January in Pictures

January in pictures...coming to you in JUNE! 

(I'm going to backdate it just so everything stays in order. If anyone cares. :)

The Romeo and Juliet painting painted by my great-great grandma back in the late 1800's finally came down. I am nostalgic about family heirlooms, but I'll admit I absolutely love our new picture wall showcasing our fall family pictures. I stare at the pictures of the kids almost every day!

Movie time with daddy before bed.

Morning snuggles.

These two. It's too much.

I'll do a separate post with our pictures from Florida, but this is Conrad snuggling with Mimi after we had walked in the door and he hadn't seen us in 6 days. He barely moved. Didn't really even care that we were home. NBD. 

Oh good...he still loves his Mama!

We had a blast on our vaca, but man did it feel good to have those two back in my arms!

Some of my favorite pictures taken of the kids while we were away..

Dish liquid in a pan = entertainment for a good 20 minutes.

(Gwendolyn was tracing letters in it before Conrad joined in and it quickly became a foamy mess.)

Pretty cold in Minnesota in January!

"He just loves me so much, mom. Awww, I love you too, buddy."

she said.

Daddy's home!

They were just pretending to be asleep, but isn't this the cutest?!

It was a regular occurrence to eat dinner pretty late. I'm guessing it was pushing 6:30 this particular evening, and as you can see we had tired - and hungry - kids.

First time using this cart at Target...they thought it was hilarious.

I went home and got together with the girls for our annual progressive dinner. Always need about 10 more hours with them!

Due 5 days apart...

Now we know there were both BOYS in there!

While I was out with my girls, Gwendolyn went to her first high school wrestling meet with Grandpa. Dad said she lost interest after the third match, but thankfully played well with her princesses until close to the end. She told me all about her "biiiiiig hot dog" and the cheerleaders and how "the boys just wrestle over and over." 

Conrad stayed home with Grandma and played with Sissy's Polly Pockets (of all things....)

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Breakfast at grandpa and grandma's house - OJ, donuts, and super fun cereal! (And a banana that probably remained unopened because let's be honest....who wants a banana when you can have a donut.)

Snuggling with his "mimic" aka blanket on our way to Waverly after church to see the Willms!

BFFs reunited and I finally got to meet baby Caroline!

Helping Grandpa with bird chores.

That is one crazy contraction...

We celebrated Tenley Kay's FIRST birthday! I don't know what we ever did without her in our lives...she brings us all so much joy and is absolutely adored!

34 weeks with Conrad on the left and 34 weeks with Luther on the right

(Totally had to replicate this pic, of course.)

We've all been pregnant at the same time for at least a few days/weeks for all three kids. Now Amanda is due with #4 on July 4th - can't wait to find out what she's having!

It was about this time that he started smiling for pictures. You just had to be fast enough to capture them!

Shopping at Kowalski's and naturally they're lovin' on each other.

We concluded our ECFE music class - the kids enjoyed it and it was a good excuse to force ourselves out of the house in the dead of winter (and grab a delicious muffin on our way home...)

Our picky eater decided he loves kale chips of call things.

Conrad was going through a veeery rough patch of sleeping (up early and itty bitty short baby naps) which made for a rough month or so for all of us. Plus side, I got a lot of one on one time with him. :)

He was soooo tired.

I mean...this shirt.

"Suuu-mie!" aka smoothie.

30 weeks with baby #3

I'm so late in posting this as I'm finding it more and more difficult to make it to the computer to blog. 

I also had a large number of images to cull and edit from our Christmas adventure (including these belly pics that were taken shortly after returning home after being gone for 8 nights/9 days and unloading the van from two Christmases...can you tell I'd be traveling all day?!), which took me a good long while to sort through. 

How far along: 30 weeks as of three weeks ago, December 28th. (32 week post coming soon!)

Weight gain: As of this point, 20ish lbs.

Gender: I met a woman at church who had itchy legs with her TWO girls and now she doesn't have it and she's having a boy! I am beginning to think the itchy legs stuff has nothing to do with the gender. 

(But I thought everything I read online was true?! ;))

Sleep: Not good. And I think it's the new normal. It was like it literally switched overnight. One night was great and the next night I was tossing and turning with pain/discomfort here and there and just couldn't get comfortable. I was hoping to make it another couple of weeks before this all started, but this sweet babe and my body decided otherwise.

I guess I need weekly prenatal massages now, Tom. 

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This is short and sweet this time since I'm already on my way to 34 weeks this next weekend. Ahhhhh!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your family the joy and peace of the Christmas season!

We're so very thankful for the gift of God's son. Sent to rescue and repair and make new and love us unconditionally and make us into His children. Children who go out and share His love because they can't help but do so. Children who kneel low with hearts and hands raised because they're so loved with a love that no one else can give. 

And it all started with a baby born in a manger.

So thankful.

28 weeks with baby #3

My good friend Libby (we're due 5 days apart!) recently sent me a message and said, "can you believe we're almost in the 3rd trimester?!" I had to confess that despite this being my third child, I couldn't remember if that was week 27 or 28. She reminded me that it was week 28 and once she said that it was like.....WOAH. I may forget when trimesters switch, but I certainly haven't forgotten what comes AFTER the 3rd trimester...a real life BABY. THREE KIDS. I think it's all just hitting me right.this.second.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 28 weeks as of December 14th!

