Blake is here!

I lied! Blake isn't really here... But if I had told you this was another Sea World post would have clicked on it and scrolled down as fast as you did!? Or would have even bothered to look at it!? Probably not! Don't worry, he should be here soon. It's the first thing on my "to-do" list this week: Birth Blake!

One of my best friends since birth, Julie, and her family were in town this past week and they wanted to take their little guy to Sea World. We really wanted to get one more trip in before Blake joined us so we tagged along with them. I also figured the walking would help in accomplishing my to-do list. :) It was more crowded than we were used too, but if you compare it to Disneyland, then the park seemed pretty empty. Thanks for coming Voyces! We had so much fun!

Julie, Richard, and Ryker (aka: Richard Sydney the 4th)

Isaac took the top, right picture... :)

38 weeks!

Feeling like the picture on the left but glad that the real, normal one is on the right! ;)

 It's amazing what mirrors can do!

Loving this picture of my guys... Even though I forgot to tell Shaun to take off his sunglasses...

Shamu jumped out of the water so he could get a quick picture with us!

AND this is a real turtle!

j/k

Lake Arrowhead

 Last Sunday we headed up to Lake Arrowhead with four other families from Shaun's fire department. We BBQed, paddle boarded, kayaked, swam, and relaxed. Of course I missed out on all the adventures and just ate and relaxed.

The 4 1/2 Higgins! :)

Can you tell Parker loves his daddy!?

He has the coolest hair. This is not styled either... It's water, a touch of sun block, and wind created!

Even with all the water around, Isaac was still covered in dirt. He and another little boy chased lizards and threw pinecones at them... Of course they missed every time!

Exploring...

Shaun and the guys!

37 1/2 weeks

I figured if the picture was in black and white then it would be ok if it was bare belly!?

Last week at my doctor's appt. my body was already prepping for labor (dilated and effaced) so she thought Blake would come early. BUT, I had another appt. today and because there wasn't a lot of change, he may not be early now. Oh the waiting game we play when in the last few weeks of pregnancy. I felt great last week and wasn't quite ready to have him so I limited my activity. However, I'm really feeling ready this week and welcome his arrival at any time! I feel like a rubber band that is about to snap, my Braxton Hicks are strong and frequent, and his little knees are violent! My doctor is estimating his weight right now at 7 1/2 lbs. so that puts him in the (mid to high) 8 lbs. range at birth. Yeah right, I'm sure I'll get another 9 pounder! :)  

The answer to "why?"

While at the store today my boys were out of control. Isaac was whining about what cereal he wanted and Parker was crying 'cause he didn't want to sit in the cart. In complete parenting exhaustion, I looked down at my belly and out loud asked, "Why?" In my head it sounded more like, "why in the world are we doing this again and why did we think it was a good idea the first time?"

After listening to some relaxing music on the way home and Isaac thinking it was funny that I told him I needed to calm down (he's usually the one that needs to calm down), my little villains became sweet boys again... Over lunch I was able to ask myself this "why?" question again. This picture was my answer... They held hands to thank God for their food!

"In the end, it's ALWAYS worth it!"

Neighbors

I think one of the scariest things about moving into a new house are the neighbors. I had always said that when it came time to buying another house I was going to "interview" the neighbors first. Well, God made it beyond clear that He wanted us to live where we do now, so I decided that whether we liked our new "family" or not, we were here to stay!

Thankfully, we happen to have the best neighbors in the world!!! AND it's not just the neighbors on either side of us... The entire block is great! Because everyone actually likes each other and is friendly, we have block parties. We rope off the street and hang out all day! This is truly an amazingly rare find! A lot of the kids are grown, however, we are placed perfectly in the middle of two families. One that has three boys and another that has three girls and one boy (and two that don't live at home anymore)! My boys are the youngest (not by much though) but I love it that way for so many reasons. My tops reasons being: 1. Isaac seems to play better with older kids and they teach him new tricks/skills. 2. The girls think Parker is absolutely adorable so they have no problem giving him all the attention he wants. 3. We get hand-me-downs. 4. I don't have to chase down every ball that goes in the street. 5. I can sit in my beach chair and take pictures while other kids entertain my boys! Playing tag, soccer, and baseball are not easy these days!

