Dog Gone It

Cutie Patooties

On Friday, the boys and I visited Tim at work. Since he works next to the airport, we almost always end up over there oohhhing and awwwwing over airplanes and helicopters (me especially). Friday was no different until a man in a truck drove by and offered to show us around. He took us to the helicopter repair hanger where Jude's eyes widened and jaw dropped. Then we followed him over to his hanger and he let Jude sit in his plane and pull on the controller. Of course, I didn't have my camera so I have no proof of our good fortune and exciting adventure.

As we walked into our garage still on a high from the unexpected treat, Jude picked up a piece of trash and said, "Uh oh, Kona". I didn't think much of it because I had already stopped keeping the recycling in the garage because of Kona's recent scavenger issues. Then I walked in the kitchen door and found this:

Oh, no you didn't.

I did, Mama. I know it was wrong, but I scavenged and it was delicious.

Are you kidding me? Did I mention that just one day earlier I had cleaned and mopped all the floors? I was not happy about Kona's escapades, but life goes on. I put on gloves and went to work cleaning it all up. Honestly, I am shamed to admit it, but I did let it damper my afternoon even though we'd just come off such a special airport adventure.

Fortunately for Kona she is a very good dog other than the times when she does things like this. In her defense, I only exercised her once this week and I have her on weight loss food that probably tastes worse than cardboard.

To say the least I will try to make sure the door from the garage to the kitchen is firmly closed when we leave from now on.

Also, note to self: There was a disproportionate amount of espresso grinds in the trash. Caffeine consumption may be at an all time high for the Whitacre household.

Oh Glorious Food

When you've got it, you just got it.

One day last week, the boys were finishing up their lunches as usual. Jude was downing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Eli was body slamming a almond butter sandwich. On this particular day, Jude had opened up his sandwich and only eaten the side with all the peanut butter. He is usually a jelly guy, but I guess sometimes a kid just has to mix it up.

After a bit, Jude said he was full to the tippy top and wanted to ride his bike for a few minutes before nap time. Sounded fine to me, so I left Eli in his high chair and proceeded to help Jude put on his helmet in the backyard. Out of now where, I heard a crash. 

I thought that Kona had done something but since the damage was likely already done, I finished up with Jude before heading back inside about a minute later. What I saw when I came in made me laugh out loud and grab the camera: 

Tastes so good, Mama!

When Jude went outside he left the jelly part of the sandwich sitting on his plate. Apparently, Little brother does not let food go to waste. I had put a tablecloth on our dining room table for the first time and there was a hot plate sitting in the middle (which ended up causing the crash sound). It wasn't more than two minutes (and all of five feet away) that I was outside with Jude. In that time, Eli managed to grab the table cloth, strategically pull Jude's plate over to  him, get it onto his tray and begin demolishing Big Brothers leftovers. 

Strategery

It was hilarious. He did not even bat an eye when I found him. He was in utter heaven. I imagine he was thinking, "Mom, can you believe this stuff? It is delicious. I had no idea something so sweet, gooey and fruity existed."

All I have to say is, "Good work, Son. Go get 'em".

Long Time Coming

December 8th! Really?!? Wow. I knew it had been a while since I had posted anything but didn't realized so much time had passed. I blame it entirely on lack of sleep...and laziness.

Almost three months later, I still don't have much to say, but I do have two growing boys.

Eli is nine months old and I cannot believe how fast his first year is going. He is a big boy at almost 30 inches long and 23 pounds. He is trying to crawl but that is a lot of mass to try to move. He adores music and shakes his thang at the slightest beat. If he is standing up, he really gets into it and we love his enthusiasm. He is quite the bundle of giggles and grins. You can see for  yourself.



Jude is almost two and a half and talks non-stop. No, really. I mean it. He never stops talking. A few of my favorites thus far have been while he's talking to Tim & I he'll say, "Hey Guys, let's just hang out and talk." or "Hey Guys, what are you talking about?" if we are, God forbid, not including him in a conversation. He is a sponge and most of the time I love it. When I hear him walking around the house saying, "Oh, darn it!" for no reason or "Oh my gosh" in a full valley girl accent I don't like it as much because my ridiculousness is exposed before my eyes.

