asher graham.

On Friday, September 30th at 6:45pm we welcomed this handsome little peanut into the world.

Asher Graham
7pounds 13ounces
20.5 inches long

Our third little baby born with a head full of dark hair. :)
His hair is thick and beautiful.
He is absolutely perfect.

And these two little girls are completely in love...

Quinn Avery - Andie Ainsley - Asher Graham

Our hearts are so full.

More Asher posts to come...

a little update.

This last month before baby arrives has been all about getting ready and soaking up two little babies before that number turns to three.  Disconnecting from devices is so important for real connecting - hence my camera has not left its case in a long while, blog updates have waited and my phone has been on quiet.  But I figured a quick little update was needed as we are getting very close to meeting this new little one!

Me & Baby -  So, it's been twice a week appointments for a while now and zero issues for either of us!  We are both doing great, no blood pressure issues, nothing.  (Go figure my easiest and healthiest pregnancy would be at age 34/35 instead of when I was in my 20's.)  Baby is doing fantastic too!  Growing right at the same steady pace the entire time (between 70-75%).  As of right now, we will definitely meet this little baby next week!!!  How nice it's been to finally say "next week!".
So, eviction date of Friday, October 7th, unless anything changes or labor begins - then it's straight to the hospital for our repeat C-section.  We've never made it this far in a pregnancy before.
All is well, looking forward to announcing his arrival soon.

Todd - Volleyball season and school are well underway at this point!  His volleyball team is enjoying a successful season and a winning record.  Todd is also completing some classwork that he is working very hard on - on top of picking up many things around the house and forcing me to put my feet up! :)  The girls get so excited when Daddy gets home at the end of the day.

Quinn - Officially over a month of Kindergarten in her and she is doing great!  We knew she would love school and adapt so well.  She is excited to go each morning as she bounces down the sidewalk to the bus, and is excited to come home each day too! :)  We love watching this little sponge just soaking up so much learning already and she already seems so much more grown-up.  Quinn also continues to dance ballet.

Andie - This little cookie has been so much fun for me to enjoy and snuggle with all the more with extra one-on-one time with her during the day.  I'm struggling a little with the thought of her not being "the baby" anymore, but really I know it won't change a thing.  Andie is such a little love and continues to be the easygoing girl she has always been.  She is a little smartie and really showing us so many new things lately.  Also, her speech therapy is going beautifully.  We are so blessed with the most amazing instructors/therapists that come to our house to work with us.  Andie loves it!!  Andie is obsessed with being like her big sister lately too.

That's a little of lately in a nutshell.
We have also been so lucky to have my mom here for the last few weeks.  She has been helping out with many things to get ready for baby and with the girls.  And just peace of mind that if we have to go to the hospital, we aren't scrambling to figure out arrangements for the girls.  So grateful for that.

After a couple weeks of checking things off the list and getting ready- now I'm in full on relax and be a hermit mode - just wanting my only focus to be on taking it easy and spending as much time with our girls as I possibly can before being away at the hospital.

Our next update will probably be a baby one!
And I'll make up for my lack of pictures lately. :)

goodbye first tooth.

Apparently it wasn't enough of a big week to start all day Kindergarten - she had to go ahead and lose her very first tooth.  Ugh - I can't take it!  It's too fast! 

She handled it like a pro despite lots of worries about what it would be like to lose teeth one day.  The Tooth Fairy came and went leaving behind a trail of magical fairy dust.  And all within 24 hours she seems like she grew up by another 3 years.  I'm glad she snuck in her Kindergarten school picture already before she looked like such a big girl.

Didn't that little bottom tooth just come in?

Don't get any ideas - you must stay little forever. ;)

quinn's first day of kindergarten.

I could get very sappy writing this one out for sure.  So, I think I'll try to keep it simple and let the pictures and video do most of the talking.

