One month to go!

Well folks I am down to my last month. I am officially a month away from my due date (August 28th). As we all know, babies do not usually come on their due dates so it can be earlier than a month or later than a month. I vote for earlier in the month! We are getting excited around here and are eager to become a family of four!

I have been organizing and going through all the cute girl clothes I have received from my two sister-in-laws who both have daughters. It is fun to picture Eliana in little dresses and bows and wonder rather she will have red hair like her mommy. Of course, she might have bright blond hair like her older brother. As I look through all the clothes, I am amazed at how small they are and how quickly Ethan grew out of those clothes and is now in Big boy clothes. I am looking forward to having a newborn in the house and all that having a new baby brings. It has been such a joy to watch my little boy as he grows and changes and learns new things. I can't wait to do it again! Of course, Josh and I remember the days of little sleep but we also remember those days did not last long in the grand scheme of things.

I will be going in for non-stress tests on a weekly basis until Eliana is born. My doctor wants to keep a close eye on Eliana to make sure she is healthy and to ensure what happened to Ethan does not happen to her. I went in for a test last week and all is well. I will keep you all updated as the day draws closer.

Another Trip to the Splash Park

Yesterday Josh and I took Ethan to the Spray Park again. He was less cautious this time and had a blast! Occassionally, a "Big Kid" would run into him or knock him down. Ethan would just pop back up and keep playing. My little boy is definitely growing up! While at the Spray Park, I spoke to a woman who was there with her two sons. She asked how close in age Ethan and Eliana would be and after I told her 17 months she proceeded to tell me her boys were 16 mos. 29 days (she said that one day made a difference ;-0) apart. She said it was really hard in the beginning (not what I need to hear), but that they are great friends now.

Here are some pictures from our day!

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend Josh and I went to a Bed and Breakfast in Granbury. This was the first weekend since Ethan was born that it has been just the two of us. Ethan stayed with Papaw and Dadoo and had a great time. In fact, he did not initially want to go with us when we went to pick him up on Sunday.

The house we stayed in was right by the lake and had a deck that overlooked the water, which we took advantage of often. Our room was nice and our hosts were excellent. Friday night we went to The Cheesecake Factory for a romantic dinner. We took our cheesecake back to the house and enjoyed it by the lake. Saturday my friend Christy and her husband, Lon, came to spend the day with us. We spent the day shopping and talking in the town square and later that evening watched a play at The Granbury Opera House. We saw "Annie Get Your Gun", which was so much fun. Sunday we relaxed and went to pick up Ethan. Overall, it was a great weekend for both of us!! It is so important for a husband and a wife to have weekends like this every once in awhile in order to reconnect. I am glad Josh took the initiative in planning this one.

The back of the Bed and Breakfast

The front of the Bed and Breakfast

Me on the lake (34 weeks pregnant)

Josh and I at the Cheesecake Factory

Christy and Me

Sixteen Months Old!

My little boy is now 16 months old! He still loves being outdoors, playing soccer, and swimming. He is still a quiet little boy. He does babble a lot and says Ma-Ma and Da-Da (and a few other words) and is beginning to let us know what he wants by communicating nonverbally more often. He will walk to the door and reach for the doorknob when he wants to go outside and will go to the fridge for juice or milk, etc.

He has no idea his life is about to change drastically. I am nervous about how he will handle sharing the spotlight. I am confident he and Eliana will be the best of friends in a couple of years, but the beginning transition may be difficult! He has been extremely clingy lately...it is like he knows he won't have all of Mommy's attention soon. I know it is going to be hard for me at first because I won't be able to give Ethan all the attention he wants. However, I remind myself parents do this all the time and everything is going to be okay! Just say a prayer for us when you think of it..thanks!

Here are some cute pictures of Ethan at 16 months old!!

Summer Fun

I took Ethan to a nearby park Friday to meet with some other moms and their kiddos. The park has a spray park beside the regular playground. I did not bring Ethan's swimsuit, since I did not know it had the spray park, but let him play anyways in his shorts and diaper. He had a blast!! He would run into the water and the run to me then run back in again! The spray park is free and open every day of the week so we plan to go back many times before the Summer is out. Friday night we had a Dive-In Movie (people could swim while a movie was playing) for our apartment complex and Ethan got to go swimming with Daddy. He got to play in the water twice in one day! Overall, a great day for Ethan!!

