Topsail Beach (8/4 - 8/7/09)

A few days after our Cherokee Trip, we headed to Topsail Beach in NC. It was the first time the kids and I have ever step foot on a beach. It was a glorious experience and one that we hope to repeat again! But our trip started out on a bad foot. A few days before our departure, Thing 2 came down with a fever. We thought it may be just a garden variety fever and that we would still be able to head out, albeit a day later than planned. But on the day we were about to leave, Thing 2 stopped talking and stopped opening her mouth. I looked at her throat and it was red. Just the night before, my throat began to feel sore. For me, it was an impending strep-throat. This was the 4th time I had gotten it in 5 months. And because Thing 2's throat was red, I was pretty sure it was also strep throat. So the morning of our departure, Daddy brought Thing 2 to the hospital (the kids were still in VA medicaid at this point and could only be seen through the ER outside of VA). And I headed to the local Urgent Care. By lunch time, we headed to the beach packed with antibiotics.

This was our first evening at the beach. I coaxed the girls to get on the water, but they were scared. I worked with Thing 1 for a while, and got her to be confident of the water. But Thing 2 was not meant to be. She was not feeling well.
(Thing 2 in pink, Thing 1 in green)

Everyone enjoyed the sand!

Thing 2 looks for the perfect sand to play in.

Curious George was the most excited of all! He jumped right in on the water with Daddy.

In between playing in the water, he played in the sand and dug tons of holes looking for crabs.

We brought a canopy with us, which allowed us to stay pretty much the entire day at the beach the next day. Here is Thing 1 obsessed with sunscreen.

Poor Thing 2 conked out. Her was low grade after being on the antibiotics, but she was very tired. On our last day, she even developed scarlet fever.

On the 3rd day, a storm came. But after it had passed, we packed up the sand toys and chairs and headed back. Daddy and nephew got to enjoy the bigger surf and had fun body surfing.

Before bed one night, Daddy had the urge to to go the beach. I don't know why. But I went with him anyway. It was pitch black, windy, but very peaceful. All we could manage is blurry pictures though. The camera fogged up the moment I opened it.

It can't be a beach trip without someone getting buried! Thing 1 and I got busy burying a very giggly Curious George.

And of course, Daddy! I had to give him a sexy figure, complete with preggo belly. He is cupping his boobies here and was a little disappointed. He said he didn't mind boobs as long as they were ginormous. I thought I did give him big ones, but apparently they weren't big enough.
We just love Daddy's sense of humor!

Sexy Daddy!

Digging around with Cousin B.

Thing 1 got a beautiful tan!

Curious George outside the beach house.

Thing 1 in our room.

Incidentally, Daddy contracted H1N1 during this beach trip. He complained of sore body the last day we were there, but we thought it was normal considering he was on the water body surfing everyday we were there. But when the body ache lasted a few more days after getting home, he went to the doctor and tested positive for Type A flu. Being in the middle of summer, Type A flu was pretty much a sure thing that it was H1N1. A week after he got better, after Thing 2 recovered from strep throat, she contracted H1N1 as well. The poor, poor little angel. Both Daddy and Thing 2 didn't have high fever, but they had the severe body ache. In fact, Thing 2 couldn't even walk for a good week. We had to carry her around, she was so sore.

Also at this time, being that this was my 4th time with strep throat, I was given 2 very strong antibiotics to finally kill off this antibiotic-resistent bug. We didn't know I was pregnant. Thankfully, baby is just fine and the strep is finally gone!

(I will post beach videos next.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday, I had my 20-week ultrasound. I was worried and excited...worried that something may be wrong with the baby, and excited at the same time. Well, we found out that we are having another baby boy!!! Both Daddy and I are excited that now we have 2 boys and 2 girls. Who could ask for anything better? This baby is a surprise, coming at what many would thing is a "bad time", being that Daddy has been unemployed since February. But we see this baby as a complete blessing. Being unemployed for this long is unfortunate, but with God's help, we've survived.

A long time ago, Daddy and I have told each other that there is nothing we can't handle as long as our family is together. Family is the most important thing there is. We can survive with much less, and still be happy as long as our family is taken care off. Due to a series of decisions we've made throughout our marriage, this time of unemployment could have been a lot more stressful and devastating than it really has. This is not to say that it has been easy on any of us, but we can definitely see the forest for tress. (Is that how that goes?)

Daddy has received 3 job offers recently, and 2 of them are viable. We are now just thinking of what is best for our family: Texas, or Northern Virginia. There are a few more hurdles to overcome: driving with 3 kids, moody pregnant Mommy, and a Daddy who has to deal with us all. But it's a task we would gladly undertake.

This Thanksgiving, we can't help but think of the never-ending things we are thankful for:

• Daddy's parents who have welcomed us with open arm,
• time the kids have spent with their grandparents
• time the kids and I have spent with Daddy
• being blessed with one more healthy baby boy
• a smart, highly independent, strong-willed son
• 2 beautiful, fascinating, smart, sassy daughters
  
• great and soulful, going on 13-yr marriage (whoah, that's long!)
• all the people that love and care about us
• and many many many more.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Kiddie Festival (4/18/09)

Who knew I have pictures from April that I haven't posted. Back in April, there was a Kiddie Festival that we decided to bring the kids too. It's nothing big, but definitely enjoyable for the little ones.

