We're going to need a mini-van

Introducing Baby S. #3!!

(After a few worried phone calls and emails, Don't worry! Everything is ok! For some reason, my original blog about the new baby got "deleted" so that's why it's not up anymore! So sorry! Thanks for everyone's concern!)

Yes, that's right . . . we're having another baby!! No, definitely not planned - it's just one of life's little surprise miracles! The babies will be about 15 months apart, so to say our life will change alot is an understatement!

The baby is due date is March 19, 2009 - so 3 kids in 2 years. I wondered for a sec if that is even possible and I guess it is! I told Pete we need to get our own television show!!

So, after the shock is starting to wear off we are gearing up for the future baby!

Swimmin' and playin'!

Wow it's been a long time since my last post! The babies are doing so well with the move and all the visitors that they have been seeing. Plus, every weekend they get to visit with someone while Mommy and Daddy go looking for a house! (I've got more news about that but will post later . . .!)

This past weekend we went to Pete's parents house, swam, and played with all the family! Everyone was there with all the cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandma and grandpa. The first night, I think the twins were awed with all the people holding and hugging them!

Grandpa was taking care of the babies!!

Getting a cuddle in with Grandma

Little Pete sat with Brandi for the longest time, he even fell asleep a few minutes after this pic was taken!

So, So busy . . .

It seems like I am running in circles lately. We have so much going on right now, I'll a little afraid that it is going to "break" me! We closed on our house in Denton today, and we are looking every weekend at houses in Clear Lake. The babies are doing good, other than driving me crazy because they won't sleep anymore! They are just so darn cute, it always makes things right when they smile and giggle.


I am so active with them all the time. They want to play, play, play, and it is wearing me out! Unfortunately, I have been working on getting a new schedule going because I'm trying to introduce solid foods. Well, to make a long story short, I called the pediatrician just make sure I was doing it right and well, it turns out I wasn't. The goal is to have them finished with bottles around 1 year, so I thought I was doing great because I cut out a few bottles and started doing more solid food. Well, not quite how you do it. It turns out that they still need 24 - 30 oz. of formula ALONG with the solid food. SOOOOOO, I'm one busy momma.
Feeding has always been the biggest issue since they were born. I'm still trying to figure it out, but I'm having a really hard time. We have been giving them little crackers and such, but Avery choked today on hers, (after the nurse promised that wouldn't happen, and that crackers should be safe!!!!) so we might take a little break from that. You can tell from the picture how much Pete liked them - he was much more interested in the french fry. I think sometimes I might try to push a little to hard. I have to remember that they are 7 months and they are doing really great!!! I guess I'm just ready for that day when they can feed themselves!!!!

Both are so ready to crawl. Avery crawls, but with her head on the floor . . .she hasn't figured out yet to pull it up! It's hilarious! Pete's been smiling so much it is amazing! They are both interacting with each other alot now. It's really cute to see them smile at each other. Sometimes they will talk to each other from the Exersaucers.

Aunt Ashley came to visit

My sister Ashley came in this weekend to visit with the babies (and I guess us too!) She couldn't believe how big they are getting. Of course she had to bring them some Texas Tech gear . . .their new little jammies! They look so cute in there sleeping!!!

It looks like he is beating her up, but Pete was actually being really sweet to his sister. He had his arm around her, trying to hold her up!

Moving . . .in progress

We have officially made our first move to Nana's and Grandpa's here in Katy. All our things from our house get moved into storage this weekend and we close next Weds.! We can't believe that it has gone so fast! We have a nice set up here at my parents, like an apartment! But we get the perks of having my parents close by . . .can I say yummy dinners every night!!! Yippee!!

Pete and I went and looked at neighborhoods last Sat. and we definitely found places we want to look at more and places we don't want to look at more! We are just going to take our time. We are always raging the "new vs. old" battle. OUr last house I won out and we got a new house so we'll have to see you wins this time!!

Little Pete's front two teeth are coming in. It hasn't been horrible but it is definitely bothering him. They just turned 7 months yesterday and are otherwise doing great! We finally put together their high chairs and are doing really good. Pete loves his, Avery is still trying to warm up to hers!

I've been tagged . . .

Thanks Sara for including me!!! I really had to think on some of these questions!!

What were you doing 10 years ago?
10 years ago, I had just met my husband Pete!! We met in the Spring of 98 at a fraternity party (we had actually met briefly a year before - but long story!) We started dating and have been together ever since! I was also a freshman at Texas Tech University and was moving out of the dorm and into a house with friends!!

Things on my To-Do List today:
(Well, how about what I DID today since it's late!)
MOVE
MOVE
Drive 6 month old twins for 6 hours
Hit Houston traffic right about 4 o'clock
MOVE
MOVE
MOVE


What are some snacks you enjoy?
Macaroni and Cheese - not that homemade stuff . . . only KRAFT or Velveeta. You know the really bad stuff for you! Queso with lots of salty chips. Swiss cheese and triscuits. Cheesecake with strawberries. (Do you notice a cheese theme!)

What would you do if you were a millionaire?
First and foremost, pay off every debt - like the cars and the house. It would be so fantastic to not have a mortgage!! Put away and invest the rest for all the things that we are going to need throughout our life. Also, I would love to take fantastic vacations (with and without the kiddos!! :)

Name some of the places you've called home:
Pearland, Katy, Lubbock, Amarillo, Denton, - Katy has always been home though!!!

