Bobo Hockey!!!

On June 21st, my brother's hockey team played in their league's championship game. This was a pretty big deal for them since they had started the previous season in 6th place. They did such a great job and beat the 1st place team (they were 4th going into the game) to win the championship. We are sure proud of our Bobo!!!

Bobo B-Ball

This translates to "Bobo (my brother) baseball". My brother plays on a church league and since Malachi wants to do everything that Bobo does, he of course has taken an interest in baseball. My parents got him a little plastic bat, ball and tee to play with at Bobo's games and my brother gave him a pint-sized baseball glove (known at our house as "chi-chi's b-ball glub"). Here's some pictures from this Tuesday's game.

Watching Bobo play.

Have to get perfect placement on the tee.

Ready, aim...

Got it!!! Yay!!! Now to run after it and start again!

2 year and 1 month pictures

Last week, we went to Picture People to get family pictures with my brother and parents and Malachi's 2 year and Sapphira's 1 month pictures. Malachi was being quite the goober since there was a whole bunch of props in the room and he wanted to play with them and not have anything to do with being in pictures. We were able to get some good pictures, but we waited until the very end to get pictures of the four of us, so we still don't have a picture of the four of us together...bummer! Here are some of the good ones!

A boring week...

Well, nothing much has happened since I last posted. Samuel is still on the job hunt with little to show for it yet...I think it is because he is having to go up against so many more people this time around so it might take a bit longer. Oh well, it will always work out...it always does. Malachi is continuing to grow like a weed. He all of the sudden got too long for most of his 18 month clothes, so we got out all of his 24 and 2t clothes and he is wearing them now...much better. His vocabulary has also had another growth spurt...he now says thank you, please, stinky, elbow (sounds like elmo!!), Boppa for my Dad, sky, and a couple other words that have totally sunk into the abyss known as my pregnant mommy brain. He also asks continuously to see the moon. He doesn't quite understand that the moon goes nigh-night during the day and he gets quite frustrated when he can't see it at night when it is cloudy. So we told our first parental fib--the street light outside his room or the one out the back window can also be used as the moon. Am I totally bad?? I just don't know what else to do when he gets so frustrated!! Hopefully the sky will stay clear tonight and the moon will be out before he goes to bed so he can see it tonight. We went to another of my brother's hockey games last night. He had so much fun running in front of the bleachers, banging on the glass, clapping and cheering for Bobo, which is his new name for his Uncle Lee. I wish I knew where that came from...it's quite interesting. Sapphira is starting to be quite the wiggle worm. She will be 20 weeks old on Wednesday--yay half way through!!!--and I can feel her movements quite clearly especially at night when I relax on the couch after Malachi goes to bed. I can't wait until Samuel can feel her...I wonder what Malachi will think, if anything. I had a very interesting dream about her last night. She was born right now...at 20 weeks and I was able to take her right home, except that the nurses took her to a party in a park and I got to pick her up there. She was so tiny in her car seat and fit into the palm of my hand and would just sit there. Malachi was the same age as he is right now, and all he had to say when he brought her home was "cute". Very weird. I don't remember having to many strange pregnancy dreams with my other two, so I wonder if this will get any weirder and when it will stop (and trust me...I've had some crazy ones! Just ask Teresa :)!!) So that's all I have to report! We are taking advantage of the free admission into the zoo on Thanksgiving, so hopefully I will have some cute pictures to post later in the week! Have a fabulous week!

A **Late!!** Christmas Update

Malachi's first Christmas was tons of fun. Christmas Eve was spent with my Mom's side of the family...lots of good food, family, and gifts. Malachi got a stuffed Eeyore, a giraffe pull toy, Elmo tub toy and mega blocks among other things. He had no idea what to do with the wrapping paper, but once I got it off, he definitely wanted the toy inside. We stayed there into the evening and got into our Christmas jammies and played with our new toys once everyone left. My parents and brother came over on Christmas morning to open presents and eat breakfast together. He got several new toys, some adorable clothes, and a really neat drum from Uncle Lee. Uncle Lee plays the drums at church, so this was a natural!! Malachi loves to sit with it in between his legs and chew on the sticks (they are attached with strings to the side) and hit the drum with his hand and make noise. Grammy and Grampy also gave him a car-rider thing that has a noise maker that looks like a dashboard and is one of those toys that "grows with you". Right now he loves to sit in it and push the music button and wiggle and rock to the music with a big smile on his face! Way too cute!! Christmas Day afternoon, Samuel's parents and 4 of Malachi's cousins came over. They gave him a Leap Frog toy that stands about hip height. Malachi loves to just stand up and play with the noise makers and doesn't even need our help to balance anymore!! Samuel and I prepared our first "big dinner" for them and I thought it turned out pretty nice. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus after presents and had pie and talked for a while. I thought it all turned out pretty nice. This year we also started a tradition of having a purple rose with us at all of our Christmas celebrations in memory of Natalie. Lee's girlfriend, Lynette, came up with the idea last year and surprised us by bringing a white carnation to the Christmas Eve celebration. So this year, we decided that this will be something we do from now on. At Christmas Eve it was on the mantel in the living room where we opened presents. Christmas morning it was in our living room where we spending time and in the afternoon, on the dining table while we all ate. I made personalized ornaments for each person who came to dinner and I hung Natalie's on the vase. I think that this will be a fun and pretty way to remember our sweetie. Here are some pictures!!!

