The San Juan Island Trip

 This weekend we visited San Juan Island and stayed at Friday Harbor. We had a scheduled family photo session there, and decided to make it an overnighter since it is quite a trek for one day! The kids were more than happy to stay in a hotel (oh so exciting!) and we had a fun time seeing the sights of the island. Its really a lovely setting, though our weather was touch and go with occasional rainstorms. We didn't take too many pics as we had plenty taken during our Saturday night session..but we caught a few.

Morning cartoons at the hotel.

 The docks at Friday Harbor..we had a mix of bright sun (as pictured) with intermittent rainstorms...to quote Finn, "its raining dogs and cats!"

 Addie enjoyed the english garden and scenery at Roche Harbor..

Finn did some reading at the bookstore...and some cookie eating while we waited for our ferry to arrive! Its obvious I was without wipes and he had hands to match the warm chocolate chip cookie face you see here!

Our little Cowgirl!

This little girl is changing so rapidly, its hard for us to believe. She is going to be 5 on Christmas Eve, which just blow my mind! She is SOO excited for baby sister to arrive and talks about her constantly. She has been watching birth videos on my phone in preparation for being at the birth. I think she will do just fine and it will be neat to have her with us if all goes as planned. 

Her newest interest of late is horses..almost an obsession. She'll always have a place in her heart for Shouka, but for now, her time and energy is learning about and looking at all things horses! She is so into the horse thing that she has worn her white cowgirl boots almost constantly for the past months until this week she managed to rip the front on both boots a little...it was very upsetting to her and now she has asked for a new, bigger pair, in the color pink! 

 It cracks me up how quickly she can change her expression...here's a few frames that took place in less than 30 seconds..Silly Girl!

A Peek at #3!

Yep, ANOTHER ultrasound, and thankfully the last it seems! We see a lot of Finn in this image...what do you think? She is measuring just about 3 weeks ahead. This was the 30 week US and she's just under 5 lbs (give or take given the margin for error in technology). The perinatologist felt after fundal height measurements and palpating the baby, that she is in fact a "long, growthy baby" ..maybe the reason for this miserable heartburn that plagues me day and night? Big or small, we can't wait to meet her in a couple months:)

Baby #3..(yes her name will remain a surprise until delivery day!)

Working on 40 Weeks!

I am thankfully continuing to have a healthy baby growing inside me. I have had to be light on activity for awhile now, and have chosen not to work these past months..that being said I still find myself with many jobs/week (don't know how that happens). However, faced with the threat of full bedrest, I have totally cut out working and walking... and general busy-ness! I am thankful in all this that the midwives encourage the continuing of yoga since it is low-impact, and the one activity that produces not a single contraction (which is amazing for me!). This will keep me sane, and also hopefully keep my body somewhat in shape for labor.

So it will be low-action around here (which is going to drive Mommy a  bit crazy), just taking kids to school and doing my afternoon yoga for the next months. It is so worth it to keep this little girl safe, if we can carry on for 6 more weeks...we will be term, though I'd really like to go all the way to 40 weeks!

Much thanks to Addie for the picture!

Mornings with Finn

 With Addie attending school Mon-Thurs for a few hours and Finn only attending Wednesdays, he and I are having some quiet mornings just the two of us. I am very thankful to get some special time with just my current youngest before our next arrival. He is definitely ready to be the "big brother" (and insists on being called this already), but I'm sure it will be an adjustment. He loves to feel my tummy for kicks..."she got me Momma!"..and he and Addie have included a costume pick for baby sister as they look ahead to Halloween (though we hope she's not here that soon!).

Finn is continuing to be our good-natured fun little boy. He is always good for a laugh...a couple of times in the past weeks we have found him face-down and stark naked from the waist down in the middle of he and Addie's room...I guess the trips to the potty after being put to bed tucker a little guy out sometimes, but really make for a good laugh for mom and dad who then put him into his bed and re-jammy him! He also continues to frequently fall out of his bed (after being in a toddler bed for only like a year!)..we'll hear a thump and go find the little man sound asleep on his floor. At least it doesn't bother him, though waking up with a carpet-pattern on one's face is less than optimal.

Last night little Finn found me where I was reading and said "I'm going to watch a really good movie with my Dad, Shaun the Sheep, with the man and the funny sheep." I asked if I should come watch too..? "I think you might be scared, Mom, some parts are scary. I'm not scared of the scary because I'm the big brother!"..Love my little man, and I did join in for the showing of 'Shaun the Sheep' and fortunately was not scared of the slapstick sheep/cartoon humor:)

A couple of pics from our quiet morning today..His favorite book, 'Curious George and the Train Station'.

Celebrating Seven Years

On Saturday we celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary. We were blessed to have the entire weekend to ourselves as Addie and Finn were invited to Grammy's. We had originally planned a Clipper ride to stay in Victoria for the weekend..but visions of having a baby in Canada and realizing just how much fun a free weekend in Seattle can be, we opted to stay local. It was nice to shop, relax and work on our new baby's room just the two of us. 

Seven years truly has only made our relationship better, and we look forward to many more! 

                       30 weeks!                                                      So thankful each day for Blake:)

Buds:)

These two have been sharing a room for several months now and I just love how well it has worked out, and how much these two (mostly) enjoy one another's company (truly!). We of course have our moments...For example, if Shouka ever goes missing, its a very good idea to check behind our couch as that is Finn's favorite place to hide him and baby dolphin too!

Addie was fixing Finn's owies.."Mom, a lightning Mcqueen bandaid because Finn likes Lightning, and Mater bandaid because Finn likes him too, and a princess one (on his posterior thigh) because, well Finn loves me and he let me do it". I then asked, how Finn acquired so many owies. "You know Mom., a crab got him, and then a BIGGG shark came along...!" Yes, very active imaginations here! You can see her little leg there too, she was also involved in the shark attack, she had to rescue brother afterall!

Backyard Camping with Daddy.

 The kids had a blast on Saturday night camping in the backyard with Dad.
We did s'mores around the firepit, and then the kids went to bed outdoors with dad. We had talked about doing an actual camping trip this summer, but just didn't have the time for it this year. Mommy also doesn't have a strong desire to sleep on the ground while pregnant..

It's fun to play in the tent!

First Days!

Addie and Finn had their first days of school for the year. Addie started her 4-day/week pre-K class with Mrs Facchini, and Finn started his Wednesday preschool class today with Miss Angie. Addie is loving being in school just as much as last year, though she is a little disappointed that Spencer is in a different class. She was VERY excited this morning for Finn's first day. We came down to find that she had her and Finn's backpack set out, and were told that she couldn't wait to show her teacher and her friends her brother...she was a bit bummed to learn he would be in his own separate classroom!

 Finn did very well on his first day, apprehensive to have me leave him there (I was a bit apprehensive as well)...and I peeked in the classroom when I picked him up to see that they were having circle/singing time, and Finn was singing and sitting in Miss Angie's lap. Miss Angie said Finn was wonderful and he was just aglow after his class. He told me "I liked my class; it was good"..very concise son! 

 "We're going to school!"

Addie on Monday for her first day. 

 We are thankful to Mimi and Papa for so many beautiful new clothes and boots for the kids!

Golden Hour

Because sometimes its fun to get pictures at sunset...and you can see how quickly the light changes during that golden hour! 

 From last weekend, 28 weeks. A belly as big as I've had at the end with my other two, oh my!

Now its dark and time for a stop into Whole Foods for a treat before bed!

Brownie Man

Finn and I had fun making brownies...he just loves to help cook!

 Hmmm...how did that happen?