Our sweet Quinn Avery started Kindergarten last week.  How in the world she is already old enough to be going to school everyday all day - I just have no idea.  As much as I would have loved to postpone this longer, I just couldn't stop it from coming.  And I would be holding this girl back from big and amazing things.  Aside from my mommy sadness, I really am so grateful for the fact that she is so ready and that we have no worries for her as she starts her school journey.  We each had our little emotional moments as she headed to school - Andie, when she couldn't board the bus with Quinn, - Myself, watching her get off the bus and walk in to school like such a big girl, - Todd, the night before reading a letter I had written for the teacher, -Even our cat Lucy was all out of sorts the morning of Quinn's first day.
Ugh, sweet girl, we love you so much but you are getting so big.  We are so proud of you and so very excited for you and all that is to come.  You have an amazing teacher who seems to be just perfect for you.  We know you will love her and have the best school year.

Alright, I think I put all my emotions into this little video.

Music - Slow Down (Nichole Nordeman)

our little fairies.

The girls and I had a couple pictures taken recently before this little guy arrives.
Thanks to Jessie at lil snaps photography. :)

a baby update.

I guess when you get to baby #3 the pregnancy updates are few and far between.  But we are getting closer now so I figured it was due time for a little update.  About 10 weeks to go!
I've done this a couple times now and I have to say I am grateful for a little bit to be known, and that little bit is the fact that baby gets an eviction date, meaning I know for sure baby's stay in my belly will not exceed 10 weeks more. :)  Of course between now and that time is all unknown though.  Hopefully baby will just stay cozy until we reach the 37 week full term mark, then anytime I am game!

Baby #3 is a boy - we have seen that on several ultrasounds now. :)

Growing right on track with his due date and doing very well.

My belly is measuring right on track too.  

When I asked the doctor she said "You are definitely NOT measuring ahead!" - SO take that all the random people out there that like to share their two cents with you on how BIG your preggo belly may look.

We think he has a name.  I say think because we just aren't quite as confident in it as we were the first two times.  But the truth is, there is nothing else that is even remotely close to my mind at least.  So I would say he has a name.  Todd said "let's just go with it" and Quinn selected a name for baby that actually reflects the meaning of this given name so I guess we took that as a sign. :)

This pregnancy is very similar to mine with Andie.  I wasn't as violently sick or for as long at the beginning, but I was more tired and had more feelings of Blah.  I discovered I would rather take sick then those Blah completely unmotivated feelings, that is just not a fun thing to experience at all.

Second trimester was fantastic!  Third trimester is starting to hit hard with back pains, more Braxton Hicks contractions than I had with either of the girls, and being more physically tired.  Hot and humid July is not a fun time to be at the end of your pregnancy.  I very much appreciate that I delivered Andie in June and Quinn in February.

Overall though, no swelling and no other issues.  Blood pressure still remains just fine.  (With Andie I got my first higher reading by this point, so I guess that makes this pregnancy the most stable of all of them.)  Hard to believe that we are at the end and doctors visits are regularly every 2 weeks.

Despite all of my complications during my pregnancy with Quinn, she was by far the most comfortable to carry and I never experienced any back pain or other pregnancy related pains.  Andie and this little peanut are very similar.  The biggest difference this time is that my placenta is in the front so all of baby's movements feel very different from the other times.  They aren't as big or pronounced, more like little aftershocks or rumblings.  It makes it a lot harder to tell what position he is in, whereas with the girls I could always tell where hands, head, feet and butt were. :)

Stay cozy peanut - for some reason I feel you are more eager to make your exit early. (maybe its all the earlier braxton hicks I'm feeling this time)  Time will fly by and you will be in our arms before you know it. XOXO.

andie's birthday party.

On June 18th our sweet little happy girl turned two.
I'm going to do two posts on Andie's birthday, first a little one on her party and then a big one on all about Andie. :)

So, her party.
Simple parties are always the best aren't they?
This year we decided to go the super simple route. We combined it with the 4th of July and did a BBQ on July 2nd where we could celebrate our little Andie, but also have a chance to spend time with our closest family and friends.  We kept it small and simple.  We didn't even have any decorations!  Crazy for me, I know.  But an outdoor summer party certainly didn't call for any.

