we've been soaking up the spring here in big D.  there has been lots of yard work, trips to the park, the zoo, and the arboretum.  in texas you just have to enjoy the spring as much as possible so that when the temps start soaring, you can submerse yourself fully in water or air conditioning as much as humanly possible.  ;)

this weekend link ran in his first 5k with jay, baby p (pic below in my belly!) and me.  he did great!  he has obviously run in races with us before and in the stroller with me all the time, but this time we decided to let him try running himself, and that he did - ran just about a mile of the race and then did the rest in the stroller with a bottle of water to cool him off and his mama pushing.  he kept up a pretty fierce pace during his mile (for a 2.5 year old), because we still finished in just over 30 minutes!  way to go, link!!

he kills me in this pic.  so hardcore.  ;)  on the way home from the race, he just kept saying, "mama, daddy, that was FUN!!!"  LOVE IT.

so he likes running and climbing trees is his second favorite new hobby.  he spends a lot of time conquering these limbs in our backyard

too cool.

at the zoo with his buds

the rest of our time lately we have spent deciding on house issues (do we get a bigger house, add on to this house and start construction asap, stay in our current house, as is, or pursue a house we have a contingency contract on?!).  whew, we have a lot up in the air right now!  oh, i am now 17.5 weeks.  at this point with link we had just found out he was a boy - so i am hoping to find out the gender of this sweet baby at my appointment this week.  if not, i guess we will be waiting a few more weeks?  i am feeling really great.  i remember loving the second trimester last time, and this time i am feeling good and it seems to be the same - still comfortable in my clothes, just getting into stretchier tops for the growing belly.  :)  

this week holds a lot of possibility, as we have a lot of decisions to make on our house and another doctor appointment to learn the progress of baby p.  please say a prayer for us if you think of it.  we definitely have a lot on our hearts and minds these days, and a lot of big decisions to make this week!

easter eggs, bluebonnets, and birthday parties

it's only saturday night, and we've already had two birthday parties, an easter egg hunt at colonial with the pritchard clan, and a trip to the wildflower patch with hunny and papa.

there has been more sugar consumed in the last 48 hours by my child than in his previous year of life, haha. i'm quite certain that birthday sweets plus easter sweets (and all on the same weekend) would be a good way to start a big problem with a sugar addiction! haha, i kid. there's a time for fun, and this weekend has started off with a bang!

ADORABLE petting zoo at colonial

link and his cousin, jack.  they are 9 months apart exactly!

the thrill of the hunt

no tears, once again, he loved the easter bunny.  he ran straight for him.  his "look" was more at the photog for interrupting his big moment with mr bunny ;)

learning the ropes of the club with daddy

sweet cousins ;)

he loves, loves his papa.  makes this mama happy. :)

sweet boy

ready to give hunny a hug

elton john impersonation at jack and lauren's birthday friday...this is a keeper for link's future girlfriends ;)

crazy.

(first note - we are all okay in dallas.  this pic is from today, in the basement of our church, taking shelter from the tornadoes.  b/c of all the outbreaks, we were there for four hours!  finley and link were providing entertainment for the crowd.  cutest pic ever?!?)

everyone keeps telling me all the advantages of having kids that are three years apart (as mine will be).  to be honest, some days all i can think about is just the day in front of me - the fact that i have a WILD AND CRAZY two-and-a-half year old and am currently entering the second trimester of pregnancy, it's all pretty overwhelming.  it's been quite a ride these last couple of weeks around here.  we are entertaining adding onto our house - and then i think, hmmm, what will i do with construction workers, a 2.5 year old, and 110 degree temps this summer???  oh my.  on a very, VERY exciting note, my PARENTS ARE MOVING TO DALLAS!!!  LAKEWOOD, i might add, so they will be uber close.  i could not be more excited.  ahhhh!  finally!  i am so excited to have them close and for link and baby number two to have their grandparents nearby.  it's gonna be a good time!

anyway, speaking of pregnancy - this week i will turn 14 weeks.  i had an appointment today and everything is moving along nicely and baby is measuring right on schedule. :)  i am feeling good and just finally starting to get a little tiny bump.  all my clothes still fit and others might not know it's a "pregnant" bump yet, but i can see it - and i'm sure it will pop out to a "real" (BIG) bump VERY soon.  :)  this pregnancy has been a bit different, as i'm sure this child will be!  i have been MUCH queasier this time and lost weight in first trimester (gained with link).  but some things have been the same, dizzy, tired, all the fun stuff.  the best news is, a lot of that has started to subside, and i am feeling pretty good.  second trimester was great last time, so i am hoping for that again with this little one.  :)  we find out in about six weeks if this one has boy or girl parts...guess we should do another poll (i added one to the side column - vote!  i'm curious - last time you all chose correctly!)??

baby p, waving to us last week on the sono - "hey guys, all is a-ok in here!"

so for now i'm praying for guidance on our house, enjoying the lovely spring weather in texas, and thanking my lucky stars that i am feeling pretty great for now!  

pics of the last few days...

first easter egg hunt of the season - he was SERIOUS about it this year.  :) 

who knew sidewalk chalk and cars could entertain the monster for a whole afternoon?!

link helped me clean out a box of mine from my parents move - adopted my old racquet, some flags from flag football, and at one point old ski goggles, and created a new game with one of his basketballs.  hilarious.