He is having a blast learning how to ride a balance bike. He is picking it up well and the other night stayed in the backyard riding until dark. He asks me daily to video him and then show it to him. When he watches it, he starts laughing and says, "There's Jude! Jude is riding fast!". 



Our days are full and we spend as much of them as possible outside. We all thrive out in the fresh air, rain or shine. Here are few shots of our most recent shenanigans.

Nap. Check.

Mama, what are you doing?

I heart the beach, especially the sand.

Sand. Oh, blessed sand.

Not appreciating the sand in his snack.

Playground fun.

Love.

Christmas Trees and Whatnot

2011 has been a year of tremendous blessings in our home. First and foremost, Eli entered our family in a surprising, but healthy and exuberant manner. One week before his arrival, Tim successfully defended his Master's Thesis in Electrical Engineering and I got to be there for the presentation. It was such a blessing to sit like a (hugely pregnant) fly on the wall during what was the culmination of countless late nights and hard work. I am immensely proud of his perseverance and endurance.

In addition, 2011 has also been a year that has stretched us. It held unseasonably high expenses. Perhaps we should have seen the writing on the wall this time last year when our heater went out. I looked at Tim and said, "Can we call the Landlord?" Yeah...we bought the house a year and half earlier and of course the initial purchase insurance had expired six months prior.

Replacing the HVAC ended up being the beginning of a long line of unexpected debits - thank the Lord for savings. We are so thankful God had provided for us throughout the years and allowed us to save so that we could tread through the extras without fainting entirely as each bill arrived. Although, there were a few that did take my breath away. In the last month, we sat down to look at and then recreate our budget. A season of deliberate, mindful saving is before us.

With that said upon looking back over the last couple of years, we haven't been diligent stewards and have not paid sufficient attention to where we were spending money. It is no great shock to me that God is taking us through a period of evaluating our needs versus our wants.

Honestly, I am enjoying this time of reflection and reevaluation. Well, I enjoy it when it is easy. I don't enjoy it when I need to forgo an over priced coffee that I used to spoil myself with weekly or the adorable dress that is on super sale but I do not need or have specific reason to buy.

Life is full of seasons and that is my mantra lately in so many areas of our life whether feast or famine. Speaking of seasons, it is Christmas time and one of the most magical times of the year. (Did you enjoy that transition:) ) Like many of  you, one of our festive Christmas outings is getting a tree. There is something so special about picking out a tree, dramatically driving it  home without it flying off on the freeway and then trying to position it just right in the tree stand - "a little to the left, sweetie....no, back to the right...okay, now a bit forward...back to the left..."

Well, this year we headed to the tree farm with our budget in mind and were unsettled at the thought of spending anywhere from $50 to $80 on a tree especially when we will be traveling a lot this month. We walked around and took some photos, but couldn't bring ourselves to shell out the cash.  I realize that we sound bah humbug but it is what it is.

Tim and I put our heads together and came up with a diy Christmas tree. It doesn't have pine needles or smell wonderful, but it was thought up with love and consideration for the season. Holidays (and everyday) are about making memories and investing in ways that last. I think I will always remember this year's "tree". The best part is that I honestly love how it turned out. I just might keep the branches around year round - tamed down anyways.

Merry memory making!

With just the glittery ornaments (favorite)

With added memory ornaments

Drumroll, please...

I don't think we ever properly introduced our second not-so-little bundle of joy. It has been a little over six months since he joined the Whitacre clan and I never got my act together enough to send out a baby announcement.

So, drumroll please...

We are so proud and thankful to announce the six monthaversary of  the vivacious Elijah Ryan Whitacre. He was born on May 20, 2011 at 8:55pm. He weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He sported a full head of dark hair and captured our hearts from day one.

