A visit with Mimi

My mom was just here for 5 days and it was just pure heaven. James loves his Mimi and they have such a sweet relationship. I am so thankful for that. It was so nice to just have time to catch up, share our struggles, our hopes and to just laugh. After she left I told my Dad that sometimes I wish I didn't enjoy being with her as much as I do, because it would make it easier when she left. It didn't help that when she left, Manny was also gone and out of the country. Leaving little ole me here solo. Well with James of course! Ha! :)
We took a few pics while she was here. Mostly of James! Ha! Enjoy!

Snuggle time with Mimi before bed

Seriously....I adore this kid! 

It's a BOY!

We found out a week ago that we will be adding another boy to our family! We are beyond thrilled. It is going to be so much fun for James to have a little playmate and double the fun for Manny having two boys. He and James have such a sweet relationship that I am looking forward to seeing his relationship with this little one.
We chose to find out by doing a gender cake this time. It was SO HARD to wait until the end of the day but well worth it. It made it a fun and different experience than we had with James. I felt like it was a boy the whole time, but because my pregnancies were completely different I thought maybe I was wrong. This just goes to show you that you can have complete opposite pregnancies and it turn out to be the same sex!
Manny is already talking about #3. I think he would eventually like to have a girl. But I'm gonna need a while before anything like that ever happens. This pregnancy was so rough with the sickness, that I can't imagine having 2 little ones running around if I'm sick with the 3rd. For now we are just going to enjoy what God has so graciously blessed us with. At times I am overwhelmed with thankfulness that he chose me and Manny to be parents to these two boys. Blessed doesn't even describe the way we feel.
More belly pics to come and more to come on some other news in our family! :)

Our sweet little boy

Our gender cake...didn't love the decor of the cake, but it tasted amazing

It's a BOY

This was us telling Manny's family the night after we found out! 

We think we have decided on the name, but until we are 100% sure I'll wait to share with all of you! Names are SO HARD for boys! :) 

2 Week Vacation

I'm trying to play catch up a bit. I wanted to do a post on our 2 week vacation. We first flew into Charlotte and all piled in the cars and drove to Kiawah for a week as a family. It was such a wonderful trip and we were all able to enjoy each other and relax. (well as relaxing as the beach can be with an almost 2 year old) Then after the beach Manny headed back to Boston and James and I headed to Charlotte with my family. It was so nice to get another week. We enjoyed spending time with friends and just some good quality family time. It was nice to come home and see Manny but as always hard to leave Charlotte. Here are some pictures from our 2 week! 

This kid loves the water

Sweet Bubba...so good at "catchin a wave"

She loves her Mama

Dance party in the foyer

James and Hunt playing

Love these two bathing beauties

Kel and Hunt

The little princess on her birthday

Beautiful Caroline Gray

The most of a picture we got all week (and yes I have a bathing suit on)

3 Sweet Kiddos

So joyful when they are around each other...LOVE this picture of them

Sis and Hunt

Stella Rae and her KK

Playing in the hole Aunt Jack dug for them

I look like I'm at a nudest beach in most of these! Ha!

Just hanging out!

Convertible time! 

Snuggle Time

I sure do adore this girl! (My Cousin)

Morning yoga time

Cousins Night Out! 

Roof Top Bar in Charleston

Such a fun night!

What do you do with leftover fireworks...do them at the beach! 

My sweet girls

This kid loves sunglasses

But not as much as he loves CG...just climbed right up in that chair to have cuddle time with her

Sweet cousins

Time to leave the beach :(

How come he looks so big? Ugh

Cruisin with his cousin!

Pregnancy Progression

I have been awful with updates lately. We were out of town for two weeks at the beach and then Charlotte and now are back and slowly jumping back into the swing of things here. Will post more about our vacation later. But figured I would do a good ole belly update for those that care.

6 weeks pregnant

8 weeks pregnant (notice the motion sickness bands on in this photo...so sick) 

10 Weeks Pregnant

12 weeks pregnant

Wowzers...here it comes! 17 weeks pregnant! 

Everything is happening way faster this pregnancy! It's crazy how much your body remembers the first pregnancy and just pops on out way fast. With James I wasn't nearly showing this much this early! We find out next week on Friday what the gender of the baby is! I can hardly wait. We are split pretty evenly with our families on boy or girl. I think boy and Manny thinks girl. So we'll see! Anxious to be able to call this sweet little one by name! I'll keep everyone posted though. We are so thankful for returned energy and that the nausea is all subsided! PTL! 

Feels like yesterday...

I can't believe its already be 5 years today. 5 Years ago today my very older, wiser best friend went to be with the Lord. He was my confidant, the one who could always make me laugh, my encourager, my #1 Fan, and the one who always made sure I knew he loved me. 

Pop-pop I miss you more and more with each passing year. You would think it would get easier, but some days it doesn't feel like that. Every time I look at James it makes me sad that you aren't here to see him. And now with another one on the way I know you would be so proud of me and so in love with my kids. In fact you would be in love with all of your great-grandbabies. I am so thankful though that you are getting a front row seat up there with the Big Guy! 

Today I will celebrate the amazing man that you were! Thankful that I had you in my life for such a long time! I look forward to the day that we meet again face to face! I love you Pop-pop! 

We've got BIG news!

WE ARE EXPECTING BABY #2!!!!!

We are beyond excited and if I'm honest I'm a bit nervous. Makes me nervous to have two little ones, but I trust in God's perfect timing and this was for sure something we wanted and planned for! I am 12 weeks pregnant and due on December 31st! Nice timing right?!? Ha! Manny of course is praying that we have the baby in December so that we can get a tax write off! :) 

We had a rough start to this pregnancy with me really sick. It has finally started tapering off and I'm feeling much better which is a huge answer to prayer. Its a different ball game when you are sick but your toddler still needs all of Mommy's attention. :) 

We are for sure going to find out the sex. I wish I was one of those people that could hold off on finding out but I am WAY too much of a planner, so we'll be finding out towards the end of July. We can't wait! 

Can't wait to keep you posted on this new adventure our family is taking. We are thrilled and can't wait to meet this little one!