The Butterfly Whisperer

Summer and Baby Stuff

Once again we are working to open a new store over the summer and although we've worked like crazy and everything is ready, apparently the City of Austin is not. Permitting stuff is a nightmare and can you really believe that there are separate inspectors for drywall and drywall fasteners?? Seriously, if a guy knows about drywall, shouldn't he be able to inspect the fasteners used to secure it to the wall?? Luckily the landlord and his contractor have been the ones responsible for dealing with the city and all their nonsense, but personally I would feel much better if I were in control of dealing with the city. Sometimes I just can't really believe that the City of Austin can be that difficult to deal with. So here we sit with a store that was ready to open 2 weeks ago and no occupancy permit, money flying out the window everytime we get a call for a birthday party we can't book and everytime a mom stops by to see if her kid can come in to play.

Gavin has enjoyed being home with his brothers the last month. He's really so easy going that we don't have to do much to keep him happy! Keaton went to a Tennis Camp a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. He and Jacob also went to an incredible VBS. Unfortunately they only take kids going into Kindergarten through 5th grade, so Gavin couldn't attend this year. Jacob and Keaton had a great time and can't wait for me to sign them up again next year. Jacob was also able to go to Fiesta Texas with a friend for his birthday. We've done some swimming, seen some movies, played with friends and over the 4th saw Bob Schneider in concert and a fireworks show! All in all the summer has been good so far and I'm looking forward to spending a few days away from home soon. With the new store opening soon (we hope!) we won't be able to go on a BIG vacation, but I'm thinking a couple days at Hy.att Lost Pines would be fun and relaxing.

On the baby front, I'm now 24 weeks 4 days along and all seems to be going well. I had a doctors appointment yesterday and was thrilled to learn that I've only gained 23 pounds in this 24 weeks! Hopefully I will continue to grow at 1 pound per week or less and could actually end up with a weight gain of only 39 pounds! That would be 11 pounds less than my last 2 pregnancies and 24 pounds less than when I was pregnant with Jacob. Of course I am not counting on it since I have gained A LOT of weight with the other boys, but it definitely would be nice to have less weight to lose! Here's the latest belly shot taken today.



I've also managed to clean out the room that will be the nursery and even bought some bedding. I saw this set more than a year ago and loved it and then found it at the outlet this weekend. I contemplated whether or not it was too "babyish" but ultimately decided (with the help of my dear friend Weslea!) I could change it out when he outgrows it since it was such a great price. AND, how often do you love something for over a year and then happen to find it the first time you're out shopping?

Feeling a Little Guilty

Although I could be spending money in much better ways, I just ordered this.



Why I need a beautiful (and expensive) diaper bag is beyond me, but I saw a woman carrying a similar one in the elevator of my doctor's office and fell in love. I immediately got online that afternoon and looked it up, gasped at the price and decided I surely wouldn't get one. I shouldn't have signed up for emails telling me when they had special outlet sales though.

Today I got the email saying they were having a surprise outlet sale till tomorrow so of course I had to check it out. I've never even held or opened this bag and have only seen the similar one in the elevator, but I ordered it anyway! Since all outlet sales are final hopefully I will love it. AND if I love it, perhaps I can get past the lingering guilty feelings of making a large and unnecessary internet purchase. If not, I guess there's always ebay!

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

That's what little boys are made of!!

It's another boy and we are so thankful that everything looked good and healthy. Unfortunately, this little one does not have a name yet, other than Ghost Rider which was suggested by Gavin. It is VERY unlike me to go in for a sonogram without a boy name and a girl name picked. I never even looked at girl names this time, I knew he would be a boy. So there won't be any, "If you were a girl you would have been named..." Now we've got to figure out what he will be named! Joel suggested something that means "finished" or "the last one!" That being said, it was kind of bittersweet going in for what I know will be our very last ultrasound to find out the gender of a baby. But, 4 is enough, I guess....

Our little boy was not very cooperative during his picture session and we really didn't get any good ones. I've never had a 3D ultrasound and actually have never really wanted to have one, but the doc switched it on briefly to try to catch a good look at some of his organs and we ended up with this one of his face (or at least the part of his face not covered by his arm!) Most of the time he had both arms crossed in an "X" over his face and his head buried!



