Mmm tasty kake!

Mmmm!! Got a delicious treat FREE from @influenster for testing purposes!! These are seriously so delicious and they are tiny mini cakes- they come three to a pack. The girls each get one and so do I hehe. Yummy in my tummy!! #influenster @tastykake #mmm (Ps I may have eaten them all before I remembered to take a picture of the cute yummy little things hehe. 🍮) #tastykakeminiwins #contest

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Down By The River

Earlier this week was my father-in-law's birthday, so we packed up the girls and headed down the road to spend the day paddling on the Catawba River.  We did the same thing last year and the girls just loved it!

Our little expedition!

Savannah Jane helping paddle.

RG and Pawpaw

We caught a baby snapping turtle!

SJ just loved him!

We made some sandwiches and snacked on Cane Creek.

Hiding from the sun on Cane Creek.

Of course a long day in the sun led to some awesome car naps!

May is here!

Well today was full of spontaneous adventure!

After waking up late, the girls decided they wanted pancakes for breakfast.  So I busted out my kitchen skills and whipped up some Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes for RG and SJ.  K decided it was late enough in the day to skip breakfast and jump straight into lunch.  So everyone got ready, we loaded up the car, and hit the road to head to Chick-fil-a!  On the drive over we discussed all the potential things we could do today.  K never let on to what he wanted to do, he just jumped on the interstate and headed north.  

Adventure number one was the Carolina Raptor Center.  It is a facility in Huntersville that rehabilitates injured birds of prey (eagles, hawks, etc).  They have a self guided nature trail that let's you see different birds that have injuries that prevent them from being released back into the wild.  

SJ was our unofficial tour guide.

K and SJ 

Our little ladies

Two of the eagles shared names with the girls!

After we saw all the birds on display, we gave the girls the opportunity for a car nap and headed towards Fort Mill for the Strawberry Festival.  When we got close we decided to skip it due to heavy traffic and large crowds.  We opted instead for a local strawberry farm and went and picked about six pounds of strawberries, the girls played until they dropped, and I got a funnel cake and strawberry slushie! So, so good!

Looking for the perfect one!

Found it!

Funnel cake and slushie, living the life!

We picked up a pizza on the way home, did a quick bath time, and the babes fell asleep almost immediately!  Today was definitely a fun-filled, random adventure day!  Hope everyone else has a great weekend!

Baby #3: 15 weeks!

Week 15: March 16-22

Wow! I guess the first trimester happened. This is my first update since week seven. I was nauseous 101% of the time and just exhausted. A lot has happened over the past few weeks! I think all of our family finally knows but we are still quiet on social media. :) 

At 12 weeks 4 days I had my first doctors appointment. I fibbed a little and told them I wasn't sure how far along I was even though I knew my due date already. They squeezed me in for an ultrasound and the baby measured exactly to my (precalculated) due date- September 13! They also took a peak between the legs and made a guess but I'll keep my lips sealed. 

We scheduled an appointment for the 23rd (15w1d) where they took blood and went over the initial nurses overview. 

Baby is approzimately 4"inches and 2.5 oz- about the size of an apple!

Next appointment: April 14- 18w 2d -- this is who they will also do an anatomy scan (if we don't go get a 3d scan before then ha! I'm not sure I can wait that long ha!)

Gender:  feeling girl. Hoping boy? HR150 at 15w1d

Total weight gain/loss:  I haven't gained anything from 12w until now according to doc. 

Maternity clothes: not yet- still just feeling extra bloated and fat ha

Belly button: innie

Sleep: It has been pretty good the past week- I sometimes sleep through the night and sometimes wake once. No real complaints, though I'm still always tired. 

Food cravings:  sushi and pizza - and popsicles. And Coke ICEES!!! Limes and salt- weird I know- maybe margarita withdraws? Haha

Symptoms: Oh my word. The last 9 weeks I have been soooo nauseous. Bleh. I forgot what an awful feeling it was to just be nauseous ALL the time. I will say about a week or two ago (14 weeks) I started to feel a little relief. I am still getting nauseous on and off but not feeling nauseous all day every day. Thank God. I am however, still extremely exhausted. I never want to get up in the morning, usually take a nap while the girls nap (for about 30m- an hour) and I'm still totally SPENT by 7 or 8pm. I've been dealing with constipation and just overall tummy issues (gas pains, etc- so FUN!) 

At night, especially, the top of my tummy is feeling hard! 

