Surprise!

I won't lie, Jason and I were a bit surprised when we realized that Baby #3 was on his/her way.  We were so, so happy, but at the same time, it took a bit to adjust to this wonderful piece of news.  It was only after I threw up three mornings in a row did Jason ask "could it be?"  The thought hadn't even crossed my mind!  Well...his suspicions were correct!

 

Time is a very difficult thing for kids to understand, so we knew that we would try to wait as long as possible before telling the girls.  It also got a bit tricky since we wanted to tell as much of our immediate family in person but with living so far away and limited options, we didn't end up telling the grandparents or aunts/uncles until I was practically in the second trimester. 

 

We told the girls before we headed north for Easter.  It was certainly getting more difficult to hide my growing tummy, that is for sure!

 

We didn't have anything extravagant planned.  I had made a sign for the fireplace, needed something new anyway, and bought a few balloons at the store.  Helium balloons always provide plenty of entertainment for the girls anyway.

We told them one morning since our evenings plans the night before got mixed up.  Lesley notices everything, so we were sure she'd see the sign and start asking questions right away.

 

It took a little while for Lesley to figure out what the sign meant, i.e. that the Baby was going to be OURS.  But you can see based on her smile above how happy she was when it sunk in.

Leah was a little less excited, probably because she didn't quite understand.  She just wanted to snuggle with Mommy and drink her milk.  She was trying to figure out what "three" meant though.

I was glad to find our Bernstein Bears book about a new baby and the girls quickly wanted to read it in our bed.  It was really sweet how Lesley was telling Leah all about the baby, and making up the story as they looked at the pictures.

Daddy wanted them to show us how kids would be in our family.  Lesley was clearly confused - just one baby!

 

Actually, this was her plan:

"When the baby grows up like Lyssa did, and can walk and talk, then we can have another baby."

 

Lesley dear, how about we take it slowly and just see what happens.

It was fairy tale day at school so eventually the girls got dressed up into their princess attire and posed one more time before heading off to school....and telling everyone about the baby.

 

By the time I arrived, all the teachers were asking "Lesley told us there is a baby in your tummy.  Is that right?"  They were hesitant to ask, but I think they wanted confirmation since it sounded like Lesley was very adamant.  Ms. Karen said, "Lesley said she saw the sign and it said baby."  I had to laugh because I'm pretty sure Ms. Karen thought Lesley was talking about a pregnancy test, when it was really just the "Baby #3" sign above the fireplace.

 

Lesley actually calls it the "Baby tic tac toe 3" sign.

Just a few more decorations for the fireplace right now.  It seems we are in a little bit of a lull in terms of holidays, so the "Baby #3" sign, the cross we got Lesley for their room, some bright flowers, and her "blessed" sign were perfect.

We certainly are blessed!

The Kids

Ready or not, there's going to be three of them come this fall!

Baby #3 is growing fast and the big sisters could not be more excited!  I haven't heard "will the baby be here next week?" in at least 6 hours so I think we're making progress on the whole "we have to be patient and wait until Mommy's tummy gets really, really, really."

It's going to be a long summer.  For everyone.

More details to come....

REQUEST FOR SUPPORT: 2013 Heartland Border Walk for MS

Dear friends,

Jason and I are participating in the Heartland Border Walk for MS again this year.  With this commitment, we are hoping to have our best fundraising year yet!  There is lots of exciting and new research going on and we don't want to miss our opportunity to advance these studies, in addition to supporting individuals who suffer daily with multiple sclerosis.  That being said, our goal means we need YOUR help….I promise that every bit helps - take a look at the most recent grants fulfilled by the Heartland Borderwalk Foundation:

Patient Grants fulfilled in 2013 (this is only as of 3 months into the year!)

