.

And we made galaxy play dough. Super fun!

I love that his toy gun is laying next to

his artsy stuff.

That's all for 2011!!

Happy New Year!

a great day to mow...

2011-12-28T19:59:00.000-06:00

A great day to mow "toddler" style...it was really nice out today (for December)! I think it was close to 50 degrees and it was sunny. SO nice to get outside and get some fresh air.

Wesley {4 months}

2011-12-20T22:28:00.000-06:00

4 months!!

This seems like a huge milestone for us.

He is such a different baby than he was a couple months ago.

Wesley is so happy, content, and an easy baby now.

So glad that stage is over!

Isn't he cute?! Lookin good in that hat!

All scrunched up.

And all stretched out!

I just love his facial expressions in these pictures.

He is developing a fun personality.

"Look how big I am!!"

Wes and his BIG brother.

Even though Troy's hand is in the way, it still captures a cute moment.

Makin' music!

More brotherly love.

4 month stats:

Weight: 15 lbs 7 oz. (75th percentile)

Height: 25.5 inches (75th percentile)

Compared to his brother, he is smaller, but still a big boy.

Troy was always in the 90-97th percentile.

It's so fun to look at old pics of Troy at 4 months or read this blog post

about Troy at 4 months and see the similarities!

They are really starting to look alike.

Wesley still likes nursing every 3 hours (sometimes even at night).
He just started sleeping in Troy's room in his new crib!
We decided to get another crib because Troy is just not ready
to leave his crib yet (and we aren't either) and I'm sure
we'll get good use out of both of them. It's also nice that they both
convert to different beds.

Wesley loves playing with toys now and is so interested
in everybody and seeing what's going on.

We love you, big boy!

Ally's Baby Shower

2011-12-09T15:33:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday, my friends and I threw Ally a baby shower!

Noelle, Leah, Ally, and I are all in the same small group at church.

Ally looks SO good! I think she is around 34 weeks.

Here's a picture of the table.

I didn't get a completed picture, but you get the idea.

It was fun making the tissue paper pom-poms.

I got the tutorial here. So easy and so festive!!

We had a breakfast theme and served several egg casseroles,

coffee cake, donut holes, cherry coffee cake, and fruit cups.

Ally is having a little girl...Emmy. Can't wait to meet sweet baby Emmy!!

This is where the presents went...but of course I don't have a photo of that.

I was a little bit busy once the shower began :)

Drinks! Leah and Noelle had the fun idea to take Snapple bottles,

dress them up with a bow, and put OJ and water with lemon in them.

We also put a fun aqua colored straw in them, which we found here.

I made the diaper cake. It was my first one!!

Ally loves the color aqua, so we wanted to incorporate that into the shower.

We still wanted it to look girly, so we added in some pink.

Love this saying!

I took this frame and painted the glass with chalkboard paint.

Found this idea for the saying here.

Now I am using it as a prayer board in my bathroom.

Noelle made these cute lil loaves of bread for favors. They were delicious!!

We love you, Ally, and we pray God's blessings on you as

you enter into your new role as a mother.

You will be a fabulous mother and we can't wait to meet your little sweetie!

3 months!

2011-12-04T22:19:00.001-06:00

Happy 3 months!!

Well, actually 3.5 months...I am a bit late on this post.

He is sure growing like a weed!

He has constant entertainment from his big brother.

I don't think he'll ever get bored with Troy around!

Just for fun, I went through Troy's 3 month pics and compared them to Wesley's.

Which picture do you think is Troy? Wesley?

Troy-3 months Wesley-3 months

It is definitely the stage of playing with hands and eating fingers :)

Troy Wesley

Do you think they look alike??

I definitely see a longer face and bigger and darker blue eyes in Wesley.

Bath time! He is starting to like his baths more, which is nice.

His smile melts my heart! Just love that boy.

He is less fussy than he has been in the first 2 months. I think he has gotten over this colic stage, but for some reason lately he's been a bit fussy. Honestly, it is so hard to have a baby who is crying a lot and not content. I am hoping this stage passes quickly! When he isn't upset, he is a very sweet, smiley baby. It is so fun to watch him develop, grow and change daily. Time sure goes so fast!

We also had Troy's 2 year appointment last week. He is healthy and everything looks good!

He weighs 29 lbs (75th percentile)
He is 35.5 inches tall (80th percentile)

Still a big boy, but not in the 97th percentile anymore :)

2 years old!

2011-11-26T23:30:00.001-06:00

Our firstborn is now TWO years old! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday we were at the hospital holding our sweet (big) newborn, but at the same time it's hard to remember life without Troy.

We had a wonderful birthday party last week. Here are some photos!

Troy's invite

We had an Elmo party, which was very fun to plan. Pinterest helped a lot.

He loved the Elmo fruit tray!

Aunt Jenna

Staci, Andy, & Jenna

Big Boy!

Aunt Kellie and Wes

The Mueller Family!

The Ekart Family!

Yummy food!

Cupcakes!! Jenna and I made them and it was fun! The Elmo mouths were a bit hard because we used marshmallow fondant, but it turned out okay. They tasted delicious!

All smiles!

Troy was obsessed with blowing out the candles, which was cute.

His 2nd cousin, Alli

Anna, his other 2nd cousin

Aunt Kellie

The 3 of us

Messy, messy boy

Aunt Staci & Aunt Jenna (we missed you, Aunt Becca!)

Present time! He was showered with gifts...and most of them were related to Elmo

sweet lil' Hadley

his new basketball hoop!!

Caden & Troy

Papa came a little late. He was just coming back from guard duty in Kosovo.

We were so glad to see him!

balloons with grandpa

Overall, it was a blast! Couldn't have asked for it to be better.

Thank you friends and family for making him feel so special!

We love you, Troy and can't wait to watch you grow for many more years!

date with Troy

2011-11-18T07:27:00.000-06:00

I got to go on a little date with my big boy, Troy.

He was in need of a haircut, so we went to Walmart for a little trim. I sometimes trim his hair, but it was looking shabby and since his birthday is next week, I didn't want to mess up his hair!

He did really well! This was his 2nd professional hair cut. The first time, he went with my mother-in-law, so I didn't get any pics.

Then we spent time at Walmart (classy...huh?)

He really liked looking at the Christmas trees. He even took lots of pictures of them on my camera. Below is one of his masterpieces.

And, we picked up his first potty seat! :) Time to start potty training! If anyone has advice, please feel free to share! Thanks!!!

Happy Weekend!

halloween....way late

2011-11-18T07:13:00.000-06:00

I'm finally putting together this post from Halloween. Seems like so long ago!

Cute lil' skeleton

Carving pumpkins with Daddy...of course Troy wanted to carve Pooh.

Not the best pic, but it looked really cute from our porch.

Troy wanted to be an army guy like Papa....I thought when I picked up the costume and it was for ages 2-4 that it would fit. I was wrong. It was a little snug! So that is why he looks so sad in the pic above. However, when he started realizing that he would get candy, he was okay with it!

