It's been awhile....

Well, I have not posted in awhile so here's one.  Let's see.....not a whole lot going on here besides waiting on Karis to make her debut.  I am 38 weeks pregnant today, just 2 weeks left until her due date.  I have already started some progression and am having some contractions.  She's still happy where she is for now though.  We're both still having perfect check-ups at the doctors office.  I am also feeling pretty darn good too except for some minor aches and pains and some insomnia.  As far as losing sleep....it's inevitable anyways, why not start now?  We are all ready for her...clothes washed, bed made up, everything put together, diapers bought....all we need is her :)  It's nice to know that we're all done and still have some time left.  Everyone is anxious to meet her and everybody has their own time frame that they are hoping she will arrive in.  Uncle Roger goes out of town for work and would love to have her come like now.  My sister has vacation from school coming up so she's pulling for then.  Well folks, we're on Karis time now :)  The boys all know that she can now come at anytime and that she will come when she's ready.  They are getting excited for sure!!  Rob and I are too.  I'm not in a real rush but, am finding myself getting very excited to meet her.  I will definitely miss being pregnant...I am really enjoying her movement...this is the last time so I am trying to remember it all.

Kelly (my sis-n-law) recently did some maternity photos for me.  Her brother did my hair and I managed to put some make-up on decently.  We dealt with a completely cloudy day!!  BUMMER!  She still did her best and I was still very happy with what she got.  I know that she wasn't all that happy because there's not much you can do when lighting is off.  Here are some of our favorites!

   












I'm VERY glad that we did these!!!  I will have them forever to cherish this time that went by so fast compared to how long I will love her.  I feel so close to her already.  I don't think I felt as close with the boys when I was pregnant with them.  I think it's because I am just so much more in tune with who I am.  I was so scared when I was pregnant with the boys...it was so new and I didn't know what I was doing.  I have some confidence now.  Bring it on!!  I know it is NOT going to be easy but, I am ready to do this. 

The next post will be to announce her arrival!!!! 

It's almost June!!! ALREADY!?!?

Well folks, May is winding down and things are getting ready to change dramatically around here.  Today is Rylan's last day of Kindergarten and Mason's last day is on Friday (a 2 hr. day....what's the point???).  It has been quite hot here of May since this weekend, like up to 90 a few times!  The boys have already been enjoying being shirtless and shoeless...I wish I could play on the slip and slide!!  That would be a quick way to get the baby out, LOL!!!
Speaking of Karis.....the due date is quickly approaching! 

July 8th is just 43 days away and she will be full term ans technically "ready" in just 3 weeks.  How do I feel about this?  Well, I guess I'm ready to do this.  I am excited to meet her and see what a little girl Gibby/Alles combo looks like.  I am looking forward to nursing her, getting to know her and have her look deep into my eyes as she falls asleep.  I am slowly remembering just how hard having a squishy little newborn is though.....diapers, crying, soreness, lack of sleep, oh and the hormones.  All of that goes so fast when you look back though, so bring it on!  The newborn stage is so amazing.  They are 100% dependent on you and as much as that is very intimidating, it is also very rewarding.  She's my last little bitty baby so I will not be in any hurry for her to grow up!!!  I have really enjoyed this pregnancy minus the daily small complaints but, as we come to the end I am getting more ready to meet her.  I think that Rylan is anticipating her arrival the most.  He mentions her often and wonders when she is coming out.  We have a countdown on our bathroom mirror with dry erase marker that we have just switched to days from weeks.  So, now it's everyday that we get to change the number :)  We call it the "Karis Countdown".  It seems like just a couple of months ago that we found out, it has gone so fast and is already almost over.  I will miss her movements and hiccups and knowing that she is safe with Mommy while on the inside.  Life will be so much different around here in just a few short weeks....ready or not, here she comes!!
We have a "Gibby Family Fun Day" or G.F.F.D planned for this coming Sunday.  All of us, plus Roger, Kelly, Grandpa and G-Ma Dawn are going out for an all day trip.  We're headed to Indiana Dunes State Park to have some beginning of summer fun!  Hiking, the beach of Lake Michigan, BBQ, playground and plenty of nature!!  I am so excited to get out of here and do something...even if I am sore and tired while doing it or later.  It will all be worth it to make memories with the family!
Wednesday is the maternity photo shoot that Kelly and I have been looking forward to for weeks!!  I can't wait to see the awesome shots that I KNOW she is capable of!!  I just hope that I don't screw them up!
    

