Crossword Puzzle

With most of our Christmas cards I put in a Crossword Puzzle so you can find out fun facts about our family.  Here are the answers:

ACROSS
1-Trooper: Name of cat we are fostering
2-Jamaica: One place we went on our honeymoon
3-Butterflies: Theme of Liberty's room
4-Baris: One of our favorite places to eat
5-Carroll: Jonathan's middle name
7-Architecture: What Elizabeth's Bachelor's degree is in
10-Blue: Color of Preston's eyes
12-Cranberry: Color of one wall in our kitchen
13-Fredericksburg: Where Jonathan goes hunting every year
14-Trampoline: What we got the kids for Christmas this year

DOWN
1-Thomas: Hallister's favorite train
6-Layne: Wriley's middle name
8-March: Month Ranger and Jonathan were born
9-Arlington: City Jonathan and Elizabeth met in
11-Lancelot: Name of the street we live on before Seminole

Hope you enjoyed answering!

Liberty Noel Senn

Liberty Noel Senn was born November 22, 2011 at 8:42am.  She was 7 lbs 12oz and 21.5" long.  She has dark hair....wait, did you read that....she has HAIR.  We were so excited to see our baby girl has hair.  Since neither boy did we were wondering if she would.  It will be neat to see what color her eyes turn out to be, but right now they are a dark blue.

The first night in the hospital was rough.  Liberty was a lot like Preston, in that she only wanted to sleep on us.  She seemed to be eating well but I was concerned to find out she lost 10oz.  The doctor said it was fine, as long as she didn't lose a pound. She definitely has good lungs, when she's unhappy she screams.  She does not like diaper changes.

Hallister absolutely loves Liberty.  We talked about her a lot calling her "baby sister".  He loves to hold her and put a blanket over her.  Preston has noticed the new addition, especially when she cries, but is not sure what to think.  He has given her a hug and when she was in her swing crying he put his car next to her.....so sweet.  It is also sweet to see Jonathan hold Liberty.  He is so proud (and protective) of his little girl.

At her one week check up she gained back 9oz so we are so thankful she is healthy and right on track.  This week has been much better with her sleeping.  She has gotten used to being swaddled and is sleeping 4-6 hour stretches at night, eating, then going back to sleep. During the day she eats every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  She is still very small.  A friend gave us some leftover preemie diapers she had and those fit her great but Newborn are working well too.  Also 0-3 month clothes are big on her.  Onesies that are Newborn size fit her best.

We thank God that Liberty is here.  We have wanted a daughter for a long time. She's healthy and beautiful.  We are so thankful for our parents, caring for the boys while we were in the hospital.  This week we are thankful for our Lifegroup family.  Each day the boys are going to different friend's houses while Jonathan is at work so that I can rest and heal and concentrate on Liberty.  We have just been overwhelmed with love and support, and feel very blessed.  Also for the next two weeks we have different people bringing us meals, which always helps out tremendously, not having to worry about cooking.

We look forward to posting many more pictures of our new addition soon!

37 Weeks

I had a doctor appointment on Tuesday.  I have been having contractions off and on every other day so I was curious to find out at my appointment if maybe she was dropping and getting ready to come early, but I am just dilated to a 1.  Yesterday I had contractions for about 2 hours.  I could breathe through them, but they increased as I had to discipline Hallister.  If the contractions return and are five minutes apart, lasting 60 seconds and I have had this activity for about an hour then we will head to the hospital.  I never had contractions this early with the boys so it makes me wonder if she may come early.  The nice thing about having the c-section scheduled for the 22nd is that we can have help with the boys planned.  If she arrives before this date then we have a back-up plan prepared.  Our bags are also packed.  Either way, we are so excited that we will get to meet our daughter in less than 2 weeks!

 "How do you feel?" is a question I probably get asked every day.  Well my feet hurt, my back hurts, I feel huge, I'm tired, and I am waddling around everywhere.  These are my first thoughts.  But then I remind myself there is a human being inside of me!  I feel so blessed and thankful that God chose Jonathan and I to be the parents of this baby that is about to come into the world.

As a friend reminded me today, since this is probably our last child, I am taking in each kick and hiccup I feel.  We are so thankful for our boys and I now see why God gave us boys first.  They can be buddies and protectors of Baby L.  (There's your hint at her name faithful bloggers.)  We are enjoying these last few days with just the boys and look forward to meeting our daughter!

Maternity Pictures

Since this is possibly going to be our last child we decided to get maternity pictures, which were really also family pictures. The pictures turned out beautiful and really captured the boys personalities. We took them at the park behind our house and all they wanted to do was play with the sticks. The photographer basically just followed us around so it was nice not being confined to a studio saying cheese. If we have the resources to afford it we want her to get some newborn pics of baby girl when she arrives, and our family of FIVE!

