9.29.2011

Tiny Tales Thursday...

We were going through all of Radley's birthday loot the other day (yes, we are still going through it) and noticed that he got some duplicate presents. I told him that he could either take them back and exchange them for something he wanted or maybe we could donate them to boys and girls who don't get birthday presents. He thought about it for a minute and said

"Mom, why don't we just take them to GiGi's? I don't have those toys at her house."

Logical? Yes. But we may need to work on his philanthropic skills.

9.28.2011

Baby FAQs...

So since we have shared our fun news we have gotten a lot of the same questions and since I have the inkling that baby booking and pg documenting may not be as detailed as with Radley and then Emmy... here is my attempt at remembering the little things:

Was this planned? 

Well, if by "this" you mean having a 3rd baby - then yes...and no. :) I have "always" known that I wanted three kids. I am 1 of 3 and love it - it's a good number. My brothers are awesome and we had fun growing up together. I wanted my children to have friends for life that they could rely on no matter what. Ryan is on only child, so his desires for family numbers are slightly larger than mine (he would be thrilled with 4 or 5) but my response is always, "we should've started when I was younger". :) So yes - we knew we wanted another baby/child.

The no part comes in with the closeness of age between Emmy and wee one/daisy/tinker bell (more on those later). While we also knew that having Emmy/#3 closer in age than Rad/Emm was a "plan" - we weren't really expecting this. Long story short: A year of nursing/birth control makes ones cycle non existent. And, well... God's plan is much more divine than ours!

What was your reaction/when did you "know"?

Well, after 6 negative home pregnancy tests, 1 negative doctor's office pregnancy test and 1 prescription to "jump start" my cycle - I would say that we were surprised. I did have a "feeling" so I didn't take said prescribed medication and instead took 2 more home pg tests and 1 blood test at the doctors - all of which then showed up positive.

Two weeks later, I basically had a cycle - so was then scared/confused/sad/freaked out.

One week later, we had our first appointment and had NO IDEA what we would/would not see on that little screen. Low and behold we saw a miracle - a beating heart - and learned that we were NINE not six weeks along. So then we were shocked! :)

Once again... God's plan is divine!

Who did you tell first?

My mom, GiGi, was the first to hear of the news. Followed by Pops, followed by... Sarah Giles our lovely and talented photographer! Then it was siblings, besties, close friends and family, work and the world (FB/blog). THEN... it was Radley and Emmy. And while it may sound weird to tell the future siblings "last" we didn't want Rad's excitement (or lack their of) to get out.

So what were Radley and Emersyn's reactions?

Emmy continued eating her nilla wafers and smiled and clapped.
Radley cried. Like in a "I don't want another baby" cry. "I only need one baby." "I love Emmy." It was funny/cute/no real cause for concern.

We got it on film in case you were wondering.

The extra cute part happened when after bath time - hours later after hearing the "good" news - he comes running into where I was and says, "Mommy!!! Guess what! I want TWO babies now!! Emmy and the new baby! But that's it."


When is the due date?

March 15 (which means if this baby follows the same pattern as big brother and sister, baby will arrive around March 4)

When will you find out the gender?

Well, we haven't decided IF we will find out the gender.  When we found out Emmy was a girl, we said that when we have a 3rd baby we won't need to find out. But, since that is actually real, it's a tougher decision. Ryan really wants to be surprised and I also think it would be tons of fun, so we will see!!!

Do you have names picked out? 

We have started discussing names but nothing in depth. We know that no matter the gender, the first name will be a family name and the middle name will be what baby goes by. So... start throwing some fun ideas our way. We realized when we named Emersyn that all of our names now have a "y" in them... so, we will try to stick with that pattern as well.

For now, we have nicknamed the baby lots of things. :)

Daisy - as in oopsa ... but I don't know if that is very nice. And then Radley asked if he could help name the baby and has come up with the following: GiGi (so creative), Emmy (again), Anna (which is a Munson girl), Rose, and Tink/Tinker Bell.

I think that's about all of the questions we have consistently received! Feeling extremely blessed and eternally thankful!


9.23.2011

One more picture...I'm sure you won't mind...


Hear ye hear ye, coming this spring
We will be adding a new crown to the Kings... 


Feel free to leave your comments below...
;)

9.22.2011

Tiny Tales Thursday...

Last night I got a glimpse of what a "little man" Radley actually is. We had a fun evening playing, reading books, going to the park, taking baths, etc. It was close to his bedtime and he asked if he could watch one Spiderman cartoon (thank you, Ryan for the introduction of these into our lives).

We told him yes so he cuddles up on the couch with the iPad and is happy and content. Ryan and I begin folding a load of laundry - all is good. Until...

I get up to put the kids' towels away and trip over the laundry basket. I proceed to fall down and grab my foot because, well, it hurts. I am convinced I am bleeding and don't want to look.

