Baby Bee #3

It's funny how with each child of ours, I've gotten a bit later relaying the news that we are expecting.  We are excited to welcome our little Baby Bee #3 coming February 3rd!  I keep feeling like I'm either dreaming or just plain crazy with this idea of giving birth to our third child before Ross even turns four.
 

Baby Bee at 12 weeks - little head on the right side - hard to see. :)

I laugh, because all getting ready to go to Hawaii, I was quite adamant that I would NOT be pregnant while we spent our month there.  There was no way - absolutely no way - I let everyone know that too.  I'm sure Heavenly Father had a great chuckle at that, because right before we moved back to Mapleton, I decided to take a pregnancy test (in the midst of packing of course) since I was a day or two late.  I couldn't believe my eyes seeing that double line - I thought maybe it was faulty or something.  It took us a year to get pregnant with Ross and about 5 months to get pregnant with Ruby - funny how things go in life. :) I got a handful more pregnancy tests from the dollar store - great place to get pregnancy tests by the way and not spend $20 a pop - and found out they were all positive - CRAZY!  I think I've been in a comatose dream land throughout this pregnancy, because I wasn't quite in the mindset of baby yet, but we are thrilled to be adding another cute little baby to our pack - seriously - don't we just have the cutest babies? ;)  I keep holding out for a brown eyed child - at least ONE of our kids has GOT to have Steve's delicious brown eyes - it's part of why I married him - for the genes. ;) Although, Steve keeps telling me that my genes just stamp his out if you look at our kids.  Third times the charm though right? ;)

I was really nervous to go to Hawaii pregnant since we'd be sharing our room with both our kids, it would be hot, I would be nauseous AND I'd be tired.  Amazingly, I wasn't as nauseous as I thought I would be - mostly in the mornings or if there were horrendous smells around.  I'm pretty proud that I made it through that month - it was tricky, but Steve was a rock star husband and such a huge help.  

It was nice to get over the nausea stage and now I'm in the - yes I'm definitely pregnant phase including the annoyance of rolling over to each side during the night and how it feels like there's a bowling ball strapped to me that I have to heave over every time.  It's fun feeling the baby move again - I always love that part of being pregnant. 

I mentioned to Steve the idea of maybe not finding out what we were having with this baby since we have one of each - he seemed nonchalant about it - whatever I wanted, but a while later when I realized how I would have to wait to have the girl or boy things ready until after the baby was born - all the washing, organizing, nesting activities, etc. - I decided I did want to know.  Steve had somehow become quite passionate about NOT finding out and couldn't believe I would go back on my idea.  I was taken back at how he had suddenly clung to this idea of not knowing.  We debated back and forth for weeks before the ultrasound - even the day of we hadn't come to any decision.  This is mostly because Steve hardly ever asks me to do things like that for him, and I am always asking for my way all the time - which he sweetly gives in to most of the time.  The guilt was hanging in there making me wonder if I could stand not finding out.  I also knew if I made a big enough deal about it, Steve would relent and let me find out - which felt a bit like cheating too...turmoil for me my friends - turmoil.  

We got in to the ultrasound and I decided to ask them to write it down for us and seal it so we could decide later to find out if we wanted.  It took ALL of me not to look at the screen when she was looking for the shot to print out and put in the envelope, but I did it!  I didn't look!
  

It's kind of like the envelope from the board game Clue - I just want to open it and reveal all the secrets!!!

The most important thing for this little Baby Bee was that things all looked great for his development.  That's always something I'm nervous about, but the baby looked nice and health all curled up in the fetal position with the hands by the face.  It was tricky to get any good shots, and some she printed out for us, I can't even see what's actually labeled.  It all turned out well though and we're happy for our baby to come.
 

Little face on the left and the arm and hand tucked up by the face on the right.

Apparently there are feet on the left - I still can't make them out, and the right picture has the head on the right side with an arm by it.

Ready for some thumb sucking :)

We still have the envelope and I've convinced Steve to open it - on the condition that we don't find out what we're having with the next baby....I committed...but we'll see. ;)  Hooray for a family of five!

