Blackstock Life

Watch it Unfold!

2010-06-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

The big news around our house is that Angie and Jason (my sis and BIL) have been approved for their adoption in Ethiopia!!! The wait should be from 1-2 years, which I'm sure will seem like an eternity to us all!

Their faithfulness in answering this call has been amazing. We all long for the day when we can bring this precious child that God has intended for their family HOME for good! I encourage you to watch it all unfold at www.angiemccuiston.blogspot.com

"I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." John 14:18

The Graduate

2010-05-27T19:51:00.001-07:00

Sweet Collin "graduated" from Pre-K a few weeks ago! Even though he's going to do one more year of preschool before kindergarten, it seemed like a pretty important milestone. He has learned so much, and seems SO big all of a sudden. Is that happening to anyone else?

Cox Family Assistance- what you can do

2010-02-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! Please see the link below for info on how we can help this precious family...

http://www.lizmcg.blogspot.com/

Prayers Please!

2010-02-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

A precious family is in need of prayers for their baby girl, born yesterday at only 24 weeks. Rod, Kamara and Aubrey remain faithful that God hears and answers!

www.thecoxcorner.blogspot.com

Kids in Costume

2009-10-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Our sweet friends, the Colemans, hosted a Halloween party for the kiddos from our church cell groups. I love to see them in their costumes! All of the girls were bugs, princesses, or cheerleaders, and the boys...well, let's just say that some props (a ninja sword) had to be hidden to prevent a riot. They were mostly "fighting" characters, with an occassional sweet costume like a farmer thrown in there. Notice one of my favorites, Beckham the rocker.

It seemed like most of the kids LOVED the thought of dressing up but didn't like for anyone to look at them when they have their costumes on. Kind of makes it hard to get a good picture, which explains some of the shots below. Thanks Leslie- enjoy the pics!

Little Kerrington as the monkey.

...and her brother Beckham- he's so hard core.

Zoe as a sweet pink butterfly

and the sweetest Ninja I've ever seen...Jackson.

The most outgoing farmer you'll ever meet- Cody.

Harper in her first Halloween costume and her sweet mommy, Erika

Aubrey was not impressed with me, or her costume.

The Hudsons. Kristen and Robbie win "funniest costume" hands-down making their dress-up debut as "A Pair of Blue Jeans." Notice the nametags.

Precious Kaelyn was wearing the same costume that Collin and Henry wore their first Halloween. Were they really ever that small??

Kamryn trying to figure out how to climb the rock wall with this princess get-up on.

Collin was content wearing his Batman costume which was a birthday present from July. Score for me!

Storm Trooper (Drew) and Iron Man (Henry)

Two beautiful princesses: Hannah (left) and Kaylea (right)
Edie rockin' out the pigtails as an ACU cheerleader. I know I'm her aunt, but she is seriously the most precious little girl!!

For Chase

2009-10-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mark, Chelsea, Kendyll, Carlie, and Abby Kate-

You all have been on our hearts so much this week, and your story has touched people who don't even know you. The fact that you feel the Spirit lifting you up right now is lifiting us too. People you've never met are praying for you every day, and your faithfulness in the face of such a difficult situation is amazing and encouraging to them. God is good!

What a great idea that you had to celebrate your baby Chase with a balloon release! We were together this morning with some friends from church and we all wanted to participate. Even the little ones didn't mind letting their balloons go so that Chase could have them! We prayed for all of you. We asked God to be with you today as you remember Chase, and that the days to come would be filled with comfort and peace. We were all together this morning to have a garage sale to benefit a charity that we're working with. We waited for the right moment to gather for the balloon release, and seized the opportunity when things finally died down. When we gathered together to pray, I noticed that a shopper had acutally joined us in prayer. Someone in our group explained what we were doing and she felt compelled to join. What I didn't know at the time is the story behind her tears that she shared with me later. I'll try to quote her as best as I can.

We lost our son 24 years ago, when he was just two days old. The pain never goes away, but it does get better. It's so hard with things like this because they just don't make any sense. It just doesn't seem fair for something like this to happen to people who love God.

I know I'll see him again though, someday soon. And I know who is holding him now. (sound familiar, Chels?) I used to think that the first thing I'll do when I get to heaven is ask God "WHY?" But now, I think that it won't even matter. He'll be healthy and whole and I'll just be glad to be there with him and with the Lord.

Tell Mark and Chelsea and the girls that I'm praying for them.

We have been thinking about you so much this week. We asked the same questions that I'm sure all of the people who love you are asking, "Why would something like this happen?" During one of those conversations Angie, my sister, reminded me of the story of Jesus weeping at Lazarus' death. We know that in his humanity, the pain of losing someone He loved was difficult, but Angie also thinks that He wept because this is just not what He designed. He wanted more for us than the pain and sin of this world, so He came for us, died for us, and now waits for us.

So we prayed that in the midst of something that is so obviously NOT from God, His hands would be the presence that you WOULD feel. And I think that our visitor during the prayer today proved that God is working in this. That woman shared her grief and was strenghened by the fact that your family was glorifying God today, rather than turning away.

We love you!

Happy Birthday and Happy Birthday!

2009-07-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Two years ago on Collin's birthday I was in the antepartum unit of Medical City- lights off; no TV; no visitors; David and I sitting there staring at each other waiting patiently for the following day when we'd finally meet our little girl. I was sad to miss Collin's birthday that year, but more than anything, I was ready to finally deliver Sarah Kate. At the time I didn't care that their birthdays would be on consecutive days. In fact, I thought it'd be kind of cool.

I wasn't thinking about trying to have two birthday parties in one weekend. It's a little chaotic.

All kidding aside, it was a wonderful weekend full of fun and family! We are so thrilled to celebrate the gift of our two children and to be able to do it all together really is kind of fun.

Here's what we were up to on this weekend of celebrations for the Blackstock kiddos....

The fun started with a Batman party for Collin! We had David's family, my parents, and Henry and Jackson and their families there with us. How these kids get into superheros is kind a mystery to all of us, but Henry is Spiderman, Collin is Batman, and Jackson (probably upon strong suggestion) has assumed the role of Superman. Angie found some precious underoos for all of them in their assigned characters, which they wore proudly to their FIRST slumber party!!Having extra cousins spend the night has become a standard event since moving in with my parents this summer. Collin loves it, and just thought that it would be a great idea to have Henry and Jackson stay over for his birthday....why not, you're four and all. Definitely old enough for that! :)

Amazingly, there were no tears, no wet beds, and no arguing! The boys had so much fun! Here are some of the highlights.

Batman, Spiderman, and Superman (in their street clothes)

In uniform Underoos. A classic. The last homemade ice cream cake he'll ever get...
After church on Sunday, and a brief time of re-grouping, we celebrated SK's birthday with an alphabet party! She was really slow to start talking, but for some reason, she LOVES letters. We thought this would be a fun way to combine some of her favorite things and make it a special day for her. Every letter was represented by an activity or party item. Here are a few of my favorites..

A is for alphabet

(For those of you ACU Education grads, dont' tell Lucy Hatch about this banner. I did not trace before I cut, and I left the middles in my letters. I'm not a teacher anymore...I'm a busy mom. Don't judge me.)

M is for make-upB is for bubblesW is for watergun E is for eat H is for hula hoop...and hilariousC is for cakeI is for ice cream

P is for pool

K is for kickball S is for splashX is for xylophone (what else would you do for this one?) F is for fishingAnd my personal favorite...T is for TWO!

Thanks Mom and Dad, for letting us bring this craziness to your house! We had a blast!

Spring!

2009-06-16T08:45:00.001-07:00

So it's June. I've completely missed all of my intended posts about Spring happenings around our house. Easter, beautiful weather, family, t-ball, new words, first haircuts, etc. No real good reasons, just distracted lately! It's been an eventful few months around our house! Collin played his first season of t-ball and LOVED it! David and our friend Andy coached the team. And for those of you who know David it will not come as a surprise that we were the Astros. Even though Andy is a Cubs fan. Apparently, team loyalty runs much, much deeper than friendship or even common courtesy! :) Collin had the chance to play on his first team with Henry and his friend Jackson, which made the season even more special. These three love being together doing anything- especially playing ball!We've loved watching all of them get their first hit-

This is one of my favorite pictures from the season. This is right after Henry's first hit- running to his Daddy who's coaching first base.

This Saturday is our last game and I know the boys are already anxious for next season. I must admit, it's pretty fun being a cheering mom in the stands, too! Here's to grass stains, torn cleats, team sports and busy weekends!

