Halloween at Six Flags

Recently the boys and I decided to take a trip to Six Flags to participate in their Halloween festivities. We had a great time. The boys were so cute and excited.

Ezra got to go on many rides and he was so brave to do most of them alone :) He even rode a roller coaster all by himself. Nothing says "they grow up too fast" like watching your oldest throw his arms in the air and scream with joy as he is whipped around another turn on a roller coaster.

Little Mak enjoyed watching "Za Za" on the bigger kid rides.

This is a spider web maze that Makai ran through maybe 20 times at least. 

I can just hear his laughter and it makes me smile. He really liked this 'bouncy up and down' one.

Once I discovered that Makai could go on most of the kid rides as long as he had a "responsible companion" he enjoyed himself much more. Ezra took to the "responsible companion" role quite well. He made sure to buckle him, put his arm around him or in front of him to protect him and either held his hand or gently guided his head to help him know where to go. It was adorable. 

They had a trick or treating trail, so I convinced Makai to keep his costume on long enough to get candy (and no longer). Love my pirates.

After trick or treating they went on a little hayride and had a blast. 

These boys sure are good at having fun and that's all it takes for me to have fun!

(Poor daddy had to work, like always, but Ezra couldn't stop talking about how proud daddy would be of him and how much daddy would like to go on certain rides or see certain shows during the day. Out of sight, but never out of mind or heart, daddy!)

30 Weeks

No pictures, but there is quite a baby bump. I'll just leave it at that.

I'm feeling pretty good. It seems like the beginning of the 3rd trimester is the best for me. I of course have growing pains and back pains and extra great pregnancy stuff, but I don't feel nauseas right now and my headaches aren't as frequent. I have also had less heartburn with this pregnancy which is great.

I am at a point in my pregnancy where I don't feel the nagging urge to be done being pregnant, but I have been feeling anxious to hold and smooch on my 3rd baby boy. I am FINALLY feeling connected to this pregnancy and it makes me so excited. I have not only accepted the fact that it's a boy, but I feel so happy about it. I love my boys and I can't wait to have another!

I talked with a good friend of mine recently who has 3 boys. She said she has told herself that she will not get pregnant again unless she can be content with the idea of having another boy. Good advice. I have thought this over and over again and I think it is what has really helped me to be so excited to have another boy.

This baby is still a wiggle worm. He doesn't really stop. Sometimes it hurts, but I have to admit that I absolutely love the movement. That's what I have a hard time letting go of after I have the baby. I just miss feeling the kicks and squirms inside of me.

I have a really weird craving for certain smells. Fall/Christmas scents are definitely among that list. I tend to pick up candles often and just take a big long sniff until it makes me smile and then I am satisfied for a little while. I also like to sniff our laundry detergent. In fact I'm craving it right now. I love the smell of my mother-in-laws really strong markers too. Sometimes I open them up just to smell them. Don't worry, it's not often and it's not for a long period of time, but it is still bad. Our young women tell me that I am totally weird and am clearly losing brain cells.

Things are going great with my midwifes. Still no decision about whether they'll allow me to birth in the birthing center, but I'm hopeful. I just hope they don't say no and that I don't get stuck in a hospital on Christmas. My thyroid levels are good. I took the glucose test over a week ago and still haven't heard back, so I'm hoping that's good news. It was, of course, miserable and they make it even worse here than my last doc in Idaho.

We still don't have a name. It kind of stresses me out because I don't feel like we're even getting close. People keep giving me suggestions but nothing seems to feel right or appeal to both of us. I'm still open to suggestions, but really only because I'm hoping I hear a name that I either haven't heard before or I don't hear very often.

I have been having many sleepless nights. I wake up like a million times to go to the bathroom and it seems like lately I have a hard time going back to sleep after. I'll lay awake for about 2+ hours until I finally doze off and shortly after get jerked awake by James' alarm or one of the kids. It makes for long days sometimes. So I'm tired, but I'm getting by.

I don't have a lot of time to focus on being pregnant, so I guess this is the sum of the 30 week update this time around. Basically I feel like this part of my pregnancy is quite textbook which I feel blessed about.

Here's to another 10 weeks and then a baby!!

Fun in a Box

Sometimes you just need to forget the toy and stick with the box. James got me a ton of boxes from work and I couldn't resist giving one to the boys to play with. They colored it, climbed in it, on it and screamed a lot. We poked Halloween lights through it and had a blast. It seriously kept these boys occupied for days and hours at a time. They colored almost every inch of the inside by the time I "set it free". If you're looking for a cheap, indoor activity... get a box.

My Amazing Baby Shower

A couple of weeks ago a very good friend of mine (Becky) threw me the most fantastic baby shower ever. When she first mentioned that she wanted to throw me one I just thought, "but I don't need anything." She insisted that didn't matter and that we needed to celebrate anyways. I happily obliged. 

It was a glorified girls night. What could be better than that? Becky planned it all and surprised me that night. She's kind of amazing. She's the kind of friend everyone needs.

 She picked me up and we drove to The Melting Pot! YUM! 

There was a great turn out, great food, great conversation and I felt so very blessed to look around the table and see so many faces of people who care about me and wanted to participate in celebrating our 3rd baby.

Becky, Kenyatta, Teresa

Kim, Amber, Linda

Donna, Jaime, Elissa, Brooke

Mary, me 

Teresa, Aurora, Mya, Haley

 Look at all those beautiful faces!
 (My friend Felicia had to leave pre-pictures, so just imagine another pretty face mixed in there.)

Miss Becky and me. Have I mentioned how much I love this girl?

I came home raving about it to James and he suggested that every woman have a baby shower for every baby. I tend to side with him. He also mentioned how wonderful it is that I have such great friends. I tend to side with him on that one too. I really can't thank Becky and everyone enough for making it such a special night for me.

I am getting so so excited to have this baby!!

Halloween Decorating

I LOVE decorating for the holidays. There is something so exciting about opening up the box full of decorations and remembering all the fun stuff you have to make the holiday's more festive. This year was especially fun opening the boys' costumes from last year and seeing how stinking adorable they are. We have since added them to our dress up clothes. They are cleaned up every night and wind up back on the floor ever morning.

They are monsters, but still so cute. It's the perfect costume for these boys.

My new favorite Halloween Decoration/Souvenir from our Disney trip this year! Thanks Dad!!

I love Halloween. I love pumpkins, lights, candy, cutesy monsters and costumes. (I hate the gore and greatly wish that wasn't such a tradition for our culture.) But this holiday is filled with fun and imagination for children and I love it!