Our growing family

     So much has been going on the past couple months! We found out, in the end of July, that we are expecting our third little one. I was completely shocked when that test turned up positive. I ended up taking six tests just to make sure it was true! Josh was out in San Diego when I found out. I told him over Skype. He was excited and has been ready for another one. I wasn't planning on being pregnant for a few more months, but God had something else in store for us :).
     This hasn't been too bad of a pregnancy so far. I have gotten sick a few times and stayed nauseous for the majority of the first trimester, but now I'm feeling a lot better. I am obsessed with potatoes! I love twice baked potatoes, baked potatoes, fries and then I love vegetable beef soup. With the boys, I wanted fried chicken and ice cream. This baby, fried stuff makes me sick and so do most sweets. I have an ultrasound scheduled for next week, so hopefully we'll get to find out what we're having since I'll be 17 weeks. Josh is set that it's another boy. I feel that it might be a girl because I've had different cravings and less sickness, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up with a house full of boys. Elijah keeps saying it's a girl, so maybe he knows something we don't.
     Elijah and Noah have been doing great! Elijah turned 3 about a month ago. He had a cute little Toy Story party and, of course, got spoiled rotten with gifts. He is now completely potty trained! It is so nice to only have to buy diapers for one :). Noah still isn't walking, but I can tell he's close. He is more of a talker than Elijah was. He says, "Meme" for Mickey, ball, book, bath, "Bo Bo" for brother, and Mama and Dada.
     We are going to Disney the end of next week and are all super excited! My parents are going and Josh's cousins that live with his parents are going too. Josh's cousins have never been so I'm very excited to see their expressions! Elijah is so excited about going back to Disney. He asks all the time when we're going. Noah has really been showing an interest in Mickey and Nemo, so I think he's going to have a great time also.
   

It's been awhile

     I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted. Not too much has changed, but the boys sure are getting big! Elijah has been talking a lot more and really trying to be a 'big boy.' He's potty trained, except all the way at night, he likes to dress himself, and doesn't like too much help from Mommy or Daddy. I can't believe he'll be three in just two short months! Noah is about 13 months old and is always on the go. He hasn't started walking yet, but he does pretty well with a walking toy. He doesn't talk much, just the usual Mama and Dada and babbling. They don't really play together yet. Elijah still isn't too fond of sharing his toys, and Noah is content playing by himself.
     Live in New Orleans isn't so bad now. We've been here over a year now and still have a little over 2 1/2 years left. It hasn't been too bad with Josh's family only being an hour away. Well they got their orders and just moved to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Now we are officially on our own down here. It's weird not being able to go to their house or have them over. It makes me sad when Elijah asks to see them and he doesn't understand that they aren't close by anymore. It will be easy to see everyone since both of our families will be in NC now. We probably won't be able to take another trip up there until next year, so Josh can save up his leave and we can take a good two weeks off. I would take the boys and go before then, but I'm not brave enough for the 13 hour drive without Josh lol. Hopefully our families will be able to visit us too. That trip is very tiring and hard to do more than a couple times a year. It's sad being away from family, but we've been adjusting pretty well and have made some great friends to help make it feel more like home.

Christmas 2012

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Trip to FL and my growing boys!

     We just got back from our 10 day vacation. We decided to surprise my family for Thanksgiving. We just showed up at their house Thanksgiving morning. It was so great to keep it a surprise. We got to spend three days in NC visiting with everyone. After that, we headed off to Florida! We went to Universal and Disney. Elijah had so much fun seeing all the characters and riding some rides. I hadn't been to Disney in years, so it was so much fun going back. Josh had never been to Universal or Disney, so it was really exciting to experience everything with him. We didn't feel like we should bring Noah since we would be around so many people and germs, so we left him with Josh's parents. That was the longest 10 days of my life! It was so hard being away from him for that long. I can't wait til we can take both boys!!

                                                Riding "It's a Small World."

