You are the best gift I never knew I wanted.

When I found out I was pregnant with you I thought the timing couldn't be worse. We had just moved on our own, we were barely making it every month and we were already working so hard. I didn't know how we were going to manage, but we did, day by day my pregnancy progressed. I came to accept you coming into our lives, but I still wondered how we would cope once you were born. Things were challenging enough with two kids how would it be with three? Then you were born and I fell in love with you from the moment you were put my arms. I hadn't felt this way about your brothers, it had taken me while to completely fall for them, but with you it happened right away. Now I look at you and I feel so much joy and love. You are the most magical thing in my life right now, the best Christmas present I could have ever wished for. I love you so much.

The baby is HERE

Baby is finally here after 41 weeks of waiting. I'm sooo happy. The birth went well, it started around 5 am and he was born at 12 am, so about 7 hours half the time of my other two. Mom was here to help me which I am hugely thankful for (Thank you mom and everyone who made her trip here possible), and of course Jaydee was here as well.
We just picked his full name, Niall Joao Pinho. Niall is for my dad who passed away a month before I found out I was pg, it is a variant of my dads second name Neil. Joao is for Jaydee it is the Portuguese form of the name John or Juan which is Jaydees first name. Niall was born 8 lbs. 14 oz. 1 1/2 lbs. bigger then the other two boys, which makes him chubby and cute.
I'm in the hospital till Sunday, resting away from the boys for a few days Lord knows once I get home it will be hard to rest with them being so demanding, but I do miss them anyway.

Thanksgiving

Went to San Antonio with the boys for Thanksgiving, Jaydee couldn't come cause of work. We got to see the whole family, the boys had fun. Here are some pics.

Helping decorate Vouvous' tree.

Jokes

The boys have started telling jokes Odin is getting pretty good at it and of course Jelly tries to copy him.

Halloween

Getting ready for our community parade. Jelly is a cowboy and Odin is Bumblebee the Transformer.

Very windy day at the annual Halloween Festival. The theme was Old McDonald.

The hay ride.

Visit with Grandma

At Chucky Cheeses

At the Zoo with Grandma
I know this is a little late, but oh well. The boys got a whole week of Halloween first our apartment community had a parade, then the local park had a festival, then we went down to visit their grandma for the weekend. Unfortunately the night before Halloween the boys came down with the flue and we missed out on the trick'or'treating this year, but they had a fun week anyway.

Jellys Second Birthday

Jellys Birthday was on the 12th of September. We had the boys combo birthday party on his birthday. It was simple, but they enjoyed it. Thank you all who came. Here are pics of the day. Jaydee showed up at the end as he was working that day, but it was nice that he got to spend some time at the party. The pics are in reverse order.

Odins 3rd Birthday

Odin September 2010

Odin September 2009

Odin September 2008

Odin September 2007(1 day old)

Yesterday was Odin's third birthday. It's hard to believe that he has been my baby for three years now, it seems much shorter then that. He's getting to be such a big boy, he has already started doing workbooks and reading.

We didn't do anything big for him as his party will be next week on Jelly's birthday. We went to McDonald's (his favorite place) for lunch and his cousins (Shanie and Emily) came over in the afternoon to visit. We had ice cream, sang happy birthday, and Daddy gave Odin and Jelly his presents, their first Steelers jerseys.

I would also like to say Happy belated Birthday to Stephanie(September 3rd). I couldn't have wished for a better sister-in-law. My life has been blessed knowing you, love you girl.

jalapenos and firealarms

I invited my sisters over for a BBQ yesterday and we decided to make stuffed jalapenos. I have made them before, so it didn't occur to me to wear gloves. Big mistake. I guess there is a difference between making 5 stuffed jalapenos and 20, because by the time I was done my hands were on fire. I couldn't think about anything else but the pain. I tried to join with the BBQ but I just couldn't. So I tried all kinds of home remedies to take away the burning soap, rubbing alcohol, milk, orange juice, baking soda paste nothings really worked. Finally after the third time trying the baking soda paste and letting in dry on my hand before I washed it off it finally seemed to be working slowly the pain went away and i was able to tidy the house before I went to bed. Thank God, what a relief.

Today our apartment complex is checking the fire alarms. Of course they had perfect timing. As soon as they boys were asleep, Jelly and literal just closed his eyes and dosed off, they set all the alarms in the house off, and so now the boys are up for good, and I am wishing there was a way for ME to get a nap.

Hair Cut

I finaly cut my hair. I'm so happy!

Odin

Odin has gotten two new hobbies in this last month. Computer games and photography. He only plays educational games online for now(starfall.com, pbskids.org, and fisherprice). I don't mind him playing for longer periods of time as I know he is learning something.

Occasionally I will let him use my camera to take pictures, he is getting better at taking pictures but it will still be a long time before they are good enough to use, but I'll post some anyway just for fun.

He still hasn't learned to keep his finger out of the view.

Daddy

The world from Odins point of view.

Jelly making a mess while I try to clean.
Me cleaning the floor.

Oatmeal, Walks, and Poison Ivy.

The other morning the boys got up before me like usual, and since Jaydee wasn't home to make me get up I tried to get some more sleep. The door was open and I could hear them playing, they seemed happy so I slept for another 1/2 hour. Around 8:00 a.m. Jaydee got home from work. I heard him come in the door, then he says to me very calmly, "Uh, i guess the boys are throwing oatmeal all over the room!" I jumped out of bed to look and sure enough they had emptied a whole thing of oatmeal all over their bedroom. At least Jaydee isn't the type to say told you so, he didn't say anything, just took the boys to the bathroom for a little one-on-one time.