Eli, as we call him, is a fun loving kid. He loves to laugh especially at Kona, Asia and most of all his big brother, Jude. He is pretty easy going and loves to be held. He likes to be tossed around and "rough-housed". When he is tired he sucks his thumb - adorable! He makes crazy sounds including a not so adored screeching/high pitched scream when he really wants some attention or when he gets very excited. He is sitting up, but doesn't do much purposeful rolling. Crawling...what's that? Most remarkably he has already had six hair cuts and he still has a mop of hair.

Six months later we can't imagine life without him.

Our Little Dinosaur

Eli is a joy. Really, we are enjoying him immensely. He is a very happy and curious baby. He loves sounds, people and the outside. His favorite things are his big brother and his dog.

On the note of him liking sounds, he also loves to make sounds. At the beginning of October he was making these strange growling/talking noises that have since developed into what I would call a screaming witch sound. It can be a bit unnerving these days but he is content as can be and I think he might even think he sounds good. I don't want to burst his bubble just yet. Although, Jude  has on occasion told him he is being too loud.

Lucky for you, I can't find a video of the witch call so here is a clip of our little dinosaur "talking" to his brother (or anyone who will listen).

Jude Update

I knew I hadn't written in quite some time, but recently visited our site and saw that the last post was Jude's dramatic morning. It is time to update that situation.

We saw a dermatologist in SLO and were told the growth was a pyogenic granuloma. It is a blood vessel that makes its way out of the skin's surface and becomes an outgrowth. It isn't anything of concern, but is problematic in a two year old because it will bleed incessantly with the slightest touch - duely noted and experienced. We were told we could try to hold him down and keep him perfectly still for an in office removal or as they suggested go to Stanford for a "conscious sedation" and have it removed while he is not fully present.

My wonderful sister-in-law works for a local, highly reputable dermatologist. She ran the options by the doctor and the doctor felt that she could very easily take it off locally and there was no need for Stanford. Thank goodness! We figured it was worth a try.

The morning of the appointment we talked to Jude about going to see the doctor and having his bump removed. He was glad it would be coming off as he would complain of it bothering him periodically. The best part was that his Auntie DeDa would be helping.

He sat on Daddy's lap and cried for about one minute when the numbing shot was given. Then we put a Curious George DVD, his favorite, in front of him and in about five minutes the doctor was done with the removal and cauterization. He is still boasting a red scar, but it is slowly diminishing. There is a twenty percent chance of it coming back, but it is very treatable.

Other than heart failure during the first incident, I think we have all come away in good shape. Jude is doing great and loving life - especially motorcycles, airplanes and helicopters.

Here is a more recent picture of Jude with chocolate (not blood) all over his smiling face.

First Scare

Tim with His Mini-Me's

I have been debating whether to write about this or not, but alas I have chosen to share the drama of last Tuesday morning. It actually started a little after midnight on Monday night.

We heard Jude start crying, which is fairly normal for him. I guess I fell asleep (the product of two and a half months of disjointed sleep) I woke up about an hour later and realized he was still crying off and on. This was surprising. Then I heard him ask for water. I woke Tim and asked him to get Jude water. He stumbled into the kitchen and went into Jude's completely dark room, handed him the water and came back to bed. A few minutes later, Jude was quiet and back asleep.

Tim left early on Tuesday morning to meet some guys for a morning Bible Study so when I  heard Jude talking and calling for me at 6:30am I knew I was on duty. I was standing outside his door listening to him and realized that he was saying, "Mommy. Yucky. Wash." "Hmmm....this can't be good", I thought. It wasn't.

I opened his door and greeted him as I turned on the light. To my utter shock, his face, hands and pajamas were covered in blood. Yes, you read that correctly - B L O O D.  There was blood on his bed sheet and bloody hand prints on the crib railing. I took a deep breathe and kept in mind that he was standing and talking happily, but my stomach was in my chest and my eyes were filling with tears. I tried to keep my voice calm and steady for Jude and told him we needed to clean him up. First things first, I called Tim and asked  him to come home asap.