                                                    His first ride, ever :)

                                               Passed out after supper.

                                                     Buzz is his favorite.

                                                   My cute alarm clock <3

                                               First taste of applesauce
    
     The boys have been growing so fast, I feel like I can hardly keep up. Since we got back from our trip, Elijah has been talking a lot more. He's adding new words everyday and it's so exciting to hear him! Noah is all over the place. He has been starting to babble a lot and is rolling over every time I lay him down. I think he'll start crawling within a month or two. He had his first taste of applesauce, which he absolutely loved! He even has his first tooth on the way. I can't believe how fast he's growing up. Everything seems to be going faster now that I have two little ones in the house.

The craziness right now :)

     Noah is officially done with wearing his brace during the day!!! He still has to wear it at night (at least twelve hours a day) until he's four, but I am so excited to be done with another phase of treatment for his feet. He is having so much fun being brace free. He is constantly kicking and grabbing his feet. I love watching him have so much fun. He is growing so fast. He'll be 5 months old on the 27th. He absolutely loves Elijah! He stares at him and smiles so big. They love having bath together and just laying down playing together. I really think they're gonna be best, best friends :).
     Elijah is an absolute handful! This past Sunday, we got back from the zoo and shoe shopping and we knew Elijah was worn out, so we laid him down. Josh and I had to keep going in his room and lay him back down. but finally we didn't hear him anymore. Well about an hour later he came downstairs. It looked to me like he changed his pants, then I looked up and thought his shirt was inside out. Well then I looked at his face and it was completely white! I ran upstairs and his room was COVERED in baby powder!! It was such a mess. I couldn't help but laugh and think about how much fun he was probably having squirting it everywhere hahaha!! Well then the next day, I was taking a shower and came downstairs to him having black permament marker all over his lips. He is such a busy and strongwilled little guy, and he definitely keeps me on my toes :).
     Today Josh and I have been married for four years. I can't believe it has already been that long. It has been a crazy four years, but I love it. We are definitely never bored! I'm excited for the next four years. Right now, Josh is planning on getting out of the Marines after his contract is up and buying some land and building a house back in NC. We've been looking at some land online and trying to find floor plans that we like. I had expected us to be a military family til we were in our 40's, but with everything the government is changing about the retirement for the military, it just makes more sense to get out and settle down. Who knows what might change between now and 2016, but settling down is what we want to work towards right now. I am just so excited to think about our future and plan it all out together :).

Thankful

I have just been overwhelmed with thankfulness the past couple days. After my blood clots after I had Elijah, I was so nervous to be pregnant again. I said that if everything went smoothly with Noah, then I would gladly have more kids. Well I am well over 3 months postpartum and haven't had any complications. I am so thankful that nothing happened and that I am alive and healthy. Also, all the scares we had with Noah. He could've had a heart or brain/spine condition and he is perfectly healthy. I was so worried about his clubfeet, but now I almost forget he is different. The brace is just a part of Noah and a part of our lives. I have two healthy, happy little boys, an amazing husband, I am healthy, and get to share a life with all of them. What more could I ask for? Just wanted to share my overwhelming amount of joy and thankfulness :)

Elijah is two!!

Last weekend we celebrated Elijah's second birthday. We had a pirate party for him. He threw a couple fits at first when everyone got there, but after a little while he had so much playing with everyone. We all had a great time, but I can't believe how fast this time has gone by. He has grown and changed so much. He just had his two year check up. Everything looked great, but the doctor wants him to see an early interventionist because his speech isn't as developed as it should be. We were concerned about that, so I'm kind of glad he's going to get help with it.
     Noah is almost three moths old! He is so big now. He is definitely bigger than Elijah was at his age. He moves so much! Elijah wasn't that active and and he's super active now, so I'm probably going to have my hands full when Noah starts walking too. Noah is such a happy baby! He smiles all the time. They're both growing up so fast. I'm trying to cherish every moment I have with them.