Finishing Up for November and Starting December!

I will start by completing my list of things I am thankful for.....
9.   My ears to hear the sweet giggles of my girls.
10. My eyes to watch them and everyone else around me grow and morph in to someone older and wiser.
11. My nose to smell the wonderful Thanksgiving food!
12. My mouth (sometimes) when I am able to communicate what I want to say :)
13. My legs to walk and run
14. My hands to touch and feel all that is around me
15. Little Witt in my belly teaching me patience every day!  Hopefully that won't continue when he arrives! HA!
16. My house for not selling as of yet.  (Strange, but I know it is for a bigger and better reason)
17. Being financially stable enough to afford help with a few things in life, because without the help I would sure be overwhelmed. (examples: yard man, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, pest control, you know the important things)
18. My yard man because he looks out for snakes and killed one and didn't let it bite one of us
19. My inability to say no to committing myself to things.  Sometimes I over commit, but I definitely don't miss out!
20. Dinner at my mom's more than once a week.  (You just have no idea!)
21. My trip to Gatlinburg with Zach's Family for Thanksgiving.  It will be so fun for the girls and Zach and I to spend a few days with them!
22. Being fortunate enough that our families are close enough in proximity to share the holidays with both!
23. Our puppies.  They spent a week in the kennel while we went on vacation. Since our family has continued to expand we have really neglected them and they were once all we had! :)
24. Thanksgiving Day...eating with family, traveling and long conversations with loved ones.

The last few days of November consisted of unpacking from our trip to Gatlinburg and traveling to Auburn for the Iron Bowl.  It did not work out in our favor but I do love the Iron Bowl.  The anticipation of the event is never disappointing, however only less exciting when we lose.

The first two weeks of December have been crazy! I love all the Christmas parties, but I do wish we could spread them out over a couple months instead of having 3 per week!  It is a little overwhelming.  I have NOT completed my Christmas shopping yet and Christmas is next weekend.  Ahhhh, the joys of Christmas :)  I do love this time of year though, even though we are super busy. I love shopping and get super carried away at this time of year.  I really love shopping for the little ones.  Even if they don't like their gift it is so fun to picture their little faces in your mind getting excited as they open a present :) Daley had her Christmas program at her school.  She was a Bethlehem Traveler and it was a wonderful performance by all! We have been traveling a lot lately so unfortunately we have not been to church in a couple of  weeks. I hate that, as this is truly what the season is all about.  We will get there though! 

I am constantly getting larger!  According to Baby Center Witt now weighs about 2 pounds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber????) from head to heel. He is kicking kicking kicking!  A very active little boy.  I don't think I have felt this much movement in the past two pregnancies and I hope this is not a sign of his activity level post birth :)

I have attached a few pics of the girls below!  (Won't be referring to our children as "the girls" much longer.  How exciting!)

Iron Bowl Week

Skylift with Daddy in Gatlinburg on Thanksgiving

My Little Bethlehem Traveler

Christmas Card Pic

Santa Pic

And let's not forget Baby Witt!

Thankful or Impatient?

My patience is pitiful!  I like for things I want to happen immediately, who doesn't though, right?  I think my perception of how fast things will happen for me is often times skewed.  I understand that many people's homes have been on the market for a year and often times longer than that, however here I am DYING TO MOVE TODAY and my house has only been on the market for less than 3 whole mos!  I also understand that I will be pregnant for 40 whole weeks, however here am at 22 weeks wondering everyday HOW MUCH LONGER?  Not only am I torturing myself, but since the 1st wish (house selling) hasn't been accomplished, why in the world would I be rushing the 2nd wish (baby hurry up!)?  There is not even a bedroom for our little man when he gets here! HA!  I am pregnant, emotional and irrational at this very moment!  Ask Zach or Daley even for that matter!  They will testify!  Daley has even asked me several times lately, what is wrong?  I think I must just have a terrible blank stare on my face all the time! Why am I wishing all this time away?

In other news, I am missing my very expensive camera (pic below)!  Oh camera what has happened to you? It may not seem like I treasured you, but really I did!  I want you to come home so desperately so I can take my most exciting Christmas Card pic that I take every year!  Why have you disappeared???

It looks and is the exact camera pictured above!  Please let me know if you have seen it!

I am falling apart at the seams over here!  And at a time when I am supposed to be Thankful!  I want to take the rest of this post to state what I am thankful for, because so far I feel like I have been a whiny baby and dare I say "impatient"!  There have been 7 days in November so far and I have seen a cute trend on Facebook in which people have been posting daily what they are thankful for in honor of Thanksgiving toward the end of the month.  So here are my first 7 days!