Bummin' Around and the Bean Museum :)

My kids have been loving the playground more and more.  Ruby is a slide addict and has made Ross a little more interested in them as well. :)  They are quite entertained at the playground across the street, and I get to enjoy how cute they are. :)

It's fun when you can race :)

Ross loves stopping at the statue of the boy and his dragon at Mapleton Elementary.  He makes me take pictures of him in front of it :)

These kids like snuggling with their dad when he's home. :)

Morning snuggles :)

Ross teaching Rubes how to drive :)

Ross and Ruby both LOVE the back of Grandpa Stan's truck - especially when he opens his toy tool box. :)

Ready to go!

Being a helpful older brother (I LOVE this picture) :)

 

Bravin' the head first position :)

The consequences of a slide addict :) Static hair!

HellOOOOOOOO :)

We got together with our friends, the Jaggi's who are in Utah for an internship.  The happy middle meeting place was Wheeler farm of course. :) Have I mentioned the kids love it and it's free? :)  Ross and Jack were just same ol' same ol' and were completely entertained by a little stream, throwing a giant stick (okay more like a branch) in at the top and running along with it until it hit the drain, only to pick it up again and run back to do it again.  Ruby just liked throwing leaves, rocks, and sticks in the whole time.  They chased ducks and geese, and then LOVED walking on top of the hay stacks they were setting up for a maze. :)  

Ruby ran everywhere - getting some battle wounds to the face when running got out of control.  This girl has had scrapes and bruises all summer!

Playing with the stream :)

Ruby playing in a rock bed - putting all the rocks on the bridge. :)

Haystack walking - it's an art.

It was so nice to catch up and chat while our kids were happy playing and seeing all the animals.  There's nothing like good friends. :)

We also decided to go check out the Bean Museum when Steve was able to get home earlier one day.  It was super fun even if we never got to stop to really read anything.... :)

The hippo was a bit scary

So a few things about Rubes:
Loves:
Slides, suckers, toothbrushes, mac and cheese, pears, cheerios eaten with spoons, putting shoes on, saying bye to any and everyone as she goes to leave, grandparents, asking where everyone is a thousand times a day "where Daddy? where Young? where Beka? where Papa? where Ross?"  (If you ask, "Where's Ruby" she immediately covers her eyes then pops out saying, "There she is!"), binkies (she's only allowed at bedtime now - and is NOT happy about naps without them), sticks, balls, coloring with everything and on anything, taking Ross's toys and running, the books: Llama Llama Red Pajama, Moo Baa La La La, No David, Me Too, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Hippos and Blankelies as well as tickling toes... :)

 Ross Loves:
Airplanes, taking breaks to lay on the couch during meal times (don't ask me how that started), tattling on Ruby, telling us every night, "Don't go anywhere and don't go upstairs" when he's been tucked in, books about planes and machines (big surprise :) ), pretzels, carrots, cheerios, baking muffins and eating them (he LOVES making muffins), wrestling dad and getting sat on, counting, asking what a lot of words mean - like patience ;) and email. :)  discussing ANY movie we're watching throughout the entire show (he's like his mom), telling everyone what to do, giving hugs (Ruby LOVES it when he hugs her after prayers - it's like a ritual now or something - she could care less about hugging mom and dad - Ross is more her size) :), playing the Go Fishing game, wearing overalls and McQueen or Dusty shirts. 
 

Ross still hoards his toys - sometimes in his bed, sometimes on the floor...and sometimes on the chair :)

LOVE him :)

Steve Loves:
Frozen orange juice with 7'up, reading novels again, hanging out with his kids, BYU football season, Indian food, Mexican tacos, chips and homemade salsa, working in the yard, exercising, convincing his wife to rub his back or feet, watching movies late at night (aka falling asleep after starting them), making his wife happy (like getting her flowers ;) ), not being a student anymore, and having an income! ;)