It's officially looking like SPRING!

I must say that I am absolutely stoked when I see the beautiful colors of spring!  I don't have any early spring bulbs but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy my neighbors' :)  The weather has been gorgeous enough lately that when we have a yucky day I am ok with it.  After all, these April showers will bring May flowers!  I planted some seeds in my pots for the first time...it's so amazing to see life growing from this tiny seed I buried in the dirt just a week or so ago :)  I planted some marigolds (I like them because they are tough, animals don't eat them, and of course they are the color of the sun), black-eyed susans, white daisy's, and some huge sunflowers!  I am trying some red hibiscus bush seeds from mom and dad but they will take awhile to sprout (if they do).  Fingers crossed! 

The boys are really loving spending so much time outside...I am too :)  School will be out in no time at all.  They will be out by the end of May.  Part of me is looking forward to it so we can just have relaxing mornings.  BUT, I know that they will quickly get on my nerves.  Yes, it happens.  It seems to happen more so the bigger I get.  The patience runs thin quickly on some days.  Them being outside definitely give all of us a break from each other that is necessary.

Speaking of being here in no time at all....Karis is due in just 12 weeks!  That's 3 months!!!  She will be technically Full Term in 9 weeks, so she could be here anytime between 9 and 14 weeks.  I must say that I am not prepared mentally (not sure if I even will be until they send me home with her).  I think that's how it has gone each time.  When I was sent home with Rylan I got home, sat his car seat down, looked at him and said "now what ?".  Thank God for motherly instinct...we figured things out and still are.  That was the beginning of where my life truly began, it's amazing how far we have all come.  We have grown so much....by number as well as emotionally as a family.  The boys are still excited about Karis and are starting to ask when she will be coming out.  I tell them it's still a long time because their "soon" is different than my and Rob's "soon".  Mason is old enough to get that 3 months isn't very long though.  I am fine with her right where she is for the time being.  I go back and forth....

My sister is going to throw me a baby shower here in a couple of weeks back home at Mom and Dad's house.  Just something simple and small, a BBQ party type thing.  I've not had a shower before because of being so far away from everyone when I had Rylan and Aiden.  So, I am excited to celebrate the life of Karis Nicole Gibson.  For me (especially since I'm not a first time Mom) it's not about the "stuff", it will just be nice to have people that I care about come together to visit.  I don't get to visit everybody when I come to town for visits.  People I care about, yummy foods and cake.....what more could I ask for?   :-)

Also, My totally awesome sister in law Kelly is going to do my first ever maternity photos!  I am really excited.  We are going to do them at the Arboretum in early June (hopefully the 1st, if the weather plays nicely).  He brother (also totally talented) Ryan will hopefully be available to do his magic on my hair.  I really love the photos that she takes...she is able to catch what my boys really look like, no fancy lights or lame props....she uses natural light and the sunshine looks beautiful on everyone!  I am really looking forward to seeing what she captures!!  Also, the Arboretum should be so beautiful!!  By then we will be counting down by days instead of weeks.               

GGGGrrrrr, the first day of spring....are you sure???

So, today is the first day of spring.....  YAY, right?!  WRONG!  I was woken this morning at 7:30am by the sound of freezing rain pelting our bedroom windows.  Not Cool!  Then we had some regular rain then, and here's the kicker, SNOW!!!!  it has been snowing off and on all day :(  So here are some shots of our first day of spring....

Here is my teacup flower pot filled with luscious potting soil just waiting on something pretty to arrive in it...what does it get?  SNOW!!

I am hoping that this is just one last fling for who ever is in charge of winter....before the spring kicks it's butt out of here!  I sat down and did a little landscaping plan today for the front yard, I will post that since I don't mind everyone know that I like to color :)   I am SO glad that we had a really nice week to enjoy the sunshine and warmth and also that it should be returning (TO STAY) hopefully this coming week.  I am excited to get this started and done soon before I am too big!  (that still won't stop me!)

