July 4th and Class Reunion

We had a great 4th weekend! We came to Lubbock Thursday for my last doctor's appointment and just stayed here for the weekend. I go into the hospital TONIGHT for cervidil and they will start pitocin tomorrow morning. Ryan Samuel will be here tomorrow...yay!!! We've had a great weekend with family and friends. Taylor got to hold her first sparkler last night and loved it! She also "swam" (floated) on her own in a big pool! I was so proud of her!

We also had our 10 year high school reunion this weekend. It was great to see so many people I hadn't seen in a while! Everyone met at Fox and Hound Friday night, then met up again Saturday at the Slaton Park. It was great fun. Here's proof from the fun weekend...

Taylor "swimming"

She loved the sparklers! So does her mommy!

Sidewalk chalk at Gammy and Pa-pa's house

One last belly shot...39 1/2 weeks!
At the park...Lori, Justin and Dustin

Brooke, Me, and Melody

Mike and Dustin being goofy
Me and Shannon

Me, Annetta and Ashleigh

Group Picture

Dustin and I before the reunion Friday night

Random Pics

Just some random pictures I found on my flash card from the last few weeks. The first two are from today. Our neighbor brought over this t-shirt her son had outgrown. Taylor was so excited over her new "Sands Mustang" shirt!!


We let Cassie in the dining room the other day while Dustin watered the backyard so she wouldn't get really muddy. I thought she looked so cute with her head up on the step!
Mom and David came to visit our new house and rode on the motorcycle. I had to get a pic of Taylor on the bike with them. It cracks me up to see my mom on a motorcycle!! (sorry mom...it's just too funny).
Taylor playing with bath foam one night after we moved...

While packing, we found lots of things I forgot we had. Taylor came across this hat she wore as a newborn and put it back on. Then she put on the feather boa and jewelry and pushed her stroller all over the house. Silly girl!

Playing in the sprinkler

Update

Well, I don't have any pictures to share, but wanted to update everyone on our latest "happenings." We have officially moved and are settled in quite nicely! We moved last Monday (the 15th) and are pretty much all unpacked. I have a few things to hang up on the wall still, but we are pretty much settled. The move went awesome!! It has kept me very busy and I haven't had much time to think about how miserably pregnant I should feel (which has been nice). We had great help loading everything up in a large truck (thank you Dad, Sam & Diane and Cory). When we got to Ackerly on Monday morning, there was a group of high school football boys, the boys coach, the superintendent and a teacher to help us unload. I was amazed!! Then, for the first 3 days, we didn't have to cook or pay for a meal...so many people in the community provided us with food and desserts! My mom came up Monday afternoon and we unpacked probably 15 boxes while Dustin put all the beds together. I am so thankful she was able to come help!! We are overwhelmed by the welcome we received in this small community!

Taylor got to see her new house on Tuesday and LOVES it!! She thinks it is awesome that she lives next to the playground. She is also riding her tricycle at the tennis courts and has gotten VERY good lately. Not only is she pedaling well, but she is steering so good that she can weave in between the nets and turn really well. We cannot keep her indoors these days!! The light switches in this house are lower and she can reach them. She thinks that is pretty cool and mommy does, too. It sure helps if I am busy and she wants something in her room or the bathroom. (I know this will be even more helpful when Ryan gets here). She is constantly suprising us with words and sayings she picks up on. I put her stool in front of the sink today and told her she could stand on it to brush her teeth and she told me, "That will be cool." It's so funny to hear her say grown-up things! If she adjusts as well to Ryan as she did to the new house, things will be smooth sailing!!

Speaking of Ryan...things are still a go for July 6. I am actually feeling really good. He's dropped a bit, though I am still carrying him pretty high. I walked 7 laps at the track last night with one of the coaches wives (I'm hoping gravity will take affect). Like I said, I've been busy moving, so there hasn't been much time to feel bad for how huge I am!! I'm not really swelling at all...just enjoying this last 1 1/2 weeks of feeling him in my tummy. I really missed that once Taylor was born. Don't get me wrong, I'm really ready to have him and see him and snuggle him, but there is something about having that baby in your tummy that you miss. :-) Next post will probably be with pictures of our sweet new addition!!!

Tough things for a 2-yr old

Gosh, I've been meaning to post for three weeks now, but we've been SO busy! We've had some big things happen lately. Things that have been difficult to explain to my ever-inquisitive 2 1/2 yr old. About 4 weeks ago, one of our golden retrievers, Cowboy, died. Dustin had taken him and Cassie out for a run, while he road his bicycle. Cowboy was slowing down towards the end and finally stopped and laid down about 1/4 mile from our house. So, Dustin road the rest of the way home and came back to get him in the car. Basically, we think he had a heart attack. Our neighbor (the superintendent) came and helped Dustin try to revive him, but he was gone. So they dug a hole in the neighbors backyard and buried him next to their kitty cat that had recently died. It was very sad for Dustin and I. He was only 3 1/2. I knew that Taylor would eventually ask, and I was really dreading that conversation!! The next day, when we were outside, she noticed he was gone and asked about him. Dustin told her that he got sick and had to go to heaven. She basically said okay and kept playing. Whew, that was easy! But it wasn't the end of it! That night, when I was putting her to bed, she started crying and said she wanted to go get Cowboy and bring him home. I explained to her that his heart was sick and medicine wouldn't help him, so he had to go be with God in heaven and that's far away. She said, "Well, tomorrow, when we get dressed, we can get in the car and drive to get him." I told her we couldn't drive to heaven, but that now that he's happy there! She asked how he knew to get there. (are you kidding me...these are big questions for a 2 1/2 yr old). I told her the angels showed him the way. She smiled and said they were probably singing to him. My heart melted!! She still asks about him some, but seems content to know that he is happy. We will sure miss sweet Cowboy!!

