14 weeks and a busy one at that

14 WEEKS  

Happy Birthday Kim!  My Mother in Law celebrated her 60th birthday back in May and she decided to take the girls in her family on a trip to NEW YORK CITY!  On June 21 Kim, Tracey, Hannah, Christian and I headed out to the Big Apple for a weekend away celebrating Kim.

We arrived late in the evening on Thursday and went straight to the hotel for sleep!

FRIDAY:  The fun began friday morning.  Hannah, my 4 almost 5 yr old niece, LOVES American Girl dolls.  What better way to start off the trip by having brunch at the American Girl Cafe with Hannah's favorite Bitty Baby doll.

The picture of the twin boy dolls reminded me of my husband and his twin brother.

The finishing touch to our brunch... a birthday dessert for Kim.

Later in the afternoon we shopped up and down 5th Avenue.  Henri Bendel and FAO were my favorites.  I should have brought home some of the Reese's treats for Matthew.  

Too much time was wasted deciding on the perfect Lego set for Eli and Cullen.  

Lego Batman was impressive...  Who makes those?  Seriously! 

The giraffe is a stuffed animal I've dreamed of bringing home since I was a little girl.   

The rainy Friday evening was spent in Times Square.  Jersey Boys is a wonderful play with great music.  My toes tapped almost the entire play ;-)

SATURDAY: We spent the Afternoon with Christian's Brother Bo, Sister in Law Brooke (pregnant with twins girls) and Nephew Cal at Chelsea Pier.  

Side note: we took the subway!  

We met at the Carousel, had ourselves a ride and then made our way to the High Line for a walk to Lunch at the restaurant Park.  

I am not sure if you can tell in the picture, but I'm on a skunk, Hannah a unicorn, and Christian a bass.  

My animal of choice may or may not accurately represent me ;-) NOT!

I don't have pictures of the surprise, but Kim's niece Erin met up with us to surprise Kim!  She flew to New York and we "happened" upon her at a Starbucks near the hotel.  Erin stayed the rest of the trip with us and added to all the fun. 

The hotel concierge recommended an Italian restaurant, Azalea, in the Time Square area for dinner.  The meal was delicious, but even better than that was our choice for dessert.  Magnolia bakery!  Cupcakes, peanut butter bars, lemon bars, and brownies filled our bellies.  

There may or may not have been a small mishap with who ate the last bite of Hannah's cupcake {was not me} and I may or may not have rushed home to the hotel with a sick stomach from dinner.  

All in all we had a fabulous day!

 SUNDAY: We spent the morning strolling Central Park.  I took them to see where it was Matt planned his engagement surprise and where he waited for me to run past.  

We made a stop at a playground for Hannah to use up some of her energy and walked through the outskirts of the zoo to see a few of the animals.  

We watched the Matinee showing of Mary Poppins that afternoon.  Being back in Times Square we walked around a bit to take in the sights before heading to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.

 Kim had to hold the electric guitar for a photo opp before we could go to our table.  She was a great sport about it.  We have a photo to forever have that memory!
 Each of us had some sort of sandwich for dinner.  The pulled pork was scrumptious, unfortunately New York writes the calories out on most menus you order off of.

...Killed the fun a little yet made me thankful for all the walking!

You can see in the picture that we had an interesting run in with the Naked Indian.  Poor Hannah, she is not the greatest height to be around him.  

I do believe we ate dessert at Magnolia Bakery for dessert again!  Banana Pudding was my dessert of choice.  

A few random photos from the rest of our trip:

Cab ride in Soho

St. Patrick's Cathedral 

Kate Spade Soho (a favorite)

Dinner at Azalea 

Coffee with an old friend, Elise, at Dean and Deluca 

Monday Morning: 

The Today Show!! Christian and I woke up early to see the recording of Today!  It was more fun than we expected it to be ;-).  

The cast of Superman was being interviewed that morning.  Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield were only a few feet away, inside. 

The morning called for rain and I am so glad I decided to pack an umbrella in my purse!  The rain did come and we were grateful for the protection we had from my little blue umbrella! 

There was an opening big enough for Christian and me to stand in right at a window they interview in front of.  We noticed they were setting up the chair so we made our way over and stayed in place despite the rain.  

Sooo glad we did because the two of us were on TV for quite a while behind Andrew Garfield while he was talking with Ann Curry.  

After we killed a little time in the NBC building and HM while waiting for Saks Fifth Avenue to open.  

Each of us went our own way to shop and then made our way back to the hotel to get ready for the airport.  

None of us knew how crazy our flight home would be.  Lots of delays.  Enough to miss our flight from Baltimore to San Antonio by minutes... BUT... we raced our way through the terminal quick enough to catch a flight to Austin just in time!  

