April iPhone dump: play dates and sweet mustaches

I'm finishing my "nesting" blog update, trying to clear photos off my camera and phone before our daughter arrives.  Here's a random iPhone dump from April.

When my friend Kelly and her daughter, Katelyn, were in town for her brother's wedding shower, we met up with Jill and Kiley for a playdate.  It turned into a beautiful, sunny day, so gorgeous Katelyn borrowed Collin's superman hat -

Later that afternoon, we went to nap and then play at Grammy and Brownie's.  They have toys that we don't, like golf clubs and a big boy bike -

The next day I got to baby-sit Katelyn while Kelly, her husband, and the rest of the family was at the couples wedding shower.  After her nap, Katelyn came by my parents' to play.  Apparently, we introduced her to many things.  One of which was a lizard, thanks to my dad who loves to catch them with Collin.  Katelyn was curious, but quickly lost interest when she realized it wasn't something to put in her mouth -

We also introduced Katelyn to grass.  She was not a fan.  She had started crawling fairly recently, but when she'd venture off the picnic blanket onto the grass, she'd quickly retract her hand in shock.  Safely on the blanket and in my mom's lap, reading a book with Collin -

On another Friday, Collin and I met our friends Michelle and Rachel and their four kids at the "car park."  It's a great neighborhood park with shade, playground equipment, and hand-me-down toddler toys from families in the neighborhood.  Walking toys, scooters, and tricycles find a permanent home at this little gem of a park that Rachel introduced us to last year.  Here are the three older kids - Oliver, Collin and Riley on the slide -

Collin has gotten more sweets lately as a result of my pregnancy cravings.  Last weekend I took him with me to Baskin Robbins where he chose chocolate fudge, the richest of the chocolate ice creams.  I was a little surprised he liked it - and he did, enough to finish his kid cup and ask for some of mine. I can foresee some pros and cons of the hard-core chocolate genes he inherited from me.  I'll always enjoy his birthday cakes (unlike Cas, whose vanilla-on-vanilla cakes are for the birds), but I'll be forced to share, a major weakness of mine when it comes to chocolate!  Sportin' a chocolate 'stache -

 

Finally, some random lines of Collin's that have entertained us over the past few months:

• One of my cousins offered him a ride in a wagon that had been in our garage for awhile. Collin said, no thanks, the wagon is dirty and I don't want to get my Jordans [shoes] dirty.
• He took some fighting men / action heroes to a doctors appointment. Who are they, Collin? Spiderman and his husband.
• Playing with two cars. Car 1 - I want to go to pbskids.org. Car 2 - Okay, I'll take you there.
• When ordering me (get me milk or something of the nature), I told him that children ask adults nicely, they don't order. But I'm an adult, he replied. Really, how old are you? Thinking for a minute, "four!"
• When staying with my parents while we were in Hawaii, some magnets that had been at Collin's level were broken on the ground. Collin, how did this happen. In tears, Bruno did it.
• Talking with him at dinner about how one day when he was an adult he'd live in his own home and maybe get married. And who might he marry? Mommy!
• Mommy, why did you eat baby Maya?
• When his new action figure was be-headed, we asked him what happened to Hulk. "A bad guy threw him and broke his head." Who was holding the bad guy? "I was."
• When I'm speaking to him in a stern, no-nonsense voice, "Mommy, will you get a new voice."
• To me - "Moufasa, I am Scar, not Collin.  I have told you a million times already."

Belly pics

We took tons of belly shots when I was pregnant with Collin.  Aunt Debbie had a profile picture every time I saw her, one being hours before his birth.  With this pregnancy, most of the photos are focused on Collin and not my growing stomach.

When I went to the doctor two weeks ago, we realized I was at the "any day now" point of the pregnancy.  Though I was still three weeks from my due date and Collin came two days late, she was in position and showing some signs that she was ready for her birthday.  Over two weeks later, I have now accepted that I'll be at that "any day now" status for weeks!

But that evening we hustled into the backyard after dinner, swatted at mosquitoes, and took a few maternity pictures on the back porch.

He really is excited about being a big brother, is WONDERFUL around babies, but just isn't particularly excited about sitting for pictures.  With a pained grin -  

The belly shot -

Blowing raspberries for his baby sister, a sound she should be used to by now -

And giving her a sweet kiss -

We're so grateful for a "boring" pregnancy, the best kind, at least as far as our daughter is concerned.  She's been growing right on schedule, her heartbeat has been just where they want it, she has parties in my stomach every night.  I've craved chicken lo-mein, cookie cake, and over the last few weeks, Sonic hot fudge sundaes and s'mores. 

