Kleppe Family

One is so much FUN!

2011-05-27T15:17:00.001-05:00

Our sweet Paisley Addison turned ONE on May 19th! This year has truly FLOWN by! Paisley is such a sweet baby and we love her more than words can express. She brings so much joy into our hearts and lives and we couldn't imagine life before her! I will post her birthday pictures and some highlights from her first year soon! I did take her to her 1 year well check up and wanted to post her stats before I lost the paper. :) Ha! Even if no one reads this blog, this is my way to archive our families special memories! Happy Birthday precious P! I can't wait to watch your personality flourish over this next year! You truly are an angel baby! We love you so, so much!!!

Paisley Addison Kleppe

1 Year Stats....

Weight: 22 lbs 11 oz.

Height: 28 1/2 inches

My Pre K Graduate

2011-05-27T10:06:00.000-05:00

Last week my baby girl turned 1 years old, my middle baby boy moved to the 3 year old class at school and my big baby boy graduated from Pre K!! Where is the time going??!! A few weeks ago, I pulled the graduation invitation out of Logan's folder and tears began flowing down my eyes. On one hand I was thrilled that he would be participating in a Pre K graduation, but on the other hand, I couldn't believe it was really happening. I seriously felt like it was yesterday he was Paisley's age and I was dropping him off at Mrs. Amy's house. Being a working mommy, I didn't get the opportunity to stay at home with him, but every year God has provided a wonderful caregiver to nurture and teach my little boy. When Logan was 3 we moved him to The First United Methodist Church in Denton, for him to start preschool. He had been staying at in home daycare with wonderful people while he was a baby, but we felt like he needed a more "school" environment for him to learn in as he got older. We immediately fell in love with this school. The teachers were Godly women who provided a loving and developmentally appropriate place for my child to learn and grow in. Logan not only learned his ABC's and 123's, he learned more about the love of Jesus. He attended Chapel and prayed during his day. I feel like it was a wonderful foundation for him. He made great friends and learned how to be a respectful and kind person. He is more than ready and prepared for his Kindergarten year! As I say goodbye to my preschooler, I am a proud mama of the person he has become in the last 5 years! I am also excited about the more time I will get to spend with him in elementary school and look forward to watching him blossom as a Pecan Creek Bear!! I love you so much Logan Miller Kleppe! You make mommy and daddy so proud!!

Mama's Boys

2011-04-21T20:27:00.000-05:00

"Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails.

That's what little boys are made of!"

Logan Miller Kleppe 5 Years

Weight: 40.4 (50%tile)

Height: 43 3/4 (75%tile)

Spencer Russell Kleppe 3 Years

Weight 34.6 (75%tile)

Height 39.25 (75-90 % tile)

It Rocks to be 3!

2011-04-20T14:06:00.000-05:00

My sweet middle love, turned 3 on April 3rd! Spencer has been anticipating his birthday, since his brother had his back in February. He kept telling us, that he wanted to have a bouncy house for his birthday. Of course grandpa got wind of this and wanted to make his wishes come true. I knew I wanted to have the party at our house this year and invite all of Spencer's school and family friends to the party. I was just a little concerned about planning an outside birthday at the beginning of April. I could just picture lots of rain and a bunch of 3 year olds in my house! :) But, I prayed about it for weeks and when the day finally arrived, the weather was just PERFECT, (ok maybe a little windy, but we could deal with that!) Spencer is usually not my child who needs to be the center of attention, (that would be Logan,) but you could tell the moment everyone arrived to celebrate his day, he felt very SPECIAL! I think it helped having it in his environment, where he felt comfortable. He also was SO excited that his best buds from school were actually at his house. The party went very well. The kids bounced, blew bubbles, rode toys, played with bouncy balls, drew with side walk chalk, ate popsicles, ran around and ate cake. It was very low key, but just perfect for my little man. And, we all LOVED celebrating with our sweet boy too! Happy Birthday again little man! Thank you for always brightening our days! You definitely keep us on our toes and give us MANY laughs! Our home wouldn't be the same without you! Love you to the moon and back! Can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with you!! (Spencer's 3 year old stats coming soon!)

Texas Tradition

2011-04-10T17:25:00.002-05:00

Zany Zoo

2011-03-25T22:10:00.001-05:00

I seriously love the zoo and especially the Fort Worth zoo. But, I didn't know that Spring Break was NOT the time to go if you don't like crowds. It was SUPER packed, we parked miles from the gate, we waited in line for most everything, we walked shoulder to shoulder with people and strollers all day and looked at more heads than animals. But, with all that being said the boys had a BLAST and Logan even said it was "the best day ever!" So even though I felt like I had been run over by a train when the day was finished, it was all worth it because the kids had fun. :) Plus, my sweet mom drove my nieces 2 1/2 hours to come spend the day with us at the zoo, (see it could have been worse for me!) The boys LOVED seeing and playing with their cousins all day and creating such sweet memories. I just wish we lived closer, so they could see them more often. The boys are already asking me when can we go back to the zoo??!! I do look forward to going back too, but hope this next time we will be able to park in the zoo parking lot!!

I love you BIG!!

2011-03-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

I loves you BIG sweet babies of mine!!

Terrific 10

2011-03-25T21:46:00.000-05:00

My sweet sunshine turned 10 months on March 19th! I can't believe in two short months we will be celebrating her 1st birthday! She is the sweetest little thing and starting to get such a big personality. I just love this baby age and knowing that she is my last, makes me really want to savor every moment.

Here are 10 highlights from this past month:
1. She has given up on baby food/being spoon fed. If she can't pick it up, she doesn't want it!!!
2. She STILL can't crawl, but she is army crawling and scooting all over the place. She has started pulling up on things now too. I swear she will walk before she ever crawls!! She is such a princess!! :)
3. She had her 1st trip to the zoo and LOVED it, (even though it was a NIGHTMARE during spring break!)
4. She has started saying "ma ma" and "da da" all the time.
5. She moved into her new big girl carseat!!
6. She dances, claps her hands and bounces when she hears music! Hope I have a dancer on my hands!!
7. She waves to say "hello" and "bye bye." Starting to blow kisses at times too!
8. She will NOT let me put bows on her head very much anymore. She yanks them off and throws them down, when I attempt to sneak one on her head. That is why I LOVE that she kept the bow on for a few minutes, in the pictures below. But, don't worry mama is not giving up on this battle! :)
9. She has gotten to be such a SNUGGLE bug lately!! Rocking and putting her to bed at night is one of my favorite routines. YUMMY!!
10. She continues to light up our world!! We love you baby girl!! Happy 10 months!

Girlie Girls

2011-03-12T21:23:00.001-06:00

Last week Paisley's friend Madi turned 1 years old! My friend Lindsey took her daughter Madi to get her 1 year old pictures done and Paisley got to join in some of the action too! I felt blessed that they took some of P, when it was Madi's special day, (that is my thoughtful friend Lindsey for you!) And, I was THRILLED to get the finished product when I picked Paisley up that afternoon! I just loved seeing my little girlie girl in her pink boa and pearls!! TOO MUCH!! And, the ones of both girls are beyond PRESH!! I just love that Paisley has a sweet friend that she gets to grow up with!! Pure Sweetness!!

Finally Five!!??

