what's your name?

Today we went to join the Reading bus for story hour (*the Reading Bus is a converted school bus with a full classroom on it for Colin's age. It drives all over VB and has story hour, craft time and play time on it for the little kiddos. Its wonderful and we've had such a great time on it) But we got there and the bus was broken down so instead we went and played at the playground with another little girl and then Colin and I headed to the library so I could make a few copies. (our printer broke) We had to go to another library since ours is closed for renovations and ended up being able to join their story hour. At the beginning they sing a song and go around the room and insert each kids name in it and everyone sings the song to that kid, then they go around to the next kid, so everyone gets that special attention. The kids love it. When they got to Colin and asked his name he proudly said "COLIN BIG BOY!" so we all had to sing the song to Colin Big Boy! And if we call him anything but Colin or big boy he gets really insulted and is quick to correct you. And he is getting so big. Its hard to believe he will be 3 in a few days.

weekend away

This past weekend we went to Kill Devil Hills, NC to get away for a quick family vacation before we become a family of 4. (I know we live at the beach but we wanted to get away and see some other places) Brent took Monday off so Saturday morning we drove the hour and half down to the beach and went to Jockey's Ridge. (colin's personal favorite) The rest of the time we spent swimming in the hotel swimming pool, playing down at the beach, or watching dolphins! It was very relaxing and the perfect getaway for us. Colin scaling the mountain of sand. Brent was soon to follow. I took an easier route.There he goes. He kept repeating "I can do this. I can do this" the whole way up.I didn't realize the dunes were so tall. I had been once in 1st grade but hadn't realized how hard it would be for a 7 month pregnant woman! I did make it eventually everywhere colin and brent did - at a much slower pace - and after Brent took this picture he said "you dont really look pregnant from behind..."Colin and I at the top. Watching the hang gliders. Colin REALLY wanted to go hang gliding. He's a dare devil and I can just see him doing it and skydiving as soon as he's old enoughSliding was the fastest way down. We're still getting sand off Colin... Colin also slept for 12 straight hours that night and didnt move a muscle the whole time. Not our typical boy. Maybe we should go every day to Jockeys' Ridge :) Colin LOVED the pool. "me swimming. Me swimming" Can't wait until Memorial Day when our pool opens up. He and I will be there every day I think.

Chasing waves - or maybe here they are chasing him.

Watching dolphins. Can you see it?

Putt-putt was fun. Colin has gotten much better since last year when we went with our whole family. This course you rode a train up to the top before you played. That was the highlight for ColinColin's attitude about going home! haha he really is sad about being home and keeps asking to go back.This is what greeted us when we got back. (don't look at the ugly bushes next to the side of the house. Those are coming out this weekend)

Big boys do it!

First off for those family members who have commented on Colin's need for a haircut - this is as close as we got the other day. One ice cream cone doesn't keep him still long enough and there are still a few areas to trim shorter but he looks cute as always.

Our beautiful Azaleas. I have waited all winter for these to bloom and its been excited to see what color they all are. The whole front and side of our house are azaleas and this weekend will be in full bloom. And you can see our NEW WINDOWS! They came Saturday and it was so exciting. I can finally open windows. We haven't even opened them yet since the pollen count has been really high and Saturday Colin and I were very congested since all the windows were taken out and I'm still wiping down all the pollen that blew in. But very exciting. It makes all our windows seem bigger and lets more light in which is great!


And this is where I was told "Big boys do it" Colin and I walked down the street to one of the playgrounds today. He chooses which one he wants to go to as there are three within easy walking distance (one of the reasons we picked this house) but I looked up and Colin was trying to jump off that ledge. I told him he that it was too high and he said "but mommy big boys do it and me big boy" and then proceeded to drop. He did fine so I took out the camera from my bag and caught him doing it again. He was so proud of himself. Shouldn't be a surprise since he loves to jump and climb. He likes to jump off his little climber in the back yard - which is only a foot or two off the ground - and the whole time I have to say "everyone get ready for the best jumper in the world to jump" and then he jumps. And I have to do it over and over and he jumps over and over. Makes for great afternoons naps! We were at one of the other playgrounds this weekend and met another 3 year old in our neighborhood - very exciting - but he didn't want to do half of what Colin did on the playground. The other parent commented how we really do have a daredevil on our hands!

getting closer...