The weather was gorgeous and mild and it was so enjoyable outside - thank goodness!  It was just beautiful.  Outside we had pools, slip n slides, splash table, sprinklers - and a carwash sprinkler Todd put together quickly that the kids loved.  Tables and chairs set up for just hanging out and enjoying all the traditional delicious barbeque picnic foods.  It was simple and perfect.  Even better that we had such an amazing group of family and close friends there with us.  Made us realize even more how fortunate we are for those in our lives who love us and our girls so much - we are so grateful you could come!

Andie scored some pretty amazing toys and gifts that she has been playing with regularly ever since.  Lots of building, reading, puzzle mastering and fun around here. :)

And of course looking super cute!
(I couldn't even wait to put this adorable little number on her! Thanks Auntie K. :))

Andie loved just running around and playing with all the water toys - her favorites.  Our fearless girl.  Between that and the big smiles on her face with all her new toys and snuggling with everyone, we know this girl had a great time.  It made our hearts so happy.

Thank you to everyone who loves our girl. :)

quinn's willy wonka dance recital.

In June, Quinn danced in her 5th recital.  How that has happened already? I have no idea.  But the girl does love to dance.
She is dancing all the time at home.  She would often prefer music to any other choice and just dance her little heart out in the living room.  I enjoy her little daily performances.

Our little Lollipop in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The video:
Quinn is all the way on the right.

the fourth of july.

I'm skipping over updates that still need to take place.  Quinn's dance recital, the sweetest little 2 year olds birthday...  but for now here are two little sweeties we spent our 4th of July with.

After a busy weekend, our 4th of July was pretty laid back.  Grandpa and Grandma were still in town from Florida.  So after a day of playing, Todd and I took advantage of a little dinner out to celebrate our 7th anniversary, followed by smores and a few fireworks at home with our family.

7 years ago this was how we spent our 4th of July. :)

Summer is cruising along.  Lots of family time, playing outside, projects being done, gearing up for a Kindergartener to head to school in mid-August, and oh yeah - a little baby baking away.  With about a 7 month preggo belly in tow, I was so glad for a mild week of summer weather and over the holiday weekend.  It's been beautiful.  I'll take what I can, because I'm sure these last couple months will be filled with some hot days.  But at least pregnancy time seems to be flying by, I'm already to the point of every 2 week appointments, which seems a little crazy.  Ready to meet this new little guy.

So grateful for our family and friends we were able to share the weekend with.

sweet sixteen.

Boys Volleyball season just wrapped up last night for our family.  

Todd's team had a remarkable end of season run and finished in the top 16 teams in the state - losing the last match prior to going to State.  It was a tough one - but it is hard not to still be excited about what this team accomplished.  Nobody expected them to make it so far...they did.

They have the most amazing coach ever.  What Todd has accomplished in his time at this school with a relatively newer Boys Volleyball program is remarkable.  He has truly transformed and built a strong program - I am SO proud of him.

I will never forget his first season coaching boys and the very first game - it was so hard to watch.  Painful for this volleyball girl actually. :)  I don't think a single boy actually "passed" the ball, it was random dinks and hits all over the place.  Well that season alone, they grew so much and it has only built so much stronger each year.  A program truly transformed, and so many young boys wanting to play volleyball now.  The technique and skill level the boys have now is just amazing and his team is one to watch out for each year.

We are so proud of our team and our Coach! :)

freeing myself.

It's pretty known by most people that know me that I am not a super tech savvy individual.  That doesn't mean I don't think technological advances are great, I do.  But, I do believe not all of them are really the best for us.
About 5 months ago, my regular old NON-smartphone went dark on me.  I had to get a new phone and they just don't make many simple phones anymore.  So, I reluctantly crossed over into the dark side and joined the super connected smartphone world. lol.  And I probably had at least a dozen people say "you'll love it once you have one" - I was still reluctant.  So, here is the truth - I loved it for about one or two months.
The first months, I liked being able to access things but nothing was habitual yet, so I rarely picked it up.  That was my very intention, not to have a phone in my hands often - because that drives me crazy.
A few months in, I started having it near me more and found myself grabbing it for no good reason.  I don't need to check the junk in my email that many times, or connect myself to the internet world, or see what's new on Pinterest, etc... you get the idea.  It was really starting to bother me.  Then one day Quinn and I were playing and she said "Do you need to work on your phone first mama?".  That was the last straw I needed, it was awful to hear, but I was so grateful for it.

