Typical

This is the last of the drafts I had stored up from before the move, so I should have some new, fresh material and pictures for you soon. J is at work this week, so we are getting settled in to a new routine. Sometimes I can't believe we really live here and that my husband has a job, a bonafide job!!

It's time for another quick update on Sadie. Most importantly, she is precious!









Seriously, I am enjoying her so much these days. The delight just radiates from her little body! She's started this new thing where she runs around and then barrels at me full speed, squealing and buries her head in my knees like she's "getting me." Then, she takes off again for another round. If I try to pick her up, she squirms right out of my arms and heads off to come after me again. It's loads of entertainment.

I mentioned that the pediatrician ordered a full round of tests [urine, stool, blood] before we left Nashville. There is some concern about Sadie's size and [lack of] growth. We were able to rule out some things with our genetic testing last year, but this would take a closer look at her systems to make sure all was working correctly. Specifically, they were looking at...
1. Mal absorption, meaning were the calories she was taking in simply passing through her system unused.
2. Thyroid levels which can affect growth.
3. Insulin levels.
4. Growth hormone.
5. Pituitary glad functions.
6. And probably a few others that I don't remember.

And the results, everything came back normal. Her growth hormone level was at the very lowest end of normal, but our pediatrician confirmed with an endocrinologist that it was well out of any sort of concerning range.

So, at least according to the pediatrician, all is well. Her light eating habits coupled with multiple surgeries likely just mean she is going to be on the smaller side. Y'all this is just unbelievable to me!! Over and over, I feel like we keep coming to these crossroads where there could be a problem and time and time again, there is nothing wrong. It's just overwhelming.

We're just loving all the cuteness.

Hey.


I want that.


Please?


Alright, I'm coming!


Whoops, did I knock that over?


Sorry about that.


Don't worry, I'll fix it!

A magnadoodle has many uses

Sadie loves the mini magnadoodle!



It's great fun for classic uses like doodling.


Sometimes Sadie really has to focus on her drawings.



In a pinch, it can also double as a pedicure station.



Sadie made sure Ella got the full toe painting treatment.





Obviously Ella was a very satisfied client!

So this is what eight pounds looks like!

I think that when I bend over a little bit, it kind of just looks like I ate too much.



But when I stand up, it's undeniable that I'm pregnant!

20 weeks

Some days I feel really pregnant, and other days I know my belly still has a long way to stretch. The good news is that I'm over halfway through the pregnancy and I've only gained eight pounds! Eight pounds of belly sure feels like a lot of belly though :)

A little morning art

A morning with Sadie, baby, lady

Sadie is almost always the first one to wake up. Most of the time she talks happily in her crib until the others are ready to get up as well. One morning a few weeks ago, the big kids kept sleeping and sleeping and sleeping so I got Sadie up for a little one-on-one time. The other kids ended up sleeping until after nine, so we had quite a bit of fun together.

We played with the fan.

We enjoyed a little early morning reading.

The reading time quickly turned into a game of can I pull the sticker off the page?

Then, we did a little work on the computer.

I kept thinking to myself as we played that a nineteen month old is so much fun!! I just could not come up with that many memories of the other kids at this age, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized that it's because this is the first time I've ever had a nineteen month old and not a newborn at the same time! On the one hand, I ached for the arrival of this next little one in a new way, but on the other hand, I savored this time that I get to enjoy with Sadie and all my littles. They change too fast!

Zoo Day

I can't believe I waited until it was almost time to leave Nashville to take the kids to the zoo! We had so much fun that it made me wish that we'd gone much, much, sooner.

Sadie is equally fascinated with the stroller, but she still enjoyed looking at most of the animals.



The kids were disappointed the giant swine were sleeping.



How about those elephants?



Sadie was so curious!



We also spent a loooooong time watching the Meerkats.



The highlight of the morning was the show about local Tennessee animals. Can you see Bo down in the front all by himself? He wanted to sit as close as possible!



The middles started down front, but they were fighting and wrestling in their seats before the show even started so they had to come back up with me.



As we were leaving the show it started pouring down rain so our zoo tour ended at that point. The kids were so wet when we got back to the car!

Sometimes Jack gets a little scared...

...thankfully Ella is there to help!

Loveless for Lunch

On our last Sunday, we decided to stop at a Nashville favorite for lunch after church. It's delicious food and a really cool atmosphere!

Despite the fact that we waited over an hour for a table, the kids managed to have lots of fun!

We even managed to get a decent family shot.



It was more waiting inside, but we got to color and do puzzles to help the time pass.






And Sadie had lots of fun playing with her tongue!



It was a delicious lunch and a fun end to our last weekend in town.