Chad

Chad, my hubby, my one true love. Sometimes I don't give him enough credit for everything he does for me and Tyler which is why one of my new years resolutions is to be more patient with him, and not be such a nag! Looking at pictures today made me just remember why I love him so much, (even tho I never forgot, its nice to be reminded by going down memory lane) So I thought I would share some pictures (my favorite thing to do) that made me smile or laugh, and make me realize how lucky I am to have found someone who just adores me as much as I adore them! I LOVE YOU CHAD!!!

 This is Easter 2010. One thing I love about Chad is he is always down to dress however I want him too, I have always worn Easter "Peep" (the marsh mellow chickie things) colors on Easter, because I really like to be festive with every holiday, yes it is a little dorky but I like it and I think it makes it fun! :) A lot of guys who I have known would just not be down with dressing in a theme or a like for something, so this is one thing I  love <3

 Again for Easter, 2009

 This is for the 4th of July 2009, Red White and Blue :) this year we were at a wedding so we dressed up for that but next year trust me we will do this again :)

Thing I love about him number 2: He is a softy...(sorry Chad for outing you) My hubby cries...and I like it. He cried when Tyler was born, He cried when he saw Tyler being pushed down the isle at our wedding, and when I walked down the isle of coarse (actually it helped me not cry because I felt like there had to be one non crier at that moment, but I did cry saying my vows to him), and sometimes he tears up at movies. I just love that he has such a huge heart and is not afraid of showing it. I knew early on when we actually started dating after being friends for years before that I was madly in love with this guy and I knew he would be the one I ended up with forever (good thing since we got pregnant with Tyler only 2 months into dating) :)

One of the happiest days of my life!

 

 Thing I love #3:  Chad is the best Daddy ever!  He loves his boy so much you can just see it. He loves taking him places and he has always been super involved with every "first" Tyler has had and any other time. One of my favorite things to do is watch Chad read to Tyler or play games with Ty. I really could not have asked for a better father for my children. I know he is going to be just as great with Aubrey.

Ty learning to walk

Daddy and Ty at the car show, I believe this was Jan 2010

Looking at some "boosh" as Ty would say, summer 2010

AWWWWWWWWWWWW

This could go along with the first reason I said, but I also love the way that him and Tyler dress alike. It is too cute. This was Spring 2010

Thing I love #4:  I love how Chad and I have date nights. I think it is really important when you have kids that you get out and do stuff with just your significant other. It keeps the relationship fresh :) This was us at putt-putt Fall of 2009.

This was date night for my birthday 2010

Thing I love #5: Chad is a silly goof ball just like me! Sure we can and know when to be serious but we spend most of our times making jokes, laughing, and just plain acting goofy together, (it has also rubbed off on a certain 2 year old I know as well)

Halloween 2009, he made a great Popeye

I am seriously laughing out loud at those last 2 pics...we really are weirdos

LOL this was in Mexico on our honeymoon

So anyways, those are just a FEW reasons (in no order) why I love my husband.  He is my everything and I am happy to spend the rest of my life with him. (Sorry about the cheese-ball blog, but you gotta do them from time to time)

Ok there were a few normal ones...I could add pictures all night if I wanted to!

Christmas & New Years!!!!

This was Christmas Eve at my parents house, looks like everyone was good this year!

Well Christmas and New Years Eve is officially over! We took down our tree today while Tyler was taking a nap...and although I defiantly was ready for it, it also is a little sad. You spend all this time decorating and before you know it, its over in a flash! 

Christmas Eve was great with my immediate family, of course Tyler got spoiled by his Grandparents by getting trains, clothes and several other toys. Chad and I also got spoiled by Tyler's grandparents! I got some gift cards to my favorite stores (the only thing I asked for since I can't fit into cute clothes now, and it give me some motivation to get the baby weight off after so I can go buy some new threads) Chad got some really warm carhart bibs for work, and we also got a joined gift of DVD players for the car. I was super excited about that because that is what I wanted to buy from Target on black Friday but I couldn't get up to do it this year! The babies will really enjoy watching some cartoons when we are driving in the car! Thank you again to my wonderful parents!!!!!!!!

Daddy and Ty 

opening some presents

action shot

My hubby and I <3

Anne G at 19 weeks, and Me at 33 weeks. Anne also found out she is having a GIRL so our little cousin babies are going to be so close in age and hopefully can be great friends!!! :)

My parents and all their grandchildren!!! there will be 2 more (for sure) in 2011!!! So exciting!

So Christmas day was also great! Tyler and Chad and I had our own little family gift exchange! Tyler got a lot more from Santa!!! Then after that we all got ready and went to my Grandma's house for some more family time with all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a great day!