-          $2,100 to offset cost for specialty power wheelchair for MS Patient

-          $2,685 to offset cost for ceiling lift for MS Patient

-          $800 for MS Patient to receive proper therapy treatments with Primary Progressive MS

-          $180 for new scooter batteries and repair

Research Grants fulfilled in 2012

-          $19,700 for the MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute:  Study of The Critical Role of Klotho in Myelination

-          $25,000 for the University of Kansas Medical Center:  Study of Haptoglobin – a mechanism to reduce iron-induced damage in a relevant model of multiple sclerosis

(http://www.msborderwalk.org/#!patient-grants/c2w)

For this 5^th year of the Heartland Border Walk for MS, there are some exciting changes, but it certainly doesn't mean there is less enthusiasm and dedication from our small group of participants.  This year's walk will be a 2 day, 35 mile event!  Not only do we want donations, but we also want our friends and family to participate by WALKING, volunteering and spreading the word. 

The Heartland Borderwalk Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization which is quite amazing.  A huge benefit of this structure is that the administrative costs are kept to a minimum therefore ensuring every dollar donated goes directly to research or to a family in need.  Actually, this is one reason the Heartland Borderwalk Foundation was formed –individuals were tired of their fundraising money dwindling away before reaching those who needed it most.  But, with this type of volunteer run organization, there are certainly limitations for growing –please help to keep this event and similar grants like those shown above possible in the future.

We are ready for another truly amazing experience...and probably some blisters and sore muscles too.  More than anything, I look forward to walking across that finish line and having that unforgettable feeling of accomplishment and pride, and knowing that we once again have helped "us" get closer to a cure that someday might change my life.

Please consider donating $10, $25, $50 or more to help us and all the walkers reach our overall goal of $100,000.  Or better yet, be brave and join us as a walker.  It's not too late!  If Jason and I can do it, crazy or not, you can too!

Please take a minute to visit the Home Page to learn about the organization, and my personal donation page to see our fundraising progress.

MS Border Walk Home Page
http://www.msborderwalk.org/

My Personal Donation Page (You might even find some exciting news from our family on this site!)
http://www.active.com/donate/2013HBW/ACarlin10

If you would like to donate money and prefer not using the website, please feel free to write a check payable to the "MS Border Walk" and send it to me.  I will ensure your donation goes to support research and patient assistance for those living with Multiple Sclerosis and help the family and friends who support them.

Thanks for thinking of us as we embark on another great journey!  Spread the word and help us meet our goal!

Abby & Jason

Heartland Borderwalk for MS Mission Statement
The Heartland Border Walk for Multiple Sclerosis is committed to ensuring that a better quality of life and the hope for a cure is not just a dream of those living with MS. We are a Team and Family of volunteers who promise to give not only of our time, but also of our hearts. Our hope is that the many people who live with this devastating disease and their family and friends who support them are able to share as much of their lives without the barriers that MS has created. In the Greater Kansas City area over 6500 people live with MS and its affects. We are here for them, the Mother, Father, Child, Aunt, Uncle, and Friend who is diagnosed tomorrow.

Sesame Street Live

A few days before Lesley's birthday, she randomly told me in the middle of the night (it was one of those nights when she ends up in our bed for no reason at all) that she wanted to go see Elmo again.  "Like we did when we lived in KS."

 

She didn't even know that we had already purchased tickets for the show coming to town in April.  That request made for the perfect idea to print off "tickets" and give them to her for her birthday.  It would be just a few weeks before the show, so something to look forward too but not too far in the distance to forget or lose interest.

 

 

She talked about going to see Elmo a lot, and even Leah got into it.  I was happy to finally go to the BOK Center.  It reminded me a lot of the Sprint center, just not quite so many glass windows.

 

She was pumped to see Zoe before the show and was so excited she got to shake her hand.

Even Cookie Monster made an appearance.  She was a bit disappointed that Abby Cadabby wasn't there but she was still pretty satisfied with these guys.

 

Leah of course wanted nothing to do with the big furry creatures and stayed as far away as she could.

Leah also wasn't all that interested in posing for photos either.

I love Lesley's smile and Leah's pouty face here.  Pretty much summed up the pre-show activities.

Abby Cadabby wasn't in a great location for photos - right in the sun!