He had a lot of fun trick-or-treating for the first time!

funny story

2011-11-04T14:59:00.001-05:00

Okay, so here's the story behind this photo. Troy found a New Testament Bible in a cupboard in our bathroom. He's been carrying it around all around the house for the past 2 days...he even wanted it in the bath tub. So today when it was time for his nap, he REALLY wanted to take it with him. I let him. After about 20 minutes, I peeked in at him and he was just flipping through the Bible over and over again. He eventually fell asleep with it tucked under his arm. Of course I know he can't read or know the significance of the Bible, but it is still so cute and precious. I pray that as he grows older he will have a deep desire and longing to know Jesus and read God's word daily. My prayer is that he would find a rock solid faith in Jesus Christ and follow him all the days of his life.

I love that boy!

He's also been goofy today. We found this outfit in the closet and he really wanted to wear it to look like Papa (who is in the National Guard). The hat is just silly. Oh and he wanted to wear his winter boots all morning. Someone is excited for the snow!

When we went downstairs, he added goggles and an oven mit to his ensemble!

And Wes is getting stronger! He has a lot of entertainment from his big brother!

Happy Weekend!!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-01T22:37:00.002-05:00

We had a great time at Center Grove Orchard/Pumpkin Patch again this year.

Got some family pics.

Aunt Kellie came along and that it was a lot of fun (and a big help!)
Thank you, Kellie, for taking pictures, too! This forgetful mom forgot her camera...

Corn pool!

Troy loved the animals.

Aunt Kellie and Wesley

He wasn't so sure about the jumping pillow.

Or the train...he sat there until it started to go and then he wanted out!

I took him on the slide and at first he didn't want to go down, but he had fun.

Tractor ride

And finally picking out a cute lil' pumpkin for himself (which he later dropped and it split..oh well!)

It's crazy to look at last year's post (here) and see how much Troy has changed!

We love going to the pumpkin patch and hope to make it a yearly tradition! :)

Florida 2011

2011-10-27T14:54:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful trip to Florida!

Boy oh boy was it a lot of work taking 2 small boys on a plane!

They were both lap riders. Troy rode with Lane and I had Wesley.

Troy was VERY scared getting on the plane. He had no idea what it was.

So he had his fair share of tears. ;(

After calming down and having a sucker, he was better. On the flights to and from Des Moines to Milwaukee, it was a very empty plane so we could spread out.

Going to and from Tampa was a different story...so packed!

We also had to be separated because of the rule of not having 2 lap-riding children in the same row so I missed my boys. I held Wesley in my arm (like the picture below) and my arm was SO sore the next day.

Wes did great on the plane! He only cried for a little bit on the way down. On the way back, he cried for about 20 minutes, but then fell asleep. The people around us were so nice and encouraging.

Troy enjoyed the Tampa Aquarium. It is out-of-this-world amazing! We really had a fun time.

Wes stayed with Papa, so it was just the 3 of us.

I hope that's the closest they come to a shark!!

Outside, they had a fun play area for toddlers to run around, play in the sand, and play in water.

Troy was mostly interested in playing in the sand.

We were 3 blocks from Indian Rocks Beach.

The first day was cloudy, but we still had fun.

Troy was in awe of the ocean! So much to take in.

Wes, on the other had, was completely content with sleeping! :)

Love this pic...captures such a sweet moment.

Wes and Nana

Lane and I went on a date to Crabby Bills, a fun restaurant on Clearwater Beach.

Afterwards, we had fun walking the beach and talking. So good to connect again!

Kids can really get in the way of that sometimes :)

A day at Clearwater Beach. Loved this beach! The sugar sand felt unbelievable on my feet.

Troy had fun throwing balls in the ocean and chasing birds. He also loved the sand and dipping his feet in the ocean.

One day, Kathy took the boys back for a nap and I was able to lay out for the afternoon...so much fun. Then Kathy joined me once Lane and Will got back. It was fun talking and laying in the sun.

Troy has always had trouble with bowel movements (tmi?!) and so this picture is sweet, but also captures a moment where Troy is not feeling well.

After some laxatives and a suppository, he was good! :)

Feeding birds was a favorite activity.

Daddy & son

I got to meet Lane's grandma, Donna, for the first time.

She was sure sweet!

She loved meeting both little boys.

Family pic!

Donna and I

Troy loving the ocean

Me and my man!

We took some pics at Clearwater Beach.

We made it just in time before the sun went down.

Family of 4 :)

Wes doesn't look very happy, but I think he was!

He did so well on the trip...an angel baby. I think this was the turning point in his colic time.

He is getting better at not being fussy all the time.

Troy loves his daddy!

Love this pic...also love how Troy is looking at us!

My boys and I

All 6 of us

Will, Kathy, and Wesley

Troy fell in the ocean...he was obviously not too happy about it!

Good thing mama's hugs help him feel better!

(side note...I just LOVE how he thinks the world of me these days. I also love that he call me "mama". Love that boy!)

Troy enjoyed playing in the play fort outside the house we stayed at.

He loved to throw balls, of course.

Cute lil' buns!

All clean after bath time!

And that was our trip! We have lots more pictures, but these were the favorites!

Can't wait til next time!

24th

2011-10-24T22:32:00.001-05:00

Today is the 24th...which means 1 month until this big boy's 2nd birthday!

(He tried on several of my shoes today...including these dressy ones and some fuzzy boots!

He makes me laugh!)

It also is one month away from Thanksgiving...one of my favorite holidays!

There is so much to be thankful for...especially my family!

I am so thankful even for the little things. After leaving the grocery store today, I felt so grateful that we have money to buy groceries each week. God is SO good!

Today also marks the anniversary of 2 years in our home! Wow did that fly by!

As I think about 2 years ago, I remember that I was VERY pregnant with Troy.

Little did I know that he would be born exactly 1 month from when we moved.

Look how strong Wesley is getting! I was taking a video of him today holding his head up (like this) and he just rolled right over. He's so strong for being only 9 weeks old!

Have a sweet week!

2 months

2011-10-20T13:35:00.001-05:00

Happy 2 months, big boy!

What a delight you are to our family! We love you so much!

You are getting SO big! You've really started filling out in your cheeks and thighs. I love your little rolls!

You love to move your little limbs when you are laying down.

It is so fun to watch you follow us with your eyes. You are doing a great job of focusing on objects.

You finally love your pacifier. Took us several brands before you settled on MAM brand.

Growing lots!! I love hearing your sweet little coos when you're happy.

You have changed so much! You no longer cry as much. Still a fussy time sometimes at night, but you are loving life these days. Makes mama happy :)

You have a really good frown face....it makes me laugh!

Troy has introduced you to Elmo.

Look at that sweet grin! You are smiling so much now! I love it when you look right at me and smile and coo. Melts my heart.

You are also a champ at holding your head up. I was surprised when at 6 weeks you rolled over two times! You were on your stomach and rolled right over to your back. It surprised you and you immediately cried!

Something that you love is your bouncer. The vibrations calm you down and you love the music and watching the toys move around.

You are a good sleeper. Typically you have your last feeding at night around 8 or 9 and sleep for 5 hours before needing to eat. Then you sleep for another 4-5 hours. Sometimes you eat more or less, but I love nursing you.

2 month stats:

Weight: 13 lbs. 10 oz (90th percentile)

Height: 24 inches (75th percentile)

We love you so much, Wesley!

We're Back!

2011-10-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

We had such an amazing time in Florida!! Here are a few pictures of our trip. More stories and pictures to come!

Now back to real life and cooler weather!

fun in the leaves

2011-10-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

I LOVE this time of the year! It is so beautiful out. The colors of the trees and leaves are gorgeous.

