"Nim-nax-nicks" for Louise...

For MONTHS, we've said, "We should really get Elise into a Gymnastics class or something. She has SOOO much energy and I think would just love it." And then we get busy with life and 6 months goes by... We tried "The Little Gym" once about a year ago and it was GREAT, but just a little expensive for my taste. So, FINALLY, I signed Elise up for a preschooler gymnastics class at the YMCA and our first class was Monday afternoon.
SHE LOVED IT! She talked about it all day Sunday, couldn't nap b/c she was GIDDY after school on Monday, and we headed up there a little early to let her see what the other kids were doing, sign some papers, etc...and she was literally bouncing up and down for the extra 15 minutes...it was adorable.
They did 45 minutes of floor, balance beam, rings, trampoline, and swinging on the bar. It was adorable to watch Elise in a crowd of strangers like that. She is such a good listener and really was working hard to follow directions, take turns, etc...I was a very proud mommy! Her teacher asked her name when they started and since she's not so great at "L" sound, "Elise" sounded like "Louise"...so, the teacher called her Louise the whole time! I didn't realize it until the end, but I guess she just responded to "Louise" for the whole class. Hilarious. =) As long as the lady let her keep running, bouncing, and swinging, I guess it didn't matter what she was called.
She also cried about 3x in the next 2 hours at home b/c she didn't want it to be over. She can't wait until next week, too! It was fun.
Here are a few pictures...I got reprimanded by one of the teachers b/c I took them- "the flash could be a safety hazard" was what the 15 year-old told me. Really? We're concerned with the 3 year olds being blinded by the flash during their "sit on your bottom and side off the beam" dismount? Sure...


Bounce on the springboard and do a somersalt onto the big pit...she did great!

Cutest clothes EVER

Thanks to Aunt Amanda for two great new outfits!!! You can see how happy Ainsley is about her new little get-up. Just this morning, I heard, "What an adorable outfit on her...where did you get it?!" at least 7 times. That was just at the doctors office and the grocery store. It was fun.

When Ainsley saw the camera coming out, she backed up against the wall just like Elise does to get her picture taken in an especially cute outfit! So cute. As soon as I took it, she (totally on her own!) waddled over to look at the back of the digital camera to see her picture!!! Hilarious. How smart is she to know that at almost 15 months?!

This is Elise's new dress. She wore it last night, wanted to sleep in it (I said "no" to that one!), and then insisted on wearing it to school today! (today had the extra bonus of pink knee-high rainboots with it). Her teacher told me at the end of school today that she caught elise looking at her dress in the mirror all day- twirling around, fluffing it up, etc...hilarious.


This was a few days ago- the bedhead was cute...that's all I was taking the picture for!

BIG DAY!!

We're halfway through this pregnancy, and I'm surprised how the last few weeks have flown by. (Although the first 14 weeks CRAWLED, so it kind of evens out...) Adam took this picture on our Dominican Republic trip and I can't believe I'm already looking SO HUGELY PREGNANT. I've learned 20 weeks with kid #3 in less than four years is way bigger than 20 weeks with Kid 1 and 2, just FYI. Although, in my defense, this picture makes me look bigger than I am. The lady doing our ultrasound today said, "I can barely tell you're pregnant!" WHAT!?! She was obviously just being polite, but I'll take it.
Early December, I was working on convincing Adam that "a 3rd baby would be GREAT for our family"...He was pretty much on-board with the idea, but I was feeling the need to sweeten the pot a little more so I said, "if we get pregnant again in 6-8 months like we're planning, I'll let you decide whether or not we find out the gender of the baby during the pregnancy or wait until delivery." That is a BIG statement for me, if you weren't sure already. I'm such a planner/controller that it was a sacrifice to relinquish that power. Since the pregnancy would probably be close to a year away, no problem, he'd forget all about that conversation...
Fast forward about THREE WEEKS (surprise!) when I took a totally-on-a-whim pregnancy test Christmas Eve that came back positive! NO chance he would forget it now!!
Knowing that today was our Ultrasound and the nurse would ask, "So, do you want to know the gender of baby?" and I would have to totally defer to Adam, who would think it was HILARIOUS to torture me and not find out...or (gasp!!) that she would tell HIM the gender, but keep it a secret for me, I was a little stressed about it all. Luckily, Adam loves me and understands me well enough to answer her with , "yes, we'd like to know...". Yay!
We were shocked moments later when she pointed out the "Boy Parts" on the screen! I started crying so hard that she had to stop the ultrasound b/c my belly was shaking so much. =) I calmed down a few minutes later and we all laughed about it.
So, we are having a BOY!!! crazy. exciting. We haven't told Elise yet b/c she REALLY wants another little sister and gets upset if we've even mentioned a little boy. So, we've got to plan that discussion ahead of time. So, here's the little guy, the arrow is showing the "boy parts". Good thing she was telling us b/c I never would've been able to determine that on our own.

