Milestones!

Thanks to TPPMommyof3, I have been guilted into a quick update! And there is much to update for the two of you who may have occasionally checked in over the past 18 months!

I guess the biggest and most exciting news is that we are expecting baby #4 in just four short weeks. Unlike the ordeal we went through in an attempt to have Jacob and Riley, this baby has been our unexpected blessing. Although we are occasionally overwhelmed at the idea of containing the chaos of three (; ), we can’t wait to meet our newest baby girl!

Here I am a week or two ago…



Riley is 2 ½ and full of humor and spunk. She is a natural athlete, but is also a complete girly girl. If you come to our front door on any given day, you’re likely to find her in her favorite “night, night dress” and Cinderella shoes. She is so obsessed with this particular nightgown that we now own three identical ones. (We do make her wear real clothes when out in public – though she has been known to “click, click click” her way through a store with princess shoes). She is a unique mix of style and comfort! She loves her baby dolls, and we are anxious to see how she reacts to the new baby. She says she’s going to change her diaper for me – wouldn’t that be nice!? She loves to follow Jacob around doing whatever he does and is loving taking gymnastics class. She starts preschool two mornings a week after Labor Day, and I’m sure her social little self will love it!



In her new big girl bed!




Meanwhile, Jacob is truly becoming a little man. At five, he started kindergarten this year. With the new baby arriving shortly and a small classroom with an amazing teacher, I really thought I would be fine with the transition. Chalk it up to pregnancy hormones or just the true nature of the milestone, but this mommy got in her car and sobbed after dropping him off. But he absolutely loves school, and we are thrilled he does! He seems to be our future engineer and can tell you anything and everything about a car engine or a vacuum. He is a great big brother to Riley, and we know he will be for his newest little sister too. When we first told him we were having another baby, his reaction was, “Well, I’m going to need someone to help me. I can’t take care of two babies by myself.” Ha! My sentiments exactly, buddy!



With Alan at the beach this summer!

After years in the financial services industry, Alan started his own financial planning company last June, and is happier professionally than he has ever been. He certainly can’t complain about his boss these days, and I love the relative flexibility it provides! He continues to serve on the board of CURE Childhood Cancer in his “free”time.

As for me, I’m just trying to keep up with everyone else and stay out of the heat! It is my first summer pregnancy, and God bless all of you who do it routinely. ; )

Thanks so much for checking in on us. It means a lot that those of you who fell in love with Hayley continue to think of us. While we can truly say that family life will never be “complete” this side of heaven, it is very, wonder”full” indeed.