Final countdown.

So, 10 days and counting until my due date! Everything is in line, finally. The house is in order, baby stuff is washed and out, doula is ready to go, Mrs. Mary is on call to watch the boys, Matt is in town and I am feeling great!

I am not sure what has been so different about this pregnancy but wow, it has been different. Is it the altitude of living in Colorado, me being just a bit older, having two other children to care for........I am not sure but it has been more challenging. I have been more tired and feel everything! With Luke and Eli I never really got contractions prior to going into labor and now I am feeling them all the time. I have also not had the energy I am used to, for a girl that likes to get things done this is not a good thing. One minor break down to Matt though and he put it all into perspective- you are doing just fine! I am. With about a week left (and I predict this fellow will make his entrance on May 6th) I am preparing to have the most amazing and wonderful birth experience yet! Oh and we still have no idea on a name- James and Jacob are still holding the top spots but no decision has been made.

I just can't wait to meet you Little Guy!

Mrs. Mary

We were lucky enough to cross paths with Mrs. Mary about a year ago and persuaded her to come and help me with the kiddos. Originally, she would come over two mornings a week for two hours so I could slip out and run an errand or get a work out in. A few months into it, Matt and I discussed the fact that we needed a little better work and life balance. Our weekends seemed to be filled to the brim with errands, haircuts, grocery shopping, work for him, just regular life stuff. We decided at that point we needed a little more sanity and the best way to get that was for me to help him with his work and to have Mary come more often.

What a life changer this was........some weeks I helped Matt, other weeks were full of meetings with housing contractors, going through closing paperwork on the house or midwife appointments for the baby but we have enjoyed so much quality time together as a family come Saturday and Sunday.

Mary is just so wonderful. The boys adore her, she is creative and loving. I never hesitate to ask her for advice on parenting (having raised two wonderful children herself), she is a wonderful cook and good person. We are so better for having her in our lives! So, she is my secret weapon with this 3rd kiddo. With no family around this time I am feeling a bit overwhelmed but with Mary around it all seems more manageable. A real life Mary Poppins.

Goodbye 3, HELLO 4!

This was Luke's favorite saying on his 4th Birthday! So hard to believe it is here. I am a bit reminiscent with the baby coming and all but can this sweet, little boy already be 4, truly! I can not believe it.

For his birthday he received a two wheel bike. Let me tell you- the kid was up and riding the same day he got it! The trick- the Skuut. He mastered balancing on the Skuut and after 15 minutes of learning to pedal with training wheels we took them off and there he went. We are still learning to break but the little dare devil sees no reason to slow down. He and Matt have done a few "trails" around here- small dirt paths- and he rings that bell like it is nobodies business. All he wants to do is RIDE!

We also celebrated by inviting his best bud, Dylan, to Chuck E Cheese and then hitting up Tokyo Joes afterward for lunch and cake.

I love watching his personality develop. He is inquisitive and asks questions all day long. His sense of humor will make me smile most any day. During his 4 year check up at the doctor the nurse was doing his eye exam. She was at the last line of pictures that were extremely small, wanting to know what the object was. Luke replied with, "Excuse me but do you think you can move that a bit closer so I can take a look." She and I both busted out laughing. He loves to rough house with Eli, never missing an opportunity to get a jab or elbow in but will always follow up with a kiss to a boo boo. His memory is amazing and providing details to stories is his forte.

Happy Birthday sweet Luke. I know I tell you every night but I thank God each and every day for giving me such a wonderful and amazing son!!

Another big day!

The first part of our Florida trip was to celebrate another BIG DAY! My sister, Jamie's Spa/Bachelorette Party. She wanted something low key and intimate so a spa day at the Don Cesar was perfect.

Matt and the kidddos hung out at the pool with my dad and brother while we treated ourselves to massages and a rooftop lunch overlooking the ocean. Beautiful and amazing, just like my sister.

We stayed at a hotel on the beach and the kiddos loved the pool. Jex and the girls joined us and the boys just loved that. Funny enough, we could not go on the beach as Eli would not touch his toes in the sand. You would set him down and he would just balance on his bum not letting his feet or hands touch the ground and cry. So, the pool it was with lots of laughs!

Ah, what a trip!

The Big Day!

Not ready just yet for the baby but we had another BIG DAY! Matt's niece, Samantha, got married in Florida.....what a day (actually week) to remember. Matt's family flew in from California and Pittsburgh and we hadn't seen so many of them in years, it was a treat. Lucky for us, the wedding was held April 2nd with my last allowable day to fly being the 3rd- just in time!

Just like all weddings they had their fair share of the unexpected- the limo got in an accident the day before and they had to find a new company, the photographer had a family emergency and needed to be replaced but the day could not have turned out any better. Tears of joy from a beautiful ceremony, swells of pride as Luke walked down the aisle as the "ring barrier" and sweat from dancing the night away (with plenty of braxton hicks contractions to remind me to tone it down) made it a day to remember.

Luke LOVES his Aunt Dana!

Ready to make his appearance.

Grams and Pax.

Eli would not leave the dance floor. The boy has rhythm and a killer smile- such a little heart breaker. He also loves to give "tisses" and was more than willing to smooch the pretty ladies.

Dad and his boys!

Congratulations to Samantha and Josh, cheers to many years of love and happiness!