She was also thrilled to see all their names and we had to go over each of them.  She could of course identify Abby, and was excited to see how to spell some of the other ones.

She also was interested in coloring before the show.  Again, let me remind you that Leah wanted nothing to do with any of this stuff hence the reason she is in so few of the photos.

Then it was showtime!  We had to pull out our tickets and find our seats.

We only purchased three tickets since Leah was young enough not to need her own.  I figured she'd want to sit on my lap anyway.  And actually, there were several empty seats in front of us so we made use of those.  Plus the girls wanted to sit together which was perfect for sharing cotton candy.

The girls are getting to the age where they notice the toys and gadgets and balloons the other parents are buying but theirs are mostly too cheap to buy.  From past shows, I knew there'd be some light up devices around, so I headed to the store and picked up some glow bracelets, necklaces and even a glow wand.  They were a huge hit and only cost be about $5 for all of them.

The plot for the show was that Elmo took Abby's wand and cast a spell on the rest of the cast.  So, our wands were perfect!

At one point, Abby was asking the audience "where could my wand have gone?" and Leah spoke right up and said "Maybe Elmo has it!"  I was so excited she was actually understanding the storyline.  I just never know how much they are actually retaining, but that was proof!

She did sit on my lap for quick a while, which was fine with me.  I could tell she was really enjoying the show.

Lesley was in heaven even if it was torture for Daddy to sit through the singing and dancing for the second year in a row.  I just love being able to take the girls to these fun events even if I'm not sure I'll always be able to convince Jason they are on the "must do" list.

 

Since we are never in that part of town, we tried a new restaurant after the show and I think we were pushing our luck a little too far.  Leah was getting tired, and Lesley was being a little stinker.  We basically ended up getting the main course to go and ate cold pasta in the kitchen after we got home and put the girls down for a nap.  Not awesome, but probably a learning experience for Mommy, Daddy, and Lesley.  It was definitely one of those "what are we doing wrong as parents" moments.

Exploring Tulsa

We were headed to the Sesame Street show downtown and had a few minutes to spare before the show started.  So, we decided to stop at a place our realtor had shown us when he was giving us a tour of Tulsa before our house hunt.

 

It's a place in which you can stand in the middle of a circle and it sounds like everything is echoing.

Lesley was skeptical at first, but quickly found out how funny it was to hear your own voice, like you were repeating yourself.

I have no idea how it works, but it's only right in the middle of that one space where the echo exists.  There are a few tall buildings on the one side, but I don't feel like the spot is unique for any specific reason as to why there would be an echo.

She really got into it and loved exploring the sounds of her voice.

Leah was not nearly as impressed.

Then we let the girls run around and burn some energy before the show.

We even practiced "jumping" from one parking block to another.

Who knew this girl would have so much fun!

Then she started posing and Mommy got into the action too.

I don't normally post photos of this nature of myself, but I thought they were funny.

And, I hadn't realized how many Jason took on our fun adventure and photo shoot.

 

I often complain that there aren't near as many kid friendly things to go in Tulsa as there was in KC, but then little trips like this remind me that we can make fun in some of the not so popular or advertised places.  I think exploring Tulsa just took on a new meaning for us!  I'll keep you posted on what other awesome adventures we can find!

Egg hunting at the farm {Easter}

I promise, this is the very last of the Easter pics.  I'll try to keep it short in terms of words...though the photos are still abundant.

 

Cousins Eric and Katie, along with Aunt Sharon were apparently in charge of the eggs.  I think they filled over 150 eggs for all the kids!

They also had a few other fun and tasty surprises in the basket to scatter around the front yard.

While the "big kids" filled the eggs, Lesley helped some of the others dye a few eggs.  She didn't get in on the action until the end, but I'm glad she was able to help for at least a little bit.  We hadn't planned to dye any eggs at home before Easter and the rest of the weekend was looking busy.

 

We put the kids through torture prior to letting them loose in the front yard.  They had to sit on the steps together for a quick photo.  Torture, let me tell you!