HEADACHES!! How could I forget about those?! Almost daily now. :( some days are worse than others. Usually a coke will help them go away but a couple of days that hasn't even helped. :-/ doctor said if coke is helping then keep drinking. 

Fatigue- yup- see above. 

Movement:  not yet but I'm hoping soon! 

Labor signs: -

What I miss: energy. and wine. 

What I'm loving: I'm starting to feel a tad better, we have seen the sweet baby Moving around on the us (and was way bigger than I imagined & looking like a baby!) That we have told all our family - actually rg has told most everyone hehe. We can now find out gender!! I'm so excited about sharing on social media in a few weeks! 

Oh and last week? Maybe two? K got us Meet-N-Greet tickets to see Pat Green here in Charlotte!! I guess that was the baby's first technical concert hehe. We had a great time while the girls spent the night in the mountains with my aunt! 

What I'm looking forward to: GENDER GENDER GENDER!! I can't hardly wait!! We also have some vacation plans coming up in a few weeks and I'm excited about that. The month of March has been a super hard month for Karl's work thus being really hard on me. Loooooots of late nights and working Saturday even. Thankful to have that behind us. 

Best moment this week: Oops. Think I covered this above haha

Big Sisters: they have been too cute! SJ especially loves to cuddle, kiss and talk to the baby. Rg does too but much of the time SJ will initiate it. SJ will just look at and rub my belly and smile. Rg will tickle me and say "does that tickle the baby?" RG is also very adamant on sharing and taking care of baby. When she first found out I was pregnant she said "but where will the baby sleep?!" Hehe. She then immediately started listing ALL of the toys and things that she would share with the baby. Recently she's started talking about how she will help take care of the baby. Natural big sisters we have on our hands. Can't wait to see them take on their new role. (New to SJ). 

Potty Talk: Savannah Jane edition

For the past 4 days, SJ has been in the process of self potty training!! Read our journey:

January 23, 2015

In shock! Savannah Jane (19m) USED THE POTTY TWICE today!!! Once before nap and once before bed!! Who is this child?! 
**I have nothing to do with making this happen!**
Details (for memory's sake- stop reading if you don't like baby potty talk lol)
I had put both girls in the bed at nap then realized I didn't take rg to the potty. I asked if she wanted to go and she said no, and instantly sj starts chanting "Potty! Potty! Potty! Potty!" I told sj no, you don't have to go potty and she started crying "pooooootty!!!" So I made rg get up and go and I took sj to other bathroom where little potty is and took her diaper and pants off and sat her down. She instantly giggled and said "toot!" And I heard her start peeing!!! She was grinning the whole time! She went A LOT!! I just couldn't believe it and hugged and high fived her!! Rg came running in and clapped for her and they tried to make me go out so sissy could potty again but I refocused and took them back to bed. Can't. Believe. This!!! 
Then at bedtime I just told her it was potty time and sat her on there. She asked for a book so she went and got a book and came back. Within 30 seconds she starts going, looks at me and griiiins. She wanted to keep going- it was so cute! She kept saying "gein" (again) and grunting. Ha! She's too much! 😋

January 24: Went twice- once before nap and once before bed. She goes almost instantly once sitting on potty. We don't make her sit on the potty- just get excited about "potty time!!!" And she says "yes! Potty time" and runs to potty. 

Jan 25th: Went 4 times (at least ha!) 

This morning when she woke up, after lunch (twice) then at bath time. 

At bath time she told me (while in the tub) that she needed to go potty so I grabbed her out of bath and sat her on toilet. She immediately went and then went back to bath time heh. 

SOOOO CRAZY TO ME!

This sweet little girl always surprises me! She is so sweet and wants to be just like her sister in every way! 😊 They are tweedle dee and tweedle dum! I love them so!! 😁

Baby #3: 6 weeks

January 20, 2015 (6w 2d)

The past two days have been waves of nausea- esp when hungry. Tonight got pretty bad bc all I had to eat today was a granola bar, pb crackers and chips and dip. Oops. And everything sounded yucky to eat. Went to jersey mikes for a sandwich lol them grocery shopping but felt better afterwards. Kinda feeling yuck now and heartburn. 😷 

Funny story at jersey mikes- I always get them to microwave my sandwich a few seconds to make it warm. Anyways I asked tonight and the guy told me they weren't allowed to do that anymore... I said even just in the microwave? And he was like yeah- we aren't allowed. I told him how we go there all the time and that I've always had that done. Blah blah. Then the lady said well we can only do it for hot sandwiches (meatball sub and Philly) or for pregnant women. And I was like well actually I am... And the poor teenage boy felt so bad. But it was super awkward announcing that to the random people in jersey mikes when my family doesn't even know. Karl emailed the corporate office. He NEVER does things like that ha! I think he was mad (he worked they back in the day) ha! 

