A Visit from the Genta's

I know that I've already commented on how blessed we are to have great friends, but we really do!  I think it is more because of Shawn - because really who doesn't love Shawn?, but we recieved another much appreciated visit from our friends Broc and Amber Genta.  All the way from Idaho - these two came to see us (and the NYC!) We were so glad to spend time with them this weekend.  Eating some yummy food, and laughing way too much is a sure sign that your weekend was great.  Shawn and Broc are old high school besties, and we've had some fun times with them since getting married 10 years ago.
Thanks Broc and Am-Bam for coming and visiting us. We wish you lived closer!


In other ground breaking news:  Sam lost his first tooth on TOP!  WooHoo!  It is quite the gap and considering how the bottom teeth are coming in, it looks like we'll need some killa dental insurance in the near future!  We were so glad to get this out, since was hanging by a thread for 2 days prior and driving me CRAZY!

Lately Lyv has been so fun especially during the 2 hours we have just me and her.  We've painted nails, played babies, dressed up, and stared at how pretty she is in the mirror each morning after doing her hair.  I love this new found "girl" awareness.  I could still do without the girl drama/emotional breakdown/ cry over everything tantrums, but I guess I have to take the good with the bad.   

She came out with these two "outfits" - all of her own creation.  They were too funny! the one with the Buzz Lightyear bag, she was wearing a cowboy hat sideways, and looked like an old prospector.  She had a blood pressure cuff and came in to take our blood pressure.  She then starts singing the Doc McStuffins songs "I feel better" after curing us of our diseases.

What's in a Name?

Baby boy Summers is still nameless.  To be quite frank this is driving me crazy.  While scrubbing the toilet I go through variations of names. While lying in bed at night I try different combinations of names we've already talked about and put on the back burner.  While cooking, while showering, while sweeping the floor, while reading books and watching movies or t.v. I try to spot new names that haven't occured to me before!  It is becoming quite a tasking job!

So what is in a name?  For me a name is foundationally important.  To quote the famous Julianne Hill, (AKA my mother) "Remember WHO YOU ARE" - my name constantly reminds me of who I am.  We gave Sam, Jack and Olyvia names with purpose, attachment, and meaning - so when they think of their names they will remember who they are, what is expected of them, and hopefully of those people who share that name and love them dearly.  

The fact that little man continues to be nameless is haunting me.... but until the right name comes, here are some pictures I've failed to post of ultrasounds we've had.  I went to my final ultrasound on the Sept. 19, and the doctor said that the lesion of concern was GONE!  So no more visits - and just a very active and healthy boy.  The tech also indicated that the baby is probably around 4.8 lbs.  This scares me because I'm afraid I'm going to have a 12 lb. baby by November 8th.  That will not fly, so me and the baby might be going on a diet!)  

Here's some of the 3-D images of his face.  He has a tendency to put his hands by his face so some images were blocked by hands and even a foot as in the 2nd picture.  I keep thinking he looks like Jack - but then I get a glimpse of Sam, so we'll see.

 Here are some 20 week pictures of his toes and his profile that I love!

A week of 1st's

The BIG day finally arrived.  After a late start, Jack finally packed his back pack into Hurley Nursery School to commence his first day in school, and he couldn't be happier!  He was so excited.  He marched inside with the confidence of a 4 year old, and didn't look back.

 Lyv was not about to be left out of the action and insisted that she was going to preschool too.  She wore her backpack, and cried crocodile tears as I had to force her out the door, and back into the car.  She LOVES her brothers, and she and Jack have developed quite a friendship.  I know that she misses being with them, but we had a week of "girl" time and I loved it!  We watched Sleeping Beauty, sewed the baby's blanket, read books, played babies and .... had our first ever Girl's Playdate!!!

 Kennedi, Lyv's dearest friend here in New York came to play.  The two of them really play better than any other kids I've ever seen.  They just laugh at each other, and move from baby to baby, toy to toy so happy to be with each other.

 Jack also got to celebrate his birthday in with his class this week.  He brought in two favorites: Rootbeer Cupcakes and Chocolate Milk to share, and came out with the biggest smile on his face, donning his birthday sticker and hat!  He was so excited - they sang Happy Birthday and even lit a candle for him to blow out.