Paradise...

So, Adam and I just spent 5 days traveling and vacationing in the Dominican Republic at one of those fancy-schmancy All-Inclusive places and it was so great! The best part was that we were kid-free!!! It was a very refreshing time for us to just sit around, eat tons of yummy yummy food, enjoy some crazy-fun people watching, and just relax together. Other than a weekend getaway to Savannah in 2005, this was the first VACATION in almost 8 years! This was BY FAR the most spoiled I've ever felt in my life- THANKS for the TRIP, DAD!!!! =)
I was a little concerned that I wouldn't be able to "let go" of the daily "mommy-ness" that I live in. Adam was very patient for the first day as I kept worrying about naptimes, meals, snacks, grumpy kids, etc... but after that I was FINE. What a blessing to really be able to clear my mind for days and just relax. Here are a few pictures...not that anyone really cares about someone else's vacation pictures, but whatever....it's my blog and I'll put them up!

I loved getting dressed up each night for dinner and NOT ending up with smooshed Graham Crackers, spilled apple juice, etc... all over me!!
I got major sunburn on just one leg! I forgot the sunscreen on my left shin! Hilarious.

"HAPPY EASTER DAY"

Time to dye the Easter Eggs!

That smile on Ainsley could NOT be cuter...

That's what Elise kept telling people on Sunday...kind of like "Happy Father's day, Happy Birthday, etc..." It was "Happy Easter Day". Way cute. She did three total Easter Egg hunts- one with neighbors, one at a neighbor's church, and one little one in our backyard just for Elise and Ainsley. Elise loved all of them- and especially evaluating her loot at the end. I hate to say that my (Erica) competitive spirit came out a little at the big group hunt, but it totally did. I didn't give in and actually shove other kids aside so that Elise could get the "good" eggs, but I thought about it. I need to keep an eye on that, right! So far, Elise seems way more like Adam in her laid-back/ non-competitive-ness. Let's hope that continues as she gets older. =) or maybe not... Here are some cute pics. Ainsley didn't exactly understand the whole Egg Hunt thing...but she LOVED finding the eggs and would PANIC if she saw Elise with candy that she didn't have. She was hilarious about it!

Egg Hunt in our yard. Elise was sharing with Ainsley-it was sweet.
Posing for the camera.


Getting ready for the hunt at church. She was showing off her dress and especially the pearl bracelet (From P&J's wedding!)...she was such a 'big girl' with jewelry on.
With our friend Allyson, whom Elise ADORES. She devoured that huge chocolate cupcake, too...and was bouncing off the walls for HOURS.

Festival Weekend

This weekend was the annual Festival ("Fes-tibble" acc. to Elise) in our cool little town. Elise was talking about it for days ahead of time and it was so worth all the hype!! Here are a few shots- Ainsley just hung out in the wagon most of the time, so we don't really have any great shots of her...sorry. Elise loved seeing all the people and really loved the rides- she mostly stayed on the slides, the helicopter-ride and the car thing...she's totally a daredevil, too! She wants to lean out the sides, ride 'no-hands', etc...so cute. Such a contrast to our little Ainsley who we're pretty sure is going to be the Princess. She doesn't like dirt, water, sand, or ever letting go of mommy. It's cute, but exhausting, too. =)

I have no idea who the little redhead is, but how adorable is her hair!?!?

I love the look of expectation in her eyes as she starts the slide...it was about 30 feet tall!

She did this one about 6 times!

Elise and her buddy Ben
There's my daredevil...

Quotes of the Day

It never gets old to pass on some of the hilarious things Elise says.

*We were driving to the Children's museum this morning and it was pouring down rain. We passed a farm and Elise said she wanted to see the Sheep. (?) ok. She then launched into an entire one-person conversation including the following:
-"Sheep, you're getting wet and dirty. You should come back to our house and take a bath."
-"You can sit in the back of the car where Gus sits when we go on a trip."
-"We can take a bath together at my house. We can all fit in together. Mommy, Daddy, Me, Ainsley, Gus, and you three sheep." (there's a visual nobody wants!)
You get the idea of where it went....I was just listening and laughing to myself!

*We got home later and she was using the potty as she YELLED out: "Mommy, Please wipe my bottom, I went poopy! (this part is normal). I have really stinky poopy today, i turned on the fan. Poopy is piled up all the way to my bottom!"

*After naptime, she gets a little snack. As i handed her a Graham cracker, she asks, "Mommy, why is this so squishy?" Hmmm...I guess the humidity got to it more than I expected. =) She still ate it.