26 Week Bump...

My not-so-little 26 week baby bump! It's hard to believe that in 13 weeks {or less} little Angelina will be here!

 Angelina is a super active little baby...I find it fun to watch my whole belly move when she gives those big ol' kicks...Elsie has even been able to feel her kick...James has tried to feel her kicks,  but he gets a bit impatient!

 After we say bedtime prayers, both the kids have to pull my shirt up and take turns giving Angelina a kiss and making the sign of the cross and say, "God be with you, God bless you!" Makes my heart happy! Both kids love their new sister so much already...so sweet!

 I think we are now all ready for the baby...we have the fancy pink carseat cover on the carseat, the closet full of more than enough pink clothes, shoes and big flowered hairbows...and we even bought little tiny newborn diapers. We practise co-sleeping, so we aren't going to set a crib up this time around...we did with the other 2 and never used it! We just need to take the little swing and moses basket out of the attic. With Elsie we had a ton of baby "stuff" and used hardly any of it...same story with James...this time we are smarter and know less is more. Babies just need arms to hold and cuddle them!

 After much debating {on Jon's part!} we finally have a middle name...Angelina Viviana! It was a toss up between Bronte and Viviana. Jon chose her name. {okay, from a list of names I selected!} Jon knows is drives me bonkers to not have a name way, way in advance {I already have names for our next couple kids all picked out!} so he likes to drag his feet. He didn't pick out Elsie's middle name until we were in the delivery room, so 3 months in advance is a huge improvement! I love the name he chose...I was secretly hoping he would pick Viviana...and so was Elsie!

 I have to say, I think this pregnancy is going very well, I was already on strict bedrest with medicine at this point with Elsie and James...so far so good this time! Not to say my lovely uterus has figured thing out! I still contract on a regular basis...strong and painful contractions, too! And the pressure still makes me want to pee my pants! I am going to the Dr every 2 weeks now being that I am labeled as a "high risk pregnancy"...I just saw the dr today, had another ultrasound and another fetal fibronectin test. The test was negative, so that is a super good sign! The ultrasound was also good, some changes have been made, but not enough to warrant the dire need for medicine!(Trying to avoid that altogether this time!} The dr. did tell me I need to be on bedrest though, so my days of shopping are over for now! You can tell we live in a small town, Elsie and I snuck away to the grocery store and ran into my Dr there...she reminded me that I had just been put on bedrest and grocery shopping didn't fall into the category of bedrest. Oops...next time I will have scan the parking lot better! 

13 weeks left...we can't wait...Jon keeps saying just 9 weeks...time will tell...I just know we are all quite anxious to hold little Angelina Viviana in our arms!

Jump Castle...

I am slowly getting closer and closer to those 4th of July and Birthday pictures!

Every year for the 4th of July, I beg Jon to rent a Jump Castle...and every year he says no. This year, however things were different...you see Jon was the one planning the 4th of July...so all on his own he decided to rent a Jump Castle! The kids were pretty thrilled!

The day of the 4th of July the weather was beyond hot...but that didn't stop the kids from having a blast jumping! They would run through the sprinkler first then get in and jump!

At one point all the guys were jumping in the castle, and almost flipped the darn thing on its side! Wild times, I tell ya!

The kids had a blast...I think it wore them out and they slept super good that night! Though I will say, maybe next year we will forget the Jump castle thing and just get a trampoline...it might be cheaper in the long run!

More Beach...

Last week I promised 4th of July, Birthday and Wedding pictures...instead I just didn't get around to blogging at all! So, for this week, I give you yet more beach pictures!

This summer has been one of the hottest summers on record in Minnesota...so we have been spending plenty of time either at the beach or out at the pool at my parents house. Surprisingly enough all the kids prefer the beach over the pool!

My kids both knows the road we take to get the beach...James get excited and starts screaming and Elsie starts yelling, "Oh look, it's Indian Carry Road and the beach!" Now we can't drive past the road that leads to the beach without a little pleading from the kids to please turn and go to the beach!

The beach is actually a very relaxing place to go...I wade in the water until I cool off then I go lay on a blanket by the shore and rest my belly while the kids play. Thankfully the little aunties and Ceara are always with me to help keep an eye on the kids!

Sandy toes on tanned legs...a sure sign of a successful summer!

My little swimmer girl...I can't believe how good she is at swimming...completely self-taught too! Her goal of the summer is to swim out to the buoys...I don't think I will be okay with her doing that since I can't even touch way out there! She was able to use a floaty and go out to the buoys last weekend with the aunties, though...so maybe that will keep her happy!

James is getting a little too used to the water...he sometimes freaks me out a little! He likes to go way out...he hangs onto the dock and just kinda bops along...he bops along until he almost goes under water trying to touch the bottom! When he can no longer touch he just flops forward on his belly and does his best to swim...which mostly ends with a mouth full of water and a quick rescue from whoever is closest! His summer goal is to bop out to the end of the dock or to float under the dock...he is funny and quite a dare devil!

I think James favorite thing to do at the beach though is to give my legs a good mud bath! Good think there is plenty of water for washing all that mud and sand off!

As much as I would like to complain about all the super hot and humid weather we have been having lately, I won't...I keep reminding myself that all too soon we will be 'enjoying' below zero weather and a simple trip to the beach won't make us quite so happy!

Music in the Park...

A few weekends ago our whole family went to Music in the Park a few towns away. The weather was perfect...the kids had a blast...we love to enjoy simple events together as a family...

