18 weeks and growing.

Nearly half way!
Ultrasound scheduled for November 7.

I think that up until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't really worn too many maternity clothes and didn't feel like I looked too pregnant yet.  I feel that's just changing though.  It's scary because there are still times when I think to myself...can we really do this?  And there are times when I just can hardly wait to put the nursery together and sort through the pile of boxes downstairs marked baby toys, boy clothes, infant supplies, etc.  There are times when I'm super excited about finding out if we are having a boy or a girl, but there is part of me that will always wonder if they will be right.  It's a mix of emotions.  I pray so often for a healthy baby and that it will be an easy transition for Dorian and Levi and that I have all of the energy and strength that I need to be the best mom that I can for my children.

Here are my first baby bump pictures.  :)

Another party!

 

Dorian came home from school one day this past week and after talking with him I discovered that he had been talking to his friends at school about having a birthday party.  Well, that was news to me!  It was clear that he really did want to have his friends over but since his birthday was past and Nathan was gone for the week I was thinking that we'd just have to have a playdate with his friends over another time.  But after talking with Nathan that night, he convinced me to throw a birthday party together anyway.  We thought it would be good for us to get to know his friends at school and good for him as well. 

 

As it turns out, 8 of the 9 boys from his class were able to come on Saturday afternoon!  We played a couple of balloon games, had an obstacle course and a scavenger hunt, opened presents and ate cupcakes and ice cream.  It was very busy to have 10 boys for 2 hours, but we survived and I think they all had a good time!  :) 

 

It's so important to me that the boys grow up having Christian friends to enjoy playing with.  It was beautiful to hear Dorian say to me, "Mom, I have lots of friends at school....lots."  What a blessing!

 

This past Monday, it was Levi's turn to be the "Lucky Duck" at preschool.  He'd been looking forward to that since school started.  He went around the house packing his bag full of toys to show to his class.  I love it that he took a whole bunch of cars, a couple of stuffed animals and his blankie.  :)  When he got home he told us all about how he got to be first in line and he got to tell his class about the weather.  He told us about how he got to make patterns out of the 2 kinds of Teddy Grahams that he brought for snack time.  And he got to choose to sing his favorite song, Down By The Bay.  It was a really special morning for him.  :)  Love it!

Dorian is 6!!!

On the morning of Dorian's birthday, he opened 2 presents.  A pogo stick from us and a new bike from Grandpa and Grandma Tintle.  We went outside even though it was around 40 degrees so he could try them out!

Levi was excited that the bike came in 2 big boxes so that they could each have one to play with!  I was glad to see him happy since he'd been struggling with watching his brother get all of the presents and the attention this year.

Even though it's a pretty big bike, he jumped right on and rode it like a pro!

Dorian was holding up 3 fingers because he was counting the number of jumps he could get in.  It's going to take some practice for him to master the pogo stick, but I'm certain that he will!

I had wanted Dorian to smile for a picture for me but when he didn't want to we suggested that they give us a mad face instead.  This was Levi's attempt at a mad face.  Love it.  :)

Since Dorian's birthday was on a Friday, he didn't have kindergarten, but his brother had preschool.  So Dorian and I played one of his new games together and then went out to do some errands.  While we were in the Walmart parking lot, we ironically ran into my mom and Aniah so we made a trip over to Casey's bakery to get a donut together!  In the afternoon we relaxed and watched some shows on PBS.  Then Dorian chose to eat supper at Pizza Hut and when we got home we had a family night playing the Wii. 


Last week Monday, after his birthday party, Dorian wanted to build the new Lego helecopter that he got from Kerry, Ashley, Emma and Claire.  We worked on it after he got home from school for over an hour.  He was very proud of it, but didn't want to be in the picture.

The next day, he wanted me to take a picture of him in his room with his Lego helecopter and I'm just remembering that he also wanted me to send it to all of his grandpa's and grandma's.  :)  So here it is!

In school on Thursday, Dorian passed out treats to his friends.  He came home with a monster birthday crown and a new pencil from Mrs. Nieuwsma that he was very excited about!  He also opened a gift that came in the mail from Aunt Suzanne.