 Finally Sam had his 1st soccer game of the 2012 season.  He is on the Lime team also known as the "GATORS".  His coach is great and we look forward to a fun year.  He played goalie toward the end of the game and a did a great job there!

 Jack's camera skills - getting a picture of Shawn taking a fabulous film footage of him!

Jack's Carnival Party

Because we'll be moving next year, I decided that this last year in New York we'd throw a birthday party for all of the kids with the friends they have made the past three years.  Jack's birthday theme: CARNIVAL PARTY!  I kind of had to coax this out of him because the only thing we wanted for his birthday was cake that looked like a Rootbeer.  I thought it might be a stretch to plan a whole party based on Rootbeer. So Carnival it was.  It turned out really well and minus a mini down pour all went well.

 Shawn and I transformed the garage into a carnival complete with all sorts of games: Marble Track Race (Jack's Favorite! - seriously this is the best/cheapest/easiest toy ever, my kids have been playing it a ton!)

 

Funny Photo Booth (Latin Princess)

Sharp Shooter Range

Bean Bag Toss

Ring Toss

Shawn was the official Sno Cone Maker - I told him I'd only accept one with a smile, just like the girls who work at Snoasis in Idaho!)

 Jack blowing out his candles

We pigged out on carnival food: corn dogs, kettle corn, watermelon, apples with carmel dip, snow cones, and of course the cake and Rootbeer Float cupcakes!  We had fun with friends and that is always the best part of the evening. This was the parting shot - such a beautiful sunset.  

Lyv is a Girl... I think?

One day Jack noted that one of his brothers was a girl: Lyv!  Since having Lyvie I have tried to get her to love girly things: babies, jewelry, purses, shoes, princesses, etc...  She simply refused to like these things.  I think a lot of this was due to the fact that the boys don't have any interest in these things either.  Going to Idaho opened her eyes to other girls, especially girl cousins that love pretty things, girly things, and yes, they might have feminized our Lyv.  I have really enjoyed this new awakening and get a kick out of her loving "Pretty" things: this was her going to bed wear:THEN.... just as I think I've finally gotten the girl I always wanted she's back with the boys catching frogs, wrestling, playing beyblades, and oh yeah playing working on her mechanic skills but testing out the exhaust pipe on the Jetta and THEN..... becoming a girl again by using the soot as make-up!   What a little stinker!

I asked Jack if I should sell Lyvie to the zoo and he said to my surprise, "No I love her!"  Me too Jack, Me too!

Jack's 4th Birthday

Jack has been looking forward to turning 4 for a very long time.  4 means that he gets to go to Preschool.  4 means that he is a "big" boy and gets to play t-ball this year. This year 4 also meant that he got Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease!  Yikes.... all three of our kids got this crazy coxsackie virus and broke out with blisters on their feet and hands.  We were lucky that it wasn't too severe especially with blisters in their mouths, they all continued to eat well.  In retrospect I feel like a moron that is took us so long to clue into what it was, but they had no other symptoms, and acted normal.

However because of this Jack wasn't able to start preschool yet - He'll start on Monday.  I'm so glad this happened to Jack.  He has such an easy going temperament that he just accepted that this was the way it was and went on his way, content to wait a few more days.

Again because Jack is Jack his birthday was full of rather mundane and unimpressive requests.  We started the day off with breakfast of Life cereal, then hit up the Dollar Store (this is the only place he wanted to use his birthday money - I offered more appealing choices like Target or Toys R Us, but the Dollar Store won out!).  I was going to allow him four or five picks since it is the Dollar store but after finding a pack of marbles, some bubble gum Mentos, and a fishing pole that was on clearance, he was sure that he could not possibly want anything more.  I did coax him to go to Barnes and Noble and we found another treasure there, and then we dined on the fine cuisine of McDonald's.  Jack got a little wild and crazy mixing it up by choosing a Dr. Pepper instead of Rootbeer. Later that night we went to Sam's soccer practice where all Jack asked to do was play in the trees there - easy.  Finally we finished the night off with a dinner of shrimp and pasta, his one luxury item.

