Four Months Already- No Way!

Wow, Taylor is already four months old. I SWEAR the time is going by a lot faster than it did with the boys. Maybe because life has been more crazy than it has ever been before. We just got back from sissy's appointment. She is a whopping 13 lbs and 10 oz. and exactly 2 ft long. At 4 months, Jacob was 17 lbs 6 oz. and Noah was 16 lbs. 4 oz. Now before you start thinking, "wow she is small, what's wrong? is she eating enough...blah blah blah", the doctor had to prescribe a lotion for me to put in between her rolls. HA! She is very rolly polly and has a bit of an issue with "chaffing". Poor baby! She's the kind of baby where you have to separate her rolls to clean in between them, I am talking deep tissue here folks! Everything looked fine! She was 50 percentile with weight, 30 percentile in height, and her head was at 1%. Yeah, she has her daddy's head. I have a feeling that is why people always comment on how petite and tiny she is ;-) LOVE IT!

Here is our big girl! She has been such a blessing to us and I am very thankful for a happy healthy baby girl! Praise the Lord!

I LOVE BLOGGER!!!!! So thankful that I can compare my kids to each other. Some people blog (when they remember), some people scrapbook, I am thankful for the simplicity of typing and posting pictures. I can simply click a link and I am at the Noah's 4 month post. HERE or clickHERE to view Jacob at 4 months. I LOVE IT!!!

On another subject, while we were at the doctor we had her take a look at Jacob. He has had a rash under his right armpit. I thought it was warts and they would just run their course and go away, but the doctor had a look and said they definitely were not warts and she prescribed a topical solution for him. Poor kid. Although this may make me look like a horrible mother, I am going to post this anyway. You will probably look at this and think what in the world was she thinking?!!? We will see if ointment works. He has a touch of eczema and when irritated, this is what can happen.

We were able to take some family pics the other day. Hopefully we will be using one for our Christmas card.......Ah, we will see. I would really like to get a better one with the baby looking, but when you set your camera on a timer and balance it just perfect on a nearby fence, it is really hard to make sure everybody is looking and smiling. lol

Until Next Time.........

Things that make me smile...

My kids are hilarious. Seriously, I laugh everyday all the time at the things they say and the things they do.

1. How Noah calls Cupcakes, "Pupcakes"

2. Today Noah asked me to take the peaches off of his pizza (they were pepperoni)

3. Every morning Jacob asks for, Milk in his purple cup, cover him up with his two babies, to watch Tom and Jerry, and a chocolate toptart. Yes, in this order. Oh, and the chocolate "top tart" is actually cinnamon.

4. When I am holding Taylor, Jacob asks, "Momma, what is the baby saying to me?"

5. They let us know if we forgot something, "Daddy, you forget to get me........"

6. Jacob: "I wuv you momma"

7. The way Taylor looks like a little birdie when she wakes up in the morning.

8. Noah: "Mommy, he's (a little boy we see while out) making bad choices!"

9. Noah: Dear Jesus, help Jacob to make good choices and stay on blue Amen.

10. Jacob: "Dear Geesus thank you for Momma, Noah, Da-yee, Amen. Oh, and Baby Ta-yor. Amen.

11. When I am talking on the phone and Taylor is on my lap cracking up

12. When Taylor smiles so big her nose crinkles up.

13. Watching the boys play together

14. Noah: Mommy when I grow up, I am going to be a daddy. Me: well, if you are a daddy, then that makes me a grandma. Do I look like a grandma? Noah: No, grandmas have fuzzy hair.

15. When looking at my wedding pictures, "Mommy. you were a beautiful princess!!!!"

16. Noah: "mommy can we go to daddy's workshop?" (his office)

17. Noah: "Mommy, I don't need to go to school on Tuesday, just Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday!!!"