2011-03-08T14:21:00.004-06:00

I can't believe my first born son, turned 5 a week ago!! We have celebrated Logan's birthday all month long, so you would have thought I would have been prepared for the big day when it arrived. But, I have to be honest, this was the hardest birthday for me. I don't usually get emotional on my kids birthdays, (maybe the first one,) but this was a big birthday for me. I guess since I teach Kindergarten, I have always thought of my own kids as much younger then the ones in my classroom. So when Logan turned 5, it finally hit me how fast the time truly goes by. In a couple of months, he will not be a preschooler anymore, he will start Kindergarten and come to school with me in August, (it seems like yesterday I was waddling down the halls of my school with him inside me.) Don't get me wrong, I am excited about this new adventure, just sad that my "baby" is not much of a baby anymore! He has turned into a SMART, inquisitive, funny, Godly, helpful, independent and LOVING little boy. He is such a leader of our family and his little brother and little sister love him to the moon and back! Spencer has to be doing what ever his "bubbie," is doing and gets sad when Logan is not around. And, Paisley's face lights up when her big brother is around. No one can make her laugh, like those boys do! I love what a great teacher and friend Logan is to his younger siblings, (especially Spencer.) I pray they cherish and nurture their relationships as they grow! The pictures below are from a few of the celebrations we had for Logan this past month. He also, got to bring cupcakes, Hawaiian Punch and silly straws to school on his actual birthday! He sure does like to "party," like his mama! ;) Happy Birthday Logan!! You are such a blessing to our family!!
Learner
Optimistic

Godly

Amazing big brother

Nosey :)

Celebrating at Palio's Pizza on his "real" birthday!! (February 28th, 2011)

Grandma and Grandpa came a few weekends earlier to celebrate mine and Logan's birthday. We got to share a fun night together at Chuck E Cheese!

Mommy and her big boy!!

This was back in January, when Stephen and I took the boys to Great Wolf Lodge for the weekend. This was Logan's BIG birthday gift!! The boys had a BLAST, but I didn't get many pictures from the weekend because I didn't want to take my camera into the waterpark!

"The days are long, but the years are short!" 9 months already!!??

2011-02-26T10:30:00.002-06:00

Paisley's 9 month stats:

Weight: 20 lbs 9 oz.

Height: 28.5 inches

Is it possible that my baby girl is already 9 months old??!! I can't believe in 3 short months we will be celebrating Paisley's 1st birthday! Having three little ones and working, the days can be VERY long at times. But, I know I need to slow down and enjoy this time with them, because the years will go by so fast! I have to be honest this last month has not been the best for miss P. With all the yuckiness going around, she was sick for most of it. She had an ear infection and cold, got tubes put in, (which has been a blessing,) , started teething two more top front teeth and then caught another BAD cold, (which turned into hospitalization for RSV and pnemonia.) Makes me want to cry all over again, thinking about all she has been through. But, her health has really started to turn around in the last week and my happy baby girl is starting to shine through again! Her eating has really picked up and she seems like she can't get enough lately! She loves picking up her own food and "snacking" all day on puffs, cheerios, goldfish, and veggie puff sticks. She will still let you spoon feed her baby food, but she would much rather you put real food down for her. She hasn't started crawling yet, but she rolls all over the place to get to what she wants. Plus, with two brothers always bringing her stuff, why would a girl need to crawl anywhere?! ;) She will stand up for a few seconds when she plays at her music table and trys to push her walker around too. I have to be right there to catch her because the walker goes much faster than she does! She started saying "da da" at the beginning of the month and started saying "ma ma" when she was sick in the hospital. The nurses would be trying to suck out her nose and she would be screaming, "ma ma ma!" It was so pitiful and sweet at the same time! I sure do hope this next month is much better for my sweet baby girl! I look forward to spending lots of time out in this beautiful weather with her and the boys! Paisley continues to add so much sparkle to our lives and we love her so much! Happy 9 months baby girl, I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you!

You have my HEART!

2011-02-16T20:11:00.001-06:00

We had a very low key Valentines this year, since Miss P just got out of the hospital 3 days prior. Although, Stephen and I did get to sneak away on Saturday night for a yummy dinner at Patrizo's and a game night with some friends at our house. Then on Sunday, the boys and I worked oun Valentines Cards and treats for their class. Even though I wasn't going to be with them most of Valentines Day, I wanted their parties to be special. When I picked them up from school, I had a "lovebug" balloon tied to each of their carseats. They were SO excited and grateful for them. I love how simple things can make their day! They also loved coming home and opening all their cards and candy. You would have thought it was Halloween all over again! ;) The picture below of Stephen and Paisley is not from Valentines Day, but I had to post a picture of my other two lovies! I love my three precious babies and my amazing husband so much! They truly have my HEART!

Double the Fun

2011-02-16T19:57:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago we travled down to east Texas to celebrate my college roomates babies 1st birthday. It was terrible weather and the roads were scary, but we wouldn't have missed it for the world! I know this was a special day for them and it was fun seeing my dear friend Lindsay. The twins were absolutely precious, even though they weren't feeling great, (come to find out hours later, Paisley would be coming down with RSV too.) :( But, while we were there, we had a good time playing and eating! Spencer kept stealing licks from the babies cakes and Paisley got to try some cupcake too! Such SWEETNESS!! Happy Birthday Landry and Brody, we love you so much!

Poor P

2011-02-13T11:32:00.001-06:00

We had one of the scariest and most exhausting weeks last week. Paisley came down with a cold and fever last Saturday night. I just thought she had a virus and wasn't that concerned about it. Stayed up rocking her most Saturday and Sunday night and gave her Tylenol and Motrin for the fever. I stayed home from school on Monday and went to school on Tuesday because I thought she was doing much better. But, by Tuesday night I didn't like the way Paisley was acting and her breathing seemed very scary to me. She moaned a lot and seemed to be sucking in air more than normal. I knew an ice storm was coming in, so I didn't want to wait to take her to the doctor. I took her to Acute Kids urgent care and immediately the doctor told me she couldn't treat her there and she needed to go to the emergency room. She was so concerned that she called EMS from the facility to take us to a nearby hospital. I was FREAKING out and started to cry. Fortunately I had my good friend Lindsey with me to calm me down and care for Paisley, while I made lots of calls. The EMS, took Paisley to a hospital a few minutes down the road, (thats another story, I think she should have gone straight to Children's Medical Center.) The emergency room that we went to first, started her on fluids right away because she was so dehydrated. They then tested her for the flu and RSV and took X-Ray's to find out if she had pnemonia. The test results did come back that she had RSV and pnemonia. My poor baby! She was so miserable and it was so hard to see her hurting that badly. The hospital staff decided she did need to be admitted, but they didn't care for pediatric patients there. So, she had to be transported to Children's in Plano around 3:00 a.m. that night. When we got to Children's, they immediatley started her on antibiotics, fluids and began suctioning her. She was SO congested that they had to get it out of her nose and throat. That was one of the worst things I had to watch my baby go through. Although, I could bare it knowing it was good for her. We stayed at Children's for two and a half days, so Paisley could get better. RSV is a nasty virus that hits between the months of October through March. It is just a cold virus, but it is really hard on babies under a year old. Most kids aren't even hospitalized for it, but it got so bad in Paisley that she had to be admitted. My boys probably brought the nasty virus home from school, since their nose has been running and they have been coughing for weeks! They are much older and stronger, that they can fight the virus better. We are now home and trying to recover from our hard week. I have missed so much work in the last few weeks, that I look forward to getting back to normal. We have grandparents watching Paisley this week, just to be on the safe side. I pray we are finished with sickness for awhile! Like I said in my last blog, BRING ON THE SPRING, (really I am ready for summer!!) :)

Winter Blast

2011-02-12T15:32:00.002-06:00

The last few weeks have been CRAZY! In the last 3 weeks I have been to school a total of 5 days because of sickness and snow! The first week I went to school for 3 days and then Paisley's sitter was sick and Paisley got her ear tubes put in. Then the next week I went to school on Monday and then we got snowed/iced in for 4 days, (which is record breaking!) And, this past week we got snowed in on Wednesday and Paisley was SUPER sick and hospitalized the rest of the week. I haven't enjoyed my babies being sick, but I sure have LOVED spending this extra time with them. My favorite time was the second week, when we were snowed in for 4 days! With our busy lifestyle, it was nice to just "be," for once. We stayed in our PJ's 90% of the time, except when we had our neighborhood friends over. Our good friends got to come over twice for game night and my friend and her daughter came to play twice during the day too. It was nice seeing people and helped with the whole cabin fever thing. The boys liked the snow from the inside looking out. They went out in played in it a little while, but they didn't like getting cold. Such Texas boys! :) P also got to go out in the white stuff and wasn't a fan either! I love her grumpy face in the pictures below! The snow was beautiful and I loved the extra snuggle time, but I sure am looking forward to spring & summer! I HEART flip flops and sunshine more!