The girls had their first encounter with mascots and surprisingly, they did just fine. They even played with them. :)

Thing 2 is showing off the pin wheel she won. Incidentally, this was the only time these dresses fit the girls.

Curious George and Thing 1. Notice the girls' hats. They were a part of their Easter Baskets.

Of course...Curious George in a fire truck and grinning like a fool.

We came home with a pet, too. This boy was beyond himself when he won a goldfish. He named it Punky. Punky is still alive and thriving today.

NC Zoo videos

10/31/09

Here are videos from the zoo (the pictures are posted here). How did these kids get so big so fast? Curious George is slightly over 3 1/2 ft tall, wearing size 11.5 shoe and 6-7 yr old clothes. His sisters are about 3 ft tall, wearing size 9.5 shoes (Thing 2's feet are ever so slightly bigger) and 4T clothes.

Thing 2 is wearing pink, Thing 1 is in white.



Here are the kids loving the colorful poisonous frogs. Notice Curious George holding the Zoo map. He planned our route the entire time based on which animals he wanted to see. We didn't see the entire Zoo since it is too big.



You can see in Thing 1's face how tired she is and hungry. Curious George's excitement is still going strong here. He loves animals! He has told us many times that he wants to be a Zoologist and Entomologist...among many other things of course.



On the move again, following Curious George. They were all hesitant to walk on the floor vents.

NC Zoo (10/31/09)

With Trick or Treating out of the way a few days prior, we were able to enjoy the Zoo on Halloween. The forecast was rain starting midday, but it actually started in the morning. But we went ahead with the plan to go to NC Zoo. Good thing, too. There was barely anyone around!

Fascinated by the Lions.

Thing 2 on the Carousel with Daddy. Thing 1 was with me, but the photo is too blurry to post.

Curious George chose this frog to ride on.

Thing 1 guzzling water. This was about 2pm. The girls were tired but were absolute troopers. She's wearing a necklace she won by tossing bean bags through a small hole (a fund raising for the Bats part of the Zoo).

Giant Bumble Bee!

Posing Turles.


I wonder who got scared first?

Crocodiles! They're all real!

Nana and the girls. Is Thing 2 showing her assets to her sister? I wonder.

Mommy and Thing 2.

the little camera women (8/11/09)

I let Thing 1 have the camera, and this is what she captured. She kept calling "Daddy" but Daddy was at home in VA at the time.



Thing 2 had the camera this time, only to capture Thing 1's tantrum about having to give up the camera. Oh, what fun.

Trick or treat! (10/29/09)

The area here is not trick or treating friendly, so we found a nice substitute. One of the local malls hosted a trick or treat even on Oct. 29th, so we dressed up everyone and went. They had a lot of fun!

Thing 2 is a princess, Thing 1 is a witch and Curious George is a pirate king. Curious George has planned out his costume months in advance, so it was only a matter of finding one he was happy about. On a side note, he has actually planned out costumes for the next 2-3 halloweens. The girls' costumes were a matter of convenience. The weekend before, we went out to the stores and happen to find these 2 at BabiesRUs at 50% off. That makes momma happy! It may not be so obvious, but they are a little small though. They are both sized 36 months. They really need 48 months, but such is the circumstance when you shop late.

Oh, I almost forgot. While shopping for swords that go with Curious George's pirate costume, he had to buy 2 extra ones for his sisters. It may be a tradition starting from Halloween of 2008, when even as fairies, Curious George had to have his sisters hold glowing swords.

We invaded the first bath of stores and the girls were busy planning on eating the candies already. Thank goodness for some candies without milk!
(Thing 1 has a hat with this costume, but she refused to wear it.)

Family picture! (Notice my already huge belly. I guess that's what happens the 3rd time around. I am only 16 weeks on this picture!)

Soccer 10/10/09

I have tons of pictures and been too unorganized to post them. Some of the pictures are still on the camera, some on an external hard drive that isn't currently connected to my laptop, and some on Daddy's computer. I want to post them in order, but that just means I'm going to fall further and further behind. So without any more hoo haas, here are some of them.

This is the soccer on a rainy October day. It was fairly dry in the beginning but the rain came down hard in the middle. These little troopers of 4 and 5 year olds just kept on going without complaints.

The cheer leading team - (Thing 1 in pink, Thing 2 in white)

Big girls! Thing 2 is filling up because she eats like she's a bottomless pit, and Thing 1 is slowing down. Daddy and I now have to take a couple of seconds to tell them apart sometimes.

The little man of the hour during a pre-game drill.

The rain starts pouring, the team keeps going. Notice the thumbs up I got. :)

Being goofy! Being a defender (near the goalie) means he was told not to leave the area.


Curious George scores a goal!