Tradition alert!!! Growing up my sisters and brother and I would run through a door of wrapping paper to the tree full of presents...It was my favorite so I decided to carry it on to my little family...Tyler didn't run through it but he did open it like a big present and then run to the tree.  I was really great to share that with my little man!!!!!!

Ty and his new keyboard!!! :)

His new tricycle from Santa

Ty and his new train table!!! He LOVED his new big boy room! We got it all on video of him running in there and going straight to that table it was great!

Ty in his new big boy bed!!!!

Tyler at his Great Grandma's house on Christmas day

After Christmas day we had the Lightner Christmas on Sunday the 26th, Ty got some really cute jammies from his Grandma Sherry and a train ride on thing from his aunt. Then on Monday, we had another with Cathy, Andrea, and my mom. Tyler got more awesome trains for his train set and some cute polos and really cool interactive book. Tyler really is a lucky little boy to have so many people who love him!!! 

So I realize that I should have broke this blog up into 2 separate blogs, but I have been so busy lately that this is just how they came...SORRY and thank you to those who have stuck it out for this long of a blog haha! 

New Years Eve was also great, Chad and my Dad installed a new water heater, so we don't have to worry about our basement flooding when it actually goes out, Ty, Maga, and I hung out and ran a couple errands while the men were at work :) I think it is so cute that Chad and my Dad can bond while doing a little manly work! And I am so thankful that my Dad is such a handy man that he can help us when it comes to home improvement...Pretty much my family is the bomb! (yep I just said the bomb...lol) Then we got ready to go to a little NYE party that was kid friendly so Tyler had lots of little friends to play with :) Ty loved playing with all the new toys (at times we had to remind him to share), it was really nice to get out and hang out with different families that are in the same stage of life as we are. Hopefully we can all get together again soon! Chad and I were at home by 9:30 and stayed up for midnight and went to bed directly after! No we weren't at some crazy party with a bunch of alcohol or at the club dancin the night away, but I would not have changed the way we spent it for anything!

Since it is 1/1/11, New Year's Day I should talk about my resolution for the year. It is to cook more different/healthy foods for Tyler to try and cut down on our fast food. Also I would like to try to be more patient with my Hubby, sometimes I feel like I don't give him enough credit for all he does for us, and I need to show more appreciation for that! I love him so much!!!! I wanted to do a little more than just to lose weight witch I know is a super popular one, and yes I will be losing weight from the baby weight but its not my resolution. Its just a normal goal.

2011 is going to be a great year!!! We will be welcoming little baby Aubrey soon (in a little less than 6 weeks) and Tyler will become a big brother! Chad and I will celebrate our 2 year anniversary already! I could not ask for a better year to come!!! Happy New Year everyone!

Tyler's new big boy room!!!!!!!!

 Its finally here! The blog I have been waiting to write for a while now!!!!!

All our hard work of shopping, painting, hanging things, and planning has finally paid off! Tyler's room is done!!! Well there are just a FEW tiny things to still be done, we need to get him a bed skirt, we need to hang the camera monitor (because yes I watch the Tyler show like some watch Big Brother lol its very entertaining) and I want to get some of those baby proofed door knob things so he doesn't get in to his closet, I also would like to buy a car lamp that goes with his theme from Target, but other than that I think we did good! Here is a little tour of the new room...

I was standing in his door way to take this picture. I think it turned out great!

better view of his adorable bedding, I just need to get a navy bed skirt for the bed. we just put the boxspring and mattress on the floor so it is a little lower to the ground for now, when he gets used to sleeping in a big boy bed and getting in and out we will put in on the frame.

this I know will be his favorite part of his new room, it is an awesome train table! my mom got him a couple chairs for it for Christmas too,  but those have to wait til friday :)

 his bookshelf

his curtains. the navy ones are new, they are thermal lined to hopefully help keep out drafts and I am hoping that the darkness will help with nap time!

gotta have his bball hoop up! hes gonna be tall so gotta start him young :) we also put car decals on the doors to spice them up a bit :)

this clock was originally in this room when it was our room, we decided to keep it in here since there were so many walls to fill, and we put a decal on it :) gotta love decals haha

I still need to move a few things into his room on his dresser

last but not least, this fan was in his old room, but since it went with all his decorations we decided to switch the fans. its funny because it actually was like this when we moved in to our house and we just went with it :) how often can you do that???

