Pregnancy Conversations

First off, the title is probably making some folks wonder if the Z-s are expecting again, and the answer is No - just to set the record straight.  However, our dear friends Auntie Kelli and Uncle Kent are expecting!  YIPPEE, YAHOO!  We're very excited about this news and couldn't be happier for them.  Since they shared with us the news, we've had several very funny things happen with Zachary.  He was there when Kelli told us the news and while it was still very much a secret, he then went around informing those folks that would be interested in her news.  We tried to explain the whole "secret" thing but it just didn't work well, so it was a good thing that his social circle is pretty small.

Since then, we just have to write down some of the conversations that we've had:

1.  When Auntie Kelli eats, does the food get on the baby?  No, the food is in another spot in her tummy, so it isn't on the baby.  How?  Well (thinking hard on this one...), it's like there are two sacks in her tummy, one for the food and one for the baby  - kind of like you have a Ziploc sack in the morning for your gummy vitamins.  Oh, Mommy, I think that you're right - like one sack for the green gummies and one sack for the red gummies!

2.  Then, while looking at a Christmas ornament of Zachary that was an ultrasound picture, he asked Amy - "Mommy, was that when I was still in your tummy?"  "Yes."  "Oh - well, where is Kaleb, I can't see him in that picture!" " Kaleb wasn't in there yet." " Yes he was, because I was born first!"  At this point, distraction was the only way that could end this conversation, so distraction effort began immediately!

3.   Mommy - I'm going to have a baby when I'm older!  No, Zachary, only girls have babies.  Well, what did Daddy have in his tummy then!!?  Nothing, he didn't have a baby!

4.  Why can't Auntie Kelli go snow sledding, if the baby has no bones yet, how can the baby get hurt? 

It has really been a fun experience to watch his little mind trying to figure this whole thing out, and these conversations really haven been delightful.

Phrase of the week:  Kaleb's word this week is 'nuggle' - which is for "I want to snuggle!"  What mommy says no to that!? :)  Zachary informed us this that he was going to marry Kaleb.  Ha ha - such funny stories to tell them when they're older!


Uncle Kent came over for the "Daytona 500" on our back deck - running the boys around and around in their cars at top speed while they laughed their heads off

Grandma playing with the boys - throwing balls into a bucket on the other side of the room - the requirements before throwing the ball include saying a rhyming phrase, blowing on the ball and then lobbing it across the room.

The main stage of the family room - the jumping trampoline - aka the couch.  Poor thing, it'll never be the same

Spa Day - enjoying mommy's robes!



Green Meadows Fun

Last weekend, we headed off to the Green Meadows Petting zoo to enjoy the lovely weather and the fun animals.  It's been over a year since we went last time, but Zachary remembered vividly being able to milk the cow!  That remained his favorite thing this year, but it was sure fun to pet all of the animals.  They have a lot of animals for the kids to interact with, so it is always an entertaining visit to see how delighted the kids are.  Kaleb has always been afraid of the animals, and while he certainly wasn't all that brave this time, he got to the point where he'd reach out with one finger to touch the animals, or he would 'pet' them if you put his hand on top of your hand, and then petted the animal with your hand.  He'd then be brave enough to slide his hand forward and touch the animal with his fingers.  One step at a time! :)  For the record books, there was a slight mishap at the end of the day when Zachary and his friends were playing on one of the old-time tractors and the small ledge became just a bit too small and Zachary fell off - about 5 feet to the ground.  So for the fading memories, it is NOT a good idea to have more than one kid up on those tractors!

Phrase of the week:  Zachary informed us last night that he was going to marry Kaleb! :)  Kaleb's phrase today was yelling from his crib "I SLEPT!"  when he had clearly never even closed his eyes - thinking that surely Mommy or Daddy could come get him up if he told them that he slept!

At the beginning of the day, Kaleb, Zachary, Luke and Adam on the tractor

 Zachary milking his cow

 Loves petting the sheep

 The chicks is always one of the favorite moments

 Even Kaleb was brave enough to touch the chicks 

 Zachary on the pony ride

 Kaleb riding the pony, although not wanting to PET the pony!