He fell right after I took this picture

Today we all went swimming together. Ethan had fun laughing at Daddy going under the water and then popping back up again! We are still trying to get him used to his floatie...he would rather be carried but today he did well. We think he is a natural born swimmer. Like his cousin Abigael, he will automatically kick his legs when in the pool and was leaning forward in his floatie trying to swim! Perhaps, they are both destined to be Olympic swimmers! However, Josh is pulling for Ethan to be in the Olympics for another sport (hmm..wonder what that could be?!?)

July 4th weekend

We went down to Waco for the 4th to spend the holiday weekend with family. We went to my sister-in-law's parents for the 4th. Ethan had a chance to spend time with his cousins, go swimming, and see fireworks for the first time. Last year he was only a few months old and spent the entire time inside. This year he enjoyed the fireworks but was so tired that we left before the fireworks were over. Ethan got to spend the weekend with Pa-paw and Da-doo and had fun playing in the water hose and playing with their dog Marty.

Yeah...I am about to go swimming!!

Swimming with his cousins

Watching fireworks with Daddy

Playing with the waterhose

Part of the reason we went down to Waco for the weekend was that my sister-in-law and cousin hosted a baby shower for me on Sunday. Jamie and Shane came down on Saturday for the shower, so we got to spend time with them as well. I was not expecting a shower, since this is my second pregnancy, so I felt special and loved. I realized once again this past weekend how thankful I am for my family. Their generosity towards me and Josh blows me away! My sister-in-law, Lindsey, who is one of the most generous and loving people I know made Eliana an absolutely beautiful diaper bag, a diaper cake, and gave Eliana a special engraved cake knife that will be used for birthdays and one day to cut her wedding cake!! My other sister-in-law, Jamie, was so sweet and brought Ethan some clothes so he would not be left out, plus a huge box of diapers and wipes! She has also agreed to come stay with Ethan while I am at the hospital, which is such an incredible blessing! She too has blessed me with her kind heart and generous nature. My mother-in-law also blesses me. My husband and sister-in-law got their generous hearts from her. She has already given Eliana so many clothes not to mention all the clothes she has gotten for Ethan over the past 15 months. She went in with Jamie for the diapers and wipes and sent some cute little clothes and a book for the shower. I know she misses being a part of Ethan and Abigael's (Jamie's daughter) life but she continues to shower them with love despite the miles. I could go on and on..my cousin Katy who helped plan the shower and has such an encouraging heart, my Aunt Elaine who gives the cutest gifts and always wants to give more. I love my family and am so grateful that I have a family who would do anything for Josh, Ethan, and I (and Eliana).

Diaper bag Lindsey made for Eliana

Katy and Lindsey (the hosts)

How big is that belly??

I can't believe it is already July!!

Days seem to creep by at times but then before I know it an entire month has passed before my very eyes. This makes me sad on one hand and then on the other it excites me to know I am one month closer to giving birth to my baby girl. It makes me sad because Ethan is growing so fast and I know that time does not slow down simply because I want to treasure every second of watching my little boy grow up. Ethan is now 15 months old, almost 16 months, and he has such an adorable personality. He still loves to play soccer with his daddy and still loves to be outdoors. He is obsessed with water. When he knows we are going outside he will stand by the door until we open it and once we open it he is off. He goes and stares at the pool, especially if there are people swimming. He would go swimming every day if it was up to him! He is a quiet little boy, but has been more talkative as of late. Yesterday, he said "all gone" for the first time and I know we are on the brink of many more new words. Ethan also loves music and will dance whenever he hears music. Today we were in the car and I looked back and Ethan was dancing to the radio. It was too cute.

Over the past month, we celebrated Father's Day. As a gift to Josh, we went to a FC Dallas (Major League Soccer) Game. This was Ethan's first soccer game. He really was not that into the game, but enjoyed people watching. It was just too HOT for Ethan to get into the game. It was 100 degrees with the sun blaring down on us. Josh enjoyed the game still, of course!! Josh and I decided next game we go to will be in the evening. Josh can not wait for Ethan to be into soccer and be able to kick the ball to him. It won't be long now! Josh is a great dad and Ethan loves him so much! I feel blessed to have Josh as a husband and father of my children.

Josh and Ethan at soccer game
Josh and Ethan after game
It is SO Hot!!

Eliana and I continue to get bigger! I am now 31 weeks and counting down the weeks. I am praying I will be able to have Eliana naturally and not have to have a c-section. My doctor says I am a good candidate to have a natural birth after c-section since Ethan's c-section was nothing to do with me not being able to go through natural childbirth. I desperately want the honor of experiencing labor, although what I want most of all is a healthy baby! Please continue to pray for us as the end of August draws near. We will definitely keep you updated.