Growing Family!!!

We're getting an early Christmas present this year on or around December 3rd!!!

My friend made these adorable "big sis" and "big bro" shirts for the kids, to help us announce the big news! She also made me a really cute diaper bag with the kids names on it. I'm her advertisement, so check it out at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sew-Mini-Stitches/230429246065

When we told the girls about the baby, Gracie said, "I don't think so."  She also told me that we don't need anymore babies.  Ha!  Then the other day when she was talking about growing up I told her she would always be my baby and she said, "No, I'm going to grow up and you have a new baby in your belly, ok?"  Lindsey just smiled when we told the kids and she's already lifting up my shirt asking if she can see the baby.  I love my cute kiddos!!!  Not loving the nausea though!!!

Easter

Cooper eating his first peep!!!  He seemed to like it.  The girls don't really care for them but I love them so it works out great for me!!!

My Mom sent the girls some pretty Easter dresses and they loved them!  When we got them in the mail they thought they were for dress-up so I had to tell them they were for church and get them hung up after letting them try them on.

The girls loved doing the Resurrection eggs that Grandma made for our family a few years back.  Each plastic egg is numbered and has a scripture inside it with something that pertains to that part of the Easter story.  For example, a little dice with the scripture about the soldiers casting lots for Christ's raiment, and soap for the scripture about Pilate washing his hands of the guilt.  The final egg is empty, representing that Christ's body is no longer in the tomb because he has risen and lives again.  Gracie's Sunbeam teachers do a really good job teaching her because she was able to answer and explain some of the eggs.

Gracie pulled the peeps out of her basket and said, just as I thought she would, "I don't like these."  Haha!  I got them plenty of other things though.

Heidi gave me the cute idea of planting jelly beans the night before Easter and telling the girls they were magic beans.  Then after they go to bed you set it up so it looks like they grew a sucker.  They were so excited in the morning to find out what they had grown!  Later when Tim gave the girls some jelly beans to eat Gracie was worried that they would grow something in her belly so I had to tell her they were safe to eat.  Little smartie!!!

Silly sticker faces!!!

We invited a few neighbor kids over for an Easter egg hunt and they all had a blast!  Of course the morning happened to be chilly after all our heat, but the kids didn't care.  The girls always ask me if they can play with friends.

The little towhead blonde boy kept pushing Cooper in the swing and I had to come rescue Coop when he started pushing him too high and fast and then wanted to twist the swing.  The boy was pretty mad at me but I wasn't about to let my baby get hurt!

Cute little Lindsey with her "egg hunting glasses".

When Chloe's Mom set her down in this chair next to Cooper, he grinned all big and put his arm back on his chair like he was saying, "Hey. . . how you doin?" and we all started laughing.

When the kids took off for the eggs, Cooper got one in each hand, and was content with that for the rest of the hunt.  Pretty easy to please!

Happenings in Bama!!!

The kids love watching the cows!!! If they're close to the fence when we're outside the girls love picking long grass and feeding it to them through the fence too. Gracie cries if she holds grass through the fence and they don't come. They usually do though.
A couple of nights we've let the kids lounge in the living room while we watch a movie together. They love it and Coop is all grins!!!

My pretty girls!!!

We bought the kids a pool that doesn't have to be inflated. They loved it but were content to only stand in it. Lindsey finally started getting brave enough to sit in it but they prefer to stand. I bet once it gets even hotter in the summer they'll sit in it.

Cooper chugging his water.

There is a botanical garden in Huntsville and a friend from the ward invited us to go the other day. It seems really fun and had little water areas for the kids to play in. There's a butterfly enclosure too. We didn't see it this time but when we go back as a family we'll see more. The kids weren't listening to me and Gracie was whining about the other kids that were there splashing her, etc. After the kids all took off in different directions and Gracie fell and skinned her hand, I had enough and needed to get out of there. It seems like other parents don't worry if they can't see where their kids are, but as soon as I lose sight of any of them, I panic, and Gracie kept running ahead with the other kids.

The stroller was heavy because we'd packed a picnic lunch and I was trying to push it uphill while Gracie was crying the whole time about her hand and wanting me to carry her. I couldn't carry her and push the stroller and I didn't have any bandaids so I was angry and yelling at Gracie that she had to walk as we left the gardens. I was embarassed and felt like everyone was watching me but I just needed to get out of there. Thank goodness we drove seperate so that I could leave. Hopefully the next visit goes better with Tim to help because it is a fun place.

Gracie and Gretchen holding hands. So cute!

Our overloaded stroller.

Lindsey always had a rock in her hand. She's a little rock collector just like her Mom.

Cooper figured out how to make water shoot out of the end of the rocket. I wouldn't have even known that it did that if he hadn't accidentally pushed the button.

I love watching my babies sleep!

The kids love being outside and they look so cute in their hats!

Checking out a dead beetle. We also found a dried up dead frog. Poor thing! Gracie has been really worried about what happens when you die. We try to reassure her by talking about Heaven but she gets upset and says, "But I want to live here!" I squished a bug the other day and she was worried so I told her it was okay because he was in Heaven. Then I threw the bug in the garbage and she said, "Heaven is the garbage?" So then I had to give a body-spirit lesson. It's so hard to explain things to her. I wish she wouldn't worry so much.

Lindsey has been hit and miss with her naps lately and we found her sleeping on the couch. So sweet!