Happy 27th birthday to the most wonderful husband a woman could ever wish for, hope for, ask for, dream of!!! And the most amazing, fun, and loving Daddy too! I didn’t know how good “my end of the deal” was when we got married nearly 4 years ago. You never cease to amaze me with your character, talents, and abilities. You have consistently been a godly, loving, patient, kind, strong leader for our family. Not only that, but you are sooo much fun! I love spending time with you and doing life with you. You are my best friend, and I can honestly say that I love you more today than ever! 
Little Photographer
(The adoring subject – LOVING being 40 weeks pregnant!! ha!)
Colt playing photographer with the tripod: “Look at the CRAMRA!”
39 weeks
Well. . . I was hoping she would come before I had to go back to work for the next 3 days. I suppose she still has a few hours 🙂 Then again, I am mentally preparing to be 8 days late like I was with Colt.
Playing in the Rain
Classy outfit. . . I couldn’t resist getting a picture 🙂
Kylie Joy’s Room
Sooooo, I finally caved and we decorated the nursery. I just had this sickening feeling that MAYBE it wasn’t a girl?? I mean, I’ve only had ONE ultrasound – at 17 1/2 weeks, and even though it was an hour long and the tech definitely said it was a girl. . . let’s just say I could’ve used an “affirmation” ultrasound 🙂
For those of you who know me, this may sound shocking that I was going to wait until she was born to wash girly stuff and decorate a girly nursery – since I’m the super organized type. I’ve accepted that she’s a girl now though since she’s SOOO much smaller than Colt, measuring just 35 weeks (though I’m 38 1/2 weeks) and since I’ve plateaued at 19 lbs of weight gain – – hey, I can handle a smaller baby after an 8 ob 10 oz Colt David.
Obviously, my TRUE personality got the best of me. Hence the following pictures:
My awesome friend, Amanda Wentzel, painted the mural on the wall like one I had found online. . . and the pom poms (cutesy) I found from budget nursery ideas online as well. The crib bedding was a $12 craigslist find. David and I are quite pleased with the turn out. I didn’t know I was going to enjoy this decorating thing so much! hehe.
I think she will have a headband/hat for every day of the month – thanks to so many generous friends and family 🙂
The rug matches PERFECTLY and was a random gift from my sweet mother 🙂 Our friends, the Cardonas, are going overseas to China and have graciously given us their glider! For closet organization – a must for me some cubbies for all sorts of odds and ends.
I can only think of ONE thing we still need = Kylie.
Strawberries. . .
We stopped at Lyon Farms to hand pick some delicious strawberries after chrch today. It was “fruitful” (haha) to say the least! We got to eat as we picked too. . . so that was a good appetizer to lunch 🙂 As you can see in MOST of these pictures, Colt ate pretty much the whole time. 
36 weeks yesterday (just for the record). . 
May not look like it. . . but here is 18 lbs of scrumptious strawberries for future snacking, smoothies, and homemade icecream!! Whoo hoo!
Is there such a thing as a “strawberry mustache?”
Wild Animals
Here in “Wild and Wonderful West Virginia” once again. . . for a few short hours. We made a weekend trip to PA for a wedding and made a slight (5 1/2 hr) detour to see the family one last time before little junior arrives. We haven’t been up since Christmas, so I guess that compelled us to come even though we are here for just 2 days.
We’ve been here for less than 24 hours and have already been bombarded with the “wild animals” at Gramps and Nana’s 🙂 David and Heath decided to go hunting this morning. They went out at 6:30 and called at 6:50 with their trophy turkey kill. . . that’s got to be a record for hunting time. I liked that they weren’t gone all day, but I didn’t like the plucking (feathers flying), blood, and turkey gizzards – literally. We grilled some for lunch though, and it REALLY did taste like chicken . . .
(Colt practicing his turkey calling)
(Comparing weight between the gobbler and Colt)
(The hunters)
THEN there are the rabbits here on the “farm.” Gramps has about 14 rabbits (and counting I’m sure since they multiply you know), that live all around his house and the barn. It’s so funny to see them everywhere! We fed them some lettuce and were able to catch and pet quite a few. Colt’s loving it! (I have too many favorite pics to just post a few)
(Robin Hood)
Few more pics from SML
Colt fell asleep twice on the boat – must be the soothing lull of the motor and the movement. I know it had that affect on me as a child – in fact I probably could have fallen asleep at the time too! Nana was the privileged one – anyone who knows this child, also knows he doesn’t sit still for long . . . so holding him ASLEEP is probably monumental 🙂
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This is the boys’ sand castle – complete with a moat, a bridge, and staircase to the pimple/hump thing on top! 🙂
Colt helped by getting water to pack the sand and fill the moat. He was loving this!
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And lastly – but Colt’s FAVORITE part of the trip according to him – golfing! After we played once, that was all Colt wanted to do. He woke up talking about it. So we did go twice (at least he was free). This first pic was his hole in one!! An amazing act of the Father – but he obviously has a natural golfer’s reaction, huh? With the hand up and everything? He was this excited after every hole though. . . ALL 18 OF THEM.
It was a good trip – everything about it was great! Thanks Mom and Dad ~
SML Fishing
We have enjoyed a beautiful week at Smith Mountain Lake – even in April, we all managed to get too much sun and enjoy the boat! the Father is so good to us, isn’t He?
We all arrived on Sunday. Colt is loving his time with Gramps, Nana, and Jacob. We are missing Uncle Heath, Kelly, and Sarah for sure though – and Aunt B and Uncle Dale (the Baileys need to make this trip so we can miss them too)! We have fished, swam in the indoor pool, played at the beach, enjoyed the boat, played miniature golf, and even flew kites! I think Colt thinks he is in heaven 🙂
This is the view from our porch. . . so calm and beautiful – 
Jacob is such a good cousin, and Colt just loves him. They’ve shared a lot of laughs 🙂
While the men got their lines ready, Colt lined up all of the bait/tackle that didn’t have any hooks. He was really into this fishing thing. 
If you notice. . . my Dad is sitting on our back porch. We joked that “this is the life” (fishing off your porch, sitting with your family at a beautiful lake with perfect weather – we even caught a couple!).
So, there is a good story behind this fish – the men decided they wanted to run to the store and get some chicken livers for bait (ew). Mom and I were just sitting on the swing and talking – left to “keep an eye on the lines.” Well. . . of course, we got a bite. Not just any bite either. It was BIG one. . . So, yes, the 8 month pregnant lady takes off running down the steep hill fighting with this big catfish on the line. I even managed to jump some rocks onto the floating dock and keep the fish on the line while the men rushed home. (This is not a ‘fisherwoman’s tale’ either -haha).
So we put the fish in a small tub until David was ready to fillet him. Colt wanted to hold it, told it that he loved it. . . and even named it. I guess we need a pet catfish, huh? Ah, memories.
(It’s almost as big as Colt!)
I will post some more pics later – I think we are off to the zoo today!
31 1/2 weeks
So. . . We are down to the home stretch. I feel like I’m already past the 40 weeks mark. Don’t know why it seems so different from the pregnancy before, but I would L.O.V.E. to go early instead of 8 days late 🙂 Nevertheless, my prayer is for a healthy baby and grace!
