VOTE FOR ZaBABY!

So the BIG ultrasound (3D baby!) is scheduled for July 28 (next Monday). If ZaBaby cooperates we will find out if he is a boy or she is a girl...then Ben and I can argue all the way to Southern California over names...it could be a blood bath....I'm just saying.

So if you are so inclined you may vote on if you think it is a boy or a girl. Look to the right of the page...under my twitters.

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For those of you who don't see me day to day and haven't had the pleasure of talking to my despondent self on the phone...I still feel crappy. I'm not throwing up anymore but GOOD LORD! You'd think by the 3rd pregnancy my body would say "Oh yeah...I know what this is all about...I won't make Mary a tired, cranky, pukey mess this time." *sigh*



ps - I'm behind - I know this and it is on my 20 item 'To Do' list - right after 'Find flooring for kitchen so we can get the new dishwasher installed...and oh yeah...order said dishwasher!'
I have last day of school pictures...Misc summer pictures...South Carolina pictures (where we learned that Abby is a water baby)...Michael's 5th birthday party pictures...and I'm sure others that are on the camera that I've forgotten I took. I also have some video to post...if I could find the power cable that goes to that camera. Don't ask my husband...he's made his feelings on that matter known.

What do you want from me!!! I'm incubating over here and I haven't had a dishwasher in 4 months!

Baby Clare

When we got home from Nana and Dziadzia's Aunt Amanda brought baby Clare out to Oregon for a visit. We super love baby Clare!

I was very interested in playing with baby Clare - I am ready to be a big brother again. I'm very good with babies!

Off Nana and DziaDzia's house we go...

At the end of June we flew out to South Carolina to visit our Nana and Dziadzia. We had lots of fun playing in their pool and celebrating Michael's 5th birthday and Abby's 3 1/2 birthday.

Dziadzia brought Abby a beautiful gardinia from his garden to wear in her hair for her birthday party and Nana let Abby wear her kitty cat brooch.


Nana made Abby her favorite foods for her birthday lunch.

(see the gazelles on the wall behind the table? Abby called them ghosts and named them Uncle Pat and Joe)

Abby LOVED the Madam Alexander doll that looked like her and came with a little lamb (just like her).

"Happy 1/2 birthday to Abby!"

I'm a princess!

Nana and Dziadzia's neighborhood had a 4th of July parade and picnic. Nana led the parade and Michael and Abby walked behind her. I walked with them until Abby got tired and then I carried her back to the club house. After the parade we had yummy food...we really liked the watermelon. It was a very hot and humid day so we were ready to go home and jump in the pool.

"Happy 5th Birthday to Michael"

(Michael handled the singing better than in years past, 3rd and
4th)

Then it was out to the pool for more fun. Abby was very independent and didn't want any help in the water. Michael was more cautious and stayed on the step or with Daddy and Dziadzia.

That night we celebrated more with sparklers - the kids really enjoyed those (once they got the hang of it).

Unfortunately the week went by really fast and we had to go back home. Thank you Nana and Dziadzia for such a wonderful visit!

Well It's A Good Thing...

We sucked it up and bought this last summer.

because we are now expecting one of these!

Baby Z #3 is expected to arrive December 20-23, 2008!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Today is Ben and I's 8th Wedding Anniversary (holy camoly!).

Our beautiful flower girl Rachel was 4 years old.
(she is 12 now!!! - and our chief babysitter)

[these are just a few of the pictures I have scanned to the computer - our wedding was way back in the dark ages before photographers were really using digital cameras - :P]

Pirate Day!

Today was Pirate Day at school (which Mommy forgot about and scrambled before we left for school to put something together). I was NOT happy about my pirate bandana. I finally agreed to wear it to school but I wouldn't let Mrs. Vicky take my picture and I wouldn't smile for Mommy.

Unusual Day!

This week my class was studying the letter 'U' - so today was 'Unusual" day. We had to come to school wearing something unusual. I wanted to either wear my clothes inside out or backwards...inside out won. Everyone looked very silly in their 'unusual' clothes.

So Tired!...take 2

Don't really think a caption is necessary...lol

That must be a comfy couch!

Aunt Mandy and Baby Clare come to visit!

Aunt Amanda and baby Clare came to visit!

It was so much fun to have them here. Both Abby and I really liked to hold her and she liked to smile at me!

For some reason we don't have very many pictures (just this one of Maria and Clare) but don't worry they are coming back (and bringing Uncle Josh) in May for the baptism (mommy and daddy are the godparents).

So Tired!

Yeah...so I got a little tired and fell asleep in the playroom.
Good news is that I'm styling in the new gardening gloves my mommy got me.

Race Car Fun!

Daddy got us this cool race track (Darda Twisting Towers) - it is SO MUCH FUN!

Helping Daddy

Daddy's back was hurting so we helped him out by walking on his back...it was WAY fun.

HAPPY EASTER!

Here we are watching a movie at Grandma and Grandpa's - we were waiting for the Easter Egg hunt. It is so wet here in the spring that we like to have our hunt inside.
Every year one of the teacher's Grandma's used to work with delivers a hand painted Easter egg. For many years we didn't know who was delivering them until one year Grandpa woke up very very very early in the morning and caught our "Easter Bunny" making her delivery. Here is this year's Egg.

Abby insisted on carrying her Easter purse AND her Easter basket to find eggs.

Katie and Maria were very good at helping Sara, Michael and Abby find the eggs.

**Aunt Kelly, Uncle Ray and Joe and Rachel were in Washington DC for Easter. So Katie, Maria and Sara were staying with Grandma and Grandpa.

Thank You Penny and Josh!

My good friend (and womb buddy) Penny and her little brother Josh sent me a super cool Dora bathing suit and cover up! I will be SO styling this summer at Warners and Nana and Dziadzias. We particularly liked the color your own Dora birthday card. I wish they could live by us but stupid jobs keep them in Ohio!

Perhaps not the best idea...

So I needed a hair cut and Mommy kept saying "We'll do it soon"...well I got tired of waiting and decided to do a little trim myself...that got her moving!

Here is Baby Clare!

Hi! My name is Clare Noelani.

I was born on February 18, 2008 at 10:47pm. I was 7lbs 11oz and 21 inches long.

My entrance was quick and uneventful. Mommy's labor was smooth and "easy." I am a very good little baby and I like to "kick it" - as my Uncle Paul would say.

Coolest Table EVER!

Grandma and Grandpa got me (and Michael) this really cool table for my birthday. It is the perfect size for little people like us!

Abby's Birthday Party...

Today was my birthday party. Mommy found it very challenging to get pictures of me opening up my presents because all the kids were crowding around. I want to thank Austin, Jacob, Garrett, Landon, Olivia, Sara, Maria and of course Michael for coming to my birthday and making my party extra special!

Garrett really liked the elephant hat I got...hee hee!

Once upon a time...11 years ago...

on February 8, 1997, a girl walked into a party in Flanner Hall at Notre Dame. Immediately she noticed a boy with an amazing smile. She really didn't want to meet anyone that night and sat herself on the couch. The boy noticed the girl sitting there and got a little offended that she was at his party and not having a good time. So he made it his mission that night to make her laugh...and the rest, as they say, is history....This is the first picture taken of Mommy (18) and Daddy (19). It was taken in late February 1997, before the Saint Mary's College All School Formal. Mommy had originally been set up on a blind date with another boy. She was able to set that boy up with her roommate (thanks Elisha!) and asked Daddy to go to the dance with her.

Oh...and yes...mommy had blond hair.