It's a...

I just got back from having an ultrasound and...IT'S A BOY!!!!!!! We are so excited. Gwen needs some convincing, she is still saying it is a sister, but we have time to work on that. Here are some pictures from today :-)

Hello Baby Boy!

His little feet

His little face

Already sucking his little thumb!

Also, as promised, here is that hysterical video of Lilly and Gwen!

Gwen's visit to Chicago

It was Fall Break for me, so Friday morning Gwen and I flew up to Chicago to visit Gammy and Bubba! We were picked up from the airport, went straight to Bubba's office to say "hi", and then off to the zoo for lunch! Gwen loved it and it was the perfect afternoon for it!

"Hello Zebra!"

"Where is that rhino hiding?"

"Gammy, we really are fishies!"

"Happy Halloween!" a little early :-)

Even the lions were dressed up!

This is actually a real pumpkin! Unbelievable!

Friday night we hung out at Erin's house and had a wonderful time. Saturday night they came to us! Gwen put on her fairy costume and did a little piano playing and singing for us!

"I am singing a song for Lilly! La La La!"

Lilly loved having Gwen around! She was so much fun to see and getting so big so fast!

We have a great video, but it isn't working right now. I'll try it again later. For now, enjoy the pictures

One Busy Sunday!

On Sunday, we decided to make it a day of fun instead of just a day of rest. We started our morning helping Brad's family clean fish. Gwen and I mostly watched, but Daddy helped a bunch!

Gwen did some modeling

And made some fresh fish scale soup. Yummy!

While Gwen took her nap after lunch, we drove out to Lark Ranch! It was our first time at this pumpkin patch, but we can definitely say it won't be our last! We had so much fun! Gwen could stop talking about how much fun she having, and who would be joining us next year (she is already planning that Lilly, Erin, Don Don, Kelley, Gammy, Bubba, Gram, Poppy, Ashley, Joey, Whitney, and Abby are coming). :-)

The sun was so bright, Gwen wouldn't look at the camera

Check out that face! She was so excited to ride a pony again and acted like she was a professional!

There was a little zoo there with chickens, pigs, goats, cows...but Gwen's favorites were Patches' and Bolt's friends--the bunnies!

Gwen even milked a cow!

Who knew tractors had slides?!?!?!

"This one is the best ever!"

We took a hay ride to the pumpkin patch and got to pick out our pumpkins.

Gwen just loved looking for the perfect pumpkin!

Here are the perfect pumpkins! From left to right we have Daddy's, Mommy's and Gwen's. We'll show you later what they become:-)

Gwen on the hay ride back to the main ranch. We had so much fun and hope to make this a family tradition each year!

Checking off the list

Gwen's visit with Bubba and Gammy was nothing less than wonderful. We all had a great time with them. Gwen's checklist didn't get completely checked off, but here are just a few of the things that did (and pictures were taken of) :-)

Gwen took her Big Bubble Bath with pink water

Gwen took Bubba and Gammy to Holiday World, and we went to Holidog Park. She took them on the jeeps...

Showed off her monkey skills...

rode the ponies on the carousal...

Rode the Nursery Rhyme Train...

And Bubba and Gammy took turns pushing her in the stroller while there.

We even got ice cream!

Gwen painted Gammy's nails pink

(after some convincing that white wasn't really her color)

She painted Bubba's nails pink (we didn't have brown polish)

Even Daddy's nails got painted! And yes, they were pink.

Mine were pink too, just so you know I didn't get left out of the spa day.

After a long weekend of fun, Gwen decided to draw it all on her newly hung chalkboard (thanks Bubba for helping Daddy put it up.)

We just can't get enough!

A little change in my schedule today allowed me to have lunch at home and take a break to update all of you on our happenings! Baby T #2 is doing well so far. No big exciting happenings, so I am going to say no news is GREAT news! We have an appointment coming up in a couple weeks, so we will know more then.

Gwen is my big helper all the time, and she is always making tasks more fun (and sometimes take longer)! Gwen can now say she has helped give Daddy a haircut...

"Look, Daddy! I'm hairy!"

(She now knows that is called a mustache)

Some other fun happenings:

Gwen had fun hanging out with Mommy and Daddy on a Sunday

Last Friday, Gwen yet again had surgery. She had a replacement tube put into her left ear. She was a real trooper and caught the hearts of all the surgical staff...again!

Our annual Payne Family Camp Out at Patoka took place last weekend. We had tons of fun seeing all our family and even had all the kids dress in their Halloween costumes and go Trick-or-Treating! Gwen chose to be a fairy this year!

"Poppy, I make you pretty!"

Lydia, also 2 1/2 years old, was a fairy too!!!!! What a funny surprise!

"Look how pretty we are Whitney!"

"I love ASHLEY!"

Who knew the Witches of Oz would get together here!

She just can't get enough of the barrel train! Gwen, and the other kiddos, got to have a costume parade while on the train:-) So cute!

Gwen has so serious skills! I just hope it is all self defense! (P.S. we didn't teach her any of this!)

