Half Way!

I can't believe I'm already over 20 weeks....this pregnancy seems faster than the first one! =)

How Far Along: 20 weeks & 4 days

Size of baby: 7 inches long & 9.5 oz

Weight gain so far: 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Still in my regular clothes...tried on a pair of pants that have been too small for me since 2009. They fit...and I'm ok with this =) I'm just comparing how much bigger I seemed  the first time around to this time...its a big difference! Having a toddler to chase after really helps in the weight category...I guess I just basked in my first pregnancy, ate whatever I wanted & sat at a desk all day..haha 

Gender: Won't find out until August 14

Movement: Feeling movement & kicks on the outside a lot

Sleep: Pretty good! I have way more energy now & am going to need it!

 Symptoms: Feeling a lot better...still have a few little glitches to get over but I'm not sick..yay!

What I miss: Nothing pregnancy wise but we did find our kitty (Tinker Bell) a new home this past week. It's the first time in our married life that we haven't had a live in pet =(

Cravings: Pretty much anything...still gotta have my sprite & chocolate

Best Moment this week: Closing on a new house!

What I am looking forward to: Finally moving & setting up the new nursery & bedroom for Greyson

Mr. Bear (Bees) is very attached to Greyson these days...he had to be in the picture this week =)

We're Moving!

It's official....we are moving to a new house!

Talk about a whirl-wind month. We have had so many things happen I feel like everyday something new pops up. God sure has been surprising us this year!! First a baby, then a house...& all kinds of family news & issues in between. When it's all said & done, the timing couldn't be better...

Our Father always knows best =)

I love this house. It was our first & what we thought was our forever house! It was an older house in the cutest little circle ever...you know the ones where all the houses look similar. We made it our own & made so many memories here! Gmama painted a picture of this house for Greyson's first Christmas. He will always have that painting to remind him of where he was born & where he spent his first couple years. 

We are excited about what the future holds for our new location. We won't be far from where we are now which means we keep our jobs, our church, friends & doctors (yay!) 

Our new house

It is a house we can definitely grow into a lot easier & our new baby will probably always grow up here. We think this one is definitely IT...until we're old maybe =)

We have lots of space, a lake & other little perks that made us actually WANT to leave our first home & all the conveniences of being close to town...THAT will take some getting used to. I guess I'll just have to plan our timing better or we might be late for everything!

More importantly we are much much much closer to family. I know we will have to make some adjustments living father away from everything, but the memories we will have & make here will be worth it. I'd especially like continued prayer for my mother in law as she continues her battle with cancer. Being close to her will be an added bonus for her & the grandkids during this time & because of this, we know this is right where we are supposed to be. 

For now, we are spending the next month & a half getting things packed & moved. Our official move OUT date will be around September 9th...thankfully I'm not 8 months pregnant trying to do this. Like I said...the timing was perfect! Just pray we get everything done in time, that I can figure out moving WHILE showing our current house to potential buyers & that it will all go smoothly.

In other exciting news...I just had to share that my brother & sister in law closed on their very FIRST house just hours after us. After living in an apartment for a year, we have been so excited about the house they got (on a golf course) & it is beautiful! Unfortunately it is in Ohio (hehe)...BUT hopefully I will get to see it in a couple months.

I just LOVE this picture of them...the excitement of their very first home together!! Oh the memories they will make here =) I imagine they will move in as SOON as possible!

Needless to say it has been a very exciting past few days. Not without its ups & downs, but over all...

We are very blessed!

Birthday Buddies & Goodbyes

Kylee Alexis (one of Greyson's little "girl friends") had her 1st birthday party!

Since the day she was born, we have dubbed her with Owls. It only seemed fitting that they would also be the theme of her party. Everything was SOOOO cute!! 

The birthday girl wore a shirt, done by the talented Emily Powell

She had a headband/bow & matching tutu to complete her party outfit!

 Time to sing Happy Birthday! Greyson was super excited for cake & tried to wait as patiently as he could before he had a piece of his own =)

Presents are always so cute for one year olds...I had so much fun shopping for a little girl! =)

We also got to celebrate our good friend, Courtney's 26th birthday. She has been a great "addition" to our family (even if we aren't related) so we had to make sure we got her presents & cake =)

In other news, we said goodbye to one of our family members. We decided to find our kitty Tinker Bell a new home with a nice lady in our church. It kinda looks like we are praying with her as she moves to her new home! haha

With a new baby on the way & lots of things happening, we thought it was best for her to get more attention from someone else since she probably wouldn't get as much at our house. Greyson & I said our final goodbyes & gave her our last little pats.

We've had miss Tinky since we got married over 7 years ago. We will miss her a lot since she really was part of the family! She traveled with us everywhere & it was nice to have her keeping us company. When Greyson came along, her name was one of the first words he said & he asks about her frequently. I know she will be well taken care of & we can go over to visit her whenever we want =) She may be coming out on the higher end of the deal since she won't have a toddler grabbing her tail, throwing toys at her or playing too rough...she does look rather stressed! 

