It's A ......

As I had suspected all along it is a B-O-Y!

Both of the girls were very excited when Paula told them they were getting a brother. In fact the lady performing the ultrasound was having a hard time taking a picture of the baby and ended up taking some 4d pictures. It amazes me how much that you can see the face so clearly!




Now that I know for sure it is a boy...letting the shopping begin!

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow is a very big day for my girls.

Tomorrow is the day we hope to find out if they are getting a new brother or a sister.

At first Jaden said she wanted a S-I-S-T-E-R only. As of last friday she decided that either a brother or sister would be ok.

Addie has said sister from day one. If not a sister, then two sisters. If not two sisters, two brothers. Never one brother. In fact I told her that if mommmy finds out she is having two babies she will have a cow. Without missing a beat Addie told me " my mommy can not have a cow!".

I have to admit that I am a little torn. I think it might be a boy, and I am truly ok with that possibility. If Paula tells me tomorrow that she is having a girl, I will also be happy. Honestly, healthy and happy. That is what I want.

I called Paula tonight to ask her how she was going to decide in what order to tell everyone what Collin and she find out tomoorow. At first she said that Collin and she decided to wait until Christmas to tell us what they find out tomorrow. I very nicely explained to her that that was truly not an option! Paula laughed and then said that she will be sending out a mass text message to everyone. That way no one gets their feelings hurt. Of course Dad called her and said he expects a phone call. So I think it has been decided that Paula will call Mom and Dad, and Collin will call Patty. The rest of us will find out by text message.

Tomorrow...

SEVEN....

I can not believe that seven years ago today Jaden was born.

Seven Years.... but it seems like yesterday.

Jaden:

You are an awesome big sister to Addie. Even when Addie is driving you absolutely crazy you are still the first person to come to her defense. When your new brother/sister arrives you will have to show Addie how this big sister job works. I know you will be just as good to the baby as you are to Addie.

The past year has seen you go from playing T-ball to now playing pitching machine. I know you were really excited about this change from T-ball, that is until you got hit by a pitch. I know you are still a little scared of the ball, but you are working through that fear to try to get better. I love when you ask me if we can go outside and practice hitting! You are also becoming very good at trying to catch the ball in the air. You have decided you are going to try your hardest, and that is all I could ever expect from you. You are by far my favorite cheetah girl #5!

I have always known that you enjoyed doing creative things. It seems you are constantly drawing someone a picture or making something for those you love. It was no surprise to me that after we carved pumpkins I found you trying to "carve" and make things out of the leftover pieces mommy and I had cut out of the pumpkins. I hope that you NEVER lose this part of who you are. Your creativity makes up a HUGE part of who you are, and I love that about you!

You have one of the biggest hearts and kindest souls. I love when I pick you up at school and Mrs. Fletcher tells me how much she enjoys having you in her class. It makes me so happy to see the way you go out of your way to make sure you let those you love know how much you truly care about them. You light up a room with your smile, and you have the most infectious laugh!

Jaden, your Aunt Niece loves you so very much. I can not believe you are already SEVEN! It really does not seem like it was that long ago that I held you for the very first time. I know that before I know it you will be older, and you will not think Aunt Niece is that cool to hang out with. But until that day comes I will enjoy every day I get to spend hanging out with my favorite oldest, blond haired, blue-eyed girl!

Happy Birthday my girl....

I thought I should blog...

before September is over! I know, I promised to post more often. The truth is I have not taken many pictures lately. I really have not been a good aunt in the picture taking or blogging department.

I want to blog about the summer, Jaden's new adventures of pitching machine, Addie's antics, and so many other things. Tonight is not the time. Tonight I just want to share a new favorite image of my girls...

I will be back soon...we have a lot to catch up on

First Day of School!

Today was the BIG day. The first day of school.

It was a big day for both of my girls...

For Jaden - the first day of 1st grade!

Jaden was so excited.

This was her first day to be at school all day...

The first day to take her lunch...

And most importantly, she finally gets to play on the playground with SWINGS!

To us swings may not be a big deal...but all she talked about last year was the fact that the kindergarteners have their own playground with NO SWINGS!

It was also a big day for Addie...

The first day of Pre-K!

Addie was also very excited.

We have been telling her that she has to be extra good at school.

When she got in the car today she told Paula the funniest thing...

"Mommy. I didn't kick anybody, or hit anybody, and I made lots of friends. I love school!"

I can not believe how big these two are getting!

I hope you both have a great school year...

Just One Picture...

I promise to blog again soon...

Really, I promise...

For now I offer one picture...

Addie is always in motion...

Playing, swimming, torturing Jaden, talking...

At the lake we have several different floats, foam noodles, etc. that the girls both enjoy hanging out on. My personal favorite is a "recliner" float that keeps your head up out of the water, but allows enough water to cover the rest of you that you are comfortably cool, and not too hot.

A couple of weeks ago Addie discovered she can lay with her head at the opposite end of this float and talk to whomever is enjoying this wonderful air mattress.

After a couple of hours of swimming, splashing, and torturing her big sister Addie climbed into the float with Barb,(or as she calls her "My Barb"), and begins one of her usual conversations.

After asking the usual questions:

"What are you drinking?"

"Are you floating in this float?"

"Can I use some of your dark tanning spray to tan my legs?"
(Yeah...she actually says this.)

Addie then asked a new question...

"Can I have a foot massage?"

Of course Barb is very happy to massage Princess Addie's feet. After about a minute or two Barb asked Addie if she would like a hand massage also. And of course Addie said YES!

After about one minute this is what happened...

She was O-U-T!