Sarah Kate is changing so quickly. She'll be two in just a few weeks and to be honest, I've always thought that she seemed so young for her age. She's done a lot of catching up over the last few months though. My shy, quiet little girl has turned into quite a talker! I'm finally able to understand most of her jabber (making life a little easier around here) and she's really enjoying being able to tell us what's on her mind.

She's the best "greeter" I've ever seen. We're forcasting a career in PR for her for sure! She loves her family and friends, and loves to tell everyone when someone new enters a room. She also loves to play with her babies, talk about letters, and do anything with her brother. SK whispers when she's excited, which is one of the funniest most endearing things that she does.

In the midst of our Spring activities, we put our house on the market, sold it, and are now bumming at my parents' house trying to figure out our next move. We'll probably build, but we're just not sure where yet. Pray for some clarity for us- we're having a hard time making a decision! While we're deciding though, I guess we'll hang out by the pool and let Mom spoil us! :)

Happy Summer!!

Catching up with the Joneses

2009-02-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago we packed up and headed to San Antonio to see Greg, Sarah and their precious boys. It was such a fun weekend and our kids had an absolute blast. Collin is still asking when we can go back!

We went to the lake and stayed at Greg's parents' house which is beautiful. Not so beautiful after we left, though. We broke a dining chair, the wall (yes, we broke the wall) and a decorative plate. Banner weekend for us in the accident department. It reminded me that we just need to wait a couple of years to buy good furniture.

Highlights from the weekend:

1) Taking the boys (and the dads) to a really neat bounce house/play area thing. It was so much fun! I really think that David and Greg enjoyed just as much as all of the kids.

2) Vanilla yogurt with fresh blueberries. Thanks for this Sarah! Sarah Kate and I eat this all the time now!

3) Discovering my allergy to mountain cedar. Yes, I looked like a beating victim all weekend because my eyes were red and swollen- but everyone loved me just the same!

4) Benadryl.

5) Hanging out with Sarah! I love this girl! We don't get to see each other enough, but I love it when we do...just one of those friends that you always pick right back up with.

6) Learning how much I have to learn about my new camera, and being reminded that I do in fact have a creative crush on Sarah. She showed me some of the basics about my new camera, which was awesome. I'm just not as cool as she is when it comes to being artistic, though. My camera sits on auto most of the time.

7) Collin's "are we there yet" phase beginning! We tried to remind ourselves that it was cute, not frustrating. After 5 1/2 hours, this got a little bit harder.
8) Seeing our famlies together. It still amazes me that I'm a parent and I am with my kids every day. So it's even more strange to see my friends with their kids, being moms and dads. Sarah and Greg are great parents and their boys are adorable! Our boys got along really, really well and had such a good time. And David and Greg had a lot of fun too (minus the time that David almost died mountain biking.)
9) Meeting precious Holden. He is such a sweet boy! He seriously doesn't cry or fuss...what a blessing!
10) Meeting baby Gracyn! Heather and Drew brought their sweet baby by on Saturday and we were able to meet her! She is a doll- she came complete with her prissy bow and all the accessories as you might imagine! :)

Enjoy the pics!

Sarah Kate thought we were crazy for making her play in such cold weather.

Playtime!!

We initially thought this would be fun for the kids...Greg and David liked it even better.

This was right before we left to head home. Pretty sure we wore him out.

Want This Recipe?

2009-01-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

It really wasn't the chicken- preschool is just hard!

Papa

2009-01-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

My dad, Papa, has quite a gift for storytelling. Or, as he claims, Collin isn't really a discriminating audience. I think it's a little bit of both. Lately Dad has been telling Collin and Henry a lot of stories. It's something that I think each of the grandkids has, at one time or another, loved doing with Papa. He keeps it pretty simple which is probably why his stories are so fun for Collin. Like any good story, Papa has all the elements:

1) Main character(s): always two little boys; always named Collin and Henry- but he still acts like he forgets their names every time to encourage a little crowd participation from Collin.

2) A villian: usually an animal, sometimes a pirate (recent favorite)

3) A problem: Collin and Henry are in distress; about to get eaten; about to get taken away forever (this one induces nightmares)...you get the idea

4) A hero: always, without fail, every time...Papa.

5) A solution: Papa kicks the named villian in the bottom, saves the boys, and everyone goes off to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

So last night at bedtime Collin looked at David and me and said, "Do you know any stories?" We didn't have time to answer before he made the assumption that we probably didn't. So we called Papa who told Collin his bedtime story via speakerphone. It was sweet, hilarious, and so Dad.

Oh, and the pirate got a swift kick in the bottom!

Thanks Papa!

Drive-Thru Christmas

2009-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a condensed version of our Christmas 2008! I figured since it's so late anyway, the pictures can go without explanation!

We had a wonderful time celebrating with all of our family and the kids were at such fun ages this year! Sarah Kate is quite taken with her new baby, and Collin is warming up to the idea of a bigger bike (he came downstairs Christmas morning and said, "I didn't really want that one."...awesome moment for us!)

Enjoy!

A Christmas Pageant

2008-12-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

Taylor and Chandler decided that this year we should begin our Polk family Christmas festivities with a reinactment of the story of the birth of Jesus. They worked so hard on assigning parts and making costumes and did a great job managing all of the "actors."Taylor called me the day before to tell me that Collin, Henry, and Parker would be the three wisemen, and that if I had "like a cape, or a crown or something fancy he could wear...that'd be great." Sarah Kate was the north star. They firgured that this would work because she could just roam around and everyone would follow her. What sounded to me to be nothing more than a recipe for disaster actually turned out to be the highlight of our Christmas together. It was great to see the kids work on something together, and even better to have our time together centered around a celebration of Christ.

Our directors take the stage to make a we're-not-sure-this-will-work disclaimer.

King Herrod (Colton) orders the death of all firstborn sons.

Edie plays the role of the baby Jesus. (Gender, age, and presence in the 'manger' before Mary and Joseph arrive are to be ignored...they were working with what they had.)

Mary (Lexi) and Joseph (Patton) travel to Bethlehem where they gaze lovingly at the baby, as does the donkey (played by the ride-on dog dubbed "Mr. Nippers" by the kids. We were delighted to see that Mr. Nippers had landed a role.)

The north star (and baby) shines, leading the way to the baby Jesus!

The three wisemen bring their gifts to the baby. (It was impossible to get a good picture of the three of them...this is the best I could do.)

The proud Mama....and wiseman? Looks a little confused.

Chandler performs "Silent Night" in sign language.

The entire cast performs a Casting Crowns lip sync, and takes a final bow!

Happy Monday

2008-12-08T08:27:00.001-08:00

I saw this in church yesterday and laughed way too hard. Pretty sure I embarassed David...and anyone else sitting near me. Happy Monday!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Watching my kids grow into a relationship with the Lord has been one of the biggest blessings of parenthood so far. They are still so young, but I love to watch them pray. The other night as we were sitting down for dinner David and I pulled SK's high chair to the table and watched her, for the first time, fold her hands, bow her head, and say, "Dear God..." in her precious little voice. Of course, I started to cry.

It had just been one of those days. The garage door broke, kids were sick, I was forgetting things and felt pulled in a million different directions and her words hit me hard. I don't think I cried because I was giving myself a virtual pat on the back, or that I was touched because of her innocence. I think that I was convicted that God wants prayer to be exactly what it was for SK in that moment, an immediate response. It should be an ongoing conversation that we carry on to each new day- a part of what we do and who we are. I was reminded that too often I fail to spend enough time with the One who wants so desperately to hear from me.

So this Thanksgiving, I was reminded of how blessed we are to be able, as children of God, to call upon Him and to access the power of the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful for that! I am thankful for my sweet husband and our precious children and the gift of a loving faithful extended family. I am thankful for friends who encourage and challenge me. I am thankful for the life of Dr. Prentice Meador who so eloquently and boldly taught me the gospel from a very young age and the legacy that he left behind. I am thankful to live in a country where I live so comfortably that my biggest problems are kids with runny noses and to-do lists that never get finished.

And, I'm really thankful that David can fix garage doors! What a man!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Must have been a page-turner!

