Soccer, Gymnastics and Stuff

I can't believe it's time to start gearing up for Gymnastics competition season again.  Emersen did awesome last year, took 3rd in her age level at State!

With summer here and Emersen not having gymnastics on Saturdays anymore, she decided she wanted to play soccer.  Boy is she good!  She hustles and can outrun any one on the field and is a real go getter!  Addisen and her play on the same team and are fortunate enough to have Mick coaching them again!

And the biggest news is our Kolton.  He's been such a wonderful, happy addition to our family and I can finally say, I am complete.  I love the three of my kids like I've never imagined I could.  I see them playing together and helping each other out, I couldn't imagine life any other way.

Soccer

I can't believe I haven't posted pics of Addisen and her new soccer team!! She LOVES it. We are in week 3 of soccer and she seems to be one of the standout stars. The 2nd game of the season she had 2 goals and 3 saves, last week she was SO close to a goal but it didn't quite make it. This may be her calling!

4 months

16 weeks and 1 day!

Baby is doing good, still favors my left side and I know this because every doppler and ultrasound is geared towards the left side. Baby's heartrate wasn't quite as fast today, only 155, but my midwife still thinks it's a girl....if you go by the old wives tales! Feeling good, less tired, and more excited that warm weather is here so I can start wearing shorts! Next up, ultrasound on May 9 ~ maybe we'll know which name we need to be focusing on more! Yes we have names, but definitely won't reveal till time gets closer!

Month 3 - March

14 weeks today!

My body is in pure and physical pain, I can't sleep at night and I feel huge already. I've been alternating through 3 pairs of jeans and luckily I've been able to add some shorts here and there. All the weight I lost kicking butt in Body Combat is slowly returning. Only 1 day of severe nausea and that's it. Girls are still super excited and I think we have a boy name and a girl name picked out, but we are letting them settle into our ways. I had another ultrasound last week to look for Down Syndome and Trisomy ~ both tests came out good, but have to go back for a 2nd blood test to put me in a "Low Risk" or a "High Risk" category. Everytime we tried to get a profile shot, the baby gave us the cold shoulder :) I got to see it in 3-D, something they definitely did NOT have when I was pregnant with the girls. Heard the heart beat again, 170 bpm....you decide, some say a fast hear rate is a sign it's a girl!

Oh yeah, did you know that at the age of 35 you are considered "Advanced Maternal Age". Genetic Counseling was quite interesting with Mick last week. I found it very informative.

Girls are still SUPER excited and even naming the barbie dolls the names we have picked out!! We constantly have to remind them "Do NOT use those names around other people, we need to wait".

We are also closing on our house next Friday! A little nervous, ok a lot, but really excited to finally have a place to call our own. It's been 5 years since we moved back from Denver and here's to hoping we have better luck this time around!

If you want to keep up with my monthly appointments and what's going on, keep checking back on the blog site. Stay tuned for month 4 in a couple of weeks......

Profile shot

Month 2 - February

I had my first appointment at 6 weeks, was lucky enough to get two little pictures, of what looks like a bean. Addisen was home sick that day and I wasn't about to miss my first ultrasound, so we HAD to tell the girls about why I was going to the doctor. They were SO excited and I know they'll be great big sisters. Addisen got to witness the baby on the screen and the heatbeating!! Such a fun day. No morning sickness (like I had 9 months with Addisen), just a pretty sore body. I also had to give up my workout schedule - LOW IMPACT ONLY!!! We were lucky enough to be in Phoenix to break the news to Aunt Stefani and Uncle Craig with the below picture that says "Hi Uncle Craig and Aunt Stefani". The look on their faces was priceless! A couple of weeks later, we got to share the same picture with Unlce Troy and Aunt Shannon! Enjoy baby Byers!

Month 1

January 1, I decided to change my lifestyle, give up cokes, coffee and start working out!!! I did really good, working out 3-5 times a week, completely giving up cokes AND coffee ~ cold turkey. Why?? We tried for a while last year to get pregnant and nothing worked (I know....TMI). I finally had my thyroid tested and was put on thyroid medicine. I figured if I worked out, lost weight and took care of myself, it would magically happen one day. Well that day came in January......Not only was one good enough......

I decided I needed two!

First Day of School - Addisen

First day of school for Addisen......not as smooth! She started out really excited on Tuesday, had her outfit picked out and her back packed. Wednesday morning, woke up no problem, starting eating her breakfast and lost it from there. Her stomach hurt, she was shaking, her throat hurt, she was nervous, people were going to make fun of her, (the list goes on). After an hour of crying, gagging and shaking, we finally got her dressed and out the door with about 2 minutes to spare. We got to school and played on the playground for a little bit. The good thing is the kindergarden playground overlooks the big kids playground, so we were able to spot Emersen and Mick out on the big kids playground. That made Addisen feel a little better knowing she could see her big sister! We also saw our next door neighboors, who the girls absolutely adore, so that made her happy. The bell rang and we went inside for a scavenger hunt, you know, find you cubby hole, put you lunch bag away, find the bathrooms, find the reading center and read a book, find the dramatic play center and the last one........find the person you came with, then find your spot on the ground and give them a hug and a kiss goodbye. I remember when we did this with Emersen, I cried....Mick cried even harder! Well, it was my turn this year...I couldn't even read the last clue to her because I was already crying. There's just something about possibly your last kid, going off to school. Addisen did amazing though, she went and sat on her star, gave us a hug and waved good bye! We were lucky enough to get the same teacher Emersen had for kindergarden, Ms. Kara and Addisen has 2 other kids from her daycare in the same class with her, so here's to hoping we have that going for us!!

