Another year has gone by...

Well, the last post had been ready as a draft since April, 2012.  Everything here on Blogger looks so different.  So since the previous post is "old" news, I'll just add a couple of pictures from the last 12 months.

A nursery fit for a princess!

We are in LOVE with Matilda Jane clothes!

Easter with the boys!

Such a big girl playing with her toys!

Someone loves shoes!

I'm totally "smitten" with this little girl.  Cannot get enough of her!  She will soon be 9 months old!!  Sounds like its time to start planning a birthday party!

Gender Reveal Party

I found out on Christmas Day that my daughter, Lyndsey, and her husband, James, are expecting baby #2.  I was caught totally off-guard, which is highly unusual for me! I guess all the hustle and bustle of Christmas had me pre-occupied, even though I do remember asking her, a day or two before Christmas, if she was pregnant and she said "no".  Anyway, as they were leaving our house to go to Menard for Christmas with James' family, Lyndsey suddenly "remembered" a gift she had forgotten to give to me and her Dad (my ex-husband).  So, she handed each of us a card, and I truly thought it was a gift certificate to one of our local restaurants.  I opened mine and read it in 2 seconds...and was so excited!  I looked over at my ex and he was still trying to find his reading glasses! 

From that day forward, all I could think (obsess) about was GIRL, GIRL, GIRL!  Pinterest is loaded with everything in the world you could ask for, and I had been looking at baby girl nurseries, clothes, hair bows, diaper bags, etc.  Another little boy would have been perfect, too, and I would have loved him the same as I do my 3 grandsons, I just thought it was time for a girl.

Early on, I mentioned to Lyndsey that I wanted to have a Gender Reveal Party.  Her first reaction was "NO", because she isn't the party-type that I am - ha!  After lots of fussing back and forth discussion, she said "Mom, if you will forget about having that stupid party, you can go with us to the 20 week sonogram when we find out what we're having".  "Hmmm, okay", I said.  And that is when I started planning the party!  Yes, it appears that I like to live on the edge. So when I mentioned to her several weeks later that she should ask for a morning appointment for her sonogram, which would give me time to drive back to Brownwood and get everything done in time for the party, I was in for a RUDE awakening!  It seemed that since I had ignored her request to NOT have a party, she had withdrawn her offer to let me go to the sonogram with them.  Ouch.

It KILLED me not knowing. They found out on March 28th, and the party wasn't until April 5th.  I begged, whined, and even feigned illness...asking her how she would feel if I died, NOT knowing.  I know, pretty pathetic.  But she never leaked a word of it. I even (jokingly) offered James a $100 gift card from Academy, and I think he was going to take it, but Lyndsey overheard our plans and scolded both of us.  Me, for stooping so low.  Him, for even considering it.  So, I really did have to wait and find out when everyone else did. Ouch. Ouch.

Here are some pictures...there are lots of them...

I forgot to get pictures of Jud in each of his shirts for the evening.  He started out wearing this one.

The other two shirts (below) were on stand-by...
If a boy...Tate Morriss,
If a girl, Emmie Rose.
Both names hold special meaning.





Girl?

Boy?



Yes, that was the question of the night!  Lyndsey, wearing PINK...





  

James, wearing BLUE, playing with Jud...



I love this picture!
Eric and Aden wearing PINK, and holding the BLUE team sign!
They REALLY DO want a GIRL cousin!!



 



 

So the "reveal" plan was for Jud to change into the appropriate shirt sometime during the evening, then wait and see how long it would take for someone to notice it.  But it was late, and everyone was getting tired and we were all standing pretty close to the bathroom when he came out in his EMMIE shirt ... and everyone noticed it right off!  To me, it was a beautiful sight, seeing Jud in the shirt I had hoped he would be wearing. 

And this is what Jud thinks about having a little sister...



"Just what I asked for" ...





Return to Blogging

Well, I figure I've had a long enough break from blogging.  After my Dad passed away, I just really didn't have the heart to do it any longer.  But, I've had lots of things going on lately...and thought I would dive back in. It has taken me 2 hours just figuring out how to get in the darn thing, so excuse me if I fumble this one around a bit.

The most exciting news I have is that we will have TWO new granddaughters added to the family before Christmas.  Lyndsey (my daughter) and husband will welcome Emmie Rose Williamson into the world in late August, and Abby (Terry's daughter) and husband will welcome Katherine Elaine (Kate) Nordquist in mid-October.  I was just certain Lyndsey would have another boy...and that I might never have the chance to have a little granddaughter, but thank goodness I was wrong (though another little boy would have been fine, too).  I jokingly told Terry we would be the envy of all our friends.  Between us, we have 2 sons, 3 daughters, 2 daughters-in-law, and 3 sons-in-law, 5 grandsons, and will round that out with 5 granddaughters!  How is that for a nicely-blended, nicely-balanced family?

Jeremy and his crew came over yesterday afternoon for a little swimming, and then we cooked burgers and dogs on the grill.  Aden and Eric are growing up so fast.  Not necessarily size-wise, but they are SO smart.  I don't think my kids were that smart at that age (which is 4 yrs, 3 mos).  They are the sweetest, hugging-est, kissing-est little guys.  I just want to gobble them up!

Lyndsey and James did the marathon weekend potty-training with Jud about 6 weeks ago, and by golly, it worked!  He has only had a couple of accidents and isn't even wearing a pull-up at night.  I say that is a huge high-five!  When he plays with the twins, he thinks he is just as big as they are!  Well, he IS almost as big as the twins and will probably pass them up size-wise within the next year or so.  And he is talking like its nobodies business!  He has the cutest little smile and expressions when he talks, and instead of just saying "thank you", he says "thank you very much".  Its precious, believe me!

And because I hate to blog without posting even a single picture, I'll leave you with a couple from the Big Reveal party we had earlier this month.  Will post the remainder in a future post.

See the little arrow--It's a GIRL - woo hoo!

This picture makes me laugh for SO many reasons!  These 3 little guys were willing participants at the photo booth!

So, will be back soon.  Hope everyone is having a good week so far.