Kids Update

Hallister
Age: 3 years 1 month
Weight: 28 pounds
Likes: being chased, playing with trains & trucks (especially trucks pulling trailers), to have a job to do (feed dogs, turn water hose on, transport dirt/rocks from one pile to another
Size: 3T shirts and 2T pants
Diapers: Size 5 Huggies. We gave potty training a try but I became stressed and he became constipated. He will on occasion say he has to go and gets a lollipop for doing so. He is smart and when he is ready it will be quick and easy.
Shoe size: 8


Preston
Age: 1 year 3 months
Weight: 20 pounds
Likes: playing in sandbox, being chased, tackling Hallister, opening and closing doors, putting anything in his mouth
Diapers: Size 3 Huggies, about to be size 4
Size: 18 month shirts and pants
Shoe Size: 5


Baby Girl:
Age: 35 weeks (in the womb), 4 weeks to go...if not before
Weight: around 5 pounds
Likes: to move around all the time, especially after I drink something, stretching and scraping a leg across my belly, when Jonathan talks to her & puts his warm hand on my belly
Size: a small roasted chicken
Progress: I have had Braxton-Hicks lately and a lot of pressure. Maybe she is just dropping. It is exciting to know she is getting ready but a little nerve-wracking at the thought that she might come early. We are trying to get the house ready and be prepared. I have an appointment next week, and then start going every week. My doctor will still check to see if I am dilated.

15 Months Old

This last month Preston's personality has really started to develop. He is very quick, loves to open doors and explore....that is where the story begins.....

Jonathan and I are talking in the kitchen. The boys are playing in their room. Hallister comes into the living room to play. I notice that it is awfully quiet and I don't hear Preston. We go to the hallway to find the riding dump truck parked outside the bathroom door. The door has been pushed open and there sits Preston, in the sink, brushing his teeth. I don't know whether to scream or cry or discipline him. He had noticed the door wasn't all the way shut and pushed it open, conveniently used the stool that Hallister uses to wash his hands, and managed to pull himself into the sink. So many things could have happened. This was confirmation that we need to continue to pray daily protection over the boys.

Preston now throws food from his booster chair but is getting better about signing 'all done'. He has also started to throw tantrums. He will go to a part of the rug where no toys are, lay himself down, and kick and whine. If the pacifier is in his mouth he will throw it. At first it was hard not to laugh, but once he started doing it every day....mainly from being told no he can't do or have something.....then we have had to discipline. He also hits, sometimes a table and sometimes us, so that is a big no no and something we are discouraging. The boys are playing much better together and learning to share. Preston likes to race with a car or train around the coffee table behind Hallister.

Preston enjoys Blueberry Eggo waffles or Rice chex for breakfast along with grapes or strawberries cut up. For lunch he likes grilled cheese and yogurt. He has tried french fries and liked them, and also Hush Puppies (that is the Powell in him). For supper he will have carrots or sweet potatoes baby food. He has started to spit though half way through a jar. Now that he has had so much people food he is just not a fan of baby food. His favorite snacks are Graham crackers and Graduates lil' crunchies veggie dip.

Bunk Beds: Take 2

Last week we made the transition of the boys sleeping in the same room, with the beds not bunked. At first Preston just took his morning nap in his new "big crib". Then we tried them both taking their afternoon naps together. Hallister kept getting out of his bed and crawling in with Preston to play and jump. We decided to give the bunk beds another try, thinking if they can't see each other this will help Hallister stay put. After all, we just have 7 more weeks to completely get Preston moved and adjusted into this new set up.

Jonathan, the brilliant builder that he is, lowered the rails from the side railing he had built for Preston's bed, so that we could set Hallister's bed on top and be able to pull Preston out, but him not be able to crawl out. Next, he built a combination ladder/railing for the side of the beds. It is very sturdy and screwed into holes already in the bed, yet it can be easily removed. They have had a successful three nights with this set up. Thankfully even if Preston wakes up at 6am and cries Hallister stays asleep or goes back to sleep once we sneak Preston out. I believe Preston is still adjusting to the size of his new bed and the freedom he has to move around more while he sleeps.

They seem to be adjusting well and even growing closer together as brothers.

Liz turns 30!

My birthday celebration started Friday afternoon. Jonathan had arranged for the boys to go stay with his parents so I could have a break. This was a nice surprise. So what did I do with my free time...clean! I just really enjoyed the quiet and cleaning without interruption. We went to dinner, I got a new cell phone cover, and then we looked at Goodwill for 80s clothes.

Saturday morning I slept in (until 7:30am) and awoke to breakfast in bed. Of course it was so yummy I forgot to take a picture before I ate it! I had a delicious omelet with bacon and onions. Jonathan placed on the tray a gift card to my favorite spa. At first I thought he borrowed the tray but later found out it was mine to keep from my friend Ann Foster. I then noticed a box for an electric can opener sitting on the cabinet. I have been complaining about our hand operated can opener for a while now. It just doesn't work well. I was so excited to see the new one, which has a cover on it and opens bags as well as bottles.