1. Zach. (Mostly for putting up with my pregnant, emotional, irrational self, but also for working hard and always trying to come up with new a better ways to take care of his family.)

2. Daley (For putting up with me too, but also for making me laugh.  She has a very smart mouth and is very blunt and honest about what is on her mind and I am glad I am able to have a sense of humor about it otherwise I might cry.  Zach gets on to me for laughing at her and not disciplining her, but she is so darn funny sometimes!)

3. My Sweet Demi (For being the light at the end of each day for me.  She is so kind hearted and snugly.  If she just has a blanky and her baby she will lay in my lap forever and although it is irritating that she wants to be held so often, I am glad she is in the stage of being so loving, because it makes me feel forgiven for my craziness!)

4. For the roof over my head! (Even though I am ready to sell it I am very fortunate to be in the financial situation I am in of being able to afford a home.)

5. For my job! (There are so many people out there without employment that desire to be employed and I often complain about working when I am really fortunate to have a job at all.)

6. Family (My Mom and Robert, Dad and Jill, Philip, Tiffany, JB, Mother and Father In Law (Mimi and Big Bad), Pearson , Lauren, Peyton, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.  Without this wonderful support unit my little family would not be thriving!)

7. Old Friends (Because they so much resemble family in that most of them have been around so long they feel like family, but also because even though we may not speak every day and our friendships may not always be convenient because we are in different places in our lives, I know I could turn to them in the darkest of times without fear of judgement and they make me smile even if the last words shared between us were Happy Birthday on Facebook :)

And I'll go ahead and do one for tomorrow because it is silly of me to think I will remember to do this tomorrow too!

8. New Friends (We are friends because it is convenient and we are in the same place in our lives, and for providing me someone to share this time in my life with!)

Love,

Lindsey

Lately Pics

Halloween with the cousin!

Demi, JB and Daley

Turn Trussville Pink!

Cinderella and her pumpkin!

War Eagle!

 

Softball Trophy!

Pumpkin Patch

Field Trip

It's A Boy!

Imagine my surprise!!!!!  And Zach's!!!!  Daley is also so excited!  She has been saying she wanted a brother so bad that we were actually worried about her disappointment had it been a girl, although a girl is what I expected.  I had heard that the chance of having a baby of the opposite sex decreased to like 20% after having two of the same sex.  A good amount of people I know have been blessed with having this happen, so I REALLY thought that decreased my chances!  But, here we are...expecting a boy.  His name will be Zachary DeWitt Alsobrook Jr. and we will call him Witt.  Wow!  It is really like being pregnant all over again for the first time! I get to shop as if I have never had a baby before, outside of the pack and play, swing crib, etc., things that we purchased gender neutral.  They aren't the fun things to purchase anyway.  I get to do a nursery!!!!  And, buy little baby boy clothes!  How fun! We have been teaching Demi how to say Witt.  she actually sounds like a little German baby pronouncing it more like "Vitt".  But she has several months to work this out. ;) According to Baby Center our little man us 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces.  Too bad my weight gain has been slightly more than this! ;) HA!

Something I have been struggling with most recently has been the sell of our home.  I know, welcome to your life!  Everyone seems to be struggling with the sell of their home.  But I REALLY want to sell mine!  I pray and beg and bargain, everything short of something illegal!  I have been reminding myself of this a lot lately....

It is so hard though!  To imagine something not working out for the best and in my timing and not His?!?!?!  Doesn't He think my timing is acceptable?!?!  It sure seems like good timing to me!  It is easy to tell myself to "Let go and Let God" but relatively impossible to put into action. I have a request that you pray I realize I don't know what is best and that there is a bigger plan.  It is hard for me to come to terms with my planning possibly not being THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO DO THINGS.  Is it a woman thing, a wife thing, a Mom thing, or just my inherent stubbornness?  Pray God helps me see. ;) And don't answer me directly, especially if you think it is my stubbornness. ;) And if you're feeling generous, pray my house sells!

In the mean time we will continue to pray our seemingly healthy baby BOY continues to be healthy and that these two live up to being the Big Sisters we know they can be!  Thanks for reading!

-Lindsey

Hillbilly Day October 11, 2011

 Daley (Flower Girl) October 8, 2011

           

Daley Softball October 3, 2011

Demi (Spiro's Wedding) October 1, 2011

  Demi Ball Park October 3, 2011

September Alsobrook Update WAR EAGLE!

