still trying to figure out how I got such a big baby, but I sure am loving his little rolls.

Welcome baby Sloan

Todd takes his job as lead snuggler very seriously

My three sons + one Uncle Matt

And In The Blue Corner Weighing In At An Impressive 9.9lbs...

Sloan Christian Reed Van Ahn! I'm pretty speechless at the moment-he is just perfect and beautiful and all those things that mothers are so proud of. He made quite a arrival on Thursday night. My FIRST contraction was at 9:30pm, arrived at the hospital by 10:45pm, had him at 11:53pm. That's less than 2.5 hours and that's less an epidural-ouch that hurt! Luckily I can hardly recall the pain, but I can still picture myself screaming. We are home and his brothers are in total ahh. I'll post more pictures later :)

copy cat

I am delivering teacher gifts(Barnes and Noble gift cards) today and I have to give Bec a big thank you because I blatantly stole her idea :) You know it's all about the presentation. Check out her blog for the original.

http://www.allstockeduphere.blogspot.com/

something else I want to share

As I have mentioned before-I love to surf blogs. Here is another I want to share. I find this woman's life really interesting-it goes back to my former wanna be cowgirl thing. Enjoy.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

*baby update* I am a good 4cm dilated(previously I was a 3 nearly 4) 80-90% effaced and +1 station(so his head is "engaged") I have scheduled an induction for Tues. the 26th, but HOPE he comes before that(my swollen fingers and toes are crossed)

Eight days left on the ticker-hooray! I have an appointment on Wednesday morning. I'm not sure what I want then to tell me. We have considered scheduling an induction, but then a part of me just wants nature to decide his arrival. Todd has a couple trips planned in the beginning of June, so I am anxious to get on with the show. I guess we'll see what happens-either way I'll keep you posted.

Spent the last of my birthday money on a new chair to finish off the living room sitting area.
I have a thing for black furniture so I am loving it. Now I am searching for gold buffalo check fabric to make roman shades for the front windows, and I have a small white stand I want to wallpaper or decopage for the wall behind the chair. Has anyone come across some fabulous paper? Gotta keep the projects going-it keeps me sane.

will I ever get my groove back?

As I have said before-I have enjoyed every aspect of this pregnancy up until this point. The last couple of weeks of torture on my body will quickly be forgotten just like the first several weeks of morning sickness are . I am officially miserable and could not be more ready to have this baby. This is surely God's design because the thought of sleepless nights is a welcome endeavor compared to the thought of hauling myself up the stairs in a few minutes. The bright spots as I wait to deliver are few and far between I hate to admit.
BUT, a bright spot happened today. The UPS guy drove up and delivered my Gap/Old Navy order-hooray!! These are normal clothes people. They have waistlines and patterns-two things unheard of in my closet for the past million months. I even ordered a new bathing suit-apparently I was feeling VERY confident that night. I did order everything bigger than usual as there is no point just looking at these clothes-I better be wearing them as well. I was looking forward to taking the summer off at the gym, but further thought has made that impossible. I want my damn groove back and it starts with reclaiming my body!

*this blog entry is totally contradictory to yesterdays-I'm pregnant! OK!!!I have permission to change my mind every other minute if it so suits my mood!!!

For When I get Hungry

Totally inspired by this blogger. Just wanted to share it with you as well. I have been so uninspired to cook(for at least the past 9months) and now I am even uninspired to eat(the only thing that sounds good is watermelon and ice cream). When my body decides to set this little dude free I want to eat really good food and drink really strong Margaretta's(thank goodness my dad is an excellent bartender). So check out the link and get to cookin' something tasty!

http://smittenkitchen.com/

Make sure to check out her breakfast recipes-they look amazing.

Mother's Day

Thankful. God amazes me in all his creation. There has been one birth at our house and it has left us all anticipating the arrival of #3. the boys are watchful over mama bird and the baby, the dog is forever curious, and I am feeling a deep connection to nature.

Proud. Asher has decided he wants to learn how to ride a bike. Up until now he has been strictly a scooter rider. He is a fearless little guy and rode down the street without a single hesitation. He does not complain about wearing a helmet and what I love to watch how proud he is of himself.

Loved. How you give and receive love is a funny little science to study. My love language is acts of kindness and quality time, this is when I feel most loved. I may not get diamonds and 6 course meals for Mother's Day, but my love tank is full after Todd spent the afternoon changing the outside lights, patiently waiting for me at the garden nursery, and heading out in the morning for doughnuts. Todd's love language is NOT acts of kindness if you can believe it-oh no-that would be too easy :) I'll let you guess what his is.

Happy. There is nothing better than a fresh pot of flowers in the spring. It just lightens my mood to look out and see pink.

Hungry. One request I had for Mother's Day was to finally quench my doughnut craving! It was heaven.

Human. I wasn't going to publish this picture, but then I thought why the heck not. This is most of my days as a mother. With the kisses and hugs, laughter and quick beautiful moments in motherhood comes the frustration, bewilderment, overwhelmed moments when I have caught myself saying out loud-"JUST DO IT and like it!"

Asher is crying, Holden can only smile for 1.3 seconds, my husband can't figure out the camera, oh-and I am 38 weeks pregnant and WAY crabby. Ta Da!

a day at the circus

The Shriners Circus was in town over the weekend and we went-against our better judgement. It was seriously low brow. Todd and I should receive best parent awards for enduring it and of course the kids loved every(white trash) moment. I mean, there were elephants for goodness sakes, we HAD to go. Holden loved the elephants, but both of them were more over joyed with the snow cones. So, note to self, Barnum and Bailey is the only way to go.