Jonathan has always said he is not gifted with administration but he did a great job planning my party. It was an '80s theme so that made it fun researching what to wear. We ate at Mama Baris, the best Italian restaurant in town. It was fun seeing the different outfits that mainly us girls wore. My mom helped me krimp my hair (after all these years I still had my krimp iron). Since one of my favorite things to do is play games we played telephone. One person started a sentence (pretty lengthy) and then it was funny to see how that sentence changed when it got to the last person. The one thing Jonathan felt bad about was not having a cake at Baris. After we sang Hallister Happy Birthday at his party Jonathan pulled out an ice cream cake from the freezer and put 30 candles on it! So I got to have Happy Birthday sung to me as well. :)

Hallister turns 3!

We started Hallister's birthday off with his favorite breakfast - a chocolate doughnut with sprinkles. His best friend Jacob then came over to play and help make strawberry cupcakes. We enjoyed eating those before having his favorite lunch - grilled cheese and cheetos. We finished off the day with Chicfila for supper. The Sunday after his birthday we had a small celebration at the house. It was supposed to be at the lake but it was closed. We still had fun though, pulling out our pulls, making water balloons, and enjoying the slip n slide down the hill in our back yard. Hallister is really into tractors so we had a John Deere theme. The next morning Hallister had breakfast with all the toys he had received. (They slept with him as well.)

30 Weeks

I realized it has been a while since we did a Baby Girl update. I am now 30 weeks pregnant. She is moving all the time. I am thankful I have not been sick with her as far as getting another bad cough. Having whooping cough with Preston was horrible. I've had a cold this past week, but just a runny nose. Another difference in this pregnancy is how high she is sitting. With the boys I felt like they were going to drop out, and with her I have trouble breathing sometimes. She is really up in my rib cage.

I had a doctor appointment today. Her heartbeat was in the 130s. She kicked the doctor....heehee. We talked about when we will schedule the c-section and it will be November 22nd, so we will get to come home with her on Thanksgiving Day. I will go in at 5:30am on the 22nd to do blood work and start an IV and then at 7:30am we will start with the surgery. So exactly 9 weeks from today we will get to hold our baby girl!!!

September

September is a busy month in our family. On my side we have SIX birthdays, my Aunt Mindy (3), PawPaw (10), second cousin Silas (11), my Mom (17), Hallister (22) , and then me (24).

I know as I get older my birthday will get overlooked because Hallister's is so close, but this year will be one to remember for me since I'm turning 30! Birthdays were a big deal growing up for me. When it was your birthday you got all your favorites the whole day....favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, and then ending with our tradition of ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. YUM! That chocolatey crunchy center is just divine.

I am looking forward to this whole week before I turn 30 because there is a lot of fun happening. Tuesday is my 30 week appointment for Baby Girl Senn, Wednesday I have Bunco (a fun dice game I play with women once a month), Thursday Hallister turns THREE, and then Saturday is my b-day! Jonathan has planned a small get together of my close friends and our parents at one of my favorite restaurants Baris, with an 80's theme. It should be fun!!

We will also be transitioning the boys into sharing a room. Jonathan constructed an awesome rail on the side of one of the bunk beds in Hall's room to make it basically a huge crib for Preston. We had them set up as bunk beds but Hallister was jumping on top like we told him not to and fell off. Today Preston took his morning nap in his "new" crib and slept well. We will try their afternoon naps in there, and then lead into night time.

Our Suburban

It has been a long three months of searching for just the right vehicle. We finally had enough money saved to purchase our new car with cash, a method we learned in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We drove to Segoville, Plano, Killeen, and San Antonio. We prayed each time before seeing the vehicle that God would give us complete peace if we were supposed to get the vehicle or walk away.

Finally Labor Day weekend we found a great deal on a 2001 Chevy Suburban. It wasn't perfect with no flaws but it was perfect for us, and listed at $1,000 less than other vehicles we had found. We now have enough room in one vehicle to carry all three children, and then some. This is our first vehicle with leather seats, and among other added features there is a TV. That will come in handy on long trips.

We are so thankful God provided us this vehicle and that, although it was hard at times, we were patient and waited for His perfect timing.

Just Between Friends

Just Between Friends is a consignment event that happens every year in March and September in Waco. You get to bring your baby and maternity clothes, toys, furniture, and accessories for a 3 day event. If you just consign you make 65%. If you also volunteer or barter you make 70% on all of your items that sale.

This past March I put more in the sale then I ever had before. I cleaned out clothes (thinking we weren't having another child for a while...haha) and a bunch of toys that were neglected. I also volunteered so that I made 70%. It is fun checking someone out at the cash register and seeing them buy your items.

Last month JBF asked past consignors to contribute stories on how JBF has helped you financially. So I contributed this one......"Ever since our family went from a two income family to one income, so that I can stay home with our boys, we have found that we are tight each month, but somehow God always provides. Last March I was looking forward to the JBF sale knowing this would be my way of contributing towards our bills with whatever I made. I consigned more than I ever had before, with clothes and larger baby items. Shortly after the sale we received our high electric bill for $275. This was disappointing since we did not have enough to make the payment without dipping into savings. A week later I was excited to get my JBF check in the mail for more than I had ever profited before, the amount of $275. It was the exact amount we needed and once again, God provided. This time, through Just Between Friends!"