P getting some excercise!

Sweet Siblings (Logan 4, Spencer 2 and Paisley 8 months!)

Magical Morning

2011-01-30T19:25:00.000-06:00

Christmas morning was very magical & special this year at our house. It was Paisley's First Christmas and the boys were at such a FUN age to really enjoy it all. The excitement on their faces Christmas morning were priceless and precious! I just love their sweet innocence and I want to hold on to it as long as I can! They were in AWE of what Santa brought them. Logan said, "I must have been REALLY good this year!" :) As you can see, we had a Superhero and Imaginex Christmas. Logan really likes Superman and Spiderman & Spencer likes Batman. Although, after seeing the Batman house, Logan wished he had asked Santa for it. We reassured him that we would put all the toys in the playroom to share. :) We got the boys learning games from us, since Santa went so overboard! Logan got the Leapster and Spencer got Alphie. They loved their games and played on them for hours, especially Logan. Since I surprised Stephen with an IPad this year, Logan felt like he had his very own IPad/LeapPad too! Paisley was at the age, where the boxes, wrapping paper and bows would have been just fine. But, we (I) couldn't resist buying everything girlie and pink this year for her, (notice her stocking!) I seriously didn't know what do do in the "girl" section of Toys R Us, but I seemed to manage! :) I just can't wait until next year, when she really can enjoy all the Christmas magic and excitement with her brothers! There are also some pictures below from our little Christmas get together on Christmas night. We invited all of our family over and some close friends too. We did a "Crockpot Christmas," again this year and exchanged gifts. It was a lot of fun and I just enjoy having everyone over here and not leaving my house on Christmas Day!
On a side note, I think I am all caught up for now on my blog, besides Paisley's 8 month post! I am just proud I am back into the swing of blogging! By the way, I ran out of space on my blog and had to purchase more this afternoon. I think I have like 20G for the year, which means I have PLENTY of space to start blogging and uploading pictures again, (considering, it took 4 years to fill up 1G!) SO, stayed tuned for A LOT more posts from the Kleppe Family! Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave some love! ;)

Waiting for Santa

2011-01-15T20:51:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve this year! I love that my parents come down every year to spend Christmas with us. It makes it so special to have them here celebrating every precious memory with us. I know the kids love it too. It reminds me of when I was growing up and my grandparents were always at our house during Christmas time. It is a memory I will never forget and something I want my kids to remember too. We started Christmas Eve out by heading to our church for a wonderful service. Then we came home to a yummy Christmas casserole, that we had prepared earlier, (which made it a lot easier to relax and enjoy the evening later.) I then made cookies for Santa with the boys and we let the kids open one gift for Christmas Eve night too. They chose one if the gifts that grandpa and grandma gave them. I guess they knew the gifts had to be good coming from them! They got the boys the Imaginex pirate ship, rocket ship and all the accessories to go along with the sets. They were in heaven and enjoyed playing in their imaginary world all evening, until we made them head to bed and wait for Santa. They were SO giddy and it was hard to get them settled down. But, I told Logan that Santa was on his way and we didn't want him to skip our house because he was still awake, (we saw Santa's sleigh on the news!) ;) Logan was very concerned by that and asked, "but if he does, will he come back?" Ha! Sweet boy! I told him we better not test him, so he might want to go to sleep fast! And, Santa did in fact stop at our house that night and we had a wonderful Christmas morning. Stay Tuned!! :)

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-15T20:24:00.001-06:00

Breakfast with Santa 2010

2011-01-04T21:07:00.000-06:00

One of the many perks of living in our neighborhood is the wonderful family activities they provide for our community. I don't get to make it to most of them, but I was super excited when I saw signs posted around the neighborhood and invitations on FB for "Breakfast with Santa!" I knew this was an event that we would NOT miss! :) We weren't really sure how Spencer would do, since he kept saying , "no sit in Santa's lap," when we would mention it to him. He must have remembered the bad experience from last year, when grandpa threw him on Santa's lap so quickly! ;) But, Logan was SO excited to go and I was determined to get a Santa picture of the kids. So, we headed up there a little late and when we arrived most of the kids had already gone and visited with Santa. It was great because the kids, (especially Spence,) were able to look and talk to Santa, without being forced to sit with him. Spencer was able to warm up to him and climb onto his lap on his timing. Santa was really good and gave each child special time with him. Logan and Spencer were able to tell him exactly what they wanted and Santa even had a sweet treat for them at the end. I liked this visit because I was able to use my own camera and take as many shots as I wanted for FREE!! :) When the kids were done, they enjoyed kolaches, donuts and chocolate milk with their friends and neighbors. I teach in the community that we live, so it is nice to see my parents and kids in a more relaxed atmosphere too. And, the best part of the whole trip was the raffle at the end, where Stephen and I won a $25.00 gift certificate to a yummy italian resturant that we love! I couldn't have planned a better visit with Santa then this! Plus, I got some precious pictures and sweet memories of my three babies!! :)

Happy 6 & 7 Months!

2011-01-03T20:55:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pictures of Paisley at 6 and 7 months old! I can't believe she was just a newborn a few short months ago and now is such a big baby girl (she weighed about 20 lbs at her 7 month appointment!!) In the last couple of months she has started sitting up really well by herself. She is very content sitting in the middle of the living room playing with her toys, while her big brothers run around her! She hasn't mastered crawling yet, but she can roll all over the place now. I found her under the coffee table the other day, after she had rolled under there! :) Paisley started eating baby food around Thanksgiving, when she turned 6 months old. She is a really good eater and likes most anything you giver her. Although, she has fought many ear infections the last couple of months, which has effected her eating habits a little. Since she has had so many ear infections, she will follow in her brothers foot steps next Friday and get tubes put in. It's not my favorite thing to do, but I know it will make her feel much better in the end and cut out a few doctors appointments in the Winter months :). Although she has been sick, Paisley is still a very lovable and happy baby girl! She brings SO much sunshine into our lives and she adds so much JOY to our family. I know I have said it before, but she truly completes our sweet little family and we all lover her SO much!! Don't grow up too fast sweet P!! :)

January Jump Back (Pirate Adventure...Ahoy Matey!) :)

2011-01-02T21:53:00.002-06:00

While in South Padre over Thanksgiving, my mom and dad booked us on a Pirate Trip!! The boys were so excited and even dressed in their old Halloween costumes, so they could be real pirates on the ship! It was the neatest experience and I highly recommend it to anyone with kids that will be in South Padre in the near future. The "pirates" on the boat were in full character the whole time and made us feel like we were on a real adventure! Some of the highlights of the trip included: treasure hunts, sword fights, mopping the deck, water gun fights, pirate tattos, dolphin sitings and more!! The boys were the perfect age, (especially Logan,) and it will be a memory they will never forget!! I just love looking at the pictures and seeing the excitement on their sweet little faces! Paisley had to stay at the condo with my aunt and uncle during the trip!! It would have been WAY too much for her to handle!! Maybe in a few years! :)