So far, I've heard good things from her new adoptive parents. They said she comes out of her shell a little more each day & seems to be fitting in nicely. Maybe as she gets older, she will appreciate the quietness of her new home instead of the LOUD, noisy one that she came from...which is about to get a little more noisy once the baby comes & adds crying to the mix =)

We will always love our little Tinker Bell!

18 Weeks!

Somebody wasn't very smiley today...=)

How Far Along: 18 weeks & 2 days

Size of baby: 5.5 inches long & 7.0 oz

Weight gain so far: 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Still in my regular clothes...even had to wear a belt with these pants!

Gender: Won't find out for another month

Movement: Lots more kicking these days...mainly because it's more noticeable

Sleep: Good! I still take naps when Greyson naps though =)

 Symptoms: Haven't been sick in awhile...crossing my fingers that I'm finally over it

What I miss: Nothing much at this point! I'm getting my energy back & feeling a lot better so things are good

Cravings: Just hungry for UNhealthy food...it's pizza at the moment! I had it for lunch & I feel like eating it again for supper

Best Moment this week: Matt getting to see the baby kick (not feel it yet) but we saw beanie baby moving for sure

What I am looking forward to: Our trip to Idaho next week! 

Fun in July

Greyson was invited by our neighbor to go to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory one day. She was taking her 2 grandsons & thought they would enjoy going & eating some ice cream too.

It was fun to see how the ice cream was made but our favorite part was eating it at the end =)

One evening we went with daddy to pick up our horse at another farm he'd been staying at. Greyson loved checking out the new horses, but he calls them all "Zeke" =)

Of COURSE it wouldn't be summer without some fun in the water! This year we got out our waterpillar & the kids had a blast playing in it.

We got to spend 4th of July celebrating Independence Day at our friends house. Neil & Courtney had some other couples over & we had so much fun hanging out. 

Courtney made this adorable fruit cake- Greyson probably ate all the blue berries & stars =)

She also had little individual cakes for each person. So cute!

We spent the afternoon with them, & then took Greyson to the fire works that night. We were in Pennsylvania last year so he didn't get to see any so this was his first experience. He loved them! My pictures weren't that great, but he had fun & I'm just glad we got to do that with him.

The rest of the week, we spent the evenings at our church camp. We had a good time of fellowship with friends & the services were outstanding. I always enjoy getting to go & spend that time together. 

We are looking forward to our trip to Idaho next week to see our family & meet baby Karleigh! Lots going on this summer, but it sure is fun =) 

See Me Grow!

Greyson is helping me hold a little sign this time around...sort of...

We need to practice standing still long enough for daddy to take a NON blurry picture =) The sign says, 16 weeks/ Baby is the size of an avocado!

How Far Along: 16 weeks & 3 days

Size of baby: 4.5 inches long & 3.5 oz

Weight gain so far: 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes: None needed but I did wear one maternity shirt during our Arkansas trip because it's one of my favorites!

Gender: Won't find out until week 21

Movement: Lots of somersaults & tiny kicks but not enough to feel on the outside yet

Sleep: Great so far! I felt more aches & pains in the beginning but after the 1st trimester, I've been fine

 Symptoms: Still sick from time to time. Way different this time around than with Greyson...I was never nauseous but got sick about 5 times from week 7 til 11. This time, I'm still never nauseous but I got sick for the first time at 5 weeks & every week or 2, I get sick again. Sometimes it's just one time a day & sometimes it's more! I'm thinking this should be ending soon...I was hoping to be done before the 2nd trimester hit...o well!

What I miss: Everything is still pretty normal...I'm just trying to do more special things with Greyson before the new baby comes!

Cravings: No real cravings for anything in particular but after switching to "clean eating" in January, all that changed when I became pregnant. I went back to drinking sprite, eating lots of sweets & Matt has picked up a burger for me here & there...=)

Best Moment this week: Able to feel the baby move a lot more! Especially when we ate ice cream at the Blue Bell Factory =)

What I am looking forward to: Greyson & daddy getting to feel the baby move 

This is how he prefers to hold it =)

Weekend in Hot Springs!

Near the end of June, we met Matt's parents for a little weekend getaway in Hot Springs, AR. My father in law makes sales calls out there & in Texas for their business. He's been working that area for years & used to take his family when Matt was a little boy. They always stayed at the same condo complex until recently they finally bought one of their own. Now whenever they don't use it, they rent it out & one of the perks is letting us use it when we want to make a trip up there. Matt & I spent our 5 yr anniversary there when I was pregnant with Greyson & had a great time. 

 This time we got to go together so we rented another condo a few spaces down & spent our time together boating, swimming, visiting downtown Hot Springs & of course...eating!

Breakfast in the condo...with a view!

Downtown Hot Springs & visit to the Gangster Museum- Matt & Leslie's father's day gift

Playing in the creek that Matt played in when he was little

Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant on the water

Pool fun!

Breakfast at the Pancake Shop!

 Afternoon on the lake =)

Sunday morning church =)

 Back at the creek Sunday afternoon

 Time to go home!

 Thankful for a fun & relaxing weekend. Maybe next time we go to Hot Springs, I won't be pregnant =)