We finished celebrating Mason's birthday today.  We went out to our FAVORITE breakfast restaurant Crispy Waffle, interestingly ran/owned by Greek people.  Rob LOVES the Grecian Benedict.  I had the signature waffle (a big, fat, fluffy waffle with bananas, strawberries and blueberries), a side of bacon and scrambled eggs.  YUM...pretty sure I could eat that everyday!!  Roger and Kelly and uncle "B-Sho" were there too, we then went to hand out at the house since we have not seen them in weeks.  Kids and the big boys played the wii and we sang and had some cake.  Mason got to go to the store w/ Uncle Roger & Aunt Kelly to pick out his present, he got a Pokemon game for his DS that he's had his eye on.  So, besides the STUPID SNOW, it was a good day!  I must remember to have some cake later......

A thunderstorm and a birthday

I love the rumble of a good storm!  It may be dreary and ugly outside but these March showers mean that winter is DONE!  Sure, it's rain, but it's not snow.  BOY, do I welcome it with open arms!!  ALL the snow is gone!  I woke this morning to thunder and lightning.  (I actually thought it was Rob playing his war video games downstairs at first)  I woke up a little bit more and realized what it really was.  It was actually very calming.  T-storms remind me of home...Dad is a big T-storm fan and he loved hanging out on the porch when we were little to watch them.  The thunder and lightning don't scare me at all...to me it's really neat.  Weather is pretty cool in my opinion.  We are getting much closer to me being able to plant my bulbs!! 

Today is Mason's 9th birthday.  It seems like not so long ago that I met him for the first time when he was 3 and a half.  He looked just like his Daddy....still does.  His chubby cheeks and lingering baby fat, he was a cutie!!  Now, he is developing into a handsome young man.  He has changed so much since those first days.  He was so quiet and unsure of himself and his surroundings.  He has grown to trust people more and more.  He is such a big boy now.  He is becoming a little better at making the "right choice" instead of the popular choice.  That is such a hard thing to teach.  He is a very good big brother and he can't wait to help with baby Karis.  He is just a very giving boy and LOVES to help.  He has come a long way since moving in full time with us....all he needed was some discipline and structure in his life.  I am SO glad that he is here with us.  I didn't know how it was going to work but we jumped at the chance to get custody of him and I could not imagine him not being here!  He is SUCH a good boy, strangers tell me all the time :) 
We are going to wait to do his b'day party until the weekend after this one.  We had a death in the family and not everyone is back here in Illinois yet.  He says he understands but I know it must be hard to wait, no one likes to wait!  We are going to go out to dinner tomorrow night (his choice) and give him one of his gifts (a watch) tonight.  So, he should be at peace for the time being :)

It's yearly check-up time!!!

With these boys having birthdays, that also means it's time to head to the doctor.  Lucky for me, they LOVE their pediatrician and actually look forward to seeing Dr. Russell.  Usually these are referred to as Well Child visits...well all three of my boys have Bronchitis.  All three got a script for an antibiotic....thanks Daddy for sharing those germs!!  I pretty much suspected this for the past week but waited until their already scheduled appointments.  I had a few questions with Rylan and Aiden.  Aiden has these little bumps on the backs of his arms, sides of thighs and on his cheeks.  He has actually had for years and I was told it was dry skin from some Air Force Doc.  I brushed it off and figured it was a type of eczema that didn't really have a treatment.  I was right.  He said it's not a big deal as long as it doesn't bother him (it doesn't seem to).  He said I could use hydracortisone if I wanted.  I don't like it on his face...it been getting red lately, so I'll try that on his face.

Rylan is being seen by an Ophthalmologist (an actual medical doctor specializing in the health of the eye as an organ) next week.  He is having issues with double vision, focusing on objects/people, tracking objects and headaches.  He also has a "droopy eye appearance".  His vision is fine.  So, we will soon see what the issue is and where we go from here.  This is giving him issues in school.  I feel horrible about it, as a mother we all want our babies to be perfect.   It broke my heart when, the day after a musical program they did, he said that he saw "two mommies" when he was on the stage.  All that week he was mentioning "seeing two" and I thought he was just doing silly things with his eyes (crossing them).  It was then that I knew we had to investigate this with a specialist.  The school nurse agreed.  I will be sure to update when we sort this out.

