Reunited and it feels so good...in Saint Louis!

Last week, the girls and I made the easy drive to Saint Louis to reconnect with the Sacksteders and my spring-breaking mom.  We packed as much into Wednesday through Saturday as was possible with five children and a lethargic pregnant woman.  More than anything, it was just great to be able to spend the time together, it really didn't much matter what we were doing (said the lethargic pregnant woman.)

Mom came bearing gifts!

Kris found this playhouse on clearance at Target for $3!  It was more than worth the money spent.

Sissy is a little walking fool now! :)

We were introduced to The Magic House! Oh my goodness was it incredible!  We only played in one small portion of the facility-and were there for over two and a half hours.  We will definitely be returning!

Sissy found these doors, and behind them were different textured materials...

As soon as she opened this door, she shrieked "BABOO!!" and started rubbing her face on it...I was so grateful that I already had my camera up to my eye and trigger finger poised and ready to shoot when she started loving on the fur...It was so funny!

Whomever says that trucks and dirt are for boys haven't hung out with Emmy before!

Sounds about right.

Emmy got to play t-ball with Uncle JP, Andy, and Clairey...To say that she didn't/doesn't understand how the game works is a gross understatement.  She'll get it, though!

She and Hannah were far more interested in the sand table. :)

My girls love their Uncle JP! :)

Sissy grabbed ahold of Kris' sweater after dinner and pulled her in for some love...

I stole these photos from Kris' camera, I did not bring my A-game this trip...

The aftermath from our ice cream sundae bar. :)

Mimi and the big kids watched our favorite classic, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" complete with two full buckets of popcorn!

We all had fun playing at The Magic House!

Mimi and her grandbabies at the park minus a napping Hannah!

14 weeks

This week has been a bit of a turning point just as the pregnancy literature has promised.  While I don't feel awesome, I have hit a point where I have a little extra energy to begin tackling the endless list of things I need/want to do.  It could also be the spring-like weather or that I have just plain gotten fed up with just looking at my list, but no matter the reason, stuff is getting done!  I am in purge-mode, big time, to make room for our new little ones.  I took on the attic one day and was thrilled by the stack garbage bags containing crap that hasn't been looked at in years (it's funny the things you keep in high school/college thinking that they'll still have sentimental value 10 years later.)  I've been cleaning the house a little day-by-day, and was overjoyed to destroy the dust bunnies living on my stairs and to finally scrub out the ring in the upstairs toilet.  It was such sweet victory!  Emmy and I planted some potted herbs and strawberries and some flowers in my decorative urns at the front door.  What a difference clean, cheerful surroundings make when your feeling slightly less than fantastic!

Easter 2013

Our Easter celebration lasted for the better part of a week this year!  We started things off with Emmy's school celebration, complete with an Easter egg hunt!  Sissy lucked out and got to participate with the one year old class while I was off galavanting at my doctor's appointment.  Both girls had a blast.  Once we arrived home, before I had finished unloading the car, Emmy had already unwrapped the majority of her loot, sorted it and proceeded to "count" it, sneak a piece and then re-count.  Nick and I learned the hard way that there is no sneaking candy from Emmy, she notices every open wrapper fragment and is very quick to call out whomever indulged.  Accountability isn't necessarily a bad thing...

On the Saturday before Easter, we connected up with one of Nick's buddies' families at Cheekwood Gardens in Nashville for an incredible festival.  There were ongoing egg hunts along with a whole slew of vendors, food trucks, crafts and children's music.  Emmy and her new friend Ashley came away with a whole bunch of eggs, and I once again marveled at how quickly children can "clean up" with candy as an incentive; if only cleaning the playroom could be done so quickly...Hannah was far more interested in her snack, but did manage to score a couple of eggs with a little assistance.  