My loving husband was gracious enough to drive to Austin at midnight to bring us home to San Antonio.  He even made a stop at a Mc Donalds for us!  

Memories were made at during our time at the air port in Lagaurdia.  An Orthodox Jew, his son and an older man who had spent his life in professional motorcycle and car racing, helped us pass the time with their interesting stories. 

Conclusion:  Wonderful time!!  I couldn't think of a better way to spend my 14th week of pregnancy! 

CURRENT PREGNANCY STATS: 

How Far Along?: between 14 weeks 

Baby Size:  The size of a naval orange 

Total Weight Gain: This month I can say that I didn't gain any from the last

Maternity Clothes: Yes, Absolutely

Stretch Marks: No additional ones that I know of... I hope.

Sleep:  It depends.  Some nights I'm up at least 4 times and sometimes just once.  

Best moment this week:  New York 

Miss Anything? Working out without completely losing my breath! 

Movement: a few flips!!! 

Food cravings:  Cheese, It's soo good, and hummus with vegetables 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Only milk makes me nauseated at times.  Most everything gives me heartburn.  

Gender: Still unknown and still believe it's another boy!

Labor Signs: Far from this :-)

Symptoms: Random craving... I always have loved christmas music but now I can't get enough of it!  

Belly Button in or out? beginning to pop out!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: Pretty good.  Tired.

Looking forward to:  The gender reveal and feeling the baby move!

Verse I dwell on when I get antsy about what 

we will be having, boy or girl! 

Jeremiah 29:11 

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I'm very much so looking forward to our future!

Gender tests

Online Gender Prediction Quizes

I spent a good 20 minutes wasting time with gender prediction tests!  

They were entertaining to say the least.  I'm still too early to be able to answer all the questions accurately, even so, I still had so favorable results!

They each answered GIRL!!! 

Too bad the paid for over the counter pee test said Boy... 

August 3rd please come quickly, I can't keep torturing myself like this :-) 

Test 1:

It's a girl

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Based on your answers, we predict you will have a baby girl.

www.parents.com

Test 2:

It Could Be a Girl 

According to old wives' tales, a number of things indicate that you might be having a girl: carrying low and wide, conceiving just before the time of ovulation eating a magnesium-rich diet, having severe morning sickness (that can last all day long), a fetal heartbeat that's more than 140 beats per minute, and looking less beautiful. As the saying goes, "Boys give beauty, girls take it away."

www.babyzone.com

Test 3:                                              Your gender prediction quiz results are below.....

100 % chance of having a girl

Test 4

15% chance of a boy

Old Wives Tale Test: 85% chance of a girl

Congratulations!The old wives tales indicate that you are having a girl!

Test 5: 

The in store gender test turned my urine blue/green.  According to the test that means boy.  

SO Girl favor is 5:1.


I enjoy the opinions of others so let's play a guessing game!  Do you believe Matthew and I will be having a little boy or a little lady this go round?  August will tell us for sure but why not have a little fun while we wait?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com | SnapApp Quiz Apps

I'm sure God is laughing at me right now!  I would be as well...

This scripture passage is brought to mind:

    Psalm 139:13-18 ESV

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

I awake, and I am still with you.

Been a while and now there's a bump!

Hello Again!  

It's been a while and there is a lot to be blogged on.  

Many things have happened since Matt and I found out we were pregnant.  

April Update: 

Easter Celebration

My mom turned 56 and we celebrated at the lake

We made a day trip to Austin to visit my best friend and my brother and sister in law

I cut my hair short... that was a big deal...  

The preschool teachers went on the annual beach retreat at Port Royal in Port A

Went to little friends birthday parties

Matt took me on a business trip with him to Bentonville, Arkansas

We took the boys to the Natural Bridge Wildlife Refuge park for the 1st time, they LOVED it

Matt and I found out we're having our 3rd baby!!  

We celebrated my youngest brother Joshua's 14th birthday

Enjoyed the sights at Pa's car show in Boerne with Pa (Matt's dad)

May Update: 

We celebrated my mother in law's 60th birthday!!  

Ran in the race, One Less, with friends and family to support their adoption plans

Indulged in my cravings of ice cream and other sweets with the boys 

Completed yet another year of preschool and watched the boys perform in the year end program

Supported our Spurs in a great playoff run 

Took the boys to the pool for the first time this summer

Matt and I went to my first OB appointment and took E and C in to see our baby on the ultrasound 

Had a garage sale and FINALLY sold our plaid couches

Celebrated my Aunt Judy and Uncle Ivan's 40th anniversary out at Enchanted Springs Ranch with my Dad's family 

Had a great weekend out at the lake for Memorial Day 

While we were out at the lake, Matt and I also Celebrated 5 years of marriage!  5 years!! 