We took some photos today at my parents house.

Wesley--7weeks

Troy thinks the leaves are lots of fun!

Happy Fall!! :)

100% boy

2011-10-07T14:24:00.000-05:00

Troy is 100% boy...and I love it!

He loves animals! Especially horses.

He can't get enough of the farm.

He could throw rocks in the creek for hours!

So handsome!

I love this picture! He went camping with some family a few weekends ago. This is his pal, Lizzie, who is his second cousin. They really bonded!

He loves being pushed around on a bike.

First time kayaking!

And he loves the 4-wheeler. (so do I!)

4 generations...Landan, Lane, Will, Papa Thayer, Troy, & Wesley

I love my little, rugged, outdoor lover, messy boy! I love being his mama!

life is busy!!

2011-10-05T15:08:00.000-05:00

Whew, we've been busy! Life with 2 boys is hard, but soo much fun! The hard part right now is having a colicky baby. Wes cries a lot....I mean A LOT. We've found some ways to soothe him, but sometimes nothing will soothe him. He likes pressure on his belly, so if we hold him with his belly on our hands, he likes that. He also likes the sound of the hair dryer and being in the car. I recently cut out dairy from my diet to see if that would help with the fussiness, and it has. (I do miss my dairy though, but it's worth the sacrifice!) Anyway, I think he's getting better, it's just hard to hear your sweet baby cry a lot.

Aunt Becca brought over her sweet kittens. Of course, Troy really enjoyed that!

Here's Wes at 1 month...tried to get some cute pics, but as you can see he cried some! :)

My 22 month baby!

Ahhh finally sleeping...

I took the boys to my high school's homecoming parade. Can you believe that it has been 10 years since I was in that parade?! It was fun though to see my brother (who is a senior) and his friends.

Troy finally got the hang of picking up candy. I think he had like 5 pieces, but that was ok with me!

He loves football!

Sweet brother moments...

Yay! A smile!

And again, he's crying.

Caught this cute moment of bonding between brothers.

Even though life is busy and each day seems like a blur, I love it! I wouldn't trade my job for anything!

adjustments

2011-09-19T13:17:00.000-05:00

Wes had his first adjustment today by Dr. Crain!

Look how big Troy looks!! He really loves getting adjusted. He always laughs!

Besides going to the chiropractor for adjustments, life is FULL of adjustments these days!

It has definitely been a transition going from 1 child to 2....a lot more work!

Troy seems so old to us now. He really is developing a lot more in his verbal skills. He talks a lot! He just learned how to count 1, 2, 3 this weekend! I am amazed at how much he understands and talks to us about. He loves saying Elmo (especially since they are on his diapers, too). Troy is a very active kiddo. I've said this a lot, but this kid could live outdoors!

He got to spend last weekend with Papa and Nana at a cabin camping. This was sooo nice for him to do so many outdoor activities that I'm not able to do right now with him.

Troy is also becoming a little more defiant, which is difficult! For example, today at the chiro, Troy decided that throwing legos and slamming the door was a fun activity. When I asked him to stop, he of course said "no" and kept doing it. It's difficult to discipline when you have a crying baby in your arms and a kid that is acting out in public! We made it through though. He really is a sweet kid, but sometimes has a mind of his own!

Wesley is doing well! He is a bit of a fussy and spit-up baby. We took him to the Dr. because he had been throwing up a lot and crying tons! She thinks he has colic, but we'll see.

It's been a challenge to have a little one who cries a lot, but we're finding ways to soothe him. Sometimes we have to drive around to calm him down.

He loves to eat and he sleeps well at night. He goes down for the night around 9 and wakes up about 6. Of course he wakes up to eat during the night still.

Lane is in school for his masters right now and works a lot! I am so proud of him for how hard he works. Can't wait for May to come!

Have a beautiful Monday!

my talented friend...

2011-09-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

took photos of my boys!! Thank you Rachel Farley for being so wonderful and taking their pics!

Here they are!

Wesley -- 1 week old

Troy -- 21 months

Welcome to the World, Little Wes!

2011-09-02T16:58:00.000-05:00

2 weeks have gone by already since the birth of our sweet little boy, Wesley. It seems like life has been a whirlwind since then. Life is a lot more busier and crazier than it has ever been...but it's also a lot sweeter.

On Wednesday, August 17th, I woke up at 3:30 am with contractions. They were coming about 10-15 minutes apart, so nothing to worry about. But still, I couldn't sleep so I got up and got a few things done. Throughout the whole day, I had contractions. Troy and I did our normal routine...lots of playing outside and walks and a trip to the chiropractor. At night, I felt like they were increasing, but didn't want to get my hopes up. Since I had woken up SO early that day, I was so tired and slept so well that night. (I am very thankful for a good nights rest before the big day!)

The next day, I still had contractions, but they were now 5-7 minutes apart. Troy and I went on 2 walks, since it was a gorgeous summer day and I wanted to soak up all this alone time with Troy before Wes arrived. I wasn't sure if these were true labor contractions, so I decided to call the midwives at 10 am. They suggested I monitor them for a couple hours and they would call me back. Around noon, they called back and by this point, the contractions were coming about every 4-5 minutes and they were starting to feel sharper. They thought I should come in to be checked. Sooo I called my mom so she could pick up Troy (she was ecstatic by the way...I was still thinking they would send me home). She came and Lane came home from work. We packed (just in case) and headed to the midwives. Oh and I snapped a quick picture of me at 39 weeks, 4 days.

Pam (the midwife) said I was dilated 4-5cm, and 80% effaced. She thought it would be a good idea to head to the hospital. So we headed across the street to Methodist Hospital around 1:30. It was incredibly busy that day. Lots of babies being born! That meant all the rooms were occupied, so we waited in a triage room. They hooked me up to the monitors to see contractions and they were about 4 minutes apart. Then my midwife, Justine, came in to talk and check me. She had a student with her and the crazy thing is that the student was a parent of one of my 4th grade students a couple years back! How ironic is that? They decided to break my bag of water (which is a crazy feeling). After that, Lane and I walked the halls to help progress labor.

Around 3:30 we got our room. It was very nice and spacious....especially compared to the small triage room! At this point, I was dilated to a 6-7 and having more contractions. It was nice though because I really didn't think the contractions hurt. They were just more annoying. We watched a few episodes of Friends and just talked. We loved our nurse, Michelle. She was with us all day and was so great.

At about 6:00, I was feeling a little more pain and was now dilated to an 8. Lane was very concerned about me being in pain (probably remembering the events from Troy's birth) and insisted I get an epidural before it was too late. So they called the anesthesiologist and they started that process. It actually did hurt in my back when they put the needle in. We got that over with but just like last time, my left side never really got numb. Weird?!

Here's a picture of my midwife, Justine. She was so great, too!

All my family and Kathy were in the waiting room, so they all came in at different times and hung out with Lane and I. There were lots of laughter and everyone was in a good (and goofy) mood.

At about 8, I started feeling uncomfortable and the contractions were stronger. Everyone left and I got checked by the nurse. Still at an 8. A few minutes later I felt so much pressure, I asked her to check me again. At a 9. Then about 15 minutes after that, I felt even more pressure. She checked me and I was at 9.5. Justine came in as well and said it was baby time! Since I've had a baby before, she suggested doing some practice pushing and she would stretch me to a 10. We did that a few times and then it was time for the real thing!