January Jump Back (Halloween 2010)

2011-01-02T20:11:00.000-06:00

Since I am SO behind in my blog, I decided I would use the month of January to get all caught up on some old posts. I just don't want to look back and not remember some of these sweet memories. We had a great Halloween this year! Logan picked the costumes for the boys. He wanted to be Superman and he wanted Spencer to be Batman. Spencer had NO clue who either superhero was, but would do about anything his big brother asked him to do. :) I on the other hand had a BALL picking out P's costume. It was my first year to do a girlie costume, so it was so much fun! I chose a ladybug for her because it was so cute and the colors went along with the boys theme. The top pictures are from Stephen's parents trunk or treat night at their church. Our close friends The Sahualla's came along to share in this fun night! The bottom pictures are from our house on Halloween. We ended up having a costume problem and found another Superman costume on sale for Spencer to match his brother. I actually think they look adorable and could pass as twins in their matching outfits! Such fun times!!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-02T19:23:00.000-06:00

I know it has been a LONG time since I have blogged!! I guess with my Facebook, it is easier to upload pictures for my friends to see there. But, I do like my blog and it is fun to look back at old post that I have written about the kids and our family. Since I don't do a lot of albums, this is really something special to me and captures many memories of us. So, in 2011 I want to do a lot better job at keeping up with my blog. I hate that I haven't posted since October and have missed sharing many fun moments of us the last couple of months. I might have to go back and catch a few before I move on! ;) So, if anybody still reads this, you can be sure to check back very soon for some new updates of the Kleppe Crew! Anyway, these are some pictures of our family while visiting my family in South Padre Island over Thanksgiving. We used some of them in our Christmas card this year too!

From Our Home to Yours......Happy New Year!!

The Blasters

2010-10-23T21:53:00.001-05:00

This Fall has been Logan and his daddy's first soccer season together! It has been so much fun to watch Logan grown over the past couple of months. He had no idea what he was doing when he first started, but he has come a LONG way and has really started to get a hang of the game. He even made 4 goals in the past two weeks! I have enjoyed going out every Saturday watching my boys in action. It truly melts my heart watching Stephen coach/mentor our little boy, as well as the five other little ones on the team! Next Saturday is the last game of the season, but I foresee many more games in our future. I don't mind being a soccer mama!! :)

Five Months Already??!!

2010-10-23T21:26:00.000-05:00

Still as PRECIOUS as always!! Happy 5 months baby girl!

My Little Pumpkins

2010-10-23T21:22:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago we headed out to our favorite little pumpkin patch, The Pumpkin Patch Express in Argyle. It is my favorite pumpkin patch because it is very low key and the boys love it. Their favorite part is the train ride around the property, when you first enter the pumpkin patch. We went at the end of the day and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. The boys ran through the pumpkins, got their face painted, played in the bounce houses, ran through the maze and just enjoyed being outside in the cool Fall weather. Paisley was such a great baby as usual and enjoyed being pushed in her stroller, while watching her brothers run wild! She even looked very CUTE in her little pumpkin onsie & tu tu. ( Have I mentioned that I LOVE having a girl!??) ;) It was a great family outing and I enjoyed watching my kids have so much fun! I look forward to next year and am sure Paisley will be trying to keep up with her bubbas next time too! :)

Fabulous Four

2010-09-29T20:42:00.001-05:00

Just some sweet snapshots of my little chunky monkey and her best friend Madi! Paisley turned 4 months on September 19 (as you can tell, I am WAY behind on my blog,) and weighed in at 16 lbs 4 oz.!! She still is such a DREAM baby and such a snuggle bug. She has made the jump from 2 to 3 kids so EASY!! We just love our little SWEET P to pieces!!!!
Some highlights this month:

She tried her first bowl of rice cereal, but didn't want too much to do with it. :) (We will keep trying!)
She started sleeping on her tummy full time.
She rolled from her stomach to her back on 9/25 (but has only done it twice since then!)
She had to switch formulas because of the recall on Similac :(
She started sleeping 7:30-7:30 WOOT! WOOT!!

Sweet P is 3 Months

2010-08-21T15:26:00.001-05:00

Miss P turned 3 months on Thursday!!! Since I have been so busy with getting things ready for back to school and Meet the Teacher night, I didn't have a chance to post on her real "birthday!" This past month has been great, except that Paisley got her first cold. She had a fever of 103 and has been battling with congestion for a couple of weeks now. I think most of it is from being around her brothers "school" germs. They can't help but kiss all over her when they get home, which leaves her with sniffles too. But, Paisley is such a great baby, it hasn't affected her mood much. She really is a happy and laid back little baby girl. We can take her anywhere and she is SO good. I just pray it stays this easy! :) This month has also been hard because I had to go from being a stay at home mommy, to going back to work. But, the transition has been better than I could have ever prayed for, since Paisley is staying at our friends house. She gets to be in such a nurturing and loving environment, which makes me feel so much better. Plus, she gets to play with her best friend Madi all day! :) As you can see from the picture above, she is VERY happy and dolled up everyday, ( Ms. Lindsey makes her the CUTEST bows to match all of her outfits and they have photo shoots all the time!!) I have enjoyed this month so much and watching Paisley's personality grow. I love you from the moon and back Sweet P!! Happy 3 Months!!!

Thankful

2010-08-15T14:49:00.002-05:00

Back in February before I had Paisley, I signed her up for the nursery class at the boys school. After having some terrible in-home daycare experiences (only some good,) I decided the church school would be the best placement for her. But, after having her I started getting really sad that I had to expose her to a big childcare facility at 2 1/2 months old. I started praying God would open up a situation for me, where someone would watch Paisley in there home. Once again I wasn't looking for a in-home daycare, I just wanted to find someone who could watch just her. Well this summer, God did find that perfect person for me and she was right in front of me all along. She was a friend that I have gotten to know over the past year. Her oldest daughter was in my class last year and we were both pregnant with little girls at the same time. We bonded right away and became even better friends over the summer. I actually feel like I have known her forever. I just love how God brings certain people into your life just at the right time. :) Anyway, over casual conversations this summer, she decided she wouldn't mind watching P for me, since she was going to be at home with her baby. I was thrilled about this news and thankful Paisley would be going to such a good home, (and right by my home & school!!) Well, Paisley started with her new sitter/mama two weeks ago, so I could start getting my room together. It has been going FANTASTIC and better than I could have ever dreamed of. My sitter/friend and her family truly treat Paisley like she is their own. She was sick last week and they put a humidifier in her room everyday at nap. She also gets her nails clipped, toes painted, & homemade bows made for her all the time! :) Not only is P well taken care of and loved, my friend has made going back to work so EASY on me, (with some occasional dinners in the evenings too!) It is nice knowing that Paisley is getting everything that I would have given her, if I stayted home. I am so appreciative and thankful for our sweet friends who love our little P and spoil our family rotten. We love you guys!!

P.S. Thank you for all the photos during the day too! I love seeing what my baby girl is up too all day!!

