Snow Cones

Well it has been 5 weeks, and I feel like I am slowly returning to the real world. Made the brave trip to WalMart yesterday for the first time with Gage in tow. And now to catch up on my blog. I need to start where I left off and that was the Friday of Spring Break. We finally made it for a Snow Cone. The kids had been begging all week. Something as simple as that can make them so happy. We even stopped off for a trip to the dollar store.

I had planned on taking them to Zube Park Saturday morning. Every 3rd Saturday of the month they have free train rides. But unfortunately I woke up not feeling well. I rested for most of the day. Little did I know this was the first signs that baby Gage would be joining us very soon. I am glad I was able to celebrate Spring Break with the boys, because life was about to change.

The Baby has arrived!!

Baby Gage Reeves Roberson was born March 22, 2010 at 5:37 PM. He weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long.

I am adjusting to life as a mommy of 3, but promise to post some pictures of our beautiful boy soon.

Pump It Up

Our big outing of the week was to Pump It Up last night. I thought the kids would really enjoy a special trip to bounce. They had open bounce last night until 7:00, so Mark picked the boys up and met me there at 5:30. They had no idea where we were going. We kept it a surprise, as are all of our plans this week.

By 6:30 they were pretty much bounced out, red faced, and ready to go. We wanted our monies worth (and for them to go right to sleep at bedtime...which they did) and had them play 15 more minutes to get them good and tired. (Although Keaton never has a problem going to sleep, it is Cort that gets out of bed 3-5 times. Cort still takes a nap at school so I guess he is not as tired as Keaton. Wait till he starts Kindergarten!)

Pump It Up has made some changes since the last time we were there. One room is still the same, but the other room has added a really big obstacle course. It still has the giant slide and a basketball bounce, but the obstacle course takes up half of the room. It was a nice change since we have been there soooo many times.

We have another surprise outing planned for Saturday morning. I just hope the weather holds since it is supposed to rain. And we still have to get that promised Snow Cone......they haven't forgotten about it!

Park in the Spring Time

Keaton has been enjoying his week at daycare as I have mentioned. Yesterday the older kids went on their field trip leaving only Kindergarten and 1st Grade. This means Keaton was able to spend the majority of the day on the BIG FLOOR. Keaton loves the big floor. It has more than one arcade rooms, pool tables, fuse ball, air hockey, etc. And as you can imagine, allows the kids more freedom than they feel confined to one room. I usually find Keaton in the big arcade room waiting in line to play the Super Mario game.

Cort has been enjoying the week celebrating SPRING. Here he is in front of the a Butterfly filled tree they made in his room.

The weather was much better for our Wednesday special outing. I picked the boys up from school with a snack in tow and headed for a park. This park was recently renovated and the boys mentioned they wanted to go there last week. We stayed for well over an hour therefore I took lots of pictures.

Cort was getting frustrated because he couldn't do something Keaton did. Here is Keaton helping him like a great big brother! I realized I don't often see under Keaton's chin, but I got a good view as he hung upside down. You can see the scar from when he jumped into the swimming pool and hit the side. He probably needed stitches, but was lucky they glued and butterfly clamped it together. That happened August 2007.

So, when the kids were younger and I would take them to the park, I followed them around to make sure they didn't hurt themselves by climbing too high or stepping off the wrong place. I dreamed of the day that I could sit on the park bench, as all the other moms do, and just watch them play. Well, I have yet to get to that point. For some reason, I still stand nearby. As they have gotten older, their playing has become more dangerous. They climb high, hang upside down, and attempt flips. My mind just envisions the most awful fall as their tiny hand might slip from the bar and somehow I feel safer being closer. Believe me, 36 weeks pregnant I wanted to sit, but if somehow I could prevent an injury that is more important.

Cort was so proud that he could make it all the way across by himself.

As you can see in the background, there is always some older kids, of course with no parent supervision, climbing on places they shouldn't to show off for their friends. This boy, yes the one with long blonde hair, made me nervous several times. I don't want to have to rush to his aid as he lay bleeding on the ground.

So for now, I keep my boys close. We had a wonderful time on this beautiful spring day.......just going to the park.