His favorite part of the day was opening up his presents - he has many people who called, sent, or texted birthday wished his way!  Lyv and Sam were excited to give Jack candy corn, balloons you can make into animals, and handcuffs.  His favorite gift: a Sno-Cone maker!  We made a pina colada snow cone and life couldn't have been sweeter!

The boys have shared a room since Jack was 10 months old.  As we prepare for the new baby, this will be the last month that they will share a bed. I checked on the boys the other night and witnessed how close they are - even when they sleep.  Sam was actually turned facing Jack but had turned when I came back in.  There is something great about brothers....

30 Weeks

I feel a little neglectful that I haven't really reported anything on my pregnancy other than the gender.  I'm 30 weeks, and don't have a lot of pictures of my belly, which now looking back I'm sad about.  This is the most recent most complete belly shot - pretty poor showing.  Here's somethings about baby boy #3 pregnancy:

He is a mover and a shaker!  The little man literally does gymnastics in my belly and the kids get the biggest kick out of seeing my belly contort and move.

During his 20 week ultrasound the tech noticed a "spot" in the baby's abdomen and we were sent to a neonatal ultrasound specialist.  The spot continues to be a mystery, but not a worry.  It has been called a gallbladder, stool, and most recently an enlarge rectum....all of which are nothing to be worried about.  

However I continue to go into the doctor every month just to monitor the situation.  

I have seen Baby Boy 5 times and with a different tech each time - and everyone comments on how "active" he is.  To which I just nod and laugh, because he's making their job a little more difficult than usual.  I have loved seeing him as often as I have, and especially getting the 4-D pictures.  This next one should really show us who he looks like!

I am experiencing a lot more physical symptoms with this pregnancy which has created this huge sense of awe in any woman who has more than 4 children!  I just don't know if I can do this again.  I'm not ruling it out because I'm not sure that I'm done, but as of 30 weeks.... I feel like this pregnancy might cause me to throw in the towel.  My feet are swollen, and I have a HUGE spider vein that looks like someone took a bat to me.  I feel like I should be elevating my feet more than anything else I do all day. But on the plus.... my blood pressure rocks!!! The only thing I look forward to when I go into my check up is seeing how low it remains!    

The kids are sooooo excited about having another baby - but we all wished we had a name chosen.  I don't know why but we can't find a name that just feels right.  This is so strange for me because with the other three, their were Sam - Jack - Olyvia from conception!  It just felt that way, not this little guy!  

I'm super excited to have another boy - I thought I might be disappointed to not have the perfect two and two situation that I always dreamed of, but I love little boys, and Lyv!  It just seems right.

Finally I'm admittedly anxious about having 4 kiddos.  I feel like there are times when I've got things pretty much under control, and then life unravels before my eyes, fingers are caught in doors, kids are sick, we're out of milk and bread, its 3 p.m. and I haven't showered! I just need to start working on taking life one day at a time, and for those of you who know what a planner I am.... I'm not good at living in the moment! (Unless its been on the calendar for a month)  

Apple Picking

 
Our first year in New York we discovered Dubios Farms and fell in love with the honey crisp apples and the grounds of these farms.  On Labor Day we visited the farm for our last time and it was probably my favorite visit.  The apples were on early this year because of the warm temperatures - and we filled two bags to the brim.  Shawn felt like quite the man with his apple picker, and the kids were a little too helpful finding apples (some that weren't quite ripe) to add to our baskets.

The weather was perfect, and it wasn't crowded at all.  The owners of this farm are incredibly nice and each time I feel "the love".  This year they offered to drive me around on the golf cart... I'd like to think it was because I'm so attractive, but I think the protruding pregnant belly had more to do with it!

 After apple picking, we headed down to the playhouses - a miniature school house, a jail, a barn, etc. and watched the kiddos run back and forth between them.  Lyv loved to peek-a-boo through the windows of each house and say "I'm here!"  Then we saw the goats, ponies, chickens, and sheep.  The goats were really friendly and would taste anything the kids would offer.

 We rode the wagon back to the car pulled by the John Deere tractor - Jack loved this because it wasn't too fast, and enjoyed fresh out of the fryer apple cider donuts!  Wow! They were pretty much melt in your mouth amazing...  It was a perfect way to say goodbye to apple picking in the Empire State.