24 weeks and a Big Milestone

24 weeks Pregnant with Rosalie Jane

My Mommy necklace

Baby Aria and her Uncle (my cute husband)

The lopsided cake started sliding in the car when my mom brought it over!

Birthdays! They can be fun, but I always just hope to get through the day without contemplating getting older too much. This year was a big one....40! I sure don't feel it though, so that is why it is especially difficult to swallow, plus, I am pregnant.

I received a beautiful necklace from Joe with our kid's names. I love it! It even has the new baby's name on it, so I guess there is no turning back!

I love all that I was given. I feel so special. Somerset picked out some beautiful antique looking purple earrings, that she selected herself. That made her gift extra special. Leo bought me red roses, as well as my mom. I was also blessed with gift cards and money. I really want a jogging stroller, but Joe doesn't want me to use my money in that way. I am so fortunate not to have too many wants, so I am happy to buy a jogging stroller!

Tonight, my parents, sister, Martin and Aria came over for what was suppose to be a surprise. Surprises don't really suit me, so I am happy that Martin and my Mom spilled the beans.  We had a lovely lasagna dinner and beautiful cake. Makes turning older a little sweeter.

23 Weeks Pregnant

22 weeks Pregnant

Yeah! Leo can read to the little ones now!

When there is a snow storm, you should take every stuffed animal in the house and stack them to make a human landing pad.

I finally popped! As Joe stated, "one day I didn't look pregnant, and then all of the sudden you did!" It happened right at the 21/22 week mark.

There have been many days at home. Between all the snowy weather, and me being sick with a cold for almost a week now, I am getting cabin fever. The only Morris that has escaped this cold completely is dear Leo. The poor dude is probably getting pretty sick of being cooped up so long, but that leaves plenty of time for reading Magic Tree House books. He are on book #10 and knowing Leo, we will complete the whole series this year. He just reads now and it is amazing!

Somerset continues to be hilarious. She like to tell jokes and make her family laugh. She also loves role playing. Today I was the teacher and she was the student almost all day. She also is Play-Doh obsessed! We bought her a Play-Doh cupcake making set and she has spent hours making desserts for us. She also loves watching "kids cooking shows," which entails adults, describing and demonstrating how to use Play-Doh prducts. These You Tube videos get million of hits people!!!! Crazy!!!

Our kids caught the fever and made tried their own hand at You Tube fame:

Leo's Pokemon Video
Somerset's Baking Show


 Aren't they the cutest?

They sure do love there baby sister who Somerset likes to call Rosie. They often talk to my belly and Leo will ask her if she is "having fun swimming in there."  I do feel baby girl move everyday. I sense that she is calm and sweet. I think er temperament will be more mellow than the other kids based on her time in my belly, although this could just be wishful thinking!!!

I think half the reason I am posting is because I got some really adorable photos of my sweet Somerset.

Unfortunately, we had a snow storm. Normally this would be fun and exciting, but unfortunately, today was suppose to be the big day for baby girl's 20 week ultrasound. I really wanted to see her and make sure is doing fine, but I will have to wait....boo! Luckily I feel her everyday, in fact, she just fluttered a bit (she must know that I am writing about her!). Anyhow, I am wondering if she has the cute ski-slope nose like the other 2 kids.  I am sure that she is healthy and adorable!

We started really working on table manners with our little savages. We say grace before dinner, and Somerset's prayer is always the same, "Thank you God. Thank you for this food. Thank you for everyone not get sick." Her sweet little prayer has worked like a charm because our family is so darn healthy and has escaped all the illnesses that many others have had this season. 

Somerset is so funny! She tells jokes and makes goofy faces.with her sense of humor and completely adorable face, she will be a heart breaker.

Leo is reading at a second grade level and his comprehension is amazing. Some of his books have quizzes at the end, and he gets all the questions right. He really remembers far more than I do. He is really remarkable. As always, he tests us with his behavior and is quick t react/has a difficult time controlling anger and frustration, but he has been well behaved the last month. Leo is extremely driven and has a competitive spirit that is foreign to Joe. Joe and I both feel that this desire to achieve will take Leo far, he just needs to learn to control his emotions.

We are all so excited for baby #3. I know that all children are so special is their own way. I am just excited to see how she is special. After Leo, I couldn't imagine loving another child as much, but then Somerset came along and I loved her sooo much! This baby girl will be entering a family that already loves her so much!

19 Weeks Pregnant....Again!

19 weeks with Baby Girl

19 weeks with Somerset

19 weeks with Leo

Here we go again! It sure is fun to compare the baby bumps at 19 weeks. Looks like I am right on track, even thought everyone thinks I look so small. I am feeling great and taking Zumba a weight training classes. I am thrilled to be feeling alive again...the first trimester was brutal!