The boys were excited to have a new brother, especially Gavin and Keaton. Keaton says that girls are too sassy and so it was better that it was a boy. Gavin just wanted it to be a boy, so he was thrilled. Jacob said he was glad he was healthy and would have been just as excited for a girl. Joel was honestly indifferent to the gender and truly just prayed for a healthy baby. The families were glad he was healthy, but being that there are no grand-daughters on either side of our family, I know they were all pulling for a girl. And I wouldn't be being honest if I didn't say that although I knew all along this baby would be a boy and I am excited for his arrival, it is a little sad knowing I will never have a daughter. I will never have a little girl to dress in pink or princess costumes, never have a tea party birthday, never have anyone to take for a fun glittery pedicure, never help pick dresses for prom or her wedding and never have the experience of my daughter giving birth to new life.

So, I am the mom to 4 boys now. I look forward to what the years ahead will bring and the joys of raising boys!

3 More Days....

Tuesday can't get here fast enough! I'm so certain it's a boy, but just the anticipation of seeing that little baby is driving me crazy! I'm going to have to keep busy the next few days to keep my mind off the appointment. I was doing pretty well, but got home tonight and had a message from the doctor's office to confirm the ultrasound. Now it is ALL I am thinking about! That and what in the world will we name this baby??

Skip Day!

Yesterday was "Skip Day" for my two oldest boys! I've taken them out of school for trips and stuff before, but I've never just surprised them at the end of the year with a day off and a trip for no reason.

A few weeks ago a couple of friends suggested we take the boys out of school and take them to Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. The boys were all so excited! It was a fun day of roller coasters, water rides and park food like funnel cakes and frozen lemonade. I, of course, couldn't ride many of the rides with them and our friend, Lauren, has health issues that kept her from riding a lot of the rides as well. Luckily Valerie was a good sport and rode with them when they needed an adult!

It's always so hard to take pictures as the rides are spinning and moving, but here's one of the group (minus Lauren and myself) riding the Roadrunner Express Roller Coaster.



From front left to back - Jacob, Gavin, Keaton, Jeremy, Valerie and RJ

I just think this picture is so funny because Jacob looks like he's having a great time, Gavin looks completely calm and all the other boys look like they are hanging on for their lives! Valerie said she was asking RJ if he was ok because he seemed so scared!

By the time we got home we were all tired and sore from walking so much, but all in all it was a great day. I'm glad I had the opportunity to surprise them with such a fun trip.

18 Weeks! And More!

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything, but life has been VERY busy with the end of the school year. Seriously, all the many activities at the elementary school are taking up my whole life!! Ok, maybe not my WHOLE life, but I am at the school pretty much every day for one event or another. And, the 2nd Hoppin' House should be opening in about 2 weeks, so I have frantically been shopping for all kinds of things that we will need. Being pregnant, I've gotten out of all the manual labor this time around and Joel, Anthony and a bunch of contractors have been working hard the last couple of weeks.

Gavin just finished his first year of preschool last week. He was excited for the last day of school because of the "Splash Party" but I don't think he really realizes how long it will be before he goes back! He really enjoyed his Tuesday and Thursday mornings at school and I know he will miss his teachers. Here's a picture of him enjoying some ribs at Out.back Steak.house the other night. I still have no idea how the boy can eat them all the way to the bone with no front teeth!




Keaton's class has been going through the alphabet celebrating each letter with a theme day, A for Astronaut Day, B for Bubble Day, C for Cooking Day and so on. It's a fun way to count down the last 26 days of school but is one of the reasons I'm at the school every day!! He also just had 5 teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons on Thursday and looks like he has no teeth left!!



Jacob has been busy at school doing pretty much all fun stuff. After the TAKS test was over at the end of April, they pretty much haven't done anything worthwhile. I'm not really sure why kids have to go to school till June 4th if they are not going to learn anything after May 1st! Jacob just wrapped up his special film project and also had the opportunity to record a radio commercial for Hoppin' House. He did a great job! Here he is outside the studio.



So, the kids are busy and growing and so am I! I am now 18 weeks pregnant and will find out the gender for sure on June 1st. We are excited to know for sure, but I'm about 99% sure it will be a boy. The biggest bummer about that is that I can't get rid of all the boy stuff I've been saving! I've got boxes! At least with a girl I could get rid of the current stuff and then when she outgrows stuff I could pass it along. I am in the mood to declutter my house and having another boy would not help that process!! Other than that, I'm ready to hear, "It's another little boy!" and will be completely happy and grateful. I'm just praying for a healthy baby...I think many times we take for granted our perfect and healthy babies and so far we have been incredibly blessed. So, here's a picture of me at 18 weeks - taken today by my professional photographer, Jacob.