Counting

the days... I am getting really excited to meet my new baby son/daughter! My mom will be here in a few days to spend some quality time with Cayle while we are at the hospital, and then to help out when we come home. I know it will be more work, but that doesn't really bother me much. I am just excited to find out if it's a boy or a girl. Also excited to see how Cayle reacts the first time he meets his brother or sister. Watching the baby in my wife's belly is the coolest/creepiest thing! It really looks like it is trying to escape! There's just no space, and you can see all the movements/punches/rolls, everything! It really is such a miracle that there is a baby in there. Hard to understand until you have experienced it for yourself. (Not Natalie's belly or our baby...)

4 more days...of work

This morning at 9 am, one of the secretaries said "This time next week you'll have a baby!" How right she is...yikes!

Now that today is over, only four more days of work left. I have a meeting Wednesday afternoon, so I'll be out of the building that day. Then I have meetings on Thursday and will be out of the building that day as well. So, basically I have to teach on Tuesday and Friday and then I'll be done :)

Happy Easter

What a nice day! The weather was gorgeous :)

We left for church a bit early since we knew it would be packed. But even though we were 15 minutes early, we still had to sit in the basement in the overflow seating. Nick and I have never seen that many people at church before! Cayle got lots of compliments on looking handsome in his new outfit!

After church, we headed to the grocery and got the week's groceries. Once we got home, we took some photos and then headed out back to hang out. Cayle rode his bike, we all had lunch, and just relaxed until it was Cayle's nap time. I fell asleep while Cayle napped, and Nick went out for a bike ride.



Significant Easter events: Macy Elizabeth Brandt was born this morning. I love the name and can't wait to meet her! Also, the Cubs recorded their first (and hopefully not last!) win of the 2012 baseball season!

Lots Going On!

Pretty busy social calendar this weekend!

Friday night we had some friends over to decorate eggs and have a little egg hunt for the boys. Tiffany made a really yummy peanut butter/yogurt/strawberry jelly dip with fruit. Melinda stuffed eggs for the boys, and even made them their own "name" egg. Zoe couldn't make it since she had a rough day and went to bed early, but her dad came over and found her egg for her :)

Cayle enjoying his work on his eggs

Busy egg-coloring table!

Carter chilling out during the egg hunt

Cayle showing off his goods

Then today we had a birthday party for Cayle to go to for Kennedie. The theme was bugs (lady). They also had a bounce house in the backyard. Up to this point, those things have terrified Cayle, but he actually enjoyed this on! Maybe he's over his fear!

making bubbles at the party

first trying out the slide

then venturing inside the bounce house

After the party, mommy and Cayle came home and took a nap while Nick went for a bike ride. Then it was time to get ready for date night!

Mary arrived to watch Cayle a little after 4. Nick and I headed up valley to get dinner/apps and go to a movie with some friends. It was a fun, relaxing time...probably our last night out alone in a very long while :)

Nick and I at dinner

off to the movie

Things

Baseball started! The Cardinals are 1-0 and have a chance at an undefeated season! The Cubbies are 0-1 and have begun their losing ways...

Weather has been gorgeous here, usually mid 60's and gloriously sunny! This has allowed Cayle and I lots of time to get outside on our bikes and work on our tans.

We have been super busy with school, taking Cayle to all of his activities, and making final preparations for baby #2. Making sure all the housework things are done before baby arrives! House is looking pretty clean, and we are both getting pretty excited!

Big weekend (could be our last before the baby!) Painting eggs tomorrow evening, then Cayle has a birthday party to go to on Saturday. Saturday evening some of our friends have planned a night out for dinner and a movie as a final hurrah for us before we become a family of 4!

Jumping

Cayle continues to make great strides in the pool! Last week he began jumping off the side walls of the pool into my arms, and couldn't get enough. Today he didn't even head toward the kiddie area, instead opting to head toward the Lazy River. I'm thinking, "surely he won't jump." But turns out, he was ready to, he pointed at the Lazy River and said water... So I hopped in and turned around and he also jumped in. He jumped off the wall a few more times into my arms. Then I stopped catching him when he jumped and he would go under and then pop back up and I would grab him. He loved this! He was jumping off the wall into the pool without me catching him! The other thing he did today was trying to swim. He would jump off the steps into the water and splash his arms and kick his feet trying to get to me! He is learning to swim. He loves it when I hold his belly, and he can splash his arms and kick his feet while we float around the lazy river! It was pretty obvious when we left that he was not closing his eyes underwater, because they were super bloodshot!

What we learned today:
1. To jump off the wall on our own.
2. To kick feet and paddle arms trying to swim.

Getting Close!

20 weeks

27 weeks

35 weeks

37 weeks

As you can see from the pictures, I've done a lot of growing. The baby is quite an active little one, even though I have no idea how he/she has room to move around! I seem to be getting more and more tired each day :) We have 2 more weeks left before the scheduled c-section on April 16.