Testing....

He is here!!

I know most of my blog readers are on my Facebook, also, but just for my records...

Lawson James Utley is HERE! He was born on September 14th @ 3:00am. Weighing in at 8lbs. 3oz. and 21in long. He was FIVE days over due, but so worth the wait! ;) I had my membranes stripped at the doctors office at 3pm on Friday, the 13th, and he was here exactly 12hrs later. Guess he just needed us to get serious about his eviction! ha! He is PERFECT!! And, a total doll! He has tons of black hair, looks a whole lot like his big sisters :), and he is just the sweetest little thing ever. He is so chill. He eats and sleeps great, and when he's awake he just watches us and takes it all in. We've barely heard him cry. He smiles at us a lot but seems to be quite serious, too! We need a little serious around here! ha! :) I just can't get enough of him!! We are all crazy in love with him. The girls still want to do everything with him. His newness has not worn off at all. They are great with him, love helping and they are ready for him to do more than eat, sleep and pee/poop, but I have warned them that once he is doing more, they will regret hoping for that! ha!

Okay, Lawson..it's time for a real talk!

If this kid makes me hold out forever like his sisters did, I am going to have a fit! ha! I'm 39 weeks and still trucking along...all big and pregnant! ;)

 

His room is all done and ready...

 

 We even have his little bag and car seat packed and ready to go...

 The girls painted pictures for his room! :)

 Now, we just impatiently await his arrival! :) In all my glory at 39 weeks! ha!

Dear sweet Lawson...I have had my roots done, had a pedicure and manicure (the important stuff to have done before his arrival-ha!), our house is ready, your bottles are ready, your clothes are washed, your sisters want to meet you, the whole town is on baby watch, along with everyone in Dixon, KY and southern IN! ha! I am willing to hold out until Sept. 11, ONLY because that is your Grandpa's birthday (and I think it would be great to have a boy, named after my Dad, on his birthday) but the painful contractions and sleepless nights, really have me hoping you don't make me wait too much past 40 weeks!!

Everyone has their theory and guess as to when he will be here, but I truly have no idea! I have my next appt. on Thursday, the 5th, and while I am hoping I don't make it until then, I will not be at all surprised if I do and if I simply get another, 'see you next week!' from the doctor! UGH!!! haha! I really do feel pretty good still, and between the girls and work and every day life and activities, the days go by quickly. And, while I know he will be here in about 2 weeks or less (whether he wants to be or not-ha!), the waiting is SO hard!! ha! As different as I have felt, I didn't think he would hold out as long as the girls did, but now I am not so sure. I'm guessing I have the world's most comfy uterus or something! haha! But, in all seriousness, I am just so thankful that he is healthy, I am healthy and he is getting bigger every day. I went into labor on my own with both girls, so I am hopeful that I will do the same this time, and I just hope and pray for a smooth/healthy delivery and baby! It will be here before we know it!! :)

Back to school time...

Well, the summer was great and before we knew it, it was time for these girls to head back to school. Liv is doing Pre-K at Aviston, so there was MUCH excitement about the girls FINALLY getting to be at the same school! I LOVE that they are best of friends. :) Some times they are on the playground at the same time, and those are the best days EVER!! ha! The love that they can see each other at school. Abby LOVES having her little sister there. It's so sweet!! And, speaking of my big girl, she was off to 2nd grade! Where does the time go?

We had Open House the night before Abby went back. This was the only photo I got. I was slacking that night...too much talking and catching up and answering 500 questions about when the baby would be here! ha! ;)

 Abby started back a day before Liv, so we got to celebrate the first day of school twice!

 A better shot of the shoes!! ;)

 Finally growing into her backpack...a little.

 My sweet girl!! :) Always so proud of her!!

 With her BFF, Avery! They are in the same class...SCORE!!

 And, the following day it was Liv's turn...oh, goodness....so exciting!!! :)

 I just want to grab her and take her back home and swaddle her like a baby. How can she be so big already!?!?! :(

 She even had a locker...BIG STUFF!!

 With her sweet little friend, Lila! Lila's big sister is in Abby's grade and one of her best friends, so these 2 know each other pretty well already...and, they are trouble! ha! But, so cute, you can't hardly stand it! :)

 With her teacher! :)

I feel like I need a little update on both girls before we add another to the mix. First of all, and I am not just saying this because they are mine, they really are such good kids. We are so fortunate. They are sweet and well behaved (for the most part-ha!) and we just have SO much fun with them.