Weight gain: I had my midwife appointment yesterday and I'm up 19 lbs.

Gender: Heartbeat at the appointment was 148....?????

(This basically means nothing.)

Appointment Update: I'm measuring right at 28 weeks and I passed my glucose test!  I'm not really sure why some girls complain about that drink...I think it actually tastes good?! Just a thicker orange pop if you ask me.  Trisha was gracious enough to watch the kiddos for me since it was a longer appointment and I had to go down to the lab for some blood work. I go back every two weeks now. Just the thought of that is both exciting and exhausting now with two kids in winter. But we'll push through. 

I have braxton hicks contractions pretty regularly, but that's nothing new for me. 

Sleep: I'm tired. My sweet son has been waking up at 6:15 and taking 30-40 minute naps. He's so unpredictable.

Message to baby: 

I can't believe we're close to only 10 weeks away from meeting you face to face. I absolutely can't WAIT to see what (and who!) you look like and kiss your squishy cheeks. This time next year we'll be looking forward to celebrating your first Christmas as well - how fun! 

We talk about you everyday little baby. I asked Conrad if he thought he was getting a brother or a sister and without having any idea what I was talking about, he said "sister" but I'm thinking that's just because it's a word he's familiar with. Gwendolyn changes her mind daily, which is ok because I'd hate for her to be disappointed one way or the other. This week she's saying "boy baby". I asked her if she liked our boy name and she didn't. Uh oh. I'm hoping it'll grow on her if you are indeed a boy baby.

You're quite active, particularly at night and in the morning. I love love love it and it's always a part of being pregnant that I really miss. Something has started jabbing into my right rib on occasion. I won't miss that.

We have done nothing to prepare for your arrival except for praying and dreaming and talking about you. I tell myself we'll get through the holidays and then get busy.

Keep growing big and strong (but not too big.)

I'll be waiting for you,

Mommy

The many faces of Conrad Cross

We were just hangin' and colorin' while waitin' for Sis Sis to wake up.

This son of ours brings us endless joy. He's amazing, and I hope he always knows it.

He also now says "I wuv wu." Sometimes without any prompting, all on his own when he just feels like it.

My heart may explode.

Anniversary Getaway

I had been wanting to stay at the St. Croix River Inn for literally years, but it fills up so quickly in the fall that by the time we remembered to book a stay there was no availability. I knew our time would come and 2014 was the year! Mimi and Papa graciously gave up their weekend amidst a crazy busy fall schedule and came up to stay with the kids so we could get away. Tom is always the instigator of these trips because I'm hesitate to leave the kids (I was still nursing Conrad when we decided to book), but I'm so thankful he finds it important and pushes for it. We had the perfect weather and the most relaxing weekend. We went on a Saturday and Sunday night so had Monday to enjoy together as well since Papa had taken the kids to daycare so we wouldn't have to rush home. We had a Jacuzzi tub and watched movies and caught up on Survivor. Did I mention it was relaxing?!

This is our attempt at a selfie down by the river.

Just as we were finishing up our very unsuccessful attempt, a woman approaches us and offers to take it for us. We took her up on that and she was all about giving us some direction and offering tips ("turn this way"), which as a photographer I can appreciate. Then with such great excitement she says, "Oh! I have an idea you guys!" and has us do the below picture.

She got a bit closer to for a different effect.

I wasn't going to tell her that I was a photographer myself (she was just getting started in the business) b/c I didn't want to rain on her parade or make her feel self conscious, but then Tom had to go and tell her right at the end. 

Either way, we attempted another selfie (this is important you guys) at a different, more evenly lit location and we were much happier with the outcome. I do appreciate the symbolism of the hands shaped in a heart on the belly idea, but it's not really my personal style. :)

WE LOVE FALL IN MINNESOTA!!

The beautiful view from our little patio outside of our room.

Wine and cheese happy hour...

We were the only people to show up and thoroughly enjoyed that cheese!

We decided to celebrate our first night with a personal 5-course meal served right there at the B&B. The food wasn't to die for, but it was quite lovely and romantic and we just enjoyed the time to sit and talk while taking in the beautiful view before the sun set.

Course 1

Course 2

Course 3

Course 4

And my favorite...course 5

The next morning, they delivered our beverages and warm pastries 30 minutes before our hot meal arrived. 

We spent the afternoon antique shopping and then drove to a local winery for live music and wine tasting. 

This pizza was incredible....maple roasted sweet potatoes, pancetta, blue cheese, aged parmesan and asiago cheese blend with a maple syrup drizzle.

Um....I'll take two please. 

Tom enjoying his wine for the both of us.

We decided to do dinner in and picked up some apples, cheese, crackers, smoked salmon, popcorn and root beer. 

Does it get better than that?! 

It was hard to beat.

Another great breakfast!

Loved this weekend and this man! He takes such great care of me, and has such a tender, forgiving, patient, humble heart.