She got all set up and then I started pushing...it all happened so fast! About 5 pushes later, he was here! Little Wesley arrived into the world at 10:21pm. It was such a magical and wonderful feeling. Tears of happiness and joy rolled down my face. They placed him right on my chest and I was filled with amazement. That beautiful baby was inside of me! This sweet little child was now a part of our family.

It was one of the best days of my life. We feel incredibly blessed to be a family of 4 now!

After he was born, they did all the standard procedures and I nursed him for the first time (I loved this...so natural). Then around 11:30, the family came in to meet him!

Since it was so late, Troy didn't meet Wesley until the next day. It was sweet to see him meet Wes. He said "bebe" and patted his head, and then he was off exploring the room.

Troy is adjusting to his new role as a big brother. He wasn't so sure when we first brought Wesley home, but now he gives him lots of kisses and wants to know where baby is all the time. It's pretty cute.

And that, my friends, is the story of Wesley's birthday!

Wesley Michael

2011-08-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

Wesley Michael arrived on Thursday, August 18th at 10:21pm

8lbs, 4oz

20.5 inches long

So perfect...

A very proud big brother :)

More to come...

38 weeks!

2011-08-07T14:05:00.001-05:00

Here we are at 38 weeks! Anytime now, baby!

Everything is going well so far. We are just dying to meet baby boy W!

I had an ultrasound last week (37 weeks) to see how big the baby is. Troy was a large baby (9lbs, 6oz 21.5in...97th percentile) so the midwife and dr. have been a little worried that I would have an even bigger baby this time! Anyway, the ultrasound tech said the baby weighed about 6lbs 13oz and is in the 48th percentile. Now I know they are not always accurate, but I do feel like this baby is smaller this time around. I haven't gained as much weight, and baby feels smaller than last time.

I've been thinking about how different this pregnancy has felt. Here are a few things that are different:

1. I was much more sick this time around

2. Not as much heartburn, but still do have it

3. Haven't gained as much weight

4. I haven't swelled up at all! (I really thought I would be worse this time since it's August!)

5. I can still wear my wedding ring (yay!)

6. I can rest a lot more during the day since I'm not teaching

7. Had to take the 3 hour gluclose test...yuck! But I did pass it!

8. I've had a lot more ultrasounds this time...I think 6

9. A lot more Braxton Hicks contractions

10. I've been nesting like crazy this time around

Well, that's all for now! Hopefully baby will come soon!

July

2011-07-26T22:03:00.000-05:00

The month of July is so fun for us! We've enjoyed many trips to the pool so far! Especially with it being so hot out!

I had the privilege of seeing my friend, Samantha, get married. It was a gorgeous wedding and so God-honoring. Sam you looked gorgeous, did a great job planning, and thought of every little detail! Congrats!

Then I celebrated my 27th birthday!! The night before, we went on a date to Red Lobster and a movie. It was so nice to be alone and just hang out.

Lane made me an awesome cake...it seriously tasted amazing!!

We had a nice evening at the farm celebrating along with Landan's birthday.

Troy decided it would be fun to go outside in his "birthday suit" after his bath! :)

He's pretty good friends with Maddy, the cat.

A typical day eating lunch.

Beautiful birthday flowers!!

Then a week later, we celebrated my birthday with my side of the family.

Jenna made me this sweet cake!

We also celebrated our 4th anniversary on July 21st.

I can't believe four years have flown by already!!

Each year gets better and better...so thankful for an incredible husband!

Here's a little snapshot of us 4 years ago!

Last night, Troy's Papa and Nana watched him and brought him home in this big t-shirt! His clothes got too dirty/sweaty, so this was the alternative. He looked so cute!

We have an awesome wading pool so close to our house! We go there frequently and it's definitely one of Troy's favorite places. He is so independent there and loves to throw any balls he finds.

He makes a lot of friends...even with the big boys!

Still playing, even when the water is all gone! :)

Well, that's been our July so far. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one! I am 36 weeks along, but looks like my body is getting ready for labor. I've had quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions and am dilated 2 cm. It's all a waiting game now! We will keep you all posted!

zoo day

2011-07-18T13:07:00.001-05:00

A couple Saturdays ago, we went to the zoo. Our local zoo isn't very big, but it's a good size for our 19 month old.

He loves being with his dad.

Pretty proud feeding the goats!

Giraffes' tongues are crazy!

We had a lot of fun, but it was sure hot! :)

our weekend

2011-07-05T22:05:00.001-05:00

We had a fun 4th of July weekend! We typically go to Okoboji to see my grandma and it is always fun celebrating on the lake. This year, we stayed home and it was really fun to be all together for 3 days!

We got a lot accomplished this weekend...mowed, took down a tree branch, cleaned out closets, bought baby clothes, washed and organized baby clothes, put up blinds, cleaned the house, etc. Feels good to get a lot done!

We had fun celebrating the 4th! We introduced Troy to sparklers...he was scared of them, but it was cute.

Here's the tree branch that Lane and his dad took down. It's an enormous tree that is actually behind our fence, but still part of our property. Our elderly neighbors have been so worried about it falling down in their yard, so we tried to take care of it in a timely manner. So thankful for Will...he is fearless!

We went to Urbandale's 4th of July parade with my dad and boy was it hot!!

Troy is so funny. He has 2 pairs of sunglasses, but always chooses to wear mine! He wore them for almost 2 hours during the parade.

We had a BBQ with my dad and siblings, then relaxed at home. Later at night we watched fireworks. Troy had a super late nap, so it worked out for him to stay up late.

He has a fascination with anything with wheels...

And here I am 33 weeks prego! Getting big!!

brothers

2011-06-24T14:57:00.000-05:00

I had an ultrasound today to see where my placenta is. It was low at 20 weeks, so they were just checking the position and everything looks great! It's crazy how big they look at 32 weeks! It's also fun to find out little details about our little one. The ultrasound tech said that he has lots of hair! She pointed it out and it looked like grass. Troy didn't have much hair for awhile, so that is fun to know! Then she did a 3D ultrasound of baby and I could not believe how similar he looks to Troy! Below are 3D pictures of Troy and Baby.

This first one is of Troy at 40 weeks (on my due date).

Below is Baby at 32 weeks.

The nose and lips look so similar...but we shall see when he arrives!!

Troy & I

2011-06-23T13:34:00.000-05:00

I have a really beautiful and talented friend...Kristen. She took pictures of Troy and I a few weeks ago. I was 29 weeks pregnant and Troy is 18 months. It was so fun to have her capture how life is these days...Troy is so active, but she did a great job taking pictures of him. Thanks again, Kristen!

Baby Belly Pics

2011-06-23T13:28:00.000-05:00

Here are some baby belly pics taken by my friend, Kristen! She is so talented! I am 29 weeks in these pictures, and currently 32 weeks!

18 months

2011-06-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

My baby is a year and a half now!! I seriously LOVE this stage right now....he has so much personality and is learning SO much! We celebrated with a little cake...which of course he loved!

Troy always looks forward to Lane coming home. He watches out our window or door.

He also loves to go swimming!

Instead of being in the pool, he loves to throw balls in the pool and then jump in. It keeps me very busy and I'm always watching for where he'll jump in next!

Lovin' the sun and water.