2008-11-14T14:56:00.001-08:00

The First of Many

2008-11-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

This is the first of many make-up posts, and it's a post about the first of many camping trips for my little family. We went camping a couple of weekends ago with our sweet friends the Feekes. It was the first time I have ever been tent camping, much less with two children. It was AWESOME! The kids played hard, slept well, and loved every minute of being allowed to get dirty. The boys ran around doing boy things- sports, fishing, throwing dirt, eating s'mores, etc. And the girls just loved getting messy. Food, dirt, whatever! They were hilarious. Thanks Melody, for these awesome pictures!

Some of my favorite moments from our trip:

1) the sound of the leaves falling on top of our tent throughout the night. It sounded like a soft, slow rain.

2) Jackson and Collin around the campfire at night telling stories.

3) The adults around the campfire telling stories!

4) Waking up in a tent with my sweet family.

5) Relaxing on the beach (yes, the lake has a beach!) with Melody and the girls.

6) broomstick pies...good call Andy!

7) The laundry that I had when we got home...not really.

It was a wonderful time for us!

Cowboy Fever

2008-10-15T13:05:00.001-07:00

Last night we went to Parker's party at Texas Stadium and had a blast! Collin loved being able to wear his uniform out of the house, and all the kids (and dads)enjoyed playing on the field. They even got to try on Romo's jersey and pads...it was precious! Thanks to Brittany for thinking of such a cool birthday idea, and to Parker for making it so fun for all of us. We love you Parker, and happy birthday!!!

The sweet birthday boy!

The family pic (my kids getting double use out of their Halloween costumes!)

Playing hard!

Dad hosting tryouts for the "favorite grandson award"...kidding.

And presenting...our little Romos. From youngest to oldest, Collin, Colton, and Patton (who actually looks a lot like Tony- beautiful boy!)Well, we tried on this one. Definitely not Christmas card material.

FDOS and SK

2008-09-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

Collin had his first day of school a couple of weeks ago. We were so exctied to be starting a preschool that's closer to home, but a little nervous about leaving all of our sweet friends at Sunshine School. We made our final decision to switch when both Collin and Henry got in to the same school by our house. We thought that even if they weren't in the same class, they would see each other a lot. Oops. This preschool is so large that they never cross paths. but they have proven that kids just adapt. They don't even mention it at all and are both doing great.

Here is Collin before we left the house that day.

And here he is at school. Hilarious. Mrs. Lara keeps telling me that he is really quiet and I keep telling her that it will pass!

Here are some pics of Sarah Kate. She's walking all over the place and having so much fun! The A&M uniform pics are for her dad. The one on bottom is of her throwing a fit when I told her that the Aggies stink.

The Anti-Toilet

2008-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

Life as a stay-at-home mom is always changing. You feel like you're always juggling, running, comforting, folding, washing, diapering, and just spinning in general. While I'm used to fielding this type of chaos, I wasn't at all prepared for the curve ball I experienced in a public restroom yesterday.

Automatic toilets flush automatically. Correct. Automatic toilets flush automatically when you stand up. Incorrect. That's not always true. Sometimes, when you least expect it, they like to flush when you sit down. Wet surprise.

Toilets flush automatically and then stop. Again, incorrect. When you are sitting on the extra special toilet that flushes when you sit down instead of when you stand up, it also likes to continue flushing for the duration of your stay. Back draft issue.

I got over it. Re-entered the seminar that I was attending, and laughed as I entered the bathroom for the second, third, and fourth time. (It was an all-day affair that necessitated large intakes of caffeine) By the end of the day,I had tried all of the stalls that this lovely establishment had to offer.

Toilets that flush automatically, when you sit down, and continue to do so are an exception. Apparently, this is also incorrect. Much to my surprise (and at this point, my utter disbelief) this hotel ordered the anti-toilet rather than your standard flusher.

When I went to wash my hands, I lathered them up with cow dung and then dried them off in stagnant pond water.

There are some obvious conclusions that I could draw between my anti-toilet experience and the fact that I was at a CLE trying to figure out whether I'm ready to hang out my shingle and begin to practice law. But I don't like lawyer jokes, and I really don't like upward-flow flushing toilets.

If this is any kind of omen, pray for me.

What we're up to...

2008-08-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that summer is coming to an end! We are enjoying the rainy weather, cooler temperatures, and the idea of school starting in a couple of weeks. Here are just a few of the things that I'm doing lately. A list of August faves if you will...

I'm probably WAY late on this one, but I found this website the other day and really love it! It's a great way to organize your family calendar, lists, photos, etc. I think it's great for my little family, but would be even better for those of you with older kids with more activities. I'm buying stock...check it out.

These pedipeds are the only shoes that fit SK's little feet. Diva. Seriously, they are so cute and look super comfortable! Since she hasn't really worn shoes at all yet, I was shocked to find out that her feet are really short, but fat on the top, and that they are super hard to fit into shoes. Ergo, the pedipeds. More of an investment than I wanted to make, but cute nonetheless.

Sarah Kate is obsessed with books, and this one is her favorite. She loves to sit and look through books and talk like she's reading. She even wants to go to bed with one. If she this particular book, she starts saying, "boo...boo!" wanting us to read it. She automatically begins laughing when you turn to the last page, which is one of my very favorite things she is doing right now.

Collin and I LOVE watching this movie. We only watch it in about 20 minute increments, but it's still great.

Facebook...what? I don't really get it, but I'm trying.

And for the grand finale...our summer vacation! We had a blast in the Ozarks and would highly recommend the Lodge at Mount Magazine to anyone who's looking for a close-to-home mountain vacation. We stayed in a three bedroom cabin with Angie and Jason and my parents. It was beautiful! Brand new, the only thing on the mountain, smack dab in the middle of the woods, hot tub, big porch- and relatively inexpensive. We loved it. Even though it rained the first two days we were there, we were able to get the boys out quite a bit! Check out the pictures.

Birthday Pictures

2008-07-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sarah Kate really enjoying the limelight!

"Hold on...I really need to take this."

"Hmmmm...interesting."

"Thanks Mom!"

Before...

...And After!

This party is so lame!

And for the grand finale...a caption contest! A grand prize (leftover cake) will go to the blogger to find the perfect caption for the following well-timed photo by Uncle Drayton:

Here's what I have so far:
1) "Who in the world hid in my dress, increasing its volume by 400%, thus making me look 97 weeks pregnant?" (I REALLY can't get past this one)
2) "Um, Dad...a little help?"
3) "At least he's using a spoon."
4) "Could I get another spoon?"
5) "Those Blackstocks sure can tear up a buffet!"

Special thanks to Pops and Drayton for all the wonderful pictures! You're the best!

Prayer

2008-07-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

We saw this in church this weekend and thought it was precious. Enjoy!

Birthday Hangover!

2008-07-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

Take yourselves back 7 months to the day after Christmas. Do you remember feeling a little gluttonous, sluggish, overwhelmed by clean-up, and actually ready to take down the tree? I've got that feeling. I've had too much cake, my kids have gotten too many gifts (although we're totally appreciative of all our sweet friends and family!) and it's not over yet. Collin had his little birthday party on his real birthday with his grandparents and a few cousins. His big birthday is yet to come. SK is done though, which is probably best. I had the thought as I was making her sit still in her cool chair (thanks Kay Kay) to open gifts that this was way too overwhelming for a one-year-old. She survived though- smothered herself in cake and went to bed completely happy.

Pictures to come...I'm too hungover to post them now!

Funny Collin comment on the way to church:
Collin: Hey Mom and Dad, do you want to talk? Cuz I'm not sleepin'!

Those are pretty much his only two options...sleeping or talking.

Birthdays!

2008-07-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's Christmas in July around our house! My kids each have a birthday this week- Collin on Friday and SK on Saturday. I remember this time last year I was in my hospital bed worrying (because I was limited as to what I could do) about my kids having birthdays so close together. At that point I had no idea that they would only be one day apart. This year, I think I'm actually going to enjoy it. Sure, it's a little expensive. And while they're still wanting to have parties it's a little hectic. But all in all, it's kind of cool- at least that's the best way to look at it. So to my precious one-year-old and three-year-old, here is my first attempt at listing the reasons it's so cool to have birthdays so close together:
1) Collin will never forget Sarah Kate's birthday. At least I hope not...really.
2) Since your birthdays are in the summer, we'll take cool vacations to celebrate!
3) Lots of cake and ice cream over a 48-hour time span.
4) Mom only goes through the "I can't believe my kids are another year older" depression once a year.
5) At least your birthdays aren't this close AND in December... we're spreading things out.
6) You're almost as cool as twins.
Lots of fun to come!

