Mitchell and daddy playing

Mitchell walks
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God is so good!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace that passes all understanding will guard your heart in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6
This week has been crazy. On top of Summer Spectacular we received some scary news about Maggie-Kate. At my sono on Monday they told us that there might be something wrong with her heart. My doctor was concerned about this so she scheduled us to see a specialist on Friday. So we waited 4 days praying, along with many other prayer warriors, every time we thought of our sweet baby girl.
Yesterday we saw the specialist and it looks like everything is going to be OK. She does have an arrhythmia but the specialist thinks that it will resolve itself before she is born. Her heart is basically beating perfectly except every once in a while it skips a beat. He said that her heart is just figuring out how to beat. I know that we received this news because all the prayers that went up on behalf of Maggie-Kate. God is so good and has answered so many of our prayers concerning my pregnancies and our children.
Thank you for your prayers.
In other news... Mitchell is now 10 months old and is officially on the move. He has been so funny lately and has only wanted to walk at home, but Saturday while at Ben Tate's engagement party (congratulations Ben and Vanessa) he decided to really start walking. He would walk until he ran into something and instead of falling down he would turn and go the other way. He was almost running he was moving so fast. And of course he was so proud of himself! Here are some pictures I have taken while Mitchell and I have enjoyed our days at home together.

This is Mitchell's new favorite thing to do. He gives his reflection kisses. So sweet!

Mr. Blue Eyes at a Ranger's game, eating a plain snow cone.

Busy Busy

I thought I would have time to update my blog now that I am not working but I haven't been on my computer in a week because we are so busy. We are getting ready for Summer Spectacular (VBS). The show is going to be great and we are praying it will reach thousands! Here are some pictures of Mitchell in 2 of Mommy's costumes.

ARRRRG! The pirates life for me!

Little Star Fish

9 Months and First Steps

Mitchell has decided today is the day! At 9 months Mitchell has decided it was a good day to walk. He has taken steps in a series of 9, 6, 10, 4. He will just stand up and start going. He is so proud of himself and so are we!

Mitchell's first steps
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Little MC broom

Here is the future of Hip Hop! Well only if he has his daddy's rhythm.

IT'S A GIRL!!!

We had our 20 week sonogram yesterday and found out we are having a baby girl! Her name is Maggie-Kate. (We haven't completely decided if we will hyphenate the name or not)We are very excited. Yesterday Mitchell went with us to pick out her "going home" outfit. Man there is so much more to choose from when shopping for a girl. Stephen's mom took me shopping yesterday too and we got her this sweet little dress from Ella Bella and of course a giant bow to match. More importantly than her gender, Maggie-Kate looks great. She is growing at a perfect rate and looks to be very healthy. God is so good!

9 Months

Mitchell had his 9 month well baby visit today. He now weighs 22 3/4 pounds (75%) and he is 30 inches long (98%). He got shots today and he didn't cry at all-such a big boy! At 9 months Mitchell's favorite things to do are:
* Stand by himself
* Fake cough
* Wrestle with his Daddy
* Say mama and dada and goy-goy-goy (whatever that means)
* Walk around the living room pushing toys
* Eat chicken and mashed potatoes

* Make kissy noises
* Crawl underneath his exersaucer and bouncy seat
Mitchell's least favorite thing to do is get his diaper changed- he hates to lay still for one second so we have daily wrestling matches. I can't change him on an elevated surface any more because he will dive off if I am not holding him down-this boy has no fear!

Mitchell has now figured out the whole stranger thing. If he thinks we are about to hand him off he gives us the death grip. He is very friendly to strangers unless he thinks they are going to hold him.
Our sweet angel brightens our days. He is the greatest gift. We could not have dreamed of a greater blessing than our Mitchell.
And now the pictures....

Blowing Kisses

A great weekend

Stephen and I went with our small group to the Owen's Ranch last weekend for a relaxing weekend with friends. Stephen and I had such a wonderful time! We had such a good time spending time with our friends and their families. I got to hold all of the little babies which gets me so excited about our new little one. It was a great weekend. I left feeling refreshed and ready to face the week. Stephen and I are so blessed to be apart of our small group. I can't wait for the next trip.

This is Mitchell's new thing. He crinkles his nose all the time. I think it is soo cute!

The big kids and their dads take a trip around the ranch.

Mitchell and Jilli- She was feeding him breakfast. Mitchell loved playing with the big kids.

Mitchell loved spending time with Garrett. He laughed at everything Garrett did.

Is this not the roundest face you have ever seen.
I love these two teeth. He has top ones too but you can't see them.


Guess who is standing now!

Baby Update

My poor baby is not getting much blog time so this blog is devoted completely to Baby #2. This pregnancy has been soooo much easier. I have had very little sickness this time and have only been to the emergency room one time for abdominal pain (I had been to the hospital 4 times with Mitchell at this point.) We had a sonogram last week and the tech looked for about 5 minutes to see the gender. She had a guess but I am not going to share her guess because we will find out for sure in a couple of weeks. But here are the reasons I think I am having a girl followed by the reasons I think I am having a boy.
Girl Reason #1: My face is broken out-With Mitchell I had the most beautiful complexion. Not so much this time!
Girl Reason #2: I have not been as sick this time
Girl Reason #3: I cry all the time- this morning on the way to school I cried thinking about the thousands of kids chanting "Jonah-Jonah" at the end of Summer Spectacular last year. I just teared up again while writing this.
Girl Reason #4: I really think I am having a boy, with Mitchell I really thought I was having a girl so obviously my sixth sense about this is off.

Boy Reason #1: Every time I see him on a sonogram I think that the baby looks like a boy.
Boy Reason #2: I just think he is a boy but like I said in Girl Reason # 4- I am not so good at guessing.
Boy Reason #3: I have random red hairs on my head. I had this with Mitchell too.