The weather wasn't too hot yesterday so I decided to try and walk to the dog park with the boys and Rhino. We almost made it there but it was too far for the boys and so we had to stop short of our goal. We had our picnic lunch in a shaded, grassy spot. I contemplated calling Jaydee to pick us up and bring us home, but we managed to walk all the way back to our apartment. Odin and Rhino would run to the shaded spots along the path and wait together for Jelly to catch up. All three of the boys were happy to be home out of the sun.

Later on some guests mentioned that Rhino had some odd bumps all over him and asked what they were. I was busy so I quickly glanced at them and said it looked like a heat rash, as He had gotten one before. After the kids were in bed I took a closer look and realised it was much worse then I realised. The spots were raised like welts, red, and very itchy. I figured it was Poison ivy as he had rubbed into the bushes a few times on our walk. I felt bad for Rhino, But he looks better today and I'm sure it will heal quickly.

It's A .....

Went to get our first ultrasound yesterday, Jaydee was able to be there which was nice. and We found out what our new bundle of joy is going to be...A BOY. I was very disappointed, as I had my heart set on finally getting a girl, but what can you do. So Giana Marie will have to wait, and now we are looking for boys name. We would like the second name to be Brazilian, so if anyone has a good Brazilian name let us know.

One of his hands is under his chin and the other is up by his ear.

Tiffany took the boys this weekend so I could have time off. I missed them at night when Jaydee was at work and I was alone, but it was nice to have the time off. Thank you Tiffany.

Jelly Walking The Dog

Birthday Girls

Julie and Akinas' birthdays were both on the 15th of July this month, so the boys had two birthday parties to go to last week end.
Saturday was Akinas birthday party, they had it our pool, we had swimming, cake, and we made mexican pizza, ha.
Sunday was Julies birthday at her pool. their was more cake, toys, and friends to play with. I didn't get any pics at Julies party cause I was too busy running after the boys.

Julie

Cupcakes on her birthday, July15th, at our place.

Akina

Yummy cake

Birthday hats

Regrets

There is nothing like being pregnant again with two toddlers running around to make you feel like a bad mom. On top of it you see couples with their "one child" their perfect joy as they have everything set up to enjoy their baby. Sure they have their problems, but it's so hard to enjoy your kids when you can't wait for them to go to sleep so you can crash as well to escape the agony of your stomach. I often wish I could have had that perfect timing, that I could have waited until things were just perfect before I had a baby so I could put everything into my baby and not have to worry about how to make ends meet. But alas it is not so, I love my kids and I try to be a good mom, but it can be so hard sometimes. And with another one on the way there are more and more times I want to just run away. I know things will get better, the kids will grow up and after the whirlwind as passed I know I'll be left with more regrets. How I didn't spend more time with them, how I didn't do this or that, and I will miss them. All I want to do is enjoy them, but once in a while I wish I could just.....

His eye is on the sparrow, and one is in my fern.

A sparrow has been hanging out in my fern outside for the last few weeks. I had my suspicions as to why it was there.

So yesterday I finally took it down to have a look, sure enough there was a little nest with six blue eggs inside. I am so excited, I hope the eggs hatch as the mom gets scared away often. Someone said that it's good luck, I sure hope it is.

Sick???

Last week I felt sick, the flu I thought. Weird, as I never get sick, but I was. I spent the day trying to sleep and take it easy, which is hard to do when you have two little kids running around begging for attention. The next day I was still feeling bad, almost like a hangover I thought, I continued to baby my stomach and tried to stay cheerful while caring for the boys. After the third day I joked to Jaydee, maybe I'm pregnant, ha ha ha...... Which of course got me thinking, am I late??? I don't know I haven't been keeping track. There was only one thing left to do, we stoped by the pharmacy for a test. All I could think of the rest of the day was, am I, am I, AM I? We got home, Jaydee put the kids for nap. When I came out of the bathroom Jaydee couldn't read the smile on my face. Are u??
Its positive. Yes, I am pregnant.

OMG

We took the kids to the dog park right near our house today before Jaydee had to work. We then decided to stop my Chick-Fil-A for lunch. The place was crowded but we managed to find a small table to eat lunch. In the middle of of our lunch Jaydee mouths to me that Odin has gone poop. (we have been potty training him and as long as we remind him he goes in the potty.) So I carry him to the bathroom expecting a disaster but there was nothing there, I put him on the toilet and he went pee, I asked him if he needed to go poop but he said no. So we finished our meal and Jaydee took the kids to play. Ten minutes later disaster struck and sure enough Odin had pooped in the play area, NOOOOOOO. I grabbed Odin and rushed him to the bathroom to clean him up leaving poor Jaydee to deal with the disaster and the gossiping, over reactions of the mothers and their kids. Jaydee was so mad, I felt really bad, as I probably should have put a diaper on Odin even though he has never made a mess like that in public. As soon as the mess was taken care of we got out of there as fast as we could, needless to say we won't be going back there ever again.
Looking on the bright side, It will make a fantastic story to tell Odin when he gets older, ha ha ha.

Rhino, Our Blue Nose Pit Bull

So we got a puppy last month, yippee. Jaydee ""surprised" us, thanks darling. He's growing fast as all puppys do and I am happy to report we are doing better with his potty training, the first weeks were "very" stressful like having another baby. The breed is a Pit Bull Terrier, I know what most people will say, "What a pit bull, don't you know he's gonna eat your kids." The truth is a pit bull is just like any other dog, they are only dangerous if untrained and encouraged to be aggressive. Which we do not intend to do. Fact-50 years ago the put bull terrier was the #1 nanny dog.