I received an email last week that they chose my story and that I was going to be interviewed on the RADIO!! So tomorrow at 8:45am Just Between Friends will be on the radio and I will present my story, or a shorter version of it. I believe it is going to be live. So if it is possible tune into Star 92.9 with Dustin and Beth in the morning. I am a little nervous but also excited. Please pray that I do well to honor God and my family. After all, He is the one that deserves the glory!

Trooper

Our good friends, Ben and Liz Strot, have moved to Flagstaff, Arizona. They could not find a house to buy so they had to rent, and the house they are renting does not accept pets. They have a cat named Trooper. They originally got her from a State Trooper's office. She is a pretty calico and is declawed. She has stayed with a couple times before when they have gone out of town. Well now we will be cat-sitting for a while, until Ben and Liz are able to buy. (They are going to still pay for her food and litter.) She has made herself right at home, sleeping on our dresser. Only her and Ranger get into it when she sits on the chair in the dining room and he gets too close. Wriley ignores her and walks far around her. It is pretty funny to see how quickly she became in charge. Hallister is learning to be gentle and wants to give her kisses. Preston likes to play with her ID tag but she has been sweet about letting him touch it. It will be fun to have a cat again and hear the sound of a purr. Plus she has already rid of our house of geckos. I think they are scared to come out now.

He's Walking!.....and 13 Months

Preston started taking steps July 29th. For about a week he proceeded timidly, holding one hand out.....just in case he fell. He now walks confidently and is proud he can easily travel from room to room playing with toys. (Sorry, videos still won't upload to our blog.) One day I dusted the fans and he enjoyed walking around with the swiffer stick. It entertained him for about two hours. He also loves to walk around with a balloon from HEB, occasionally pulling on the ribbon so that it hits something or himself. It cracks him up.

13 Months - His personality is really coming out now. He has a fascination with tires. Any toy car or tractor with tires he will pick up, carry around, and chew on the tires. He is learning what"No" means. When we give him bread or pancakes he will hold a piece over the floor from his high chair. We will say, "No Preston, do not drop it." He looks at us and drops it. So we swat his hand and say "No, do not drop food." Those eyes well up with tears and his bottom lip pops out. It is hard not to want to pick him up. He apparently likes to see Ranger eat what he drops, so we are working on this. Something that gets Preston belly laughing is seeing Jonathan do a hand stand. Or if Preston hurts himself Jonathan will do a hand stand and he will go from crying to laughing. He now eats yogurt, bananas, and strawberries for breakfast. He loves to snack on graham crackers. For lunch/supper he will have baby food - Sweet Corn, Squash, Sweet Potatoes (that I make). He also loves to chew on pizza crust. His hair is coming in more and seems to be a strawberry blonde. One day while playing in Hallister's room he grabbed BB (bunny bear - Hallister's lovey) off of Hall's bed and snuggled up to him. Hallister now likes to sleep with tractors or Lightning McQueen so I let Preston take BB into his crib. We will see if he transitions into becoming Preston's. If Hallister sees him with BB then of course he wants him back. Preston is very good about falling asleep for nap time and bed time, usually without crying at all. He plays with his light up music box and then drifts off to sleep, with one pacifier in his mouth and 2 or 3 in the crib with him.

Job Update

Two months ago we thought we would soon be moving to Amarillo. Jonathan had a job opportunity come about through his best friend Thomas, which would be working on and installing portable pump systems. We were sad to think of going so far from family and friends, especially since we found out we were expecting our third child, but we knew that Jonathan needed to find a different job. He was not getting respected at Curves by his supervisor, and it is very important for a man to enjoy his job. We visited Amarillo, which was a VERY LONG road trip, with the kids and checked things out. After a month of not hearing back about an interview Jonathan continued the job search. Jonathan left TSTC to go to Curves last year because he got a pay raise, and that helped us out financially so I wouldn't have to work.

Two weeks ago Jonathan noticed on TSTC's website there was a job opening for an aircraft maintenance instructor, the same job he left from. Due to him being miserable at Curves we decided he should apply for the instructor position, even if it would be less pay. A week later he was offered the job without even interviewing. Last Tuesday (August 2nd) Jonathan handed in his two weeks notice. TSTC was wanting him to start this week (August 9th), so we prayed that his supervisor would tell him he could go ahead and leave, which he did! Here is where it gets interesting - last Tuesday night Thomas calls because his boss wants to interview Jonathan for the job in Amarillo!!! God worked it out so that Jonathan would already have a new job and be able to say no to Amarillo. We are thankful He is keeping us here in Waco for a little longer. Jonathan is going back to a job where he will be encouraged and doing something he will enjoy. I am currently looking for part time work and hoping I can find some freelance graphic design to do from home, to help us make up some of the income we are losing. We are so thankful for God providing in all the many ways He has. I am so happy my husband will be coming home happy from work now!