18. Jacob: "Mommy, you give me a big spanking, or a wittle spanking......will you give me just a wittle spanking yike this....(pats his bottom lightly with his hand)"

19. Mommy, where is my da-yee? Jacob every single day

20. When I place Taylor on her back in her crib to change her, get a diaper, and she is on her tummy, flip her again, change her, throw the diaper away, come back and she is on her belly again.

21. The way Jacob laughs nervously while holding Taylor. (I really need to capture this one on video, it is quite funny)

22. When Noah wants us to play Wii with him, he says, "Mooooom, I picked two players....." leaving the ball in my court to come play with him because he canNOT reset it or anything!

23. "Mommy, wook at me!!!!"-Jacob in a very whiny voice when I don't stop what I am doing to pay him attention.

24. At night after we pray, Noah gives me a hug and says, "Mom, I will miss you sooooo much when I am at school."

25. We walked to the car after eating at McDonalds one night and Jacob said, *sigh,"It is beautiful!" What is beautiful Jacob? "that big M" oh my goodness!

26. When we were sitting in my mom's house a few months ago, Noah was sitting on the couch looking at my mom's curtains and pictures he says, "My grandma's house is sooooo beautiful!"

27. When Noah comes home from school and the house is picked up he says, "Did you make the house beautiful today mom?"

I love these kids so much and want to remember these precious times! They will never be 5, 3, and 3 months, ever again!!! Wow, that is a sad thought! Thank you Lord for the special moments we share!

Obviously, if you are my friend on Facebook, you have already seen these, but for our blog followers who are not, here are some updated pics of the kiddos!

The Past 5 Years....My children have literally grown up in a gymnasium!

Noah-5, Taylor- 3 months, Jacob- 3

It's da Mario Bros!!!

They really really wanted mommy to dress up as Princess Peach. Taylor is a banana. We had a great Halloween!

Our Big Girl- folding her hands like a little lady!

I keep telling her she is only 3 months old and cannot stand and look older...sigh, she is already growing up too fast!

Loooooves her thumb!

Such a happy Girl!

Boys doing what they do best!

They really do love each other!

The Cutest Skunk you have ever seen!!!

Sum up

I have been meaning to sit down and write on the blog. Really it's been on my mind alot lately. I love how I can go back and look at older posts and read about my kids and watch their videos, but I actually need to write and post once in a while. Well, where to start. "How 'bout you sum it up!" I think that's from the Princess Bride. Anyway, here's the sum up. We moved to Lynchburg the middle of August. Taylor was born July 23, 2010 weighing 7 lbs and 10 oz. and 20 3/4 in. long and we moved a week after. We lived with Josh's parents about a total of 6 days and found a house to rent here in Lynchburg. For her one month check up, she weighed 10.5 lbs. Right now it is Oct 13 and she is 2 1/2 months. She found her thumb and sucks it nonstop and started sleeping through the night 3 days ago. Josh is loving Liberty and so are we! I was able to drive up to Chicago a couple weeks ago with the kids. They did great on the 10 hour road trip. We stopped to see some friends in IN for a couple days, then headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had a great time with our family and my grandparents, cousin and sister drove all the way to mom's house just to meet baby Taylor.

Noah is in kindergarten and rides the bus to school and Jacob is at a preschool 2 half days a week. We are still getting settled, but are loving our new chapter! How is that for a "sum up"!

To be continued......

Meanwhile, here are some pics of the last few months!

We did a little photo shoot one day for her 1 and a half month portraits :-)

The two best banner carriers around!

Taylor met her aunt Katelyn

She was actually laughing at her big brother Jacob!

Papa got to meet his baby Taylor!

I love how she is smiling for the camera!

Our first LIBERTY game. The kids LOVED it!

Family Picture Take 2

Daddy and Taylor time.

The "Grandmas" and Taylor

We even got to celebrate Landon's birthday!

Her first trip to IKEA, she was a little over 1 month old.

She is such a happy baby!

Jacob riding the horses!

They are such goofballs!

My Kindergärtner!

Sweet

Spicy

Our Big Boy Jacob!

Pretty in Pink bows

What's up?