Snow and Rain

Well, Tuesday's treat didn't go to plan. I picked up the kids and we were on our way to Snow Ball Palace for Snow Cones. They were closed due to rain. What, people don't eat snow cones in the rain?? So Mark and I scrambled for a new idea. We decided to try out a new restaurant. I know, sounds like more of a treat for me and Mark, but they advertised a playground. Unfortunately, we were told the playground area was not completed yet. I don't think it had even been started. But the kids were completely satisfied it had a small arcade room. And lucky for us the games were only a quarter each.

Keaton told us he really liked the food, but we saw right through that one. The kids did eat good, but we knew he was saying he wanted to come back because it had games. The food was okay, but a little pricey. The name was a familiar one to me, La Finca. There is no relation to the hometown Gilmer La Finca that I worked at in high school. Now Gilmer La Finca food would be a special treat!

We also picked up my new Glider Rocking Chair and jammed to the new Toby Mac CD. Cort wanted That Funky Jesus Music. Keaton fell asleep in the car once we turned the music down. He had a long day. They took a field trip to the bowling ally. All day at daycare seems to wear him out more than a normal school day. It is non-stop playing, running, going at daycare. They keep them entertained.

Overall it was a fun family outing. Maybe we can pick up a snow cone later in the week.

Spring Break Day #1--Bubbles, Bikes, and Buddies

Who says we have to go any where to have fun for Spring Break?? I usually take some time off to spend with the boys, but decided not to this year saving my vacation time for the summer. I decided instead to just have fun at home. I love that the boys are still young enough to appreciate and enjoy the simple things in life. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, just make them feel special. I know as they grow older this will not always be the case, but maybe the new baby will keep things on more simple ground for a little longer.

Besides Keaton has a fun filled week planned at the daycare. It started off with visit from a Magician.

So Monday, as I picked the kids up from daycare, they discovered a large new bottle of bubbles waiting for them in between their seats. It was even fruit scented. After a little snack, we played outside blowing bubbles and riding our bikes enjoying the extended day. I love Day Light Savings Time in the Spring! Yeah you lose an hour on Sunday, but you gain so much more time each day to enjoy being outside. This coming from a working mom who doesn't like arriving home at dark. The bubbles were a treat, but so is playing outside during the week. We never get to ride our bikes during the week, it is dark and we have homework.

Luke, the neighbor, joined us and even stayed for dinner. This was a first and a very special treat to have a friend over. After we finished a delicious meal of turkey tacos the kids enjoyed playing WII for a few minutes before we walked Luke home. (Luke wondered why our tacos were flat. We love the flat chalupa shells toasted in the oven. He says his family always eats the 'U' shaped tacos)

Keaton and Luke having a discussion.

The tooth fairy is broke

Look at that snaggle tooth grin below. Keaton has lost 3 teeth within the last month. To date a total of 5, 4 on bottom, 1 on top. The latest, the top tooth. We were not expecting this tooth to come out. When Keaton has a loose tooth, he leaves it alone until it is ready to come out. He may wiggle it a little here and there, but on its own it will become more and more loose. When it is ready, just hanging on, Mark will help him just by pushing it a little. Not the case this time.

Last weekend we were outside playing and Keaton borrowed Luke's, our neighbor, pogo stick. Keaton, not knowing how to jump on it or balance, began trying to learn. I saw him come down on the handles with his mouth not long into his lesson. The boys both started towards me with Keaton's hand over his mouth. Surprisingly there was no panic or crying from Keaton. When Keaton showed me his mouth, Luke said, "It's turning red". I found this humorous as the tooth was loose and bleeding. Maybe from now on I should refer to boo boo's as turning red instead of 'bleeding'. Could this defer some of the trauma?

Keaton went in the house with Mark and returned with one less tooth. Man, the tooth fairy is going broke. Did you know the going rate on a tooth these days is $3-5. Keaton is saving all his money to buy a Nintendo DS. It may take him a few more years, but I am proud of him.

I wouldn't say Keaton has mastered the pogo stick, but he definitely has the hang of it now. There maybe a pogo stick purchase in our future.

36 weeks!!!

I haven't posted an update lately about the baby. I am officially 36 weeks with 3 weeks to go. My C-Section has been scheduled for 4/6/10. At first, Mark and I were not happy about the date. We were thinking it would be earlier, maybe March 31. But after discussing it today with Rita, the nurse practitioner, we have decided to leave the date as April 6. If little man decides to come on his own, then I pray Dr. Imtiaz will be available to deliver him. (But please not on April 1) After all the experience with had with Cort being early, we want this little guy to have all the time he needs to develop fully.