Ryan, being my husband (and somewhat smart) jumps up to make sure I am ok.

Radley, being a "little man", does not FLINCH. Does not MOVE. Does not even seem to notice that Mommy has fallen and is "hurt". Now, if that would have been HIM falling and we didn't move - oh my goodness, would he be crying up a storm.

Turns out I was bleeding, my toe nail will more than likely fall off and my pain is justified. Radley - still no concern. Ryan, goes to get some peroxide and I look at Radley ...

Me: Hey, buddy...aren't you going to see if Mommy is ok?
Radley: Looks up from Spiderman...doesn't move
Me: Radley...
Radley: Looks up again, sighs, pauses movie and jumps down from couch. Gently pats my shoulder...I'm sorry you're hurt Mommy. Do you need a band aid?
Me: That would be lovely, buddy.
Radley: Ok, then can I finish Spiderman?

Such a man. :)

At the playground...

Does anyone else have that ABC song in their head now? ABC, ya know ... Another Bad Creation? Gotta love the 90s! 

On to the post... just some sweet pics from our trip to the park last night. Texas may produce some killer summers, but it also makes for some lovely early fall evenings.


I don't know why, but Emmy just seems like such a little girl lately. And she's starting to act like one, too. 


She refused any "help" last night and sadly, didn't really need any, keeping right up with her big brother. 


Love some sun-kissed pics... 


Such a sweet heart... 



And such a sweet big brother... 




I think I have at least 15 pictures of Radley like this... 



But last night, Emmy joined in the fun... 



And this made me feel like he is becoming a BIG boy...climbed all the way up there all by himself. 



And on the way home we saw Peter Cotton Tail! :)


9.21.2011

Emmy One Year Photos

We had Emmy's 1 year pictures taken just before her birthday and I could not be more happy with how they turned out! Once again Sarah went above and beyond the call of duty and captured our little family perfectly!!! 

Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!!

Around February I began thinking about Emmy's 1 year pictures. I wanted to pick out the "perfect" thing to capture her personality and I was thrilled when I found this petit romper on Etsy! 




These hat boxes belonged to Ryan's grandma - and the hats inside are so awesome! Can't wait until they fit on Emmy's sweet head... 

For now...she fits in the box ;)

I just can't believe how big she is! (Or adorable)



Our sweet little princess...

I LOVE this before/after shot!
Left: Newborn Pic; Right: One year in the same bucket with same flower


No words for this cuteness... 
 
Our standard sibling pic! 


This entire set of pictures (above and below) were taken at a pecan orchard in Caldwell, Tx. My sweet husband loaded TWO trucks with all of our props (included a queen sized brass bed) and set up the whole thing with a smile on his face. GiGi rode out there with us to keep tabs on Rad/Emmy depending on what we were doing and Sarah just did her thing. 

The result? MAGIC.

These two pictures, although so simple, are just amazing! My sweet friend, Desiree let us borrow this quilt that she made. These books are Ryan's grandparents Little Golden Books from the 1930s!

Our little man... 


This one makes me melt... 


Our sweet family....

I am just beyond blessed...

Seriously, how did we get so lucky?

Ryan and Emmy...

Rad and Dad...

Me and my sweet girl...

And my baby boy...

And the two that started it all... 


Thank you, Sarah! For capturing us better than I could ever have hoped for!

9.20.2011

4 year/15 month check up

Last Friday was a big day for us - Radley and Emersyn had well checks scheduled and both included shots - and this Momma went all by herself. 

Let's all pause for applause and gold stars for Mom. 

Okay, now that that's out the way, we can continue with the actual important stuff - how these precious kiddos are doing! 


WILLIAM RADLEY KING
Four Years Old
Loves: Cars, Emmy, MommyDaddy, Being loud, Superheros, and Laughing (somewhat in that order)

Enjoy this sneak peak of his four year pictures!
(Thanks Sarah!!)



Stats:
Height: 39.5 inches (no idea percentage)

Weight: 34.4 pounds

Love of doctor visits (1-10): When it's just Emmy - 10; when it's both - 7. He was more interested in what Dr. Henderson was doing this visit - and liked all the attention. He really liked the hearing test and thought it was so funny to wear the giant headphones  - and he passed with flying colors. He also LOVED the sight test and was super proud to show off his ability to read the letters. I was extremely jealous of his perfect vision - even with two eyes and contacts in, I had a little trouble seeing the smallest line, but Radley did great. 

Love of shots (1-10): -5 Oh.My.Goodness. This boy. He was all smiles until this part. We started with the flu vaccine which he got to sniff (have y'all seen that yet?). Then he quietly said, "But Mommy, don't girls go first? Isn't it Emmy's turn?" Heather, our nurse, tried to tell him that Emmy needed to see big brother go first so she wouldn't be so scared. He bought it at first, but then glanced down to his left and saw the shots lined up and then it happened...the tears. And it was loud and so high pitched and nothing had even happened. And well, I couldn't help but laugh a little. Poor guy. Heather is so fast so she was done in about 3 seconds flat but Radley cried for about a minute after she was done. And then just wimpered a little. 

