It's a...........

........nother BOY!

Oh boy! Oh Boy!! OH Boy!!!  

Can you believe that the Snyder girls keep having boys?  Kinda crazy! I joke that there will be six grandsons before there are any girls....just to balance out the population. It is only fair. So far there are 5.

As expected, we are overjoyed and elated to be having another boy.....but don't ask Eli. He's not so sure he's thrilled just yet. The sweet boy had his heart set on a baby sister this time. Poor thing. Initially, he cried, and he has been loudly boo-ing any time he hears me tell someone, "It's a boy!" He isn't quite ready to accept the whole "part of God's beautiful plan for our family" thing yet. I know he'll come around in no time.

I was a bit anxious going into the ultrasound. The tech looked right away, and it was very clear. The little fella was not shy. I was sure it was a boy, so it did not surprise me too much. Jude announced to everyone in the waiting room as we walked back out that he was having a "baby brudda." Not that he has a clue what that means yet.

In other wonderful news, the baby is on track and is healthy. He had his little head buried deep down, so we will have to go back for another ultrasound next month to get a clearer shot of the face and brain.  Aw shucks! (yeah right! I love getting to see the baby again and get more pictures!)

This pregnancy is moving right along. Already at the 19 week mark, and was thrilled to start feeling little bubble pops and flutters of baby movement as of last week. So fun! Feeling the baby move is definitely the best part of pregnancy, hands down. Still stinkin' exhausted each day, but I think Jude (and Eli!) may be more to blame the Blueberry. Ha!

Already looking forward to mid-February so we can meet the newest little man in our family!

Just Another Week in the Life

Jude here. Eli has been back to school for a while now, and Mommy and I are starting to find our new rhythm and routine. I like routines, I get routines, and I will let you know what comes next on a typical day. 

Right after breakfast, we walk Eli to school...and once he is in his classroom, we "wok n' woll" out of there. Mommy usually walks home with a friend, and I beg for (demand?) the phone to play games on. 

I honestly love being outside and strolling each day. But as soon as we get in the door, I rush to the couch and ask to watch "Blue's Clues." And most days it works. Then Mommy and I stay busy with playing and chores. Did you know that everything is more fun wearing a bike helmet? "I wike it!"

 Sometimes Mommy even gets out fun stuff like markers, play dough, or paints for me. I love to make a mess, but Mommy pulled a fast one on me the other day and found a way to keep the paints off of me.  (Thanks for the idea, Brooke!)

I still liked it....and all of the neat ways to make the paint move around.

By then, it is time for lunch and nap. I like to read books before nap and in bed until I fall asleep. Mommy usually has to wake me up when it is time to go get Eli from school. Some days we take Eli to karate, and while Eli is learning karate, I am learning too. I love to do karate moves, kick and punch the bags, and yell "aiyah!" Oh yeah, there is a super cool water fountain there that I like to drink water from play in. Mommy is always telling me I'm soaked. Whatever that means ....and who cares! 

When we get home, I get to play with brother and interrupt Mommy's tutoring sessions. If I'm lucky, Eli will read his books to me. He is getting good enough that he doesn't need Mommy's help with some stories. I love my brother!

Then, it is my least favorite time of the day. Mommy goes into the kitchen....and it isn't to get me "nacks." She actually has the nerve to say no to my repeated demands. Ugh! Instead she says she has to cook. I fuss a bit, but she still doesn't give in, so I make the most of it and cook along with her. And my kitchen isn't as fun as the real thing. Mommy's pots are way more fun! So is playing peek-a-boo in the cupboards (Eli did it too...) And, of course, I am wearing two of Eli's shirts over my own. Totally normal, right? (Mommy says to please ignore my dirty piggies....and she keeps saying that foot looks too big to be mine....what is she talking about???)

Peek-a boo!!"

Soon after I've made a big enough mess, cooked and tasted all of my yummy food, I finally get to eat some real food. This is right around the same time that Daddy comes home. It is the best! I squeal his name and run to see him...unless I'm eating my dinner. Then my highchair keeps me from running...."fo fast" (...so fast...) After that, I get to play with Daddy and Eli, and before I know it, it is time to start my bedtime routine. I like that routine too. Bath is pretty awesome. So is brushing teeth. But sing me my bedtime song, and I'm reaching for my pillow and blankies in my crib.  Nigh Nigh!

Oh yeah! I almost forgot....on Saturdays, Mommy and Daddy put on "ut ball" all day. I like to cheer for my team. I get pretty into it. I do the chomp. I yell "Go Gatas!" I scream touchdown and throw my arms up anytime everyone gets excited. Must be a touchdown, right? I even like to chant our colors..."orange and bwoo.....gween and purpul!" Everyone laughs. I don't get it.

So, there you have it. Just another week in my life. It is a pretty good life. "I wike it."