Natalie's Rose

He even wore a button up shirt and tie to Christmas Eve!! Hot stuff!!
Christmas Jammies!

I have been looking forward to Christmas with Malachi for so long, that now I don't know what to do with myself now that it has come and gone. I guess 1st birthday is next!!! oh nooooooo!! It really is not that far away!! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that your New Year is treating you well!!

Wordless Wednesday:Happy Baby!

Uncle Lee got this picture for us. I just love this kid so much!!

So much going on!!!

I know that it has been a while since I last wrote...work and home life have been busy!! Where to start?? About a week or so ago, Samuel finally got his cpap machine--my does that thing work wonders!! The machine itself is smaller than a shoe box and the mask he wears is really pretty small--it only covers his nose. After the first night he was already sleeping better and harder (bad news for me since I need more help at night lately!!) and he is so much more rested. I am so thankful--I can tell that he feels better. I had a bit of a time getting used to the noise it makes--it's not loud by any means, just different. He likes to sleep facing the middle of the bed and I tend to sleep facing in for part of the night, so for the first few nights, I just couldn't sleep with this thing in my face making noise and blowing a breeze in my face (there is a little vent on the front of the mask that lets the breaths that he breathes out out of the mask so he doesn't choke), but I think that I am pretty much used to it now or just pretty much exhausted so maybe it just doesn't matter!! :) We also found out that it is 100% covered by insurance--not even a dime out of pocket!! Woo Hoo--definately a blessing from the Lord!

Last Saturday, March 31st, Malachi had his first party! It was a family shower and it was a lot of fun. I have been eagerly awaiting my baby showers since I didn't have any for Natalie and this one didn't disappoint. I got my stroller and carrier set, the high chair I wanted, and LOTS of cute clothes and other baby essentials. Our favorite outfit--not that we don't love everything we got!!--was something Uncle Lee and his girlfriend Lynette had made special just for Malachi. Take a look...

...Malachi's first personalized soccer jersey!! How adorable and thoughtful. Daddy is very excited!!

On the baby front...I just don't remember being so tired and sore all the time with Natalie. Maybe since I had 2 jobs and worked 16 hours a day, I just thought it was from that and was too exhausted and didn't have time to be sore!! haha At my last OB appointment, the nurse practioner (my OB is so busy I have to see her every other appointment!) thought I was measuring big my last few visits and wanted me to have an ultrasound to make sure "everything is ok." What?!? You can't just say something like that to me and not think that it will make me a basket case...remember my daughter died a year ago?? I asked her if I should be worried and she said, "Oh no, just want to make sure." So much for putting my worries at ease!! I spassed for a couple days and I'm just to the point now where I have realized that the Lord has taken care of us this far and Malachi has always looked good whenever we have seen him, so I should just take a deep breath and enjoy the fact that we get to see him again..."'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord..." My OB thought that if Natalie had been able to go to term, that she would have been at least 9 pounds, and she was 21 inches long besides, so maybe we just make big kids!! I have an ultrasound scheduled for the 10th...so we will see what happens. My belly is now measuring about 50 inches and I feel huge. Not too much longer--I figure about a month. Haha the pic I attached is me in all my glory--stretch marks and loose Natalie skin--no use in photoshopping I guess!!

Well, I think that is about all I have going on right now. Just trying to get the house and Malachi's room ready for him to come home. This feels so unreal...bringing a baby home. I know that it will be hard work, but so incredible. Better get back to my "To Do" list and get a couple more things marked off tonight!!

Happy Birthday Bubba!!!

Today my brother, Lee, turns 22. I still remember when we were little, and playing house together, telling my mom that we were going to get married when we were older. My how time flies!!! Now I am a mommy (with my own husband, thank you!) and you are almost done with college with a special woman of your own. Happy birthday, Lee!!!! Hope your day is very special!!! Love, Amy