My new goal - that phone is rarely if ever in my hands.
It will stay planted firmly on the counter.
Remember when you had one house phone, one answering machine and you got back to people when you could?
I didn't have many - but I pretty much deleted every app that I found myself clicking regularly that there really was no need to.  Deleting those apps felt so good!!
I became FREE.
It was only 5 months, but it was too much of my time already.
I immediately felt relief.
My goodness it feels good to let go.
It is also the #1 reason I am not on Facebook - it is freeing to not be so connected - to not have one more thing pulling you away from the most important thing - Living - in the moment and at all times - living simply.

Being super connected - it's for some people - it's definitely not for me.

They are worth every extra little second I get to enjoy just being with them.  So many more smiles I see and moments I don't miss when I'm not looking down at a screen.

all things simple and sweet.

welcome summer.

I love Andie's super chill look in this one.

Miss America Baby 2016 - we won't even bother to embarrass the other babies in the swimsuit competition. lol.  - This girl in her pink polka dot suit is just too much for me.

And this one...just getting too grown up.  Promise you will always let me pick out swimsuits for you - yeah right.

We are putting together some summer routines and things to do - gearing up for Kindergarten and this little almost 2 year old!  But FUN definitely tops our summer list.

quinn's preschool graduation.

So this happened...

Quinn finished her first two years of Preschool and is ready to embark on a new journey to Elementary School!
Getting her ready and watching her walk down the aisle all by her big girl self brought on more emotion than I was expecting!  The whole Preschool Graduation idea was far bigger and more significant than I had prepared myself for.  It was just the cutest and sweetest thing.

How big she has grown!!!
I just can't even believe it, and if I sit here long enough some big emotional tears will come (which I would love to blame on pregnancy, but it would happen anyway :).

 Two little video clips combined
(Quinn walking down the aisle to get her diploma and a little singing clip).
quinn prek graduation from Lisa Weimer on Vimeo.

Baby #3 is a...

BOY!!

The other day we were lucky enough that baby cooperated and we could find out the gender.  It is all boy for sure!  Despite the fact that Todd and I sat there completely dumbfounded that there was a little penis in there, we are very excited!  This little man will make our family complete.  Two big sisters are so excited...let me correct that one big sister is SO excited for a baby brother the other could really just not care right now. :)
Now it's time to think of a name, and if you recall at all Todd and I have never come up with a boy name.  And that's not that we never agreed on one, it's that we never even suggested one to one another.  Yikes!  Boy names are so hard!!

Otherwise, pregnancy is going great!  Baby looks fantastic, and I'm doing great.  Since I never developed Pre-eclampsia with Andie, my risks are even lower this pregnancy.  However we have already tasked this little guy with a big responsibility - if he could just push the placenta up a little.  It's in the front this time and pretty close to my previous c-section scar tissue, which could develop into a possible issue.  Right now, all is just fine though.  So if you could just kick it up a little buddy that would be awesome! :)

I'm just so ready for the next few months to go by, for you to get chubby, and to hold you in my arms.

life lately.

A little of life lately.
It seems to be getting busier as spring continues.
Thankfully at a time when I am feeling pretty good!
About a week or two ago I said goodbye to morning sickness and hello to sciatica.  But that's a trade I'll take. :)  Energy is back, and that means motivation has restored to start projects AND our house is a little more livable.  All is well so far with pregnancy #3.

More beautiful weather...more fun in the sun outside.  I love the cool air breeze even on a warm spring day, it's so refreshing.  I'll soak as much up as I can before the humidity of summer rolls in, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the mild summer we had last year.  And for NO mosquitos!!

The girls are having so much fun together lately.
It's been so fun to watch their sister relationship grow.

This girl has been all about the camera lately. :)

Andie is the happiest little girl on the block!  She makes us all so joyful.
She is a lady of few words, but she is starting speech therapy this coming week.  We are super excited to see all the growth we know she will make and hear her sweet little voice some more. :)

Lots of sidewalk chalk lately!

