LOTTS GOING ON: News and a Name

Well we got the call this week that there is a spot available for Arden in Jr. Kindergarten in the fall, so we accepted and will be enrolling him in our neighborhood school this fall! I am excited for him to be around kids every day and for him to have something to do each day that will be beneficial to him. I feel like I can focus more on the important things at home now in teaching him more about Jesus and the Bible than I could if I was also trying to teach him all the basics of letters and numbers, etc. Of course, we've still got a lot of "schooling" to do at home, but I feel really good about our decision to put him in school this year and think and pray it will be a good thing for all of us. So that's our big news this week...come August, we will have a school kid! Ah.

We have finally decided on a name for our new little one! I tell you, it's been quite the process, and I was scared we might have to just call him Number 3 or something. We just could not agree on any names and have been talking about it ever since we knew it was a boy. Thankfully, though, we have officially shaken hands and called it done! We are going to keep it a secret until he gets here though - can't have anyone making us doubt our decision since it's been such a tough one! ha.

Other than that, we are basically surviving these days. I've got 6 weeks to go according to my due date, so I'm assuming it will be more like 7 before baby boy gets here, but I am SO ready. I'm not gonna lie, this pregnancy is hard. Praise the Lord the sickness ended around the 2nd trimester, but my body is not taking it well otherwise. I am sore all over and have a hard time just walking around, much less trying to accomplish anything. I got my obligatory pregnancy migraine this past week, so hopefully that won't happen again! (I've gotten only one with both of my other pregnancies - weird.) This makes for a grumpy mom and bored kids, but we are making it. The boys are pretty understanding and I keep telling myself that I won't feel this way the rest of my life, this is a short season, and Lord willing, I'll be able to get back to a new normal soon after birth where I can play with my kids again!

We have been potty training Porter this week and things are going pretty well. I tried a few times in the past couple months and he wasn't ready, but I think he is now. He didn't just train himself like someone else I know (Arden!) so I'm having to figure out how to teach someone how it all works! He's doing really well though, and I think it's starting to make sense. Gummy worms and M&Ms have definitely helped the process! My goal is to not have 2 in diapers at the same time! We'll see if we can do it!

We are ready for Missy to get here to visit and play with us! She comes on my due date and the boys are really excited that she's coming to our house, and I, of course, am very thankful for the help she brings! Until then....

We've been enjoying a package we got from Missy with new clothes and shoes and Sweetarts, of course!

While Missy and Pop were getting snow at their house, we were playing in the backyard in our swimsuits with water toys.

We FINALLY got some rain here and some cooler weather for a few days. We really enjoyed getting our yard watered and getting to play in the puddles.

But just because the rain stopped, doesn't mean that we were done playing in the water and mud....had to make our own!

Being two is pretty exhausting sometimes - couldn't even make it to nap time.

This boy loves his dad. And I do too! I must say how thankful I am that William is so patient and helpful all the time, but especially right now. He gets up with the boys every morning so I can sleep some more and jumps right in when he gets home every day to help entertain them and help me with dinner, etc. I really wouldn't be surviving without him!