Well, for the past couple weeks we have been experiencing some lovely fall weather!  I sure have enjoyed it! We have done lots of fun things to celebrate the good weather.  First, we spent the first two weekends of September in Auburn celebrating VICTORIES!  And then last week was not so great for OUR Tigers :(  We have also been enjoying several birthday parties.  People are really amping up on kids birthdays these days!  One party had a snow cone truck come and you got to pick the snow cone of your choice, large size and everything!  HEAVENLY!  As second birthday party had a bounce house, very fun for the girls and much more affordable than actually having it a bounce house party place (ask me, I know!)

According to Babycenter Baby Alsobrook #3 is about 3 1/2 inches,  about the size of a lemon,  and weighs 1 1/2 ounces.  ****Newsflash**** I have gained slightly more than 1 1/2 ounces!  Let's pray this ratio doesn't keep up.  If so, by 40 weeks when the baby is relatively 7 or 8 or 9 lbs,  I will be one of those that has to be cut out of her house and transported to the hospital by crane! On the positive side of pregnancy, OCTOBER 5th we will know if Baby Alsobrook #3 is a boy or a girl!!!  YIPPEE!  This is the most exciting milestone for me outside of when the baby actually gets here!  It adds a totally new spin on being pregnant and gives the little black and white skeleton you see in the ultrasounds a whole personality and a name of his or her own.  Please, for Zach, hope it is a boy! I would say pray, but the deed is done.  I really have to tip my hat to those folks who don't find out!  Who are they torturing anyway???

Sorry I don't have any pictures to attach to the blog!  I have not been toting my camera around a lot lately, but maybe I will scrounge some up and post an additional blog. Hey, maybe there will even be more than 1 or 2 blogs this month! Thanks for reading!

-Lindsey

Alsobrook Party of 5?!?!?!?!

Yes, that is right!  We are having a 3rd! 

Surprised? Yes......
Panicked?  Yes......
Excited?  about another baby actually arriving?  YES!.........

A moment of honesty here......  I think I have been pregnant enough!  If you go through this twice you should just get a freebie for the third and the baby just appear!  It is true that we wanted a 3rd!  We were not quite ready as of yet, but I know that God's plan is not always the same as mine and I am learning to adjust.  We had a plan!  We were going to go on all these special diets and do all these special things so that God would bless us with a boy!  That's how you convince him right, go on diets and do special things?! :)  Guess he thought better of that, so here we are!  Blessed no doubt, we are super excited about the pending arrival of baby Alsobrook #3!  I am a week and a half away from entering my second trimester, so here is what Baby Center says about our little one today.....

Baby is the size of a kumquat! 
Your baby, now barely the size of a kumquat, weighs less than a quarter of an ounce.
(Length: a little over 1 inch, head to bottom.)

1 inch, huh?  I know all of this glorious "getting bigger"  stuff happens faster in subsequent pregnancies, but the getting bigger part is my least favorite!  Not good news that my pants are already uncomfortable!  I went to the doctor again last week and although I haven't actually gained any weight yet, I feel like my clothes already don't fit so great.  ;(  It was really fun seeing my little man (or lady) wiggle around in there though!  In the ultrasound he/she looks like a baby already!  And, much bigger than 1 inch I might add!  It was very exciting and I found myself  already wishing he/she was here.  I do realize though that baby would not be so cute outside the womb at this point.  That is why the pictures are in black and white, I think! ;) But, the heartbeat was excellent and everything looks great, so we couldn't be happier!

More changing for us!  Now for the past several weeks we have been in a whirl wind trying to get our house in order so that we can put it on the market and sell it and get a bigger house, more suited for ALL of us!  It has been on the market for one week as of today and we have had one call.  My prayer request for all of this is that I can see clearly God's plan!  I do not know what will come of all this, but I am trying to be at peace with it while waiting.  If we are meant to be cramped in our little house so our family will have a strong bond then I am trying to be okay with that, but I am also ready for my house to sell because I feel like if we have the means to purchase a larger home, then that is what we should do.  Houses are being sold at excellent prices right now, but that also means that our house we are selling is offered at an excellent price, which doesn't feel so excellent!

So, that is all the news I have for now!  We sure are busier, and just when we think we can't get busier we get busier!  Apparently we can handle this or it wouldn't be tossed our way!  That is what I keep telling myself ;)

June and July

It seems like I might have been on a blogging hiatus this summer!  We have been super busy and having lots of fun!  We have been to the beach twice and took a trip to Lake Martin July 4.  I have lots of pictures to share below to document the girls as they are ever growing and constantly coming into their own personalities. 