Sisters

Joe and I thought it was a happy coincidence that we were heading up to Sisters, Oregon, the day after we found our that our children would soon have a sister.

A friend of the family has a second home there, and he invited us to spend the weekend. The town was so cute and we had a great time. We strolled through the town, enjoyed local bakeries and coffee shops, headed to Bend for dinner, rented the movie Tangled, but who knew the highlight of the trip would be visiting the local fish hatchery? The kids loved it so much that we went twice! Feeding those young fish provided so much entertainment and they were genuinely giddy! Priceless!

I have been enjoying feeling our baby girl move and flutter in my belly. I am trying to savor this last pregnancy and I think we have a name too. We may just keep it hush as an element of surprise, and if we tell the kids, forget it! No secret is safe with them.

I am now 18 weeks pregnant. I am just showing a bit. Most people comment on how small I look, but it was like that with the other 2 kids as well. I am feeling better and able to eat all foods again. I had really been craving tomato soup in the beginning, and was disgusted by the thought of alcohol, which is tough since Joe is such an avid home brewer.

This pregnancy was probably not as bad as Somerset's, but worse than Leo's....I am glad the first trimester is over. Overall, I am feeling so thankful that or little girl will join our family in June. I think she is really lucky! I know we are lucky!

Drum Roll Please!

And baby #3 is.......


A GIRL!!!!

We had a gender reveal party tonight for baby #3 and we are having a girl!!! I already have a wonderful son or daughter, so either a boy or girl would have been fine with me, but I am thrilled we are having a girl. Unfortunately, my son Leo, really wanted a brother, Poor little guy just couldn't hide his disappointment!

We had so much fun with this reveal party. We have always found out during the ultrasound appointments, but thanks to modern technology and my advanced maternal age, I had a genetic test done that reveals the baby's sex very early. I am almost 18 weeks pregnant, but apparently, this info was available to me when I took the test at 12 weeks. Regardless, it was worth the wait and we are so excited to welcome another daughter and sister to our family!

I picked up the results from the doctor yesterday and I had a cake made at Beaverton Bakery. I was so anxious all day waiting for the cake cutting. When Joe and I cut the cake and saw pink, it was such a joyous moment! Now we need to start thinking of some girl names. Yeah for baby girls!!! 

Big News!

Big News!

Please watch this video to see what the big news is...we are thrilled!!!!

 

Life has been great! As you might imagine with baby #3 coming into the picture. I think Joe and I are both nervous about how we will handle the stress of 3 little ones and the sleepless nights, but our children bring us so much joy and we hope to have an easy enough transition.

Telling the kids about the baby  Christmas Day was my favorite part of the day. It was difficult to keep this secret for 3 months! We also told family as well by giving them all a calendar hat I designed with family photos. For the month of June, we have highlighted "Morris baby #3 due date!" Everyone was thrilled but shocked!

The kids continue to amaze us. Leo was tested for Talented and Gifted and he now reads. He is so smart and happy. He still goes through periods of naughty behavior, but he is good when it counts...in school! He is a great student, who is eager to learn and share his ideas.

Leo is currently obsessed with Pokemom. It is a major focus of his life and helps him connect to older boys, which he loves. He also loves all his army toys that he got for Christmas. He builds scenarios and stages battles. I don't like the violence, but I like that he is so creative and uses his imagination.

Leo continues to excel at Math. He is currently at about an early 3rd grade math level.

Somerset is such a dear. Her ponies, princesses and stuffed animals are always getting married. Overhearing her imaginary play is the sweetest thing ever. There are often proposals, haircuts, outfit changes...it is always sweet and such a lovely change fro the dramatic and violent boy play. Our kids follow all the gender stereotypes, not by design, it is just how they were made.

She is in love with My Little Ponies, her teddy bear "Carl," who is famous at Build A Bear. Somerset went in one day to buy Carl an outfit, and she started talking in Carl's deep, accountant-type voice and had the employees in stitches. She loves princesses too. 

Somerset is a much easier child than Leo was at this age, but she can be drmatic and unreasonable. She woke up this morning wanting Daddy, who was at work. Mommy wuld not do and no amount of reasoning made her happy. I called Joe from work and we were able to calm her down after she spoke to him. 

In her Tippy Toes class, she was "Prima Ballerina." Parents were not allowed in the class until the final day and I had no idea she was so good. She was he first called to demonstrate each move. She was engaged, a leader and very competent at all of her dance moves. When you have a shining star like Leo, sometimes you don't realize how the other child can be a leader too. We are so blessed!

She is also very funny. She was doing a little dance the other day and shaking her little bottom singing, "Fashion butt, fashion butt."  She is very funny for her age and has a knack for jokes beyond her years. As Joe says, "she will leave a trail of broken, nerdy hearts." She is a very special girl and I can't imagine our world without her. 

We are feeling very fortunate and are so excited to see what 2014 brings our way!