Weekend of the 4th (July 1,2 &3)

Our holiday weekend was great. We had a lot of good times with family & friends.

Friday evening started our weekend off with a boat ride with friends. Our friends BJ and Abby were in town from Iowa. It was great having them in town and being able to spend an 'adult' night with them and other close friends.
Saturday we spent the day at the yacht club with basically the same couples and their kiddos. Payton and Charley were exhausted when we got home and both took extremely long naps, so did Mommy.Sunday night we met up with friends at the ship yard and had a little barbeque with friends and the kids.

Our Grand Finale!

Surprise!
We are excited to finally share our news that Baby Myrick #3 will be joining our family early January 2012.
(If you read Charley's 9 month update you already know this:)
To say this was a surprise would be an understatement. We were in shock for a while but feel so incredibly blessed that God would entrust us with another child.
My official due date is January 10 that would put me at 12 wks 3 days but I had a scan today that measured baby at 13 wks 5 days which would put the date at January 4. My doctor is not going to change my date yet so we'll see how things progress.
We are again going to be surprised on gender. It was just so fun last time with Charley and we really don't care at all. Either way would be wonderful. If it's a boy Charley & little bro will be super close and have so much fun but if it's a girl then Payton & Baby sister will only be 3 and a half years apart so still close enough to be good friends.
Payton said today when I showed her the ultrasound pictures that it was her baby sister and when I explained that baby could be another baby brother she said, 'No mom. I don't want another brother I want a sister'. Well, I guess that is how she feels. :) I think it is a girl too just because I feel so good and not sick like I was with Charley for the first 10 weeks. I also am craving fruits like with Payton and not sweets like with Charley but we will see. It will probably be a boy because baby was already such a surprise that why not make gender a shock too.
Here is a belly compare shot for everyone...you know how I love these. I definitely have popped sooner then the other two but I keep telling myself it's because it's baby #3 and I was just pregnant 9 months ago. hehe...wow.


And here is our other little surprise....

We've always wanted to have babies together...God granted us our wish!
Congratulations Mark, Heather & Big Sister Ava!

ps. Yes, the title does say it all. Unless the Good Lord has plans to give us an encore this will be our grand finale.

9 Months - Belated

(This is the way this picture session started...)

This post is long over due. Just got away from me that is for sure.
Well, the little man is nine months. He is all boy and then some. Throws everything, grunts, has to touch everything he sees, busy, busy, busy. Keeps me on my toes that is for sure. I love every minute of it. :)

Bubbas,
Activities: You are crawling like a big boy now and because you can get around faster and more efficient your interest in walking has diminished considerable which is both good and bad in my book but it is what it is.
Play: You love to play ball with anyone who is willing to play with you. Payton is your favorite play buddy but she doesn't always play long enough for you.
Cloths: For the most part it is 12 months but there are still a few 9 month things that fit. Mostly pants and shorts. Diapers are still size 3...I feel like you have been in them forever.
Sleeping: You wake up at about 6 am every morning. I give you a bottle and you go back to sleep until 8:30/9. I have tried to let you cry it out but I am a little selfish with my sleep so I just get up, give you a bottle and go back to sleep myself. It works just fine for me. Naps these days are just two. One in the morning, 10:30/11 to about noon & one in the afternoon, 2 to 4 or 5. Bedtime is usually around 8 o'clock and by that time you don't fuzz usually and go right to sleep.
Other Big Happenings: You have six teeth with 7 & 8 almost through. Four on the bottom and two, almost four, on the top. Teething is rough on you but you are still a trooper but hoping you get a little bit of a break after these last two top ones come in. Other big happening in your life, you are going to be a big brother in January. We will see how many people actually read these posts. We'll do an actual announcement in a few days so for now...just a teaser.
Eating: So we know you have an8 oz bottle at 6 am. When you wake up to start your day you have either pancakes, waffles, cheerios, or toast with fruit baby food to go with it. You started taking a sippy cup with water or 'juice' (90% water, 10% apple juice) so that is what washes it all down. You think you are big stuff. Depending on the day you will have another small bottle late morning. For lunch it is usually cut up meat of some sort, cheese, fruit cut up & bread. Before your afternoon nap you get an 8 oz bottle. For dinner you have either what we are having or something similar to lunch. To round out the day you have another 8 oz bottle right before bed.

You make me laugh every day and your sweet face makes me smile and melts my heart. You & Payton love each other and are the best of friends. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you little buddy.

