Just to wet your appetite :) Let me introduce you to our son, Parker Michael. Born February 13 and is one huge baby weighing in at 8lbs 14oz! We aren't sure where he was inside me, but we were all blown away to say the least ;) We are all exhausted but our hearts are full and we are happy to be a family of 5. Promise to add more pics and details about our "eventful" delivery :)

Last week we had snow and super cold temperatures in the 'Ville, which equates to the town being shut down. A splash of energy overcame me and we all pitched in to make and decorate Valentines Cookies.

 The idea are always better in my mind then the absolute chaos they turn out to be :) Aubrie has learned to climb onto the kitchen chairs so that means I have 2 helpers now when baking. Her little fingers lead her into I'm sure every ingredient we put into these cookies. I even saw a handful of butter go into that sweet mouth of hers!

 Decorating was the best part of all though. It lasted a whopping 10-15 minutes before we had to put a kabosh to it. First off having cookies AND frosting all at a finger tip away and not being allowed to eat everyone them, and then realizing the decorations were made out of sugar brought so much joy to our sugar crazed kiddos ;) They really did have a blast and Mike and I couldn't stop laughing at their hard "work" and "dedication" to eating, licking and "decorating".

 Their creations really were super cute!

 See what I mean, Brody in the act of shoving a handful of sprinkles in his mouth ;)

As we enter into baby week we are all feeling a sigh of relief. We did it, we are here and Baby Parker will be joining us by the end of the week! There have been two days in the last couple weeks of many signs of impeding labor, but no luck. This is the part of being induced that I love. There is an end date, something concrete and a goal I can see. So either we wait till Thursday for evacuation day or he will come one his own before then. At lunch today I asked B and A who was excited for Baby Parker to join us this week?? Brody threw his hands up in the air as he shouted "I am!!". Well he did this so forcefully he knocked himself out of the chair and flat on the floor! We are all ready for your arrival Baby Boy!!!

Do you ever have any of those times where you really want something. Not like I can live without it, but it would be nice to have it. But I REALLY want it. Friends, I really want little Parker here! Every fiber in my being, every everything in me wants their little brother here. It's not the uncomforts of pregnancy that I'm wanting over (don't get me wrong I would LOVE to sleep on my belly, drink a fully caffeinated coffee and sit on the ground wrestling my children). This picture above just looks empty. Don't these two little faces just scream, "We need a third to get in trouble with!" And then the realities of having 3 kiddos under the age of 3 because a bit scary and overwhelming. Thoughts of "will my house ever be clean?, will we ever eat anything other than peanut butter and honey sandwiches, do we just look crazy to others, will we ever be able to find a babysitter for 3 kids?" sink in. I don't care, I'm ready for this boy to be here! We all are. His clothes are hung, his room is as ready as it's going to get. Yes, I admit he doesn't have everything that Brody and Aubrie had when we were anticipating their arrivals. A perfectly decorated room, new clothes that were in perfect condition, oh mercy not even a baby book. At points I get to the verge of saying a swear word about everything we did for them because now I just feel bad that it's not being reciprocated to #3. I've had third children tell me how awful their lives were because they were the third and just "forgotten" about. Now the teenage girl who told me that was already emotional and about to leave for college, so really I didn't take it too seriously. But, then I quickly remember this. Little Parker is so beyond loved at this moment and our lips haven't even touched his tiny face yet, can you imagine how much that love is going to burst at the seams the second he is placed in my arms!!???  Also he gets to come home to a brother and a sister, something we weren't able to give the other two kids when we brought them home. He will be one loved kid and so if he gets upset by feeling as if he were just an afterthought later on in life, Mike and I have done something wrong in raising him. So, with that sweet child in my belly, taking up way too much room and not having any room left for your self, it's time to come out or in Brody's words, "It's time to pop out of my belly" ;) You've baked long enough, come little boy, please come :)

I just love how different my kiddos are! I'm amazed at at how Aubrie just picked up the girly aspect and Brody is ALL boy. I've said it before, but, she loves shoes, especially my boots :) She puts them right and and off she goes ;)

So that same day Aubrie was strutting around in my boots Brody was making a "ramp" that he could dive off of into the couch (all on his own, I was in the kitchen making lunch). Aubrie just watched him and was 100% unimpressed ;) Always amazed how there have been no visits to the ER..yet. For sure the angles surrounding him have got to be getting exhausted ;)

And then, they have super sweet, loving and tender moments. They love hard and fight hard. Trying so hard to teach Brody that we don't play with girls the same way we play with boys and trying to teach Aubrie not to steal his toys and spring away!

