2021 Update

Hello from Charlotte.   It's been a very long time, but I thought I'd give a quick update on the family:

• Elise is finishing high school and considering college options in STEM
• Julia is busy with digital art and volleyball.  She also runs a sticker store called Julia's Creative Co
• Jacob is heavily involved in baseball with some basketball on the side.  He made the 12u US National Team this year
• Cara loves horses and riding them.  She's also involved in swimming

We hope you have a Happy 2022.

PS. If you want an interesting baseball site to visit look, look here 

It's been a long while....

It occurred to me today that maybe I should do a little updating to the blog. I didn't realize it's been since April! Here's the latest in our family:

Elise is loving her summer vacation. She has become quite the avid swimmer after taking lessons for a couple of weeks. She has overcome her fears of going under water and loves to jump off the side of the pool into the deep end. We spent a week in Michigan in June with my sister's family. Elise loved spending time with her best cousin Libby.



Julia is quickly growing out of toddlerhood. She talks non-stop, just like her big sister. Julia loves to be outside, generally without shoes, and would like nothing better than to spend her days at the playground or the shark pool (community pool). Just this last week, we took down her crib so that she could more easily transition to a big-girl bed in Elise's room. So far, things are working out fairly well, though mornings come quicker and it takes a little longer for her to settle in at night....too many giggles, not enough zzzzzzz's.



Baby Boy S is doing just fine. He is a very active little guy, but such a trooper. At 35 weeks, I'm quite round these days and only in the last week, have noticed a slow down in my ability to keep up with the girls. What a fabulous summer we've had-while cool for most, it's been perfect for me and has made things so much easier. While most things are pink in our house, we are working on his bedroom, which is a shade of misty blue. We hope to put the finishing touches on the room in the next week or so.



Paul is doing his best to keep up with us. He's done quite a bit of traveling this spring and summer, but we are so fortunate that he has a job. The girls love when he's home, greeting him with hugs, kisses, giggles and even body slams. He is the chief wrestler, tickle-tackler and deep-end pool supervisor.



Lots more to come in the coming weeks. Now, if we could only make room on the hard-drive so that we can download our pictures from the cameras. In the meantime, I've included a few from early in the summer (our vacation to Orange Beach, AL).

My Cute Girls

 

Have you seen anything cuter?

Helping Mom in the Yard

 

Elise loves to help.  She and I created a rock border around one of my flower beds.  She did a great job and the flower bed looks so much better.  Now, if only I had some help picking out what to plant.....

The Bump (18 and 21 weeks)

 

Please ignore the goofy faces....here's the bump at about 18 and 21 weeks.  See how I've popped?!
 

Easter Pictures

 

Here are some shots from Easter morning.  Try as we might, it's nearly impossible to get Elise and Julia to smile nicely for a picture at the same time.  Their personalities really come out though.

Sleeping at Grandma's House

 

Hot-tubbing with Grandma K

 

Last week was Elise's spring break.  After having Easter dinner with Paul's family at Uncle Tom's house, we headed up to Michigan for a few days to visit.  One of the highlights for the girls was hot-tubbing with Grandma.  While Julia was a bit apprehensive at first, she was just as much of a fish as Elise by the end.  The only dissappointment was that Grandpa coudn't go in the tub too.  They are already looking forward to our next trip!

The Bump (15 Weeks)

Some of you may not have caught the little announcement we made a few weeks back here. Sorry about that! After the first two, we were trying to be a little more creative, but things don't always work out as we plan.

Yes, we're expecting baby #3 in mid-August. This shot was taken at 15 weeks. No real 'baby bump' to speak of just yet. Like the other two pregnancies, I've been plagued with nausia and exhaustion, but thankfully I am beginning to feel better. My sense of smell was ultra-heightened (i.e. I couldn't open the fridge without gagging), but now that's beginning to subside too. Aversions have mainly been to strong smells (like onions and garlic) and most beverages (other than water) and the only cravings to speak of are crunchy Cheetos and cold apples. Funny how each kid is different.

Stay tuned. This baby's growing fast....I felt the first kicks in the last couple of days. And if the baby (aka Cheeto) allows, we'll know if we're having a boy or girl in about a month. :>)

Girls will be Girls