Happy Birthday Trina!

Happy Birthday Trina!
I won't post your age, since you won't want everyone to know you're 33! Oops!
I hope you had a fun birthday - I know the cake mom made you was really good - since
it was Jana's recipe!
I am sending a present - it will be a few days before I get it in the mail!
Love you!

Lifes a Beach until you get sunburned!

(For some reason these pictures are posting so small, just click on them to get a closer look)

We made a trip to the beach on Friday. Mike's brother Sean and his new wife Rachel
came with us. We had a great time. We saw dolphins, within a hundred yards of the beach
and they were leaping out of the water, so much cooler at the beach then at SeaWorld!
I've got way too many pictures to post, but just had to put them all in!

The first thing we did was bury Mike. He loves to be buried in the sand. He digs the whole
and lays in it and we fill it in! The kids thought it was great. We buried him right at the edge
of the water so once a few waves hit he was out!



Here are the kids watching the waves, Calvin running from the waves and Anna Elise getting
knocked down.



Here is Maddie and Daddy - they switched hats. You need to click on the second picture
so you can see. I am holding Madeline and "jumping" waves (pregnant and holding an 18 mo
old - I didn't really jump much). Mike is further out holding onto both Calvin and Anna and
jumping waves with them.


Madeline is taking a nap in our little beach tent - doesn't she look like she's sleeping?



Here are the kids eating lunch. Madeline dipped everything we gave her in the sand
before taking a bite. The sand didn't bother her, but I couldn't stand to watch, so I
ended up feeding her.



Here is Madeline cheesing for the camera and the second one is her eating grapes (notice the
sand all over the grape and her hand)



We had a great time. The ride home was VERY long! The girls fell asleep and Aunt Rachel spent the whole trip back talking to Calvin. She kept him occupied by giving him candy every 20 miles or so. Towards the end of the trip he said "Rachel, I don't like you, but I love you" I just burst out laughing -he didn't know what he was saying. He then said " I like Uncle Sean and I love him". The kids do love their new aunt.

By the time we got home it was apparent that our 'spray on' sunscreen doesn't spray on very well with a breeze. Madeline was fine, I'm so glad she ore her hat! Calvin was fine too. Anna Elise however had a bright red face and shoulders. I had weird patches over my back, shoulders
and legs. Mike was just red all over! We were pretty miserable for the next two days. Now Anna is peeling and Mike and I are itching like crazy!

Bows and Brothers

The girls got new bows! Mike has always been anti-headband, but when you are as bald as Madeline, that's the only option. I know a girl who makes these cute ribbon bows - all sizes and colors! They are very cute. She makes different headbands (different textures and colors as well) with loops. So you can attach her bows to the headbands like Madeline or clip the bows directly into the hair like Anna Elise. Everything is interchangable. The girls love them! I think they are fun and Mike is tolerating them. I got the smallest and plainest bows I could order so he can't complain too much. If anyone is interested I can find the website for the bows and headbands, she has much better pictures that really show the product...




As for brothers - Anna Elise has decided she wants a new one, to replace Calvin. A few days ago, at the dinner table, she informed us that she wanted a new boy. She didn't like the one we had. I asked her why and she said he didn't like his puffy cheeks (among other things, like he didn't obey and he was mean). I looked over at Calvin and he had a really blank look on his face, I'm hoping he didn't really understand what she was saying. We, of course, told her that Calvin was a sweet boy and his cheeks were very cute and we are keeping him. Today she told me that she needed another brother (not an additional brother, but a different brother) She complained about something he had done today and informed me 'he just isn't like me and I need to get a different brother that is like me". I told her that boys were different from girls and that she probably couldn't find a brother just like her and that she was going to have to keep the one she has. I have a hard time not laughing at her. I guess it's kind of sad - except that usually she loves Calvin and I think she has just had a few rough days and gets so dramatic - if this brother won't cooperate, get a new one! Madeline has learned to climb up onto Anna's bunk (really not good for so many reasons!) this has interfered with Anna Elise's sleep and we have all paid the price for that. I'm hoping that once she gets more rest, she'll like Calvin again (and that we'll like her again!).

Pregnancy Update!

I've had several questions about my pregnancy, Nancy has requested pictures, and I never did
update the crazy questions people have asked me since everyone at work finally noticed! So here is the update. I'm six months now. The first 4 months of my pregnancy were absolutely miserable and I gained almost 20 pounds! I've got everything under control now. I feel great (considering I'm 6 months pregnant, working, and chasing 3 kids). I've got my weight back under control and I've only gained a couple of pounds over the past 2 months. I'm only measuring 1 week further than I am - so for everyone who tells me how big I am, I'm not that big, I'm back to average!!! (Yes, my face looks fuller, but it always does when I'm pregnant, as people like to point out to me - who tells a pregnant women her face is getting fat? REALLY?!)


As for people's responses at work, not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I had a lot more rude comments from people at church. The best comment I got at work was from my 60+ year old supervisor who lives with her lesbian life partner - she has no children - she asked me "haven't you figured out how this works yet?" Everybody laughed at me. I responded with "Why don't you help me with that". A lesbian asked me if I'd figured it out yet, did I miss something? OK, so I have to include two comments from work - a lady said "wow, another one so soon, this must be easy for you." I didn't know if I should laugh or cry so I smiled and said nothing. I don't think the comments are upsetting me like they did with Madeline, I've got tougher skin this time. I also should say that I get some nice comments too. But it doesn't really matter what they say, we are very excited for this next one to come.

The baby is VERY active. She seems to be active all the time, I'm worried she won't ever sleep when she gets here, she doesn't appear to sleep now! Anna Elise loves to pat my belly and feel the kicks. She likes to pat me or tickle me or poke me and ask 'can the baby feel that?' Calvin
acts like knows what is going on, but I think he is still confused. If that big bump is my baby, then where is my tummy? He has offered a few suggestions about where my tummy is now, all of which of are inaccurate, and he still doesn't quite 'get it'. If Madeline knew what was in my tummy she would be furious, she doesn't like anyone else on my lap and if she knew that the baby is constantly in my lap right now, it wouldn't be good! She does however LOVE babies. She is constantly trying to get to the babies at church and she feeds her baby doll and pushes her in the stroller and puts her to bed, so maybe she will be more accepting of this new baby then I think.