Long time...No post...Allergies, Weight loss and Baby update..

It's been a long time since I've logged in to post. Annslee has started kindergarten and is almost 6 years old!!! Addison is 4, and started her last year in preschool this year. She asks daily when she starts kindergarten. She desperately wants to be in the same building as Annslee (she's not the only one!). Alivia has FINALLY started talking! She uses a new word every day. She turns 2 in a month. I can't believe it's already been two years. Even harder to believe, is that Arielle is almost 9 months old. Pretty soon she will be crawling and getting into everything! She jabbers up a storm, waves by, gives slobbery kisses and loves being held! These girls are my life and I'm so blessed by my God that I'm able to stay home with them, even if some days it doesn't feel like a blessing. Ha! Marshall recently started a new job, working for a church member doing construction, he loves it. He gets to do a lot more than just drive a truck and I think that's beneficial to him, physically and emotionally. :)

When school started on Aug 19, 2013, I started a exercise journey. Today, marks 3 weeks since my start and I feel better than ever. I can definitely tell on days I miss exercising. I've only missed one weekday since I started and I've been using Sunday as my off day since things are hectic anyway. The scale only shows a few pounds lost but I know i've lost more in inches and gained muscle. I can tell in my pictures that I've lost inches and that means more than a blasted number on a scale anyway. I'll preserve on and continue with my goal to be more HEALTHY and fit for a life long time instead of skinny and on a diet all the time.


I wanted to write more but Annslee's coughing and asking to use her updraft machine. Blasted allergies in the air have my kids sinuses all messed up...especially hers. :( She's still allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, shellfish and fish....We plan to have blood retested in a few days at her next appointment. Although, I'm not getting my hopes up, I know that my God is bigger than her allergies and should he see fit for her to no longer be allergic, she wouldn't. Until then, we try to stay on top of her asthma, and allergies to keep her stable. I pray that God would cure her of her allergies and yet, remain thankful that her situation isn't more serious than it is. As I hear more and more kids becoming allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, I wish that I had blogged about my experience from learning about her allergies to coping and adjusting. Just like staying healthy and fit, is a lifestyle change, so is learning to deal with allergies. It wasn't a easy or smooth road, but I'm thankful to say we survived the learning phases....no scratch that, we are STILL learning about her allergies. It's a daily struggle and each day brings new worries but we trust that God will keep her safe.

Expecting...Again. :)

To mine and Marshall's complete SURPRISE, we foud out recently that we are expecting again! We found out April 25th. I had a faint line on a pregnancy test the weekend before, so I had blood work done at work that Wednesday. And POSITIVE! It was a COMPLETE shock!

I'm now 21 weeks today. I had an ultrasound last week and baby was growing right on schedule. It was no surprise that this baby is a girl too! We are uber excited. :) Her name is Arielle Joy. The girls are ecstatic! Every time I go to work and come home they ask me if I've gotten the baby out yet. Haha!

Catching Up...

I can't believe that I haven't posted since August! A LOT has happened! Addison went from wearing pull ups at night to wearing panties! I wish I had a video of her the first night we surprised her with the news. She strutted through the house to her bedroom and proudly exclaimed, "I get to wear panties. To BED!" Annslee has gotten over her crying spells at church and school and is more independent than before that phase happened! Yay! OH! Alivia was born! October 4, 2011, by repeat ceaseran section. She weighed 6 lbs and 10 oz and was 17.5 inches long! Short little and skinny little booger! :) Today, she's three months old and has to weigh at least 12.5 lbs and I'd guess close to 24 inches long. I plan to weigh and measure her tonight when I get home from work. Yep, I'm back to work part-time but I'm working full time hours until they get shifts and nurses straightened out. Which has been GREAT!! Logging has slown down and Marshall's boss is awesome about working rain, flood, snow, cold, hot but they can't control the mills, plus the holidays with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's all in the same time of the year. SO, I applied for a PRN (part time) position at Bradley County Medical Center and I'm loving working again. I love that I could put nursing knowledge to use outside the house and that I can get outside the house. I have also found I am a much better mom when I get a few hours a week away. :) That said, I MISS MY BABIES!

Alivia is three months old today, she's been truly smiling since right before 2 months old. She has a favorite blanket that she sleeps with already! And she loves to sleep with that blanket over her head. She prefers me rocking her to sleep vs her daddy or anyone else for that matter. She also loves to snuggle! She holds her head up well and loves to sit in her jumperoo that she got for Christmas. We got her a rock and play for Christmas, to sleep in since she was outgrowing her bassinet and she sleeps soooo much better in it. It hugs her like snuggling with me would and the head is elevated.

Since I've been working Annslee goes over to her best friend's house in the mornings and after school and she completely loves that! Ha! I think her friend loves it just as much!

The girls got TONS for Christmas! :) TONS! Annslee's 4th Birthday is coming up in almost less than one month!! She says she wants a Minie Party...we shall see what she says next week. Of course, there's no going back once I buy decorations! :)

BIG Milestone!