Goodbye Summer

2010-08-14T22:36:00.010-05:00

I can't believe summer is already over and it is time to go back to school on Monday!! It seems like yesterday I was saying goodbye to my class and getting ready to have my baby girl. It has been a crazy & tiring summer, but also the most precious and rewarding summer I have EVER had. It has been SO much fun to be able to stay home with my three babies. Our family has truly felt complete after having Paisley. I am one blessed mommy, to three amazing kids! We didn't do anything really big this summer, just did a lot of small things. And, I was actually pretty surprised at how much I actually could still do with three little ones. I do believe the jump from two to three was easier than from one to two. Plus, with Paisley being the dream baby, it made things A LOT easier. :) Even though I am not a full time stay-at-home mommy, I feel blessed I have a job that allows me to be one in the summer! Here are a few highlights from our wonderful summer:

1. Visiting Grandma and Grandpa at the ranch (My mom and dad were a HUGE help to me this summer, taking the boys for days at a time. This allowed me to have a break, give me one on one time with my little girl and made the boys feel extra special. I know this is a memory they will never forget!)

2. Swimming at our NEW neighborhood pool!! Logan had swim lessons here twice a week and it helped burn off a lot of energy for the boys most days! Paisley even got to go for a dip a few times!

3. Taking the boys to the circus! The cotton candy was a BIG hit! :)

4. Spending lots of time in the evenings outside, (usually in the water.) The boys loved painting with water, washing our cars and playing in the summer rain! Anything to cool off from the horrific HEAT!! :)

5. Spending time with sweet friends. We went on constant playdates to the mall play area, library, waterpark, water fountains, Bonker's, playground, Chick-Fil-a, movies, etc. We loved getting to spend time with old friends and getting to know new ones even better! The boys also took classes at Little Gym this summer with their friends too. I just don't have pictures from all of these events! :)

6. Getting to know my baby girl and watching her personality blossom! Love you Sweet P!!

7. Watching my boys relationship grow and grow!! I just loved all of the time they got to spend together this summer. They truly are best friends!

8. Becoming a girl mommy!!

9. Spending a great 4th of July with friends and family!

10. Watching my boys discover and learn new things! (This was the day we saw a BEAUTIFUL rainbow after a summer rain!)

11. Playing in the rain in their "underwear!" Spencer even learned how to potty this summer outside too, (thanks mom for the potty training headstart!) :)

12. Relaxing and Fun evenings, (It was nice getting into our lazy summer routine!)

13. Spending time with my family. My aunt Barbara, cousin Lisa and cousin Sarah came up many times this summer to hang out and help with my kiddos. They were such a big help to me and I loved sharing this time with them! I even took some pretty shots of Sarah for her sophomore year pics! :)

Also, getting to know more of Stephen's cousins! :)

14. Watching Paisley's brothers fall in love with their little sister! :) She is truly in big brother heaven and one lucky little girl!

Happy Summer Sweet Angels!!! Mommy can't wait for next year! ;)

Paisley Addison 2 Months

2010-07-22T15:14:00.002-05:00

My baby girl turned 2 months on the 19th of July! This has truly been a fun month, since Paisley is starting to become more alert. She has also started to sleep through the night. Sometimes she may get up once in the middle of the night, but she always goes right back to sleep. She also has started to sleep more in her big girl bed. I still like being near her, so many nights she is still downstairs with me. I know that when school starts I will move her to her room permanently. It has been fun being off in the summer with her. I only took 6 weeks off with both boys, so this is the longest I have gotten to be home with my baby. She will be right at 12 weeks when I start school full time. Paisley is truly a JOY and has become super laid back. She allows us to drag her everywhere and she is always in a good mood. She does get fussy when she is over tired and hungry, but mostly she just sleeps in her carrier and goes with the flow. She kind of has to with 2 LOUD big brothers that are constantly on the move! :) I look forward to the months ahead, when we get to watch her personality blossom. But on the other hand, I cherish my baby girl at this stage, because I know it won't stay this way for long! We love you so much little sweet P!! :)

Here are Paisley's 2 Month Stats: (She is still our little chunky monkey!!) :)
Weight: 13 lbs 14 oz.
Height: 23 1/2 inches

Red,White & Blue Babies

2010-07-07T10:02:00.004-05:00

First Friends

2010-06-23T16:34:00.002-05:00

Last year I had a sweet student in my class and I got really close to her mom Lindsey. Not only was Lindsey an awesome volunteer in my classroom, but we both were pregnant with little girls at the time and bonded even more. Well, since we moved into the neighborhood by my school, we also moved down the street from Lindsey and her sweet family. So, this summer we have gotten even closer by spending time at each others houses and talking for hours at the the community pool. She is a super sweet person and I have loved getting to know her as a friend. AND to top it off, she is going to watch Paisley for me next year!!! I have been praying to find someone that would be willing to watch her a couple of months, so I wouldn't have to put her in daycare at such a young age. It is going to be perfect too because her baby is only 10 weeks older than Paisley. This will truly be a special friend to Paisley, since they are so close in age and going to be spending A LOT of time together! As you can see above, they don't really interact much, but I have a feeling these too little girls will become the best of friends very soon! I can't wait to watch their first friendship grow! :)

Firsts

2010-06-21T21:42:00.004-05:00

1 Month: Weight 11 lbs 3 oz./Height 21.5 inches

1st smile.......PRICELESS!!!

On Saturday my baby girl turned 1 month old. On that same day she gave mommy the best gift of all, which was her first real SMILE!! I had just finished feeding her and when I looked down at her, she locked eyes with me and gave me the biggest grin. I couldn't hold back my emotions and the tears started flowing. After having three kids, the smallest things like that first smile never get old. I still can't believe a month has gone by, since she joined our family. It feels like yesterday, that she was inside my belly. She brings so much joy to us and truly COMPLETES our sweet family. Her brothers love and adore her so much too! She is so blessed to be in big brother heaven. They are so good with her and I hope this is how it always stays.

It has been fun getting to know her this last month. I have had a lot of help from my aunt, mom, family and friends, which has made it a whole lot easier. My aunt stayed with me a week and a half at the beginning, my mom stayed a week and then my parents have taken the boys numerous times to their house. This has made the first few weeks of exhaustion, so much more bearable. I have gotten to take lots of naps and bond with my baby girl, while the boys were well taken care of. Paisley is such a sweet little angel and has been pretty easy so far. She sleeps a lot during the day/night and eats every 3 to 4 hours. The last couple of nights she has even gone 5 hour stretches, which is nice for me. She takes about 4/5 ounces of formula at a time, (I only breastfed the first 2 weeks, then it got to hard for me.) As you can tell, she is a hungry girl and a BIG eater!! She reminds me a lot of Spencer at this age. :) She is starting to become more alert and stays up more during the early mornings and evenings. She loves having her baths and I usually save them for her fussy times, which are usually at night. Her baths always seem to calm her down. I cherish these precious times with her, especially since I know she is my last baby and I know how fast it goes. I look forward to the next month and watching Paisley's personality grow and getting to know her more. I thank God everyday for my sweet, sweet family and am grateful for all HE has given me! Happy 1 month Paisley Poo!! Mommy, Daddy, Logan & Spencer love you SO much!!

Water Baby

2010-06-17T19:32:00.004-05:00

It is no surprise that bath time is this girls FAVORITE activity. Her brothers are such water babies and have always loved their baths too! She can be super fussy in the evenings and once we put her in the water she immediatly calms. She seriously could stay in the tub forever, if we let her. I definitely see many family pool days in our future! :)

Taste of Summer

2010-06-17T18:37:00.004-05:00

Is there anything better than cold watermelon on a hot summers night!!?? My baby boys don't think so! :) Their favorite thing this summer besides swimming, is playing outside in the early evening and enjoying this sweet treat! Watching my boys now, sure does take me back to my own childhood and the wonderful/simple memories I had in the summertime. I just love these pictures of my sticky little monsters!! :)

Paisley's Newborn Pictures

2010-06-15T19:12:00.011-05:00

Here are some PRECIOUS pictures that my friend Cara took of Paisley at 1 1/2 weeks old. I can't believe my baby girl will be 4 weeks tomorrow. Time sure does fly by!! These are definitely pictures that I will cherish forever! I love my sweet baby girl and am so blessed God chose us to be her parents. She is such a doll baby!! I will post 1 month pictures soon and her stats on Monday after she goes to the doctor. I will be interested in knowing how much she weighs now. She sure is growing fast and I wish time would slow down, (although I am ready for a good nights sleep!!) :) Thanks again Cara for some beautiful photos!!

