thirty weeks!

yay!! is all i can say.

i know this has gone by fast in a way but now it gets tricky.  i don't know if i want it to hurry up or not.  i know it will be here before i know it.   i am loving my time with your big brother, but it's hard to chase after him with this growing belly. 

note to self: just because i look down and see that the shirt fits, doesn't mean it looks good from the side. (haha).

taking our weekly pictures obviously doesn't happen too often.  but we are trying.  

my little sam, since your 4d ultrasound i just can't help but dream of your sweet face.  i feel huge and have decided i can only gain so much more weight.  although, that decision doesn't really match well with the decisions i make sporadically to bake sweets or finish up whatever your brother doesn't eat.  

oops!

you kick like  c r a z y. 

which kind of scares me.  but i'm trying to tell myself it's just a glimpse of that little personality you hold.  oh my we are so excited for you!  your room is almost complete.  it's not much different than your brothers but we tried to make it your own.  everyone thinks i'm crazy for wanting to get it done right now because i still have  t e n  weeks to go.  but i guess you can just call me anxious.   i love having our house ready for any occasion, even if that means a new baby coming in a few months.  

we love you little samuel more than you know!

xxoo 

my first baby ... our b i g boy

it's kinda crazy,  i don't have to get that teary eyed because i'm not sending him off to pre-school or kinder yet like all my fellow friends have been posting. 

but i'm realizing we are just a few weeks shy of a 2 year old.

and he's about to be known as the big kid in the house.

b i g  b r o t h e r.

it just has me thinking, wow this really does go by too fast.

at 23 months old :)  you are as much of an explorer as you very well should be.

you are not potty training, because, well we are not ready for that yet. but you are interested so we let you play on the "roggy potty" in between diaper changes.   you actually have gone twice!  you impressed me.  you will hate me for posting this picture but i want you to know just how cute you looked to me. 

love those thighs!

you, sweet jack, have enjoyed actually smiling for the camera these days.  it is always followed by 

 " i see chach, i see chach! "  as you try to grab the camera or phone.

you love going to any "pock"  we have never seen you more ready to be anywhere.

how did you get so brave?  i love it.  

you have a new love for "piderman"  and anything over your head makes you "piderman."  we can't get enough of your imagination.  

you still call a four wheeler a "joey" and to say you are a little obsessed would be an understatement.  

you have taken on the one that is too big for you out at granny and gramp's house.  i got my work out walking around the house with you, always reminding you to "turn! turn!"

you politely ask "ra?"  for rabbit speed.  you love going fast.

the other morning i was thinking of how much you love to cuddle.  you are doing great in your big boy bed. 

you usually call me to your room to come lay with you for a bit.  if you get up and out you want me to lay with you on the floor in the morning during your cartoons.

"ah mama piwoh"  as you point to the pillow you have on the floor.

maudie really has been quite an entertainment for you.  i don't know what she would actually say if she knew we were having another little boy.  would she pack up her bags and leave?!?

 nah, i really don't think so.  sometimes i catch her giving you kisses.

we have had so much fun this last summer, you have really learned to love the water.

you always ask for the "baby pool" when we go over to dana's house.  i think we took our last swim the other day.  i enjoyed every bit of it.  it's hard to believe next year i'll have two little guys at the pool.

you are a ham.  you love your cousin joey to pieces.  it is so fun to watch you and hear you talk about him.  your face lights up!  

in just a few weeks we'll be getting ready for a second birthday party.  we are so excited for it too!   you are getting chattier and chattier these days which really shows a new side of your personality.  from pretending you are something or someone, to debating daddy on what is what.  you are a hoot.   we know sam has the best big brother to look up to, that's for sure! 

we love you little man

xxoo

a little family get away . . .

last week this time we were a busy little family.   one of richard's good friends from our hometown had the most beautiful wedding out in california.   since richard was born in california, he has always talked about taking us out there to show us his childhood stomping grounds.  so what better opportunity?!  we were also able to spend some time with his aunt who lives there too.  she recently was diagnosed cancer free but is starting her first round of chemo.   she graciously opened her home to us the first and last night we were in town.

the first day there she treated us to a very yummy breakfast.  jack was happy as could be since she ordered him his very own chocolate milk.  

then we set off to the town richard grew up in.  

he was excited to tell us stories of what he did around the school campus. 

we made sure to stop at all fast food spots that are well known there.

we spent that night in huntington beach.  it was so peaceful to spend the evening walking around and watching jack explore the sand (which he threw alot of) and of course the beautiful ocean or as he called it the "BIG baby pool"

that night we looked forward to a good nights rest, but as mama feared... as jack went to sleep that night he started to sound more and more congested in his chest.  so by two am that morning we were waiting in the huntington beach emergency room with a slight case of strider. this will be his third time this year this has happened.   he was a real trooper when he got his treatment and we headed back to get a few hours rest before our next day.

he woke up happy as can be but still sounded a little croupy.  thank you jesus! he got better as the day went on.  we headed out to visit laguna beach.  this was mama's favorite.

i think jack liked it too.  he got really brave when standing in the water.

sam kicked quite a bit too,  don't worry buddy  hopefully we can go back so you can see it too one day!

we got a good nights rest in santa maria and enjoyed the most beautiful wedding in nipomo the next afternoon.

the wedding venue was too much for this mama, i could have taken pictures all night.  well i kind of did, this is only a handful of pictures.

 congratulations to the beautiful bride and groom, krista and steven!

the next day we were able to go to mass near by and head through hollywood on our way back to richard's aunts. 

daddy made a special stop by a well known hot dog spot.

our last evening there we visited with family and enjoyed some yummy bbq!

oh yes and ice cream!

even though it was a very busy trip, with an unexpected visit to the emergency room, we enjoyed every bit of it.  it was great time spent together as a family.  it was hard to say goodbye but hopefully we will get to visit again in the future!