Thank you God for great neighbors with lots of little kids! 

Isaac and Tiffany playing Toy Story

Parker playing in the "outfield"

I need to get a video of him playing baseball. He hits the ball off the tee, takes off to run the bases, which we don't have so he makes them up as he goes, and then slides into home, which is also a base we don't have so you never know where he's going to land. And of course you have to cheer for him at the end! He's such a stud!

Whoop, whoop!

Whoop, whoop! The Higgins boys got new undies! Shaun was a little disappointed that I didn't want to share his pose with the blogging world! I figured you would all thank me! ;)

Parker is obviously still in diapers but I love how he so badly wants to be a big boy!   

Waking big brother up from a nap!

Note to self: Super hero and Disney underwear is beyond expensive. My boys are getting good ol' Hanes next time around!

Newport Beach

 Last week my mom, sister, and her little guy drove out to visit. We decided to make it a beach week instead of a Sea World week. As we were making sandwiches and packing swim suits that morning, Shaun called and said that he got forced to work another day and wouldn't be home. I wanted to cry... Getting to the beach with three little boys and then setting up "camp" sounded exhausting. That's why we were taking Shaun. So he could drive, set up, and run with Isaac. :) I had already told Isaac we were going so there was no turning back now. My brother ended up meeting us out there to help and I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't stressed and we had so much fun! I guess you can't help but be relaxed when playing on the sand and jumping in the water!

Lots and lots of digging... This was the first time we remembered the shovels!!!

Peek a BOO!!!

Parker checkin' in on Maddox...

Can you tell Maddox really enjoyed his first beach trip?

So glad my brother was there. We needed someone to keep up with Isaac!

Trying to get a belly bump picture. This was right before we left and Parker wasn't having it.

Ok, maybe this was right before we left! :)

20 Months

Parker has only a few short weeks before his world is totally rocked. Before he hits 21 months he will gain a new title in our family, middle child! I'm kinda excited for him though 'cause that means he'll be perfect! Aren't all middle children perfect? It is in my case! ;) It's hard to believe he'll be a big brother at such a young age. Thankfully though, my little mama's boy is becoming more independent. He will NOT sit in a high chair or even a booster seat, he doesn't like to use baby forks, he has no problem disciplining his older brother (he loves to point his finger at him and say, "No, no, no, no, no, no..."), he opens the pantry and chooses his own snacks, he doesn't want any help when brushing his teeth, and, sad to admit, he still controls the pacifier battle... As you will witness in the video below.

Even though he sits in time out with an "I'll show you this doesn't even phase me" attitude, has an obnoxious screech, knows how to hide big brother's toys behind his back and flash an innocent looking face, and scares other little kids at parks and mall playlands away from toys so that he can play with them, makes me laugh and fall harder in love with him!

This little dance video goes for a while... It's cute though!!!

Preggo Thoughts/Facts/Useless Information

I wear Shaun’s mesh shorts around the house all the time... Big and comfy waist band! BUT his shirts have way too much material for this summer heat so I throw on my pre belly tank tops that don't fully cover the bump. I'll admit, I look a little white trash! 

Blake is already on my nerves... Literally. He does some crazy moves that hit my nerves and give me dead legs all the time.

No baby shower planned for boy #3 but we are accepting diapers in all sizes! I'll even be ok if you "TP" my house with baby diapers...

I’m freaking out that his head isn’t down… I think it is but I’m still freaking out! I haven't felt the little feet in the ribs like I did with Isaac and Parker.

While on the subject of freaked out... I'm scared that Blake is going to be massive and they're going to have to cut me open! :/

I’ve had two great labors and deliveries but I’m so not looking forward to doing this again. I hate the IVs, being hooked up to all the monitors, the uncontrollable chills, the pushing… Good thing the end result is so rewarding!

