Baby #3!

In the picture below I had just said "I'm pregnant"...

I had the camera set on auto 10X,which it took 10 pictures - this was the last one. PRICELESS!

We are so excited to be adding to our family! July 7th is my due date and I can hardly believe it. It is so exciting, and I must admit a bit crazy. For a month and a half our life we will have 3 kids under the age of 3. Can we do it? Not sure, but we will soon find out! Adam and I love love love being parents and enjoy working as a team. He is the most amazing hands on dad who loves his girls more than anything. He is king of bath time & bed time which I am so thankful for, he is so great with discipline and has more patience than one should be allowed. I have the best teammate in parenting and I am forever grateful! I know there will bring some challenges like...my due date falling right in the middle of Adam's busiest time of year - baseball season, but our families are so helpful too that I am hoping to count on them during the first few months - yes months! God has blessed my pregnancy, not knowing I was pregnant until about 9 weeks. I have been feeling good and have been on the go with Lucy and Lola so much I sometimes still find it hard to believe I am pregnant.

Lucy and Lola will be amazing big sisters. I made the mistake of telling Lucy I had a baby in my belly - really early and she lets everyone know! Lola has started to get into baby dolls so I know she will want her hands all over our new baby when he/she arrives. I plan to continue to work Tippi Toes and rely on my favorite and best business partner my sister Megan. She has taken a load off me and I will happily return the favor when it comes her time to enjoy motherhood.

Our families were excited and needless to say completely SHOCKED! I have included a picture of when we told my family. We did it by taking a family picture after we celebrated Lola's first birthday. The funny part is...hardly anyone actually reacted - they all thought I was joking. It didn't really set in for most until the next day when my dad said - "really Bear? you aren't kidding are you?". We planned to take the same picture with Adam's parents but it was late on our journey home and we just were ready to spill the beans. They were certainly shocked but SO EXCITED too!

Some questions you may want to know:

Will we find out the sex? No we will drive you nuts for the 3rd baby too and find our on his/her birthday. That element of surprise never gets old.

Are you wanting boy vs. girl? Nope, just healthy is all we ask. God has our family preplanned and we are blessed by whomever He choses to give us.

Any more kids? Never say never...we love being parents!

Names? Boy - Hank, Girl - Georgia, we are pretty set on this but as with Lola the name could change in the hospital. Lola's name was Caroline until we went to the hospital. She was meant to be Lola!

Thank you so much for your excitement and support. We are blessed by family and friends that will help us in our next chapter.

Elf on the Shelf

I love our Elf on the Shelf...Lucy named him Benton which I think is a perfect name for a small little Elf. I have talked to many of my friends that have Elfs and it is amazing how even Lola at 1 years old gets excited to find Benton every morning. If you don't have an Elf...it is a Christmas must!

The story is so cute and finding him every morning is a treat for the whole family. Seeing the girls eyes light up when they spot him is so magical!

Jingle Bells - Lucy's Preschool Performance

Lucy had her school program this week and it was so much fun. Adam, Lola, June and I were there to support her. She loved being on stage and sang her little heart out while shaking her hips! We loved every minute of her up there!

Before the show

Sisterly pose before the show

up on stage

Here is most of her little class

She was so excited...as you can tell

After the program June and Skip came over and we did our Christmas gift exchange. Lola got a fisher price CD player and Lucy got a race car. Then June made a chair for the girls....that we all just love. They are so special to us!

Disney World

We had breakfast with Mickey with our family, the Milam's and Wood Family. It was a hoot. The characters would walk around and interact with the children. Lucy and Lola loved every minute of it!

Pluto and Lucy - she was so excited because he was the first one she spotted.

Boy....then she LOVED Minnie (but who doesn't)

As you can see Lola liked Minnie but kept her at a distance (notice her arm)

Love this sweet face!

The characters really messed with Lola - 3 of them put her in their mouth.

Lucy thought it was funny!

Once the cupcake came...who cared if the characters came by

The girls, Adam and Fave walking into the Magic Kingdom

Dad and his sweetie!

Lucy on Fave's shoulders, these two seriously are best buds.

How beautiful and magical. We walked in just in time for the unbelievable show they put on. We had a great spot to watch and the girls were in awe.

Adam took Lola on the carousel - HOLD ON!!!

Fave took Lola on a stroll, and Lola couldn't take it anymore and just fell asleep. Fave loved every minute of it.

On the dumbo ride!

Thanks for a great trip!

Us with our favorite family the Milam's.

Who else but our FAVORITE...Aunt Fave. She really is the best to our girls...some may think my girls should call her mom when she is around. She is unreal. We love you Megs!

More Birthday pictures

I wanted to remember what we did for Lola's birthday table!

One of my favorite people around Christmas - this is our Elf on the Shelf - Lucy named him Benton. He was centered on our table, our girls are in love with him. Many other kids thought he was their elf.

Peppermint cupcakes - just by look not taste, I wounld't ruin a good thing.

My mom made and sent chocolate peppermint bark - this was the first thing Lucy tried to take from the table.

Our reindeer donut friends, Adam and I decided to make at 11pm the night before. We had a blast together. Something about doing that made me think of us doing goofy things in college.

More treats!

Here is a picture of some of my best girlfriends in Corpus! I love love love these girls!

Lola's Turns One!

Sweet Lola celebrated her first birthday today with Lucy, Fave and I in Florida! Adam is at the winter baseball meeting in Orlando and we are meeting Adam tomorrow for a couple of days in Orlando. Today was one of the few days we didn't have a huge celebration. Although Lola has had many celebrations!!!

1) A celebration with my family in Tulsa

2) Breakfast with Santa at our house with her friends (which you can see below)

3) T-Rex Dinner with Hooks Staff, Fave & Uncle and our family

4) Birthday with Mickey and Minnie in Disney (pictures to come)

Lola you have been a year of pure joy for Dad and I. We are so blessed by your sweet smile, your snuggles and your laugh. You love being close to dad and I and enjoy seeing the world around you best from our arms. You love sitting in "your chair", sharing with Lucy (which we are thankful for) and pulling on Wrigley. You have a sweet babble and love your paci. You are the best sleeper in the world and don't fuss hardly ever. You still don't have any teeth but we think they are coming soon. You love saying hi to people, seeing balloons and big mascots - although from a distance. You will make walk rounds around the ottoman, and are happy to stop and wave at people observing. You love music and love to dance. You have the coolest bounce ever when the music goes on - a natural! You love Lucy so much and laugh at whatever she does. She thinks you hung the moon too and that makes Dad and I so happy. We love you more than you know and feel so blessed God put us in your life. Thank you for being our everything!

Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived and Lola greeted them on the porch

Santa coming in the house surprising all the kids

This is the biggest challenge...to take a good family picture where we are all looking and smiling - maybe in a few years.

Happy Birthday to you!

Poking the cake just checking it out

It didn't take her long to GO FOR IT!

Lola's Walking!

I am so happy to report that sweet Miss Lola is walking! She started walking a little over Thanksgiving and now is cruising around the house. She loves to get from one place to another and when she does she claps for herself. She is such a sweetie! I have been waiting to post this because I was thinking that I would have picture of her walking...I will just have to add those later!

Lucy is the biggest helper with Lola, holding her hand, "picking her up" and encouraging her to walk. It is so sweet watching her take on the big sister roll so well. Lucy is so amazing!