Update on the Kiddos

The kids are doing wonderful. We have been well for the most part this last month. Riley is just having a blast at school, still. He also loves the new church we have been visiting in Saginaw. They have Children's Worship, which is perfect for him. He calls it "The Fun Church." He even made up a song about it. He makes up a song for just about everything. Too cute!

Victoria has eight teeth now and is trying her best to eat everything in sight (whether it is food or not!). She is also trying her best to walk. She can do it, but doesn't have the confidence as of yet. She is slowing learning to say everyone's name. She is still calling almost everyone Gigi, except for Riley ... she definitely has that one down.

They play so well together, so far.

Victoria loves to get up in there and play.

She also loves to sit at Riley's desk and take down all of his books!

Me with straight hair! Weird, huh?!

On our way to church ... just too cute and handsome not to pass up taking a picture! Riley loves to dress up like Daddy. Victoria did have a bow in her hair ... not sure where that one went.

Our New Home is Coming Along

We are about one month into the construction of our new home in Saginaw. We are hoping to have shingles, brick and the electrical, plumbing and hvac in and ready for sheetrock by next week. We are all so very excited!

CAREY PASSED!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Carey passed the Bar!! Yahoo, Praise God! Thank you to everyone that prayed for us and provided us with support over these past three years and especially over these past few months. What a huge accomplishment for Carey. We are so very proud of him!

Victoria Jean is One!

It is so hard to believe that just one year ago, Carey and I were shocked when the doctor exclaimed, “It’s a Girl!” We just assumed that it was going to be a boy. We didn’t really even give a whole lot of thought to our girl name. But isn’t it just a beautiful name for a beautiful girl … Victoria Jean. What a wonderful double surprise … surprise you are pregnant … surprise it’s a girl! I can honestly say that this past year has flown by. I know that everybody says that, but I have experienced a first year that did not fly by. Riley’s first year crawled slowly by. Between him being sick every other week, not sleeping through the night until he was 12 months old, me trying to work with only 4-5 hours of sleep … well, let’s just say we all barely survived. But Victoria’s first year has just been the opposite. She started sleeping through the night at 3 months, she has been sick quite a bit, but not to the degree that poor little Riley was, and I have had the luxury of not having to work outside of the home for a year now (LOVE IT … wouldn’t have it any other way).
So at one year, Victoria is just a beaming beauty. She smiles most of the time and we all try to get her giggling. She can be demanding, but the pure joy on her face when she gets what she wants is just wonderful! She sleeps like a dream, except when teething. This strange little darling has the two teeth on the bottom and has her first year molars on top and is in the process of cutting her front teeth on top (just the right ones, not the left ones yet) … weird. Trying to console a one year old that is cutting molars at 2AM is nearly impossible … I resorted to cookies, a lot of cookies. Whatever works. We are still holding out hope that she will have the Lemons naturally curly hair. There appears to be some curling action, but it could be just wishful thinking. We will have to see what the next year brings.
She is currently cruising around all the furniture. She stood for about 10 seconds the other day, but still does not have the balance to do any walking. She is a terror with her walking toy and Riley’s stool. It isn’t a pretty walk, but it works for her. Her most favorite toy right now is the Little Tikes bubble car that we push her around the house in for what seems like endless hours. She is not into trying new foods in the high chair. She would rather mooch off whatever you are snacking on when sitting at the couch and she is cruising around … The Great Moocher.
Anyway, here is her loves and “no likes,” as Riley used to call them:
Loves: Her family, broccoli, taking baths, being outside, going bye-bye, Star Dolly (her little stuffed doll), music of any kind (she already bobs up and down), chocolate, throwing away her dirty diapers, taking medicine (weird, huh?), having her picture taken (happens a lot), having her teeth brushed (she just giggles and giggles), wrestling with Riley (she usually starts it), watching Daddy play the Wii, and Fritos (yes the corn chip).
No Likes: Getting out of the bath, waiting on her food, milk, riding in the car, not getting to play with Riley’s toys, being ignored, when others sit on her couch, and wearing hats.
We can’t imagine our lives without her. She is pure joy all wrapped up in 21 pounds and 2 ½ feet. She is spoiled with love and affection all the time. She is also just spoiled … currently owning approximately 60 outfits in her spring/summer wardrobe (yes I counted). In addition, she has 3 swimsuits, 16 hair bows, 2 purses, 10 pairs of pajamas, and 6 pairs of shoes. So I have to purposely avoid the children’s clothing departments and stores for the next few months.
One of these days I will put her birth story as a link on here, along with Riley’s, for your reading enjoyment. I am currently having Carey update the blog for me since I don’t have high-speed internet access. I will not suffer him the tasks of doing much more than that. He does have a day job and everything.
We had a huge cluster celebration of Easter, Victoria’s birthday and Pops and Gigi’s (my parents) 40th anniversary. So here are some pictures from all of that.

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

As promised ....

Our lot ... nothing done yet.

This is what the front of our new house will look like.

Caught in the cookies.

Tickle fight.

Under Gigi's table.

Having fun with a box kleenex.

Riley's snowman that Daddy built.

Caught in the videos.

Enjoying her first popsicle.

Giving Riley a zerbert.

Good Report on Riley

Good News ... Riley's heart is very healthy and strong! YAHOO!! Praise God! We went to the cardiologist yesterday and he said that there is nothing to worry about. His heart just beats a little different than most. He is free and clear to be as active as he wants to be. We just need to get an EKG at his 8 year check up. We are so excited! The news couldn't be better. Thank you for all your prayers. The Lord gave us an abundance amount of peace these past few weeks.

Update

So, I know it has been FOREVER since I posted last, but as mentioned before, we are without high-speed internet for time being. I have a small window of time to update everyone on what has been going on.

Carey took the bar this week. Thank you so much to everyone that was praying for him. Now we wait until May for the results. Glad to have that behind us!

Pray for Riley, he has an appointment with the Pediatric Cardiologist next week. He has been experiencing some chest pains with prolonged physical activity. We are praying for a good report and that he can resume to being a VERY active 5 year old. We will keep you posted on that.

We have decided to build a home in Saginaw (just north of Fort Worth, off of Business 287). We are SO very excited about this. We have labored in pray and physically on where to move our family to. The Lord has guided us along the way with some very loud and definite NOs and we finally heard a YES. It is going to be a bit more house than we need, but that is what you want. It is two story, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage. It has a study, living room, dining area, kitchen, LARGE walk-in pantry and utility room and half bath down stairs. The upstairs has all the bedrooms and the other two bathrooms. There is a sitting area in the master bedroom (too cool) and a masterbath the size of a bedroom (awesome)! The kids rooms are big with walk-in closets (YAHOO)!! Anyway, we are just in awe of the home. They are practically giving it away. Tell you what, now is the time to build. The builders, especially in that area, are offering tremendous incentives and the fed will be lowering interest rates again next month ... too cool!! Anyway, we will try to post pictures of the building process once it starts. We will be set to move-in probably in mid to late summer.

Victoria is almost 1 year old ... WOW!! She is developing quite the vocabulary ... Momma, WIWEE (Riley - only says it with extreme enthusiasm), Dadda, Gigi, Pa (for Pops), ball, look, up there, juice (kinda makes a tongue sucking noise for that), and of course every toy with wheels comes complete with the motor noise. Ther is also the sounds of babble in which she is carrying on a conversation, we just have no idea what she is saying. Too cute!!

So sorry no pictures on this post. I will try to post some soon ... no promises!