Ok so there were the pictures, I really am happy with how it turned out. We have been trying really hard to keep this a secret and keep the door shut so we can show it to him for the first time on Christmas! I can't wait. He has no idea whats gonna hit him! I really hope he likes his new room, Chad and I worked really hard on it! And now that we are finally done with his room, we can start on Aubrey's room! YAY! I already have painted her letters and got a lot of things for her room so I am really excited to put it all together! I love seeing the outcome of all my visions! haha who knew decorating kids rooms would be so much fun!!!!!

I feel like I have not been on here for a while! I will start off by telling everyone about how talented my bff Jessica Osborn is. She has a really nice camera and likes to take pictures for one of her hobbies, we decided to do a little maternity photo shoot so she could "practice" but it really turned into professional looking pictures that I could not be happier with. She made me look fabulous! I was really nervous because I have been feeling really huge and gross lately, not to mention i have nasty stretch marks, but somehow she made me look not so semi-like and erased all my stretch marks (why can't we do this in real life?) She is a fellow stay at home mommy like me, but I really think she could have a successful business in photography when Payton goes to school :) I put a bunch of the pictures on facebook, but here are a few pics:

this backdrop was my favorite, i loved how the pink shirt just pops in front of it :)

the bow around the belly was her cute idea :) its like a present!

Ty kissing his baby sister (he aimed a little high, but i will take it)

my favorite again, side view, i can't believe in just 8 short weeks Aubrey will be here!

her cute little booties :) Tyler says "Aubrey socks!"

belly belly belly belly :)

getting a 2 year old to sit still and take a picture smiling takes some real talent! 

Ty sitting on the bump, and of course he has to have his Elmo shoes on :)

I love my son sooooo much and this is such a sweet moment captured! <3

So those were just a few, I really really love them all and I can't wait to have Aubrey so we can do a newborn photo shoot, hopefully big brother Ty will jump in a couple of those too! :)

In other news, Tyler's big boy room is really coming along, all we have left to do is go pick up his bed tomorrow morning, (already ordered and paid for, just gotta get it) and hang a couple things on the wall and hang his new curtains, We decided to keep his new room a secret and show it to him for the first time on Christmas day, hes REALLY gonna love it! Especially his new train table we got him...Once I get it all put together I will defiantly post pictures! Then after hes all in that room we can start on Aubrey's room!!! Yay!!! I have been itching to do it! At first I was going to do a ballerina theme, but I have had a horrible time trying to find ballerina decor, so I am just going to go with a super girlie look, I can't wait! I already started painting her letters that are going to go up on the wall and I love them already! I got a really cute flower thing to put on the wall too that was 50% off at Hobby Lobby! You can't beat that!

Christmas Eve is in a week from today!!! I can't believe how fast this season has gone! It makes me a little sad that our tree will have to go down soon! I am now officially done with my shopping! Thank goodness! I get swollen now if I stand for too long so I'm glad its over! I have to wrap 4 more presents and it will be ready! YAY!!! I hope everyone has a great Christmas! I am praying my husband doesn't have to work because his manager informed them tonight that if they are not caught up by Tuesday, then everyone has to work, and he would miss our family Christmas :( this will make me really sad, so everyone please pray he doesn't! Ok I will let everyone get back to what they were doing since I am starting to ramble! Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!

Tyler's 2nd Birthday Party!

This is the face of a VERY happy birthday boy!!!  Tyler's actual birthday is not until Wednesday, December 8th, but we wanted to have his party on a weekend, and with Christmas coming, the sooner the better! (we have a family Christmas to go to next weekend) We decided to have it at my parents house this year, because with me being almost 8 months pregnant, we thought it would be easier and less stressful if we just had it there. I am really glad we did. It made it easy just to roll up in there with the food and not really worry about setting things up, making sure the house is spotless, ect. So a big THANK YOU to my mother for really helping out with everything! 

 The Happy Birthday sign was perfect for above the fire place!!! Here are some of his presents...more came later! :) We actually had a great turn out with everyone who showed up, we were a little worried that people wouldn't want to drive to Le Claire because of the snow storm we had Friday night into Saturday morning, but the roads were fine by the afternoon. People who were there were Tyler's Maga and Paga Guy, Aunt Baa (a special THANK YOU for making it even though you almost couldn't make it) Aunt Emmy, Uncle Jeremiah, and Eva, Grandma Sherry, Aunt Alisha, Uncle Zach, and Aunt Brittney. Of course Tyler's loving awesome, amazing parents were there as well ;) Thanks again for everyone who made it!