As some of you know, Brent now has to go to charlottesville Thursday and Friday for work which means he has to spend the night there Thursday. Its a blessing to have those accounts but each week I secretly pray that he'll lose those accounts and not have to go :) Well this Thursday night I was putting Colin to bed and thought woah this baby is really wanting to come out. Lately it seems he keeps pushing my stomach out wanting to make more room. A few minutes later I felt it again and then it registered. That wasn't the baby that was a contraction. I don't think you ever forget what those feel like. It didn't happen again so I put Colin to bed, went and drank some water and laid down. Then I started to freak out. Brent is out of town, my parents are gone this weekend on vacation, my grandparents are at the farm, Jamie is in New York, the Burleys are home and do I call them. How late do I wait? What if they aren't there? I don't even know where the hospital is!!!! Do I take Colin with me? Can my sister come from Richmond in time? I didn't really sleep that whole night. Well it didn't happen again and I finally figured out it was Braxton -Hicks which I didn't feel with Colin until a few weeks before he was born. They come at night probably only because during the day I am running after Colin. So no one got called and we didn't rush to the hospital - which is good since I don't know where it is. (haha many of you probably didn't know you were on my call list yet!) But the baby is fine. And I'm fine too - just a little tired from worrying all night! At 38 weeks they are going to induce if I've started dilating so hopefully everything I'm feeling is my body getting ready but we still have 9 weeks left possibly if they can induce so I'm hoping to keep this baby in until then. And this week I am going to register at the hospital and Brent and I are going to drive there so we both know where it is :) When I was pregnant with Colin my doctors office was in the hospital, and Brent was never more than 15 minutes away from me or the hospital. This time its completely different so being induced might actually be a blessing not only for an easier delivery but so Brent can be sure to be there! Here is my handsome boy. He is so much fun. I'm really enjoying our Thursdays alone since I try to plan fun things for us to do in the evenings and just making the most of our alone time together since once this baby comes it will all change. His new thing is asking "but how? or But Why?" for everything.

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. On Sunday we went to my parents church (if you remember from last year it was the one we started going to while we were living with my parents and they go there now) We had to leave our house at 7:00 am to make it over the tunnel in time :) but Waters Edge Church had their Easter Egg drop , or one of them, at 8:30am. It is all Colin talked about all year and was very excited to go see the helicopter drop eggs again. He loved collecting the eggs and didn't realize there was candy inside until much later. Colin didn't want to go into the kids church so he stayed with us and loved the music. (We really love Waters Edge Church and wish we lived closer but we have found a really great church near our house with an amazing children's program. And I love the mothers bible study!) But after church we went over to my grandparents house for brunch. My cousins and uncle showed up for part of it and Colin loved playing football with the boys. In fact he played football all day with anyone who would play with him (mainly ant ant) It was a beautiful day and we loved being able to spend it with so much family. These are all pictures my sister took since right as the helicopter came my batteries died. Thanks sarah!Last week we dyed easter eggs and Colin thought that was fun - each egg had to have some green in it. Only he cracked most of them in the process. I opened up one of the hard boiled eggs to show him what was inside and he saw the yellow yolk and goes "WOAH..... big butt!!!" haha he thought it was the baby chicken's butt and was SO disappointed when I finished peeling the whole egg and it was just a round yellow ball and no baby. I tried to explain that the eggs we buy to eat don't have baby chickens or ducks in them but I'm not sure it registered. He looked at the carton of eggs in the fridge and asked me later "babies in there mommy?"

Busch Gardens

Here we are at Busch Gardens with our good friends the Kim's. Colin had a blast with Susanna and Sam... and of course Bert and Ernie. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed just going from place to place with no real agenda. We are excited Pete and Ashleigh and the kids will be back a few more times. Colin had a great doing just about everything Susanna did and they enjoyed making each other laugh. Busch Gardens has the "fun pass" where if you have a VA license and buy a one day pass, it is good for the entire summer! Not a bad deal. Let's hope we make it many more times.

Baby is getting bigger!

Since I took a picture of Colin at 6 months I figured I should take one now. And I still probably deleted half of the ones Brent took :) This baby is getting bigger almost every day. I went for a walk tonight and felt what I think was his head trying to push his way out of my stomach. I know Colin did that too but I think it was much later. Colin loves his baby brother and thinks being a big brother is great right now. He will come up and ask if the baby is playing soccer today and want to feel him kick (since thats what this baby is playing when he kicks) Colin is always telling the baby "make a hole and come out" We told him soon.
And I thought I'd leave you with a view of Colin's garden. He has planted pumpkins, sunflowers, and watermelon. (he picked them out) I was sure they wouldn't grow but they are doing great and look better than the hundreds of seeds Brent is growing in our other window sills. I guess seeds like to be shaken and over watered and talked to by an almost 3 year old. Colin is very proud and checks them every day.

playground fun

This week Jamie and I took the kids to the playground to play. And these boys are too cute not to put pictures up. Colin loved having Benjamin follow him everywhere. Colin taught him how to climb the slide the wrong way. Only poor Benjamin couldn't get enough traction to really climb it himself. And thats not the only bad habit he taught Benjamin - he also taught him today what fun it is to jump on the bed. Lets hope Jamie lets us keep playing with them :) These boys are so cute and its so fun to watch them start to interact and play together. Colin loves having someone younger looking up to him.