Our little group...we were a smaller group than normal...Jon was working, Ted was busy, Ryan was gone, Jordaan did show up in time for the fireworks...We joked that people probably were very confused by our family...lots of women and kids and only 2 guys!

Elsie had an absolute blast...When you get Elsie and auntie Emma together with Emma M. and Abby, there will be wild laughter, dancing, and a good time!

Listening to the band...the band was very good and played lots of country music that the kids knew!

Proof that I was there too! I had laid on the couch all day with lots of pain, and was thinking about not going, but in the end I was glad I went. {even if I did have to take an almost ridiculous amount of pee breaks in an attempt to relieve some pressure!}

Clap, clap, clap...I am praying that the kids do not inherit my lack of rhythm!

Ceara and her adorable little cooler. He cooler is like Mary Poppins magic bag...the stuff she can pull out of the cooler is amazing! Watermelon, cantaloupe, fruit snacks, sandwiches, water bottles, mayo{not sure why!}...that's a lot of food for a little cooler!

Little Lydia even enjoyed the music...she is such a calm and good baby! {I have high hopes of Angelina being just as laid back!}

My Mom and I...{yes, I am clutching my phone...Instagram, ya know...and texting Daddy pix of all he was missing out on!}

I am pretty certain that these girls only sat down for about 5 minutes! They were dancing fools...

This picture is proof that babies are not loved much in our family...we just shove them in the corner and ignore them...haha! Quite the opposite really...everyone literally fights over who gets to hold the baby, who held her longer, who got her to smile more...I think we are almost ridiculously gushy over babies!

James...my wild man!

James broke out in a few dance moves...when he wasn't dancing, he was just running around being good and wild!

After the music ended it was time for the fireworks...we all headed over to the beach to find the perfect spot to watch. By the time we got home it was well after 11:00pm...both kids fell asleep in the car...exhausted from a super fun filled evening!

Beach Time with Daddy...

I am pretty much all out of words for tonight...We are still in recovery mode from the busy weekend...my uterus needs some relaxing...thus my brain quit working a couple days ago. As a result, this post will be mainly pictures, with a few words here and there...

~

These pictures were taken on a hot overcast day a few weeks ago...

James is pretty proud of the fact that he can go on the dock alone...he knows he can go out to first pole on the dock...and he never tries to push his limit.

Love the left over red hair dye in his hair...we had been practicing for his 4th of July style!

Elsie wanted to try her new arm floaties out...so Daddy helped her in the "deep" water...

She kept afloat! She does pretty good with those arm floaties...I didn't want to buy them for her because I didn't think she would really swim with them...guess I was wrong!

Because James must do everything his sister does...

He was pretty proud of himself...

What a fun afternoon at the beach...the kids love it when Daddy gets to do those fun things with us!

One of those Days...

I love these pictures...my mom snapped them from through the window...while she was in the comfort of her steaming hot 100' house on a nice and comfortable 100'+ day.  {did you catch the sarcasm? I was really not so lovely!}

I had been having a bad day of lots of contractions...and because it was so beastly hot outside, I decided to bring James on a car ride in my air-conditioned van for his nap time. I though the car didn't sound quite right as a left the drive way, I began turning down the a/c and the radio so I could hear better...I heard a funny {and loud} thump. thump, thump noise. And the steering wasn't quite right. So, I pulled over 2 houses down from my parent's house, got out to investigate and found a very flat tire! Lovely. Before I could even get the kids out of car, the neighbor guy come riding his bike over to see what was going on...he assured me he knew something was up by the way the car sounded when I drove past his house. He looked at the tire and said I better not drive back to my parents house unless I wanted to wreck the rim. So, we did the next best thing...we walked back. My little sisters and one of the boyfriends met me half way and walked home with us. As we were walking home, yet another neighbor walked out to see if we needed any help...I guess my parents have some friendly/ helpful neighbors!
My dad was fishing on the lake down the road, so after he got home, he walked down the road, took the flat off and put the spare on...which was no easy task either, since the spare had to go on a back wheel and the front tire was the flat one! { I am sure my dad loves rescuing me again and again!} One of the neighbors came out and sat along side the ditch though and kept my dad company...so at least he had someone to chat with while he fixed my car {in the still 100' heat!} Thanks Dad...again!
In the end James did get his nap...I drove him in my parents van. And the next day Ceara and I brought my van into town to get the tire repaired and put put back on. Always something exciting going on...

{You can tell that my parents live in a pretty good neighborhood though, the neighbors all come out to make sure everything was okay. And we got half ways home before I realized I left both the windows down all the way, with the keys on the front seat!}

Weekend...

Our weekend was a crazy one, a good and happy weekend filled to the brim, but oh so busy and crazy! We have had nothing short of late nights, lots of family, and hot weather for the last several days. And the big event of the summer...My little sister, Ceara got married! So, yes, crazy around here to say the least! But, a good kind of crazy.

My blogging has been not very regular lately...so maybe sometime I will get around to those 4th of July pictures, James birthday pictures...and the Wedding Pictures!! Sometimes I think we lead a boring little life and just don't do anything...then I look through our pictures and realize we are always doing something...too many little things to even begin to keep up with on  the blog! {or maybe we just take too many pictures...is that possible!?} This week just may have to be a catch-up week on the blog so next week can be a wedding week!

{These slip-n-Slide pictures were taken weeks ago...and they were just to cute not to share! My happy, summer-lovin' girl! and all the lovely junk in the neighbor's yard!}