Rocky the Raccoon is Andie's best little bud if you didn't know already, I feel like every picture is a game of "where's Rocky?". Yes, we have two of them, and they get washed a lot!

Todd's volleyball team is doing well and the season is flying by somehow!  crazy that it's almost May.

Only one more month of preschool for this girly.

Our weekend was the best - we had Todd home so much and we all loved it!
Lots of family time, we were very productive and our house seems to be a little more put together.  We even tackled our BIG BEAM project - something I have been dreaming about for years.  Looking forward to updating you on that and our new big wood beam in the kitchen - Chip and JoJo would be super proud of us. :)

spring.

Somehow we are nearing the end of April already, and it has been a really nice Spring so far.  The presence of pretty flowers on our front porch, our gorgeous red and white tulips in full bloom and warm weather constantly calling us outside...it's been a really nice spring.  

End of school year activities are in full swing.  Quinn had her spring sing last night and it was adorable.  She did such a great job and was full of personality and fun expressions. 

We had fun getting ready for this event!

I think we will definitely claim these two beauties - so smiley they are:).

(Rocky the Raccoon makes it into a lot of pictures these days.)

Sister Tickles and Giggles.

I'd like a long tulle skirt with jean jacket and gladiator sandals please. :)

We went back and forth on Q's hairstyle for the evening, with all of her hair there are lots of possibilities.  She asked for something with braids, so a braided updo knot did the trick.

Off to head outside for more playtime!

party of five.

The girls are preparing themselves...

for a new baby in the family!

Early October we will become a family of five (plus a cat).  We are pretty excited around here!
Quinn is stoked, Andie...well one year olds don't quite understand being a big sister yet. :)

So a new little peanut will join our family this fall.  I'm 13 weeks along, feeling better this week and just ready to keep moving through! We've known since the start of February, I'm grateful for a first trimester during a time of year that is not quite so crazy.  My first trimester with Andie (Halloween - New Year's) was rough.  So onward into trimester two now! yay!
Yes, we will find out what we are having and share that news eventually.  No, we will not be sharing the name before baby arrives...you know this by now. ;)

Yes, I already have a bump. it is #3 after all.
Not quite as horribly sick with this one (I think I'm finding ways to control it better, I still have my moments), but definitely more tired - oh wait maybe that's because I already have two at home. :)  Oh the memories of being pregnant with Quinn and laying down when I wanted to lay down.  I go to bed when they go to bed.  This time when I have sick moments - Andie is usually leaning against me and Quinn keeps asking me questions as though nothing is happening.  Thankfully, this week my energy level is improving and my levels of nausea are pretty consistent to only the hours of the evening.

To our sweet little peanut...you have two big sisters ready to squish your cheeks like crazy!
We are so ready for you to make our family complete.  XOXO.

easter.

We don't typically have a traditional Easter gathering each year.  Sometimes we are fortunate enough to catch at least one part of our family.  Usually I find myself a little down before Easter as we catch up with others on what their Easter plans will look like, and they run off to massive family gatherings, big feasts and kids running everywhere in egg hunts.  It can be difficult sometimes when things don't align with what you always envisioned for your children.  But we try to create unique memories for them to look back on.

However, this year I found myself very much welcoming a quiet holiday at home.  March is a very busy month for Todd, and Easter Sunday would be his first day in a very long time with nothing on the calendar.  We were anxious for just some little family time, regardless of the day it happened to fall on.

Just the four of us, a cozy day at home.

The morning was filled with an egg hunt at home.  Quinn was on a mission, Andie wasn't overly interested in finding eggs.

Quinn dyed some exceptionally beautiful eggs this year. :)

The girls loved digging into their Easter baskets.

(let's not talk about the fact that my one year old looks almost as big as my five year old in this picture)

 

 When the Easter bunny brings you swim goggles, you must put them on immediately.

 A homemade bunny breakfast.

This chickee is ready for summer. I'm in love with this vintage suit on her.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Happy Spring!