Precious Paisley

2010-05-24T08:42:00.003-05:00

Precious Paisley just 3 and 4 days old!

(Since my parents haven't seen her yet, I am trying to post a few a day for them!) Mom, do you like her outfit??

Birth Story

2010-05-23T16:54:00.006-05:00

Anxiously waiting the arrival of Paisley!!

Mommy meeting her sweet girl!!

Big Girl!!

Official "daddy bracelet!"

I was STARVING after delivery and couldn't get food fast enough, (I was feeding Paisley at the same time!!)

Christi and Paisley

Papa Don and Grammy (I guess I don't have pictures of Nana and grandpa, since Nana was taking all the pictures!!)

My Aunt Barbie and Paisley!!

The boys meeting their sister for the first time!

Family of Five!!

First Sponge Bath

Logan and Spencer watching their sister get a bath for the first time! :)

Before I post anymore pictures of my sweet angel, I thought I would share some pictures from the hospital/birth. My due date was May 29th and the plan was to go as close to that date as possible, since my parents are out of town and wanting to finish school. Even though I wanted a planned delivery, we decided we weren't going to induce her this time unless we had to. And, I truly thought I could make it until at least the 26th. Well, I guess God had a different plan for Paisley and I. I went in on Tuesday the 18th for my weekly exam and I even talked with the doctor about wanting to wait until she was ready to come and not induce. Well, when he did my exam that day, I had progressed WAY more than expected, (I was already 4 1/2 centimeters dilated!!) He then recommended that I get induced the next day, Wednesday May 19th. I was totally shocked and not ready to hear that news, but knew that it is what we needed to do. I wanted to be in a controlled environment, where I wasn't at school or home when it happened, (I was DETERMINED to have that epidural!!) So, we woke up on Wednesday morning, (which I never really even slept that night before,) got our bags in the car and got the boys off to school. I was scheduled to be at the hospital by 10:00 a.m. , so they could start the process. Once we got there, the nurses got me settled into my room and I had my epidural by 11:30 that morning. Stephen's parents, my aunt and friend Christi arrived soon after. The doctor then broke my water around 12:30 and then the waiting game started. During that time I had the chance to eat some ice chips, (I was STARVING,) and watch my family play "Words with Friends," on their I Phones!! We also talked, told stories and laughed a lot. I guess everyone distracted me enough , that I was able to relax. The doctor came in at around 2:30 and I was already at a 10 and ready to PUSH!! Everyone cleared out except for Stephen and his mom and the delivery/fun began!! :) I only had to do 4 big pushes and my precious baby girl was out by 2:57 p.m.!! The first thing I asked the doctor as she was being delivered was, "IS SHE STILL A GIRL!!??" I guess I still couldn't comprehend having a little girl after having two boys. And, in fact she was a little girl and as BEAUTIFUL as could be!! She looked just like her brothers, but in a very feminine way! I was IN LOVE immediately and thanked God that she was healthy. Paisley Addison Kleppe weighed in at 8 lbs 6 oz. and 21 inches long. She was my biggest baby yet, but she also stayed in the longest too! Judging from her hands and feet, she is going to be long/tall like me. :) After they cleaned her up and I started to feed her, everyone else got to come in and meet Miss P. I sure did miss my parents in that moment, but I knew that they would be able to see her soon, (how exciting the 31st will be!!) We had a great hospital stay the next two nights and even had a lot of the same nurses that I had when I was there with the boys. Everyone was so kind and helpful, which made it so easy for me. I actually feel that I was in less pain after this labor and recovered faster than I had with my two boys. I guess the more kids you have, the easier it gets!! :) We were released from the hospital by Friday at noon and welcomed home by my aunt and little boys. My aunt has sure been a lifesavor these last couple of days as we have adjusted to our new family member. It has been a bit hard on the boys, especially Logan. He loves his sister, but has acted out A LOT more because of all the change. He did this when Spencer was born too, but I didn't think at 4 he would be this bad. I guess his personality is a little more sensitive than Spencer's. Spencer has adapted well to the change, we just have to watch him like a hawk!! He thinks Paisley is a doll and trys to drag her around. We are really trying to emphasize the word "GENTLE," around our household these days!! I am doing well, even getting more sleep than I thought I would. Paisley eats every 3 hours and usually goes to sleep right after her feedings. The 5:00 a.m. hour is the hardest, but my aunt helps me out a lot when she is fussy and not wanting to sleep. I feel ok, except for the whole "milk coming in," process. I am in a lot of pain in that area, but hoping to get into a routine quickly. I am just glad I am done with school and have the whole summer to spend with my boys and new baby girl! I feel so BLESSED to have such a sweet little family and thank God everyday for them!!

Welcome Sweet, Sweet Paisley

2010-05-21T17:16:00.003-05:00

Paisley Addison Kleppe born May 19th, 2010 @ 2:57 p.m. weighing 8 lbs 6 oz. and 21 inches long. We are SO blessed our sweet girl is finally here. I will post more pictures as soon as everything starts to settle down!! :)

Showering Me and Princess "P!"

2010-05-09T16:43:00.009-05:00

The beautiful diaper cake created by my friend Meghan.

The yummy treats!

Stephen and our friend Kristi (The shower was hosted at her house!)

My amazing team!

Me & Mom

Mom, Me, Aunt Barbara & Cousin Sarah

PRECIOUS baby girl clothes and bows!

Isn't this ADORABLE!!?? It is bibs, burp clothes and onsies wrapped up like cupcakes!!

My college roomate and good friend Lindsay (She drove all the way from East Texas with her mom and twins, just to make it to my shower!! I love you girl!!)

Logan had to come to the shower to help me open his baby sisters gifts!! Don't you love his "pink" shirt in honor of his sissy!! :)

My sweet friends even brought the boys "big brother" gifts!! The Zu Zu pets were his favorite!!

The beautiful blanket my aunt made just for Paisley!! :)

Sweet girls!! Brooklyn is in my class currently and Cayleigh was in my class last year!! I love building such sweet bonds with families in my classroom!!

Loving on Landry! :)

Logan checking out the candy!!

Baby Bumps!! My friend Linsey is due in July, ( she is tiny compared to me!!)

Grandma and her boy!!

Miss Cayleigh

Sweet Sarah

A few Saturdays ago my sweet friends Kristi, Mary Beth and my school Kinder team (Corn, Christi, Debbie and Melissa,) hosted the BEST baby girl shower EVER!! I was 36 weeks on the day of my shower and I was just PRAYING I wouldn't have Paisley before then. (Now that I am almost 38 weeks, I now know I had nothing to worry about!) :) A lot of my good friends and family made it out for this special day. After having two boy showers, I enjoyed getting showered with so much PINK stuff!! I just can't wait for Miss P to get here, so I can start using all of the fun and frivolous stuff I received from everybody. I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life, who STILL continue to spoil me after having 3 kids!! I wish I got more pictures of everybody that was there (including one of my hostesses Mary Beth,) but I am just happy my mom captured these for me! It was a great day and one that I will cherish forever!