Demi has become quite the social butterfly. When we went to the beach with my family she was chatting up everyone within a walking distance. Her favorite toys right now are purses. If she doesn't have a purse she will use anything that could substitute! She grabs buckets and boxes if she can't find her Elmo purse and loads it and unloads it and waves and says "bye bye"! I THINK she might be my girly girl?!?!?! Towards the end of June when Daley's dance class was wrapping up for the summer she couldn't stay away! I have been taking her to most of Daley's dance classes since August of last year and she NEVER showed any interest whatsoever about going in the room, but the last class was awful as she was screaming a pitching a total fit to get in the door. Not so bad except for when we went in to watch she wouldn't sit with me, she wanted to go up there and dance with Daley's class! This has carried on throughout the summer as she has been performing anytime music has played. she entertained a restaurant with her shenanigans later in the month of June when we went to the beach with Zach's family. August 1st Demi will be moving into the big girl class at her school! "One Step Up" is the name of the class. She will no longer require sippy cups to be brought to school because the provide them for us (huge for mom not to pack a bag every morning!) She will sleep on a nap mat! This is a big deal! She has NEVER not slept in a crib or a pack n play! I do not see how they are going to manage to get her to sleep! I can remember switching Daley to a cot at her old day care and I thought the same thing though, so this will probably work out too! Demi is getting to be such BIG GIRL!

Daley  is forever becoming such a young lady!  She is so sweet and I am not just biased because I am her mother!  She is a really sweet kid!  I love that when I pick her up everyday her teachers as well as other teachers tell me how sweet she is and what a great kid she is.  It is one of the few times that I feel like I must actually be doing an okay job.  She is a wonderful big sister to Demi.  She always tries to help whenever we ask.  Now sometimes she over helps when not asked and i can become a problem, but she is only 4 and some of that is expected.  She is very cautious and I mean RARELY does anything ha might cause her to get injured.  This summer started and she would not even come off the steps in a swimming pool, so we enrolled her in swim lessons at the YMCA every day for 2 weeks.  It was great timing because we left the minute after her last swim lesson to go o the beach and she was jumping off the side of the pool and swimming all over the place.  It is so rewarding to watch a child learn and overcome fear! Another thing Daley has come down with a severe illness this summer commonly known as Bieber Fever. Yes.....I originally let her hear the song, but I do not believe that there has been to many days since Spring started that Baby Baby has not played in the car or in the house.  Girl has got it bad!  Daley will be moving up to the 4K class at her school.  They are referred to as the "Challengers".  It is hard to believe that our first born is in 4K let alone to process that next year she will be in 5K at an actual elementary school.  CRAZY AND SCARY! Daley is a smart girl that knows the difference between right and wrong.  The trick is getting her to believe that she knows that and not letting the mere suggestion of another child question that.  I know that this is going to be a problem for many many years and that it will only get worse,  but I am so proud of her so far!

As both of our girls are beginning a new fall school year it is fun to reflect back on them and how they have grown. :)  We are so blessed.  A friend of mine on facebook asked friends to share "pearls of wisdom" regarding raising children. One friend wrote to ask your children "what if you woke up today with only what you  gave thanks for yesterday?"  At first I thought "what a great lesson!?!"  Then, I became very disappointed because I don't even know what I gave thanks for yesterday!  So, today I am thankful for family and friends and very few material possessions.  I would be just fine if tomorrow that was all I had!

-Lindsey

Care Walk 2011

One thing I have never blogged about before is that when Demi was an infant she was diagnosed with Thalassemia. I have never really posted anything on the blog regarding Thalassemia as we are lucky and it really doesn't affect Demi so it is not really on the forefront of my thoughts, but I think I should at mention it for the benefit of raising awareness in the few people that may read this blog regarding the more severe patients with this blood disease.

Thalassemia is a blood disease that originated in the Mediterranean Region which is where 50% of my family originated. There are two types of Thalassemia: Minor and Major and fortunately Demi only possesses the Minor type. This will virtually have no effect on her life whatsoever except for she will require some genetic counseling when she is old enough to think about having children on her own as 2 Thalassemic Minors make up a Major. Thalassemia is a genetic defect in which their is a reduced rate or no rate of synthesis in the globin chains that make up the hemoglobin, thus causing her to test anemic. Some symptoms of anemia include fatigue and we have taken into consideration that this may be why she is so sleepy.

Demi is a powerhouse sleeper. Most nights she goes to bed around 7 p.m. and I have to wake her up for school in the morning, otherwise on weekends she sleeps until 8:30 or 9 a.m. In talking with a lot of my "mommy friends" I realize that I am lucky as both of my children are that way. I can understand Daley's sleeping in since she is a night owl much like her Dad, but Demi goes to bed so early. There are a host of other symptoms though of which to our knowledge she has never experienced. Surely not pale skin....she appears to be dark like her Mommy. Surely no decrease in appetite....Demi is a little chubber and LOVES to eat, often times I am in awe of her ability!