Impromptu Day Trip

The weather is cooling off a little, and I'm not afraid to go outside anymore. Don't get me wrong, it isn't cool by any stretch of the imagination, but the mornings are super nice and the humidity is low enough that you aren't dripping the minute you step outside. I'm enjoying the sun and yard again during the week, and this weekend, we decided to take an impromptu day trip to the Florida Caverns. It is only an hour away and the caves are even cooler than the already cooler weather. 

I'm the only one that had ever been before....and it was a loooong time ago. I think I went with my Girl Scout troop and maybe on a class field trip. We packed a lunch and headed over. 

After a picnic lunch and some exploring, we took the tour of the cave. Eli was super impressed and soaked it all up. Jude, on the other hand, was over it in about...hmmm....5 minutes. He said "pretty" and "cool" a few times, and then it was all we could do to keep him from running and screaming. Neither were conducive in this environment. Sigh. Nonetheless, the formations were awesome, we saw bats and other critters, and we learned some stuff. 

Such a beautiful day that it gives me a taste for fall. Love these boys.

The drive home was quiet as this one zonked out while the other watched a movie.

Hoping to be able to get out and enjoy the cooler weather more often this fall.

A Before + After

Jude's hair finally had a growth spurt! Just like his brother, it took a while to get a head of hair, and it still isn't all that thick, but it was starting to get looong in the back. Unlike his brother, his hair is super fine and stick straight. With no curl to keep it above his shirt collar, we decided he needed a trim.

He wiggled and squirmed, wanting to see what Mommy was doing back there behind his head. I tried using a show as a bribe to keep him still, but it was not too successful. Instead, I followed him, held his head and made little cuts along the back and over his ears until it looked "good enough."

Not too shabby, Mommy. I have a feeling I won't be able to cut it on my own much longer. Eli's curls are so easy to trim. Straight hair is wayyy less forgiving, and any and all mis-cuts on my part will be super duper obvious. But I will save my pennies while I can.

Our Gang of Four

It is time to let the cat out of the bag. If we have seen you in the last month or two, you probably already know our big, exciting news, but for the rest of you....Surprise!. Our Gang of Four is no longer four. We are adding a fifth member to our "gang" early next year.  

Q & A with the Preggo

* answers to the questions I'm most commonly asked *

1. How far along are you? 16 weeks
2. When are you due? February 23rd is what they are saying, but I'm thinking it will be moved up after the ultrasound at my next appointment....and because I'll be a scheduled c-section (see question # 7), it will likely be a week or so before that.
3. How are you feeling? Finally can say I feel OK. This has been the toughest first trimester yet. After 8+ weeks of nausea and painful exhaustion, I think things are finally settling down. I said good bye to most of the nausea about 2 weeks ago, but the exhaustion that makes me want to cry it is so bad, hung on a little longer. Some days are better than others, but I think keeping up with two boys everyday may mean I am always a little on the tired side this go 'round.  I've never been one to love being pregnant, but I'm hanging in there. 
4. Do you know what you are having yet? Nope, but we will find out. The doctor looked at my last appointment, but couldn't see due to the umbilical cord running between the little peanut's legs.  I wasn't actually mentally prepared to find out, so I was OK with waiting until our next appointment.
5. Are you hoping for a girl? If you ask Matt, YES. If you ask Eli, YES! (That little boy has been wanting a baby sister for a while now.) If you ask me, I'm fine either way. There may be a little shell shock if we find out we are having a 3rd boy, but the practical side of me is totally cool with that. Totally. But if I'm being 100% honest, it would be really incredible to add a little girl to our gang. So I guess that puts me in the middle. There may be tears of happiness, shock, disappointment....all of the above when we find out. Just keeping it real.  
6. What do you think you are having? A boy. I've been having lots and lots of boy dreams. And even though I felt a bit worse this time, overall, I feel like I'm carrying the same. We shall see...
7. Are you having another c-section? Yes. Cue the loud booing and stamping of feet by this momma. I tried to reason with my doc. I tried to be rational. I even pouted and begged a little bit, but no dice. I love and trust my doctor enough to listen to him explain why I could not try a VBA2C. I'm a good patient, and I still won't switch practices just to be possibly end up with a c-section again anyways. So there you have it....much to my chagrin....I'll be having a 3rd c-section. I'm already dreading the recovery. Blech.
8. Were you trying? Was this baby a surprise? We have gotten this question more than we realized we would. I guess everyone thought we'd be done after two. Well, we did too. Let me explain....  Before getting pregnant and during my pregnancy with Jude, we figured we would be finished after that. But once he was born, Matt and I both admitted to not feeling finished. We talked about it and prayed about it and finally decided. We didn't need to be the ones to make the decision as to how large (or small...) our family would be. We decided to leave it up to God. Sounds a bit cheesy, but it is absolutely true. We figured that if God wanted us to have another baby, we would....and if not....we would know that too. Matt and I were content with two, but at the same time, we were open to more children. There was no "trying." There was no "not trying." It was in some One else's hands. And low and behold, after years of wanting babies so badly (2+ years with Eli and 3+ years with Jude), we found out we were pregnant only 1 1/2 years after Jude joined our family. What an absolute blessing and joy to know that we were meant to have three and that we were right to trust the Lord. We heard you, God....loud and clear! 
9. Do you want more? At this point, we feel beyond blessed and that our family may be just right. Thank you, Lord, for filling our hearts, lives, and house with 3. .......but you never know.... (hahaha!)
10. What do Eli and Jude think about the baby? Eli is thrilled! He has been wanting another baby (sister, to be specific) since Jude was born. "Let's have another baby, Mommy." And as for Jude....he's clueless. As the belly gets bigger, I will start talking to him more about it. Then he will have something to semi-attach the concept and idea to. We also plan to get him his own baby soon to help with the adjustment. Life is gonna get a little crazy come February. Jude is quite a Mama's Boy, so this addition may be a little difficult for him. 
11. Any names? As usual, we don't really get serious about names until we find out boy or girl. And even then, we just make a list to bring to the hospital and name the little one once we meet him/her. You can anticipate another biblical or Catholic (saints, popes...) name though. Eli has chosen the nickname, "Blueberry" for now, so that is what we are going with. Baby Blueberry has been getting lots of prayers and love already.
12. Any food cravings? I have never been one to call them cravings, but as with my first two pregnancies, I am loving any and all carbs...especially if they are salty! They just taste better. Fruit tastes pretty good too. Thankfully, my aversion to sweet treats has worn off in this second trimester. I was missing my chocolate chip cookies. Meat is still not something that tastes very good to me during pregnancy, but I eat it.