Our other big news is...we are moving! Dustin took a job about 75 miles south of Lubbock in Ackerly. The school is called Sands. It's the same size school he's in now. We are very excited!! We are moving in three weeks. And I am going to be induced in 6 weeks. It's going to be crazy, but I know it will all work out! Taylor has been asking questions about this, too, as I have started packing boxes. She's not really thrilled about the idea. It's going to be a busy 2 months for her, with a new house and a new baby brother. I am just hoping she adjusts fairly well!

My official induction date is July 6. I am getting really ready!! I feel quite large these days and am having trouble chasing Taylor around. But other than feeling as big as a house, I feel good! :-)

I will leave you with some pictures of Cowboy. I don't have any recent ones...I know I do somewhere, I just can't find them.

Tu-Tu Cute

Our friend Cami gave Taylor this adorable outfit for her birthday. We've worn the shirt and hat quite a bit and Taylor LOVES to play dress up in the tu-tu. I've been waiting for a good day to take her picture in it b/c I wanted her to be bare foot. So when I saw how great the weather was going to be on Tuesday, we went to my dad's backyard and played around. Here are a few of my favorites. Thanks Cami, we LOVE this sassy outfit!!!

Lot's of Easter!!!

We really celebrated Easter this year!!! And by that, I mean SIX Easter egg hunts/parties!! I was pretty much worn out when it was all said and done! It is wonderful to have all of our family here so that we can celebrate SO MUCH!! And, Taylor was able to have a few Easter egg hunts with her cousin, Britten this year before they went back home to N.C. By Easter Sunday, Taylor had the whole "hunting eggs" thing down!! We had a hunt at Gammy and Pa-paw's (mom and David's house), then at Pop Pop's (dad's), then I hid eggs for Taylor and Ashtyn (the little girl I watch 2 times a week), then at the Slaton park with Trax and Ramzi, then at church, and finally at Grandma and Grandpa's (Dustin's parents) on Easter Sunday. These pictures are totally out of order, and since there are SO MANY I will not be rearranging them.

Taylor with Mikaela and Riley on Easter Sunday

hunting at Grandma and Grandpa's
Before church

Checking out her loot from the Easter bunny. I LOVE the tired eyes and "bus hair." Also, please take note of the tank top that is on...I have a funny story to tell at the end of this post.

Hunting at the Slaton park...this is the view I had each time she bent over...LOVE IT!!

It was VERY cold and Trax had decided he'd had ENOUGH!

Taylor, her cousin Thatcher, and Trax waiting to hunt

Trax, Ramzi and Taylor
Ashtyn and Taylor

They wore their matching shirts that day
Coloring eggs at Gammy's

I had to post this picture of Kendall b/c her eyes are SO blue and pretty!!
5 out of 6 of Gammy and Pa-paw's grandkids (they will have 3 more by July). And can I just say that Taylor loves her newest cousins Cooper, Kendall and Clayton and Abriella!!

I took a few pics before we left for Gammy and Pa-paw's that day

This is my new favorite picture of Taylor...except that she looks TOO grown-up!


Speaking of grown-up, my baby turned 2 1/2 on Thursday!! Boy, I can't believe it! She is quite the hilarious one these days! As promised in the Easter morning pics, I have a few funny stories to share.

The tank top she has on in those pics was a gift from her Great Aunt Susie. A while back when our family was together, Susie learned of my daughters fascination with bra's. Taylor thinks she needs one SO BAD! So, sweet Susie bought Taylor these tank tops and called them her "bra's". Taylor just loves them! The other day, she told me...

"See mommy, I have a brawl just like you. I have boobies like you too, but mine aren't big." Dear Lord, please don't let her inherit my curse. HA!! Also, when she first got the "brawls" (as she calls them), we quickly realized that we needed to talk to her about when it is appropriate to talk about them. We learned this after she showed a woman in the buffet line at Ci-Ci's pizza and after she told a few ladies at church. That is why I am not teaching my child the "correct terms" for private parts!!!!

Another cute story...We were at Target on Thursday picking stuff out for Baby Ryan. Taylor couldn't understand why I wouldn't pick out anything pink. I explained to her that boys don't have pink stuff, but their stuff is blue. She looked at me wide-eyed and said, "So, Baby Ryan's going to be a real boy?? Like Daddy's a real boy?!" I think they light bulb clicked.

She is constantly saying sweet things like this! I don't remember a lot of things, but like to share her sweetness and silliness when I can!

Taylor's 1st Hair Cut

Taylor got her very first hair cut yesterday! She was surprisingly good and still!! Her hair is so thin and she was getting some really long stringy pieces, so it was time for a cut! She actually cut quite a bit off. I wanted a little bob and thought it would make her hair look thicker. It sure did and turned out SUPER cute! After her hair cut, we went to Taco Villa with Lindsay and Britten, where we ran into my cousin Kristin. Then, I had to go to Walmart and I bought Taylor a surprise for sitting so still! She picked out some nail polish and lip gloss. I also got her some new clips for the new 'do!

This picture was right before she made the first cut. The lady needed her to look down, so I squatted down below her. I love it b/c she looks so uncertain!

ALL DONE!