May 1, 2011 was the 1st Annual Care Walk sponsored by the Cooley's Anemia Foundation and the Thalassemia Action Group.  The closest one in our area was in Georgia, but there were several across the country. There is not much awareness regarding Thalassemia because it affects so few people in our region, but this is the greatest form of awareness we have come across so far and unfortunately I didn't know about it on May 1, 2011, but next year it will be April 29, 2012 and I may be calling on you to walk with me and help raise money to raise awareness as well as fund seeking treatment.

I have posted a few links below to reference that I found helpful and that you can go to if you are curious about learning more.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalassemia

http://www.thalassemia.org/

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/thalassemia-symptoms.aspx

Daley is 4!

Last weekend we had Daley's 4 yr old birthday party at Pump it Up and let me just tell you how much fun we had!  Destination birthday parties are definitely the best, and they are the fondest memory I have of my birthdays as a kid, but there is a reason that you only get one or two of them, because they are EXPENSIVE!  It was totally worth it though to see how much fun she had and the smile on her face.  We had a small hang up with a carpet burned elbow, but other than that she was having a ball.  I didn't get a whole lot of pictures as Pump it Up parties are my favorite too, but I did post the few that I got below.

Love,

Lindsey

Demi even got in on some of the fun!

Daley and her sweet friend James from Church ;)

Daley and her sweet friends ;)

The Best Day of a 4yr Old's Life

There are Birthdays and then there are BIRTHDAYS and when Aubie pays you a visit and you are a 4 yr old little girl.......it is THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANOTHER beautiful weekend!

With another beautiful weekend came fun in the sun!  This weekend we had Will Baker's Birthday party. Will is a friend of Demi's that is about one month younger than her.  As you can see below he had a great time and so did all the big kids "helping" him open all of his gifts. It was also really pretty outside and a great opportunity for me to attempt to get a photo of Daley and Demi  in a matching outfit.  The photos are okay....I only wish I could get Demi to cooperate!  I don't remember this being a huge deal with Daley, but with Demi it is next to IMPOSSIBLE to make her look at the camera!

After Will's Birthday Demi was exhausted so we took her home and Zach stayed with her and I took Daley to the Carnival in Trussville to meet her Cousin JB, Uncle Philip, Aunt Tiffany, Yia Yia and Berts.  She had a great time.  She was able to ride most of the rides. I should get some type of award though for keeping her out of the bounce house as there were boys in there that looked to be 12 years old or better that would have flattened her like a pancake! 

I am glad that we got another weekend to play outside and enjoy our friends.  I also would like to wish John Vakakes (a dear friend from Church) and Laura Brantley (a dear friend for the better portion of my life who also turned 30) Happy Birthdays this week!

Love,

Lindsey

 

          Birthday Boy Will Baker

 

                                                                     
               Best photo I got

            Easy Rider                               Alligator Roller Coaster

              Carousel with JB

Spring Fever?

Spring is here!  And poor Demi had a fever!

Demi is doing good now. Zach was able to leave work early Thursday when they called from school and asked us to come and get her. I called and immediately got her an appointment and they said it was her ears.  She has been on antibiotics and has been at home. I stayed home from work with her on Friday and since then she has been doing and feeling great.  Friday was only when the great weather merely started to make an appearance though, so it wasn't like we were stuck in doors the whole weekend at all.  Saturday and Sunday we were able to get out and do a couple of fun things.  Saturday night we cooked out with friends and Sunday after Church we went to the park for a sweet baby friend Alexa's first Birthday Party!  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the girls had a blast. I am so excited for many weekends to come like this one.  I will never get sick of great weather!

I really just love this time of year!  I love everything about spring except for maybe the pollen which is not in full force yet. What's not to like other than that though? Cute clothes for the girls!  Outdoor activities........ swimming, beaching, parks or heck.....just hanging out in the backyard!  Daylight savings time ensued this weekend and this makes me oh, so happy!  I will never understand why it needs to be dark at 5 p.m..  It is just silly!  There is so much we can do after work and school now and it makes my house run much more smoothly. I can cook while at least Daley is playing in the backyard.  Zach and I have actually committed to start running together too!  We did our first 5-K together last weekend.  I thought he would not be interested in this at all and now that he has run one he is totally set on improving his time and wants to do another race! All child illnesses pending I think we will be running in Crestline this weekend.

I love taking pictures of the girls in the Spring because the colors are bright and the scenery is beautiful!  I have posted a few of our racing pics below and some pics from Alexa's birthday party.  I think my camera will be making more appearances with me in weeks to come so stay tuned!