36 weeks and little boy is going strong! I don't think we've officially shared his name. Drum roll please......Parker Michael :) Last week in the office my belly began measuring small. So the one great thing about that is we get to do one of our many ultrasounds! :) Seeing him on that TV was the encouragement I had been needing. I layed on that bed sobbing my eye's out at how absolutely perfect he looked! Every bit of pain, every sleepless night, these darn restless legs....non of that compares to seeing our son and knowing we will be holding him sooooooo soon!!!! So completely worth it! He not only looked precious and perfect but even measured 1 week ahead! What!? My body doesn't know what to do with regular sized babies ;) So, plans are finalized. If Mr. Parker doesn't have a birthday set on his own, we will celebrate it with him being born February 13th. Just in time to wear his little Valentine's Day outfit home. Three weeks!! Brody keeps asking if baby Parker has popped out yet. We packed our hospital bag last night and I'm pretty sure Brody is thinking he will be going to the hospital with us because I find him stuffing some of his things in it also ;)

Happy Birthday Brody!

A three year old!!! A three year old! I can't believe we have a three year old on our hands!!!!

The Brodster has been so excited for his birthday. So much so when he woke up January 1 and I told him happy birthday, he quickly said, "Don't say that momma! Not yet!" He was in disbelief that his day was actually and finally here :) He was a believer when he walked into the kitchen and saw his chair decorated in balloons and presents waiting for him. We had such a fun day celebrating our sweet big boy. Cinnamon rolls with apple juice for breakfast. We NEVER have juice, it's very rarely in the house. That being said, we had one SUPER happy kiddo :) Brody got to choose where to eat lunch. All he wanted was a quesidilla,  rice and beans. Mexican!! :) He wasn't a fan of our favorite Mexican restaurant once they began singing happy birthday to him though ;)

And FINALLY what he was waiting for eternity for (I know that's how it seems in little kid land at least) his Planes party!!! We kept with our Christmas lesson, simple, simple, simple. We had it at the church (no house prep) at 3:00 pm (no big meal, just fun snacks) and invited just a few friends. I see many more parties just like this in our future ;)

Brody choose pretzels, marshmallows, M&M's and popcorn for snacks :) All with cake/ice cream, punch and again apple juice boxes. It was perfect!

The kids got to run off all their winter energy and we got to visit with our friends. The room is big and empty with a closest FULL of kiddo toys. So we just let the kids have at it. They could run as fast, jump as high, be as crazy as they wanted! I loved it, nothing to break! Of course they used extreme caution around the snack table because no one wanted to loose that ;)

I love singing happy birthday to my kids. Each time I do, I hold everything in me from crying my eye's out. I get overwhelmed with all types of emotions. I think of how proud of them I am, how they are mine my kids (it's still a crazy concept to grasp) I'm beyond humbled the Lord has entrusted Mike and I to raise them, then I think back to the day they were born and holding their tiny bodies. I never knew that silly song of celebration could do so much to ones heart!

Aubs girl learned quickly what the snack table had on it :) Is it bad I just closed my eye's and let her have her fun? I really didn't want to know how many marshmallows and M&M's she had. Her hand was almost always up on that table :)

Have I mentioned yet how fun it was to just simply play!!!!???

The cake, of course, was a hit! I'm not sure what I would do without my friend, the cake maker! She does great work!!

Brody went to bed telling me how badly he really wanted another birthday party :) 

I don't praise God enough for this full of energy, extremely independent, stubborn, inquisitive, loves to sing at the top of his lungs, heart of gold that melts your heart to puddles in seconds, social Brody Daniel Kaelber. Thank you Jesus!!!!! Our lives would be so boring and unfulfilled without him! We are blessed!

Merry Christmas

What a great, simple, perfect Christmas we had! I've learned a huge lesson this season. A lesson I would have never learned had I not been exhausted from this pregnancy. Here is it.....Just keep things simple! I LOVED the simplicity of celebrating Jesus birth! The decorations were simple, the gifts were simple, the lessons were rich! This Christmas season was definitely successful because my kiddos (especially Brody) are walking away knowing who Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus are!!! And that is exactly why we celebrate!!!!

Going to bed on Christmas Eve. No matter how old you get the magic of Christmas Day is still so exciting!!

We aren't not believing in Santa but just kinda forgot to talk about him much this month. So B was a bit confused why some man was coming down the chimney, to eat the cookies and leave presents :) He was never frightened at the fact of Santa. He thought Santa would come in his room, wake him up, re-tuck him in. When B woke up in the morning he wanted to go to the roof to look at the reindeer ;)

Christmas morning was such a great celebration! Brody got his first tricycle!!! When he wasn't riding it around the house, Aubs girl was sitting on it :)

The kids were so excited about celebrating Jesus special day! While making the cake I was reminded why I don't make my own cakes ;)

Brody loves his bike!!!! He went on for a couple hours needing to "fix" his bike. He was some of his tools out and was working hard :)

And Brod requested staying in his jamies all day.

We had a great day!!! Anytime we all get to be home together we know is going to be a perfect day! Thankful for such a sweet family to get to celebrate with.

Christmas and honesty

 

This is Brody's best friend, Graham. On Wednesday nights they attend a program called Puggles at Grahams church. It's Awana but for 3-4 year olds. This picture was from there Christmas party. I just love it! I keep asking B why he didn't smile and he just simply says, "I didn't want to". Oh my son :)

 The yearly Santa picture. This poor Santa. I always wonder how enjoyable this job is due to the screaming children who sit on his lap :) Only one kiddo had a melt down.

