Andrew is FOUR!

Andrew turned four today. When he woke up and I started to sing him happy bday he told me to stop "that I had already sang him that yesterday". It was cute. My friend and I took him to Island Burger for lunch. He had such a good time. Then he went to karate where he earned a black stripe on his belt! Go Andrew:) He was super excited. Then I made dinner, with his special request of Macaroni and cheese. He had a good day. He did not want to go to bed at all, but he finally fell asleep.

Just wanted to look back four years ago and recall how this day went:
I had already been on bedrest for over a week because Mr. Andrew tried to come into this world at only 34 weeks. My labor was stopped because it was way too early. So, April 27th, 2005 I started the day watching tv on the couch. My dr. told me I can get up to go to the bathroom and that was about it. That was pretty easy to follow! Anyways, Chop came home from school around 230ish and I told him I wasn't feeling well. I had tons of pressure in my belly. So, I called the dr and she said to come in. So about 330ish Chop took me in to the dr. She told me I didn't look like I felt well and she checked me. She said my water was about to break and she was going to send me over to the hospital(it was right next door) She had guessed my water would break on the way over, it didn't. Anyways, I called my mom and headed over. We registered and got in my room. I watched my epidural movie, signed the papers declaring I wanted the drugs!! My brother and sister-in-law came to visit. The dr eventually broke my water around 830ish. She told me it would be the next day before I had him. So we watched American Idol, the contractions got really intense. Next thing I know, the nurse is telling me to push and calling for the dr. I kept telling them to wait because I hadn't had my epidural yet. They informed me there was no turning back and I had to push. So, I did. And at 11:25 pm my precious baby boy came into this world. He was absolutely perfect. And when I say perfect, I mean perfect. He was wide awake and stared at his daddy for several minutes. After a couple of days in the hospital, they let us go home. And now four years later he still melts my heart just like the day he was born.
There is such a special bond between a mother and son. Andrew is my angel and I love him more than I could ever put into words.

Just wanted to share that memory. Here is to another wonderful year with my beautiful family:)

Tell Me It Isn't So...

Well, we celebrated Andrew's fourth bday today. However, he will not be four until April 27th at 11:25 pm. He will be three until the clock turns! It was a good, non-stressful day. It could have been a bit warmer, but it didn't rain and was sunny, so I can't complain. The spider man jumper was a success. It got here about 9am and the kids jumped themselves out before the party started at 1. Andrew got a lot of really cool things. He got a Nintendo DS (Merci got one, too), batman, action figure things and a soccer goal. He got some clothes but he wasn't too into that. Overall, it was a great day. I can't believe that he is turning four. It seems like yesterday I was giving him a bottle. You never can really appreciate time until you just want it to slow down, if only for a moment. Merci was almost three when I met Chop and she is already eight and Sophia will be nine months old this week. It is just amazing, really.
I will post pictures soon of Andrew's party. We are taking Chop's dad to the airport tomorrow, then back to the routine on Monday...Goodnight:)

Happy Early Bday to Andrew...

Today was a cold, windy day. But that didn't stop us from getting in the yard. My dad and I have been working really hard on the front. We left this morning to go to Lowe's and when we got back my neighbor had mowed the front for me. How nice! We have a tiny front yard, but the kindness was great! He knows that Chop is gone a lot and him and his wife have been great neighbors. Too bad they are moving in a few weeks...
Anyways, since my dad won't be here for Andrew's actual bday party, we took him to Chuck E Chesse tonight. Him and Merci had a blast. My dad goes all out and bought 175 tokens, so my purse is heavy with leftovers. But they had a good time. Sophia loved hanging out with dad until she saw Chuck E and flipped out. My dad leaves early Friday morning, so I am hoping tomorrow goes by super slow. I love it when he is here. No matter how old you get, the comfort of having your mom or dad around brings such a sense of security. I love my parents! They are both so very wonderful and supportive of me. I am glad they fly out to see me. (Although some may argue they are actually coming out to see the grandkids, but it still counts in my book!)

Another day...

So, yesterday was very productive! We all got in the yard and pulled weeds. My dad sprayed the yard and fertilized. Our backyard is nothing but dead grass and weeds, so he had his work cut out for him. But for some odd reason he loves this stuff. Today we got a rose bush and red mulch and the front yard is looking good! Finally! The previous owners either neglected the yard all together or it was vacant for a while, because it was in BAD shape. And our Home Owners Association had some nerve sending me a letter right when we moved in giving us 14 days to have our front yard looking "green". And Chop was in North Carolina, so I was like, okay, I guess time for new grass...and new grass we got! Anyways, enough about yard work...
My dad goes home Friday which I am not looking forward to. He is such great company and is a neat freak, so when he is here my house stays spotless. My dearest hubby gets home Sunday and that is so exciting:) And his dad gets here Wednesday for Andrew's bday party, so we are really looking forward to that. Andrew's newest saying is that he is such a jerk. I have no clue where this kid gets these things. It is hard not to laugh, but don't want to encourage it. Sophia is getting around so well. She just takes off crawling. And as soon as she finds something to pull up on, she does. Bad thing is that she hasn't figured out that if she lets go, she will fall. I am thinking after a few tumbles, she will learn! We are in the process of putting up the baby gate. I didn't have stairs when Andrew was a baby, so this whole tumbling down the stairs is new to me. I know that is totally dangerous, so the gate is a must. Sophia is so quick! Merci is dreading going back to school next week. She loves being home, lounging around. California schools are so much different from Texas. They get almost a month for Christmas and two weeks for Spring Break. But they go until June 13ish and start the second week in August. So I guess it balances out. I don't know, just seems like they get a lot of time off. And they are always getting half-days. Not sure, but Merci loves it. I tell her to enjoy school because she has much more to go! If I would have liked school, it would have been so much easier. She will learn:)
Anyways, overall the last couple of days have been good. Just wishing the time would slow down so I can have more time with my dad and speed up so I can see my hubby. Just can't have it all, can I?? Looking forward to the next couple of months and coming to Texas to visit:) Miss and love everyone of you!