Stace loves:
When Ruby doesn't run away whenever we go outside, White chocolate raspberry truffle Haagen Dazs ice cream, learning to knit, taking a quilting class, Ross or Ruby snuggles, naps, taking walks in the morning with all the sunflowers around, date night, that my kids still are on a bit of Hawaii time and don't get up until 8:30 or 9 sometimes, that Ruby's hair is starting to fit in pigtails and ponytails, thrift finds, getting together with friends, and whenever I don't have to make dinner. ;)  

 

Steve and BYU Football - Together At Last

Three seasons is a long time my friends, a long time for this guy to go without going to a BYU game.  I can't tell you how many of the games he hunted for  a website to watch them on when they weren't broadcast on the channels we had, the frustration from pixelated images that would cut out even when our internet connection was bad.  This guy has been DYING for the live, there-in-the-stadium games for a long long time.  So when we've ended up back here in Utah, he immediately bought season tickets.  Can you guess where we were for the first home game? :)  Just look at this face....
 

One Happy Guy :)

Feeling right at home :)

He was like a kid on Christmas on steroids and loved every second of being there!  We soaked in the smells, sounds, crisp air, and complete feel of football.  It was a great day - a very great day. 

Since it was 9/11 for the game, they did some beautiful tributes to our countries and the lives lost from the crashes of 9/11.  I loved it.  Oh how I love our country, and BYU.
 

They had the military and both football teams hold the flag for the national anthem :)

We will never forget 9/11

Rise and Roar :)

The game itself was fun - the first half was great until BYU let their guard down and then the rest of the game we just hoped we could stay ahead.  It got pretty freezing after half time - we were up in the nosebleeds, but who cares when it's BYU football!  Steve thought he should have worn shorts when we first got to the game, but was freezing by the end.  I remembered to bring my sweatshirt, beanie, and gloves knowing how Utah cools down quite a bit even when it's hot during the day.  

Steve's extended family was there too - they like to get tickets in the upper south end of the stadium for sentimental reasons - Steve's grandpa had life season tickets up in that section until he died.  It was a lot of fun being with everyone. :)  A great, fun date! 

The fam :) Jake and Dre, Uncle Kent, Ian, Davis and his friend, Spencer, Olivia, Steve, Kyle, Sara, Lucy, Aunt Kaye, Claire, Uncle Kimo

Left side, Tracy with her baby Landon and Luke watching through binoculars and listening to the radio in one ear ;)

FHE At the Movies!

We got brave and decided to accept Grammy Joanne's and Grampa Stan's invitation to go see the new movie, Planes Fire and Rescue, at the Spanish Fork movie theater (best place!  $3 movies, $1 for popcorn and candy, and they never show rated R shows - LOVE it).  

We had a lot of fun with Grammy and Grandpa.  Ruby was quite happy to eat a fair amount of popcorn while sitting, and then enjoyed a sucker (have I mentioned she's a sucker for suckers?....this is what happens when you take one away from her...)

and did well for the first 50 minutes of the movie.  Grandpa was nice and took her out to run around for about 20 minutes and then she did well sitting on Grandpa's lap for the rest of the movie.  

Ross - well - he was a professional.  He had his eyes glued to the screen the entire time and was consistently eating popcorn through the whole thing, asking for more even when the movie was over ( I think my kids have sugar and salt addiction problems ).  He had a great time and would be happy to go back again the second we asked.  It was a fun FHE :)

Rubest is the Cutest is what Grandpa Stan always calls Rubes - they do quite well together. :)

 Ruby LOVES her grandpa.  One Sunday we went over to visit and Grammy and Grandpa were coming back from a walk so we waited on their front porch.  When they rounded the corner, Ross and Ruby decided to run to meet them.  Grammy was in front and reached out for Rubes who immediately darted around her and ran right for grandpa, while chanting, "Papa! Papa!"  Little stinker.  She still loves my mom, but loves her grandpa's - just like Ross.
I think my kids have a sixth sense who's the softiest, give in, you can have whatever you want, person in our families.  My kids always go for Steve when it's seeing what they can get away with.  :)
 

Ross in the zone...

He won't even look in the camera! :)  Haha