Abby-I can't believe she is in 2nd grade and will be 8 soon. WOW!! She loves school and is so smart. I really, really hope that school always comes so easily for her. She does such a good job on all of her school work. We couldn't ask for anything more from her. She is fairly quiet and flies under the radar most of the time while at school, until it's recess, PE, lunch or one of the times when she gets to be social with her friends! Then, the real Abby comes out! haha! She has lots of sweet little friends, and I love that we are at a small school where she is with the same kids for years, we know their families, etc. It's so nice. I got the best compliment on her the other day. One of my friends, who has a little boy in Abby's class, sent me a note and told me that she just wanted me to know that Abby had been so sweet to her son when he was having a hard time with 2nd grade. Their lockers are right next to each other, and she had seen Abby being a good friend to him! :) THAT is the stuff that makes me the most proud. She is a VERY creative child. She loves art and is OBSESSED with music. She loves to write songs and research music. She can tell you who sings what, when it came out, recite every lyric, etc. She loves to sing and wants to learn how to play the guitar, so we are looking into starting lessons for her. She loves to read, and is an excellent little reader. She took the summer off from tumbling but wanted to start back up in gymnastics doing bars and beam, etc., so she started back a couple of weeks ago and is loving her new gym, new coach, new class. She is doing awesome, too. And, she moved up to Brownies this year in Girl Scouts. We've only had one meeting so far, but she really enjoys it.

Liv-Our Livvy Lou will be FIVE in just 19 days!! I really can't believe that. Like I said, she started Pre-K at the 'big' school, and LOVES it. She goes 5 days a week, but only in the afternoons, so I still get my mornings with her! :) She is my little sidekick. She loves to do anything and everything we are doing. Doesn't matter if its cleaning or working, etc. she wants to help, and she is a work horse. I can give her any job and I know it will be done...and, done correctly. She is wild and funny and such a goof ball. We crack up at her all. day. long. Never a dull moment. But, in total contrast, she is VERY quiet at school. She is very much an observer until she is 100% sure of a situation. But, like her big sister, she also does very well at school. She really could have started Kindy this year, but the cut off date here is Sept. 1st so she missed it by 19 days, but that's okay! She will be even more prepared for next year. :) She is also still in gymnastics, of course. The kid flips NON-STOP! I have never seen anything like it. Scott's Dad built a gymnastics bar for the girls and installed it yesterday. I am pretty sure we will never get her off of it. She has asked for a balance beam next. And, if she wants it, she will find a way to get it! ha! She is the most convincing child I have ever known. She can talk anyone into anything. She really needs to be an attorney! ha!

MASSIVE BLOG UPDATE!

I'm not even sure if anyone still reads the blog-ha!, but if so, be sure to scroll all the way down and even to the older page. I have been BUSY getting this blog updated!! :) ENJOY!!

WE ARE READY FOR BABY!!! :)

 

I have to say, I have the BEST bunch of friends here. My good friend, Stephanie, along with some other friends and neighbors had me a 'sprinkle' for Lawson. It was so nice, and so thoughtful.

 All the cuties that attended the shower! :) They were too busy playing to join us for much!

 LOVE this UTLEY bag. SO cute!!

 A few party goers were gone before we got the group shot but here is most of us!! They spoiled us...so many sweet gifts: adorable clothes, diapers, toys, etc AND a newborn photo session here at the house. I am SO excited! What a perfect gift for someone that loves photos and loves photos of her kids! ;)

 The Grandpa's putting the crib together. (I will post an after shot of his room once we hang his letters.) It's pretty much done, though. Good thing, since he will be here any day now! ha!

 Someone is taking her Big Sister role very seriously. I hope Lawson is ready to be mothered by three of us, because these girls are ready for him!! :)

 They painted canvases for their new rooms, and painted ones for us to hang in Lawson's room, too.

A little update: I am due in just 2 weeks. As I said before, both girls were late, so we might have 3 weeks to go (at the most) or he could be here any day. I am already dilating and things are getting ready, so I am hoping for a smooth, easy delivery like I had with Liv. Mom is freaking out that she won't make it here in time, and there is a chance she won't :(, but I'm hoping he will be a good boy and cooperate. Abby's whole labor was just 12hrs, Liv's was only about 7hrs, and they say each one gets faster...maybe I should be camped out at the hospital! ha! I'm already 3cm dilated and thinning out (some of you will know what that means, I will spare the rest of you the details! haha!) so I have birthed him about 1/3 of the way already, and haven't even gone into labor yet...Go, me! hahahaha! Oh, goodness. I am really trying to stay positive and not think about how uncomfortable I am. I am having real contractions, but nothing that is regular enough to time yet. I really hope he doesn't make us wait as long as the girls did, but I am prepared if he does! :) Everything is ready, we are as ready as we can be, and I think everyone in town is on baby watch! haha! I am at that point where I sometimes dread school pick up, meetings, etc. because I know I will hear 100 times, 'you still haven't had that baby!'...'when is he coming?' etc. Not that I mind talking about it, but clearly, I am STILL pregnant, and yes, I am a ticking time bomb, I know this!! ha! With that being said, COME ON, LAWSON!!! :)

Another cheer camp! :)

So, you know I don't hate that my girls love cheering and tumbling! Liv still had to wait one more year (look out next year, though) before she can attend Mater Dei's big cheer camp, but Abby was all about it this year.

 

Abby flying in one of the floor cheers!

 

 With some of her favorites. I taught Callie and Emma tumbling for years so Abby adores them. Such sweet girls. I can't believe they are in high school now!! :)

 And, with Emma. These 2 are kindred spirits! :) And, I have an endless supply of babysitters! ha!

 With her BFF after the pep rally at the end of the week! :)