I am getting very excited and would like to see his little face RIGHT now. But I know it is better to wait. For one, Dr. Imtiaz is on Spring Break, so no baby this week!!! I am ready at home and work. All is squared away and just waiting for his arrival. I will have 12 weeks off for maternity leave although I will be working from home during this time. Once I return I will still have 10 vacation days that I plan to use throughout the summer to phase back into working, adjust to being away from the baby and spending more time with Keaton and Cort before school starts. I am looking foward to my maternity vacation!

I don't want to rush the next 3 weeks, but the anticipation is building of the exciting time that is about to be upon us. I am still enjoying being pregnant so I will have to focus on that. Another reason Mark and I decided to leave the date alone is so I can maximize my time at home with Keaton this summer. If I were to have the baby right now, I would be going back to work just as Keaton gets out of school.

All is well with the baby and me. So far we are not moving forward as of yet, no dilation, again helping with the decision to wait it out. My feet and ankles have been swelling a lot lately. My feet look like balloons at the end of the day. My stretch marks are out in full force. I have been complaining about the itching and almost rash like appearance. The Aveeno lotion is helping but she said I could also use Benedryl cream. This reminds me when I was pregnant with Keaton, towards then end of the pregnancy I did actually break out in a rash on my belly. After the delivery it spread head to toe and I had to see a dermatologist the day I was released from the hospital. Boy did it ITCH!!! It was either all hormonal related or possibly spread due to a drug reaction. It cleared up within a week or so.

So we also have 3 more weeks to still contemplate a name. I have no stress over this decision. I find comfort in knowing that God knows not only the perfect date he will be born, but also his beautiful sweet name. Both will be revealed to us soon. We have narrowed it down to two. Will it be Caden (Cade) Reeves or Gage Reeves, or possible something completely different??

And to my son, when you read this in maybe 20-25 years, Kiptyn and Kirby were never really options. I just liked to give your daddy a hard time! :)

1st Grade PE Showcase

Keaton's PE Showcase was last week. It is so fun to attend these events, especially when it means so much to the kids. They work so hard to get ready for the presentation for their parents. Only I attended this time. I didn't get many pictures because I was filming it most of the time. They sang 2 songs including Tony Chesnut (Toe-Knee-Chest-Nut{Head}), performed a parachute routine to Hannah Montana's Party in the USA, and then asked the parents to join in for the Cha-Cha Slide.

I was that emotional pregnant lady. After the performance of the parachute routine, which was first, I could barely hold back the tears. I was so proud to be Keaton's mom and love being apart of his Elementary experiences. I wouldn't miss these things for the world!!!

Rodeo

The rodeo is such a big part of Houston. I have lived here 14 years and I have only gone to the rodeo 1 year. That 1 year, pre-kids, we made it to 2 concerts, Kenny Rogers and Brooks & Dunns, in addition to going to the cook off. I think the boys would really enjoy seeing the rodeo up close, but we are not going to make it again this year. Crowds and walking are not on my agenda when 36 weeks pregnant.

But as far as the kids are concerned, they love rodeo time and have a blast celebrating. We have rodeo day at church. I think my kids this it is the actual rodeo. They got to ride a pony, go for a hayride, bounce, and see the goats and rabbits in the petting zoo. There is also a mechanical bull, but the line was just way too long to wait our turn. They have sausage on a stick and turkey legs, the whole deal!

In addition to the church rodeo celebration, Cort and Keaton also have rodeo days at school. They gear up with boots and hats. I think Cort dressed up 3 times. Nana came to read at both their schools with special rodeo books. She even brought the cattle prodder to show the kids. Cort also had a special rodeo day at daycare, but he said it wasn't as fun as the church rodeo since there were not any real animals. He only had a stick horse that he made and they played cute games.

Maybe next year we will load up and head down to the Livestock Show and let the boys experience the REAL Rodeo!!!

Cort loves going all out with his cowboy costume equipped with vest and chaps. Keaton's hat has been trampled on for a couple of years now. Next year I will have to get him a new one.