Monday, June 30, 2008

Father's Day Suprise and other Surprises

For Father's Day I thought I would surprise Sterling. What better way to surprise a Dad then to tell him he is going to have another little princess. Yes, that is correct. We are having another princess. Why break the mold? I secretly went and got an ultrasound. My sister was with me and I told her and the tech I didn't want to know either, that I was going to surprise my husband on Father's Day. She wrote it down and gave it to me. Unfortunately, she kind of let it slip and said "she" during the ultrasound. So I couldn't keep my secret for very long. I felt like I already knew and was hiding it from him. The next day (Friday) I had sterling open the envelope with me. And sure enough it is a girl!! It took a few days of getting over the shock, but I am very excited to have another sweet girl. I admit I would be scared to have a little boy. But it would be fun to have a little Sterling. (As I type this my girls are playing dress up with their snakes. One we have had for over a year and one Sterling caught yesterday up the street, so I guess we already have little Sterling's)

I am so excited! Tommorrow is Sterling's last day of school. I can't believe these two years have gone by this fast. Maybe because they have been so busy. I am so proud of Sterling working so hard to get his MBA, but I think I am more excited than he is. I can't wait to have him home a little more. School started for him about two weeks after Tessa was born, so she has had to put up with me more than the other girls. She has always been my little girl and definitely loved me more :) but somehow Sterling has won her over and now she wants her Dad all the time. Can't I at least have one!! Oh well.

Anyway last Thursday as I was contemplating the end of Sterling's school days and already making a list of projects in my head, the phone rang. It was a little after ten and Sterling just walked in the door with my favorite take out. (yes since I am pregnant I am allowed to eat Thai food at 10:30 at night) The call was for Sterling. It was from a counselor in the stake presidency. He wanted to meet with both of us tomorrow. I immediately lost my appetite. (I don't know if I will ever be able to eat from that place again) We figured it would be for a new calling and Sterling was immediately sadden. He was so looking forward to finishing school and being able to spend more time on his YM president calling. He really loves his boys. For the last two years they have had mutual night on the same night he has had school. Well sure enough we met with the counselor of the stake president and he called Sterling to be the 2nd counselor in the bishopric. I am excited for him because I know he will work hard and really learn a lot from this. Me on the other hand, I don't know. I think this is the Lords way I telling me I need to cultivate patience. Yesterday, was our first Sunday with Sterling up on the stand. I felt like I was in survival mode during sacrament meeting. It went pretty smooth with the help of the bishop's wife and many many many reminders throughout the week of how they need to act. Also I brought distractions. Syd had a little meltdown, but we avoided a scene. I am sure it will get better each week. (my fingers are crossed) But all goes out the door in November when the new baby comes!!

Friday, June 6, 2008

A furneral, baby news, and other stuff

We have been so busy. With what? I don't really know. Time just seems to fly by in a blur. Here's what we have been up to...
Since I last posted my grandmother past away. It was sad to see her go, but at 89 and out of it from alezhemiers, she really hadn't been herself for a few years. I am happy to say I feel a strong sense that she is herself again and happy.
My parents have been up taking care of both my grandmother and grandfather. Now my Dad is alone with my grandpa taking care of him, while my Mom is getting their house ready to sell in California. Weither or not they actually move to Utah, well just have to wait and see. It was neat to see a lot of my Bradford cousins at the funeral that I haven't seen in probably ten years.

Here is a picture of her hold Tess last year. It was a neat experience because Tess kept cooing and cooing to her, like she was telling her all the news of Heaven. At this point my grandma was somewhat out of it and didn't know who we were.
A couple of weekends ago we went to St.George for a Judd family reunion. The girls just had a blast and swam probably 10 hours a day. They just loved being with their cousins. Abby acted so grown up and kept telling me (whenever I wanted her to stay in the hotel room for a while) "But mom I never get to so see my cousins, and we are here to have fun!" What could I say to that. So they wandered the halls and ran back and forth between rooms. We rented 6 rooms in this hotel and averaged about 6 kids a room. Unfortunaly, I made the mistake of finding the hot chocolate machine in the unlocked dining room. The kids would sneak down there about 3 times a day. I think the hotel was glad when we left. But I know my girls had an amazing time with their cousins and talked about it the whole way home. Tess cryed and cryed when we got home because she wanted to go swimming again so bad.
This is a picture of the last night. The cousins Abby and Sydnee's age had a sleepover in our room.
Other news I sure everyone knows is that we are expecting another baby come Novemeber. We don't know what the sex is yet, but we are telling everyone it is a girl. (our odds are pretty good, so we feel safe in that assumation) The girls are so excited and have already started talking to my big fat belly. (I tried to convice the doctor I was having twins, cause I feel huge, but he said "ahh no" . Oh well)
Sterling has been really busy finishing up is MBA and is currently enjoying a trip with his class to south america. He has been gone for over two weeks and will be home soon, but we miss him tons. He has had a couple really good missionary experiences and loves speaking spanish again.
Abby is done with kindergarten and can't wait to go to school all day and have lunch there. She is a great student and has really enjoyed going to school and then coming home and teaching Tess and Sydnee.
Sydnee is gratefull to be done with preschool at least for a couple months. She goes to preschool again in the fall. She has enjoyed it for the most part, but some days she would put her foot down and refuse to go.
Tess is growing up too too fast. She is talking in complete sentences and really thinks she is 5 or 6. She has no idea she is too little to do certain things. Just recently she has gotten into the habit of adding "yesterday" at the end of her sentences. I am not she why or what she means by it, but she will say "Hold you Mom, yesterday" I think it might mean right now. So cute how they come up with these things.
Danny and Shar and their kids are staying with us during the summer. The girls just love the baby and love to play with Katelyn. Tess and Katelyn are really twins. They have to do everything together and copy what each does. It is mostly cute. (I can get Tess to eat if she know Katelyn ate it, I can get her to nap if she thinks Katelyn is napping) But sometimes its harder. If Tess wants me to hold her than Katelyn wants me to hold her too, at the same time. And she won't go to Shar. It's pretty funny. It keeps things busy around here.
This is one of my favorite photos. We just got the girls out of the bath and were getting them dressed in my living room and they both just jump on the piano bench and started playing. Pretty cute bums huh?
Well I hope this long post makes up for all the time I haven't posted. Things have slowed down quite a bit and I am looking forward to a lazy summer.