Pictures and Easter

Easter Pictures--

Pete and Jack dyeing Easter Eggs

The final products

With all the rain we have a mud pit in our backyard-- Luke loves it!

Luke found his basket before we were even supposed to look for them

Luke enjoying his basket and showing it to Jack

Jack found Daddy's basket

Then he found mine

Finally he found his

By church there is a bird's nest maze so after we played there!

Showing you my 20 week bump

Peek-a-boo!

Aww- so cute

Better watch out when Pete is in the kitchen

Our Easter spread

Luke LOVES the tractor and all ride on toys. Even though he can't move them himself he loves being pushed or just sitting there

Cute brothers

Books we read

Besides having a another baby boy-- in case you missed the news-- we are reading machines. Last summer I made list of a few books we were all reading and thought I would do it again.

We have started reading Jack chapter books. He loves them, follows them, quotes from them, incorporates the characters into friends that he plays with, and is always excited for more. We started-here- with the first four Magic Treehouse books by Mary Pope Osborne. Then we moved on to some Roald Dahl books: James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and the BFG. We also read a Roald Dahl book called The Minpins which wasn't a chapter book but a longer picture book that we really liked.

I have noticed that it may be time to take a break from some of these books though. They all start out with some sort of mean parent, dead parent, mean aunts, people who don't want little kids, people who don't like little kids, and little kids being abandoned or unloved by people who should love them. Since the books use this as a device to show overcoming evil or giving the child a power or imagination to find happiness in the end we thought it would be fine and at first it was, but lately Jack has been very upset by this. It became quite clear that we needed some lighthearted chapter books when watching the movie-Babe-he broke down in tears because the puppies on the farm where being sold to little kids. He didn't think it was fair the mom wouldn't have her puppies and that the puppies wouldn't have their mom. He was so upset that we took Tigran away from Gordo when he was a puppy and didn't think it was ok at all. He wondered why this always happened. While he is very smart and capable of following these books we must remember he is still just 4.

So then I found a book called Frindle by Andrew Clements but it was a little too old because it was set in an elementary school and involved all things to do with being in school which he didn't understand at all. Then we read a book called My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett and it was lighthearted and cute-just what we needed. I have two other books we checked out: Freckle Juice by Judy Blume and Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith. We will see how these go.

Luke is still being read board books. We have been reading Brown Bear What Do You See, Panda Bear Panda Bear What Do You See, and Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? all by Eric Carle. But Not the Hippopotamus and Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton. Also, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

I have been reading too. I have read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaids Tale. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. I started reading The Sun Also Rises, but I couldn't get into it-sorry Hemingway fans. I am going to try again since they haven't gotten to Spain yet. I am reading G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries. I also have checked out The Pyramid by Henning Mankell. So that is what has been hanging around the side of my bed.

Since we have been spending most of our free time reading I thought I would share our books with you. Yes, Pete is left out and that is because he has math papers toread. Being a PhD student doesn't allow much time for novels. Sorry Petey.

And the winner is....

In the Weigel house we like to keep it plain and simple so if we've done it once why not again and again and..........AGAIN!

Jack was right and knew all along. He thought the ultrasound was ridiculous because he already knew we were having a boy. When people would ask he would answer with such authority that I had started to believe him too. So three boys-- watch world!

Baby was facing down the whole time so it took awhile to get a picture of him at all. This is the best we got. He wasn't very cooperative. He even had his feet crossed- it took much flipping (me) side to side to get a view of his nether regions.

Doc did notice that he has reflux in his kidney(s) which means another ultrasound during the 3rd trimester. Basically, I think, urine is either slow in coming out or is pooling back into the kidneys. Doc said most of the time when seen in an ultrasound this early it is just immaturity of the kidneys and will probably be gone by the next ultrasound. If it isn't then it is something the pediatrician will keep an eye on because if he gets a urinary infection it would lead to a kidney infection. If it were real real bad then surgery would be needed, but he said it doesn't look bad now at all.

All else looks great- I am measuring exactly on schedule so yay for baby boy.

Spring Fest and Luke got a Hair Cut

Last weekend was Spring Fest on Campus- it was totally fun. I must say it is also known by another name- Bug Bowl. This is the 3rd year we've gone--maybe 4th --have we been here that long? Anyway, last year it didn't go so well. I think Jack was at the age where it wasn't worth it to him. This year though he was pumped up. Let me explain why. Granny read him Charlotte's Web. He loved it, quoted it, talked about it, and had new friends that were spiders. Since it went so well the next book we read was also a chapter book. We read James and the Giant Peach. Again he loved it, quoted it, and had new buggie friends. When he found out bugs would be on campus he had to go and see his friends. So here are a few pictures of Spring Fest.

We saw a face painting/tattoo place and immediately he knew that he wanted a spider tattoo!

I waited in line for this lovely balloon hat. It rocked!

Squeeze wanted to wear it too

Then, of course, everyone was bored with it so I had to wear it the rest of the afternoon.

Jack got Goldie after racing her and winning. He carried her around all day and was a very good parent. I am sad to say that she died that evening. Jack was very sad.

