Happy Halloween

 A long overdue new post.  Unfortunately I don't have time for a lengthy update but everyone is doing great! The proof is in the pictures. The boys are doing wonderfully!

My handsome three and a half year old pirate.

My almost one year old monkey.

Happy Halloween everyone.  Be safe!

Thanks Danielle Parker for the beautiful pictures.  Maybe one of these days I will have a chance to update this thing for real!

Happy Easter

School

Joey has been going to school for two full (4 day) weeks now and I could not be more proud.  After extensive evaluation an soul searching.  We decided the most appropriate environment for Joey would be a full inclusion classroom.  He is just thriving there and his teachers love him.  I am just thrilled wiyh how he is doing.  Joey even rides the bus to and from school.

 At the end of the first day he fell asleep during circle time.  I am so grateful his teachers took pictures for me.

Three

So I don't have time to do the sort of update that I would like to do, but Joey recently turned 3 and Zac is now 3 months old.  I am also back at work.  To memorialize Joey's 3rd birthday Zac's 3rd month we had another photo session with Michelle Marrone at this beautiful historic house and winery in Auburn.  Even though it rained, we had a blast and just love the amazing pictures Michelle took of our expanding family.

We had so much fun!  Of course the new blog header is also one of these pictures...thanks again Michelle!

Brothers

I just know these two will be best friends some day!

My Beautiful Boys

Zac had his first photo shoot a few weeks ago for his birth announcements. Like his big brother he takes pretty cute pictures. Thanks to Chris Henning for the beautiful pictures.



Will be posting pictures from Christmas soon. I promise. As you can probably imagine, things have just been a little crazy around here.

Zac Clayton

On November 18, 2011 Zac Clayton was born via scheduled c-section. He weighed 9 pounds 8 oz (thank goodness for the c-section). It was no wonder he was so big...because I was huge. Here I am going into the hospital.

At 12:26 p.m. Zac was delivered screaming. He was high up in my uterus still and was not planning on coming out any time soon on his own. My actual due date was December 2 but he was delivered two weeks early due to my high blood pressure.

Our first kiss.

Zac with his proud daddy.

Zac is a total snuggle bug. He loves being held and cuddled.

After four days in the hospital we went home but Zac had to be readmitted on Thanksgiving day because of jaundice.

After 24 hours under the lights however, his bilirubin levels were down and we were able to take him home again. Here he is with proud big brother Joey heading home from the hospital the second time.

We are slowly adjusting to life with two kids. It helps that Zac is a good sleeper (he has only been waking once during the night to feed) and we are so proud of how gentle Joey has been with him.

Joey has been a great big brother. He has only tried poking Zac in the eyes a few times.

I did not think it was possible, but I am in love all over again!

Getting Ready for Baby Zac

It is hard to believe that baby Zac will be here in about 2 weeks (if not sooner). I am so tired of being pregnant...but Joey seems to be enjoying the process. Especially the boxes that Zac's things arrive in.

Poor guy has no idea how life is about to change...so I let him have his fun.

Summer Vacation 2011

This post is long overdue. For our vacation this summer we went to San Diego for a week to visit my parents. We had a busy busy week filled with the beach, legoland and the San Diego Wild Animal/ Safari park. Here are some of the pics

Joey and his Grandma...he looks so big in this picture!

Daddy getting Joey ready for the water

All the mess of going to the beach is totally worth it when you see the look on his face when he first touches the water with his toes!

Some of the last shots of our family of three!

Joey running away from the waves...he was still not a big fan of the ocean. Oh well maybe next year!

This was the only way he tolerated being in the water.

Joey and his baby brother Zac (still inside but looking quite prominent in this picture).

This was the first trip that Joey got into physically playing (like a big kid) with his cousins. It was so cute...here he is trying to lift his cousin Ellie by the waist.

And jumping on top of both Walker and Ellie!

They were all having so much fun together.

It was awesome watching them play together so nicely.

Of course Joey got in some time in the kiddie pool in grandma's driveway too.

It was a way bigger hit than the ocean.

And then we met my sister and her family and the Sanchez family at legoland. Here Joey is on his first ride.

And with Daddy on the safari

Watching Sofia and big brother Mateo interact...Joey was mesmerized by them.

Joey and Sofia having a snack while the others went on a bigger rollercoaster.

Joey and Cousin Ellie exploring.

Joey and cousin Walker in kiddie jail.

Joey on a train ride

and enjoying it big time!

Joey at the controls of the airplane ride.

Let me tell you this place is not compatable with pregnancy...in addition to all the walking, the rides were not all that comfortable with the baby bump...but Joey was having a blast.

Here we are with my sister's family.

Tony squeezed in to another ride with Joey.

Tony and my sister's husband Mac on one of the (few) more adult rides.

It was cool how many characters and things they had there made out of legos. Here we are in the star wars area.

Then we took Joey to the San Diego Wild Animal park...which is now called the safari park. Joey got to feed some goats...

and the lorikeets

Joey was fascinated by the lorikeets.

My favorite part (after all of the walking) was the tram ride through the natural habitats. Joey missed out.

To him this was a lovely opportunity for a nap.

But then we got to do one of his favorite things...ride the carousel.

He so loves this!

I know it is hard to tell that he is having a good time here.

Lastly we got to help Ellie celebrate her fourth birthday with a pool party. I love how all the little girls cling to Tony. I hate to break it to him but we are going to have to try once more for a little girl.

Joey enjoying his cupcake.

Joey getting to enjoy a little time with grandma before we left.

And last but not least our little angel keeping himself amused on the long long car ride home.