Let's back up a bit...in late June, Jude got a red spot on the left side of his jaw back near his ear. It began to stick out a bit and then by the end of July had significantly increased. In mid-July the doctor told me to watch to see if it grew. Boy, did it! In three weeks it tripled in size. I am pretty sure it will be diagnosed as a Hemangioma when we see the dermatologist.

Back to Tuesday morning. Jude's red "bump" as he calls it had either burst in the night or he had picked it and broken it open. However it happened, it was quite a bit of blood for a twenty two month old. I took a picture of Jude before I "cleaned" him up because I wasn't sure what the doctor would need to know and I am not great with blood or anything medical for that matter.

Enough Said

Holy Cow

Tim then walked in the door as Jude was beginning to eat some banana bread (good sign that he was hungry and wanted food pronto). As we were discussing what to do, Jude stood up and said "Wow" and acted like he was dizzy. I flipped at the thought of him being light headed so we all got in van and started driving to the ER.

At the end of our street, we paused and looked at each other. After our recent ER experience, we wanted to stop and think about what was best and what was necessary. We decided to make our first stop Tim's sister Linda's house. She works at a dermatologists office so we figured she'd have some insight into what we should do. At this point I should stop to say that this is the story from my perspective and not Tim's. I'm pretty sure he knew Jude was fine once he saw him eating the banana bread.

Linda cleaned him up and stopped the bleeding and we all returned home. Jude watched some Curious George while I gained my sanity and Tim eventually left for an appointment. We saw the doctor later that day and will be pursing further diagnosis through a possible CT scan.

I was hoping the hemangioma would shrink with all the blood loss, but it hasn't. It looks worse than before. Jude is just fine and up to all his antics, jokes and silly faces. Though he does touch his "bump" and ask me to cut it off. Maybe someday, Kiddo, but it ain't gonna be Mommy.

Jude, you are a courageous little man and we love you so much.

Camping with Kids

Every year, the Whitacres and Friends meet in Big Sur for a summer campout. Last  year, Jude and I were in Austin, Texas visiting my BFF since elementary school so we didn't make it. Thus, 2011 was our inauguration into camping with kids. Let me just say that it is a whole new world for us. We had a great time and Jude especially thrived (during the daylight hours). On that note, I think it took us the same number of days to recover from camping as the number of days we actually camped.

The best part about this annual trip is the people. Tim's brother Brian and his family fly out from Tennessee and friends come from far and wide to enjoy their company. Jude got to hang out with his cousin Rose (Brian's ten month old daughter), as well as the other adorable and "same as cousins" kiddos Edie (5), Clara (2), Emery (21 months), and Everette (8 months).

We look forward to and plan for this trip every year and it has without fail been a very special time each summer. This year we lucked out on a river site which as a huge blessing of white noise for the kids while they slept.

Our days were spent playing with the kids in the dirt, water, tents or the back of the van. We sat, ate, slept, walked, talked and mostly enjoyed a slower pace of life for a few days. Of course, we managed a few trips to the camp store for ice cream before dinner.

Jude's favorite activities included throwing rocks into the river, wading in the river and jumping off tree roots. Eli's favorite activities included watching the wind in the trees and being held all the time.

I think the thing I will remember most about the 2011 Big Sur campout is the fact that we got yelled at by our neighbors on the first night because Jude was screaming bloody murder and we couldn't calm him down. It was epic! Eli slept through it so I don't know why the neighbors couldn't:) I'll have you know the consecutive three nights were much better - Praise the Lord.

Here's to many more Big Sur campouts over the years and to watching our kids grow up together (which means we'll be growing old together)...

Garbage Day

We had a moment - Jude, myself and...the Garbage Man.

Tuesday morning at Casa de Whitacre is garbage day. Jude loves listening for the truck and then finding me to tell me it is close. We then run out the front door and sit in front of our neighbor's house to watch the truck make its way around the court. We watch it lift the garbage cans, dump them out and put them back down. The best part of all is when the Garbage Man stops to wave at Jude and honk his horn.