On a more serious note,we are so blessed to have both of these babies in our lives! It amazes me that Sarah Kate is almost one. She is such a joy and it is so fun to watch her grow into her own distinct personality! She is active, yet quiet and cuddly. She loves to play hard with the rest of us, but also likes to put her baby on her shoulder and pat her on the back. She talks herself to sleep and wakes up laughing. Her daddy will give her anything and everything she wants, maybe because of her precious simple and big brown eyes. Her hair is starting to curl like crazy in the back like mine did when I was little, and she has her daddy's dimple on her right cheek! Knowing that there is only more fun to come makes me so excited to watch her grow!

And Collin is our constant entertainment. I seriously timed him today and he didn't stop talking from the minute he woke up at 7:30 this morning until swim lessons started at 10. He is curious, vivacious, and sweet. He has a sense of humor already, which thrills me to no end, and already is one of my favorite people to be around. He is all boy! His favorite thing right now is playing baseball in the living room (smart, I know) with David while watching it on TV. Decked out in all the appropriate gear, I can assure you. If he's not spending time with his cousins, he's asking about them for sure. He's extremely social and talkative. He's also a bit of an instigator, which I like to frame as "leadership potential." Spoken like a true mom! I'm definitely head over heels in love with this little boy and I can't wait to see how he grows in his fourth year.

Above all, I pray that the Lord holds on to these two little ones and helps us to raise them to know and love Him. The responsibility of being their parent is awesome, but the reward is greater than we ever expected! We sure do love you, Collin and Sarah Kate.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

We're enjoying an awesome 4th of July weekend at the Blackstock house! I'm a huge fan of the 4th being on a Friday-makes for a wonderful weekend! We started off on Thursday with Sarah Kate's tube surgery, which isn't all that fun for her I don't guess (although you can't tell in this picture) but it did give us a lot of one-on-one time with her. And she was back to her crazy self by lunchtime!

We spent the day yesterday at my parents' house with most of my family plus Mom's adopted kids, Ken and Shanta. We actually had a moment of nirvana when all the kids were sleeping at the same time and the adults were hanging out by the pool...greatness. We almost didn't know what to do with ourselves. Then came the real fun-

Can you blame a girl for wanting to be cool like her uncle?

Thanks for the sparklers, Chris! David has a burn to commemorate the occasion!

The three little divas: Sarah Kate, Campbell, and Edie. This was the best we could do before the two babies melted down completely and before Sarah Kate tried to eat them. The kid will put anything in her mouth.

I realize that Collin's eyes are almost closed and that his boy-fro is in full force in this picture, but it was too cute of Henry to not include in the post. I think this was after swimming session #2 and football, but before fireworks. That's why they look a little worn.

Collin and Eddy waiting to catch the football. He is the most wonderful uncle to my babies!

I really hope someone else with a camera got a better shot of this! Sorry guys, had to include it for posterity!

This is my attempt to utilize the grease from SK's sunscreen to stabilize her crazy bow. It worked I guess.

Time to chill in the jacuzzi sink and try to wash out the greasy sunscreen! What a day!

The picture that I didn't get was of all of the kids watching fireworks while sitting in Haleigh's convertible. It was hilarious and such a great memory for all of them. Happy 4th everyone!

End of School

2008-05-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Collin finished his first year of preschool last week, and ended with his first program. We were so excited! Collin and the other two-year-olds were bumble bees and we'd been practicing at home every night. We were obvious "first end-of-the-year program" parents...so obvoius! David and I grinned at each other a lot, tried to get Collin's attention as he was walking on stage, stood up a little bit too much to where we probably got in the way of the people behind us, and I was even the dorky parent that gets in the aisle to take pictures.

My sister, on the other hand, was enjoying her last preschool program. Lexi is headed off to kindergarten next year, and they were anxious to wrap things up. When Lexi finished, Chris looked at Karen and gave the invisible "check" in the air. He turned to me and said, "wrap that one up." Hilarious. What a difference 7 years of preschool makes!

One thing I was really impressed with was how much scripture these kids memorized for their program. I love hearing Collin quote a verse from the Psalms and it reminds me that I need to be in prayer about teaching him and being in the word more myself! Collin's verse to memorize was, "Let the light of your face shine upon us, oh Lord." Psalm 8:6. I should video him saying it and post that...who knew the word "Lord" was actually three syllables.

The last picture is of both of the kids right after waking up from a nap. They wanted to sit next to each other and wake up slowly-precious!

Sarah Kate is growing so fast. She is pulling up and loves to have us "chase" her as she's crawling across the floor at rocket speeds. My next post is going to be solely about her because she is such a character.

Doing the Honors

2008-05-04T18:55:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post some pictures of my beautiful new neice since her mommy hasn't started a blog (subtle hint). They welcomed sweet Edie Elizabeth (named after our grandfather, E.D.) on April 24. She weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz and was 19 inches long. Big brother Henry, Angie, Jason and the baby are all doing well!! Check out what a cutie she is...

catching up with pictures

2008-04-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

So I'm going to attempt to make up for my bad blogging with some pictures of our March. Nothing all that exciting going on. As you can see, some snow, some fun, a little Easter with the family, etc. I had a few really funny things happen to me that I thought would make great posts, but the moment passed before I ever got around to doing it. Aren't you all bummed?

This is the first snowman from our week of snow. It's totally lame compared to the one that David made when it really snowed, but he doesn't manage this blog, so his cooler snowman doesn't get any print attention.

Unbeliveable snow! We've never seen anything like this in Dallas, and probably won't again for a long time.Which is why we forced Collin to play in the snow, even though we knew that he didn't feel well. He looks happy, doesn't he? When we got inside, his temperature was over 103...oops!Fast forward to Easter... and the one decent picture we got this year. They're getting so big!Kay Kay and Papa with the grandkids!The three littlest cousins (at least for the next few days)! Henry welcomes his baby sister soon! We can't wait to meet you, Edie!!

The Pedicure

2008-02-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

I love girls' weekends! And by the time I made it to Sarah's in-law's house in San Antonio... I was needing one badly! It was so great to catch up with my sweet friends, and to have an opportunity to breathe slowly, and thank God for my little family each time I realized how much I missed them. It was a lot harder leaving them than I thought it would be, but that made coming home a really great experience. Not like I was gone for all that long- it wasn't even 48 hours. And I called home several times, too. I guess I was a little sappy to begin with, and then calling home and having Collin cry into the phone saying, "You just leaved me here," didn't help much. All in all- wonderful experience for me. Lots of relaxation, talking, chex mix, meals without bibs, and laughter. Thanks girls! And we missed those of you who couldn't be there!

What is always typical of our girls' weekend is that something blog worthy happens. Last year, it was Sarah's fender-bender, in previous years Mal has wrecked her car, Sherry has had hilarious conversations with hotel employees, and we've wandered around the alleys in Boston at odd hours in the freezing cold. This year- it was the pedicure. Our one outing the entire weekend was a movie/pedicure run. I was so thrilled to be seeing a movie that didn't scare me to death (David got a Netflix subscription and his choices leave something to be desired) ...add a pedicure on top of that- this was an off-the-charts experience!

So we find our little nail place and are all pleased to see four recliners in a row. We settled in, noticed the big screen TV in front of us, and promptly began messing with our back massagers like we hadn't been our of the house in several years. This was going to be great. Conversation, a little TV, AND a massage...simultaneously. What bliss!

Should've known we were in for it when we saw the list of available movies: Die Hard with a Vengance, the War, Bourne Supremacy, etc. I was hoping for something starring someone from Dawson's Creek, a little Julia Stiles movie...something! Not so. We watched The War. Here's the basic plot: naked girls, gangsters, subtitles, more naked girls, shooting while naked girls run around, law enforcement, tattooed man and naked girl shoot more people, people die, something else about gangs...and that's just the first hour. Makes conversation a little awkward to say the least.

THEN, I had the good fortune of the screamin'-nazi-back-massager-lovin' pedicurist. I had just decided that I would turn off my entertaining yet not all that soothing chair when my manicurist walks over, commands that I put my feet in the water, smashes in the "percussion" button on my chair and screams "YEAH!." I chuckle, and turn it off a couple of seconds later, all the while looking awkwardly at the nail polish I had selected to avoid the gruesome/nude scene on the TV.

