Summer Pictures Part 1...

Austin checking out his sippy cup...
Grandpa D and Austin...Ethan asked if this place was a "jungle" but really it was just their backyard. :)
Nate and Austin, throwing rocks into the creek...
Austin watching the 4th of July parade...
Ethan and Si...what can I say...we love that little thumb sucking goggle wearer and his binkie loving brother.

Thanks everyone for your prayers, Austin has now slept several nights straight through. Now if he would only learn to sleep in too. :) Our next order of business is getting Austin to sit through church better. Any advice is welcome! I thought we were doing okay in that department, but last Sunday we had a huge meltdown. Here was the scenario...
Austin and I walk into church together (Nate was gone) and sit down in our pew. He throws a fit, I take him out and spank him. I bring him in, sit him down, he throws another fit. I take him out and spank him. I bring him in, sit him down, etc etc... After about 20 mintues of pure torture and everyone in the church starring at me, I leave. Which I know isn't the right thing to do, but after a month on not sleeping well, neither Austin nor I could take it. I was so humiliated mostly b/c EVERY other child in church sits very quietly. We have asked several other parents in this meeting what they did to teach their child to sit through, and they all just look at us like, "what?". Apparently, not everyone has to do this? Anyways, I left and was very embarrassed because...
1. I know everyone in the church was thinking, why can't she handle her child?
and thinking
2. Why is she having another kid when she can't handle the one she has.
Anyways, I went home and after much more battling Austin sat next to me on the couch while I wept reading my Bible. I haven't been back to church yet, but for the next two Sundays Nate will not be with me. So, I really need your prayers and advice. :)

On to baby news...my pregnancy is going much better now. I ended up having my first appointment when I was 12 weeks along, thanks to my husband's co-worker's wife who works in the clinic. I had an ultrasound and it was so encouraging to see the little baby inside of me. They said my due date is February 18th, which is my grandmother's birthday and Nate's sisters birthday. So, maybe we will add a third birthday to that day! My next appointment is next Thursday so we are looking forward to that as well.

World's Worst Blogger...

I am sure I am probably not the worst blogger, I am sure there are bloggers out there who don't post except on rare occasion (actually I can think of a few right now :)), but I feel so out of the blogging loop these days. It is bad enough that my husband is telling me I need to update my blog. And let me tell you...he is NOT a fan of blogging. :)
I still am reading blogs. I love to keep up with all of you and see what is going on in your lives. I even read quite a few blogs of people I don't even know, for inspiration, encouragement, etc. Ah but once I sit down to write, I can always think of something else more important to do. My "to-do list, before baby #2" is growing rapidly every day. Of first concern is getting my 21 month old to sleep through the night again. Yep, I said it. I am having to re-train him to sleep through the night. How sad is that? Really once upon a time he did sleep through the night, although it seems like a distant memory. It all started when we came home from our trip to Oklahoma/Kansas. He would wake up, scream, wake up, scream, off and on all night long. So, no one was getting much sleep. I thought he was teething...but a month later no more teeth, still waking up. So, since we have had guests much of the month I decided to rock him to sleep each and every time he woke up. And then, you guessed it, he became very dependent on me, so much so, when Nate would try to rock him, he would scream like it was a stranger. So, this week, since everyone is gone he is screaming it out and learning to fall back asleep on him own. And it will work, I know...my son just has a teeny tiny stubborn streak in him. ;)
On to better news...when my parents were up we went to Denali State Park and stayed at the Princess Lodge there. We had a wonderful time...I will try to share pictures soon. I had some pictures ready on my laptop and now I can't get my laptop to turn back on. (Dad please come back and fix it. :)) So, hopefully when Nate gets back I will have some time to share some pictures.
Gotta go, Austi just woke up!

Grace and Brandon's new baby girl Evelyn, was admitted back into the hospital yesterday. She is only a little over a week old and is very very sick. Christina (Grace's sister) and Brandon are both giving updates on their own blogs. Please keep baby Evelyn in your prayers. I know the whole family would covet your prayers as watching your little tiny newborn suffering has got to be incredibly hard.

Lego Wagon

My dad took this picture of Austin when we were home a few weeks ago. He loved that wagon and didn't want to share it with anyone, especially cousin Simon. :) This picture makes me miss his little curls...he had his first "military" haircut when we got home.