We have been doing this for many, many weeks now. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of garbage trucks but seeing the joy in Jude's face is priceless. I'll follow garbage trucks around town to see Jude light up like that. Don't worry. You'll get to see it too. I am posting a clip below.

Well, this Tuesday we proceeded with our normal routine. After the Garbage Man finished his pickups in the court he turned onto our street and then backed up (on the wrong side of the street) to come alongside where we were cheering on the sidewalk. He said hello. Jude was speechless and wide eyed. Then he said he had something for Jude and pulled out a toy yellow garbage truck! It was the coolest thing ever.

Honestly, it was so sweet of him to have thought of Jude and brought the truck with him. We will definitely continue to run out to the sidewalk on garbage truck day (as if I have a choice).

Thank you, Garbage Man! You made our day.

This is a clip of Jude's pure delight in garbage trucks. It was taken during a recent camping trip when the garbage truck made its rounds through the campgrounds.

The Ranch for the Fourth

We Kimmel kids were blessed to grow up on Kimwood Ranch in Potter Valley, California. It is now Kimmel Vineyards and continues to be one of (if not the) my favorite places on earth. I remember spending my summers running wild through fields, playing in the creek, swimming in the pool and imaging up all kinds of games and adventures with my brother, Ryan. It was the childhood I would love to now be able to give our boys.

Every year we return to The Ranch (as we affectionately call it) over the Fourth of July. This year, we spent most of our days down by the creek with Jude. He had so much fun and Grandpa even found him a turtle! I am so happy he is getting to experience some of what I love even if it is only for a few days a year. Though, I am foreseeing a future of week long "Grandpa Camp" in his future with lots of tractor rides, hikes, swimming, turtle hunts and so much more.

This year included my Nana Lillian giving Jude a haircut, which she hasn't done since my brother was little. I have seen so many photos of Nana cutting my brother's hair that it was a sentimental moment for me. Plus, I really miss my brother. He flies an F-18 for the US Navy and is currently deployed. Speaking of which, my brother's dog, Buddy, was in tow and Jude really loves him.

To top it all off, Jude got to gobble up the famous "NanaCakes" which were so delicious. We always put in a special order when we go up there. They are the best pancakes ever.

Kona was in seventh heaven with room to run and so many wild animals to chase.

Before hitting the ranch this year, we were able to meet up with my best friend from childhood, Mellissa, and her kids in Santa Rosa. We now live states away from each other so this was a true treat for us. The best part was that she got to meet and hold Eli in the first few weeks of his life. She was able to do the same with Jude and it has been so cool.

Here is a glimpse into a our Nor Cal adventure:

Introductions

I have to admit that I didn't spend much time thinking about how Jude would respond to Eli when they were first introduced. One thing I knew for sure, I was going to cry when they met. I would tear up when I did take the time to stop and think about it.

It went better than I ever could have hoped. My mom brought Jude to the hospital and he was holding a bouquet of roses from our yard. He melted the hearts of all the nurses as he strutted down the hospital hallway to visit us. He absolutely melted my heart too when he wanted to sit on the bed with me and talk. At first, he didn't see Eli who was lying beside me. I pointed to him and reminded him that we had been talking about a baby brother and that now he had arrived. Jude looked at him and got really quiet for a while clearly processing what now lay before him - a baby brother. Then he wanted to kiss him and hold him. It was amazing.

I know they won't always want to kiss and cuddle each other and that the transition is still in its infancy. With that said, I am thankful the initial introduction will always be a sweet memory for Tim and I. We are thrilled to have brothers so close in age and look forward to seeing their similarities and differences as they grow together (as we all grow together).

Telling Pictures

I found a few photos of the boys that are similar and thought it would be fun to see them all in one place.

This is my mom holding Jude a few days after he was born:

This is my mom holding Eli when he was three days old:

This is Eli at six weeks:

And this is Jude at six weeks:

I wouldn't say they are duplicates, but they are definitely brothers! And...isn't my Mamasita the cutest thing you've ever seen? She's an amazing Nani and the boys love to snuggle with her (obviously).