Gwen also is EXTREMELY excited that Bubba and Gammy are coming this weekend to visit her. She made a list yesterday of the thing she wanted to do with them (I am serious about her making the list too...she told me to get paper and "write this for me". So this is her list and in the order she told it:

Thing To Do With Gammy and Bubba

1. Bake cupcakes

2. Play outside

3. Go to the park and go on the ship

4. Go for a walk, and Bubba and Gammy have to take turns pushing

5. Play dress up

6. Go to Holidog Park at Holly World (really it is Holiday World)

7. Draw pictures

8. Put together puzzles

9. Watch a movie

10. Watch Wonder Pets, Dora, Diego, and Team Umi Zoomi

11. Play up and down with bouncy ball

12. Play kitchen

13. Paint my nails pink

14. Paint Bubba's nails brown

15. Paint Gammy's nails white

16. Paint Mommy's nails pink like me. Gracie wants pink like we have too.

17. Take a big bubble bath with pink water

18. Eat blueberries

19. Go to orchard and pick apples

20. Visit Joey's goats

21. Ride my bike

22. Ride 4 wheeler. Give Bubba and Gammy a turn

23. Ride a cow

24. Read books

Life just gets more fun!

As always we are running around like crazy. Between work, doctors visits, weddings...you name it, we always seem to be on the move. Here are just a couple highlights of the last couple weeks.

Say hello to Baby T! Although we have had 3 ultrasounds already, this one taken on Sept. 9th is the most recent. This was at 13 weeks and already the technician had a prediction as to what gender it is! I am not going to say just yet because I still think it is a bit early to know for sure. We will be finding out, so we will keep you posted. I am feeling better, only a little sick here and there (and usually around dinner time). Now I am mostly just tired. The second trimester has officially began, so I am really hoping to get my energy back soon!

Gwen has been loving the cooler weather we have had on and off. She even has been sporting her very cute hat now and then.

Gwen has been dry for 4 whole days and even pooped on the potty a couple times this week!!!!!! Gram bought her a princess jewelry set complete with a tiara, clip on earrings, a necklace, and a ring that can only be worn if she poops on the potty. Our Potty Princess is very proud of herself. I just hope this continues!

Last week our town celebrated the coming of the fall season with their annual Dale Fall Fest. Dawn and I hosted the Little Mister and Miss Pageant again this year. Here are just some of the contestants that participated in our Pageant. Who would have thought I would be coordinating something like this? Not me! But, it was a lot of fun and I think the kids really enjoyed it!

This is just a funny. These little figurines sit on a shelf in our bedroom next to the "T" that topped our wedding cake. Gwen loves to make them go "sledding" whenever she can.

Excuse the nudity, we were just having too much fun! As a treat for being so good with the potty this week, Gwen earned the surprise of colored bath water! Last night she picked green and was showing off more crazy moves!

Gwen and the craziness of bath time. (Notice she is sporting her awesome orange ear plugs so NO water gets into her ears)

Update on Gwen's ears: Gwen had a follow up visit with the pediatrician yesterday. The right ear looks great, but that left ear can't figure out what it should be doing. The ear canal is clean, but their is thick fluid behind the now healed ear drum. After a surprise visit to the ENT yesterday morning, it was decided that a new tube needs to be placed in the left ear since the other fell out. This surgery will be next Friday. I am keeping my figures tightly crossed that this will end our ear saga!

Gwen's Recent Quotes:

-"Sorry I bump your teeth, Mommy. It's okay, Bubba will fix it." (said after bumping into me with her head. My teeth are fine in case you were worried)

-"No, I'm not good. I'm awesome!" (when asked if she was a good girl while in the car)

-"Pooka, roll over like me." (I guess she was working on tricks with Pooka, but it was too funny to see her rolling on the floor to show Pooka what to do)

Gwen's Big News!

Gwen is so excited to share with everyone that she will be a BIG SISTER!!!!!!!!!!

She is extremely excited and is convinced it is a baby girl (currently affectionately called "Baby Lilly").

As of today, we are 11 weeks along (our due date is March 16th) and have already had a far more eventful pregnancy than with Gwen. With Gwen there was no morning sickness or any kind of complications until the end with stress was causing my blood pressure to spike. This time, morning sickness is only now starting to calm itself down (or I have just figured out how to manage it better), we have had one trip to the ER afraid that we lost the baby, and I have had 2 ultrasounds! The doctor is optimistic that things are stabilizing and that the baby will be fine, but he is watching us very closely. He has told me that the baby is right on track for size and development; which is very good. We are scheduled for another ultrasound in 2 weeks, so we are hopeful that we will hear more good news. I will keep everyone posted from now on :-)

Other things going on in Gwen's life:

Gwen is back into the swing of the school year and loving getting to see her friends more at the baby-sitter's house. She is also getting hang out with Gracie and Jayden in the evening when we go to the park now that it isn't 100 degrees outside! She's having lots of fun adventures with Gram too and even some sleep overs :-). Never a dull moment during Gwen's day it seems!

Gwen has been battling a yeast infection in her left ear (basically a really bad case of swimmer's ear) since late June and the battle is still going. Gwen went to the hospital Wednesday for another ear cleaning with the ENT. She was such a trooper and captured the hearts of all the surgical staff she met. The nurse who brought her back from recovery hadn't met Gwen before she was put under anesthesia, so she was completely caught off guard when Gwen woke up and ask her "Can I see my mommy now?". She wasn't expecting someone so little to speak so well! Gwen returned to her doctor yesterday for another follow up and the report was good! The ear looks great (for now), but we are having to clean it with saline a couple times a day, blow dry her ears dry after any water is near it, use ear molds during all water encounters, and restrict her to a meat and veggie diet until this infection is 100% gone! Quite the task for some one who loves fruit and pasta!

The other major event going on is POTTY TRAINING. Yes, we are still working on it! She is doing much better, but is still having accidents at least once a day and refusing to do #2 in the potty. She just doesn't care when she is dirty! Any advice is welcome! Brad and I would love this to be a completed process since we started last year!

One last thing for fun! Gwen received a get well card from Gammy and wanted to read it to everyone!