Addison is potty trained!! On Aug 26th, Addison took to the potty and started peeing in the potty like a pro. We kept her in pull ups when we were out of the house, for just in case accidents but she's done so great since then! She's only had a few accidents since then and I. AM. SO. PROUD. OF. HER! I pray that she doesn't regress once Alivia gets here but we've explained to her that all the diapers we have now is for Alivia. She still sleeps in a pull up and most mornings wakes up dry. On the mornings that she wakes up wet, she's very upset about it but I try to explain to her that it's okay. She's grown up SOOO very fast! Until just a few days ago, she was having poop accidents but my mom and I decided that she recognized the urge but didn't quite get how to control it like she did peeing. She'd tell us she had to go poop but never did anything and then shortly after leaving bathroom, we'd find poop in her panties. She's gotten A LOT better a controlling that in the last few days and hasn't had any more accidents with that! :)

We had tried several times since she turned 2 to potty train her. I have fully decided that kids will train themselves when THEY are ready. I can't be ready for her, she had to be ready to it herself! I remembered being so frustrated with her and myself when potty training her was failing miserably because I was ready and she wasn't. Once I stopped trying to "force" her to potty in the potty, she took too it like she'd been doing it all her life. Annslee and Addison both potty trained like that and I plan to use the same method with Alivia. It's a lot less stressful on both the parents and the kids. :)
I can't believe my baby is growing up sooooo very fast! She's about to be a BIG sister and I can't wait to watch her adapt to that new role. God has definitely blessed us with amazing kids!

VBS, 3D Ultrasound and School

We had VBS at our church August 1-5 and the kids had a BLAST! We did "Backstage with the Bible" from the Go Fish Guys. If you haven't ever heard of them, check out their website, www.gofishguys.com  because they are AWESOME! It's been a month plus and we are still listening to Bible school songs in the car and at home! :) Each day was a different lesson and it all build up to the last lesson, "Saved by Grace through Faith."

We had our 3D ultrasound the Saturday following VBS and the little stinker didn't want to cooperate! We didn't get a good picture at all because she was "locked and loaded" down in my pelvis!! I went back a week later to see if she'd turned a little so we could at least get one shot...and that's all we got...one shot! Haha! Shortly after she took the first photo, she turned again! Little stinker! :) She was measuring a week a head at the time. So we estimate her to weigh 6.5-8.5 lbs at birth!

Annslee started school on August 15, 2011. The first week went great! She had a few rough mornings at drop off but had fun during the day. Every week since that first week has gone better and better! Thursday mornings are our worst mornings because she ususally doesn't get in bed until way later than normal! We usually get to bed around 7:30-8 and then on Wednesday's we don't get in bed until 9 or so, but it's all an adjustment for her and us. She's also started crying when we get to church, I haven't a clue what that's about but I ask that you guys pray we figure out what's going on so we can fix it. I know that on Sunday's, her class has moved up to a different teacher so I think that's what that is about but I'm not sure what crying on Wednesday's is about...except that she's moved up in there too...but it's all the same teachers...just a different class and routine. :)

As of today, I have 19 days left until my c-section. I'm getting excited, nervous, anxious and beyond ready to meet the little booger that's been kicking me, making me sick and fatter!

Catching up...

LOTS has happened since I last posted! We found out at the end of April that we are having ANOTHER girl! :) I'm 28 weeks today so in TWO weeks we will have our 3D ultrasound and I'm so excited. I can't wait to see what she looks like!

Her name will be Alivia Hope! She is expected to arrive in 77 days! HOLY MOLY! I can't wait to meet her! And neither can her sisters! :) 

Addison turned 2 on May 20th. We celebrated her birthday here at the house with family and close friends! The kids had a blast! Her favorite gift was her Minnie Mouse stuffed "baby doll" and Minnie Mouse bathing suit! :) And her Minnie Mouse earrings from momma and daddy! See a theme yet? She has grown so much from birth! She weighed 24 lbs and 29 inches long at her 2 year check-up. A couple days ago, she weighed 29 lbs and was 31.5 inches tall! She is talking up a storm! She can pretty much say ANYTHING she wants to and does...anything she wants! Haha! Her and Annslee get along great, for the most part, but I think every sibling has their moments! They love each other and don't like being apart for very long! Addison is VERY protective of her sister, even when the need isn't there. The other night at church, Addison went to class with me and Annslee and everytime another child would play with Annslee, Addison would walk over and say "Leave my sister alone!" Pointing her finger the whole time, and while it's adorable, I tried to explain that I love that she is protective but as long as Annslee is laughing and smiling she doesn't have to be mean or her sister will never keep friends! She LOVES talking to Alivia..even though I don't know if she actually "gets" that their is an actual baby in my belly! We've been talking about her for so long, I think she thinks we are nuts! Haha! I can't wait to see how she reacts to Alivia when she gets here! 

New Ride...a must

Our family is going from two kids and two adults to three kids and two adults ALL the time now, and four kids and two adults, half the time.....soooo instead of buying gas for two vehicles and driving two vehicles everywhere our family goes because our little car wouldn't hold us anymore just didn't seem like the smart thing to do. So on April 9th, Marshall and I traded in our 2005 Corolla for a 2005 Chevy Tahoe. It seats 8! Not only will it carry our family but other people can ride with us places!! Woo Hoo! So far, I'm very satisfied with it. I really, really wanted to stay with a Toyota and get a Toyota Sequioa but that just wasn't in our budget. I'll get that later on in life when I'm back to working full time and I'm taxi-ing my kids around to their different events!

3rd row!

Sunroof!

Napier's New Ride!

While we were in Hot Springs to purchase a new vehicle, we had friends that were up there for the weekend enjoying the beautiful weather. So we joined them at the lake house and took a ride on their boat and enjoyed some great fellowship! We even went out to eat with them....even though Baby A did NOT like the meal! *Sigh*