Sharing with Mommy

Jude discovered the glories of a chocolate shake a couple weeks ago. He asked to taste mine and the rest of the meal kept coming back for more (who wouldn't?). We started playing a little game of trying to drink from the straw at the same time. I think I know where he gets at least half of his silliness from.

Happy! Happy!

My goal was to edit the video of Jude meeting Eli for the first time and get it posted before I posted anything else. Well, the video is still unedited so I am going to move on and then go back otherwise who knows when the next post will be.

We skyped with Tim's brother and his family on Saturday morning. Their daughter loves "If you're  happy and you know it". We all sang it together and Jude thought it was the greatest. To say the least we have been singing it ad nauseam for the last couple of days. He says, "Happy! Happy!" when he wants to sing it. It is actually really cute (the first couple of times). We have started asking him to start us off...here we are on our ride home last night.

It Happened One Friday Night...

I am not sure where to begin with all the thoughts mixing up in my head, but I'll do my best to tell the birth story of our second son, Elijah Ryan Whitacre.

As I have said before, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes about three months ago. It has been a trying journey in discipline, attitude and acceptance. One of the major concerns with the condition is the risk of a large baby - aka too large for the mother to deliver. Our OB wanted him out and about by 39 weeks to avoid this situation. At 37 weeks I was 70% effaced, 3cm dilated and the little one was sitting at zero station. By all counts he looked ready to go and the doctor didn't see any reason why he wouldn't come on his own. Then 39 weeks came and went and she started talking about induction. I was adamantly against it and she willingly heard me out and we continued waiting. I went in for a routine appointment on Friday (39 weeks, five days) and we had a "heart to heart" about the risks of waiting too long. We compromised as I agreed to have my membranes stripped to try to get things started on Friday, May 20th at 11am. I was already 5cm at this point. My water had been leaking slowly since noon on Thursday as well.

Contractions and some cramping started at noon. I put Jude down for his nap, took a shower, ate and laid down for a nap myself. Tim came home about 2pm and began getting our final things together for the hospital. After napping, we decided to start walking. With Jude and his tricycle we set out around the block. I was talking and walking through the contractions, but having a hard time telling when they were starting and ending. After the walk, I laid down again and the contractions slowed so we decided to get up and at it again. This time Linda, Tim's sister, was with us and we set out for a longer walk. Every few contractions, I would need to pause and breathe through but nothing that seemed "strong enough" to be doing much from my perspective.

On a random side note, we had Kona with us on the walk and a car drove by with two dogs in it that were barking their heads off at her. One of the dogs actually fell out of the truck window it was barking and leaning so hard. Tim helped the owner calm the dog and get it back in the truck. Maybe we should have known the drama was on the horizon with dogs falling out of trucks around us.

By around 7pm, contractions were continuing, but I was still working through them without much difficulty. At this point I was feeling discouraged and that there wasn't much more I could do to speed things along so I tried to come to terms with the fact that this too would be a long labor.

My mom arrived at about 7:20pm. At 8pm, I was officially discouraged and decided to go to bed. At about 8:35, Tim came in to check on me and I told him to tell my mom and Linda to get some rest. It was going to be a long night. While he was talking with them, everything changed.

My water broke with fury. I don't know how else to put it. It was very painful and sudden. I called to Tim and burst into tears. The tears were a mix of the surprise pain and disappointment that my water had broken and we were definitely headed for the hospital. At this point, things might start to get graphic so if you don't want details I suggest you stop reading. I can be very good at giving too much information.

