Fun with Friends!

We've been having a blast this week with lots of playtime and friends.  On Thursday, we were out and about and dropped by Julie's unannounced.  You've gotta love impromptu playdates.  We ended up staying for over 2 hours and the boys, Jackson especially, had the best time playing with Slade!

I don't know what it is about this age, but these kids LOVE to play dress us.  These two little rascals ran around for 2 hours in their super-hero costumes and were absolutely precious to watch. So thankful for friends who make time for unexpected guests and act like its no big deal when your kids wreck their house :)

On Friday morning, we went over to our friends Megan & Jackson P's house.  The Jackson's had the best time playing together (specifically with Easter shades) and Megan and I got to catch up for the first time in weeks.  The boys go to school on different days so we don't see each other often.

Weston adored this Mickey hat until he snapped his chin with the elastic strap.  He did the same thing with ours and has steered clear of it ever since, but I guess he figured this one was different...

Megan is expecting a baby girl in late-May so we are equally as pregnant and over it!  

(Note to self: NO horizontal stripes during pregnancy!!)

Here's to my last couple weeks of being out and about with my two little guys.

A Wednesday Treat

So I am totally in countdown mode---not just countdown until the baby arrives, but counting down my last few days of "freedom" from kids.  Even though the big boys will still go to school twice a week this summer, my leisurely days of grocery shopping, cleaning the house and running errands all by myself will be over...at least for the next year or so, when Baby Colton starts preschool.

I have been struggling with balancing my to-do list with leisure time for myself to just relax & rest.  I just feel so guilty if I'm not totally productive during school days.  I rarely let myself nap, or just sit and rest, or read a good book, or sew.  Its the constant scramble of how many stops can I fit in between 9 & 2, and can I speed home in time to unload these groceries and start supper before pick up time?  And after them being in school all day, I want to spend time playing with the boys in the afternoons, not distracting them so I can finish up my chores.

Anyways, on Wednesday, I decided to get a pedicure.  I got one a few weeks ago and it was so relaxing (other than the little gal asking me 10,000 questions about "baby in you tummy" and showing me a dozen pics of her kids on her phone...)  My sweet friend Sarah had given me a gift card for Urban Nirvana after I had sewn her some nursery curtains last summer so when I found it in my wallet, I knew I had no excuse not to indulge myself.  And it was awesome.  I so needed to get my feet labor-ready and my body needed to be made to sit and be still for an hour, with nothing to do but relax.

Feeling spontaneous, I decided to surprise the boys after I picked them up from school with a stop at "Piggy Ice Cream".  This is what they call Mutt's BBQ, which we pass going to and from school.  2 years ago after Jackson slammed his fingers in the door leaving preschool, I hastily stopped there to buy him an ice cream to distract him from the sheer drama.  It worked, but now every time we drive past the place, they both ask if we can stop for piggy ice cream.  I decided it was the perfect day to indulge, and they were thrilled!!

By the time we got home, it was raining super hard so we played inside.  However, after dinner, I let them go splash in puddles with their umbrellas.  Its the little things!  Jackson got to sport his snow boots and Westie got to go barefoot.  I guess I need to get them some rain boots.  

And to top off our fun day, an era came to an end: Ben gave me my last progesterone shot - EVER!  With my last 2 pregnancies, I've had to get 20 weekly shots in the hiney to prevent preterm labor.  And last night was my final one.  That means that over the past 2 years, Ben has given me 40 shots.  What a great nurse :)  And in all honesty, this is the absolute first time I have actually seen the needle & syringe.  I still grimace when he pulls out the supplies and can't bear to look at it, even still.  It really hasn't been bad at all, but as a lifelong shot-aphob I am so thankful we are DONE!

Spring is Here!!!

We had an awesome weekend at home, spending most of our time outside in this gorgeous spring weather.  Friday night we had an impromptu drive-way pizza party with our neighbors.  Nothing like a little "tailgating" in the drive-way.  Jackson also spent some time teaching his little brother how to ride his old tricycle.  I love how these two play together.

Ben holed up on the garage most of the day on Saturday, finishing up the never-ending to-do list.  The countdown is on and this momma is keeping him busy with projects that he has to finish pre-baby!

This little man was hanging out with my while I was doing some computer stuff during naptime on Saturday.  (Yes, he is still sporting his Captain America halloween costume)

Saturday night we grilled out steaks with our neighbors.  These 3 had fun grubbing at the kiddie table.