I'm excited for Shaun to wrap his big strong arms around me and to not feel like there is something coming between us! ;)

My nights are still pretty good. I am surrounded by pillows and only get up to go potty once, sometimes twice. I get pretty warm so I sleep with two fans on me.

Blake is having no problems keeping up with his brother’s womb activity. This kid doesn’t stop. You know those kick counts the doctor wants you to do? Yeah, three pregnancies and I’ve never had to do one. If five minutes have passed and don’t feel some type of karate chop, I get worried. He’s a very strong boy!

I so badly want to lay on my tummy!

Days are hard. Being up and down with Isaac and Parker and still trying to clean and feed mouths is exhausting!

The best response I've gotten when I telling someone it's not a girl, it's my third boy... "Oh my gosh. No! I am so sorry!!!" :)

My biggest preggo success… NO stretch marks! Wohoo! Yippy! Hooray!

I'm excited to be ONE size. Currently my closet is full of pre preggo clothes, first trimester clothes, second trimester clothes, third trimester clothes, post pregnancy clothes, post three month pregnancy clothes... You get the idea!

I can't believe I'm done having babies! :(

I hope I never forget what it feels like to have a baby move inside me. It is the coolest, most amazing miracle!

I'm ready to start shaving my legs again! ;)

A two minute conversation I have in my head quite often: "I have to pee... Nope, never mind. Oh no, I've gotta pee... Oop, not anymore. Eek! Gatta pee... Umm, false alarm. I have to pee... Now I don't. Gotta pee... No I don't. Blake, STOP BOUNCING ON MY BLADDER!"

I want to cry all the time... I don't, but I could. Anything sentimental makes me emotional...

The round ligament pain has been pretty bad this time around. It came early on and never left. If I sit for five minutes it then takes me another five minutes to stand up straight. Ouch!

I can't wait for Blake to meet his big brothers. Isaac wasn't allowed in my hospital room when Parker was born (due to the swine flu) so this will be a brand new experience taking our first family picture in the hospital. I'm totally going to cry!

I'm really hoping that I feel complete with my family of five... Kinda because Shaun felt complete with our family of four!

Man alive there are so many more things I'm feeling/thinking about. This was all I could come up with for now... Not bad!

Best belly shot for now...

36 weeks and at the beach with my boys today!

Silly Isaac!

Isaac was on fire today with all his funny comments and stories. Here are a few that I felt needed to be recorded...

#1.
Isaac- Mommy, I have a scratch on the side of my eye.
Me- Oh, I'm sorry bud. How'd that happen?
Isaac- A long time ago I went to a jungle all by myself and a tiger AND a lion got me.
Me- Wow! Did you tell them that that wasn't very nice?
Isaac- Yeah, but it's ok 'cause I killed them with my really, really, really, really, really BIG light saber!

#2.
Isaac (while going potty)- Mommy, you really need to clean my toilet. It has a lot of poop on it.
Me- *I laugh and get the toilet cleaner and scrubber*
Isaac (very interested in what I'm doing)- Are you going to get Opsy Clean?
Me- What?
Isaac- Opsy Clean! Are you going to get it?
Me-What's Opsy Clean?
Isaac- I don't know. It's just that the guy on TV said it takes stains out of shirts and toilets!
Me- Oh, you mean Oxy Clean!!!

Clean your own poop kid!

This was the first picture I took. As you can see, sucking in the gut didn't help! :)

#3.
While he was in the bath tub tonight he was playing with two little action figures. Using two different, deep voices, he had a conversation between them...
Guy 1- Hi there. It's nice to meet you.
Guy 2- Hi. It's nice to meet you too.
Guy 1- You wanna dance?
Guy 2- But I'm a guy!?
Guy 1- But I'm a guy too!?
Guy 2- Well, you can be the girl then!!!