Addie actually slept this way for almost an hour...

In my favorite air mattress...

With "Her" Barb...

Our Little Butterfly...

Ballet : an activity that most little girls dream about.

Jaden has wanted to take ballet for about a year.

As one of her christmas gifts, her dancing dream came true.

Two weeks ago her the dance studio she attends had the end of year performance.

All of the students performed an actual ballet, Coppelia.

Jaden's class performed in the first act.

They were all butterflies...

Jaden did so well. I could tell she really enjoyed performing.

All Jaden talks about lately is that she can not wait for ballet to start again...

Jaden, I thought you looked so beautiful as a butterfly.

I know you love taking ballet, and you plan on taking lessons for a long time.

Great Job Jaden!

Addie is 4

June 10, 2005. 9:14 am . Addison Rene entered into our family.

I will never forget that day.

I just can't believe it was FOUR years ago...

This should have been our first clue that Addie would love to eat cake...


At 21 days Addie first experienced the lake...


Four years later she still enjoys going to the lake...


Addie loves music and dancing.

She told me the other day she wants to be a singer when she grows up.

We discovered last fall that Addie loves to listen to an ipod.

The result of the ipod listening is usually the same...

Addie loves to TALK, just like her mommy did as a little girl...

Addie is very stubborn, but also very sweet...

Addie can use the word please to her advantage...

Addie loves to tell jokes. Over and over again...

Just like Jaden, Addie has her grandparents wrapped around her finger...

Addie has always tried her hardest to do everything that Jaden does.

I have been trying to get her to jump into the pool.

The answer is always "No, I am scared I might drowned!"

And then for some reason yesterday...


I asked her later why she wanted to jump in...

"Because tomorrow I will be four. That means I will be big. Big girls are 4!"

Yes Addie Pattie...you are a big girl.

But you are still Aunt Niece's baby girl

End of School

I can not believe it is already time for school to be out!

It seems like a few weeks ago was Jaden's first day of Kindergarten

Then last week...

Our little Kindergarten Graduate ...

We all love you Jaden and are very proud of you!

Bring on the First Grade ... but let's enjoy the summer first!

First T-Ball Tournament!

This past weekend Jaden's T-Ball team finally played in a tournament.

Over the three days they played 5 games.

One each on Friday and Saturday, then three on Sunday.

The girls seemed to be having fun.

Jaden played Second Base for the majority of the time.
She played "Pitcher" for an inning on Saturday.

This next picture is one of my new favorites.
It shows my favorite #5 just hanging out between games.


Jaden's team won their first four games by more than a few runs....

Jaden played a mean second base, tagging several runners out.

She also hit a home run in two of her games on Sunday!

For the majority of the weekend the weather cooperated...until the finals.

It was raining off and on, and was very chilly.

The team they played was very good.

Both teams played very well, but in the end Jaden's team lost by one run.

The girls played the very best I have seen them play.

They were all very happy with 2nd Place!

It would have been nice to win their first tournament ever, but I think this next picture says it all...

Good Job #5!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

I would like to watch #5 play!

Jaden's league is already three weeks behind because of the rain. They have only played one game, and that was two weeks ago. She is supposed to play in a tournament this weekend.

If it doesn't rain!

Just The Usual...

I realized today that I haven't blogged about Addie in a while...

She has been up to her usual activities...

Playing, watching cartoons...

Picking on her big sister, becoming very stubborn...

Just the usual for Addie

Now that Spring has arrived Addie has resumed her obsession with swinging...


Of course I wouldn't change anything about Addie

The Tooth That Had To Go...

On Sunday afternoon I asked Jaden about her loose tooth.

She says it is really wiggly, but she is scared to pull it.

Paula and Mom tell me that Jaden already has another tooth growing behind the loose one.

The three of us decide the tooth has to come out.

Jaden at first is excited, but very quickly decided that maybe this is not a good idea.

We discuss with Jaden that the tooth needs to come out.

Jaden says NO!

After a serious discussion about money... ok, let's pull this tooth!

At first Paula tries Dental Floss tied to the tooth...

Then some thread...

Paula tries using a dish towel to grab on to the tooth...

After a little while we have had no luck...

A lot of crying has begun...

After about 15 minutes we give up...

10 minutes later Paula asks Jaden to let her try one more time...

Jaden says "No string...just the dish towel"

After two more tries...

Success!

Jaden was shocked when her tooth came out.

Shocked, but very excited!

In the next picture you can see the new tooth already growing

Now remember that serious discussion about money...

Let's just say Aunt Niece is a big softie...

Softball in the Spring...

Spring: Time for some Softball!

I had taken Jaden over to Southern Nazarene University last fall to watch a Softball game.

She really liked watching the "Big Girls" play, and I promised we would go back in the spring.

My girl, wearing my sunglasses, waiting on the game to start.

Jaden loved watching the game. She would even count balls and strikes.


My very good friend is the coach at SNU. She told Jaden to come back soon, and she would introduce her to some of the players. Jaden can't wait to go back!

This last picture is so Jaden..

A Smile

Long Blond Braids

Her Beloved Bunny Foo Foo...

And Aunt Niece's Sunglasses

Our Little Gymnast

Addie had a recital at gymnastics about a month ago.

Yes...a month ago.

This was Addie's first recital, and she was so excited!

Here is our little gymnast...

Wait...people are looking at me!
I will cover my ears and act like they are not here.

Performing a backward roll...

Showing off her great balance beam skills...


Addie's favorite...Jumping on the Trampoline!


All of the kids received a medal at the end of the recital.

Hey look...I got a medal!

Good Job Addie!