Last thing...In my first post I put that Chop deploys September 13. It is actually September 19th...

A Wonderful Day!!

Today was great! First, we celebrated an amazing day. How blessed we are to have a wonderful Lord to serve.
The kids dyed their eggs and had a great time. It was hard for me to not have Chop here to share these times, but I know he was thinking about us, and us about him. We all went to lunch at Roadhouse. The food was good, but I am so spoiled to going to Nana and Pop's house for Easter! My heart ached inside for all of my Texas family but I am so glad I had my dad and brother-in-law here.
Okay, now for the super exciting news...you all ready for it???????????
1. Sophia pulled up!!! She crawled to the otoman, got on her knees and pulled up! Talk about a proud mama:)
2. Sophia drank from her sippy cup!!!! Some may say oh big deal...but as most of you know Sophia is a nursing only, bottle-refusing child. So, this is a HUGE deal. It was Gatorade, but who cares! She drank from a sippy! The future for weaning her is looking bright:)
3. My absolute favorite....... Sophia said Mama!!!! Plain and clear at the table! She usually says dadadadada all day long, but she put that word aside for a second to say mama!!

See, told you it was a Great day!

A day in the life of an almost four year old...oh boy

Ok, so how does an almost four year old little boy deal with his daddy being gone??? He saves his poop in the toilet to show his him. I swear in the last week at least one toilet in the house(we have three) has had unflushed pooey in it at any given time.And Andrew claims this is because he wants his daddy to be proud. I mean, when Andrew was two and potty training, it was rewarding for him to save this special surprise for daddy. But he will be four in a matter of weeks...oh goodness. It is so funny but at the same time gross! I can't wait until he is 16 and I remind him of this story...
Today was good. My dad got here around 9am. I think I finally got into a deep sleep around six this morning and the alarm goes off at 6:30, so I am a bit tired. There was tons of traffic on the way to San Diego, I guess because it is Easter weekend. The kids are excited about tomorrow. Their Uncle Lucas is coming over for lunch and watching them find their eggs. Sophia crawled all over the house today...so cute. I am so glad my dad got to see her crawl. And she is actually not scared of him, which is a relief. That means I get a break from holding her! Yay:)
Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter. God is so amazing!

I jumped on the blogwagon...

So, I caved. I joined the world of blogging. I figured this is a great way for our families to keep up with us, if they choose to do so. Chop will be getting home on April 19th and he told me yesterday he does not leave again until June 29th!!! That is a HUGE deal to us...we spend most of our time apart, so to have him home for more than a month is a blessing. He will start his at sea trainings in June and deploys September 13th. Not looking forward to that...
Merci has her Hawaii trip with her grandparents set for June 25th. She is so excited:) I found her an awesome little sundress that she thinks she will wear everyday there. She is doing excellent in school. She is at 3rd grade level in everything except math, but where she needs to be for math. She has met some great friends, some interesting ones as well. These Californians...ha
Andrew will be four on April 27th...where in the world did these past few years go?!? He keeps us laughing...he always has something funny to say.Even when he is in trouble, that is how he tries to escape, by being funny. The other day he asked me to teach him to read, so I have been working on that. He is learning his phonics pretty good.
Sophia is still spoiled rotten. My arms are sore from carrying her around all day. Most people say to put her down and let her cry it out. I will buy you a plane ticket to show you how this goes...I would rather have sore arms than to go deaf...seriously. She is crawling, well if that is what you call it. She gets on her hands and feet, with her bottom in the air. It is entertaining, but hey, she gets to where she needs to go. Which means the baby gate at the top of the stairs goes up this week.
And as for me, I am doing good. Life can be so hectic and it is easy to loose myself in all of the chaos. But at the end of the day I have time to sit back and realize what a wonderful life I have. My husband and kids mean the world to me and the support I have from my family is amazing. My relationship with God grows more and more everyday. He has taught me so much in the past couple of years. He has been my Light and helped me see my way through obstacles. I have realized in the past couple of months that I am a lot stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. I am a firm beliver in "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" He is an Amazing God...