I had ordered the sea salt pedicure. I never saw any sea salt...just greenish, grainy stuff. It was okay, but it took off about three layers of skin from my legs. Still, I thought to myself, a little exfoliation is good for the blood flow. Oh no, she has noticed that my chair is off. She jumps up, hits "percussion" again, and screams "YEAH!" Seriously woman, I have equillibrium issues. The swirling of the water, banging on my back, and freaky movie are all making me a little nauseated. Plus, my legs are trying to regenerate some skin which is making me exhausted. No relief. She's hard core about this back massaging thing being on.

So, I relent and try to focus on a ceiling tile to avoid puking. Then comes my favorite feature of the pedicure. I'm not exactly sure what you would call the blue stuff she put on my legs but I'm pretty sure that the label would read: 1/4 Icy Hot; 1/4 antifreeze; 1/4 blue jello; and 1/4 coconut oil for that oh-so-touchable glow. My first question is why my legs, which are raw from the "sea salt that wasn't really sea salt" had to be exposed to this mess...wasn't this a pedicure after all? So, she slathers this stuff on Sarah and me at the same time. We kind of laugh..."what is this?"..."it's okay, it feels good." BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD AT ALL. Sarah and I start to giggle/cry a little bit, and then we both lose it completely. By the time the Icy Hot/antifreeze concoction is washed away, we're laughing so hard that we can't even see the TV behind our tears. My face is green, my eyes are watery, my legs are aglow with blue goo, and I'm noticing that I had too much Diet Coke at the theater with free refills.

My feet look great though. The weekend was great. Girl friends are great. Coming home to my precious family is even better!

Catching Up

2008-01-30T19:44:00.000-08:00

Wow! Long time, no blogging! We've been having too much fun around here I guess. Our 2008 is off to a great start. Collin started preschool and is so fortunate to have my friend, Carey, for his teacher. She didn't even send me a nasty note when I sent him to school the day after giving him Miralax. SO sorry about that, Carey. After the initial shock of starting preschool, he is settling in and really enjoying it. It helps that Henry and Lexi are there with him and apparently will sit with him while he cries through chapel. That's what family's all about! Here are some pictures from his first day, and some pictures with his best bud, Hank.

And sweet SK! She is growing to say the least. So far, she hasn't met a food that she doesn't love. I guess when you set the bar so low with nasty broken-down protein formula, a child will really eat anything that doesn't smell like parmesean cheese. Anyway, I'm still hoping that she'll have David's metabolism and my charm, but we'll have to wait and see. As you can see from the pictures below, she looks more like Cybill Sadie than either one of us. (that's a throwback CPK favorite for those of you who weren't fanatical like me.)

I will have to say that having Collin in school has given me a strange sense of grown-up-mommyness. It's weird to have a child in school and to push around a double stroller with only one baby. I love having some time alone with Sarah Kate, though! We have so much fun on Mondays and Thursdays, just us girls.

I've been reminded by all of my friends/family who are either pregnant or brand new moms that I need to cherish every moment. She is already so big compared to my friends' babies, and I really don't know where the time has gone. I'm headed to get her picture made tomorrow because this last week made me a little nostalgic...congrats to Shanta and Allie on the births of Campbell and Will- two beautiful, beautiful babies! It's strange to think that I'm likely done with that stage of my life unless the Lord has something different planned for us. So keep on liking to be held, and fed, and talked to Sarah Kate. I'm not going to rush you at all!

I had to hurry and get this post in before this weekend...headed to Sarah's in-laws' lakehouse for some much needed time with the girls. Will post about that later!

Our Little Prayer Warrior and Sarah Kate's Smiles :)

2007-12-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

David and I have been so entertained by Collin and Sarah Kate lately. And although we enjoy talking with one another about the funny things they do, I'm not convinced that our conversations will be enough to make me remember everything. Here's Collin's latest prayer:

(to set the stage, we're all at dinner, with hands folded in the manner most pleasing to Collin on this particular day, and David has started to pray- when Collin interrupts with eyes closed tightly)

"Dear God, thank you for all the bessings that you give to me...and God (pleading) I just really want a helmet. And maybe a firetruck (that's a new one...oh no!), but I REALLY want a helmet."

Then, turning and looking across the table, whispering,

"Dad, what do you want?"

Apparently, sitting on Santa's lap and telling him what you would like to get for Christmas is okay, but for those of us with divine access it doesn't hurt to place your list at the feet of the Father, either. Great faith...the theology will be hammered out later I guess.

And our precious Sarah Kate is changing by the day. She has started to roll over, babble, and respond (good and bad) to those around her. She loves her brother, and gets so excited to see her Daddy come home. But my favorite, VERY FAVORITE, thing about her right now is her smile. It is one of those smiles that completely takes over her entire face and it comes at the most unexpected times. It never fails that when she's crying in the morning for me to come and get her out of bed that when I peek over the crib to say hello, she busts into her sweet little smile, and immediately stops crying. It absolutely melts me. She is so easy-going and patient with us! What a blessing!

And on a brief parental side-note: here are seven words that you NEVER want to hear your two-year-old say: "I want to watch Yo Gabba Gabba." AGHHHHHHH! I don't know if that made me more afraid for Collin, or myself.

RSV, RX, NFL, and R&R

2007-12-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

Those four acronyms pretty much sum up the last few days at the Blackstock house. Collin has been under the weather since last weekend, and because he is such a loving brother, he shared his little cold with his sister. Come to find out, his 'cold' is RSV for her. Still, we're keeping things in perspective- she's able to rest and recuperate at home which is a huge blessing! And typical of our sweet Sarah Kate, she's still laughing and smiling between coughing spells! She also decided to cut her first tooth. Wish I could post a picture, but I can't...BECAUSE IT'S IN THE SIDE OF HER MOUTH:

Yes...I actually had to LOOK UP which tooth just came in- the canine, I believe (M on the diagram). I guess I won't know for sure until I see where all the other ones come in. Is that freakish? Anyway, when I found the thing she got so excited. She looked at me as if to say, "Now you know where to put the Orajel!" Ooops. I guess I just figured the front two would be the first- then again, she has been full of surprises ever since she's been here!

So we add Orajel to the long list of medications that are being dosed out at our house between the two kids. SK has her list of daily meds for both of her refluxes, milk allergies, etc. and toss in some nebulizer treatments, and Collin's laundry list of "candy medicines" and we're a regular pharmacy- a feeling so many of you can sympathize with, I'm sure.

The odd thing about all the illness is that it has given David and me the time and the opportunity to be in the house, just hanging out with one another all weekend. It has been so nice. Friday night we made Collin his first cup of hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie with him. It was so much fun! We've gotten more sleep than usual, had all of our meals as a family, watched a lot of football, and played more with Collin than we've been able to in a long time. And Sarah Kate has gotten her fair share of TLC as well! It has actually been "just what the doctor ordered." (that's almost too cheesy to even put in there- but oh well)

So, don't remind me that Christmas is only a little more than two weeks away. Right now, we're enjoying house arrest and remaining blissfully unaware of how much there is to be done!

Also, I'm really playing catch-up with pictures here. Yes, there is one of SK in her Halloween costume (how sad!)...the others are more recent. If you want the best though, go see my friend Sarah's photography blog. There's a link from her website at http://www.sjphotos.net/ She took some pictures of them recently and I was so thrilled with them! She is truly amazing at what she does. I've always known she was talented and creative, and then she started photography and has taken her talents to the next level!

Here are the pics as promised...

Our sweet little butterfly!

Pictures from our trip to the American Girl store by the Galleria...these girls were SO geared up!

Taylor showing Sarah Kate the ropes!

And little Lexi with her favorite doll...
Pictures of Collin just being Collin

And the kids in some Christmas pjs that their aunt Angie gave them! Merry Christmas!

Cousins

2007-10-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, I might be stealing some of my mom's christmas card thunder here, but I had to post these pictures of all of her grandkids. I love them- both the pictures and the kids! I love having pics of all of them together because it reminds me of how truly blessed Collin and Sarah Kate are to having such loving families to support them. And all of these kids are so precious to me personally. I remember each of their births, and love all of the little oddities that make each one special.

Haleigh and Bret were born when I was still in high school, so they have always been so special and so spoiled by all of us. Haleigh is driving now, and Bret is getting so big that I don't even recognize his voice anymore. They are also two of the most polite, loving teenagers I have ever been around. Hats off to my brother and his wife on raising respectful kids!

And Taylor and Chandler were the first "pair" of the family. These two have been so fun to watch grow up together. Chandler with her boundless enthusiasm, and Taylor with her genuine sweetness. I love them both so much, and appreciate their willingness to let their dorky aunt sit in on their High School Musical parties and go to the American Girl store with them. (Love HSM by the way- and have a t-shirt to prove it!)