Matt took me out on a date for our 5 year and surprised me with a very nice unnecessary gift... unfortunately dinner didn't stay down but for maybe 2 hrs :(

June Update: 

Spent great family time with my mother in law's sister Lori and nephew Cody visiting from Hawaii and Kim's brother Mike in from South Carolina.  

Took the boys on "nature" walks to the valero to treat ourselves to something cold on these HOT Texas summer days

Had a great day of pizza and a movie with our friends Rob Lindsey Truitt and Torrin. 

I turned 27 and we basically had a week of celebrating! 

Had a great fathers day weekend with Matt and both of our families

Visited Matt's grandpa and the boy's Pops in the new nursing home he is in.  

AND soon to come... tomorrow... I'll be joining my MIL Kim, SIL Tracey Niece Hannah, and SIL Christian on a trip to NEW YORK CITY to celebrate Kim for her 60th!  Looking forward to it!

Bump Update:

12 Weeks 

How far along? 13 weeks!

Baby Size: The size of a lemon... the scent of something that would settle my stomach during the rough few weeks of the 1st trimester

Total weight gain: ... not going there yet ;-)

Maternity clothes?  It's summertime now and it is getting hot... Maxi dresses are a fabulous fashion creation.  I am wearing non maternity clothing still but do have a few go to maternity pants I'll wear for guaranteed comfort.

Stretch marks? Nope, not from this baby at least...and praying it stays this way.

Sleep: Sleeping well... tossing and turning though and up a lot to visit the bathroom

Best moment this week: Not feeling sick anymore!!!  The 2nd trimester, for me, is a great time!

Miss Anything? My abs... is that totally prideful, yes, but I had worked hard to get them back after #2 and currently I'm in the stage of "is she pregnant or did she eat too much?!"

Movement: Nothing yet...  

Food cravings: Sweets... cookies, ice cream, gum... on the opposite end of the spectrum I crave apples and cottage cheese and fetta cheese out of the cart! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: If this was the 1st trimester I'd answer everything!  now i guess milk can make me nauseated 

Gender: Unknown although I'm beginning to believe it's another boy!

Labor Signs: Far from this :-)

Symptoms: Perking up in certain areas.  Nausea is gone... for the most part.  Emotional mess.  Tired.  Unfortunately dealing with pregnancy break outs... lame!

Belly Button in or out? In/out

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: Depends... mostly happy although easily irritated... I'm ashamed 

Looking forward to: A trip to New York sporting a baby belly, feeling the baby move, my belly growing into an OBVIOUS baby belly!

Alright that is my update for now!  Hope you've enjoyed.  I plan on elaborating on the months above with pictures and stories, but there just isn't time for that right now!  

Verse that was shared with me today and puts my pregnancy into perspective:

     Psalm 8 ESV:

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

xoxo Laura

Baseball and Babies!

 Playing baseball with the boys is never dull.  Eli and Cullen are both built for sports and we believe they will be successful in whatever they choose to play.  

For now it is T ball for Eli and Cullen... well he pretty much goes for whatever Eli likes ;-)

The evening was beautiful and the perfect setting for belly pics and baseball!

Cullen is pretty good at hitting the ball and has cute running form

Eli could work on his pitching, and well, I could work on keeping my facial expressions a little more flattering while focusing on hitting the ball.

E & C are competitive but playful.  Eli was a little rough on the above tag out though.

Love Cullen's facial expressions, I know he gets them from me!

Daddy's turn to catch while E pitched to C, then daddy and finally Daddy assisting Cullen.  Both Matt and C hit the ball.  

Ok, so I got a little distracted while they were playing and decided to take a few pics of myself.  1st, grey hair check and my suspicions were right, they were sprouting out everywhere! 2nd, belly shot, I may have only been 5 weeks pregnant but I knew there was already a belly forming.  3rd, "belly shot" again, I'll look back and think I was CRAZY for thinking this was a belly!  4th, God's beauty!  I love love LOVE his creation.  

Photo shoot ensues... randomness but fun!

Worn out and heading home!  Matt and I have two very handsome little boys

Ugh, adorable!

Pregnancy Story:

Matthew and I are having our THIRD baby!!!  Although we were trying we were still genuinely surprised when the pregnancy test read PREGNANT!  

Thursday morning= 1 day late, but I was certain that lateness was a fluke.  To put my mind at ease and move on to the next month I decided to take a test.  My mindset when I took the test Thursday April 19 at 6:35 a.m. was negative... the test would be negative, my mood would be negative and Matt and I would have to wait another month for a baby.
Wrong :D 

I wish I had waited for Matt to be around, but I didn't think that there would be a positive.  It wasn't worth it to me for him to see me sad.
Thank goodness God had already written a different story than the one I had made up in my head...