Our first family picture taken the day Taylor was born!

Baby Taylor

New Chapter

Most of you will think that title means a new baby. Well, it sort of does and sort of doesn't. Life is like a book. Some chapters are long and some are short. Our book has many short chapters so far, but as we get into it more, I am seeing (well hoping) for some longer chapters here in the near future. Let's start at the beginning b/c well let's face it, that really is the best place to start. Josh and I met at The Wilds Christian Camp in Brevard, NC summer of 2000. After that summer I started my Junior year at Bob Jones and Josh was starting his 2nd year for his masters. We dated that year, became engaged and was married by December of 2001. End Chapter 1. Chapter 2 was fun, I finished my Senior year at BJ as a married town student. Hands down the best way to go to college!!!! Josh worked at a Michelin housing facility while I went to school and then that summer I worked at a Day camp. End Chapter 2. Our next Chapter began in August 2002 when we moved to Lafayette, IN. I was to be one of the sixth grade teachers at Faith Christian School and Josh was going to join their pastoral staff as an intern. We stayed in Lafayette for 3 years, lived in 4 different homes/apartments including the house we built and became pregnant and had our first child Noah. We loved our time in Lafayette and made the kind of friends that are like family. We still miss it! After Noah was born in June 2005 we packed up the house and began Chapter 4. After the sale of our (Brand New) home in Indiana, we moved down to Gainesville, FL to the University of FL for Josh to join the coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach. What an amazing opportunity! It was so great to be a part of the Gator family. We were in Gainesville from Aug. 05-Feb. 06. Chapter 5 begins with a move to Greensboro, NC where we lived with Josh's parents for about a month and a half while Josh commuted to Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC to be there assistant volleyball coach. We moved into a duplex in Angier, NC shortly after. While at Campbell, we became pregnant with our 2nd child Jacob. We were with the camels for two seasons and in February of 2006 we were contacted about a position in Lakeland, FL as an assistant volleyball coach at Florida Southern College. Chapter 6. We literally packed up and moved in two weeks from NC to FL. We moved into a campus house with our two small kids Noah 2, and Jacob 10 months. The house was horrible, had rats, bugs, you name it. Nope not going to stay there! Fall of 2006 I was hired at Lakeland Christian as a fulltime piano teacher and my boys began going to school. We also bought a beautiful home and enjoyed all the perks of living in the sunshine state by swimming in the pool and treking it to the beach occasionally. Josh was at Fl Southern for 2 seasons and I taught piano for two years. In fall of 2009 we became pregnant with our third. A GIRL! Josh was let go from his position as assistant vball coach in December of 09 and began working as a guidance counselor to a alternative school in January of 2010. (how amazing is our God to provide a job so fast!) Noah finished his K4 year at LCS and Jacob finished his K3 class at Word Alive in May. This chapter has not ended quite yet, but it will end in about 2 weeks with the birth of our baby girl and a move.........Here's what you've been waiting for. Our next chapter... The next chapter of our lives is exciting! We are moving to Lynchburg, VA for Josh to become the assistant volleyball coach at Liberty University (see article). Not the best time to be moving (have a baby, sell a house, move, start vball season) but God's timing is perfect and HE has been in ALL of this! I can tell so many stories of how God has answered so many of our prayers in the past 2 weeks. What a mighty God we serve!!!!!! We appreciate your prayers for our little family (well not so little anymore) over the next few weeks. We have alot of transitions taking place. I will be at home with the kids while Josh travels to work each day (thankfully his parents live about 100 miles away from Liberty so we will be living with them for about a month until we "get to know the area" and find a place to live). I will be teaching Noah and Jacob at home and then once we get settled, the plan is to put Noah is a PRE Kindergarten program. So, there you have it. At least we have a plan :-) Like I said before, How GREAT is our God? He has had his PERFECT hand in all of the "chapters" of our lives!! So thankful for His guidance and provision for us over the past 9 (almost) years of our marriage! The story since Chapter 1 is no where NEAR where I thought it would be, but that's what makes it such a great story!
Stay tuned for pictures and the story of the birth of our sweet baby girl, coming Friday, July 23rd!!!!!!!