What are some of your bad habits?
EEkkk! I'll list one - I'm kinda a glass half empty person.. . about myself! I can find the silver lining for everyone else, but for some reason I have a hard time doing that for myself.

What are some jobs you've held?
secretary (at my Dad's office in high school!), worker at Gymboree (boy do I wish I could still get the discount!), 3rd grade teacher, 5th grade teacher, ESL teacher, and my most favorite and most important: MOM

Who are you tagging?
OK - Katie and Natalie, I'm not sure how to do a direct link to your blog page :( - I'll email you!!! I hope that you'll play!

Mommy and Daddy are a little preoccupied right now

My parents are a little preoccupied right now with moving and my little brother TEETHING! Mom can see his tooth coming through on the bottom and she says that it is SHARP! Pete keeps crying about it and Mom can't get any packing done!!!
Love,
Avery


A note from Christy: Yes, Pete is teething and Avery is being a super sweetie. She's just rolling all around. Yes, we were right there when I took this picture. I think she likes to roll under things. Today in their room while I was trying to pack, Avery decided to roll under her crib. It was a little difficult to get her out! She laid there and just laughed at me. Pete's tooth just started coming in this morning. I can see it and feel it, and I had some "indicators" it was going to be happening soon! We keep pushing our move date back . . . unfortunately, with kiddos it seems to take a LONG time to pack (and I'm not even packing everything!!)

Some more goodbyes . . .

Our fantastic friends John and Ashley hosted a dinner at their house with our friend Christie for us! We had a great dinner, played some cards and just had an awesome time like we always do! We know they will all be coming to visit!


Our neighbors, Steve and Stephanie, have the cutest,sweetest kids! This is Emily and Ryder playing with their little friends. Emily is so sad to see the babies leave! She loves to feed them and help me every chance she gets. We talked last night about her coming and having "Mommy Camp" with me!!! She fed Avery so well and is always a big help!



Our good friends and neighbors, Brian and Heather, had us over for dinner too! Boy, are we getting spoiled!! They got to get a good snuggle in with the babies!! Brian and Pete met the first day that Pete moved us into our house here, and they have been great friends ever since! Since Heather has never been to "H-Town" we know they will be visiting us too!

Happy July 4th!

Happy July 4th!


We spent the afternoon at a neighbor's pool party . . . and the babies had a blast! We bought them these inflatable crab floaters and they loved them. Avery was actually kicking underneath hers to move closer to her Daddy! Pete sat and just smiled the entire time he was in it. When I would take him out of the water he would cry - and stop when I put him back in. We fed them at about 6:30 and they were so fussy that we put them to bed! They were asleep before they even hit the mattress. We've never put them to bed that early, so hopefully they are so worn out that they will sleep all night! We took about a million (I'm totally not exaggerating!) pictures of them in the pool. We're hoping they are going to be water babies. If today was any indication, they are going to love it!

Beginning our good byes

We've started the so "un-fun" process of saying our good byes to so many of our friends here in Denton. I have been writing this post in pieces because as I look at the pictures and reflect I get a little choked up!


This is our poker group. We have been playing with this group for about 5 years almost every month!! Yikes! Alot of the memebers have come and gone but Christie D., Joe, Clem, Pete and I are part of the original group that has been playing so long together. What are you guys going to do without Pete a.k.a. "River Rat"!?

We had a little happy hour get together last week . . . it's amazing how many babies were there!! Times sure do change! Braden W. is pleading with his girlfriend Avery not to leave him in one of the pictures. Braden's parents are fellow Red Raiders and Pete even knew them before we moved here. Braden's daddy even came to our wedding so many years ago! Our amazing friend Christie is holding Miss Avery in the other picture. I'm not sure what I would have done without Christie over the years. I could not ask for a truer friend. She has always been there for us and we appreciate you so much!!




I have waited and waited for my best friend Shawnie to be DONE with the military and move back here! AFter all those years of waiting she finally did . . . and only lived 45 minutes away from me! I wish that we had taken advantage of that more often but that is what happens when she has 3 kiddos and I have 2! Shawnie you are awesome . . .I know I'll be seeing you in Houston alot! You have been such a good friend since we were in 10th grade!! YIKES!! Watch out for us (those 30 year olds) next year in Vegas! The pictures below are of Shawnie, her son, Matthew, and her twin girls, Lorelei and Aeoife! I think Pete found his new girlfriend with Miss Lorelei!



Connie . . . where do I even begin. You and Johnny have been not only amazing neighbors but have become part of our family. I promise to bring Avery and Pete to visit so that you can see "your" babies!!!


Here comes trouble! In two years, the girls from my girl's night went from zero kids to FIVE kiddos!! Whoa! Thank you girls for giving me an excuse to get out of the house every once in awhile and enjoy a fabulous martini!! As the kids began coming, the girl's nights slowed down . . .but I still want to thank ya'll for your wonderful friendship!! The pictures below are of 4 out of the 5 kiddos (Julie was at camp!) These are the kiddos from the Class of 2026! Braden was born in November, Avery and Pete in December, and Mark in May!