So who knows it could go either way but I can't wait to see if the tech was right with her preliminary guess. I will be so happy with either a boy or a girl. Here are the reasons I want a girl followed by the reasons I want a boy. But like I said I really don't care.

Girl Reason #1: Hair Bows- I guarantee my daughter will be a bow head
Girl Reason #2: I have always assumed I would have a daughter and I think it would be weird if I didn't.
Girl Reason #3: I cherish my relationship with my mom and I would love to have daughter to be best friends with.
Girl Reason #4: Maggie gave me all of Maisy's really cute clothes- I have like three tubs full, I would hate for her to just have to sell them at Just Between Friends.
Girl Reason #5: My mother-in-law really wants a granddaughter and this is her last hope.
Girl Reason #6: Maisy wants me to have a girl even though I think she would be just as happy to be the only girl.

Boy Reason #1: Mitchell would have a brother
Boy Reason #2: It would be so easy to just get all of Mitchell's stuff back out
Boy Reason #3: I would love having all boys
Boy Reason #4: Think of all the football games!
Boy Reason #5: Boys love their mommies

I am now almost 18 weeks. I have abandoned all regular clothes and am back in my oh so familiar maternity clothes. I forgot how comfortable they are but I will be glad to give them away for good in 41/2 months. I can now feel the baby move when I am laying really still. I remember when I was pregnant with Mitchell I was so careful to guard my stomach and make sure nothing touched it. It is funny how different it is with this baby because Mitchell is constantly kicking me, climbing on me, or laying on me and there is not much I can do about it. I am just so grateful that God has blessed us again and I can not wait to meet this little person and for our family to be complete. I am trying to savor every minute of this pregnancy because I am fairly certain it will be my last. With Mitchell I was so worried about loosing him because we lost the baby before him and I had so many problems that I really was not able to just enjoy everyday of my pregnancy. Even though I am tired I would not trade these days for anything. I am also enjoying my time with Mitchell and can not wait for us to spend the summer together. Sorry there are no pictures this blog. I will have lots of new baby pictures in a couple of weeks.

A Rough Week

Last week was a rough one. Stephen threw out his back and was in bed for two days which left me to be on full Mitchell duty. I felt like single mom. (I don't know how they do it). I did enjoy all of the extra Mitchell time though-I sure miss that guy while I am at work. I am so thankful for Stephen. Because he was not able to do anything I realized just how much he does for me and Mitchell.
Then on Saturday our car was broken into. I really do not like mean people!
So we had to park our car in the garage because the window was broken and I was also worried they would come back for a second round of window breaking. Well our garage is a total wreck and we have not parked in it for about 6 months. So I had to clean it out by myself because Stephen was still down for the count. We were able to get our window fixed yesterday for a decent price and they came to our house to do it. (That was nice!) So on Sunday night I was awoken with cramps. I was doubled over in pain so I decided that I needed to go to the ER and make sure everything was OK. After 6 hours in the ER they concluded that I have a kidney infection and called the episode a threatened miscarriage. The baby looks great and I am feeling better now. I made it 15 weeks this time with out a midnight trip to the ER. I was actually bragging on Sunday about how easy this pregnancy has been compared to my pregnancy with Mitchell.
On a happier note here are pictures of Mitchell.

Mitchell's first spaghetti ! He is such a good eater! He also now has a top tooth so he can eat pretty much anything.

8 months old & Opening Day

Mitchell is 8 months old today. I can't believe he has been with us for that long. Time sure is flying. Here is what the big brother is up to...

• He loves anything that is not a toy, especially the remote control and shoes


• He loves to eat solid foods, he is great at "chewing" table food- mashed potatoes are his favorite.


• He is trying so hard to walk. He can stand by himself for about 5 seconds.


• He lowers himself to the ground instead of just plopping to the floor when he is tried of standing.


• He talks non-stop, sometimes I think he is trying to sing.


• He loves taking a bath-but if I put a washcloth in the bath tub with him it scares him when it floats toward him.


• He plays really well. He will spend thirty minutes playing by himself. I love to watch him play with his toys.


• He loves his daddy, they are the best of friends!


• He loves to swing outside in his swing or at the park.


• He loves my hair. He is constantly pulling it and he thinks it is hilarious when I scream.

Mitchell has brought so much joy to our lives. I can't wait for him to meet his brother or sister. Here are some pictures of our little guy.

This is Mitchell's new favorite place to hang out. He has just discovered the curtains.

He also loves playing under his jumper.

He brings toys under there and will sit and play forever.

Mitchell and I went to his very first Ranger's Baseball game on Opening Day. My dad went with us and it was a great father and son outing! He loved the stadium sooooo much to look at and be amazed by. He was very sleepy on the way out and by the time we got to the car he was out. He had his first taste of a hot dog bun, which he loved and had such a great time. This will probably become a fun tradition with us and it was even more special that my dad got to go with us. Here are a couple of pictures of Mitchell at his first ball game. Happy 8 months Mitchell!

-Stephen

Sweet Sick Boy

Mitchell has been sick for almost two weeks now. He had pink eye, a high fever, a cough, and a horribly yucky nose. He just sees the eye drops and the bulb syringe and starts to cry. I feel like we have been torturing him with all of that stuff. He is doing much better now, we even got out today. Here he is last week, wishing he could go outside and play.

Easter

We went to Houston for Easter with Stephen's family and then came home for an Easter egg hunt at my parents house on Sunday. It was a fun but busy weekend.

Mitchell was actually able to wear his Easter outfit in Houston. The weather was great!

Mitchell and his cousins.

Back in Fort Worth- you can tell by the dead grass.

Mitchell and his cousin Jilli.