Jack and Rocky

What I love most right now is watching Jack and Stella fall in love with Rocky.

HE'S HERE!!!!!!!!
We named him Rocky and he is the sweetest little baby. He looks exactly like Stella when she was born. He weighed 9lbs 4oz, which is exactly what Jack weighed. He was born on Thanksgiving morning.


The kids love him and constantly want to hold him. More pictures to come. Have a great weekend everyone.

The Last Few Days and Grateful Friday

You all might getting a little sick of my belly shots by now, I love them though, and since this baby will be coming soon I'm trying to get as many as possible.

Ok, I forgot it was Friday almost 2 weeks in a row. So what am I grateful for this week?
- John's new job which he really likes.
- Watching the "Lost" series finally through Netflix
- Jack getting so excited when we let him stay up a little later and watch "mommy and daddy tv" with us.
- Spending time with Gretchen and Lorissa yesterday.
- Heidi my sis is coming over in a bit and were going to old Sac to look around the shops.
- A sweet call from my mom the other day telling me how much she loves me and our family.
- Eggnog.
- Gaining 40 lbs and sometimes being a bit horrified by it, but mostly not really caring and just accepting it and sort of liking it.
- Earrings my sister made for me, they are so cute and I love them.

Leaves are falling, and the rain is pouring right now. We've been making leave piles everyday, the kids love it. Even today, during a pause in the rain, we ran out and raked some leaves up and the kids rolled around in them. John started commuting today. He left and 6 and will be home by 7, hopefully, you never know with traffic though. It's a long day. I miss him, and I know he's going to be tired when he gets home. I know I'm tired. I'm sort of just waiting to go into labor, even though I'm not really due until the 29th, I feel like the baby could come at any time. Last night I had some pretty strong contractions, but they went away. I think we've finally got the names picked out, but John and I are keeping it a secret. I have in my mind that I want John to whisper the name into the baby's ear before we let everyone else know. Have a great week everyone.

Last night we were driving home from church and Jack was chattering away in the back seat about the street lights and the moon and clouds and stars. He was chattering on and on and I was half listening to him and half zoning out. Then it got quiet, for about 5 minutes not a sound from the back seat. The quietly we heard Jack say in a tiny little worried voice, "But I don't want to grow up" and then silence again. I looked at John and then turned to the back seat and asked Jack what he said, and again he said quietly "but I don't want to grow up, I just want to stay little". He seemed really concerned and worried and it broke by heart. We assured him that he is still our little guy and will always be. I just wanted to snuggle up next to him right then, this morning we did, his sweet little warm body wedged in between John and I. I couldn't help but wish he could stay small forever. I have a feeling the new baby coming may have a bit more impact on him than we expected. Jack and Stella are going to need some extra loving, with the move and the baby. Life is going to be a little crazy for awhile. All I know to do is just try to be more gentle and kind and spend special time with them.

John swept me away this weekend to a bed and breakfast and 2 days without kids. It was a total surprise and such a wonderful way to spend the last few days before the baby comes. I have good news, John was offered a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so grateful, it is just the company he had his sights on a few months ago, he really stayed focused and went after it and after 4 interviews, two of which were over 2 hours long, and lots of back and forth driving to Walnut Creek (1 1/2 to 2 hr's away) he was finally offered the job. It's a super company. He has to start on Monday the 13th, so that is really the only drawback with me ready to go labor any day now. He'll be 2 hours away, it will work out though, I just keep trying to tell myself that and be grateful to God for the job. I'm excited to have this baby soon, I've been having lots of contractions everyday, so I'm sure the baby will come early, but I thought that for Jack and Stella too and they were both late.

3 little ghouls. Jack, Stella, and Maya. Mason the dragon was there too. The kids loved Trick-or-Treating. Now we are trying to manage the candy consumption. Our friends Jeff and Gretchen have a method they swear by. They call it a "Candy Dinner". They sit the kids down and say, "alright eat as much as you want, but when you are done the rest of it gets thrown away", Gretchen says last year Maya ate four pieces and than was done, and even said it was alright to throw the rest away. For some reason I don't think my kids would stop at 4 pieces, I have a feeling Stella might just eat and eat until she passes out. So I'm not sure the "Candy Dinner" method would be right for us. Or maybe it's just that throwing out perfectly good Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and Mr. Goodbars is nearly physically impossible for me to do. I am allowing the kids 3 or so pieces a day. My personal allotment is slightly larger :).