Us

We often update you on the kids but I thought an update from us would be nice.

Elizabeth - I am still at home with the boys. I was very happy last month to bring back my design skills when a lady called me to design a logo for her. A bride that I designed wedding invitations for two years ago referred her to me. It still amazes me how well 'word of mouth' advertising works. She owns a dog training business in Austin called Praise Your Dog. It was a lot of fun. I am also trying to find a part time evening or weekend job, at least until the baby comes. The boys get to be a handful and I just really need an outlet, but also the extra income will pay for my prenatal care and hospital bills. I am hoping by some miracle we can afford to put the boys in Mother's Day Out in the Fall, so each week I will have that time I can look forward to and know I can get stuff done and rest.

I am so excited about having a girl! We aren't really into pink or lace or ruffles. I am looking forward to ponytails and her first prom dress. Her room will probably be purple with butterflies. I'm glad we don't have to worry about changing the circumcision pads in the hospital. We can just change her diaper quickly and go back to sleep.

Despite the heat I am trying to stay active, walking every morning, doing a pregnancy workout video twice a week, and just started Zumba. It is great cardio. The church I went to for MOPS offers a free class. Of course I am careful not to jump or do any ab exercises. I cannot believe I will be 30 in September. I just know after mine and Hallister's birthdays November is going to be here quick. One of my best friend's recently came to visit. She cooked amazing meals and we played games.....Electronic Battleship! It really filled my "love tank" since my love language is Quality Time.

Jonathan - He is still not enjoying his job. It is hard when his love language is Words of Encouragement to hear negativity all day, and be told he is constantly doing things wrong. He is going to apply for a few jobs in Waco, and even hopes to maybe find something indoors, so he isn't in the heat all day. Amarillo is still an option. We are just waiting for the Lord to open the right door. We have been fixing up the house in case we do move. Jonathan just did an amazing job getting into our attic and filling it with insulation. I was wondering why our thermostat was set at 76 but the temperature kept showing 82. Come to find out there was a huge gash in the air duct between Hall and Preston's rooms. We have just been wasting cold air blowing it into the attic. Thankfully that is fixed now and we will hopefully start seeing a break in our electric bill. We can already feel the difference inside. I feel so blessed to be married to such a talented man!













Us - We will be trying to sell our '99 Toyota Rav soon and use the money from that to purchase an SUV that will carry three car seats. We are thinking of an Expedition or Tahoe possibly. I am excited about getting to use the Dave Ramsey tactics we learned in our Financial Peace class and walking into a dealership (or up to an owner) to buy our first vehicle with cash. We are going to show them the money! If you know of anyone needing a small SUV that works great, since Jonathan has maintained it so well, or someone selling a used SUV, please let us know!

Almost Three

Our big boy Hallister will be three in September. He loves cars right now, and carries them around like they are treasures, especially when he gets a new one. He still likes trains and plays with his train table. We got a hand-me-down bunk bed from GiGi and Grandpa for his room. Eventually Preston will move into his room and sleep on the bottom bunk. Hallister really enjoys it and sleeps on the bottom without the rail now. (Wriley likes it as well.)

He is learning to share toys with Preston and not to be rough with him. It is cute when they wrestle and we have caught Hallister a few times climbing into Preston's crib and both of them jumping.....so sweet.

Hallister's favorite breakfast is pancakes with cool whip and strawberries. For lunch he likes to have a nutri-grain bar, cheetos, and a grilled cheese sandwich (no crust). His favorite supper is chicken nuggets and fries....but he doesn't have it that often.

I've noticed his love language is Quality Time since Preston arrived. He wants one-on-one attention with someone, to play trains, wrestle with, or chase after. When he doesn't get this he acts up and will misbehave so that he does get attention. He loves water and really enjoyed going to the Spray Park in Hewitt. He loves to be outdoors, but that is hard since it is so hot. We get out for our morning walk and then occasionally go to a McDonalds or Burger King to play on the play-scape inside.

He can communicate very well what he wants or needs. He has learned to politely ask, "May I have (whatever he wants) please?" and most of the time says it without prompting. We are working on potty training. He had four days with a dry pull up but is still timid about going #2 in the potty. He naps from 12:30-3pm every day. He is 3 feet tall and weighs 28 pounds. He sometimes talks in third person which is funny......Hallister needs to go to the store. Hallister wants to sit in the truck. Hallister loves to give daddy kisses before he leaves for work. His newest phrase is, "What's going on?"

Hallister is a handful, full of energy, and keeps us on our toes. His strong willed nature will help him develop into being a strong leader.

