FaMILY UPDATES!

Sorry for my lack of blogging recently, with work, school, 2 kids and a crazy pregnancy I have been slacking a lot. Although a lot has been going on, and with some extra time, here are our family updates!

Here are some good ultrasound pictures of our little girl.

profile (she looks like a SERVICE!)

face and her little lip!!

her femur, look at those long legs!

Kaitlyn Marie-& the pregnancy
I am currently 22weeks, and 2 days pregnant, and measuring about a week early, her head is measuring even a week earlier then that! so lets hope I can get her out! :) Luckily my last appointment showed that I no longer have placenta previa (my placenta is not covering my cervix) SO I shouldn't need a c-section!!! I AM SO HAPPY about this, I have had 2 great vaginal deliveries, and Brady's I didn't need to be cut or anything, easiest and fastest recovery! I am still at risk for pre-term labor, not only because of my history, but I've been having consistent contractions this early on, and my cervix is slighly thinning and shortening already. This means I must be on modified bed rest, and every 2 weeks have a cervical ultrasound. At 24 weeks I start getting what is calld FFN. Basically it's a swab of the back of my cervix to see if labor will progress in 2-3 weeks. If it comes out positive, then I will be injected with steroids to help develop babies lungs, and be on STRICT rules of bed rest, diet, no hanky panky ETC... But thus far, every appointment has good news and very little worry. She is healthy as can bem even though I myself am WAY less then perfect feeling. Lots of pain that no doctor can diagnose, and weird episodes of vomiting, dizziness and blackouts. With no anemia this time! Weird...anyway, Kaitlyn Marie Butler is due on Easter Sunday, with the expectation of a earlier arrival! We will keep you posted!!

McKenzie- she been excelling in preschool, and is LOVING it! She loves to learn and is very smart. The teacher tells us she started thE year quiet and shy (WHAT!? my kids quiet!? and shy!?) Well she is still quiet because she behaves, but she is no longer shy, she loves being involved, and telling stories. her teachers tell us she talks about her brother Brady all the time, and she is more often talking now about her little sister in mommies tummy. She is a spunky 4 year old with a lot of energy. She gets in trouble quite a bit for being sassy, and talking back, but I have to be patient and hope it is all a phase!! She is very helpful, and loves her brother SO much!

Brady- He started walking just a few weeks before he turned 15 months old. He is a super fast crawler and still does it to get away from sissy quickly, but he has started to speed up in walking, and is 90% his mode of transportation. Lately he has really progresses in his speech! The other day he was in his high chair and said to Jake "juice pees da" Juice please dad! How stinking cute! His main words are "tanktoo"(thank you) "pees" (please) "mama", "dada", "siss" (sister) "ZEZEE" (Zadie) what the kids call jakes step dad ron.."dog",juice" "nigh nigh", "yesss" and my favorite thing is that he doesn't say NO! he doesn't even shake his head NO! he always is very agrreable and shakes his head to almost everything, it's great! he eats like a hoover vaccum, and sleeps like a bear in hibernation! He once slept 18 hours 3 days straight! He is a very happy and joyful kids and he LOVES his soft blanket and cuddles. McKenzie was very independent and would rarely sit on your lap and cuddle, but that is what Brady lives for, and we LOVE IT!

Molly-a little update on our dog. Molly is old. I have had her since she was a puppy just 8 weeks old. She has a large mammary growth that has been growing over the past year, and the vet said she wouldn't survive surgery if we tried to remove it. She lives her life like any other old dog, sleeps a lot, and stinks, but she is happy as can be, still eats and goes to the bathroom, and wants her love from us. Lately she has been laying down more often, eating and drinking more, and sleeping often. she has lost almost all her hearing, and rarely barks. When she does get up to walk around she whines and has a limp. Jake and I can't bare to put her down, but we know the end is near. With the holidays we have decided to wait, and hold off til after the new year, but come ealry next year, we may chose to let her go home to heaven. This is ultimately the hardest decision I may ever have to make, she is my best friend and I love her like my child. Dogs like her come around once in a life time, and to let her go breaks my heart. She is such a sweetheart, and I sure hope all dogs go to heaven because heaven would be hell to me without her.

Then there is Jake and I....obviously I'm pregnant, and in school. I no longer work and plan to keep it that way for a few years, but who knows! Jake is still loving his work as a firefighter, and he also owns his own pool cleaning/repair business he does on the side. Business is good, and such a blessing with me out of work! :) We bought a mini-van for our growing family, and thought we would never say it, but we LOVE IT! We also bought a tiny little camping trailer and can't wait to take it out!! Life is good, and can't wait to end 2010 and bring on a new year, with a fresh start!