Special Mother's Day Outing

2010-05-08T18:12:00.006-05:00

We had a wonderful Mother's Day outing today at the park, to celebrate Mother's Day with Stephen's mom and step-mom. Stephen's brother and sister-in-law joined us out as well for a day of fun in the sun!! Jennifer and I packed a special picnic lunch for the mom's and family. We also spent the day flying kites, playing ball, blowing bubbles, throwing the Frisbee, climbing the playground, going for a hike and just ENJOYING each others company. The boys had a BLAST being outside all morning and I LOVED the quality time we all spent together. We definitely agreed we need to do this more often, especially when the weather is this BEAUTIFUL, (it was in the 70's the whole time we were there!!) It truly was a great day and I was thrilled to celebrate this day with two awesome mothers!! :)

Maternity Shots of Me & Paisley (33 Weeks) :)

2010-04-15T11:54:00.004-05:00

My amazingly talented friend Cara captured some BEAUTIFUL shots of me pregnant with my sweet baby girl. I never took maternity shots of me with the boys, so this was a new experience for me. I haven't really blogged much about this pregnancy or taken many pictures of myself this time around. So, I am glad my sweet friend was able to "freeze," this priceless moment in time for me. I was a little hesitant at first because I felt self conscious of my looks, (I feel HUGE!!) But, after looking at these pictures, I am SO glad I did them. And, having Cara take them, made the experience really fun for me, (Cara, I am still laughing at our "woods" shots!) I definitely will cherish these pictures forever, especially since this is my last baby. Thank you again friend for giving me this precious memory! Love you!

P.S. I can't wait to meet my little Paisley!!! Only a few short weeks!! :)

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T09:47:00.004-05:00

I can NEVER get them to look at the camera at the same time!! :) Oh, and the pink doll is a gift from Nana. She calls it a "Paisley" doll, to get them used to their baby sister. Papa Don and daddy, weren't so sure about this present! I think it was a precious idea!! :)

We had a very low key Easter this year, since Spencer's birthday fell the same weekend. We did our big Easter egg hunt the weekend before and the boys did hunts at their school as well. We had so many eggs and candy before Sunday arrived, that I couldn't bring myself to do another one. However, the Easter bunny did bring the boys a basket full of goodies that included: MORE candy, a chocolate cross, art supplies and books. I decided on the chocolate cross, because I wanted to put more emphasis on the real meaning of Easter. Logan and I have talked about the death and Resurrection of Jesus all week, using the wonderful Resurrection eggs. I think he is starting to understand why we really celebrate Easter, now that he is getting older. It is neat for me to watch him grow in his relationship with the Lord. He walked around all day Sunday saying, "Jesus is Alive!!" Spencer on the other hand, was more interested in seeing how many gumballs he could fit in his mouth at one time!! :)

Anixously Awaiting Paisley

2010-04-06T12:54:00.007-05:00

I can't believe in just a few short weeks, Paisley could be here!! My due date isn't until May 29th, but I am 33 weeks on Saturday. I had Logan at 34 weeks, (which I don't want to happen again,) and Spencer at 38 weeks. With her being my 3rd, I don't know how fast she could come this time. My luck, (which my husband wants because of my job situation,) I will go the whole entire 40 weeks!! But, I guess that is better than too early! :) I have had a pretty good pregnancy this time around, until about the 3rd trimester. I am really tired lately and have been dealing with not so fun varicose veins during this pregnancy. Chasing after my two active boys, probably doesn't help with my situation much either! :) Although, knowing that this is my last pregnancy, I am trying to savor all the sweet moments. It is funny how after carrying three babies, it never gets old to feel them move inside of you. She has gotten so big lately too, that I can actually see my whole stomach move when sitting or laying down. And, I am starting to figure out which of her body parts are sticking out of my belly, (like her sweet little feet!!)

I still can't wrap my mind around having a baby girl, after being a mommy of boys. But, it is starting to feel more real as the time gets closer. I have my baby shower coming up soon and am having fun picking out all the "girlie" things that I never got to look at when having my boys. The pictures above are two gifts from my friends/family. The CUTE customized baby stuff is from my friend Christi and the car seat cover is from my wonderful mother-in-law, (she let me pick it out!) I thought the car seat cover was perfect because it was called "Paisley Swirl!!" I have also been AWFUL at letting anyone take my picture during this pregnancy, but Stephen got a shot of my belly at the zoo the other day. My friend Cara is actually taking preggo shots of me, this coming weekend too. Even though I don't feel my best, I know it will be something special to show Paisley when she is older. I know she still needs a few more weeks to finish "cooking," but I am ANIXOUSLY awaiting the arrival of my sweet baby girl!! :) Please be praying for a safe and healthy delivery!!

A Day at the Zoo & Turning Two!!

2010-04-05T11:57:00.008-05:00

I can't believe my baby boy turned TWO this weekend!! His birthday fell on a Saturday this year, so it made it fun to be able to celebrate with him all day. I decided not to have a big birthday party for him this year, but still wanted to make the day special for him. Since Spencer loves animals, I thought it would be fun to have an animal themed day. So, we started the morning off at the Gainesville Zoo. We were going to go to the Fort Worth Zoo, but decided that the smaller zoo might be better this year, (this pregnant and tired mama didn't want to walk the big zoo at this point!) And, it ended up being a PERFECT choice for us!!. When we got there, it was lunch time, so we decided to have a picnic lunch in the park before going in. We then headed to the zoo for about an hour and ended our trip with a train ride around the park. The weather was just beautiful and the boys had a blast running around looking at all the animals. Although, I think the train ride was their favorite part of the trip. :) We then headed back home for naps and party preparations. That evening, we had some family over for pizza, cake, ice cream and games to celebrate little man's special day. I don't think Spencer realized it was really his birthday, until we started singing "Happy Birthday," to him. You should have seen his face light up, when he figured out we were all there for him. Very PRECIOUS!!

I am really enjoying Spencer's age right now, except for the night terrors and tantrums. But, I think the changes in our household, contribute to a lot of that , (moving and Paisley coming soon. ) Spencer has become very independent lately and loves being just like his big brother. He thinks he can do everything that Logan does and gets upset when he can't. He reminds me a lot of Logan at this age too. He is a big perfectionist and likes everything a certain way, (he likes being in control too, but it might be just his age.) Although, Spencer is his own little person and is much more adventurous than Logan is. He isn't scared of much and is definitely ALL boy. He is also more affectionate and cuddly than Logan is. Logan loves to spend quality time with us, but Spencer loves to be held and kissed on. He will sit all day in our laps if we will rub his back and feet, (he is definitely my son!!) :) He is really turning out to be a sweet little boy and I can't wait to see him as a big brother soon. He is already in LOVE with babies now, so I know he will be a wonderful big brother, (which is weird for me to comprehend, since he has been the "baby" for the last two years!!) I also can't believe in the next couple of months we will have 3 kids under the age of 4 in our house!! :) But, I love my babies and wouldn't have it any other way!! :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Spencer!! Mommy and daddy are so blessed that God made you just for us!! :) Love you sweet boy!!

Chick Magnets

2010-04-02T14:33:00.004-05:00

My friend Christ (that I teach with,) had some baby chicks in her classroom this week for her students to observe. I thought it would be fun for her to bring them over to our house, so I could take some Easter pictures of the boys and the chicks. Well, things didn't go quite as I had planned, with my camera losing battery after the first 5 seconds and dealing with lots of chick poop! But, after going back through the pictures, I did end up capturing a few sweet moments of the boys and their new friends! :) The one of Logan and the upside down chick is my favorite! :)

"Eggcellent Hunt!"