Cooling down with his first popsicle! (funny how his hair matches his popsicle!)

Troy is so much fun...makes me feel very blessed to be his mama. He's starting to get more upset when things don't go his way, but he gets over it quickly.

Here are his 18 month stats from his well check-up:

Height: 33 3/4 in. (90th percentile)
Weight: 27 lbs (75th percentile)

New Words:
peeeees (please)
bee (for any bug)
dog
hello
a go (there you go)
Amen
money

New Sounds:
tiger
bear
bee
airplane (zoooom)

What He Loves:
*playing with trucks and cars
*being outside! He loves to go on walks and pick up rocks and trade them for other rocks he finds
*He likes going to the shed to look at the mower...so fascinated with it! He loves watching his Dad mow.
*Going to the park and riding the carousel
*Throwing balls...he could do this for hours

We love you, Troy!!

yeah

2011-06-10T18:19:00.000-05:00

It's so much fun now that Troy communicates verbally with us. He loves to answer questions with "yeah" and sometimes "no". Here's a video clip!

17 months

2011-05-20T13:03:00.003-05:00

I smile every time I look at that picture of Troy and Papa...he simply adores him!

Troy still LOVES bath time! Especially when he goes to Nana's house for a bath.

Out at the farm...watching his dad shoot. He really adores him. He still is a mama's boy, but really loves spending time with Lane.

Troy went through a faze this month where he was obsessed with Pooh...now he doesn't care so much, but it was cute at the time.

His buddy, Logan, who we watch 3 days a week. It will be fun to watch them interact more as Logan gets older.

Look how tall he is getting!

Yup, still loves spaghetti and getting messy!

I found him the other day taking his nap like this! So cute.

It is a joy to raise this little boy. He brings so much life and happiness to our lives. We often wonder what we did before he came! There are some days that are a challenge, especially since he has learned the word "no". I learned a lesson today...never take him to the grocery store right before lunch and nap time...he had quite a few meltdowns. Should be obvious, but I had to learn it the hard way :)

New words:

yeah

bu (bus)

mow (people mowing)

New sounds:

elephant

hoo hoo (owl)

choo choo (train)

cat meowing

mouse

lion

What he loves:

eating hard boiled eggs! this kid can't get enough of those!

playing outside!!

looking for cars, trucks, busses, motorcycles, or anything with wheels when we're in the car

stroller rides to the park

the movie, Up

helping me cook

reading books

Another milestone this month is that he stopped nursing...a little over a week ago. He was only nursing once a day (first thing in the morning) so we just tried offering him other liquids first thing and it worked. I truly LOVED nursing him, and it is a little sad thinking I'm done with that forever with him. It creates such a special and unique bond with a child. I know it was so beneficial for Troy and it gave him much comfort. But it was time...it was really painful for me because of his teeth and hormones with being pregnant, so it was a good time to stop. Hopefully he won't be jealous with baby #2 comes along!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Mary is married!

2011-05-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

One of my very best friends got married last Saturday!!! She was a stunning bride and it was a day to remember. I was so honored to be a part of her day.

Mary and I have been friends since middle school and have stayed close since. We've been in numerous choirs, cheerleading squads, & high school classes together. We've shared road trips and many nights of just hanging out together. Mary is so talented and beautiful inside and out. The running joke between our friends is that someday she would be president...she is so driven and successful! She met the perfect guy for her when she lived in Washington D.C. I'm so happy for Mary & Justin as they start their married life together!!!

Here are a few pictures I found for the slideshow from the past!

On one of our many show choir road trips.

High school lunch...during homecoming week.

Visiting Mary in D.C.

At my baby shower!

Pictures of her big day!

The stunning bride! She belonged in a magazine!

So sweet!

Gotta throw in some pictures of me and the hubby!

It was a wonderful weekend away. We missed our little boy, but it was nice to get away for a couple days! He got to stay with Nana and he came down with the flu on Friday night!! He was a happy boy and did well overall. Once again, congrats Mary & Justin!!

23 & 24

2011-04-29T14:14:00.000-05:00

Week 23

Week 24

Baby is very active these days! I love it! It's a great reassurance that he's still in there! :) It's crazy to think that he's over a pound and about a foot long already! We love you so much already!

Good Friday

2011-04-22T15:09:00.002-05:00

We decided to dye some eggs today! It was a lot of fun...and went a lot fast than I thought!

Look how patient Troy is! :)

Notice the cute finger :)

Decided we had to take off the clothes! It was MESSY! It was so cute though...Troy just wanted to throw the eggs in the cups...even if there was already an egg in it. He had a blast and was sad there were only 10 eggs to color.

Check out those messy hands and legs!

The finished product! (you might see a few cracks!)

He wanted to eat one right away.

Of course we headed to the bath tub to wash off all the dye.

We know the real purpose of Easter is not about eggs or bunnies.

I have been reminded so much lately of our need for the gospel and the saving power of the cross.

Words can't describe my gratitude for Christ and for all He's done for us.

This CD is awesome...I just bought it last week and I play it constantly.

All the songs are filled with God's truth and scripture.

It is truly encouraging.

I also just started reading this book.

We pray that our children will hunger for God and see the power of the gospel.

Last night I was reading and I though this part sums up why we celebrate Easter:

"The gospel is the good news that the Son of God humbled himself, vacated his throne of glory, descended an infinite distance, and became a slave first to his Father and then to fallen men.

Finally, he submitted to death by slow torture on a Roman cross (Phil. 2:5-8).

Why? Love impelled him. He died in our place. He took the judgment that we deserve.

"God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

As R.C. Sproul so eloquently puts it, Christ came to save us from his own wrath. Put another way, Christ came to save us from himself."

(pg. 49 of Gospel-Powered Parenting)

Have a blessed Easter!

16 months

2011-04-21T16:26:00.000-05:00

As I write this, our little boy is 16 months...but just a few days shy of 17 months!

One of his absolute favorite things to do is be outside...it immediately calms him down and makes him so happy! Even if we are just throwing a ball, he is content. He especially loves being at Nana and Papa's farm where he can run around, pet the horses, and play with the cat.

He also loves to eat! Spaghetti is one of his favorite meals...which is why he is stuffing his face below.

Troy has always loved dogs, and still does. However, he's not so fond of his aunt and uncle's new puppy, Berkley. Berkley loves him, but he just runs away from her. I think it's because she tugs on him and is a little much for him. :)

Friday nights look different now that we have our little man with us. Last Friday, we went to Jordan Creek and ate at Chick-fil-A....which was a first and he loved it.

The play area was WAY too busy, so we decided to introduce him to the escalator at Scheels...it was a huge hit!

He did not want to stop! :)

Troy is learning so much! He is expanding his vocabulary and understanding so much.

Here are some new words:
more
up
woah
shoosh (juice)
chhhheeese (cheese)
shoos (shoes)
dird (bird)
tee (tree)
boon (balloon)
why (water)
shh (when we are trying to be quiet)
Nana
Papa
Bapa (grandpa)
Mamama (grandma)
Enna (aunt Jenna)

New Sounds:
pig snorting
cow mooing
horse neighing
broom broom for trucks and cars

What he loves loves:
balls
playing outside
trucks and cars
books
Winnie the Pooh (huge fan!)
music and dancing
bath time
looking out the window for birds and dogs
his mama and dada (he is very much a mama's boy and is having a really hard time lately when I'm away...especially in nursery!)