Mason has no issues that I need to ask the Doc about.  His teeth are finally growing in (after like 7 months!) and he seems to be growing like a weed these days.  Only a few years until he will be as tall I am.  Even the Doctor said what a great boy he is...I really am so very lucky to have him!
  
They are three handsome, healthy, well adjusted and pretty darn well behaved boys that have no real health issues.  Always good news!

STATS:

Mason-@9 years old- Weight, 57lbs (gained 7 since October)....26th percentile  Height, 4' 2" (also grew a couple inches since October)....13th percentile.  I was thinking that I was crazy because it seems like he got bigger since late fall.  Mason's body is trying to catch up!!

Rylan- @6 years old- Weight, 39lbs 12.8oz....9th percentile  Height, 3' 2.5".....2nd percentile
This child was born weighing in at 8lbs 4oz, born 2 weeks early!  He has never been referred to as "big" again.

Aiden- @4 years old- Weight, 30lbs 11.2oz....10th percentile  Height, 3' 5.5"......8th percentile

I do believe that unless Ry has a growth spurt soon, Aiden will be passing him in height.  Rylan only has 3 inches on him and they can technically wear the same pants.  It's getting tough for me to remember who gets what in the laundry pile!!  So sad for Rylan  :(  Lucily, he has not realized anything yet.  AND he still has plenty of time to "catch up".  (me trying to stay positive)  I was the smaller Big sibling too, so I feel for him.  But it will be harder growing up smaller as a boy.  It's just my stupid genes cursing him.  Oh well, he is brilliant like his Daddy so it will all work out.

Karis- (we'll throw her in here just for fun...I find the development of a baby to be SO amazing)  I am 22 weeks pregnant with her today.  She's weighing in around 1lb. now and is almost 12" long.  She now resembles a tiny newborn, most features fully developed.  Her tiny ears can even hear us now.  She could be in there sucking her thumb, sticking out her tongue or playing with her toes.  She also has developed the ability to grab with her hand...babies practice this on the umbilical chord (perfectly safe).  Her eye lids are still closed, her eyes are fully developed but currently have no pigment in the iris.  She also is growing hair now, which also has no pigment at his point. (Rob is hoping for a little girl with my eye and hair color....very little chance of that with his dark hair/dark eyes dominant genes)  I can easily feel her kicks and rolls now (others can too!) which is very reassuring that she's doing great in there!  I go to sleep at night to her giving me her good night taps...such an awesome feeling!!!  She will be gaining her body fat, filling out her beautiful features and continuing to develop internally.  18 more weeks until her due date....that does not seem like very long when we started at 40!!! 

We are so thankful to have been blessed with healthy children!!!

A trip to see spring!

This was a much needed outing for me!  I decided that even though the kids do deserve to get out of the house, Mommy needed some "me time".  The day started with some yummy breakfast as our favorite breakfast joint Crispy Waffle.  A big, fluffy waffle topped with bananas, strawberries and blueberries and a side of bacon.  She had the same....great minds think alike!  Kelly and I decided to go check out the Garfield and Lincoln Conservatories.  What a great choice!  It was so beautiful.  They were both free to the public and still very enjoyable.  As soon as we walked in there was gorgeous color all around.  Pinks, purples, brilliant whites....fresh greenery for our eyes that needed to see something besides the glum of winter in Chicago!!! 

 

The Azalea bushes and trees were in full bloom, they're colors were so vivid!  There were HUGE palm trees, banana and papaya too!  We also saw lots of different ferns and cactus....not to forget the beautiful collection of Orchids.  They were so gorgeous that they didn't look real.  (some pics above)  The whole thing just made me feel like I was somewhere else no where near Illinois!  All that gloom and yuck went away for us for a short time.  It was relaxing and calm, beautiful things to look at and great company to share it with.   I look forward to seeing all of these colors out doors in a couple of months!!