 Brody stood as far away as possible, keeping his eye on Mrs. Claus (she had all the candy ;) And poor Aubs kept those big brown eye's on me ;) I was working this day, so Mike dressed the kids and decorated them (i.e. the headband). I was very impressed!!

 I was vacuuming and Brody wedged himself in between the foot stool on the couch. I started snapping away on my camera and he told me he was making funny faced. So this was one of his funny faces ;)

Had a super fun "ice day" with all of us home! I love family days when we are stuck inside! We had a super warm fire all day and did some baking (kinda). Aubs had become a daddy's girl in every way. She loved being really warm and snuggled by daddy. So each time Mike sat by the fire, that was an invitation to her to get some warm, daddy snuggles in ;)

When I say baking I mean melting almond bark and dipping Ritz crackers in the chocolate.  That was the extent of my baking this year. Easy peasy and something Brody could help me with. He did such a great job also! Covered in chocolate, yes, but surprisingly he didn't lick his fingers after every dip ;)

 I have spent many hours in the bathtub lately. Helps to relieved some pain I've been in. The running water and bubbles attracts two sweet kiddos. Usually we strip them down and let them blow bubbles all over themselves. Its brings a good 30 minutes of entertainment ;) It's been difficult for me to get on their level and play with them. I've struggled a lot with that during this pregnancy. So we have tons of fun during bath time (with me in and them on the outside) splashing around. I really do feel like it's something super fun that I can do with them.

32 weeks. We are getting there! I feel like the the little train that could as I say daily, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." I love carrying this sweet boy in my belly. I love feeling his kicks and jabs. I LOVE when Brody and Aubrie get to feel him and seeing their sweet faces light up when they get kicked. I LOVE listening to my husband talk to his 3rd child and give him sweet little kisses. I love watching Brody and Aubrie on top of daddy in the living room and daydreaming how this sweet boy is going to fit right in :) I love this growing family. I love the chaos of it! I really do! 

Can I be honest though? I mean really honest? Every day has been a shear challenge! I'm in so much pain. Pain that no one talks about. My legs have some of the worst varicose veins I've ever seen. My doctor has already recommended and referred me on for surgery on them this next year. I have to wear my support stockings every day. Gosh and that's a challenge right there putting them on :) Well these veins don't just stop on my legs. These veins go right on up all the way. Yep, I just said that! I obviously haven't told many people about his embarrassing condition but I'm tired of the "lazy" looks I get when I choose to sit all the time. I have to sit. I'm a swollen, blistery mess! To go along with my support stockings, my daily wardrobe now contains a men's like jock strap. Oh heavens do I look like a piece of work, I've never been more thankful for clothes and winter before ;) Then I'm not sleeping due to my restless legs and achy hips. Piece of work! Yep, that's me! Little to say both Mike and I have come to the conclusion that this will be the last baby coming out of my body. The blessing is this. I'm glad the Lord is confirming this being the last baby from my factory by having all these ailments. If it weren't for these, we probably would just keep going because we really do love these kiddos! So there's my honesty. I'm really miserable, and just not having much fun. But we do continue to rejoice that there is this perfect little boy in my belly that we will meet in just a few weeks!! And he will be worth every bit of uncomfort, and every single sleepless night! There is the most perfect prize at the end!

The tree is decorated and Christmas decorations, as many as we are going to do this year, are up :) Mike and I have embraced less is so much more this year. I love Christmas. I love turning out home into a beautiful Christmas paradise. However, I'm really tired. I kept thinking about everything that came out of the boxes will have to be placed back in the boxes when I'm even more pregnant. And with that thought, we decided on keeping it low key. We don't even have Christmas lights outside on the house. We did go to our Lowe's tree farm ;) and pick out a great tree :)

 Colored lights this year! I knew this day would come. I stood in Walmart with a set of clear lights in my hand and a set of colored lights. I went back and forth. My kids opinion won, colored it was. The tree has grown on me with every morning seeing their little eye's light up again at how cool they think our tree is :)

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 I love sitting on the couch in the mornings with my coffee in hand and gazing at our tree. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the "evolution" it has taken. From just one or two ornaments 8 years ago when Mike and I were first married to all kids of kiddo pictures and actual ornaments that bring tears to our eyes (well mine, not Mikes) when looked at. I can't wait to see what our tree will look like in 20 years!! :)

 It's the greatest thing seeing Christmas through Brody and Aubrie's eyes. Everything is so new and exciting. Brody is beginning to understand that we are celebrating Baby Jesus birthday. We have this little kid nativity set that they like to play with. B's main concerns are over Jesus mommy and daddy and where they are ;)

 Aubs girl had a big night, she moved into her big girl bed!! I promise you we do room rearrangements every couple months! But she did perfect! There was no late night sneaking out, there was no early morning rising. She stayed snuggled on her pillow under her blankets the whole night! Now the crib is ready and free for a little tiny baby boy :)

 Then just some cute pictures. They found some slippers and needed to wear them. Poor Aubs is always getting boy things ;) Note to Grandmas....girl slippers for Aubrie!

At least Brody has warm feet, right?? ;)