Colton and Patton were the next pair and what I love so much about these two right now is how great they are with Collin. They make him feel like he's a real "big kid" and always let him tag along. Colton is constantly giving Collin his toys!

Lexi, as she says, doesn't have a partner like most of her other cousins, which suits her perfectly. She definitely makes a statement on her own! She is the funniest little girl EVER, and keeps us on our toes all the time!

Parker, sweet Parker! He was a royal pain while Brittany was pregnant, but has been proving everyone wrong since. He's another geuninely sweet little boy- he's one of the only three-year-olds I know that will give hugs and kisses on demand.

Then there's Hank- whata sweet boy he is too! He and Collin are going to have so much fun growing up together, and from what I can tell so far, they may get into some trouble along the way too.

Just wanted to jot down a couple of things about these kids- they are such a huge blessing to our family, especially Collin and Sarah Kate. They have brought so much joy to my life, and gave me the opportunity to test out some of my parenting theories before I actually had kids of my own! I love you all SO very much!

Why I'm not a doctor, and Collin's prayers

2007-10-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

After you have your first child, you kind of begin to think that you're getting things figured out- or at least I did. Sarah Kate had what I thought was a stomach bug last week- no big deal, right? Then, the fever lingered over the weekend, so we ended up taking her in on Saturday to an urgent care place by our house. I was sure she had an ear infection or something else like that, and that the stomach bug was pretty much gone. This is the first point at which I should have reminded myself that I'm not a doctor. The doctor we saw declared that her ears were clear, I began to pack up the diaper bag, and then he announced (after several minutes of taking her pulse and playing with her skin) that he was sending us to the ER because she was dehydrated. Proof: I am NOT a doctor. More than that, I felt like an awful parent! She didn't cry a single tear the entire time we were at the ER. Very, very sad. So they fixed her up, sent us home, and we thought all was well. Some of the tests later showed that she had an infection. Again, no big deal. Proof again: I am NOT a doctor. We went in to our pediatrician's office the next day for what I thought was a simple you-were-in-the-ER-so-I-have-to-see-you visit, but as it turns out, little SK needs some more tests run next week. I really think everything will be fine, but it has been an interesting ride. I usually think that I run to the doctor too quickly for little things, so this has been completely out of character. Anyway, we'll know more next week. Keep us in your prayers.

As for Collin, he has really been enjoying bedtime prayers and songs. Lately, his prayers are absolutely adorable. I promised myself I would start writing some of them down so that I could remember them.

- "thank you for Mommy taking me to class" (the gym)

- "thank you for that guy, and that guy, and that guy" (the sports figures in the pictures on his wall)

- "help me to stop hitting" (admirable, and also a prayer of mine)

- "my tricycle"

- "thank you for Santa bringing me a saw" (counting his chickens before they hatch I suppose)

Here are some recent pictures...

First Game!

2007-10-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few belated pictures of Collin and Sarah Kate's first baseball game! We went to Houston to see David's parents for the weekend and had an awesome time. The game was great! Lots of hitting, 2 homers, and a farewell salute to Craig Biggio. I also thoroughly enjoyed the air conditioned stadium! Check out our little fans...

And another picture from the weekend of little Sarah Kate. She is so precious!

I'm It!

2007-09-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Meredith tagged me and it's taken me a long time to get to it...but here are my eight random facts about myself:

1. If you think counting your steps is weird, Meredith, here's a GREAT one for you: I type EVERYTHING as it passes through my head. Sometimes, when David and I are holding hands, he feels me typing as someone is talking...freakish, I know. I think it's a habit I developed in law school. I typed all of my notes, and just got used to basically transcribing everything I heard. I noticed on my commute, that I would "air type" on my steering wheel as I listened to the radio. I'd love to know what this type of compulsiveness says about me.

2. On that note, I'm an attorney...That's funny.

3. I have absolutely, positively, NO sense of direction...none WHATSOEVER. This is, unfortunately, not at all limited to trouble finding my way from point A to point B. I get turned around coming out of a bathroom at a movie theater or mall. I get totally confused coming out of a carwash. AND, I have absolutely no sense of where north is...ever. Those who do amaze me, and frankly, I sometimes think that they're making it up because they know I wouldn't know the difference.

4. Oddly, pregnancy has caused my hair to go straight. I think that the 4 people who read this blog all knew me when I used to wear my hair curly all the time. Even though I don't do that anymore, it wouldn't even be an option if I wanted it to. Now I have a wavy, partially curly, funky, stringy, natural mess. (And we wonder where Collin gets it?)

5. I am addicted to editing. Another habit from law school. This is not to say that my posts will ever be error free, but I enjoy proofing anything published including Christmas cards, church bulletins, and yes, blogs. Here are a few of the titles to articles that I will never write because I don't have the time...

- "Quotation Marks: How Ross and Chandler Have Distorted Our Understanding"

- "A Whole Nuther Problem Altogether"

- "The Difference Between PLURAL and POSSESSIVE...Again: What to do with those darn apostrophes"

6. I can't stand repetitive noises...just ask David. This is also ironic because my ears have been ringing since December of 2004.

7. My ears have been ringing since December of 2004...that one is too good to waste on a sidenote.

8. I was nominated for Miss Personality in high school. I didn't get it. So I burned the place down. That'll show 'em. (I was obviously struggling for #8)

Okay, here are the people that I am tagging: Shanta, Sarah, Alyssa, Sam, and Sherry (Email yours to me Sherry, so that I can share YOU with the blogging world!)

Family Update: Everyone is doing great! Collin is a great big brother, and SK is finally settling down after getting her on some reflux medication. All is well!

"I No Say Cheese"

2007-08-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

It's a fun experience to take a two-year-old and a three-week-old for a photo session. At least our friend Stacey is a good, patient, God-fearing woman who says that she doesn't mind difficult subjects. I, however, did mind. A lot of prep, and an hour and a half after our sitting started, Collin, who hadn't smiled the ENTIRE time we were there, looked at me as we were leaving with a sly grin and proudly announced, "I no say cheese." We "no go to McDonald's" either. The pictures are hysterical, and much cuter than I thought they would be. Perfectly capturing what it means to be TWO!

Here's proof...

Yet the infant...

This is as close as Collin got to a smile-

Things You Don't Keep for Baby #2

2007-08-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

So, I'm compiling a list of things that even the most frugal of parents shouldn't try to reuse for their second baby. I've learned some of these the hard way.

1. Bathtub- as you can see from the pictures below, we've done this one. Yes, the bathtub is from Collin, and no, I probably wouldn't do it again. It had been in the attic (wrapped, but still) and when we took it down we gave it a good anti-bacterial cleansing. Yet I couldn't get the thought that Collin had, in fact, left an offering in that very bathtub out of my mind. All the wrapping, retreiving, scrubbing, and sanitizing probably wasn't worth the $20 to get a new one.

2. Nicknames- I really don't think this is just because my kids are different genders. Even the unisex endearments that I had for Collin just don't seem to work with her. She's definitely her own little person (or princess, sweetie, SK, skittle, etc.).

3. Diaper Genie- for all of the reasons that you don't keep a bathtub...and then some.

4. Bottles/Pacifiers- chances are, your second one isn't going to like the same kind just because you went to the trouble of saving them, santizing them yaddah, yaddah.

Onto the pictures. As you can see from all of her pics below, SK is very mellow! She doesn't really ever cry unless she's hungry, or her tummy hurts, which is unfortunatley more than I would like. But even at those times, she is so even-tempered (totally gets that from me...haha) and generally easy going. What a relief!
The picture of Collin is from his first sno-cone! We got him a grape one- questionable decision- but he loved it!

Our Family of Four

2007-07-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

She's here! Sorry for the obvious delay in posting, I't seems like I don't want to do, hear, watch, or eat anything that I did in the hospital- which includes blogging. Anyway, here's our precious little girl! Thanks for all of the prayers- they were answered. We had a great delivery and everyone is happy, healthy, and at home!

Sarah Kate

8 lb. 2 oz.

19 1/2 inches long

Collin decided to finally wake up from his nap and meet his baby sister. He loves to hold and kiss her!

She loves her blankie- like mother, like daughter!

Finally going HOME!
Some pictures from Collin's birthday party the day after we got home from the hospital...probably wouldn't do that again, but it was fun!

Birthdays!