And now that the boys share a room, this is what storytime looks like every night.  There is no room for me to lay down with them considering I need a fork-lift to get me out of the bed if I even tried!

And on our way to church Sunday, this was our best attempt at most likely one of the last pictures of me as a mommy of 2.  (Its hard to tell, but Westie is a few pounds heavier than his big brother...) Either way, I'm fairly certain that lifting 70 lbs of little boys is off limits at this point in my pregnancy.

The evolution of laziness

As media has constantly speculated, each generation of Americans are getting lazier and lazier.  Or smarter and smarter, depending on how you look at it.

Jackson got a wild hair on Saturday to leash Bella up and take her for a walk.  It was a win-win...he got some of his energy out and she got to go on the first walk she has been on since Weston was born (19 months ago!).

However, after he made one lap around our cul-de-sac, he promptly returned to the garage.  Next thing we know, he had tied her leash to the handle of his power-wheels and continued to "walk" her around the cul-de-sac.  

You've gotta give him credit...he is resourceful.  It only took him about 5 minutes to realize there was an easier way.  And he was smart enough to know she would pull his bike over if he strapped her to those handle bars.

Baby Shower

Last Thursday, a few of my good friends threw me a diaper shower.  Being my 3rd boy, I have most everything I need, except for diapers!  It was such a fun treat to spend an evening with so many sweet friends.

Julie hosted the shower at her gorgeous new house.  Everything was perfect and I am so blessed with such a great group of friends.

Sweet Julie - doesn't she look amazing to have a 4 month old?!?

Mom & Lovee (our most favorite sitter!)

Macaulay, Julie, Kristin & Betty Ann.  Playgroup friends from Grace that helped host the shower.  These are the same girls from the playgroup that we started when our oldest kids were 1.  

Hard to believe we've been friends for almost 3 years now!!

Katie, Andrea, Kim & Abby.  I'm so fortunate to have such awesome neighbors who are also great friends.  It doesn't hurt that we all have kids the same age too!

Now that I am stocked up on diapers, wipes and some cute new newborn outfits, all we need is a baby!  

Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts from our week...

- I had my 36 week OB appointment this week.  All is well, I'm in the home stretch! Now its just a matter of trying to enjoy the last few weeks of this pregnancy.  I'm HUGE and its mainly baby...I've gained less weight then with the other two but definitely a narrower but much more protruding belly.

- We have a new grocery store that opened near my house called the Walmart Marketplace.  So this week, I strayed from Publix to check it out.  Some observations: 1.) The double-seater shopping carts are nearly twice as long as the mega-carts at Publix or Target, which seriously caused contractions while trying to push, let alone, steer.   2.) They do not have free cookies for kids... 3.) Nothing is on sale so I ended up spending more than I usually do for less food.  4) They conveniently put the junky toy aisle on the the way to the bathroom...which we had to visit 3 times.  I did catch an adorable picture of Jackson loving putting his arm around Weston...probably saying, "Its okay little brother, we will go back to Publix next week."

- Syringes make excellent painting tools. Just water down the paint a little and squirt away.

- "Jackson, what are you doing!?!"  "Mommy, I'm painting my toenails like you do."

- We finally got some awesome weather this week.  We busted out the water hose and Weston loved it. These two little shirtless boys had a ball letting Bebe push them on their swing.

- Captured this sweet picture of my 3 boys after another trip to Dillard Farms.

- While working on my photo albums, I came across one of my all-time favorite pictures that I just had to share.  This was just family hanging out in out backyard after Jackson's late-June birthday party last year.  No words.

- We got to Bojangles every Sunday after church.  And the kids feel right at home if you can't tell.  And since they know us since we are there every week, our disciplining may be a little more lax than it should be...

- Ben always calls me Napoleon Dynamite because I may have mentioned at time or two how much I loved playing tether ball in elementary school.  I found this bad-boy at Costco and jokingly mentioned what a great birthday gift this would be.  I was totally kidding, but I mean, who doesn't love tether ball?

Ice Hockey Game

Last week, we took the boys to an ice hockey game with Ben's work.  Although our seats were in the lower level, I swear I thought I was going to go into labor every time I walked up and down those steps for my 15-minute potty-break intervals.

We had fun and the kids really enjoyed it...especially the hot-dogs and ice cream.

I have never watched ice hockey before but it was super entertaining.  They really do fight...alot.  And when they finally score (which is kinda like soccer...not a really high-scoring sport), its really exciting.  We made it through 2 of the 3 innings (or periods...or quarters??).  And we kept both kids out until 10pm...what a crazy life we lead :)