Wichita Mountain Getaway

So, I may or may not have had a little meltdown last week.  I think that the emotions/hormones of the pregnancy got the best of me.  I felt like I needed a break from life.  I think Brian felt that too.  Friday when he got off shift he told us to pack our bags.  He had a surprise mini vacation planned.

We drove an hour to the Wichita Mountains and stayed in a little town called Medicine Park.

First stop: lunch!

Second stop: Mount Scott.  It was so beautiful.  We could see a blue lake on one side and  the mountains on the other.

We found a great place to stop and fish.  

The boys enjoyed all of the rocks for climbing

We saw buffalo. Or "elephants" as Samuel called them.

We went on our first hike as a family up to what we named "Rapunzel's tower."

Lucas and I at the top!

Lucas and Sam trying to get into the tower.

Samuel decided he could walk no further.  After we told him we were going to leave him in the wilderness he changed his  mind and joined the rest of us.

This is five minutes into the ride home.  Peaceful and sweet.

This trip was such a blessing.  We had a great time as a family.  We hope we can start making that trip more often (maybe even making it a day trip).

Samuel's Pirate Party

We had Samuel's pirate party last weekend.  All of our family (minus Uncle Brett who was flying across Europe) came.  It seems like it has been a while since we were all able to get together.  What a great day we had!  The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time.  Warning:  pictures ahead!

Pirate Noah!  Ooooh, I could eat his sweet cheeks up!

Sarah getting ready for the sword fight.

Food table.  We had yummy sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and cannon ball cheese balls

A very sweet and indulgent pirate cake.

Samuel loved the ocean water squeeze-its (they brought back childhood memories for me)

Big girl Abigail

Kid table:  I can't believe how big Anna has gotten.  She sat there like she was a big kid too!

Aunt Lindsey

Pawpaw and Mamaw

Uncle Josh

Jeff, Aunt Melissa, and Grandma

Tug-o-war!  That was a blast to watch.

Singing "Happy Birthday!"

The kids did so well with the pinata.  They all shared and took turns so well.    I loved how they each had a favorite candy that dominated their bags too.

The birthday boy used his foam sword to hit the pinata.  Obviously he was not the one to  bust it open.

Thank you so much to all of our family for coming and celebrating Samuel!  We love you all so much and are blessed to call you family.

Speaking of boo boos

Speaking of boo boos...

The Weatherford family had its first set of staples!  Four to be exact.  Last Monday we all piled in the car with a towel behind Samuel's head (to keep the car seat clean from blood) to go to the urgent care.  Lucas and Samuel had been rough housing and the little guy got one final push before landing the top/back of his head on the edge of our tile step.  He received four staples.  This was one of the hardest things that I have witnessed as a parent.  To hear my baby scream that way when the doctor was taking care of him was so painful.  My heart was aching for him.  Thank God it was just a cut.  It has healed cleanly and the staples will be removed this Monday.

He has handled it pretty well this week.  Every once in a while he will touch it or hit the area around it and he says, "boo boo hurts Momma."  The whole incident has made me a little more paranoid.  I want to put padding around all of the sharp corners in my house.  I'm sure no matter how much padding I put up we will still have plenty of e.r. visits in our future.

I know that the picture isn't clear, but
I wanted to show where it was for reference.  He has four staples just to the left of his cowlick

Baby Joseph Update

I am saving belly pictures of myself for my own records (nobody needs a public record of this puffy swollen momma.)  So, in honor of baby Joseph, Lucas decided to strike a pose.  He is the cutest pregnant boy I have ever seen!

I am 30 weeks pregnant!  Woohoo!  Midwife visits are happening every two weeks now.  Brian and I have gotten serious about finding the hospital.  Seriously, not joking, I don't even know exactly where it is.  Sad, I know.  We are going to take a hospital tour after my next appointment.  My glucose screening went well.  Joseph's head is down.  All of my vitals are great and so is his heart rate.  I'm so glad that everything is going smoothly.  I am still feeling stiff and sore by the end of each day and that dang nerve pain is giving me a slight limp.  I am having braxton hicks contractions almost constantly throughout the day and night:  all symptoms of being thirty weeks pregnant.

The countdown begins!

Follow up

Brian's MRI results came in and he is casted up.  I love the permanent "thumbs up" position...so positive!  He is in this cast for three weeks and then he will be reevaluated again to see if he needs another three weeks.  It has been a rough two days with him learning how to do everything with his left hand.  He spilt an entire glass of milk and hurt it trying to get Lucas on the potty.  I'm sure he will get used to it right about the time it comes off.

Don't mind the mustache (if we act like its not there maybe it will go away.)

Brian's Boo Boo

We call injuries boo boos (even for adults.)  Right now we are in a sort of holding period because of a boo boo that Brian has. 

 

Brian has a torn ligament on the outside of his wrist.  He hurt it while working at the fire station.  He started going to an occupational therapist who first diagnosed it as a sprain, then a week later said that it may be a tear.  That was followed by a MRI and then an additional visit to that same doc.  Later he was sent to an orthopedic doc.  Now, we are once again waiting on another MRI to get another look at his injury.  It is likely that he will need surgery with many weeks of recovery/rehab.

 

So that is what is going on now.  It seems like the entire process is taking forever to get any answers.  Brian has been on and off of work for a while until we get it all figured out.  Hopefully we will have some definate answers soon.  Today, I am thanking God that it is just his wrist and that is it being taken care of. 

Backyard Camping

Just days after the "indoor camping" that was necessary due to mosquitoes, we had some really great cold weather that kept the mosquitoes away.  Brian set up our tent in our backyard and got a really great fire going.  It was so nice to have some fun family time.

My cuties waiting for the fire to be ready for smores.

Brian found some glo stick swords...PERFECT for these kiddos!  They would have played with them all night if we would have let them.  They were $1.00 each at target.  I am going to stock up this week for hours of fun!

The boys were looking at an airplane in the sky.

I went inside when it was time for bed.  I can barely get comfortable on my mattress so sleeping on the ground was not going to happen.  Brian ended up bringing the boys in around 1am because they wouldn't stay covered and temperatures were in the 30's.   Everyone had such a great time.  We are so blessed that we are able to have such a great yard to have those kinds of adventures with the kids.

Solution to outdoor camping when your yard has too many mosquitoes.

I win the award for the longest title ever!

Indoor camping/ movie night consisted of making cookies, changing into pjs, jumping on the air mattress...

Two cuties

The Fox and the Hound was the movie of choice.  We snacked preggo style.  Chips, cookies, and popcorn.  Don't judge.  We had carrots too.

The boys slept on the air mattress while Brian and I started on the couches.  By morning Brian was in the middle of the two boys and I was in my bed.  Sleeping on the couch was not going well between hot flashes and Baby Joseph kicking.

We decided to paint the big boys' room this weekend.  It is now grey/blue (way more boyish than the drab beige that was there before.)  But, investing in a low VOC paint was something that slipped our minds so sleeping in the living room for a second night seemed to be the only option.  Plus, Lucas kept asking if he could sleep there. The boys are now in their new blue room and things were back to normal.  We had a great time "camping" and hope to make it a tradition in the Weatherford home.