2010-03-30T13:46:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday really felt like the first day of Spring to me because we were able to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather. I took the boys to a neighborhood/city Easter egg hunt. I loved this Easter egg hunt because it was broken up into age groups and there were PLENTY of eggs to go around. I don't like it when you go to a hunt and the eggs are taken in the first five seconds. They didn't let the parents pick up the eggs for their kids, which helped a lot! Spencer actually did a great job picking up eggs and following his big brother around. I remember it took Logan until he was three to really understand what was going on. I guess that is a second child for you! :)
We truly had a fun time and enjoyed spending time with our sweet friends out there too. Such sweet memories, with my two precious boys!!

Hello World

2010-03-30T09:14:00.002-05:00

Hello World...we are BACK!! Sorry I haven't posted in SO long, but we have been super busy lately!! We have actually moved to a new home, (only an exit up from our old house,) but we wanted a little more space for our three little munchkins! It is a beautiful home with a big yard for them to run and play in. We feel very blessed to finally be in it and we are starting to get settled in. Trying to move during my third trimester was a bit of a challenge, but we had wonderful support from our families that made it all possible!! Thank you again to everyone who helped!! ;) We actually moved on St. Patty's Day and during my Spring Break. The boys still had daycare that week, which made it a bit easier to move too. They went to school from one house and came home to another! :) They might have been a little confused, but were excited when they found out that the ice cream truck comes by their new home now! :) I will post some pictures of our house soon, when everything starts to come together! :)

Birthday Breakfast & Bash @ Bonker's!

2010-02-28T21:55:00.017-06:00

On February 28th 2010, my baby boy turned 4 years old. I can't believe how fast time flies and how my baby has turned into a little boy overnight. Logan brings so much joy and happiness to our lives and we are SO blessed to be his parents. He has grown so much in the last year and continues to amaze us with how much he knows at such a young age. He is extremely bright and loves to learn new things. He is also an AMAZING big brother and is so kind and protective of Spencer. I love how Spencer has such a great role model to look up to. They truly are so sweet to each other and are the best of friends.
We celebrated Logan's birthday this past Saturday with our wonderful family and friends. We had it at a kids climbing facility called Going Bonker's and the theme of the party was "Cars/Lightning McQueen," (which is Logan's top movie right now to watch.) Since it was so early in the morning, we decided on donuts and fruit, instead of cake. That was fine with Logan, because donuts are one of his favorite foods. Plus, I sent Lightning McQueen cupcakes for him to share with his friends at school today. It was funny because he didn't understand why we were celebrating again, since he was already 4!! :) He had such a great time and loved every minute of his birthday weekend. Thank you to everyone for coming out and making my little birthday boy feel so special!! We had such a fun day!! :)

Very Blessed Birthday

2010-02-21T21:25:00.007-06:00

I had a very blessed 31st birthday this year! Instead of recapping everything from the weekend, I will share some of my favorite highlights from my special day(s.).........

1. Having a birthday breakfast, chocolate cake snack and goodies given to me by my AWESOME classroom parents. I am seriously so blessed to have such thoughtful students/parents in my classroom.

2. My parents came in town to celebrate my special day.

3. I got a surprise/last minute (FREE) sono given to me by one of my classroom parents, who does them at her work. Let me just say that I LOVED seeing my baby girl again and her development at 26 weeks.

4. My parents took me out for a YUMMY dinner at Outback, followed by dessert at my favorite ice cream spot, Beth Marie's.

5. We looked at houses on Saturday and found one we really liked. Now we just pray everything works out to get into it. (If you didn't already know, our house is under contract and we are planning on moving by mid-March, if everything continues to move forward in the right direction. )

6. Having my wonderful in-laws watch my boys while Stephen and I met our friends out for the night on Saturday. We had a terrific dinner at Cheesecake Factory, followed by seeing the movie Valentine's Day. Of course my friends were so sweet to shower me with more birthday goodies. I just love our amazing friends!!

7. My hubby watched the boys on Sunday afternoon, so I could go get a mani/pedi.

8. Hearing my boys (especially Logan) sing "Happy Birthday" to me. They seriously were so sweet to their mommy on her special day/weekend! :)

9. Getting sweet birthday cards and presents in the mail! Thank Nancy and Viggo for my Ulta gift card and to my parents who weren't supposed to spoil me again! :)

It truly was a GREAT birthday and I feel very blessed!! Here are some pictures that I took from my birthday weekend!!

Sweet Paisley sucking her fingers once again! :)

Mommy and her boys!

Eating ice cream at Beth Marie's! Yummy, Yummy to my Tummy!!

Daddy and Logan at Outback!

Grandpa, Grandma and their boys!

The girls (Jennifer, Nicole, Kat and Me at Cheesecake Factory) :) Delish!

The guys (Chris, Jonathan, Brad and Stephen, embarrased that I am taking a picture in the middle of the mall!)

Valentines Treat

2010-02-15T16:14:00.004-06:00

The only bummer about having a snow day this past Friday, was that the boys didn't get to have their Valentine Parties and deliver their sweet treats to their friends. My friend Cara gave me this PRECIOUS homemade Valentines idea, for my boys classmates. All you do is get waffle cones and then stuff them with cotton candy. I die-cut hearts from my school and wrote this Valentines message on each of them: "Here's the Scoop.....I like You!!" It was super easy and really fun to make. The boys liked helping me too and enjoyed sneaking bites of cotton candy throughout the process! :) I think they turned out really cute and we are excited to deliver them to school tomorrow for a belated V-Day treat!

Snowy Snowy Day

2010-02-14T14:22:00.010-06:00

Here are some pictures from our record breaking snow fall this past week. It truly was incredible the amount of snow that fell in one day, (12 inches I think.) It definitely was the most I had ever seen in Texas. This is also our 4th snow of the season, which is record breaking in itself. The boys are starting to think this is a normal event that happens often. :) They sure did enjoy their two days off of school to play in the beautiful white snow. I on the other hand liked being off, but enjoyed being snuggled up on the couch instead. I have come to realize I am such a Texas girl and love the warmth of the summer time. I am not a huge fan of bundling the kids up to go outside in the cold, but I will do it because I know they love it so much!! Just look at these smiles and you will agree...... :) Although, I sure do hope Spring is around the corner!!

Show Me the Money!! ;)

2010-02-13T21:06:00.002-06:00

We truly have the sweetest, most thoughtful group of family and friends. It seems like every holiday, people are thinking of my boys. Well, this Valentine's Day has not been any different with the amount of goodies the boys have received. This past week the boys got cards and candy from their Aunt Jennifer & Uncle Jonny, sticker cards from my friend Megan and "ice cream" money from my parents. I wish I could have captured their sweet faces as they opened each one, but I didn't. I did however have my camera handy last night, when my boys opened their money cards from my parents. It was hysterical at how excited Logan was, to receive 5 one dollar bills from grandma and grandpa. You would have thought he had won the lottery with how thrilled he was to have his own "real" money! Grandma and grandpa told him to have mommy and daddy take him out for ice cream with it, but he was busy trying to think of other ways he could spend it too! We told him he could save it in his piggy bank if he wanted to, but of course he is like his mommy and can't wait to blow it!! :) Spencer on the other hand had no clue, but was excited about the green paper in his card! It is funny because he just follows Logan's lead and copies everything his brother does. I love the picture below of Spencer pretending to count his money just like Logan!

Thanks again everyone for showering my little boys with SO much LOVE!! We are truly blessed! Happy Valentine's Day!!

BFF's

2010-02-10T21:02:00.003-06:00

Just a sweet pic, I wanted to share of my precious boys!

(Grandpa, I wasn't cutting you out on purpose, your eyes were just closed.) :)