20 Weeks

I am now 20 weeks pregnant with our baby GIRL. After our sonogram last Wednesday we spoke with Dr. Manning, the only female doctor in my clinic. We discussed the risks of trying for a VBAC and decided there were too many things that could go wrong and it would be selfish to try. There is no point in possibly endangering mine or the baby's life. Instead of having my midwife Christy I decided to stick with Dr. Manning, since Christy would not be able to perform the c-section anyway. I don't like the thought of scheduling my baby's birthday, but that is the safest route to take. Who knows, perhaps that morning we go to the hospital, or even before I will have contractions or my water will break, so she will end up picking her own birthday. For now we have the choice of either November 22nd or 23rd. A scheduled c-section has to occur at 39 weeks so there is less chance I will go into labor. The benefits are I will be well rested and we can go ahead and arrange assistance with Hallister and Preston. This will be the best Thanksgiving ever. In the sonogram picture the fluffy stuff next to her face is my placenta. She stayed real close to it so it was hard to get a good picture of her face.

Baby Girl is doing great, measures right on track, and all her tests came back with no abnormalities, Praise God!

And no, sorry to disappoint, we are not naming her Ambercrombie!

Preston is ONE!

Our baby Preston is 1! WOW, his first year flew by. He is a charmer with those blue/green eyes. His smile and laugh are contagious. He weighs 19.6 pounds and is 30 inches long. He is starting to take steps, but mainly enjoys pushing his toys that he can walk with up and down the hall. He sleeps from 7:30 pm to 6:30/6:45ish am. He has 8 teeth, top 4 and bottom 4. For snacks he enjoys mum mums and apple wagons. He naps from 9-10am and 12:30-2pm. He drinks an 8oz bottle of organic whole milk four times a day. He still eats organic baby food. I am proud to say he ate my homemade organic sweet potato baby food! We have tried regular mashed potatoes but he wasn't really into those. He is independent and likes to do things without assistance. The only time he is snuggly is after his afternoon nap or when waking up in the morning. Everything he touches goes into the mouth. He loves to have screaming matches with Hallister, and man can he scream. His favorite area to play is next to Hallister's train table. He pulls out the letter and numbers from the floor and chews on them (see pic below). He is getting fussy we put him in his high chair with a spoon and pan. He loves to bang them. He cracks up at the beginning of Ice Age 3 with Scrat. It is so funny to watch him. He likes when you sing If You're Happy and You Know It..... and we just discovered he likes This Little Light Of Mine. He laughs hysterically when I sing Hide It Under a Bush, Oh No! His love language is Words of Encouragement. He loves being told good job and when someone is clapping with him. We mainly do this when he signs something or when he takes a step.

We had a fun construction themed first birthday party. We were able to beat the heat with canopies that provided shade. There was a demolition zone set up so the kids could swing a black ball and knock over a "brick" wall. There were two wet zones, one for smaller children, and a dig are that had trucks and a pile of dirt. The kids had a blast. Preston was getting sleeping and wasn't too excited about the weird orange thing in front of him called cake. He did have a great time playing in the water. Preston got a neat car ramp, a puzzle, shape sorter ball, discover book, awesome picnic table (thanks talented Uncle Daniel!), snacks, legos, and a splash rocket that Jonathan immediately grabbed up and took outside to launch. You hook it up to the water hose and blast it into the sky. It actually goes pretty high. We were so thankful for family and friends that were able to celebrate Preston turning ONE with us.

Gender Reveal Party

We decided to do something fun for finding out if we were having a boy or girl on July 6th. At 1:30pm was our appointment with the sonologist. We told her right away we wanted to do something different. We gave her an envelope to write down the gender in. We then dropped the sealed envelope off at the HEB Bakery. I called the day before to fill them in on what we were doing. They would either make blue or pink cupcakes, depending on what was written in the envelope, then seal them in a box and we'd pick them up later. Well when we arrived with the envelope the baker lady already had 36 pink and 36 blue cupcakes ready. She said just hand me the envelope, walk away, and we will box up the right color.

We picked up the cupcakes and then headed to the park where we were meeting family and friends for supper, and then having the reveal. The anticipation was felt in the air. I kept a close eye on the box so that no one peeked. After everyone arrived we gathered around the box. It was so fun to see everyone's reaction and we were absolutely thrilled. We feel very blessed to have two healthy boys, and see now why God gave us boys first, to be protectors of our little girl. Our hearts' desire was to have a girl and we are so thankful it is actually happening! Enjoy these pictures:

House Updates

On the July 4th weekend we decided to celebrate our 6 year anniversary early (since Preston's birthday party was on our actual anniversary the 9th) and stay in Waco. We took the kids to Jonathan's parents early on the 2nd and headed out to our favorite breakfast place, IHOP. We enjoyed uninterrupted conversation and talked about all the updates we were going to do on the house. The master bathroom cabinet had been a big project that was almost complete. We also wanted to tackle the flower beds, or lack there of. I am so proud of Jonathan for teaching himself about plumbing and turning our gross cabinet and single sink into a spa like atmosphere with double sink.

Bathroom:


Flower beds:


Now we just need to pick out what bushes and flowers we want.