This is his awesome train cake that Aunt Emily made him. I found a picture of this online and Emily made it happen! Another big THANK YOU to Em! Tyler is more of a fan of ice cream than cake but he still liked to look at it (i know he is super picky) :) I had some of those cookies with frosting on them and mmmm it tasted like a double doozie at the mall...yummm We also had Tacos for dinner, since that is one of Tyler's favorite foods at the moment...we have a lot left over so Ty will be a happy boy for a while! :)

He absolutely LOVED these balloons!!!! He still has been playing with them all day today! :) what a cute little 2 year old! 

This is what I like to call "Zombie Mode" HAHAHA he was sooo tired at the end of the night from all the playing and all the sugar highs he just did NOT want to crash. I think he was trying to keep his eyes open...Makes me laugh everytime! 

CRASHED!!!! He partied hard!!! He didn't even wake up from being carried into the house and having his coat taken off. I would say the night was a success! I am excited for his actual birthday as well, Daddy took the day off and we are going to go to ChuckECheeses....I have not been there for years, but I am excited to see his little face get super excited! We also saved some presents to give him so he has MORE to open :) :) :) It was great seeing him actually be able to rip the wrapping paper open this year! Last year it was mostly me. What a lucky boy to have a birthday so close to Christmas because in a couple more weeks he will have a whole new set of presents to open. (all though having his birthday so close to Christmas can sometimes be a little stressful for Mommy and Daddy, I really want to try hard not to show it to Tyler growing up and make his day special every year) I love my little boy so much!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE HE IS 2!!!!!

Random update

Hello all!!! I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving,  I know I did (other than one of my uncle's jerk comment how it looked like I was eating for 3) I can't get over how much I love this time of year, Tyler is turning 2 next week! I am so excited, but so sad at the same time, I was just recently at the hospital to get that Rhogam shot, and it brought back memories of my stay there when I had Tyler, I remember the wheelchair ride to my car holding baby Tyler like it was yesterday! Just in this last year he hit so many milestones: walking, talking, eating with a spoon/fork (he still wants help sometimes) helping mommy, counting, knowing animal sounds and names, and I'm sure there are many many more than I have forgotten to list...I can't believe how much his vocabulary has grown in just a couple months!!! I love having conversations with my little man! It is so great, I have to say its been one of my favorite milestones yet! He now is starting to take interest in the potty. He says ewww when I take his diaper off and has requested to sit on the "Elmo potty" several times, no he has not actually gone potty on it yet, but I am pretty proud of his progress so far. I just can't believe how fast kids grow, when I first had Tyler, people always told me to enjoy him when hes little...and I will be honest, I looked at them like they were crazy, but now I really understand what they meant by it. Their first couple years they change so much, right before your eyes! His birthday party is this Saturday and I am so excited for it, we are eating his favorite food (tacos) and his Aunt Emmy is making him and awesome Train cake, I also got Thomas the train decorations, and even a little conductor hat for him to wear (witch if I do say so myself he looks adorable in) I can't wait to post pictures of the party so stay tuned!! :)

In other news, I am 30 weeks pregnant tomorrow. That means there are only 10 more weeks to go!! Ahhhhhh! When it comes to my aches and pains, it seems like so far away but when it comes to getting everything ready for the baby it seems like not much time at all, we are putting our moving (rooms) plans into high gear and Chad and I will be moving upstairs this weekend, we already got a tv for our new room and are working on getting cable up there (yay! fa la la la lifetime in bed) then we are going to paint the room we were in for Tyler hopefully the next weekend (if we can get a sitter) and move all Tyler's things in, I get a little worried that he won't like his new room being in a different spot, but I'm sure he will adjust, and hey! its the bigger room! hes gonna have lots of toys and activities to do in there!!! Then we are going to paint baby Aubrey's room hopefully not long after Tyler is moved. I want to turn his old room into her's as soon as possible so he is not confused... this should be fun!!

here is my 30 week picture, I am getting pretty big, not sure how many of these I will post after this point, maybe one at 35 and one at 40???? (the 40 week pic is a BIG maybe) hehe. I stopped even taking pictures of myself at this point when I was pregnant with Tyler. I was so worried about people seeing me look like a huge beast! lol. I am pretty sure my mom has the only picture of me when I was 40 weeks with Tyler, maybe I will search for that haha. It has been nice to compare how different my body has changed with the 2 pregnancies. I am really glad I decided to take them, I wasn't even going to this time!

So I know I am pretty set on the name Aubrey, but I am still looking at names just in case I decide to change my mind, and today I found 3 that I also like: Belle, Brynn, and Quinn. I'm not sure how much I love them and if its even enough to consider the change, but I figure hey, I still have some time, and a little feedback would be nice :) so let me know if you love one of the new names. Names are soooo hard and you are stuck with whatever you get so I want to make sure that it is the right one!!!!