We love you very much.
Mommy, Daddy & Payton

Sweet P

To My Sweet Payton:
I am smiling just thinking about you while I write this. You have a way of making everyone who meets you fall in love with you. From your sweet smile to your silly personality, what is not to love?! You touch my heart with your cute sayings and your simple view of life. When you tell me you want to snuggle with me in the middle of the day you melt my heart and I just can't say no...nor would I ever want to. I will cuddle with you as often as you ask for I know these days wont last forever. Before I know it you will be in high school and hate me most days...well, maybe not hate me but you definitely will not want to sit with your mom and snuggle. :)
There is so many new things you are learning and experiencing these days and watching you do these things is one of the most wonderful things about being a parent. It's just so great! One of your most recent accomplishments is that you learning to drive the Barbie Jeeps and have almost got it mastered. We went to a birthday party two weekends ago and they had a bunch of Gator's there which you of course had to try to drive because everyone else did and you did really well. This gave you the confidence to get in the Barbie Jeep and the barn and give it a whirl. Still working on steering a little but it's coming along.
You love being outside so summer is welcomed with open arms around here. Swimming is still a favorite and with the Garvelink's having access to the pool at Eldean's and Grandpa & Mimi having a membership at the Yacht Club we will be doing a lot of that again this summer. I look forward to it because it brings you so much joy.
You are the best big sister ever! You love Charley so much and make him laugh whenever you two play together. The other day you said, "Charley, you are my best friend" and have repeated it often since then. It does my heart good to hear it. Watching the two of you interact and giggle together...I can't put into words what my heart feels.
Naps are still necessary in your life at this point. I can usually count on an hour & a half to two hours.
I have to laugh because you are totally addicted you juice. Now given, when you get juice it is usually 1/2 water, 1/2 juice so not super super bad for you but you drink it like it's going to be taken from you. About 10 seconds flat and you can have an entire sippy cup gone. It's crazy. :)
Your favorite toys right now are My Little Pony's, babies, and playing tea party & restaurant. You are really good at just tinkering with things on your own but much prefer me to play with you which I do love to do.
You also love your TV. Micky Mouse Club House is still have favorite along with the Backyardigans but we have just discovered My Little Pony's & Strawberry Shortcake which you love as well. I limit the amount of TV you watch in a day so we record your favorite shows and watch them over a couple of days. However, you usually watch Micky Mouse Club House when you wake up because you need that 'down time' before you get your day started...just like your Mommy in that manner.
Favorite foods, well, there are a few but your ideal menu for the day would be... Pancakes for breakfast, Macaroni & Cheese for lunch, Fruit Snacks for a snack (not my favorite thing for you to snack on but what do you do), and chicken nuggets, cheese and applesauce for supper. That would be in a perfect world. Right now however a very close 2nd for snack is strawberries...much preferred by mommy.
I have to admit you do get to 'sleep in the middle' on occasion. I also have to admit that I kind of like it when you do. I like the fact that you are close and usually you snuggle close to me. Again, it's one of those things I know wont last forever so I'm enjoying it while I can.
You are getting smarter and smarter by the day. You are working on getting your colors all straight as of now but have almost mastered them. You get pink & purple confused but the rest you do really well with. You are really good at Look & Finds, puzzles, and doing sticker books...the kind that you have to find the right sticker for the right spot. I am so proud of you. The other day you did a puzzle all by yourself! A big Diego puzzle too. You amaze me. Oh, another new found talent is picture taking. You love to take pictures of your toys and now love to have your picture taken as well...very cute.
Well, Sweet P, I think I have covered a lot of the 'goings on' in your life as of now.
I pray you continue to grow in Jesus and shine His light wherever you go.
I love you so much and am proud to be your mamma.

Mr & Mrs Robert & Jami Gibson!

We were so blessed to celebrate with our very dear friends Bobby & Jami on their wedding day. They are an amazing couple and we love them very much and could not be happier for them as they start their new life together as husband and wife.

We love you Bob & Jami. Thanks for letting us celebrate your special day with you.

Sunday Drive to the State Park

Bryan decided last night that because it was such a beautiful day we needed to get out and see the lake so we packed up the kids and took a nice family drive out to the state park. It was beautiful. It was evening so it wasn't so hot and crowded which is exactly the way I like it. (I get a little claustrophobic at the beach, that is why I don't go there much at all. :) Payton of course wanted to stay and make sand castles but we made it a short trip and picked up Papa John's on the way home. Which is a real treat for us because they don't deliver to our house...boo on them! :)

New Babies

We were welcomed home from the Memorial Day parade by 5 baby raccoons hanging out in and around one of our big trees by our driveway. No mama in sight which concerned my sweet Payton so hopefully she shows up soon. Two were getting adventurous this evening and wondered all the way across the front yard to another one of our huge trees...naughty babies. :)