I must say, this is a whole new ball game for me, which brings up so many emotions! Addisen has been so clingy to me the past few weeks and now I can realize and understand why. I also now have two big girls, who will be learning and growing! I couldn't be more proud of the girls that we have raised, and the girls they are turning in to!

First Day of School - Emersen

What an amazing day!!! I went in to Emersen's room at 5:59 to see if her alarm had gone off, and she was already wide awake, watching that clock to turn 6:00. She was ready to go for the first day of school! She found out last year, although we didn't believe her, who her teacher would be this year, and sure enough, she was right! Mr. Ryder. I've heard great things about him and Emersen is really proud to be in his class, with some of her friends from last year.

Last Day

We officially have a 2nd grader! Sounds so funny to say that, but Tuesday was Emersen's last day of 1st grade. Progress reports were handed out and Emersen has been promoted to 2nd grade. The girl is a whiz at school! Reading at almost a 3rd grade level, she is so smart and what she wants to be when she grows up.....a teacher! We couldn't have done it without her 1st grade teacher, Ms. Barnsley. I hope when Emersen grows up and is being interveiwed, someone will ask her, "Who was the most influential person in your life", she answers with "My 1st grade teacher, Ms. Barnsley". Here's a cute pic of them together!We also have an official kindergartner now! Addisen's last day of Pre-K was Wednesday. So sad to leave our daycare since we've been there for 3 1/2 years! Addisen started in the "Two's room" and worked her way up to the 5 year olds, each class providing us amazing teachers. Here's a picture of her on her last day with one of her teachers, Ms. Alyssa.

It's hard to imagine what life will be like with two kids in school! I'm so excited, because it means 1 drop off (which Mick will do) and 1 pick up (which I will do), no day care payments anymore but it also brings sadness for me. I have taken the girls with me almost every morning and picked them up almost everyafternoon and it was a little easier when Emersen left, because I still had Addisen. Today as I drove in, it was so quiet, no one to sing with, no one asking me questions, no one reading a book to me. I guess this is a wayyyyy early sign to let go, just a little. Thankfully, Monday brings camp ~ a whole new ballgame for Addisen, but she's so excited!

Pre-K Graduation

Our favorite teacher, Ms. Lyndsey After the diploma

Addisen & Daddy
Rockin' Robin & Charlie Brown

Before Graduation

We finally had Addisen's Pre-K graduation today, attended by myself, Emersen, Daddy, Zippy and Gigi. I can't believe how my girls are growing up so quickly and someone said to me, "Next thing you know, you'll be celebrating their high school graduation". Addisen only has 5 more days of Pre-K/Daycare and then both girls are off to summer camp! Finally, one drop off, one pick up, one bill and NO MORE DAYCARE!

Happy 5th Birthday Addisen

Day 3 - Addisen's Birthday

Opening presents

With her birthday shirt and "5" from daycare

Day 2 - Addisen's Birthday

Addisen had another birthday party to go to for a little boy in her daycare class, Levi. Coolest birthday party ever....at Skate City. It was the first time the girls had been rollerskating and at first, they hated it. Emersen and I crashed hard and Addisen screamed "This is the worst birthday party ever". Eventually, after Mick taking her around the rink for an hour, she seemed to be more comfortable.....until the last time around, her and Mick crashed on the floor and she split both her top and bottom lip open. That sealed the day for us!

Rollerskating party at Skate City (for Levi)

Every year for the girls birthday, I try, number 1....to let them celebrate it all weekend and number 2, let them choose what and if necessary, where they want to eat for their birthday. Addisen choose to go to Mario's Pizza (my all time favorite) for lunch with my mom. Only my kids would choose to eat a grilled cheese sandwich at an italian restraunt!

Love my daddy!

Love my mommy!

Love my Zip!

Pinkilicious Birthday Party!

So I decided to go with the Pinkilicious theme for Addisen's birthday. Found a great blogsite where they had a perfect theme layout, so I must admit, I did not come up with this stuff myself. I will admit that I've never had a big birthday party for Addisen so it was a lot of fun planning, coming up with food and making the decorations. There's pretty much nothing I won't do, just to see that smile on their sweet faces!

Next up......Pre-k graduation!

New & Improved

I shut my blog down temporarily so I could fix it to the way I wanted and use things that no one else has used ~ I actually like it! I'm also excited that after scanning over 500+ pictures, I can finally begin the world of digital scrapbooking! My first book is Addisen's baby book.......should be an adventure! We're all doing good here in New Mexico. I've been at my job for almost 4 years and Mick has been at his job, almost 3. Emersen is doing an amazing job at first grade! Last semester, she test a 1/2 semester level above where she should be at for reading and she scored 100% on her state standardized test! We couldn't be more proud of her. She's on the training team for gymnastics and I hear that in the fall she'll be moved to the next level of training. She seems to do great at it and if she wants, she can continue on to competing! Addisen is almost done with Pre-k....only 3 more months! The girls will be going to camp this summer and after that, Addisen will officially be a Kindergardner....so hard to see your kids grow up ~ that will really by my hard day, walking her in to class for the first time!

Emersen just celebrated her 7th birthday party at Build-A-Bear. She invited 6 of her closest friends (and family), pick bears out, stuff them, give them lots of love and wishes, bathe them and dress them!

Addisen will be 5 in May and were working on a Pinkalicious theme...any ideas???