Boy or Girl???

We'll be keeping our pink out b/c we're having another little girl! We are very excited! Well, I guess I should specify that everyone except Christian is excited. He was actually pretty put-out that he's not getting a brother just yet :-). He kept telling Cubby, "It's all your fault, Daddy! My want a BOY!"

This little one is healthy and is growing right on schedule. We are so thankful and I count my blessings each day.

We usually have a name all picked out from the get-go, but this time we're still debating and open to some suggestions. We like to do a family name of some sort for the middle name but first names are open-ended. Anyone got one they wanted to use but never did??

Thanksgiving!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! We had a lovely day (and that's not just because it was the warmest Thanksgiving that I can remember! Seriously, it warmed up to where the kiddos could wear short sleeves.) The day started out with our family participating in our YMCA's Turkey Trot! We did 1.7 miles--and Emily and Christian actually ended up running most of the way with minimal complaints! Yeah, I was impressed. Cubby and Kari were a bit slower due to Kari wanting to get out and do some of her own running, then more riding, then being carried, then pushing the stroller. But, it was a lot of fun and the kids were so excited that they'd gotten to run in a race!For dinner we went over to Mom's (Grandma's). She had coloring and fun stuff set out for the kids (since they eat with lightening speed and the rest of us like to take our time!)After dinner, we decorated a family gingerbread house. Fun timers--although Emily wouldn't decorate with any cereal-based food.

Christian ended up eating more frosting than went on his side of the house! That kid loves his sweets.

After dessert we went into the living room where my mom lit up their Christmas tree to begin the holiday season! Kari treated us to some festive tunes (not really, but she sure looked cute sitting at the piano!)

I caught Christian in a (rare) down moment, coloring!Being with family and eating delicious food--what more could you ask for in Thanksgiving??!

SEVEN!

Emily is seven years old today---SEVEN! Yikes. I can't believe that seven years have passed since Emily came into our lives. What a special girl she is too.

Emily tries her best to do what is right. She is a kind friend and an excellent big sister. She is always aware of others' feelings around her and includes everyone in her play. And, despite her not ever being the biggest "cuddlebug," she is very sensitive and sweet. Her little sister, Kari, thinks the sun rises and sets around Emily's arrival home from school. Below is a picture of Em and Kari during Thanksgiving Break. Emily helped Kari get all dressed up in dancing stuff and they had so.much.fun just dancing around like little princesses! Kari loved being included in the big-girl fun.

Emily is incredibly smart. I'm convinced that's why we had such a difficult time with her as a baby--she was a big girl stuck in a baby's body and was smart enough to realize that she did NOT like not being able to move around! We're now so grateful for how bright she is and we're even beginning to take for granted how easily her studies come to her as her eye-rolling seven-yr-old attitude kicks in when we ask her how her spelling test went. "Easy, Mommy, duh!"

I sure love having such a wonderful big girl around our home---I realized how big she's actually gotten when Cubby asked her to help cut up some grape tomatoes the other night for dinner. Pearing knife and all, she cut them in half, no problem! (Being ready to wield sharp objects is definitely an eye-opener on my end at how grown up she's really becomming!)

Emily is such an obedient and sweet young lady. Happy Birthday, Emily! We love you!

My, How I've Grown!

I will be doing our "Thanksgiving post" shortly, but I wanted to pause and record just how much Christian has grown in just one year! Here are his preschool pictures from last year and then, this year. (Yes, I think he looks good in green, hence, the two green shirts!)

This year, Christian has "Mr. Joey" for school and, boy, he just really loves him! He's very patient and great with the kiddos. Christian is doing a great job learning how to write his letters. (I've tried to teach him in the past, as Emily was writing them before she even started her first year of preschool, but he just wasn't ready and I think it had to do a lot with his speech development; which, he is now doing FABULOUS in!)

Mr. Joey tells me that Christian is such a good boy in class; a good listener and friend to all. (I actually asked Christian the other day if he picked on his classmates at school and church like he picks on his sisters at home. His reply: "My not a bully at school and church. My a good boy there." (He says "my" instead of "I".) Hmmmm.... Well, at least he's good when it counts! Christian still would rather be home with Mommy than at school, but, once he gets to school (most days!) he does just fine.

We're so proud of our big boy and how much he's grown this past year! We love you, Christian!

Leaves Part II

Sunday afternoon yielded some decent weather! We bundled up and headed out into the leaves. Emily got her jumping in at last! (And Cubby got to do the lifting this time :-).)

Where did Emily and Christian go???

Happy children...and did you check out Emily's smile?? Yup, her other front tooth is OUT!

Pile-O-Leaves

Friday yielded a very nice afternoon...at least until about 3:30 or so when it got colder...But, before then, Christian, Kari and I got ourselves outside, raked up the TONS of leaves that had finally descended from our tree and had a ball jumping in them! (Well, the kids did--I just snapped a few pictures and helped them up into the tree!)

Christian got very brave and after a few tries with Mommy's help, jumped all by himself! (Kari "jumped" by getting lifted out of the tree and placed in shoulder-deep leaves--she loved it!) Oh, and the helmet was just as a result of her riding her tricycle beforehand and not wanting to take it off for the leaf-jumping festivities.

Emily has yet to jump into the leaves as she was still at school when we did this and by the time she got home the weather had turned and has stayed too chilly since (ah, Nebraska!). But, knowing Nebraska weather, it'll turn around and be beautiful once again next week and I know she'll be excited to get out there!

Happy Fall!

Shake, Baby, Shake!

Since I've gotten some of my energy back during this second trimester, I've been able to get back into exercising on a regular basis. I normally just run (b/c it's the best way to get the most exercise in the least amount of time!). But, since I'm only going to be able to run for another month or so (before, due to past experience, my belly gets too heavy for comfort), I knew I needed to pick up something else!

Enter Zumba and Body Combat classes! Our YMCA offers classes at a lot of different times--evening classes have been great since I can go after the kiddos are in bed! Now, Zumba is an incredibly popular class and, I must admit, once you get the hang of the routines, a lot of fun! Most of the "regulars" have Zumba skirts and the better you're shakin' it, the more your skirt jingles! They're cheap to buy and I was actually able to tell a difference in how my hips were moving when I wore it to class last night.

Now, whether or not I'll get to wear it to class again, will depend on if I can tear it away from my fancy little Miss Kari! It's pretty and shiny so naturally, she loves it! Kari got very upset when she had to take it off for her nap. What can I say, this girl loves to dance!