What Happened to the Fall and Winter?

So....April 4 - somehow I have been lazy during the end of summer, all of fall and all of winter?  I wouldn't call it lazy - I would call it busy!  We have had so much happening that I just couldn't keep up with coming downstairs to the computer, uploading photos while chasing my two beautiful children, staying healthy and preparing for the arrival of #3 - that's right - #3 - we have been busy :-)

So - just a quick recap of some of the bigger happenings with some of our favorite pics.  And now that I have an iPhone - I think I have an app that will allow to keep with the news of our growing family (I am sure Leah can show me how to use it!).

August
Leah, Max and I headed out to White Deer, PA with my parents to visit my brother, sister-in-law and niece while Pat stayed behind for band camp.  It was great to see where they now call 'home'.  It was also in August that we learned about #3 - while at my parents' house.  I managed to keep it a secret for about a week - but then I came clean and of course everyone was in shock - myself included!  We certainly had wanted to have a third child, and were thrilled to find out - but it was still shocking to think - oh my goodness - 3 children ages 4 and under?  Are we crazy?  We will no longer be man-to-man but more of a zone defense.  The grandparents of course were thrilled, Leah understood and Max, well he just doesn't know what's coming!  August also brought another first - Leah's first day of preschool!  She was so excited!  She had a great first week - though a little tired when she came home each afternoon, but preschool has been the best thing for her!

Leah and Max with cousin Addison

Yep, we're pregnant!

Leah's First Day of Preschool

September
September brought us our 2nd Annual Alzheimer Walk.  In memory of my grandma, we named ourselves Betty's Bunch.  It was a beautiful day for a walk!  We also celebrated Pat's 31st birthday.

October
October of course brought us great fall fun.  We went to the pumpkin patch a few times, Parky's Farm for a spooky night and Pat's sister and family spent a weekend with us.  Leah and Max were the cutest mice in town - dressed as Mickey and Minnie!

November
In November we finally caved in and became the owners of a mini-van.  I never thought I would say it - but I love my mini-van!  It is amazing how much more space we have, yet it doesn't feel too big.  How did we ever travel in just our Civic and CRV?  Especially our long trips to North Carolina and Minnesota!  We traveled to Cleveland for Thanksgiving, painted Christmas ornaments and cut down our Christmas tree!  We also learned that #3 was going to be a boy!  We never found out what we were having with Leah and Max, but this time we wanted to be able to clean out closets and re-do bedrooms.  Either way we would have been ecstatic - but I think we are especially thrilled to have a second boy.  We gave Leah and Max blue balloons to celebrate - Leah would have preferred pink - not a sister, but just a pink balloon!  Leah will be a great big sister, and Max and #3 will be great little buddies!

 

December
All things holiday in December!  We went to the Museum to see the train display (we were so disappointed that they no longer give out a sugar cookie at the end) and to the zoo for the Festival of Lights.  We made all sorts of Christmas goodies and made our annual Gingerbread House.  We had a quiet Christmas morning at home just the four of us - but it was perfect.  We were lazy in our jammies all day and Leah and Max were able to play with all of their new toys.  The day after we headed north to spend some time with both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Museum Center

Leah's Gingerbread House she made at school

Festival of Lights

Festival of Lights

A family picture - only took about 7 tries with the auto function!

Twas the Night Before Christmas - a special tradition

January
We traveled back north twice in January.  We first went to stay a weekend with Pat's sister and family.  We went to the Children's Museum, Little Italy for pizza and just hung out at the house so all the cousins could play.  The following weekend was our Snow Christmas at my parents house - more cousins and catching up with family!  We were supposed to make a third trip north, but I had finally decided that I was about done with long trips in the car and our awesome friends Natalie and Sean came down to see us instead.  We had a great night with 'the gang' - it was the first we were all together in nearly a year!

Max has started making the best pout face - but in the end always ends up laughing!

Daddy brought Max and Leah to visit Mommy at work

Playing in the huge sandbox at the Cleveland Children's Museum

Lunch at our favorite restaurant in Cleveland's Little Italy with the Kovalchik clan - Mama Santas

The "Snow" Cousins: Samson, Max, Leah, Addison, Isabella and Lydia

February
February brought us no snow!  I think this is the first time in my teaching career that I did not have one single snow day!  What a bummer!  I had so looked forward to having a surprise day off to bake cookies, make snowmen and snow angels and just cuddle with Leah and Max.  But Mother Nature did not cooperate.  So instead we kept ourselves busy on the weekends switching Leah and Max's bedrooms, painting and make some preparations for #3.  I also celebrated a 30-something birthday while my parents were in town.  And for the first time that we can think of, Flub's opened in February!

Playing in a tv box - mommy just couldn't fit!

Leah painted her new room lavendar

Max painted 'the boys room' blue

Leah, Max and Memaw made mommy a cake!

March
March flew by like it never happened!  We had so many things going on that it all seems like a blur!  Leah had her first two birthday parties to attend for girls at her preschool.  She was so excited to go shopping to pick out their presents and she had a great time at both parties.  One of the parties was a roller skating party - Pat said she did great!  The mild weather continued and we were able to enjoy the zoo on St. Patty's day.  Pat was in Orlando at Disney World for nearly a week with the high school band, so my mom came down to help me with Leah and Max - and just in case #3 decided to make an early appearance.  Fortunately, he stayed put.  But mom was able to go along to my 36-week ultrasound and meet the little booger first hand.  Of course he was not cooperative for the ultrasound tech and she was not able to get a good picture of the little guy.  But that's ok - he will be here before we know it!

And so that brings us to April!  I am hoping that I can stay caught up - at least for a little while!