Quickly

Baby is perfect! I cried hushed sobs when the ultrasound instantly revealed one healthy, perfect, measuring right on track, 189 bpm heart rate baby.

I am sure the technician remembered me from February and she was so sweet and nice.

I am 10 weeks. Due at the end of May! Couldn't be happier.

{His/her first photo op of many to come! Don't know why it keeps loading in the wrong orientation and I don't have time to figure it out. Oh well, looks like the baby is standing up!}

It was wiggling all around and just looked happy in there, knowing how loved and anticipated it is.

May seems so soon!

For the record the names are Roman Dashiell "Dash" :) and Jewel (don't have a girl middle name yet). Can't wait to find out in 5-6 weeks!

Snow bunnies

Truthfully, it doesn't snow here all that much. At least not compared to my childhood memories of growing up in Anchorage, wearing a snowsuit under my Halloween costume and seeing snow on the ground permanently for at least 5 solid months.

So, I am always a little hesitant to go out and buy full snow gear each year to fit each child. Luckily, we got some awesome hand-me-downs recently that are all perfectly organized in the coat closet, making going out to play a snap. I even put a laundry basket by the door for when they come in. All the wet snowy gear goes up to the dryer to get ready for the next go round.

See them eating cookies while playing outside? Quite the combo...Jack was pretending the snow was milk to dip his cookies in. :)

Just Sharin'...

I *think* these are my favorites from my most recent session, although every time I look at them I see different things and gravitate to different ones:

I have another session on Saturday with a lovely family from my neighborhood that I did last year too! Here were my favorites of them from last year:

That is, if the snow melts and we get our Fall scene back outside!

Oh! In other exciting news, it turns out Warren's football team did make the playoffs so the season is in fact not over. They play on Saturday morning against Broomfield. Go Outlaws!!

Friday Phone-fare! {It's a long one!}

{This super cute Hurley blazer went from being at the top of my Christmas list to being my only request for my upcoming birthday.  Best get it sooner than later since it won't actually fit for too long.  I swear I am already getting a round tummy!  Trying hard to take in stride the fact that my doctor got called into surgery on the day of my first appointment and the soonest they could get me in to see any doctor is October 31st.  I am quite sure everything is fine, just really anxious to see my little jelly bean in there!}

{Got Nolan an early Christmas gift!  Membership to the downtown Children's Museum.  Tag-along-brother now has his very own "thing" to do at least once per week while brothers are at school.  He loved it!}

{Nearly as much as he loved stopping in to Target one morning just to get some mini cupcakes per his very very persistent request for cake.}

{Ugh.  This picture was taken on Friday after the incident.  The incident being Nolan pulling the fire alarm at the school.  Yes, that's right.  Let me set the scene for you...I am stuffing the Friday folders for Jack's class in the library.  I had just resumed said work after having to take a break to change Nolan's diaper.  His stench was still strong in the library air when I sat back down to resume and Nolan walked over and sat in a chair up against a wall about 20 feet away from me.  I had literally just glanced at him and realized there was an uncovered fire alarm right behind his head.  In that exact second I saw that he suddenly realized the same thing I did, and I lept out of my chair and started running toward him.  Too late.  With absolutely no effort he reached up and flipped it down.  It was as bad as you can imagine.  At first I tried to push it back up.  Haha, of course you need a key to do that.  And it was way too late.  The whole school had to evacuate.  Even though everyone was very nice and humorous about the whole thing, standing outside with the whole school waiting for the all clear, knowing it was my child responsible, I couldn't help but feel like a jackass.  I made Nolan apologize to the principal.  I finished stuffing the folders.  Nolan was terrified and sat on my lap the remainder of our time in the library.  Now that the incident is a few days behind me, I can clearly see that that was but a glimpse of the legacy of the Lawson Boys going through school together.  And something tells me I am going to encounter much worse predicaments and such...just a hunch.  Clearly his conscience is just fine, and he slept like a champ right when we got in the car.}

{Dropped my Family off at the rec center to swim this morning and did some leisurely grocery shopping.  It was divine.  And I bought things like pomegranate and coconut oil and vegetable soup starter  and walnuts.  I am excited to eat this week!}

{Yesterday concluded Warren's first season of peewee tackle football.  They lost in Evergreen on a windy field, but that is fine.  It was a good season.  He is such a little stud!  He loves football and will be back for many seasons to come.  Bryan is coaching next year and Warren will get to play a lot more since he will be a third grader.  We are so proud of this kid!}

{On location for a photo session I had on last Sunday.  I will share some of my favorites from that soon!}

{You know what this means?? Bryan got a router set!  Project "deck the house out with all things mouldings" is set to commence.  I want crown moulding, window moulding, ceiling moulding in the dining room...}

{This picture was taken exactly 0.8 seconds after Warren finished telling me that he wasn't tired at all and could not fall asleep.  Yeah...}

Now, this may just all be the pregnancy hormones speaking, but I am just completely blown away with happiness and love for life and my family right now.  I almost can't believe how lucky I am and how incredibly blessed.  I LOVE being a stay at home mom.  I have a hobby I love.  I am involved in the kids school, even took on the school newsletter!  I am happily pregnant with our final baby - we took a vote today at lunch and unanimously agree that it's a boy!  My kids are super healthy and smart.  Life is good!  Busy...but that's how I like it :)

self portrait

I am turning 32 next month. Yikes. Or not??