What he knows: I feel like this kid knows way more than he needs to! He is extremely verbose (wonder where he gets that from?) and has a great imagination. I LOVE watching him play and listening to all that he is creating. He is still in love with Cars which makes all the ones that GiGi has purchased over the years worth it. He builds car cities, car washes, car hotels, car fortresses, and just plays and plays. He has been able to recognize all the names of his friends for sometime and can now also recognize the following words: car, Mommy, Daddy, Emmy, hat, love, God, and exit (strange). He loves trying to learn how to spell but we are in no rush for this! I think "school" has also been practicing math skills, because he likes to add and tell me that, "1 Lightming + 2 Maters = 3". Way to go, buddy! 

What we love about him: Hmmmm...just about every little thing you can imagine. I love that he is so tender hearted! I know that in our society men are supposed to be strong and not shed a tear, but I hope that his sensitivity allows him to extend kindness to others. I love watching him play with his friends and especially love watching him play with his sister. While not every interaction is positive, he adores her and is so excited when she does something new or plays along. I love that he is eager to learn and discover and I love that he loves his GiGi and Pops, Pete and Bok, and Cousin Owen, Uncle Jody and Aunt Sonya. Hope they are always an important part of his life! It makes me so happy to know that MY besties' kids' are his besties - such a sweet blessing to share in all of their lives. I love that he still wants to snuggle, that he needs us and that he loves watching and doing whatever Ryan is doing. We just love this kid!


Estelle Emersyn King
15 Months Old
Loves: Radley, MommyDaddy, Walking, Talking, Eating, Playing with Radley, Being a "big girl"

This is a sneak peak from Emmy's 1 year photo shoot - full post coming tomorrow! :)


Stats:

Height: 29.5 inches (no idea about percentage)

Weight: 19.4 pounds

Love of doctor visits (1-10): 5 - It starts with the scale - she doesn't love to stand on the scale, which is funny. I think she associates the doctor office with hurt ears and shots - so maybe with the tubes and lack of well checks from here on out, she will start to enjoy the experience more. She does giggle when Dr. Henderson tickles her tummy or looks at her eyes, etc... so we could definitely be worse off. 
Love of shots (1-10): 4 - She isn't old enough to know what's coming, which makes this a bit easier. She does cry when receiving the shots, but as soon as she was done, I picked her up, gave her water and she was done crying. Pretty easy!


What she knows: This month has been fun to watch her grow. Since the tubes she has definitely become much more vocal which is fun! Her words now include: Momma, Dada, RaRa (sometimes Ra-eeee), Cat/Kitty, Book, Uh-oh (still the fave), Hi, Bye, Book, Ball, WaWa (water), and kinda All done (ah-dun). She is attempting to repeat us more. She has "please" down for signing and thinks that looking at us with "sweet eyes" and saying "please" will get her just about anything (and she may be right). She has started to "smack" when she gives or blows kisses which kinda melts my heart and has started to carry her dolls for more than 2 seconds. Still loves playing with whatever Radley is playing with, chasing the cats, and "reading" books - but on her on, not so much having us read to her. She LOVES to draw/write/scribble - maybe she'll be our artist. She also loves anytime we put on music and sings and dances along. Still a great eater - nothing she won't try (including her Daddy's beer ... awesome) and has gotten pretty good with a spoon and fork. 

What we love about her: Oh my gosh - her sweet voice. I am just DYING to know what she will sound like when she becomes a talker. I LOVE listening to Radley and just know her voice will be the same kind of sweetness his is. Her hair is getting so long and her spunky attitude just cracks me up. She actually "prisses" when she walks and it cracks me up! She loves to let me rock her and hold her and although I would give anything for about 5 minutes of "me time" I also love that she wants to be held and loved on. 


Whew... that was longer than I intended...but with kids as darling as these two... can you blame me?

9.19.2011

Game day....

It was game day in Aggieland


And we were all ready to stand as the 12th Man...

We start tailgating tactics early 'round here


'Cause it's important to have the appropriate game day gear...


Aggies play washers better than most...


Well, the fact is we are better at all things, (although we hate to boast)...

We run into old friends, and chat for a while...


And eat yummy food on the park across from Kyle... 


It's a day to hang out with friends and loved ones, old and new...



And dress like our besties, because, well it's cute... 


We offer up hugs... 


and celebrate the day...


And then go in together to for the "saw'em off" sway... 


Yes, we start'em young so they grow up right... 


Yelling for the boys in maroon and white... 


Being an Aggie is a family tradition... 


And the love for our school keeps everyone wishing... 


That they could join us in the Hullabaloo... 


Well, there's always room for more, and that means you!