We love this little man to pieces!!

my little helper!

2011-04-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

Look at my cute little helper!

Today I was cleaning the floor with my Norwex mop (which is the best thing ever!), and all of the sudden Troy goes into the kitchen and grabs the Swiffer! He cleaned the floor with me today.

I hope he's always this happy to help clean!

He really is a great helper. He's learned where the trash can is so if I ask him to throw something away, he's very obedient to do it. What a good boy!

The only thing he doesn't like is vacuuming. He seriously freaks out when I turn it on...so I don't do that quite as often!

Have a great weekend!

too funny

2011-04-05T14:13:00.001-05:00

So I came around the corner to see this yesterday! :)

He was watching his Winnie the Pooh DVD (that he loves) and tried pulling his diaper off!

20 weeks pregnant with baby boy! Starting to show!

(not a huge fan of taking pics of myself, but had some requests) :)

This video was when Troy tried on his new Nike shoes. He loves any shoe, but especially these! Made him feel like dancing, I guess! I sure love him!

And it's a boy!!

2011-04-01T20:07:00.000-05:00

We had such an amazing time seeing our little guy today! He was very photogenic and active! :)

He really liked moving his arm around, stretching, & waving to us.

Here are his cute little feet!

He was reaching his hand to touch his foot in this photo.

An adorable profile!

A cute thumb sucker!

Waving goodbye!

This ultrasound was different than the one we had with Troy. It was much longer and we were able to see so much more (even though it wasn't 3-D). We could see him sucking his thumb, sticking his tongue out, the heart chambers, all the bones in his hands and feet, and so much more. It was so sweet. Isn't technology amazing?! I couldn't see the screen for the first 20 minutes while she did measurements, but Lane whispered to me that he thought it was a boy--he was right! It was very clear that he's a little man!

Looks like I'm measuring right on track- 20 weeks!

We are so excited for Troy to have a little brother and to become a family of 4! We thank the Lord for this huge blessing!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

one more day...

2011-03-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

until we know if baby #2 is a boy or girl!! So excited for our ultrasound tomorrow...it will be a joy to see our little one!!

Troy still has a thing for shoes...he loves trying all all shoes.

He even likes shoes backwards :)

Of course we've enjoyed the outdoors lately...it's just starting to warm up.

He loves his new slide from Papa and Nana!

All ready to go!

Whee!!

Here's Troy's "sand" box....it is filled with little rocks instead of sand.

Working hard!

We will keep you posted on how tomorrow goes!! :)

the great outdoors

2011-03-17T12:37:00.000-05:00

Troy is 100% boy...he loves the outdoors so much!! Here are some recent pictures of our growing boy.

Although he loves the outdoors, he is really a cuddle bug. He loves to snuggle with us and give us hugs. I hope that never changes!! Here is a picture of Lane and Troy right before I left for Minnesota. I went there last weekend to celebrate my friend Mary's upcoming wedding in May! We had a bridal shower, bachelorette party at a cabin, and celebrated her birthday!! It was so much fun! It was also my first time away from Troy for 2 whole nights!! He did fabulous and I enjoyed the break. I was happy to come home though.

Here I am at 17 weeks pregnant. I'm starting to get a little belly! I finally got back up to my pre-pregnancy weight and I've gained a couple pounds. This pregnancy seems so different than last time. I still have days where I am sick, but I am feeling better for the most part.

Our future soccer player! He actually is pretty good at kickin' the ball around!

Love him!

Here are some pictures from playing outdoors yesterday. He is definitely not afraid to get dirty!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

big shoes to fill

2011-03-08T21:38:00.001-06:00

Look how cute he is!! He is trying on Papa's boots for Army.

(sorry the photo isn't the best- taken from a phone)

I feel like I have a lot of random thoughts these days....so I will share a few:

*I really love staying at home with Troy, he makes me laugh so much...but it is also hard.
*I crave Jimmy Johns and lemonade all the time...weird.
*I still feel nauseous. I thought I was over that, but for some reason the past two weeks I've been sick some days. I just need to remember to keep eating all the time!
*We had an amazing missions conference at church last weekend. The 2 main speakers spoke about loving Muslims and how to share our faith with them. It was great hearing their stories and talking with other missionaries. We thoroughly enjoy our church.
*I miss Indonesia and I would love to go back someday. I would love to see all the wonderful people I met and bring Lane with me this time. They are always on my heart to pray for.
*Our precepts Bible study started meeting again and it is soooo encouraging! It's also very challenging. We are going through the second part of Isaiah. Isaiah 40 & 41 are absolutely amazing and so humbling. Our God is such a GREAT God and deserves all the glory.
*My parents went on a cruise last week and we stayed at their house to watch 2 of my siblings. I so wished I could have gone and to see some sunshine and be in warm weather!!
*I can't wait for warm weather!!
*Troy learned how to go up the stairs by using the railing...so here are some pictures.

Lately, Troy has wanted 2 sippy cups in his hands...he's really into drinking water!

Well, that's all for now!!

15 months, 15 weeks & a birthday!

2011-02-25T12:53:00.001-06:00

15 months

I can't believe how fast time flies! Troy is 15 months now and he sure is growing up. It's so much fun to watch! Here's what he's been up to:

*He currently has a shoe fetish. He loves putting on shoes...especially crocs over his pjs.

*He loves going outdoors...almost a little too much. He gets very upset when we are getting into the car, and not playing outside.
*Troy eats all sorts of food now.
*He currently weighs 24 lbs and has tiny legs and a tiny bottom :)
*He takes one nap, from 2-3 hours long
*He loves to play with my hair...it's a comfort for him
*Troy enjoys playing with his toys and is more independent
*Bath time is still a favorite time of the day!
*He understands so many words now!
*Loves to say "let's go!" (sounds like "do do!")
*Really enjoys baby Logan and constantly says "baba"
*Still nurses a few times a day
*Reading books is still a favorite activity
*Can sign these words: more, please, & thank you

15 weeks

Now technically, I'm not 15 weeks along in my pregnancy, but just a day away. Baby is now the size of an apple (about 4 inches long). I still look about the same, so I won't post a picture. I have noticed a little belly popping out in the past few days, but I still have not gotten back up to my pre-pregnancy weight. I lost about 10 pounds in the first trimester due to feeling nauseous! I still feel nauseous off and on, but for the most part I feel better. It is becoming more and more real that we are having a baby! It's also so much fun to know some of my friends are having babies around the same time!

Happy 26th Birthday, Lane!!!

(this picture was taken last year on his birthday...my hair is much darker now!)

Today is my sweet husband's birthday!! I'm so blessed by him and love him so much. We are going on a little get-away tonight. It will be our first time being away from Troy for the whole night!! (hope that goes well!) I have some fun surprises planned for him. We are so excited to spend time together!! :)

Have a good weekend everyone!

a taste of spring

2011-02-21T08:40:00.001-06:00

On Thursday, we had some very nice weather! A true taste of spring. Troy realllly enjoyed being outdoors. It was the first time he had been able to run around our backyard and he absolutely loved it. We also took a walk to the park. His favorite phrase all day was "Oh wow!!" He just loved being outdoors and was so sad to come inside. I hope spring comes early this year!

(Please ignore the leaves still on the ground--never got to rake them before it snowed!)