2007-07-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today, my sweet baby boy turns two! I CANNOT believe that two years have gone by already. It's one of those things that everyone talks about, but that you can't get a grasp on until you become a parent. Unfortunately/fortunately for Collin, he has no idea that today is his birthday. I'm being selfish. Since David and I can't spend the day with him like we want to, we're going to ignore it, and celebrate when I come home from the hospital. My doctor has said that he can't even come up here today anyway, and he and David are at the doctor's office right now because he has an ear infection. All that to say, it wouldn't be a really fun day for him anyway.

Tomorrow, my sweet baby girl will make her debut! We are so thrilled, but continue to ask for prayers since she will be a little bit early. Every sonogram and test that we've had done indicate that she is happy, healthy, and somewhat of a spaz (I thought I was due for a calm one!). I started "getting sicker" yesterday and the doctor made the call to go ahead an induce me ASAP. There were no slots for an induction today, so we're going to have her tomorrow. We're actually really thankful that today was booked since it is Collin's birthday and since he's feeling so bad. God takes such good care of us!

To my kids (how weird to say that)! Your mom and dad have thought about and prayed for you both so much over the past nine weeks. Collin, you are such an amazing little boy for being able to give up your mommy so that I can take care of your sister. You will sleep anywhere, play with anyone, and you have never refused to hug and kiss me, or talk to me on the phone. You are such a good boy! And Sarah Kate, I can't wait to see you! Although, just like with Collin, I feel like I already know you. I've gotten to see your chubby little face so many times on sonograms, and I get to feel you squirm and kick your brother off of my tummy! What you don't know is how many people love you and have been praying for you. You are being born into a family that will always love you and Collin, no matter what! You are already a precious gift to our entire family, and we are anxious to hold you and introduce you to the world.

It also occurred to me this past Sunday that your dad and I have thought so much about your physical birthdays (when SK would finally come, what kind of cake Collin would want, etc.) but that we long even more for the day your are born into Christ. More than anything, Daddy and I want you to know Him as your savior and to live fully in His grace and promises. We pray that you will always seek Him, and that He will reveal the call that He has put on your lives. We love you both, and Happy Birthday!!!

Update...Kind of

2007-07-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

Not really an update- not much to update. I'm still in the hospital, doing well, which is great. The doctor says we'll probably have a baby this week! Hopefully more to come soon...

Funny Collin statement: When he got to the hospital today he said, "I come to Mommy's house." That's pretty sad. I'm so ready to be home!

It's Getting Hot In Here!

2007-07-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Sarah Kate is doing awesome! And I guess I'm hanging in there...just a little tired of being a patient, and anxious to get back to being a mom! My doctor says we'll have a baby next week, but the perinatologist isn't wanting to rush things so we'll see. For now, we're just hanging in there and waiting! I was reminded today after the neonatologist visited me that I need to refocus and commit myself to staying pregnant just a little while longer. As uncomfortable as I might be (we added inflatable boots on my legs last night...NICE) she would be much more uncomfortable sitting in the NICU. I look and Collin and am reminded of how wonderful how it is to be a parent, and how much this little girl needs me. So, I'm trying to enjoy my last few days of pregnancy and prepare myself for what is to come. I'm encouraged to know how much our God has prepared and planned for her too, that every day of her life was written in His book and that she is precious and purposed!

Unfortunately, today my doctor put a huge "No Visitors" sign on my door. No parties for me until we get home! Thank you all for your prayers! Enjoy the pictures of our time in the hospital...

One of my few moments with my baby boy. He's turning two next week- and we're wondering if he won't be sharing a birthday with his little sister!

Apparently I'm keeping the room a little cold- at least that's what I hear. As far as I'm concerned, it can't get cool enough. In fact, I spent part of the day today under ice packs. I am SO pregnant!Precious Henry and Angie! (I'm sure it's hard to tell in this picture, but SK is there too... :) )

And this isn't near as funny as the fact that Collin now knows what a blood pressure cuff and a fetal heart monitor are...they are sponges, huh?

Home Sweet Hospital

2007-07-06T10:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I took up residence in the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy. It's hard for several reasons (not yet ready to have this baby, I have to be away from Collin, the remote to my TV doesn't let me change the volume and makes me change channels one direction, etc.) but at least they have chocolate milk in little cartons. A special treat!

So here are the stats...
According to my official (and more accurate) calendar, I am 35 weeks, 1 day...YIPEEE!
According to my doctor, I am 34 weeks, 5 days...still a great accomplishment! The baby (brace yourselves) is measuring a whopping 5 lb. 15 oz. as of yesterday, and has already had the steroids for her lungs. She should do great if we had to have her soon. Also, I am already progressing towards labor, which is good news for me!

The doctor said that this could happen in the next couple of days, or if we're lucky, we could buy another week or so. It's just kind of a wait-and-see game right now. I'm being seen by a cardiologist today because my heart is doing some funky things, but I don't really expect to hear that there is anything abnormal...I'm just abnormal, normally.

Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers for our little family....and a HUGE thanks to everyone who has picked up the slack and made this a manageable situation. David and I are so incredibly blessed, and Sarah Kate has no idea how many people love her already. Praise God for our friends and family!!!

Stay tuned...

A Day in the Life and SK Update

2007-06-29T15:42:00.001-07:00

The good news: I have time to blog. The bad news: I really don't have much to blog about. So, I thought I'd write about the world as I see it from my couch, or to be more accurate, what exactly I've been doing (or watching) to pass the time.

7:00 am-
Although I'm already technically awake from having to go to the bathroom about an hour ago, this is what I consider my official wake-up time. This is when David brings Collin in our room to see us, we get our morning kisses from him, and he generally entertains mefor about 20 minutes or so. We'll tune in to GMA and have the TV on for the next two hours. Although I miss Charlie a whole lot, I definitely prefer GMA to other morning news shows. Diane is a little out there for me, but that's okay- the fact that Robin is ultra-cool makes up for it. And I'm still honestly a little bitter that Bill Wier didn't get the morning gig and that it went to Chris Cuomo instead, but I have never been a Today Show fan, so I can't make the switch. As my brother-in-law, Chris pointed out years ago, Katie Couric just looks like a person that smells bad...I agree. I know she's gone now, but I still don't watch it.

9:00 am-
Unfortunately, GMA is now over and there is a huge lull in programming. The 9 o'clock hour just plain struggles. On bad days, when for some reason I forget to change the channel, Good Morning Texas will come on...agghhhhh! One perky girl, one girl who looks like she hates her job, and Gary Cogil who I thought was a movie critic...sprinkle in some Rodney Anderson appearances (what's with THAT?) and that girl from IBB Design that's always on there, and you feel like you're watching a really bad infomercial. Someone recommended Rachael Ray, but she seems like she's screaming at the camera- my BP can't take it. I might as well watch Regis and Kelly- or just gargle with acid, whichever seems to be more fun. My usual stations (TLC and Discovery Health) are picking up their good shows now (no more Chicago Hope and weird cartoons) but the chances that I've already seen the one that's playing at this time slot is pretty high. So, for the aforementioned reasons, I usually take my once-a-day shower now.

10 am-
So now we're settling in for the day. I'll usually grab my computer and sit down and check email and blogs...whilst watching Little People Big World. Now it is almost guaranteed that I have seen this episode, but I'll probably still watch/listen while I'm on the computer. The people in that family are hilarious! David and I crack up at how NNNNASTY their house always looks, and how irritated Amy always is with Matt. But Matt definitely redeems himself with the way he treats his kids. They seem like a cool family.

11 am-
Time for a BP check, and we're going to stay tuned in to TLC for What Not to Wear. I will make a quick disclaimer here. When this show started, I actually wrote into TLC, explaining that I thought it was way too mean-spirited for their network. I didn't like it at all. Now, as the show grows in popularity, their "contributors" as Stacey calls them are usually familiar with the show, and seem more excited than embarrassed. Not like the first few shows where the person was absolutely humiliated. All in all, good show! And I would LOVE to know where Carmindy gets that aerosol foundation. If anyone knows, do tell. Now I can also start thinking about lunch. Meal decisions, as well as which scent of shower gel I am going to indulge with, are some of my few highlights. Could also explain why I am just one good smellin' biggo' girl right now!

12 pm-
Lunch and possible TV break, depending on whether I can sit at the table. I usually do. Collin and I talk a little bit about the day, and we get a chance to hang out a little bit. This is a good time to take a hiatus from TV anyway...10 Years Younger is on- blah.