New York

Earlier this year my sister contacted me saying she would be visiting the states (her vacation from the Dominican Republic), she wanted to go to New York, and asked if I wanted to come. Well, OF COURSE, I was all over that idea. So on June 3rd I headed to New York. It is nice to have parents that are teachers, so they were able to keep the boys since they were off for the summer.

Although we made it to our hotel late on the 3rd we still ventured out to Times Square. It was already hustle and bustle, so many people, and lots of honking taxis in a hurry. Getting back to our hotel, which was really a hostel, we found out that even though we signed up for an all girls room, there was a guy in one of the 6 beds in the room (3 bunk beds). This was disappointing. I tried switching us to a different room and even called other hotels but everything was booked. We decided to persevere, since we only slept there. We did meet some interesting people, from England, California, and Germany.

Bekah had the whole trip well planned out so we hit all the attractions that were close to each other the same day. On the 4th we left in the morning for Central Park, many blocks away from the hotel, but we still walked.....and walked.....and finally arrived. It was interesting seeing so much grass after only being surrounded by streets and buildings. Many people tried to rent us bicycles. We walked through the park and next went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art....well, the steps of the building. We ate our first New York hot dog and then took the subway back to the hotel so we could get ready for Phantom of the Opera!

I was loving the weather, it's great pregnancy weather there. I carried around, and sometimes wore, a light jacket. Phantom was superb! We had great seats in the orchestra. We walked from the Majestic Theatre to see the Hard Rock Cafe. We then changed at the hotel, grabbed some New York pizza, and went to see Madison Square Garden.

On the 5th we ate at an interesting breakfast place called Speedy's. We paid for our breakfast by it being weighed and paid $9.50/lb. We then headed to Rockefeller Center. We decided not to pay $20 to ride the elevator. Next we went to Grand Central Station. (All we wanted to find was the big clock that Melman got his head stuck in, in Madagascar.) We saw the New York Public Library, but it was closed since it was Sunday. It was Philippine Independence Day so we got to watch a parade and saw some great bands. We finished the evening off with candy from a Candy Bar and a nice meal at Serendipity.

On the 6th we left early in the morning to ride the subway down to catch the ferry that would take us to the Statue of Liberty. It was a lot of fun to learn all about her, but too much to put in this update. Next we went to Wall Street where we saw the New York Stock Exchange and the Trump Building. We then went to the 9/11 Memorial. That was emotional. They have a video playing of 911 emergency dispatchers, firefighters, and policemen recalling the events of that day. The memorial is supposed to be complete on the 10 year anniversary, this year, on September 11th. Large pools will have waterfalls that cascade into the footprints of where the towers were. And our last attraction was the Brooklyn Bridge. We did a lot of walking this day, especially on that bridge.

On the 7th we just relaxed, played cards, saw the Empire State Building, and made sure we had all the souvenirs we wanted. Early on the morning of the 8th we caught a bus to the airport. Finally by 12:30 we arrived in Texas.....and went to eat Mexican food! (I was told not to eat it in New York.) I was so happy to see the boys and then head to Waco to see Jonathan. We had a great time!

Kids Update

I missed Preston's 11 month update, since I was in New York, so I thought we could update you on all 3 of the kids. :)

Hallister weighs in at 29 pounds. He talks very well, and will often repeat a word until you repeat it back to him. His favorite things to carry around right now are the fire truck I got him in New York, Mater, and Lightning McQueen. We got him a Good Nite Lite for his room. You set it to what time you want your child to go to sleep and get up. He sees that it is blue so he knows by 8pm he needs to go to bed. Then at 7am it turns yellow. He can still get up if he wakes up before then but he must stay in his room until 7am. It has worked out nicely. He now wears 24 month pants and 2T/3T shirts. 2T are getting a little tight so I have started to get 3T. His new favorite movie is Ice Age 3. He is very sweet to Preston, and loves to kiss him when he sees him in the morning. He has had to adjust to sharing, since Preston loves the train table, but we are working on it. Potty training? No, but we will be soon. We have heard of a new technique, staying home for 3 days straight and not putting anything on your child below the waist. They will not want to pee into nothing. We shall see if it works! Something interesting Hallister does is pull the erasers out of all our mechanical pencils. So any pencil you find around our house is missing the eraser...LOL!

Preston loves to crawl and is very fast at it. He weighs in at 20 pounds. He is wearing 12 month clothes. He walks with a push toy down the hall and will step from toy to coffee table. He has let go of the coffee table and stepped out a few times towards us. We are now giving him 3/4 formula in his bottle and 1/4 organic whole milk. When he turns 1 year old he can have whole so we are making the transition. His face has seemed to clear up with adding the whole milk. Teething biscuits seem to irritate it so he just snacks on puffs and mum-mums. He has 8 teeth and we think he is getting in another one. He has woken up a few times during the night screaming, but after giving him oragel and ibuprofen he calmed down. Preston has more hair and it seems to be coming in a reddish brown. He now eats a few stage 3 foods. He likes sweet corn, squash, and sweet potatoes. He now drinks water from a sippy cup if it has a straw.