finley and link at HP pharmacy, it's love over a milkshake

link and his buddies, charles and drew - being little boys.  :)

end of day, stripped down b/c of muddy clothes, enjoying some tcby.  life is good.

waco trip

i went with some of my best college friends down to waco last week for a kids-plus-mamas-spring-break-road-trip. i have SO, SO, SO many wonderful memories in waco and on the baylor campus.  it is always special to share that with my little guy and make some new ones together.  we had a blast - went to the children's museum (amazing!!), the bear pit, and george's. all in all, a great morning! some pics from the day...

link and rhodes - future frat buddies?  first trip to george's. :)

link inside his favorite thing - a bubble!  he was hilarious.  couldn't wait to pop it!

link and some of the dyer ladies, checking out the sweet baylor bear "going night-night"

the crazy crew, post george's - it was like 2pm, we were lucky to have them all awake and not crying, i promise they had fun  :)

(link, elle, jack, lauren, rhodes, addie, and drew)

the wheels on the bus go round and round...

little pete delkus impersonators. :)

yep.

the t-shirt may be a little tough to read, but those eyes and that sly smile say it all. link is sharing his big secret...he's going to be a big brother! this sweet baby's due date is two days after link's original due date, so baby number two will be making his or her debut this fall! we are over-the-moon excited!!

baby's first pic

mom's 70th

my parents defy age.  i cannot believe my mom is seventy.  most seventy year old folks seem, well, old.  but my mom is as feisty and active as ever, and we are all so thankful for that.  a few weekends ago, the whole family came to dallas to celebrate a big milestone in mom's life and the wonderful woman, mom, friend, wife, and "hunny," that she is to all of us.

my mom gives so much to all of us ALL THE TIME.  it was wonderful for all of us to get to surprise and spoil her a few weekends ago.  a quick recap:

saturday - brunch at breadwinner's in uptown (one of her most favorite spots!), pedicures at posh spa, lunch at the downtown neiman's, at zodiac, cake pop party our house, mom got her EARS PIERCED for the first time EVER, dinner downtown at the dallas chop house, and a relaxing night at the new omni downtown.

sunday we all went to the marquee grill in highland park village for brunch.  it was oh-so-good and oh-so-fun!  we love you, mom!!!

while dad is away...

we play!!  link and i were SO SAD to miss out on dad's work trip to santa monica this week.  we had decided to go, but at the last minute, decided with both of our work schedules it just wouldn't work.  :(

so link and i decided we had to make the most of it and have a fun week anyway.  we spent a night at hunny and papa's house and they spent a night with us, which was so much fun for both (scratch that, ALL) of us.  really.  i just adore my parents and the fact that link does just as much makes my heart so happy it almost hurts.  seeing his joy when he talks about, sees, plays, hugs, kisses them just is almost too much!

we also had friend lunches, a couple of days at 'cool (school), a couple of fun dinners with friends, a lot of trips to the park, the gym, and the car wash (one of link's favorite things, haha).  and now we are excited to have dad back tomorrow!  

football in diapers

fun with rosie

rosie is a very special friend, like a third grandmother.  i had one of these special grandmothers growing up too, and i'm so happy that link does as well.  very special to have "non-family" members that really are just like family.  :)

this is link's newest face - he gets so focused and serious sometimes.  in this case it was on the car wash and his chocolate chip cookie, two of his favorites.  i love the furrowed brow.  kills me every time!!

link and his buddy wade, experiencing a-teenage-like-beatles-euphoria over the chick fil a cow.  jay's company does the chick fil a commercials and he said they have these costumes in the office...we may have to borrow one after seeing the kids reaction.  third birthday party?  haha... 

cool kid, cruising'

happy new year!!!!!

it's always funny to look back at last year's new year post and think about your frame of mind at that point all the way to this point.  and to think that next year i will look back at this time in my life and think about all that has changed.  in some ways a lot, in some, not so much.  

our biggest change to kick off this new year is that jay has started a new job!  he accepted a position with the richard's group here in dallas and is so excited to start his new gig.  we are excited for him and for the promise of new beginnings.

link is two, still growing like a weed and becoming his own little man every day.  what an adventure life is with him in it!  he is going to "school" two days a week and spending the others with me, where we create lots of adventures and i stay in awe of how wonderful it is to have the privilege to be his mom.

reflecting on the ups and downs of the last year, i've thought a lot about link's (and all of george mason's other infant dedications) baby dedication, and my favorite phrase that he uses that goes something like this..."god give him a good life, not an easy life."  i happily tear up every time i think about that phrase and the small baby he holds in his arms.  such promise, such hope, such comfort, and so much truth.  and it holds true through life, even to today, as adults.  and with His grace and strength, we keep moving forward, through the hard times and the good.    

i'm not gonna lie, i have high hopes for 2012.  we have some lofty (but attainable) goals we have set in place for ourselves and are already striving to achieve.  i'm excited to see all that God will do in the next twelve months.  i pray that we will live up to the challenges we have set for ourselves, be ready and willing to bend when necessary, and strive each day to be more like Christ. 

happy new year to you, my friends!  a few pics from the beginning of 2012...

at the park, link's favorite past time

with papa, watching some hoops (link's cousin, tra-tra, kyle)

breakfast tacos at rusty's, link's favorite spot

his first movie, with my parents and me, "muppets"

he cuddled with me during previews - so sweet.  :)

kissing the "cash cow" :)

mom, look at the "mamooooooth!"

hi five, bob!  your exhibit is awesome!!!

HAPPY 2012!