Look how long his hair is!! I actually cut it that night so he no longer has a mullet! :)

Today is colder...only a high of 31 or something...brr! Can't wait for spring to arrive!

being a mom is the best

2011-02-11T22:04:00.000-06:00

I truly love being a mom. It is so hard, yet so rewarding. Being a mom to Troy brings me so much joy. Lately he has just made me laugh and smile so much. He has such a fun personality...so friendly, flirty, and funny. He loves to entertain and he loves people. I'm so excited to be a mom to another little babe. I know Troy will be such a good big brother. He's been awesome when Logan is here. He is always so concerned when Logan loses his pacifier. I constantly hear "Uh Oh!" :)

Today he woke up and the first word he said was ba-ba (baby) and he wanted to look for Logan all over the house...but he was not here today.

Troy is getting into coloring! He loves coloring on paper and in the bathtub.

Troy (14 months) & Logan (7 weeks)

Being silly with grandma's glasses :)

I just have to say I'm so blessed to be a mom and I truly think it's the best job. Sure, I do miss teaching, but this journey has been so great. I look forward to the years ahead!!

big brother

2011-02-08T09:37:00.000-06:00

We are still so excited that Troy is going to be a big brother!! Here are a few photos with his cute shirt on....although it's getting tough to take pictures of my 14 month old!

He was really ready for a nap in the above picture!

I am starting to watch little baby Logan now 3 days a week! He's only 7 weeks old!! Yesterday was the first day and Troy loved him. He did get jealous when I fed him his bottle and was scared when Logan cried, but other than that he loved him. He loves saying the word "baby" so he just kept saying that all morning and kept waving at him. Super cute! I think this will be good practice for Troy (and myself)!

I am starting to feel much better!! I'm now 12 weeks along and baby is about the size of a lime. I don't really look different, but I feel different. I'm really glad I'm getting past the sickness stage. Boy that is no fun!

Troy is just hilarious these days...he's really growing up! I am amazed at how much he listens and tries to communicate with us. I taught him how to sign "more" a while ago and just recently he started using it. (although it looks like he's punching his fist instead of putting both hands together, but at least I know what it is!) He loves balls and says that word over and over again all day. He loves eating and always wants what we're eating. Oh and it's super cute when I tell him to find his belly button. He lifts up his shirt and starts playing with it and is so proud that he can find his belly button. He knows what lots of words are (like bath, milk, downstairs, upstairs, and people's names), but is still working on saying the words.

Well, I think that's all for now!! Have a great day!

there's nothing sweeter...

2011-01-24T13:20:00.000-06:00

than hearing your baby's heartbeat for the 1st time!!

We are expecting Baby #2 in August!!!!

We are overjoyed and thankful for this new blessing in our life. I still can't believe it! God is sooo good!

Here are a few answers to some questions you may have:

When is your due date?
August 21st (which means I'm 10 weeks along)

Was this a surprise baby (like Troy was)??
Nope...planned, but happened pretty fast!

How far apart will Troy and Baby #2 be?
21 months (the same as my sister and I!)

Have you had morning sickness?
YES, YES, and YES! More than I thought possible....yuck! In fact, I've felt more nauseous with this baby than with Troy. I won't give you too many details, but for awhile, I had a super hard time keeping any food or liquids down. I had to get an IV with meds from the hospital just to stay hydrated. Then they put me on some meds....which I took for like a week. Since I am still nursing Troy, I felt bad taking medicine and his bowel movements were super gross, so I knew I shouldn't take it any longer. I am finally feeling better!

How did you find out you were expecting?
Well, on a Wednesday (Dec. 8th), I made some lasagna and it just tasted super weird to me and made me want to gag, which I hadn't felt like that since I was last pregnant. I didn't want to read into this symptom, but I decided I would pick up a pregnancy test just in case. I didn't plan on taking it right away, but that night I just felt weird all night. Anyway, the next morning I decided to just take and see...not expecting to see a positive sign. As you can imagine, I was pretty shocked to see a positive sign!!

How did you tell Lane?
Well, I didn't want to tell Lane over the phone, but still wanted to tell him right away. So since it was around Christmas time, I wrapped up the test with a note inside of a box and went to Lane's work. He forgot something at home anyway, so it worked out perfectly. He came out to my car and I told him we had an early Christmas present for him. He had NO idea! Of course he was shocked, but super excited!!

Where are you going for check-ups?
I decided to switch from my last OB place to the Midwives with Methodist. I am so impressed by them already. They are so great...so nice, efficient, caring, and I actually feel like I am important to them, more than just a number. Such a contrast from my last place. On December 9th, when I found out, I went to the Midwives to get a blood test to confirm my pregnancy. In fact I had 3 within the week just to see my hcg levels and kind of pinpoint how far along I was. I had no idea. They decided to schedule an ultra sound right before Christmas. However, I was less than 6 weeks long so they could only see a gestational sac and yolk. They wanted to make sure there was a baby in there, so they scheduled another ultra sound 10 days later. (I had no doubts there was a baby...I was so sick at this point that I knew there had to be!) Anyway, we had the ultra sound and everything looked great and I could see our 1 cm baby!! :) (The top picture is the photo from the ultra sound.)

I had my first official baby appt. today! It really makes things seem real! Of course I had to answer a million health questions, get blood drawn, different exams, etc. BUT the best part was hearing baby's heartbeat! It was in the 160's...nice and strong. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to hear it, since I'm only 10 weeks along, but we did! It is such an amazing miracle...

Do you have any cravings?
Well, at first I craved so many fruits and vegetables. I loved eating spinach, sweet potatoes, and almonds. After the nausea kicked in, I didn't care for any healthy thing or really much of anything. Now that I have my appetite back, I don't have any strong cravings, but just need to eat constantly.

Will you find out the sex?
Probably...Lane says he will find out, which I think would be hard for me! Since I'm a planner, it would be nice to know.

Well, I think that's all for now. We are so excited to share the news with everyone!! If you think about it, we would appreciate prayers for our little one.

a little behind...

2011-01-19T11:40:00.000-06:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a long time! Life has been busy! In fact, I just took Troy to his 12 month well check-up yesterday and he's almost 14 months...yikes! Troy had a great check-up. He's very healthy and no problems. He had to get his finger pricked to test for anemia and lead. I guess they do that at 12 months? Anyway, he weighs 23 pounds (75th percentile) and close to 32 inches (97th percentile). He's plateaued with his weight because he's so active! Here's what Troy's been up to these days:

*loves to walk/toddle around the house! He even sometimes runs!
*loves to wave to people
*learned how to color with crayons
*learned how to say "ball" and says in ALL the time
*reads tons of books and says "bok" when he wants to read one
*enjoys his bath time immensely!
*eats everything. He is always wanting to eat what I'm eating!
*just got 2 more bottom teeth this week
*has 3 molars coming in (2 on top and 1 on bottom right) and many more upper teeth coming in (according to the dr) **a side note: I've been blessed with a good teether! Most of the time I don't even know he is teething!!
*takes 1 long nap a day now
*really LOVES playing with his toys, balls, and balloons

It seems like he is learning so much every day and is definitely learning how to communicate. It's such a joy to watch Troy grow up!

Here are some recent pictures:

This is me in Kansas City for Regional Rally with Premier. I won the entire spring collection of jewelry!