 Kaleb had a fantastic time playing on the playground afterwards, and was the only one who wanted to go get his picture taken looking out the 'peek-windows' - he's in the middle one looking out

Park & Re-Park

We had a great weekend with some outdoor activities.  We actually went to two separate picnics yesterday, which was very fun and the weather was cool, but still lovely.  We headed first off to the Wekiva Springs Park where we met the Hilliards and Ottatis, and enjoyed a picnic lunch and then playing around the springs.  Some folks (not in our group) were actually brave enough to get into the water on a cold 60 degree day - brr!

The 'explorers' walking along the trails in the woods

Zachary and Kaleb sitting along the edge of the springs while Mommy prayed that they didn't fall in, because it was going to be Daddy having to drive into that frigid water! :)

After that, we jetted off to the Chapin Station park to enjoy a supper picnic with the Cochrans, Deiningers, and Johnsons.  There were bikes out at this park, so the kids played on the playground sets and rode bikes.  It was hard to beat such a fun day outside, although the missing of a nap had us crossing our fingers!

Kieran and Kaleb enjoying a spin in Uncle William's bike trailer

Phrase of the week:    When Zachary was three, he would always call blueberries "burlies," and we kind of wondered what Kaleb would call them, whether it would be the same or something else.  But of course Kaleb has come up with his very own version and calls them "blue-eies" :)  Zachary's phrase continues to be his obsession with numbers, so while we're driving he'll ask how fast we're driving, and then proceed to tell us what the speed limit is.  He'll then tell us EVERY time that the speed limit changes, shouting out the numbers and informing us that he's going to tell us every single number!  Thankfully he doesn't do it every time, although perhaps necessary as sadly Amy has been stopped twice over the last six months for speeding (and no, unlike our friend Corey, both times have resulted in a ticket!!  Next time she's just going to be bold and ask the police officer if he'll just give her a warning instead, although Karis is now convinced that her car is 'marked' and there will be no getting off! :)  Sad to say, because Mommy is not the fastest driver in this household although Daddy loves to gleefully inform her that she is!  Not so!!!

Celebrating Grandma's birthday two weekends ago

Luke & Zachary, the hockey players

Riding the Mommy horsey

I winned!

We've had a week filled with mostly illness and work - at least on Amy's side of life.  Amy and the kids (thankfully not Karis) got the stomach flu last weekend.  Amy's mom had taken the boys down to her house on Sunday, so she had the unenviable job of dealing with Kaleb as he threw up multiple times.  She had it over the span of 24 hours - but thankfully was up on her feet on Monday.  It was a critical week at work, so she worked very long hours and on Friday started coming down with something again - which laid her flat again on Saturday with a 102-103 fever.  Karis is impressed with her ability to hold off illnesses until the weekend when it isn't important that she be up on her feet for work! :)  Amy would be more impressed if she could just avoid the illness to begin with!

We had the Cochrans over on Friday night for supper, our boys just love to play with their little boy Kieran.   Auntie Heather had given all three boys a bath, but after supper while the adults chatted, the boys went into the front room and were romping on the couch until they were hot and sweaty - with soaked hair and all.  Crazy kids - so much for the bath.

Phrase of the week:  Competition is alive and well in the Z-household.  A typical conversation that you can hear every morning as the boys run out of the house to the car in hopes of being the first one to open the door and make the car light turn on "I'm gonna win!"  "No, I wanna win!" "I winned!"  "No, I win!", "I WIN!"  "I winned second!"  Thankfully the "I winned second" seems to be enough of a win to keep folks still  happy without a complete melt-down.  Kaleb is usually the one winning second as he just isn't big enough yet to keep up with Zachary, nor has he figured out how to "sneak" out to the car when Zachary isn't looking to get a headstart, but he is young enough to think that winning second is still winning!

A first in our house - Zachary giving Kaleb a horseback ride.  Of course he would start to go fast and Kaleb would fly off the backend, but thankfully Zachary is low enough to the ground that no harm was had with being "bucked off"