And totally random but my uterus feels so big! Like up ended my ribs! Like when I bed over my belly feels tight and huge ha!

January 21, 2015 (6w 3d)

First day with nausea most of the day. Also, laid on couch all morning then took a nap too. (Naps save my life!)

Baby #3: 7 weeks!

Week 7: January 5-11 

What Fruit are you? Blueberry

Due date:  September 13

How far along:  7 weeks

Next appointment:  I still haven't scheduled one. 

Gender:  feeling maybe boy?

Total weight gain/loss:  well I gained a pound from week 5-6 and lost a pound from 6-7 so I think I'm a flat line ha. Sure that will change soon ha!

Exercise: just everyday life (I think I can prob delete this ? Ha! No real plans of starting a workout program. Lol 

Maternity clothes: nope

Belly button: innie

Sleep: I've been sleeping a little better but going to bed way too late- like 2am. And then I'm always awake right at 6 or 6:30am for no reason. No one else in my house is up either so idk what the deal is with that. 

Food cravings:  nothing at all. Nothing really sounds good. I only eat because I'm hungry and know I need to eat. 

Symptoms: Well nausea started last week (6weeks) but this week it has been looming on and off all day- all week. If I even think about food it makes me feel sick- all food. I have to just not think about it and force feed myself. Bleh! 

Fatigue- I'm not like so exhausted I can't stay awake (yet)- it's more like I'm just super lazy, can't move Ha! There have been a few days that I have just stayed on the couch and had the girls play on and around me. Part of that might be me staying up too late also. 

Oh and I just feel huge. I'm constantly feeling so bloated and... Well huge. It's way too early for all of this haha. 

Movement:  -

Labor signs: -

What I miss: being able to think about food without gagging. 

What I'm loving: That we are now SEVEN weeks! I love this little secret that Karl and I (and 4 other people hehe) have! We plan on telling my parents when we meet them in Alabama February 6! 

What I'm looking forward to: Telling my parents in TWO weeks! I'm so excited we are going to get to tell them in person!! I tried to get my sister, Elizabeth and her husband to come too but they live in Houston & felt like it was too expensive for a weekend trip.  

Best moment this week: Karl came home from work super early on Monday- that was awesome! Tuesday was BSF. Wednesday we stayed home and Thursday was life group. Granny came and watched the girls and that gave Karl and I time to do dinner together since he missed group due to a crazy lazy day at work. Saturday we went to the community shelter with our life group and cooked & served dinner. The girls were so great and such joyful helpers!! They put the brownies on every tray. :) 

Oh! And the past few days K has just rocked my socks off house wise- he's done a thousand loads of laundry, folded it all, cleaned up the house, etc. I'm so thankful that he's picking up my major slacking! Good man I tell you!

Pregnancy wise I'm not sure I had a best moment. Ha! Just glad to have made it another week hehe. 

Our three year old artist

Yesterday RG asked me how to draw a truck. I told her that she should ask her daddy. Next thing I know she's showing this to me. K told her to "draw a line from here to here... Draw a circle here..."  

So proud of her little truck!!

This evening RG came to me and said "Look Mommy! I drew baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary!" 

Baby #3 WHAT?! How we found out!

Week 5: January 5-11 

What Fruit are you? Orange seed! 

Due date:  September 13

How far along:  5 weeks

Next appointment:  I'm planning to call tomorrow to try and schedule my first appointment. 

Gender:  ?

Total weight gain/loss:  I weighed myself on the 5th and I'm 145.6 (I believe ha!)

Exercise: just chasing my two crazies all day 

Maternity clothes: nope

Belly button: innie

Sleep: I've been waking up randomly through the night. Several nights I was up around 4:00-4:30am for no reason. 

Food cravings:  none- just about anything sounds good, however I am eating more sandwiches (I think part of that is my body detoxing from the holidays ha!)

Symptoms:  some acne, "growing pains" in my stomach area- like pulling a muscle when I move funny. I've been super thirsty and gassy. 😋

Movement:  -

Labor signs: -

What I miss: at this moment nothing! 

What I'm loving: I am still trying to wrap my head around it. Just can't believe we are going to have THREE precious babes! I'm loving feeling AWESOME and just the excitement of having another child. I read that today the heart is spitting into four chambers and that the HEART IS BEATING and pumping blood now. What a MIRACLE!!!

