Thanksgiving and New Ramblings

Here are some random pictures and some funny things the kids have done and said recently, so they don't escape my pregnant brain...

~The other night Avery and I were watching "Dancing with the Stars" (of course censored by mom and the remote depending on the outfits and dancing style). During the song, "Venus," which goes, "she's got it, yeah baby, she's got it..." Avery looked at me and said, "What's she got mom?"

~I guess Caleb forgot that I was 9 months pregnant when he asked me to join his team for a Lion's Club golf tournament, Avery didn't forget though. She looked at Caleb with the exasperated look and said, "Dad, mom cannot swing a baseball bat because my little sister is kickin' her and making her back hurt."

~The thrill of 3 pregnancies in four years has landed me with a hernia in my lower abdomen (did I really just post that on the internet?). Apparently I have not been careful enough to hold my tongue from whining and my sponge daughter has picked up on all sorts of things. For example, she frequently says, "ooooh, my back is killin' me," or "no chicken, thanks, I am too nauseous." The other day we were driving home and she started pulling at her seat belt and said loudly, "oooooh, my hernia hurts!"

~Avery's revised lyrics to a Backyardigans song, "We're ready for anything, anything, anything. We've got lots of, lots of beer. We're ready for anything."

~Avery has really come in touch with McClaine's feelings- hungry and tired in his high chair, Avery describes it this way, "he is grumpy and crying, probably nervous, I think maybe he is got jealous."

~McClaine has a new vocab of his own, making all sorts of animal and vehicle sounds, including an ambulance, a police car, a tractor, a race car, dog, elephant, duck, fish and squirrel noises (whatever that is, but every time he sees a squirrel, he bites on his lower lip with his top teeth and breathes funny).

~He is also thoroughly obsessed with the number one choking hazard- balloons (and yes, that is a bottle of children's tylenol he is holding, don't call CPS, mom is very overprotective). Every trip to the grocery store means ruining a holiday display to snag a free HEBuddy balloon, or two, or three. He will carry both balloons around for days (even when they are completely shriveled).

~Our 17 month old who eats enough to rival a full grown man, has now opted for silverware. He is pretty handy with a spoon and fork (and tends to favor his left hand), but if those utensils slow him down, he just holds the fork/spoon and shovels big handfuls of food into his mouth with his hand. See video below for his "dining dilemma," and note the fact that as he sticks his hand in the applesauce, he looks at the spoon. Don't mind sister's purple and pink bib.

God has been so good to us and has provided so many things for our family. We are thankful for a great marriage and healthy, funny, sweet children. We are thankful for another pregnancy (wow, I just said that- it must be before 4:00pm). I am personally thankful for my husband and the way he serves me- nightly foot and back massages, a new love for cooking, a new discipline for cleaning and for bathing and bedding the kids every night! We are thankful for a great church and a place to grow and encourage others in the Lord. We are thankful for Nanna, PaII, Oma, Opa, Aunt Janice, Jimmy Ray, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Leigh, Uncle Jon, Aunt Margaret, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Beth, Granny and Gramps, and cousins (Wyatt, Grace, Ellie, and baby Anna on the way).We are thankful for extended family down here in the Valley that has blessed us so much. We are thankful for Jode and the countless ways she loves and serves us (I can write this b/c she never gets online). We are thankful for random monetary checks we have received in the mail from friends to help pay for baby #3's delivery. We are thankful for TWO surprise baby showers and pretty things for our new daughter. We are thankful for an abundance of hand-me-downs for Avery and McClaine, including clothes, shoes and furniture. God is GOOD! We give thanks to Him for His kind provisions this Thanksgiving. We are mindful of His greatest gift to us- His Son, Jesus, who has cleansed us from our sins and given us new life!