Both Hall and Preston love our morning walks, or to swing outside.

Baby Senn is doing well. I have only had one day of sickness and as long as I snack every two hours I do not get nauseous. We have our next sonogram July 6th (on Preston's birthday) and are having a sex reveal party. We will get the doctor to write down in an envelope the sex of the baby. We will hand the envelope to a baker and they will make blue/pink cupcakes in a sealed box. We will then open the cupcakes with all our friends and family. It will be a lot of fun! Don't forget to make your guess before July 1st: http://www.expectnet.com/games/Baby_Senn_Number3 Jonathan and I will also be putting in our guess this time.

10 Months Old

Preston crawls everywhere, and when he is not crawling he is trying to step from toy to toy or coffee table to sofa. He loves to sit on this little chair and play. One problem though is he also like to stand on it, so we have to watch closely. Of course anything he finds goes straight into his mouth, so we have to watch that as well. He is a handful but a joy. Praise God he now sleeps through the night. I read a book (thank you Becca Ross) called 12 Hours of Sleep by 12 Weeks Old by Suzy Giordano. I applied her techniques, basically to get him to eat more during the day at strict 4 hour increments, and after 3 days it worked! It has been 3 weeks now. He also naps from 9-10am in the morning and from 12:00-1:30pm. He has his 8oz bottle four times a day and eats baby food three times. We have had to make a separate cash envelope from our grocery budget for formula and baby food because he is eating so much. Sometimes he will finish a jar and a half of food at one feeding - wow! I can't wait to see him and Hallister wrestle, to see who wins. Preston's hair has grown in pretty good, it is a reddish brown like mine. He has 6 teeth now, 4 on top. He has done the signs for "more", "all done", "milk", and "diaper change." He says dada and has said momma a few times.

Family Update

So on March 29th I told Jonathan there was something wrong with our toilet. He went our bathroom, looked straight at the toilet and tried to diagnose what was wrong. Since I didn't hear him running back into the living room or a whisper of "Oh my gosh" I went back to the bathroom and told him to look at the shower. I had on clothespins Hallister's big brother shirt, a big bro shirt for Preston, and a onesie. Yep, we are expecting little Senn #3.

I called the doctor and was disappointed that I could not see her until May 2nd. (They like to see you around 10 weeks.) That was such a long time to keep a secret, plus I was nauseous and snacking more. We wanted to wait until we saw the baby before we started spreading the news.

Thankfully yesterday finally came. I am 10 weeks along today. The baby is due November 27th. At first I was just nauseous at night but then it was morning and night. Now I take my Zofran first thing in the morning and as long as I eat a snack every 2 hours (try to make it healthy) then I don't feel sick. Babies are such miracles and this one definitely is. We were, yet again, surprised.

We are so thankful for this little one on the way and our two healthy boys. It is crazy to think we will have a 3 year old, 1 year old, and baby. This Thanksgiving will be especially full of giving thanks.

Character Breakfast & Kidz Expo

We attended a Character Breakfast & Kidz Expo two weekends ago. My x-boss gave us free tickets to the Character Breakfast, which was so nice. (Tickets were $15 for kids and $10 for adults.) At the breakfast we got to eat nice Chic-fil-a food as different cartoon characters walked around the room and the kids got to meet them, like Spongebob, Pooh, Spiderman, Batman, & Minnie Mouse. There was also a balloon man walking around making balloon animals and cars. Hallister got a motorcycle. Hallister loved meeting Pooh. He grabbed his hand and started dancing (that is why he is blurry in the picture). He got his picture taken with Pooh. After the breakfast we went to the Kidz Expo, which is where businesses display what they offer for kids, like for birthday parties. Hall loved the bouncy house and something new this year was Touch a Truck. He would have stayed in the fire truck all day if we let him. He had a blast, and his daddy liked getting in the truck too! :)

9 Months Old

Still drooling and still cute. Preston is crawling everywhere. He loves to stand up using one of his light up toys that are a foot and a half off the ground and reach for something on the coffee table. He drinks 6oz milk every 4 hours and eats baby food three times a day. His new snack is putting a teether biscuit in a net that he can hold and he munches on that, or an ice cube. His rash has finally cleared up that was on his face. We tried stage 3 baby food and he made a horrible face, I guess because of the chunks in it, so we will be staying at stage 2 for a while, at least until some more teeth come in. A friend gave us a prescription ointment for eczema and it really helped. He does not like diaper changes, he just does not like to sit still. Also, he has started to reach his hands down there during the change, so we have to give him a toy to play with. Right now is rough because he is teething again. He has poopy diapers galore, runny nose, and a fever a few times. He still wakes up once during the night but we are trying just giving him water and hopefully he will realize it isn't worth getting up. He LOVES bath time, and also to stand up in the bath, so we definitely discourage that. Everyone tells us how happy he is, and he really is an absolute joy. If he is fussy, then something is definitely wrong, he doesn't do it just for attention....yet.