I think that is it. Feel free to comment with any unanswered questions. Not showing too terribly much yet, I just look like I've put on a few pounds.....because I have. Ha!  Looking forward to looking a little more pregnant (and not just fat!) soon!!

Love to all,
Our Gang of Four Five!

Full Labor Day Weekend

The weekend was jam-packed with travel and fun. Our new car has already had some miles put on it after back-to-back weekends of driving around the state. We did our fair share of driving this long weekend, but it was worth it!

Early last week, I stumbled upon a posting from a friend on Facebook about tickets for the opening Gator game. After some back and forth texts and emails, Matt and I decided to go for it and take the boys to the first game of the season. Eli's bout with the flu all week had us a bit worried that we had made a mistake, but it was a miracle....after going to bed with a fever over 102 on Friday night, he woke up fever free Saturday morning. Wahoo! And off we went. It was beyond fun...and incredibly hot! I always love being back in Gainesville, but bringing the boys with us to a game made it that much more special. It was awesome being in the crowd around the stadium, seeing all the orange and blue, and feeling the energy of the town as Gator football kicked off. 

Our seats were amazing and the boys had fun cheering and yelling. Even Jude got in on the action. Neither one cared much about what was happening in the game, but we made it through the halftime show.  According to Eli, the best parts were the fly over and when the Gators came running out onto the field. 

I have to agree with him....those parts got me too. I actually got a little teary eyed sharing the experience of The Swamp with my boys. Jude's favorites were the planes, helicopter, and the marching band. He loved the band. After wiggling in my arms for much of the second quarter, he was mesmerized by the band's halftime show. At that point though, it was time to head on...after stopping for one more photo op.

This little guy zonked out within minutes of being in the car. What a day! And what incredible memories we made. It was worth the drive, the $$ (for the tickets, parking, food, hats, etc), and the heat. So glad we decided to do it, and I am already looking forward to the opportunity to go again. 

We hit the road and headed straight for the coast. It had been too long. Thankfully, for us, Hurricane Isaac decided to head west, and we were still able to enjoy Labor Day at St. George. We pulled in late that night, but the boys were up and at 'em early the next morning. When we got down to the water, the only signs of the storm were the incredible amounts of seaweed on the shore and the murky water still bringing up more seaweed.

Luckily, it was easy to overlook....

It was a gorgeous and hot weekend. Not a lot of breeze, but we definitely can't complain. We enjoyed a relaxing couple of days with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Kristi, and Uncle Steve. 

Isn't the hose just the best? A great source of entertainment for boys of all ages.

It wouldn't be Labor Day at the beach without the Annual Labor Day Cornhole Tournament....even if it was just two teams this year. Congratulations to this year's champs: The Costas! 

Grandpa did his best to keep the boys busy during the tournament. Jude was initiated into the "Order of the Stick." Little boys with walking sticks on the beach...you can't lose....well, until that short little-boy-attention-span is exhausted. It may not have distracted the boys for long, but it as great while it lasted. 

Then it was time to settle in for the night with books, baths, and dinner.

Loving the long weekend, we still had one more day to enjoy in paradise. We spent the bulk of that day on the beach. The boys played in the sand, ran, splashed, and explored. It honestly can't get much better than that. Little boy heaven!

 

It was one heck of a weekend! So many moments and memories. Crazy ones, wild ones, whiny ones, fun ones and sweet ones. And we couldn't be more thankful.