The Nursery

We have been working hard the past couple weekends getting the nursery ready. The plan was to clear out the playroom, get the boys bunk beds, and move the rest of the toys (that were left after we went through them) to their room. The bunk beds arrived and the boys have enjoyed every second of it! The first day the beds were in their room, they played on the top bunk the whole night. I will take a picture when their room is put together better. We are in between sizes right now, so not only are all the toys in there, but we have bins in there so it is very cluttered. Anyway, getting the bunk beds was sort of the "kickoff" to get the playroom turned into the nursery. We painted, put up wanes coating, painted furniture, took the closet door down, and decorated all in about a week and a half. I had sold our crib when we bought a bigger bed for Jacob, because I thought storing it would probably ruin it. So, we needed a crib, dresser, rocker, and changing table. Yes, we needed pretty much everything. I went out to hit the yard sales and came up empty pretty much every week. We decided to try IKEA one night to see if they had any cheaper options. Well, IKEA had some nice furniture, but it was still going to be pretty pricey, so the next morning I decided to try one more time. Jackpot. The first one I went to had a crib for sale. $20. It was an older couple that had the crib for their grandson when he would visit. Hardly used, and it had everything labeled and was super organized. Crib- Check. Then I got a call from a friend who was out riding her bike and saw a yard sale with a changing table for sale. I headed that way and not only got the changing table, but also picked up the glider and ottoman she was selling. $30 for each.... not bad. That was enough for one day, so I drove home happily with the van full of furniture. Still needed a dresser, but I would try again for that later. Couple weeks go by and still no dresser, so last week I decided to try the thrift store. Found an older cream colored dresser with horrible handles on it. $40. not bad, it should work. Took it home and put a couple layers of paint on it, scraped off the gross flowery decal on the top drawer, then went by Target to pick up some knobs and handles for it. Voila! Done. So, all that to say, we got all the furniture for her room, used, and didn't spend much for it. But wait, there's more. So I showed some people from work a picture of the nursery and one of the ladies told me that she saw on the news about a bunch of recalled cribs. So, I get online and search the one I had and sure enough, RECALLED. Ugh! Well, when we went to put the crib together not only were all the instructions there and the screws had been color coded with tape, but there was also a receipt in the envelope. The crib was bought in 2004 at Walmart. You see where I am going with this? I took the description of the crib and the receipt into Walmart to see what they could do. They told me that they could either exchange the crib for one they had, give me store credit, OR because I had the receipt, give me $140.00. I went to look at their cribs and honestly didn't see one that I liked, so I opted for the cash, and headed to Target to see what they had. Found one! So, our crib ended up being free! Praise the Lord!!
>

Pink Frames are a must!

The Before

Old Crib

Brand New Crib!

The Mouse and the Motorcycle.

Remember that book? I remember reading it in around the third grade, but I remember seeing the movie on a Saturday morning after cartoons. Well, one of the teachers at school had a copy of the movie so we borrowed it and watched it tonight. The boys absolutely LOVED it! In fact, right after the movie was over, Noah went hunting around the house for mice holes in the walls. He found a tiny little crack in the trim and floor of his bedroom door and decided that this is where the mouse in our house lived. I wish I would have taken a picture of both of my boys laying on their tummies looking in this tiny little crack thinking for sure there was a mouse in there. Then, Noah had the great idea to go in his room and pick out a toy for his new found friend. He wanted to get his Spiderman motorcycle but couldn't find it, so he settled for Lightning McQueen. He placed it gently in front of the hole and then told me it was time for bed.

Oh to have the imagination and mind of a child. He is so confident that 1. Mice Talk 2. We have a mouse in our house and 3. When not looking mice get into your toys and drive them around your house.

So sweet! Just had to share.