A Bit About Each

First up is...Baby

Documenting the progress, we're 20 weeks along - halfway there!  

As we (me and the kids) pose along the wall and Kevin takes our pictures (a lot of pictures), it's really funny to go back through and look at all of the expressions that were captured.  

20 weeks along and feeling great!

• I don't have any particular cravings.  A couple of months ago, I loved hot dogs and ate 2-3 hot dogs a day - one for breakfast, one before bed, and one during the day as a snack.  This month, I feel like I have lived off of berries and french fries - blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and french fries with ketchup.
• For a few weeks now, I have been feeling baby move.  But being pregnant with my 3rd, I haven't felt near as much movement as I had expected or heard...just one more thing for me to be nervous about if I think about it.
• Tomorrow we have another doctor's appointment and we get to hopefully (fingers crossed) see what gender the baby is.  And yes, for all of those who question if we're finding out what we're having since we already have one of each, we will be finding out if baby cooperates!  It's just something I need to do for bonding, preparing, and organizing purposes!

Up next is...Makayla

3 years old and swings all by herself!

A huge accomplishment!
It was our goal to learn how to pump our legs and swing by ourselves before the end of summer...and look how much time we have left to spare!

"Soaring towards the sky,

I gaze at the tallest tree...

The breeze flows through my hair, 

My thoughts are simple and free..."

She gets so much joy swinging by herself and I get so much joy watching her face (and relaxing in a chair rather than standing at the swings pushing non-stop for an hour or more day after day)!

Finishing up with...Mason

1 year old and can put his shoes on!

Mason can put his own shoes on (thanks to Crocs)!

It feels great to be getting things ready and packed up to head out and I can tell Mason to go put his shoes on.  Not only does it save me time, but it gives him a sense of independence and something to be proud of.

Not only do I love watching him put his shoes on (and most of the time they are on the right feet), but I love watching his face as he looks up at me so proudly when he is done!

He is always so excited to put his shoes and he loves wearing his shoes.  He'll even put his shoes on at night after his bath.  Watching him play at night with his jammies and shoes on just gives me another reason to smile.

It's all kind of bittersweet to watch my kids grow and accomplish these simple, yet wonderful things - swinging and putting shoes on!  I love watching my kids grow, but it makes me sad that the days of learning these things for them are behind us.

It will be gone before you know it.  The fingerprints on the wall appear higher and higher.  Then suddenly they disappear.

-Dorothy Evslin