On Saturday, we were cleaning the house and getting things in order to have Nathan gone for a whole week.  :(  I had suggested that the boys color the pictures from Hy-Vee because when they bring in their coloring page, then they get to pick out a prize from the prize box.  Dorian was very proud of his coloring page and decided that since he didn't want to give it away that he was going to make a copy of it.  I was super impressed!!!  He drew the second picture just from looking at the first one!

 

What a talented kid!  I'm so blessed to be his mom and share another year with him.

Levi's First Fieldtrip!

Wednesday, October 10, was the day of Levi's first field trip!  He was super excited to go to Pumpkinland!  I was super excited to be able to join them.  :) 

Levi had fun playing on all of the toys.

He loved holding one of the kittens.

Ms. Christy and Ms. Sarah were explaining that they will be going to Pumpkin School.  :)

Levi thought that the Goosebumps pumpkin was very silly!  He also thought it was really fun to pop popcorn off the cob and eat it!  :)

He had fun letting the goats lick his hand.  :) 

We walked through the corn maze.

Levi loved sitting on the huge bale of hay for a picture.  What a great class of preschoolers!!!  They are adorable. :)

 

 



It's Party Time!

 

October 7

Dorian will be turning 6 this week!!!  We invited Grandpa and Grandma Bolkema, Great Grandma Bolkema, Aunt Kerry, Ashley, Emma, Claire, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Heidi, Aniah, Eden and Adria to help us celebrate! 

Emma and Ashley are SO good to their little cousins.  They set up a school room and played school with them for a long time after we ate lunch.  It was adorable!

We decided to have a sports themed birthday party for our active little boy who loves to kick soccer balls on the driveway, play frisbee golf with daddy, play baseball with the neighbors, and tag at recess when he's at school.  I did my best at making basketball, soccer and baseball cupcakes!  :)

This picture is so sweet for multiple reasons.  It reminds me of how much Dorian loves all of his little stuffed animals and his bed is full of them each night!  It reminds me that even though he seems like he is getting so big, he is still a little boy that loves stuffed animals.  It's a gift from Aniah which is super sweet because she wanted to give him something of hers.  It just make me want to give him another hug.  :)

Emma read Dorian his birthday cards!

A hug for Great Grandma for the maze game and money.  I don't know what he plans on doing with his money, but I know he's excited about it!

Dorian really enjoyed playing with his new remote controlled car.  Levi was making a bridge for the car to go under!  :)

Yeah!  Time to blow out 6 candles.

Dorian had fun being silly with Uncle Ryan and Grandpa.

What a blessing it is to have loving and supportive family to celebrate special occasions with.   

The Zoo!

October 5

 

The timing was perfect to take the boys to the zoo!!!  Nathan had been gone from Tues. to Fri. and flew into the Sioux Falls airport on Friday morning.  The boys and I met him in Sioux Falls.  The boys didn't have school on Thursday or Friday for the Heartland Teacher's Convention.  It was however, the first cold day of Fall, but we stayed warm with winter coats, hats and gloves.  It was a very quiet day at the zoo.  There weren't very many people there so it was quite peaceful and quiet.  We truly enjoyed taking our time and exploring a new zoo as a family!

 

The boys had fun feeding the goats!

 

We spent a lot of time at the rhino exibit!

Dorian and Levi tried on some rhino ears.  :)

Nathan and I relaxed on a bench while the boys drew pictures of rhinos.

Dorian posed so that I could get a picture of his missing tooth.  Yes, he lost his tooth last week Monday and he is SO PROUD of it!!!  I couldn't believe how high the excitement was at our house after it happened.  He was eating a grape after school when it fell out and he NEEDED to tell someone.  First he called dad on the phone.  Then we walked across the street to see if our neighbors were home.  Since they weren't, we waited outside until they came home and he ran as fast as his little legs could run to tell them his exciting news.  :) 

Still looking at rhinos.

I love it when the boys want me to take pictures of them!!!

When we walked to "Africa" we got to see giraffes, zebras, a cheetah and many other fun animals.

We also enjoyed watching the monkeys, penguins, feeding the ducks, and eating a picnic lunch (in the car to stay warm :)!  I'm thinking that it might be fun to get a zoo membership for next year so that we go more often!  We really enjoyed out day together.