Daddy's home!

Hey Big Daddy Paul--you're going to need a little more room on that lap--and soon! :) 

baby belly!

Even photographers need great photographer friends--A huge thank you to my friend Jessica for taking these beautiful pictures of me on our scouting trip at Harkness State Park Beach. 

I can't believe we are coming up on the end of this pregnancy! I was 31 weeks in these pictures--and we are now at 36 weeks, and baby is only going to be sitting tight for a little while longer. (and yes, my belly has gotten even bigger since our trip to the beach!) 

As the pregnancy continues, and my comfort level plummets, I'm trying to remind myself that this is likely the last time I will be pregnant, and I need to enjoy and appreciate it as much as possible. This little guy gets the hiccups at least once or twice a day and likes to stretch out from my hipbone to my ribcage. He also keeps me up at night with crazy hunger pains and lots of kicking and punching. Oh, and of course he's head down and squashing my poor bladder, so it feels like we're in the bathroom more often than not. 

But for all my complaining, I love being pregnant. I love connecting with the baby in the quiet moments in the middle of the night. Wondering if he's going to be like his big brother, or his big sister.  Sharing the excitement of a new little baby with Big Brother Zachary, and Soon-to-be-Big-Sister Elara. They both like feeling him moving and kicking, and they love to talk to my belly. Elara wants to hold him in the boppy, and give him a pacifier when he's crying, and Zachary wants to pick out a stuffed animal for him at the hospital--just like he did for Elara when she was born. 

I can't wait to meet this little guy--but I hope he stays put for a little big longer, so I can enjoy being pregnant for just a few more days. It's not exactly calm and quiet around here--but adding an infant to the mix is sure to take things to a different level of chaotic and crazy! 

When you were a little baby....

When Elara was just getting old enough to go down the slide, we would put her in Zachary's lap, and let him help her get down the slide.  This summer, I looked out to see him doing this, and asking Elara,  "Want to go down the slide how you did it when you were a little baby?" His memory is incredible--and the new memories they are making are just as awesome!

Mystery Ride in the Magic Car

Oh? We have a new van? Let's go for a mystery ride. For ice cream. Because I'm in my third trimester, and I need very little reason/excuse to go eat ice cream. A trip to Buttonwood Farms, chocolate ice cream with hot fudge for Z, and strawberry for the princess. 

Trust me, we'll be going on another drive to Buttonwood Farms before the end of this pregnancy. No really, we went this past weekend. You'll see the pictures on the blog when I catch up. :)))

Next Era

If we weren't all grown up before, I guess we are now. It was time to trade in Paul's Mustang...for a minivan! Not what we were expecting when we started car shopping, but our Odyssey has all the features that this Momma needs to haul her growing family around. Thank you Paul for the sacrifice--I know it wasn't easy to say goodbye to the car you've loved for the last 15 years, but Elara calls the van the Magic Car, so I think we did something right!

momma's special day request

It's not very often that I am able to get in front of the camera for some pictures with my littles. So when mother's day comes around, this is always one of my present requests. Even a few pictures to mark the occasion and ham it up with some of my favorite people. Makes for a very happy Momma. :)

quite a difference from last year!!