Of course we had to visit the farm animals- Jack loves all animals.

You can't see it but he is petting the Tobacco Horned Worm

Here is a millipede

Don't forget the lobster

Jack was interested in the pinned insects he saw too. They had some big spiders that he was excited to see. You had the opportunity to hold the bugs but Jack wasn't there yet. He pet them all though. In the same building they had honey tasting which may have been Jack's favorite thing. He went through the line 3 times.

Spring Fest was a huge success this year. Yay. Plus, my favorite part-- it was warm!!!!!!!!!!

Luke has been a terror lately. I think I may have mentioned it here or there. First it was teething, but we didn't know it until 4 new teeth popped up and 2 were molars. Then it was some sort of blister sore on his thumb which I have provided a picture of so be warned.

It got loads worse looking and ended up covering his whole thumb on both sides and he had sores in his mouth and on his tongue. Lovely, I know. He sucks that thumb but they aren't thumb sucking sores-- Jack had those and they look different. They didn't know what it was so until the cultures came back so he was put on an anti-viral and an antibiotic. We received a call today that it is herpes. So I suppose the sores in his mouth started first and he just kept passing it back and forth. Luckily and unluckily about 2 days ago it got so bad he had to stop sucking his thumb. Lucky because with that and the medicine is starting to clear it up. Unlucky because now we are back to crying all the time and no naps because he can't soothe himself. Boo!!

When it got warm this weekend I noticed Luke's beautiful long curly hair was wet and matted to his head. Stupid me decided to cut it for him. He looks silly because he has thin hair and what looks like a receding hairline plus no more curls. I have decided to let it grow back out. Here is a picture.

Luke with short hair

Pete's Birthday Fun

It was Pete's birthday and luckily the weather was just perfect for hanging out. After nap time we went to campus and hung out under the tents they have set up for Spring Fest(which is this weekend). Add pretzels, lemonade, bubbles, a little sun, and we were all set.

First we have Luke actually standing up for more than 2 seconds!

Picture of birthday boy and his lovely wife.

Bubble time with Lukey and Daddy

Jack being one crazy dude

This is Luke enjoying the soup at Maru. Pete got sushi- of course. I was planning on sharing some chicken,veggies, and udan noodles with Jack, but ended up sharing more than half with Luke! He loved it. Jack on the other hand loudly proclaimed that the place smelled disgusting and the food did not taste good.

Pete enjoying his sushi. I believe this one is the white castle.

Then we went across the street to Red Mango. This place is super good. It is a frozen yogurt place(pro-biotics and gluten free if you care). Pete and I had been over there a few nights ago and saw that every person we passed had a container, and there was a line outside. We just had to try it out. Being early bird special eaters (having two kids) there was no line this time. Pete got melon with fruit toppings, Jack got vanilla with all sorts of sugary toppings, and I got banana(to share with Luke) and fruit toppings. We are going to go back again for sure. *Maybe once the college kids leave town.

Overall it was a great day.  Happy Birthday Petey!

Isn't it supposed to be Spring?!

I hate this weather. I am just throwing that out there right now. It is supposed to be Spring and if this is Spring I am ready to skip it and move straight to Summer. To divert ourselves from this nastiness we have tried doing a few things, but really I can't get into it. First, we went to the Children's Museum in Indy. The first couple pictures are of Jack hanging out with Dora and Diego. We went with KY friends and met for lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory before heading to the museum. Apparently it was Spring Break for the surrounding area and by the way- not the best time to go to the Children's Museum. The line was outside. Still, while Jack was able to hold up it was fun, but then he was done and done fast. We left early.

Then one night we walked around this strip mall area near campus because there are bunnies that live there, and one of them lets Jack get real close before hopping away. He loves it. Then the boys threw rocks, pretended to walk off a plank, and various other things. I got cold so it was time to go about after 45 minutes or so.

When stuck inside you find the kids will often entertain themselves. The next two pictures were discovered on my camera- they are portraits by Jack.

Pete's birthday is this week-- no fun Spring like weather for his birthday. So sorry! He has requested we all go out for sushi and that a box of Red Bull be his only present. I was going to protest.I had other ideas in mind for a present, but as he recently requested my presence in France this summer I think a box of Red Bull is all we can afford.

France you say? Well, he is applying to a two week conference in Nantes this summer. He hasn't been told if or what funding he gets so it is still a wee bit up in the air. However, if funding comes through I will join him for a week. If it does not we may just take a long weekend together somewhere here in the good old USA.

Hmm... other stuff..... well April 20th we get to find out boy or girl. Jack still swears boy and will hear nothing of a potential sister. I felt baby move and even noticed a part of my, increasing in size, tummy get hard with some sort of baby part sticking up--perhaps butt. I thought baby needed to be bigger, but there you go.

Luke is screaming all the time now. Fun stuff. Since he can't talk and hasn't really bought into the whole sign language thing like Jack did- he screams when he wants or needs or doesn't get anything. The screams are very piercing and not fun.

There you have it. Life here with the Weigel Family. I really hope it gets warm/hot soon. I can't stand this dreary weather.