What I'm looking forward to:  our first doctors appointment. 

Best moment this week: well on the 5th we found out we were pregnant! I was scheduled to start my period that day (if my 26 day cycle continued- previous periods nov 13 and dec 9). I had purchased some of the cheap testing strips on Am.azon back in November when Karl was really trying to get pregnant. The night of the 4th we had just gotten home from grandma and grandpa Lindsay's house and I took a test just out of pure curiosity. The test was negative and I didn't think anything of it. The next morning (the 5th) I took another test. It says results can take 5 minutes but I waited three or four and didn't see anything. Since we had stopped using prevention methods back in November, every cycle I just prayed for Gods will. If he wanted us to have a child I knew it would have to be I his timing, and I also knew that maybe now wasn't the time he had planned to grow the family. After watching the test that morning for several minutes. I immediately saw the test line but no other line. I went ahead and took a shower while rg was watching tv and SJ was sleeping in bloke way in! She didn't get up until almost 11:30pm!) while in the showered I again just prayed to TRUST Gods perfect will for our life. I began to think that maybe there was a reason we weren't pregnant and maybe we should wait until this time next year to try again. After all I was getting pretty comfortable having two fairly independent children hehe. As I got out of the shower I glanced at the test and thought I saw a VERY faint line. I looked harder and it was definitely there! I honestly was completely shocked bc when I had looked earlier nothing was there. I thought that maybe it was some sort of evaporation line that appeared after waiting too long. I grabbed another test and took it. I made sure to set the timer precisely and wait the full 5 minutes - sure enough around the 4 minute mark another line started to appear!! I just couldn't believe it!! I was sooo excited and nervous at the same time. I wanted so bad to tell my blog besties but I sealed my lips bc I so wanted to tell Karl first this time. And I wanted to surprise him since I haven't really ever done that before. I tried to hide my excitement that day when he got home but secretly I was googling fun ways to announce a pregnancy. I didn't find extra-ordinary so I thought maybe I'd just wait and tell him the next day when I could plan something a little more meaningful. I had really wanted to tell the girls and then let rg tell Karl but I felt like that was a reaction he might want to see too so I decided against that. When he got home he mentioned going to GG's and finishing some shelving for Donna and take some of the many boxes of baby clothes we had packed up, to her basement. I agreed. While we were down at donnas, the boys worked and the girls played with Donna. I told them I needed to run to target to get some deodorant bc we were out (which was the case). I left and when I arrived at target I realized I had left my wallet at home. I was so excited I was literally shaking hehe. I returned with my wallet and while I was there I decided to browse the newborn clothes and I found both a newborn "little brother" and "little sister" sleeper. I grabbed them both and went to the card section. I was in a mad dash bc I didn't want them to worry about me being gone so long for just deodorant haha! I found a cute card and then grabbed the deo. I decided I should get a digital test (since Karl never believed the "faint" lines during previous pregnancies.) I grabbed the test, a gift bag and some tissue paper (in addition to the other things I had already grabbed) and checked out. I then went back to Donnas house. I decided to take the test (I just couldn't wait and I wanted to be sure I was indeed pregnant too!) and wrap it up to give to Karl with the clothes. It took the FULL three minutes to show "PREGNANT!" I was getting nervous and just waiting on one of my girls to bust in the bathroom. Thankfully, that didn't happen and I hid the test and all evidence in my purse. We gathered the girls and headed home. When we got home I put the girls to bed as quickly as possible. I whispered to SJ that she was going to be a big sister. She just looked at me in disbelief hehe. I had Karl read the girls a book and while he did that I found a old tiny toms box to put the pregnancy test in and I wrapped the test in tissue paper and put it in the box. I got the newborn sleepers and wrapped them up in the bottom of the gift bag and then placed toms on top with a card tucked inside the bag. I also set up my phone to start recording. I showed Karl the gift bag and told him I had a late birthday present to give him (his birthday was the 29th of December). He smiled and came to open it. When he opened the test be just looked at it and said "is this for real!?" And I squad "yes, look at it!@ he replied "yea, but is this like a legit test?"he was smiling from ear to ear so I knew he was beyond excited and super happy! I then have him the card and at one point he high fives me. What a man! 😂. That night we just sat and talked forever about our sweet little (GROWING!) family. 😊

We are incredibly happy and so excited! Praising God for this new life he has knit together inside my woumb!