NEW PETUNIAS products...check them out!

I have been inspired to create a few new things for PETUNIAS lately. Here are a few and you can check them out in my ETSY SHOP! Please pass the info. along to anyone else who may be interested as well as they always make great gifts : )

Parkinson's Unity Walk

Hello Everyone, Just wanted to let you all know that we will be walking again this spring in the 2009 Parkinson's Unity Walk in Central Park on April 25th, 2009. This is the 15th year that the two-mile walk has taken place to raise awareness of Parkinson's disease and funds for research. This year my parents, my sister Erin and I will all be walking on the same "official" team. This cause means a lot to me and my family and I look forward to being able to participate once again. If you would like to learn more about the walk, join my team =), or make a donation- please click on the link provided. This will take you to my personal web page and my family team page (complete with pictures from last year's walk).Thanks again to everyone for your continued support in helping to find a cure for Parkinson's disease. Please click HERE to view our website for information or to donate!

Holland Aquatic Center

James had Monday and Tuesday off of school for a mid-winter break this week : ) So after a few nights we spent away from the kids up north we decided to come home with them and squeeze in a few fun things with them too. They LOVED the aquatic center and we will have to go back again soon. We also took them to Chucky Cheese's : ) They had fun there too but Holy Cow, I haven't been there since we took James' nephew many years ago.....it's not quite the same when you aren't a kid yourself!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Baby Averie and Miss Soarah come for a visit...

My cousin, Ashley's, two daughters came for a visit over lunch today. The kids had a great time playing together and Simon and Sierra LOVED the BABY!

First Born..

I ususally skip these but this one was kind of cute!

Your First Born

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born!Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?Yes! Even though it was only 6 months after we got married.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?yep

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?What was I thinking? I was just kidding?!

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?No

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?I was 26 when he was born

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?prego test

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?James

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?Uh, YES!

9. DUE DATE?NOvember 7, 2005

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?Yes, all the way until about 2/3 through with the pregnancy!

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Burger Kind and Pizza (but really I eat that all the time anyway : ) )

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?Morning sickness, uncomfortable, couldn't sleep on my stomach.

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?Boy

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Kind of wanted a girl, but really didn't care either way!

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? lots, around 35 or so

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?Yes, a couple.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?All planned.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?not besides the normal stuff

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?Holland Hospital

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?Went in Monday morning, super early. Was supposed to be induced but they said I was already having contractions, I just didn't feel them, weird. Broke my water at some point. Got an epidural. Pushed for over 2 hours, nothing was happening (not that we knew that since the nurse didn't bother to explain) suddenly, we were whisked off to a c-section to get him out quickly : )

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?James

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?James + staff

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? c-section

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?Yes!

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?8 pounds, 8 ounces

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?November, 14, 2005, 1 week late

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?Simon James

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?3

GYMNASTICS...

For the kid's birthdays this year we decided instead of a gift to give them an experience. So we choose classes at a gymnastics place near our home. Simon LOVED his first day yesterday. This is his first experience in any type of structured activity but he did great. In the beginning he warmed up with a large group which included 3 and 4 year olds and he was the only new one, so everyone else knew what they were doing and what motions went with the song...Simon first just stood there and stared but eventually caught on and joined in. Then he broke off into just his 3 year old class. He was with three other little girlies (of course)! They are really making them go through the paces and learn gymnastics. He had to practice on the balance beam, flipping over bars, summersaults....as well as other stuff mixed in. He said he wanted to go back again so I took that as a good sign : )

AND...

we are sharing the new baby's middle name. She will have the middle name of "Jeanne" after James' Grandma Grooters! We went and told her (actually she is the only one besides James and I who knows the entire name now) and she was very excited. She is VERY deaf at 94 years old (I think) so we have to shout everything at her. She finally understood we were naming the baby after her and then wrote us this note!

We are having another.....

GIRL!!!! WOW, everything looked great at the ultrasounds today and she is perfectly healthy at this point. She was all curled up and not really awake and moving too much so the tech didn't know if we were going to be able to find out or not. The baby was NOT cooperating. After many many pokes and jostles in the very end from the tech she moved enough that we could get a glimpse and it was 100% positive GIRL! AND we have a tentatie c-section date of Monday June 15, 2009! I'm sure it will be here before we know it.