Camping Adventure

Daddy and E finally went camping together. Last year, he camped with the kids, but they weren't at a genuine campsite. E has always been jealous of Daddy camping with the the Scouts. I can't tell you how many times she has begged to go with him. Well, it was time. Daddy made plans to take E camping with a good friend and three out of four of his kids. Leading up to that weekend, E was so excited she could hardly contain herself.

She absolutely loved being with the girls.They get along splendidly.

We prepared meals to cook on the fire, s'mores, hot cocoa, and plenty of snacks..

Getting ready to cook breakfast.

The stage on which the kids performed several times.

Hiking the trails. I sure got a good laugh at E's pose. In another shot like this one, she is caught throwing her hair back. Too funny.

Waterfalls

Sheer rock cliffs enjoyed by all. Just kidding...Miles was scared. No, kidding...the rocks weren't that sheer.

First time canoeing for Miss E.

She said it was hard work, but loved it. She laughed hysterically while trying to tell me about Rich canoeing into the trees. She still laughs about that silly Rich.

She was big stuff hangin' with the girls in their own canoe. They brought it back to the dock at the end of the adventure.
They all had a fabulous time and E can't wait to do it again. She loved being with everybody and even cried the evening she got back because she missed her friends.
Great memories.

Allergic Reaction

 O woke up one morning with some sort of allergic reaction on his face. We had no idea how he got it. He hadn't eaten anything different nor had he been into anything different. It was a mystery.

The rash didn't bother him and it only spread on his face and neck.

He ended up on three medications and it was a sheer miracle that he has outgrown his complete refusal to take medicine. He actually enjoyed taking it and W was jealous.

Round Three

We're near the end folks. Simply amazing.

31 weeks

One of three dresses I can wear. The colored scarves add some variety and allows me to pretend I'm wearing a different outfit.

32 weeks

Really feeling the heaviness and pressure of the pregnancy.

33 weeks

The baby is still very active. Having not as much room to move around doesn't seem to bother her. I'll get a one, two ka-pow quite often. I swear, she's a mover and shaker. People tell me it's an indication of how she'll be once she's born...hmmm.

34 weeks
I look a little smaller in this shot for some reason. Maybe I haven't eaten yet. Maybe that was a day I wasn't constipated. You know, cause pregnancy does that to ya.

Lookin' good before leaving to a bonfire with friends. My top button is straining to say the least.

35 weeks

It's funny that this is the same shirt as the 32 week shot and almost the exact same position. You can tell I've grown much rounder.

36 weeks

Me and the younger sis pregnant at the same time. She's a couple months behind me. We both have 4 kids: girl, two boys, girl...she's such a copy cat.

I'm near the end! Everyone asks me if I'm ready, and no, I'm not. I guess I have the baby basics ready like clothes, a blanket, a bed, and diapers. However, when it comes to me, my house, and the enormous change in schedule, I am soooo not ready for baby number 4. I'm rare that I hope she's not early. She can take her time. Eventually, yes, my little womb kicker will be rudely evicted, but until then, I hope to feel a little more prepared for her arrival.

More End of Summer

The fun continued at the beach. It didn't take too long for the kids to conk out each night.

Cuddlin' Cousins

The boys slept in our room and for some reason they continued to slither under the bed while sleeping.

On the first night, I kept waking up to the bed moving...like someone shaking it. I couldn't figure it out. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the bumps were directly under me. I thought it was W under the bed, but A unearthed the O who had traveled the entire width of the king size bed.

We experienced the largest ferris wheel on the east coast. Can we say major rip off?

The kids while in line.

Impromptu dance party...sooo funny. Sure enough, they were the entertainment for everyone around.

E checking out the view.

The C Family up in the sky.

Our family

Playing at the park. At this very second, O discovered a balloon. It's the little things.

Girls on the tire swing. E is much better about hanging on. One time, she flew right through the bottom. Granted, she was close to 3 years old. A little scary at first, but turned out to be a really good laugh, especially since I took a picture of her swinging the split second she fell through and Aunt S, who is pushing her, has her mouth wide open in shock.

The kids

The hurricane  was nearby, so the weather turned on us. It was cooler, but we still played.

E loves the ocean and near the end of the week, she was jumping the waves on her own.

W got cold and wrapped up.

I'm coooold!

The lazy river was always warmer.

Another great thing near the end of the week was that the boys began to swim on their own.

Cute little doggie paddlers.

Determination. What a difference a few days make!

End of Summer Fun

We patiently wait for the end of the summer when we can head out to the beach. This is the all time best thing E does all year. She dreams of it, prays about it, draws pictures and makes plans all year long. We love it. It's the perfect family vacation.

 We love the fact that a few hours on the beach can completely exhaust children.

 W spent most of his time on the beach.

O was in and out of the water.

 E loved the ocean and surprised us with how much she enjoyed swimming out in the water. She was a little mermaid- swimming, jumping waves and rolling with the waves all while singing.

We weren't able to get her into swim lessons this past summer, but she certainly improved on her own. She could swim without our assistance, hold her breath much longer, and even retrieve diving rings.

 We were thrilled our good friends could come visit us. We miss them, of course, and loved every minute together. (Baby M was sleeping soundly during picture.)

 The kids got along beautifully!

Cheeeeeeeese!

 The kids love to eat outside and look at the fun things happening out on the ocean.

 The boys practiced their big brother skills as they dressed and fed babies.

 Confidence was definitely gained in the lazy river. Both boys could float around without us using floaties and innertubes..

 We tried to get W swimming, but he wasn't cool with that. He'd rather have a death grip on your hand.

 O was more relaxed.

 We didn't give up though. We continued to let go of him and tell him to kick his legs. He would literally kick and scream at the same time until we held each other again.

O...where's O? There he is...way over there...floating...all by himself.