The timer took forever to stop flashing on the test, so to waist time I started getting ready for work.  Probably 5 minutes later I decided I'd glance at the test to affirm my negativeness.  

DOUBLE TAKE!  I shouted with joy and thankfulness and started crying with happiness (a rarity) because the test was not negative... it was most definitely positive!  We were pregnant!  God had blessed my womb with another baby and member of our family.  

Overjoyed sums up my entire being at that moment.  

I called Matt and couldn't contain myself, I rushed through telling that I woke up expected negative bla bla bla but it was positive... "We're having another baby; thank you God!"  

I wanted to announce it to everyone that we were pregnant and had matt start taking pics that evening.  We took the boys to the practice at the field at the high school.  Seemed like a good enough spot to start taking pics to me.  Matt was a team player.  I'm happy with them, but much more happy with the photo shoot I did a few weeks later with one very talented Mrs. Jennifer Wildey.  See her blog/ website for great photograpy.  She is going to document the pregnancy and we will make a book of them... I am looking forward to all the fun we will have.  

Goal #1 = stay in shape! 

Boy or Girl Boy or Girl... Who cares! 

Sweet Little Averley

Averley is the daughter of two precious friends of ours, Chris and Courtney Bruce.  Courtney is a woman with a heart for EVERYONE!  No one is unloveable to this woman.  

She and Chris have two boys, McCoy and Hudson and an adorable daughter Averley.  

Courtney threw her a ballet party for her 2nd birthday, and leave it to Courtney, she invited E & C to join in the fun!  

I am soooo glad she did!  I love getting my fill of all things little girl through the daughters of my friends.  

A little unsure and possibly overwhelmed by all the pink!

The hub was transformed into a dance floor for all the little girls and boys who attended.  We had a great time; tutus were passed out and danced in, hula hoops swung around kiddos waists... and rolled/flew across the floor, balance beams and tunnels were crawled over and through.   

Cullen kept his distance and watched from outside the circle.   

Mommy and daughter getting their groove on. 

Cousins! 

My precious niece Hailey and her equally precious cousin, Reese 

Knox wasn't opposed to the fun! 

A friend loving on the birthday girl  

Dancing 

Where the boys felt more at home.  

Creative... she used ice trays from dollar store to put cut up snack in. 

McCoy, Hudson, Eli and Cullen had a great time tossing hula hoops and bouncing balloons.  

How sweet are all of these little girls dressed in pink  

Pink and Basketball Jerseys, what a great combo!

Happy Birthday Averley

Birthday banner Courtney made to decorate the cake table  

Cullen and his buddy Tobin singing and dancing away on stage once the party died down.  

We are very thankful for the Bruce family and had a wonderful time celebrating Averley for her 2nd birthday!  In my opinion, I need a little more pink and tutus in my life! 

Happy Birthday Eli

March 18, 2008

Matt and I were greeted with the words "It's A Boy!" on a thursday afternoon at 2:01 pm March 18th.  We had waited 9 long months to know if we would be blessed with a son or with a daughter.  

Many guessed we'd have a girl... wrong :-)

During delivery Dr. T even said, "It must be a girl because she is reaching for her credit card..."  I thought... oh I have a girl!  

Then he very quickly said, "Oh no, this is most definitely a BOY!"  

I went through a moment of confusion until Eli Oliver Srp was placed in my arms to be loved on and change my life forever.  

 Matt and I were immediately overwhelmed at the fact that we were now a family! 

If you're a mother then you know the feeling of seeing your child for the very first time.  It's fabulous!

 Eli weighted 9 lbs 5oz, and he was 22 inches long.  He had NO hair, was chubby cheeked and had hands and feet the size of a three month old.  

My sweet Eli is now 4 years old and growing like a weed.  

We had a great time celebrating him with family by keeping it simple and at home.  

The night before his birthday, while he was sleeping, I decorated his door with streamers and balloons.  

A happy surprise for Eli... Thank you Pinterest ;-) 

Good Morning Birthday Boy!

The Loot

Birthday Cake Baked in Tin Cans.
I had a great idea to make the batter from scratch using whole wheat flour.
My great idea and Eli's cake ended up tasting like an iced muffin but good nonetheless!
... sugared candies were necessary to add a bit of sweetness.

It is wonderful that my boys love each other!

Silly faces, mine... a bit scary.

Pappy and Gigi made it by to celebrate 

Gift opening was a joyful time

I really believe that the majority of people who know Eli have been blessed by him in one way or another.  He is truly all boy and truly all teddy bear.  I'm so glad that the Dr. called out, "It's A Boy!"    

Happy Birthday Eli!