I love my husband...

...I really do...he's such a good guy. We will be celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday. Wow...seems like a long time ago, could be the three kids we now have...all under the age of five. Jon is such a trooper...he really is...I mean, I have been hormonal for about four years if that tells you anything. Poor guy. There's seems to be something about a new baby that makes women (at least me) feel like their husbands know not one thing. The mean looks whenever he opens his mouth...the very exaggerated eye roll whenever he makes an attempt to do anything helpful...it's like an involuntary response. So weird. Anyway, so a few weeks ago when the baby was finally home and the kids were crazed and out of their routine...I was especially irritated with my husband that seems to know nothing (but really does know something)...we passed each other on the stairs with me in a huff and he as good natured as ever...I scowled at him but he stopped me and let me know that he understood that I would be mad at him for a good month and that it was OK. I must say I was absolutely floored...my, my have we come a long way. I felt so free when he said that...it let me know that he knew me a little bit better then I thought and that he's manly enough to take a few hits here and there while I recover from surgery and release some of these crazy hormones! Cheers to you Jon for being a fantastic husband, father and friend...Happy Anniversary. I love you!

He's finally arrived...

Yup! He's finally here. I sit here holding a new baby yet still surprised that I am not pregnant anymore, which is a very weird sensation. When I drink a coke or coffee, I keep thinking...oh yeah, I can do this without guilt...it's totally OK now even though you did it anyway! Hooray. Anyway...
Jonah Andrews Barnes came into this world on Friday, September 12th at 3:27 p.m. He is gorgeous! He even has some hair which is new for us...as both our other kids have been bald for the most part. He was 9 lbs and 11 oz and 22 inches long...which came as a total shock to me since he was only 39 weeks (Let's just say a quick thank you prayer for scheduled c-sections!). All went really well...he's very laid back and easy (another quick prayer that this will continue). Luke and Henry are hanging in there and warming up to him slowly but surely. More pictures to come....

Happy Birthday Sassy!

Sassy...you are wonderful. We hope you had a fantastic 65th birthday!

Beach Blues and Henry Happiness

It's labor day weekend and I am spending the weekend with my 2 year old, Henry. Long story short, we planned our annual beach trip in December before I knew I was pregnant...a very nice house on the water with a pool! We look forward to this trip all year...it involves several families with kids our same age and it's just so fun! I thought for some reason (maybe it was just a mental pregnancy block) that I would be fine at the beach at 37 weeks! I probably would have been fine as I was only going to go half the week and then I would come back with Henry. But, as we all have experienced the wonder of Murphy's Law...if I went the headlines would read, "North Carolina mother has baby in sand while small kids watch." The subtext would say something like, "Drunk dads playing Cornhole did not even notice; children scarred for life". So, I am staying home and poor Henry had to stay with me this go around. One of Henry's greatest attributes is one of his greatest downfalls...he's fearless! He will jump into the pool no matter if anyone is standing there to catch him or not (he does not know how to swim by the way). He tries to run in the road because it's funny to be chased. He will try anything you give him...I love this about him as it's completely opposite of myself and I think it's a great quality. BUT, not a good place when there's only one parent watching two kids in a house with a pool a few steps away. Not to mention, I would be a wreck if they were all down there and I was here. I don't think that Jon would be able to have fun because he would be on the phone with me the entire time! So, it's all for the best. I blubbered when they backed out of the driveway and still feel a little weepy here and there. Everyone I would normally be with if Jon was away is out of town so...it's been kind of a lonely weekend as far as adult conversation goes...but, it's been good in a lot of ways. However, it is Monday (Labor Day and not my "labor day" thank the Lord) and I made it! Hooray for me and Henry.
The time I have spent with Henry has been awesome. He's such a sweet, tender hearted smart kid...I just love him! Some of the things I have learned about Henry...
1) He's great company...you can drag this kid anywhere.
2) He's open to bribery...I bribed him to sit in the cart at Target and Sam's with popcorn and hand sanitizer (totally worked).
3) He's so affectionate. He loves to touch my hair, kiss, hug, snuggle and hold hands.
4) He loves to dance...we know this about him, but he was in full affect all weekend!

5) He misses and loves his brother...every time he wakes up he says, "Where Luke?" I say, "At the beach." and he says, "Oh, I sad." It's so sweet.
6) He's much, much smarter then I probably ever gave him credit for. He works for very hard at manipulating a situation...fake crying, fake sleeping, screaming...it's funny, except when he screams. He's catching on quickly that he won't get his way...which is smart too!
7) He's got more facial expressions per emotion then I originally thought.
8) He's mischievous...which is not a new thing for him, but I noticed that it's just enough and not too much.
9) He's got a fantastic sense of humor. At times you really feel like "he gets it".
10) He absolutely loves to laugh.
Great weekend! I really did miss the trip, but the time spent with my "baby" Henry was awesome! I think it was great for us both...