Tim began talking me off the ledge as I was very upset. He got me off the bed and tried to get my now very wet clothes off and get me on the toilet. Then the contractions started with wild abandon coming one on top of another. I collapsed onto the floor shaking uncontrollably with my teeth chattering really hard. I think I kept saying, "I need to get a grip" and "breathe". Tim began trying to dress me so we could get in the car. I could not fathom getting in a car at this point, but had little to no ability to communicate what I was thinking. After another contraction on the floor I told him I needed to get on the bed to be more comfortable. If you have ever seen our monster bed, you know this is ridiculous. Doesn't matter. We got on the bed and I let out a very primal scream as I felt the unstoppable urge to push. Tim yelled for help and Linda ran in (Linda and my mom had been getting our things into the car and trying to take care of last minute details as quickly as possible). She assured me that I was having a bowel movement and it would all be okay. Yep, I am openly telling you that I pooped on our bed. Welcome to the land of childbirth. This is when Linda called 911. Another contraction hit, I grunted and pushed while digging my nails into Tim's arms and telling him not to leave me. Then I finally get out what I have been thinking for the last minute:  "He's here. He's coming." The next thing we know is Eli's head crowns and less than two seconds later the rest of Elijah followed caught by the steady, strong hands of his hero father at 8:55pm. Eli cried out right away to everyone's relief. The 911 operator said she could hear a baby crying in the background.

Thanks to our Bradley class we had reviewed what to do in case of an emergency birth so we worked to make sure Eli's airways were clear and then we laid him on my chest and covered us with blankets. From there Tim spoke reassuringly to me until the paramedics arrived. I was in shock and remained in some state thereof for almost 24 hours. We took a ride to the hospital in an ambulance and were very well taken care of.

Tim, Linda, my mom and everyone did such an amazing job in a very surprising and stressful situation. All I can say is that everything literally changed in a moment's time. We are so thankful that both Eli and I were fine and there were no complications. That is without a doubt due to the grace of God.

To say the least, we have talked about the events of Friday night over and over and over again. Were we missing the signs? What should we have done differently? What the what?!?

Then there have been comical moments remembered like when Linda was frantically looking for something to wrap me in and brought out one of Tim's favorite flannels and I refused to put it on. I was in shock and not answering anyones questions, but I managed to refuse to mess up my husband's jacket - Ha!

I think that might top our list of  most exciting Friday nights. What's yours?

Jude and I hanging out before our first labor walk.

Walking

Wow, big mama.

Jude being silly on our walk.

Paramedics Team hard a work.

I have decided to shut out the world at this point.

Tim cutting the cord

Even in the back of the ambulance, there is no denying Nani's excitement that her grandson has arrived.

In the hospital hanging with my new man

7 lbs 9 oz and 20.5 inches long

Cutie Patootie

I heart heat lamps

I heart my Auntie Da

I double heart my goofy Daddy

First Easter Egg Hunt

Easter snuck up on us this year. I wish I could say that we did a great job of communicating the significance of Easter with Jude or that for the weeks leading up to it we talked about the amazing miracle of Jesus' resurrection. In so many ways, Easter is THE most significant of Christian holidays. Well...we didn't do a very good job, but I'm counting on the "there's always next year" saying in hopes of doing better.

At the last minute, we were invited to an egg hunt at some friend's house. They have an amazing, expansive yard that was perfect for the big event. I didn't really think Jude would get it or stay focused, but boy was I wrong. They split the kids up and the little kids hunted first. How cute is Jude in the line-up!?!

Second from the left - that's our boy!

 

He did great, as you can see for yourself in the movie. He caught on rather quickly and at one point was walking around signing and saying "more, more". We had a really good time and Jude scored some great candy! Too bad I can't eat any right now or it would all be gone. For now, we are rationing.

Post hunt photo op

After we got home, Jude went down for his afternoon nap and Tim and I commented that we didn't think he'd remember the eggs and candy when he got up. Once again, we were wrong. Upon exiting his bedroom, he spied his egg bucket and said, "egg. egg". Darn it. I guess we should have hidden it...and now we have.

Mom, this one shakes. I love eggs.

Mama, have you ever tasted this stuff before?! More, please.

We had a great Easter weekend and hope that you did too. It wasn't great because of egg hunts and cute kids, though we love those too. It was great because we were reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus and the breathtaking significance of His resurrection. He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Amen.