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: