Countdown...and a Contest!

I've been pretty bad about updating on anything pregnancy related for a while...we've been very busy with more home improvements, getting ready for this little girl, and chasing after a VERY active 17 month old!

We're converting our garage into a "multi-purpose" room for a laundry closet, computer room/play area, and an extra place to sleep.

Here's some proof of the boys hard at work:



He loves "helping" Daddy.



What would a girl do without a couple of "handymen" like these?



How does this brilliant man know how to do everything?



And this little mister is going to learn it all from his Daddy...what a happy wife he'll have one day!


Most of you know what the plan is for McKlayne's birth, but for those of you who don't, my due date is July 7th. Due to my complications with delivering Asher, Dr. Davis didn't want her to get "too big" (he didn't want me to have another 8 lb baby) so he scheduled my induction for July 3rd...the ONLY day we were hoping that she wouldn't come!

July 3rd is our 3rd Anniversary and, selfishly, we're not too excited about having to share it! When we were picking a wedding date, we chose this one, so that we would always have the 4th off to be able to go away for the evening of our anniversary if we wanted. But, that's all that Dr. Davis' and the hospital's schedule would allow. So, we're keeping this date and praying that she comes before then!

Which is very possible! I went in today and was 75% effaced and almost a full 3 cm. dilated! He said she "looked to be" about 6 1/2-7 lbs...but how much can they really tell from poking around on your belly? Dr. Davis said he'd "probably see me this weekend" since he's on call and would be surpised if I lasted until next Thursday.

Isn't that what every pregnant lady wants to hear? We shall see! I could sit like this for another week!


(Pic taken tonight, in my 39th Week!)

On to the fun part...leave a comment with your guess to when you think McKlayne will be born (the date...even if you don't think she's coming until the 3rd) and her measurements (height & weight.)

My guess is Saturday, June 28th; 7 lbs 4 oz; 20 inches long.
Charlie's is Sunday, June 29th; 7 lbs 8 oz.; 19 1/2 inches long.

No matter what, a week from today I will have a baby girl...this is still so hard to believe! I can't wait to meet this crazy girl who's been kicking around in me so much lately!

Cutest Lil' Ag

If you happen to be at the mall, go to Aggieland Outfitter's (by Macy's) and vote for the Cutest Little Aggie. Asher is #43. You can vote until the end of June.

Happy Father's Day, Char!

Asher adores you.

It's obvious by the way he tries to imitate all your silly sounds or expressions.

It's apparent every afternoon just after 5 when you get home from work by his giddy squeal. No one can make him laugh all the different ways you do.

It's clear by the way he tries to please you and the thrill he gets when you encourage or cheer him on.

And I adore you.

I love that Asher is imitating you...watching you so intently because he sees what a man who loves the Lord with all his heart looks like...he's watching the way you honor me and how you treat him with gentleness and grace...and he'll oneday become a man who leads his family according to the Word because he's witnessed his Daddy doing it his whole life.

I love that there is joyful noise in our home at the peak times of 5:00 and 7:00 every evening. He loves his Daddy-time when you first get home...and you selflessly give him all your love, energy, and attention...even though somedays I know you're exhausted from a long day at the office. When I give him a bath, the giggles are just not the same...he loves the time after dinner the two of you wild boys share, splashing and squirting each other. Thank you for building him up...he's so secure in your love.

I love that he fears you...and is beginning to fear you more as you continue to discipline him. Thank you for training him in this at such a young age...it's amazing to me what this 16 month old understands because of your patient training...there will be much peace in our home because of this. I love to watch him repeat a behavior like throwing his dirty diaper in the trash over and over again, because he knows he is doing something to please you...he craves your affirmation. It makes my job much easier as I enforce these rewards and disciplines throughout the day. Thank you for training our son up in a way that will teach him the fear of the Lord.

You boys are so precious to me. I'm thankful for the man I get to learn from everyday in our home...and the little man that longs to be just like his Daddy. Happy Father's Day, Char! I'm so proud of you and love you with all my heart!

A few of his Favorite Things...

I have been meaning to post these for several months now...I seem to have an ongoing list of Asher's "favorite" things and the more he learns and gets into stuff, the more he is starting to LOVE many things! So my next couple posts will probably be pics or videos of him doing his favorite things.

As you can see, I've been working on pics with Lightroom...and I am in love with this program! Lyns and Larra, I welcome any tips that you may have! (I would like to know why the coloring looks a little different when I post these pics on my blog compared to what I see in Lightroom or even just in the plain viewer from the files...does that make sense? When I upload them to blogger for some reason the color is a little more dull or grayish.)

Anyways...back to Asher! In this set of pics, I have captured several of his favorite things...and one of mine! First, he loves, loves, LOVES to be outside...he could stay outside for hours if I would let him.

Secondly, he loves hats...probably because it's something that he always sees his Daddy in. He loves to wear hats...but his favorite hats are Daddy's hats. Everytime he walk by Charlie's open closet, he says "hat, hat" and points at the hats hanging on the wall and signs, "please." How precious is this hat that Brettney and Key gave him?

Another thing he loves is playing with Daddy.

Almost everyday, we wait outside for Daddy to get home and as soon as Asher sees his Daddy riding (on his bike) or driving up, his face lights up and he flaps his arms up and down excitedly. Playtime after work with Daddy, is probably one of his most favorite times of the day...and it's mine, too! I love watching my boys run around and chase or tackle each other and love hearing their laughter and squealing.

Another story about Daddy and hats: We recently got satelite (No more watching Baby Einstein over and over and over! Mommy is very excited about our new selection of entertainment!) and the other day I turned "Handy Manny" on for the first time for Asher. A couple minutes later, I heard "Hi, Dada!" and he was waving at the TV. I looked up and saw Manny...who totally looks like an animated version of his Daddy in a red and white hat just like Charlie wears! But especially, since he's always carrying tools around to fix stuff! Who says TV isn't educational?

And one of the things that his Mommy loves...her baby boy in just his diaper! I love that chunky, adorable little body! Need I say more?

Our Little Dipper

Asher loves to dip...

Queso

French Onion Dip

Guacamole

Ketchup

Anything he sees us dipping...but especially SALSA...probably because we eat it so often!

Salsa is definitely among his top 3 favorite foods...probably because it was pretty much a staple when I was pregnant with him, even though it gave me very bad reflux...some things are just worth the burning throat...(I'm feeling it yet again this pregnancy)...and homemade salsa is one of them!

The heat doesn't bother him, in fact, it usually just makes him eat it faster...maybe because he realizes that if he just keeps eating, he won't notice how much his tongue is burning.

When he's just about done, he knows how to get every last drop, just like he sees Mommy and Daddy doing when they drink out of their cereal bowls each morning.

Finally...an Apel Update

I know, I know...it's been forever--OVER two months since our last post and I never kept my promise about posting videos of Asher or pics from his first Christmas or birthday...but Adobe Lightroom (the best photo editor around!) is on it's way to me in the mail right now. It is going to make my job editing and documenting our family so much easier! So, as I work on them, I will post them! PROMISE!

Here is what Asher has been up to lately:

He loves playing outside...it is far better than any "toy" to him. He loves to climb, dig, explore, and, of course, play in the water.

We got him this babypool and it has been the best entertainment...he loves to splash around and play with his shovels and buckets in the water.

He loves going to the park behind our house...we go there just about everyday, but last month the Splashpad opened and since it's been warmer the last few weeks we've finally gotten to go! He loves it so much, we usually stay there about an hour or longer. Here are a few more pics of him at the Splashpad:

About two weeks ago, Charlie taught him showed him how to pick flowers for Mommy. Now, everytime he sees a flower he picks it, holds it up to his nose, says, "Mmmmm," and runs over to me with the sweetest grin on his face, to give me the flower. How I love my sweet boys! They're so good to me!

A lot has been going on around the Apel house, as well. Charlie closed in a doorway from the garage to the kitchen, which will soon be our converted laundry room/tv/playroom, where we'll put another bed since the guestroom will soon be McKlayne's nursery.

He closed in this wall right here. This man amazes me with his "handiness". At the beginning of each new task I always skeptically ask him, "And how do you know how to do this?" or "How do you know that this is going to work?" Most of the time he shrugs his shoulders and says, " I don't know...I just do." Sometimes, I get a, "I don't, but I'll figure it out." I don't know how I ended up with such a handy husband, but I'm so thankful that I did! He's brilliant!

We also made a few great purchases in Roundtop on Antique Weekend at the beginning of April! This farm table was our favorite find! We needed a long, skinny table, so that we could fit at least 8 people around it! It's been wonderful the couple weeks that we've had it for our HOPE Group!

And listen to this...it's the best part of this find: we bought five of chairs (all that we could find that day!) and figured we could try to either find three other matching ones later that week when I went back or just mix and match a few others...but when I went back I couldn't rind any of them. The next night, we were at the Hendrick's and they had four chairs-the same style we had gotten and I said, "Hey! Did you get these from Roundtop? I need three more of these!" (thinking that Heather had bought my other chairs) and she said, "No, Aaron's parents gave us these...actually seven of them! Three of them are sitting in our attic right now...you want 'em?" So, we went home with three more chairs to complete our set of eight! We love those people.

(Also, notice my antique stained-glass window...I got that in Roundtop, too..it was a steal compared to how much they normally are! It's from somewhere in England--where did the guy say he was from, Kyle?)

We've also refinished some furniture and I've been doing quite a bit of spring cleaning-going through closets and drawers- giving stuff away, organizing, and selling the "valuable junk" on Ebay! There is so much still to be done before our Baby Girl gets here in a short 10 weeks! Here is the before pic of an old hutch that had been in my parents garage for years!

It's amazing what a vision, a lot of cleaning, some sanding, and some stain can do! We still have to find some hardware to put on it...I loved the original but a few were broken and one was missing!

Last week, I was in HEB and 3 people commented on how "beautiful" my "little girl" was...I just smiled. This pic was from the same day...he was dressed in blue...with a lizard on his shirt. Is he just too pretty? Or is his hair too long? I am not ready to cut it...he wouldn't look like the same kid without all that beautiful curly hair!!

And, lastly here's my belly at 22 weeks:


And again at 26...here I have gained a total of 14 pounds. I gained 50 lbs with Asher! Yikes! At this point in my last pregnancy, I'd probably already gained 30-35lbs:

I am now a full 30 weeks. I'll have to get Char to take a pic of my belly today, so you can see how much I've grown!