I went with these lovely ladies: Lindsey Wagner & Kellie Thayer

Here's a cute pic of Troy with his Papa...

Little man...

He's really into saying "OH!!"

Sooo sweet!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-31T15:02:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas with both sides of the family! We went to Stoney Creek Inn with Lane's side the weekend before. It was fun to get away and relax together. Troy thoroughly enjoyed opening presents and being the center of attention. Here are some fun photos:

Troy loved going swimming at the hotel! He also fascinated at looking at his chubby belly.

We celebrated Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It's a tradition for us to open gifts on Christmas Eve....mostly because my brother's birthday is on Christmas and we like to make his day special!

Here is a cute hat Staci got for Troy in Costa Rica.

Here is a wind chime also from Costa Rica. She got us lots of fun gifts!

Staci, Brian, & Becca

Love the gift bag, Jenna! :)

A cool shirt for Andy from Costa Rica.

Brian is ready for running and biking in the winter now!

Troy loved his first gingerbread cookie from Great Grandma Hope!

We had a blessed time with family. They are so generous and sweet to us!

What a wonderful 2010...looking forward to what's ahead in 2011! :)

And here's a fun video of Troy!

4 years ago...

2010-12-21T10:28:00.001-06:00

Lane proposed!! It was December 21, 2006...a night I won't forget!

And of course I said YES!

He put so much effort and thought into proposing...so sweet! I can't believe 4 years have gone by already!

In other news, Troy is really expanding his vocabulary! These are the words he currently says:

1. Mama

2. Dada

3. Papa (not sure what this means to him, but he says this all the time!)

4. Baby (also not sure how he picked up on that word! But he says it when he sees a baby!)

5. Woof (every time he sees a dog or I ask him what a dog says, he goes "wooof!" Super cute!)

6. Uh-oh (he says this ALL the time! I love it!)

And lots of other syllables. It's so fun to watch him communicate! Today I was reading a story to him and each page has a small mouse on it. He pointed to the mouse every time I said "Where's the mouse?" He's so smart!! :)

Have a good Christmas, everyone!

books, books, and more books

2010-12-16T11:37:00.000-06:00

Troy and I spend a lot of the day reading. He loves it! I feel like we read 100 books a day, but I'm sure it's not that many. We were blessed to have so many books given to us as gifts from my teacher friends when Troy was born. Here are a few snapshots.

Troy picking out a book.

This is how he tells me which book he wants to read :)

Here are a few of our books...

These are a few of his favorites. We read them quite often!

More books!

These are two of his ultimate favorite books. In fact, we read these books at least 5 times a day!

Enjoy your day!

my walking boy

2010-12-14T13:46:00.000-06:00

Troy has been walking all over the house this past week. He is getting so good at it! Here's a video of him walking. I will say that he is sick and so I don't think this video does justice on how good he is doing with walking. I just know some of you said you wanted to see a video...so here ya go! Enjoy!

1st Birthday!

2010-11-24T22:51:00.000-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday to Troy!!! I am amazed at how fast a year went! He has changed so much in the past year...here are a few pictures to prove that!

Tonight we celebrated with some cake! At his birthday party on Sunday, he didn't really care to eat his cake. Tonight, he REALLY liked the frosting! It was cute.

Messy boy!

Here's what Troy is up to these days:

*He is turning into a little boy: he likes to play, wrestle, laugh, and just acts like a little boy!
*Reading books is one of his favorite activities
*He loves to close doors and open drawers
*Troy crawls reallllly fast!
*He has taken up to ten steps, and cruises around the house on furniture
*His favorite foods are squash, sweet potato, apples, shredded cheese & carrots
*Still loves being nursed
*Sleeps a lot---2 hour naps in morning and afternoon and about 12 hours at night
*Troy loves the outdoors! He gets really excited when we go outside
*He is very good at climbing the stairs and going down them
*Anything furry or soft is fun for him
*Definitely recognizes people. He gets sad when people he loves leave
*He is very attached to me and gets upset when I leave him
*He loves to see pictures and videos of himself

Happy Birthday, Troy-Boy!!

observations

2010-11-09T22:00:00.000-06:00

1. I am not perfect...I know that comes as a surprise, but it's true!

Today I locked my keys in the car...with Troy in it...but at least I was at home. Oh and my spare keys were inside the car, too. I have something wrong with my remote starter keys. They automatically lock after about 20 seconds. It's highly inconvenient. Anyway, today I accidentally left them on the passenger seat..bummer! BUT, a very sweet lady locksmith came and unlocked it for FREE! She said when there's a child involved, she does it for free! That was a huge blessing because it would have cost us $45!

2. Houses require work.

In our 3 years of marriage, we've lived in 2 apartments, a townhome, and now a house. A house definitely requires more work...like mowing, shoveling, and maintenance. This fall, we did some touch-up paint around the outside of our house, stained our porch and deck, got our garden squared away with the weeds, and some other stuff. We are fortunate to have Lane's dad around to help us out with these projects...he is so helpful and we are definitely blessed by him!

3. Troy's smile is contagious!

I seriously think his smile gets bigger every day! It's so cute! He is starting to recognize people really well and it's so fun to watch that. He is very attached to his grandparents and his family.

Well, I'm very tired, so that is all for now! Good night!

king of the jungle!

2010-10-31T13:13:00.002-05:00

For Halloween this year, Troy was a lion!! Instead of trick-or-treating, we went to our church for the harvest party. It was so much fun!!

I wish I had a better picture of him, but he was simply adorable.

He loved crawling all around!!

Grandpa had a blast with him! He's already teaching him how to use a nerf gun...

Aunt Jenna!!

He couldn't get enough of these balloons!

He was wanting to go back in the balloon pit!

Riding on a scooter with Grandma's help!

Here's a cute video...and proof that he LOVED the balloons!

Troy's new friend

2010-10-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

One of my realllly good friends, Jenna, had a baby in August. We got to meet him in October since they live in Denver!! He is super sweet. I wish they lived closer so Troy could hang out with him (oh and so I could hang out with Jenna, too!)

Here's Hadley Douglas (9 weeks) with Troy William (10 months)....so cute!

1 more month...

2010-10-24T21:34:00.001-05:00

...til my baby is 1!!! He is 11 months today! I can't believe it! He is so funny...his personality is starting to shine. Below is a picture of him destroying our DVD shelf. He thinks its fun to put all our DVDs on the floor. It was a tough job, as you can see, so he's taking a quick power nap. :) I love him!

pumpkin extravaganza

2010-10-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

What a perfect day to go to the pumpkin patch!

Troy wasn't sure what to think at first, but he loved it!

He especially loved the corn pool!!

It was so much fun to spend the whole day with Lane!

We'll see how much he grows in a year!

Troy had fun going down the slide with Daddy!

Doesn't he look like a pumpkin?? Didn't even mean to do that!

Today was so much fun! I'm already looking forward to next year's trip!

dogs & balloons

2010-10-17T22:11:00.000-05:00

Troy has an obsession of dogs and balloons. Every time he sees a dog on our walks or anywhere we are, he goes crazy! He starts flapping his arms and legs and squaking. It's quite hilarious. Troy also loves balloons. This all started when a nice man at HyVee gave him a balloon. Now, whenever he sees one, he gets really excited. The other day we got two balloons and that was entertainment for him all afternoon. Here are some pics!