Family Update!

Natalie is really starting to be quite the social little bug - she remembers our staff friends from camp, and will go up to them and hold her arms up so they pick her up, and she's even getting much more comfortable going up to 'strangers' at camp, so that's fun for the campers. Her favorite word is still "mine!" but her newest words are "na-na" for bunny and "za-za" for pizza!!! :) I love the pizza one, I make her say it all the time and then she thinks she's going to get pizza....I'm such a mean mommy. :) She loves to 'neigh' for horses or cows & anytime we're driving down the road, she will yell out, "Neigh! Neigh!" if she sees any horse-ish kind of animal. :)

Zachary and Natalie moved into the same room this week, which has been...um...exhausting. The first few nights, they did NOT go down well at all & were in there talking until 10 pm. Natalie will sleep extra in the morning if she's tired, but Z was up at 6 & would NOT go back to sleep. So I had two tired & grouchy kids on my hands for the first few days. The last 2 nights have gone better, though, with Natalie going to sleep right away & then Zachary and I read a couple of books together and then he goes in & has been so tired that he hasn't even disobeyed - he's gone right to sleep, quietly. So I am very thankful for that. :)

Z was reluctant to go to story time at the library this morning -it's funny because he's very outgoing, with his peers, and with adults, even people who are strangers, at camp and church - but both of those places are pretty much an extension of home for us. At the library story hour, he sits on my lap, instead of on the floor with the kids - while Natalie goes right up to sit with the kids! :) On the way to the library today, Zachary declared that he did not want to go to story time, and he was NOT going to have any fun. I said, "Well, honey, that's a choice. You can choose to have fun or not." After we arrived home, I asked him if he had fun, and he laughed and said, "Yes! I did - I accidentally had fun!" :) He does really like to do the crafts they have, and then they bring out toy cars & trucks, and by then he usually joins the other kids to play. :)

16 days until Baby Boy is due! Nothing new on that front - still big & pregnant, no progress or dropping to show for being so close...but my dr. said she wouldn't let me go too far past my due date before she would induce me, so, though I'd like to go on my own this time, I'd be happy with that at this point (and for sure once I'm at my due date!) :) Of course my hips are sore, etc. but I really do feel like I'm doing well for being this far along, and I'm not having too many of the 'practice' contractions yet, so I'm VERY thankful for that fact. :) I got all of his darling little clothes washed and folded & put away in his room, and now I just have to get his crib in & get it ready & put his monkey stickers on his walls. :) Oh, and pick out a name - ha! That's kind of important, and nope, we haven't decided yet. :) I should probably pack a hospital bag at some point, too...honestly, it still seems so far away but it's really just a few DAYS! Crazy! :) I AM getting really excited, though- I can't wait to meet him and see what Zachary & Natalie think about him, too! :)

I'm so thankful for all three of my little sweethearts - they do bring so much joy to each day, and I can't wait until all three of them can play together & just multiply the joy even that much more. :)