Beach Boys

 Growing up in Arizona meant that beach trips were few and FAR between and that we were probably lucky if we got to go twice a year. It's not easy (or cheap) packing up three kids and driving six hours to play in the sand. When I moved to California in 2000 it was as if I was living in my childhood vacation spot. The beach was so close... (Only a quick trip down the 91 freeway that's never crowded. HA)! However, after visiting other beaches, like Hawaii or Belize, I soon realized that Cali beaches were gross and I totally wasn't impressed anymore. I didn't go as often and didn't care that I lived so close to my "dream spot." BUT, now having kids that love the water and don't care how cold it is... That love the sand and don't care how full of kelp it is... That love the little tiny dead crab bodies all over and don't care that there aren't any turtles swimming by... That don't care to snorkel 'cause you can't see past your hand if you put it out in front of you... They just love the beach, any beach! All this to say... That as a parent, I'm loving California beaches again!

Jump! Jump! Jump! And roll in the sand and get completely covered from head to toe!

Smile! smile! smile! And look so cute while doing it!

We had a great, great, great day!

4th of July

 Happy Independence Day! We took two days to celebrate this year. The 3rd was Sunday and our church always does a great job of remembering those who gave their lives and then in the afternoon the boys and I baked treats for daddy and the rest of the guys at the fire station. The 4th was spent at the station, napping, and seeing fire works. What a great holiday... See, here's proof! ;)

3rd of July photo shoot! Parker wouldn't ditch the binkie and Isaac wouldn't give a "normal" face... Typical!

My little bakers!

The yummy treats!

Red, white, and blue gummy bear cupcakes, white chocolate-blue sugar dipped strawberries, and star sugar cookies! We colored the cookie dough and it turned out pink instead of red... Oh well!

And this is why I don't like to bake... Boys were sound to sleep but I still had to clean :(

My feet were a little swollen that night...

Click on collage to enlarge...

Parker's favorite:

To sit in the front seat and make faces at himself in the side mirrors! Hilarious!

Isaac's favorite:

To sit in the engine with Daddy and talk back and forth on the head phones!

Here is a comparison of the boys. Isaac on July 4th at Parker's age. This was Isaac at his blondest...

Because the boys (and I) took such GOOD afternoon naps I decided that I would be daring and take them to see fireworks. We still continued the usual night time routine- bath and pajamas but then climbed in the car instead of bed. We went to a local park that I didn't think would be too crowded 'cause it was a good distances from the main city firework's show... Yeah, I was wrong. This park happens to be at the top of a hill and has a great view so it was packed. Grrr! It took forever to find parking and then I had to carry all our gear plus Parker up the huge hill. Isaac was excited to be out after dark and Parker was completely impressed with the show! It was a lot of work on my part so I'm hoping Shaun doesn't work next year! It was hard enough with two boys and a big belly. Not sure I want to do it with three!

Juggling two mortgages

Today marks 11 months that we have lived in our new house. It also means that we are one month shy of a whole year of learning how to be landlords, deal with a rental agency, and collect rent that only pays half of the mortgage. But through it all God has been faithful, even when we doubted and wanted to give up. Like when our renters paid late every month. Or when they flat out decided to stop paying and we had to evict them. Or when we found out that one of them was a registered sex offender and the cops were after him. Or when Shaun spent an entire day cleaning because the place was a disaster.

However (cause God KNEW we needed a however), we are now with a new agency and they have found us a wonderful renter (that moves in today), who has a record of always paying on time, AND she signed a two year contract! We also got a letter in the mail yesterday that said our interest rate was lowered, which means our mortgage on the rental was almost cut in half. Yes, we will still be losing money each month on the rental but God totally took our worries (aka: freak outs) and showed us that we are doing exactly what He wants for us!!!  

The boys and I stopped by the old house to drop off the keys for the new renter. Isaac loved seeing his old room and Parker loved all the open floor space to run!

To read about our amazing house story, click here.