It's been a tougher pregnancy for me with some alignment issues that physical therapy helped to greatly improve, but that won't be fixed while she's in my belly.  She has literally been on my nerves more recently, hitting nerves in my back and hips that make me freeze in place.  Noticeable enough that Collin lifted up my shirt and told her, "Baby Maya, stop hurting Mommy."  So while I want her to come when she's ready, I am very ready to no longer be pregnant. 

Sweet Maya, you are one loved daughter and sister!  We can't wait to meet you on whatever day you choose to make your debut!

Easter hamburgers, cookie cake, and cow feeding

Collin loves our family farm, and with his Easter present of the Lion King playing in the car, he was a happy camper for the drive.  As soon as he got there, he started collecting sticks, one of his favorite pastimes.

He posed on the new four-wheeler and took a few trips on the go-cart with Cas.

He was a pretty serious fisherman with Brownie's helping hand - 

But he wasn't sure how to feel about the catch.  It was actually Uncle Alex's fish, Collin lost interest in fishing after 45 seconds of waiting with no action-

So he went back to his sticks, asking Cathy to "be silly with him," a game I'm sure she hoped he'd forgotten from the last time we visited the farm months ago -

Celebrating my Uncle Dick's birthday with cookie cake (thanks, Mom, for satisfying one of my pregnancy cravings!)

We finished the trip with some cow feeding -

Coady's first trip to the farm and she bravely stepped down for an up-close-and-personal experience rather than throwing the cow treats from the back of the truck.  Jake, Alex and Coady befriending the cows -

Sweaty Collin trying to convince Uncle Walter to eat one - 

Father and son feeding cows at the farm on Easter -

Alex has always been the one to hand-feed the cows.  I was always the one who stayed in the back of the truck, avoiding the cow slobber. 

Coady refused to be shown up by her husband, and waited very patiently until she earned the cow's trust -

Finally she found a taker -

Hand-feeding cow success face!

Collin and Grammy -

Before we drove home, we finished the afternoon with a cascarones fight.  Collin, smashing one on himself -

And then attacking the rest of the family - B -

 Mommy - 

 Brownie -

 And Uncle Alex -

Who paid him back - 

One last shot with Aunt Coady before we headed home -

It was so great to spend Easter weekend with my brother, sister-in-law, the rest of the family . . . and a few cows! 

Easter Egg Hunt & Bluebonnet Shots

Collin enjoyed a simple Easter egg hunt in our backyard.  We used the resurrection egg symbols, so each egg had candy, of course, and a symbol to tell the Easter story. 

Gleeful as he found the eggs -

Coming down to overdose on sugar -

Then after breakfast, we headed to the farm for an Easter lunch with family.  On the way we had to pull over for some Texas bluebonnet pictures. 

Not sure why they sell maternity clothes with horizontal stripes.  When I looked back at the photos, I regretted my outfit and a guy at the gas station said "wasn't I just an Easter egg."  Our pastel family of three-and-a-half -

Sweet Collin -

Passover 2013

We once again started our Passover celebration with photos in Aunt Debbie's backyard.  Cas decided to keep his sinus infection germs at home, so here's my family minus my husband - myself, Dad, Mom, Collin, Coady and Alex -

Coady at her first Passover with Alex -

 My cousin, Drew, from Austin and his son, Nolan -

Carol and Rick are family cousins.  Rick's parents and my grandparents were first cousins and the founders of our Passover Seder dinner tradition between our families.  A four generation shot - Drew & son Nolan, Carol's mom Adelle, Rick and Carol, Molly Magnolia and Piper. 

 My first cousins Leah, Jake, Uncle Walter and Aunt Cheryl -

Coordinated mother & daughters - Grandma Jewell Rae, Aunt Cheryl and Aunt Debbie -

 Jasper and her boyfriend Chris, Jewell Rae and Debbie, Bryce and his girlfriend Radscha -

 The family shot (minus Cas) -

 A three-and-a-half generation shot - my mom, grandma, and me at 8 months pregnant -

The Passover Seder is the telling of the story of Passover in Exodus.  We start with a roundtable of family updates and then read about the story of God's deliverance and the symbols of the holiday.  Collin made it about 5 minutes and then moved to the couch to quietly read - a Passover miracle!  

We follow the no-yeast Passover tradition with the meal, but we always have cake to celebrate the birthdays.  This year included some milestones - my brother's 30th, my cousin Daniel's 21st and my dad's 60th -

 Collin and my cousin Jasper -

Sweet Uncle Bobby took the three-year-olds, Molly and Collin, and they played games on the ipad -

 Collin showing Molly the talking t-rex game -

It was great to see our Houston family as well as all the family that traveled in for the celebration.  Praising God for his mighty, saving hand through the Passover story and the symbolism of the lamb, the blood, God's passing wrath and redemption of his people that we celebrate the following day at Easter!