Baby GIRL on the way!!!

I haven't actually announced on here that we are pregnant again!  I am due January 22nd. It is a girl!!!  We are all excited, especially Jay who has been telling me for over a year that he wants a little sister. When I finally told him that we found out it IS a girl, he didn't flinch. He just said, "I already knew that."  haha. He still doesn't realize it could have just as easily been a boy!  Eli isn't quite as happy. He says "baby isn't going to live at our house."  He can't stand it when I hold Gavin so we may have difficult times ahead of of us!

Eli and Jay will get bunk beds and share a room. They are happy about that since they've been asking to share rooms for a while. Hopefully there won't be too many fights from that transition.

The pregnancy has been going well. It is very similar to the boys...I was very tired until the 13th week or so. No true morning sickness but just nauseated and weak. Now I have more energy but these boys sure can wear me out anyway!  I think I am just getting too old for this pregnancy thing!  I will be glad when its over!

We had the anatomy scan a few weeks ago and she looks perfectly healthy. She is very active and kicks a lot!  Jay was a kicker too so we may have another live wire on our hands!!  Jay even felt her kick the other day and loved it. He has been so sweet to me this time around. He constantly comes up and hugs my belly, asks if I need anything, and carries things for me. I was going through the thick of the 1st trimester fatigue during the summer when he was home all day and he was great then too. He would entertain Eli when I needed to rest and would bring me a drink or a blanket. It was very sweet. Yesterday he was busy building a machine that would lift my shoes up so, when "my belly gets big and fat", I won't have to bend over to put my shoes on. I was touched and insulted at the same time by that explanation.

Here are pictures of the boys over the last few months. So much for me trying to do this each month. Mom laughed at me because she said I didn't hardly put any pictures of Eli up last time, even after saying that I need to keep this up so he doesn't feel ignored! So I made sure to take more of him this time!

We went camping with some friends from SC. It was great seeing them again and the kids loved the mountains!

Pisgah Forest, NC

The kids ready for their hike!

Eli had the best ride!

We thought Jay looked like the cartel with his clothes, hat, and bandana...

He and Caleb took Buzz hostage (he now calls it his "cartel mask" ...probably not the best thing for a 5 year old to enjoy. ;)

Eli at the top of the mountain

It was so pretty up there, we loved escaping all this south Ga humidity!

snack time

Jay and Allie sharing a moment

These best buds sure did love being reunited!

Eli was wondering off into the mountain side I guess

Getting all the kids to pose was pretty impossible!

How I get good shots of the kids when Jay pouts and refuses to smile. Looks like they are having a sweet brother moment, ha!

Playing in the water at Wild Adventures

They love this part!

Look at those smiles!

Brave boy holding a python

Eli preferred the goats!

Chasing the animals in the petting zoo

Eli taking a train ride, very serious business

Dance off with Jay and the hula hoops

Eli at his first dentist exam!

He was skeptical but went along with it ok. It helped to see Jay in action first though!

Wild Adventures again!  We had several visits there this summer!

Eli's favorite part, riding the train, of course!

Cheezing

What a nap!

This was at the Tift Co Blue Devil kickoff party...Jay did a pretty good job for his first rock climb

If you zoom in on his face you will see his fear!  We tried to get him to go all the way but he decided he had gone high enough!

Sleeping on daddy

Singing with Papa in church!

Jay's first day of kindergarten!!  He is doing great and loves school. We were thrown a curve ball the first week because he didn't seem to know the letters on his placement test like he needed to. I was so anxious about that until I met with the teacher. After seeing where he had gone wrong, it was clear that he just got bored with naming off letters and stopped trying. I can already tell the challenge with him will be keeping his focus, even when he isn't interested. Wes said he was the same way in school so we aren't surprised. Also, you know how Jay is....he would rather talk your ear off than be quiet and learn something!  Ms Bridges says he is doing great though and is one of her higher learners...I am going to have to prep him the next test time though!  That is not the time to goof off!!

Obviously, I couldn't leave Eli out. He is in preschool at Mother's Love three times a week. He loves it too! And I love that his grandmother is the boss so I know he is being watched like a hawk! haha

Going into the school...Jay demanded to walk to his class by himself so I had to settle for a picture in the hall! It was a classic, "my child is getting too old too fast" moment!  Eli and I followed him from a distance until he walked into class. He is so independent!

2nd day, he graciously let me walk him all the way. This is his sweet teacher, Ms Bridges! We love her!

Taking advantage of the fact that he's not too cool to pose with his mama yet!

cool man walking down the street

Watching the Blue Devils!

Jay smiling for this one

By the end of the 3rd quarter he was falling asleep on the bleachers...time to leave!

Cute boys posing before school

Candy at the Agirama for this little piglet

Special breakfast for Jay for making "Bulldog of the Month'!

Here are all of the kindergarten bulldogs that month. Each teacher chose one student who stood out and Jay got it for August!  He was so proud and the school really made a big deal out of it so it was very special!  She chose him because he "is a good example for his classmates, always helps his classmates and is caring toward everyone" Also that he is a "good role model"....we were proud too!

Girlie parts and long legs!

This is early on, I think I was around 11 weeks

Homecoming parade...hands full of candy

Jay stopping to smile for me between candy throws

Silly boys

it took Eli a few times to catch on, but once he learned he had to grab up candy before they were gone he was bringing it back in handfuls!

Watching the marching band with best bud, Max

Quick trip to St Augustine with mom. She and Jay are walking to the beach

He found this gun and had to have it. He and Eli are going to be a sheriff and cowboy for halloween now!

It was rainy Sat afternoon so we went to the pirate museum.

driving the boat

scary pirate next to his treasure chest. Jay loved all of it. Eli held on to me for dear life and told Wes that "I don't like those pirates. They are scary."

Playing at the fort now, he is happy to be away from those mean pirates too!

We had to go back to the car so Jay could get his gun so he could defend the fort!

Playing in the yard yesterday. Notice Jay has on glasses!  He just got them and loves them. He started complaining of blurry vision a few months ago but I just thought he wanted glasses. (his buddy in pre-K had them so he wanted to wear them like Zachary). Wes examined them a few weeks ago and said he does have astigmatism in both eyes!  So we went ahead and got him some. At least we know a good eye doctor!

Bringing me some "cakes"!