19 weeks

i am 19 weeks PREGNANT!
we are having a BOY!
gabi came with us to find out what we were having...our doctor's office apparently has a leak! GROSS!!

this is what has occupied my time for the last few months.
i have been exhausted. beyond exhausted.
having other kids to take care of has not been manageable for me.
we are all very excited about the little baby boy we are going to be having.
the kids pray for him many times a day...if someone forgets to pray for him jake will start yelling "BABY! BABY!"
he grabs my hand again and we pray for the baby!
i love it, it's so precious. sometimes i forget to pray for the baby on purpose, just because i like to see him so concerned/excited to pray for our little growing guy!
we have absolutely no names picked out, but we have time for that.

i have gained about 12 lbs. so far, but i feel huge, like i have gained 50 plus lbs.

i felt the first kicks on labor day...it was very exciting. i now feel kicking everyday.
jacob hasn't felt the kicking yet. it seems too sporadic for him to catch one yet.

jacob doesn't believe it's a boy, just like with jake. he said he won't believe it until he's born.
kisses for our son!

112

112 degrees!
fall has started here in california and it was 112 degrees yesterday.
that is just sickening to me!
i mean i wouldn't be surprised if it were summer, but i am sooooo ready for cool weather and pants and pumpkins.
I LOVE FALL!

when daddy got home he did what every good dad does on a HOT day!

running through the sprinkler.

i knew this might be one of the last times i see those chubby arms or those skinny little legs in a bathing suit until next summer, so i couldn't miss taking some pics of my babies.
next summer they will be 4 1/2 and almost 3!

they grow up so fast and as the seasons are changing (hopefully) they are getting older too.
i have never done well with change...but i am trying to embrace it...it's just hard.

***in a few days i will tell you all where i have been and why i haven't blogged in so long.***

two!

it makes my heart hurt a little, ok a lot to say that he is already TWO!

i couldn't ask for a more kind gentle spirit.
he gives me like 50 hugs when i am praying with him and when i lay him down he keeps his arms up for more hugs. it makes me smile every time.

he loves his sister and cousin.
he loves animals. he is willing to go to new heights to see them.
he is willing to feed them their own straw that they go to the bathroom and lay on.
his feelings are easily hurt when the animals don't want to eat from him.
he loves friends and he loves to give them hugs (even if they have cute little snotty noses)
he knows there is a time and a place to relax.
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yesterday, jake and i went to in-n-out while the girls were at preschool.
we took our food home.
jake normally takes his nap when we get home.
while he was eating he would take a bite and then give me a hug.
he did this after every bite.
it was so sweet to see him by himself. just with me.
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i couldn't ask for a better little guy.
HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY JAKE!
we all love you so much!
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note: jake did NOT break his arm again! these pics were taken earlier this summer.

what a day...

**this is a true story, none of it is made up!**

did you know that it was bring your family to work day today?
what? you didn't get the memo? well, it was!!

i have to admit i didn't know it was either, but at about 8:30am i got the call...
it went something like this...
me: "hi honey. how are you"
jacob: "not good honey. diesel is pouring out of your dad's truck, smoke is coming from the engine, i think i might run out of gas on the freeway with the amount of gas i am loosing and the truck might catch on fire. also, i have to be at a job site at a certain time. i am going to need you to load up the kids and come pick me up to take me to the job site."

alright so that is how it went this morning.
all the kids were in their jammies, jake had chunks of oatmeal in his hair from breakfast.
i quickly changed them and we ran to the van.

jacob was about 45 minutes away from home...so we hit the road!

i was running low on gas and by the time i got to my exit i needed gas bad and i was lost so i was approaching a stop light and the light turned yellow so i hit the brake...our lovely new (used) van stalled! not a nice feature to have on your car...when you break your car stalls...i don't think people will be lining up to buy these vehicles, anyway...

we got it started again and pulled into the gas station, almost every pump was broken so i had to wait for a lady to finish...i think she was mad at me because i was waiting. she kept looking at me.
she got done and got into her car and sat there for a LONG time before pulling away. so we pull up, i grab my purse...it just happened to be upside down, probably from when i slammed on my brakes at the yellow light. well i never zipped it up so.....everything flew out of it when i went to grab my wallet.

i got gas and found jacob. we left my dad's truck behind to get fixed.

we were back on the road to get to the job site.
as we were approaching the exit we needed to take it was all coned off and closed...no warning at all that it was going to be closed.
we then had to backtrack.

we made the delivery and then were off to the next park.
the kids were excited to play at the park so we got a very nutritious 2nd breakfast, mcdonald's and went to play.
we got done and were off to the next park.
it was starting to get hot, but the kids played for a while and then we went and got a nutritious lunch at burger king.

then it was passed nap time, so i told them all to close their eyes and a few times around the block and they were all asleep.
i parked back at the park and they all slept for an hour and a half.
we headed towards jacob's office and i had to go to the bathroom really bad so i figured the girls would have to also.
when i went to get gabi out of her seat she was soaking wet!
i asked her if she went potty and she no she was just really really sweaty...she had peed when she was sleeping.

we got home, jacob mowed the front yard, and cleaned the car.
grandpa and grandma got here with our wonderful friends truck that they let us borrow and then jacob and grandpa went to go pick up sod for our backyard!

it is currently 9:35pm we are just getting done putting in the sod and watering it.
WHAT A DAY! I AM EXHAUSTED!
jacob has to leave for work at 4:30am and will be out of town til friday afternoon...

some days things just don't go according to plan. and that is ok.
we should always be ready for whatever adventures come our way!

letters from papa.

papa sent the kids their own cards from afghanistan.
they were so excited to get something in the mail with their names on it.
i remember when i was little it was the funnest thing in the world to get my own mail.

all gabriella keeps saying all day long is, "papa is coming home for my birthday!"
we are all so excited to have you home in a few months papa!

the rest.

on father's day, we couldn't go to church because jake was still not well, so we did exactly what jacob wanted to do.
we had personal pizza for lunch.
jacob installed a fan and light in our room.
we all went swimming, together, in our tiny pool.
no pics. of that because i was afraid my camera would get wet!
then we went to lowe's and got some stuff we needed.
jacob made homemade salsa for the first time and it was delicious!
we had fish tacos for dinner at home.
it was a great father's day.
we got jacob a new lunchbox so he can start eating more healthy lunches and save money.
gabriella made her daddy a very special handmade card.
she was very proud of it!
he also got a new shirt and my parents got him a new tackle box with some trout bugs...they will surely catch us some huge trout!
all in all i wouldn't have changed anything about our day.
jacob's favorite part...swimming:)

father's day.

happy father's day to my husband, my babies dada.
this morning gabi picked out her dada's clothes that she wanted him to wear.
not sure why she picked pajamas, an undershirt and tube socks, but what a GREAT daddy to oblige her every whim.
i am so thankful to have such a great daddy for my babies.
we love you so much!