Then they were off!  Lesley and Lilly didn't need any assistance...They filled their baskets easily.

Leah faired pretty well too.  She was cracking us up because she kept trying to carry her basket like a purse and many times, the eggs would just fly out.  Followed by laughing by the toddler.  Thankfully she had some pretty nice aunts and older cousins to assist and protect the fallen eggs.

 

Comparing and trading eggs - so, so many!

 

Poor Leah thought the basket was hers to keep but it was just a borrowed one.  It took me a bit to convince her that Elmo had to stay at Aunt Jenny's.

 

At some point during the day, there were rides in the back of the mule.  No worries, safe and slow drivers...well, at least Chris was safe when kids were onboard.  I think I had a post about him getting it stuck in a gully earlier.

I even had a chance to snuggle with this handsome little guy.  It's crazy to think that just 6 months ago Cooper was a tiny little fella weighing in at just over 2 pounds.  Both him and his twin sister Caitlin were so good at keeping their shades on.

Lesley also spent some time coloring these detailed eggs.  Eventually we hung them on the wall as decorations on Aunt Jenny's freshly painted basement walls.  We were careful with the tape!

We also went on various walks around the farm.  Elizabeth and Audra made perfect tour guides.

 

The rain boots were last minute adds to the trunk as I was packing.  So happy I threw those in!  It only rained a bit the night before, but it sure doesn't take much to make the farm a muddy mess!

This picture was snapped on a walk with Maren and Nora, and Grandma Nancy.  There sure are a lot of cute little girls in our family!

Great Grandma and Great Papa's {Easter}

After church on Sunday morning, we headed to Great Grandma and Great Papa's house.  It was so good to see them again.  Christmas doesn't seem that long ago, but there were a few scary and unsettling weeks back in February when Great Papa was dealing with some pretty serious health issues.  So thankful we had this afternoon with them.

These were all the little ladies after they collected their Easter eggs.  We got creative with the baskets.  Ha!

Lyssa was really good at picking up the eggs by this point.  Aunt Jean and Aunt Connie even added some pudding cakes into the mix for the kids to gather.  So creative...unless you are Lyssa.  Aimee would put one her basket, and soon Lyssa would grab it and throw it back on the ground.  Apparently egg hunting is ONLY for eggs and not for other treats.

The greats, the youngest grandkids, and all the great grandkids.  Seeing this photo now makes me wish I had jumped in a photo with my sister and brother.  Even if we are all in our 30's (don't worry little bro, it's only a matter of days before you reach the big 3-0), we are still their grandkids.

Lesley had a lot of fun gathering the eggs.  The bigger kids went faster around the house, which was okay because that left a few undiscovered eggs for the younger ones to grab.

After the egg hunting, Aunt Jean had the great idea to help clean up the remaining leaves and old brush around the house.  Of course, her idea was mostly to prevent Grandpa from doing it.  But that was too much to hope for.  At age 95, just 6 weeks after brain surgery and rehab to learn how to walk again, he was still out there with a rake, bending over and picking up debris.  Seriously!?  But, Aunt Jean, Aunt Connie, and my dad all said it nicely, "it makes him happy so we wouldn't want it any other way."

I sure hope our whole family got the longevity genes Grandpa got, and also the motivation and ambition to stay active for so long.

Back to the egg hunting, Leah had her own personal assistant.  Megan declared herself too old to hunt eggs, but she was a huge help for Leah.  Here Megan is holding the bucket so Leah can shove a few eggs in her pockets.  Nice work girls!

Lesley also helped Megan put together her new lego set.  I was impressed how long this held Lesley's attention.  Perhaps a new toy idea in her future.

Leah and her newest good buddy.

We had a great time catching up with the Holtz family and I was so thankful the girls and I didn't have to travel south that day.  We spent a relaxing evening at Grandma Nancy's (previous post), a much better night of sleep, and were powered up Monday morning to head south back to Tulsa.  A great Easter weekend!