Whatever.

I had an awesome photo session this evening with two adorable brothers and their Mom. Started to edit them and suddently felt horribly pukey and sick. Not sure if it's the baby or just something weird I ate today. Hoping to hold down some oyster crackers and a clementine and head to bed early. Going to bed at 9?! Maybe I am getting old :)

Just sharin'...

I just finished up editing these from Thursday and decided on these four to print for these boys' Grandma, who hired me to take pictures of her two Grandsons.

And here are a few more that didn't quite make the cut to get printed by me, but that I also love:

Pretty cute, huh? I just know they will love having these pictures when they are all grown up. Bryan treasures pictures he has of him and his cousins growing up. I hope I acurately captured some special moments that they will smile at many years from now!

Friday Phone-fare!

{Getting water bottles and raisins at Costco for National Walk to School Day.  The boys helped me hand them out to kids that came to school on foot.  It was cute, Jack kept shouting "get your free raisins and water here!"}

{Warren is doing two after school clubs that just started this week.  Homework club (he loves it and got so much of his homework done there on Monday!) and Cupstacking.}

{With one of his best buddies!}

{I had to drag Nolan out of the girl toy aisle the other day.  He has a soft spot for babies...good thing!  I finally scheduled my first OB appt.  I am a little gun shy so going later than normal this time to avoid any drama, hopefully.}

{Nolan loves cake.  He had been asking me to make him a happy birthday Halloween cake for several days, so I finally obliged.  The boys ate every crumb over three days.}

{Little Nolan standing in as the model while I tested out this location for a photo session on Thursday with two little boy cousins.  Will share a few of those soon!}

{It's fun to watch things grow!  My paperwhites went from this...}

{To this, in less than a week! Can't wait for them to bloom!}

It's not often I go a week without updating here.  Life is full and busy.  The daily routine goes by at warp speed most days and before I know it I am already upstairs for the night, enjoying my one on one homework/study time with my oldest.  We had been doing homework right after school before football practice, but it was too chaotic especially when I have the little neighbor girls too.  He would get his work done, but the quality wasn't quite up to par.  So, we switched it up and now do homework after dinner, when Jack and Nolan are already in bed.  I moved his desk into my room.  I sit and fold the day's laundry and he does an awesome job on his work.  Then I usually let him watch an episode of Property Brothers or House Hunters (the kid loves real estate!), before going to bed.  He is staying up a bit later than previous, but it is worth it.  I love it when I change something up like this for the better! 

I have been feeling quite a bit more nauseous and pregnant each week, which I am taking as a good thing for the likelihood that this is a good pregnancy. I can't wait until after this first ultrasound to be able to share our good news openly!

Jack had his last baseball camp session last night.  He came home and immediately went to the basement with Daddy to practice what he had learned.  So cute!  Warren had his first football game in the snow last Saturday in Evergreen.  They kicked butt and won!  Then they scrimmaged a 4th grade team on Tuesday and didn't fare too badly considering the mismatch of size etc.  They play again today in Wheatridge, which is apparently the number one team in the league, not only are they undefeated, but no team has yet to score a touchdown on them.  Yikes. 

Then I have another picture session tomorrow!  And another typical busy week ahead. 

We had a Grand Time in Grand Lake {hardy har har}

These are all SOOC shots. Just want to get this trip documented quickly while Nolan is napping and Jack is content!

{This is the view from the master bedroom where we stayed.  It was breathtaking and so serene.}

{I took an inordinate number of showers in the 24 hours we were there.  Can't imagine why...}

{More lake front views.}

{Nolan was so impressed with the wet bar sink...had to disconnect the water eventually.}

{Yes, a posed picture before fishing.}

{The word picturesque is maybe overused, but seriously applicable here!}

{Enjoyed some local vegetation.}

{The trail to the fishing gazebo.}

{Bryan fulfilling his ideal to teach his boys to set up their poles.}

{Sometimes it's inconvenient to have a reading child.  Luckily they are all still so gullible.}

{Ew.  Just ew.  They continue to squirm for several casts despite being impaled several times over.}

{You can be sure that the boys did not share my sentiments for the worms.}

{The boys also enjoyed the master bathroom amenities and took two long soaks in this huge tub.}

{I set the pack n play up more as a joke, thinking there was no way Nolan would sleep in it since he's been in a twin bed since 18 months.  I was so wrong.  Slept soundly the entire night here.}

{Big brothers had snugly quarters too!}

{Up and attem in the morning for a hike to Adam's Falls.  It was brisk and quiet.}

{And a perfect start to the day.}

{Awww, all my guys!}

{Showing some brotherly love.}

{The last picture before loading up in the car and driving back to Denver!}