The big day finally arrived and so did the Easter Bunny!  Emmy woke up just a "hare" after 630 and had found her basket and dozens of candy-filled eggs within about 15 minutes.  Hannah, again, was more focused on her bottle (that Nick and I must wean her from soon, although it will be with reluctance as our precious snuggle time will probably end with it. :()  The Easter Bunny so kindly "hid" Hannah's basket right in front of the fireplace, but she still required some coaxing to go to it.  Of course, once she realized the plethora of new musical instruments contained inside of a drum, she was hooked! While Nick and Emmy fired up the DVD player to watch Emmy's new gift, "Tangled," I got going making our early morning "brunch." True to Hannah form, she was most excited about the Italian Easter bread.  I was glad for her reaction, because my Italian ancestry lesson for Emmy fell on deaf ears. :-P

We went to an incredible Easter service at church and came home for naps and food prep for our Easter party with our church family.  In keeping with our tradition, we gathered at our friends' Kim and Clint's beautiful home for a giant egg hunt and delicious Easter dinner.  We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful day/week!

Emmy's egg hunt at school!

 Emmy's classmates: Lauren, Marissa, Ross, Nolan, Preston, Gabe, Ben and Eli

Emmy & Ashley waiting for the hunt to start.  All of the eggs were cleared in under 5 minutes, you have to act quickly!

Hannah searching for fallen goldfishies.

The musical petting zoo conducted by the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Emmy found Sissy's Easter Basket (truly, it was impossible to miss for anyone but Sissy.)

Darla was wide awake at an unprecedented hour.  Pretty certain it had everything to do with the candy inside the eggs.  She is solely motivated by food.

Sissy: "WHOOOAAA"

Luring Sissy to her basket.

Church ready!

All the kiddos ready to find eggs!

After the eggs hunt, the kids put on a "show."  It's a little unclear what the plot-line was, but Emmy made her stage-debut as a princess!  She stood exactly where she was placed, and remained standing there, with a smile on her face, until someone moved her elsewhere.  So proud! ;)

Sissy is infatuated with "Baboo."  I'm starting to think that she calls all stuffed animals "Baboo," but she particularly cares for three stuffed dogs.  She carries them with her most places, and when they are out of sight she frantically calls for them.  When found, she squeezes them tightly, rubs her face all over them and covers them with kisses.  It is precious. ;)

12 & 13 weeks

12 weeks!

13 weeks and counting!

I totally ate my words after my last post saying that the nausea was subsiding.  I was throwing up the potato chips I devoured about 2 hours after hitting "publish."  I guess the universe was punishing me for eating crappy food.  Lesson learned.  The nausea comes and goes throughout the day in different intensities, but I know it could be so much worse.  I am chronically tired, and maximize my short spurts of energy to get the necessities done, but my house would never in a million years pass a white glove inspection.  I am totally ok with that, considering everyone in my family is fed and healthy, that's really all that matters to me.

I am increasingly bloated by the day and there is no sucking in my belly anymore.  I have yet to switch to maternity clothes, although I fully admit that I mostly wear yoga pants and warm up suits, which are both completely forgiving.

Emotionally, I would say I'm doing pretty well (Nick might argue this) considering the surplus of hormones pulsing through my system.  We are trying to get organized and prioritize what is needed.  I have definitely been feeling overwhelmed at times.  Everywhere I go, I can't help but strategize how I will manage with the four kiddos.  I have just accepted that I won't be going many places for quite awhile, and that I will need to maximize Emmy (and Hannah's!) school time to take the babies out to grocery shop and such.  I feel so blessed that Nick won't be deploying for 6 months or so starting in September as his company will be upgrading their aircraft and therefore undergoing the necessary training.  They will have domestic training trips, but I pray that I might have the babies on a solid schedule and sleeping through the night before any extended separations take place.  Having Nick around to help with dinner/bath/bedtime crazies is something I am so grateful for.  Once again, I am reminded how God has prepared us for this blessing.  

My next appointment is on the 18th, and we are praying that in addition to strong heartbeats, Dr. Anderson might be able to see the gender.  If not, we plan to schedule an appointment at a private 3D ultrasound place that week.  We are chomping at the bit to know who these new little additions will be and then we can begin full-blown preparations with naming and nursery plans.  Nick is pretty terrified that we'll have two more girls, I think he's going to need all the time he can get to process that information if that is the case!

In other important news, Hannah is walking!  Last week, she took it on herself to start walking more and more!  She's about up to half of the time and is almost as proud of herself as we are of her!  So exciting!