1 pm-
Collin is in bed, the baby shows are all on, and there's only one more hour until Divine Design. I love watching all of the shows about moms and babies. My mom, much to her dismay, usually watches along, not understanding why anyone would want to be filmed at that moment. Me, I think it's great (not the idea of being filmed personally, but the fact that someone is willing to do it!) I've kind of taken a break from Babies: Special Delivery because it freaks me out a little bit right now, but for the most part, I'll watch anything with the word "baby" or some form thereof in the title. Maybe I should have been a nurse or something...maybe not.

2 pm-
I take a break from birthin' and flip over to Divine Design...my FAV design show. I love it because, from what I understand, there is no limit on how much Candace Olson spends on these rooms, which is always fun. AND- I have never seen her do something that wasn't really cool. It's not always my personal flavor, but it is always so well done. I will admit that the intro song will wear someone out, but she can dee-dah, dee-dah dee dah-day all she wants to as far as I'm concerned. Kudos Candace, kudos!

3 pm-
Good news...baby shows are STILL on, so I've got my pick. I can either flip over to House of Babies if I have a hankerin' to see yet another water birth and watch Shari totally freak some mothers (including me) out, OR, I can watch Runway Moms. Now, RM is a little depressing to those of us who don't feel all that attractive as a pregnant woman, and a little annoying if you have to watch too much of Liza's theatrics, but it is still informational. The funny thing about this show is that you can watch it, and then notice these women in advertisements and things. Like the really cute short-haired lady with the perfect skin (who by the way makes a visit to the dermatologist because of some minuscule red bumps) - the one who has a little girl named Olive- she is on a huge advertisement at Babies R Us! I feel so "in the know." Oh- Collin is usually awake now, so we might be flipping over to watch Dora or Wonder Pets or something. Which brings me to an important question for my Noggin-watching friends...is Lenny a GIRL? Someone said that s/he is, but I'm not seeing it.

And while I'm on the subject of Noggin...a message for Moose. Listen, she's not that into you. I mean, you say that Zee is your bestest friend, and that she has a beeeeautiful name, etc. but have you noticed that she NEVER responds. She just beats the drum, and looks like she'd rather be beating her brains in. I totally believe that she can talk, but that you just freak her the heck out! I got online to play some Noggin games with Collin the other day, and there you were, talking about Zee again. I mean, seriously, what's a Moose going to do with a little blue bird anyway? It's totally obvious that you're into her, Moose. And if I can read you like a book, I'm guessing that she can too. Your little "I didn't know that Zee is azul" trick didn't fool any of us. Seriously, I've been in your shoes probably more times than I'd care to admit, so trust me when I say that it will all eventually work out. You'll find a really nice Moose-friend at some point. Until then, just work on loving YOU! Get a new hobby, start revising that ONE AND ONLY song that you sing, join a spin or improv class or something. Trust me, she's not the one for you...you both will be better off if you just go your separate ways!

4 pm-
Big decision. Oprah or Babies: Special Delivery. Depends. I'll have to make this call at the last minute.

5 pm-
Property Ladder. No question. It's like watching a train wreck! The only other thing on TV is the news...there's not even anymore Noggin now.

6 pm-
Our FAVORITE time of day- Daddy comes home!!!! (and Scrubs is on, too!) We'll usually have dinner courtesy of one of our amazingly generous friends, and then we'll settle into our nightly routine of bathing, books, and prayers with Collin.

Collin's bedtime- our bedtime
Here's a serious misfortune of bedrest in May/June/July... all of the good TV is over!!!! How sad is that? But, as far as David is concerned, it couldn't get any better...it's baseball season! I will admit that I am a much bigger baseball fan than I used to be, but watching a 3-hour game almost every night can wear a sister out! We'll compromise and sometimes watch a little Dirty Jobs or Man vs. Wild (two shows that he loves too) and sometimes he might even let me catch a little Jon & Kate plus 8 or Quintessential. But, I will also add, sometimes my usual channels struggle in the prime time hours. Jackie: 600 lb. Woman? What's with that? And Diagnosis: Unknown should be called Let Me Guess: Poison. Then all of the shows like Dr G. Medical Examiner and Skeleton Stories just freak me right on out, so I don't watch them.

11 pm- 3 am
SK and I like to argue over whether I'm actually going to get to sleep. She usually wins, and we stay up and try to find something other than TV watching to do. Which brings me to a point that I should have previously made...If you're wondering why I don't READ, it's because I've been getting bad headaches. The computer actually does the same thing (it's taken me several different computer sessions to finish this blog). Not that anyone really cares, but I don't want to seems like I'm a total loser.

So, that's it in a nutshell! Take my opinions and reviews for what they're worth- and hopefully none of you will have this much time on your hands anytime soon.

For those of you who have actually endured this pitifully long and boring post, an update on the baby...we went to the doctor on Thursday and she looks great! She actually has dropped so much that they had a hard time getting a measurement on her head- who knows, I might not have carried her full-term anyway! We'll see. She hadn't grown all that much, and I was actually measuring smaller, so I guess the enormous growth-spurt is over. She is right on track for a 34-weeker weighing in at an estimated 4 lb. 11 oz. My doctor hopes to get me to 36 weeks, but I'm aiming for 37 or 38. So, it's back to business as usual.

Here Goes Nothin'!

2007-06-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Sarah reminded me that I really have NO excuse to not be blogging...especially now. Since I am now starting my 6th straight week of bedrest, I thought that this would be a great distraction! That's exactly how we're going to look at this blog... a distraction for me. I was telling Sarah that I feel this enormous pressure to be clever, entertaining, or at least worth a read. For the record, I'm not promising anything! Here are just a few things that are going on with the Blackstocks:

1) Collin is going to be two years old in a couple of weeks which absolutely blows my mind. He moved to a big boy bed last month so that we could make room for his "Sarah Kate baby sister" as he likes to call her. He is doing really well. In fact, he would love to show any of you his new room and tell you how big and strong he is!!

As has been the case his whole life, the child is quite a talker. Just the other day he got his toy taken away because he chunked it at the table (probably an innocent consequence of his daddy doing batting practice with him in the living room on a regular basis). After his crying fit subsided, he looked at me and said, "I not do it again." I said, "Collin that's very sweet. I'm glad you are not going to throw your ball at the furniture anymore. Good boy." He follows, "Can I have my ball back now?"...good negotiator.

He has been such a trooper, also. Granted, he is constantly being entertained by friends and family, but he has also been infinitely patient with the fact that I'm confined to the bed/couch. He cries every once in a while about me not being able to do something for him, but all in all, he has been great. I am so proud of my precious boy!

2) David is wrapping up (yes, still wrapping up) our little remodeling project. He is so talented! We just have a few little details to finish before we can officially put this one in the books, and then get to the business of raising two kiddos...yikes! I'll post some pictures of our finished rooms once they're photo-ready!

Other than that, David is playing the role of super-dad like a champ! Collin has always loved his daddy, but one wonderful thing about our situation right now is watching the two of them become even closer. David and I were saying the other night that it is a true blessing to come to realize that your kids are also your favorite people. Collin and David are so much alike, and truly enjoy so many of the same things- ice cream, sports, being outside, and Dora- David LOVES Dora. I love you, sweetheart! I truly don't know how we would be doing this without you! (Does that make up for the fact that you didn't get a Father's Day card?)

3) Me, I'm up to a whole bunch of nothin'! My blood pressure is, in general, staying down- with random spikes every now and then. I have figured out what I can and cannot handle (for the most part) so hopefully Sarah Kate and I will stay healthy until her due date. She has already had steroids for her lungs, and she always looks great on the monitors and on her sonograms so we're just waiting anxiously to meet her! I'll be 34 weeks tomorrow, so please continue to pray for all of us!

Other than the medical side of things, I will give my family and friends complete credit for my being able to stay sane! On an average day, I would say that my mom is a gift. Lately, she is an absolute angel! David and I both depend on her so much, and she has truly delivered! I have never met anyone with such a servant heart, and I only wish I could be like her. The only criticism I ever have heard of my mother is that she's too nice...I sure wish that was my biggest problem! Angie and Karen (my sisters) have also been amazing. They call, bring me groceries, love on my son, and come for visits often. What a blessing to have family close by. David's family has been a great help, too! And my friends are amazing! I love you all and thank you for all of the food, company, and fun distractions... Specifically, thanks to Alyssa for introducing me to The Office- where have I been...seriously? I've never found so much joy in falling off the couch. And Sam, you're amazing for keeping up with me when you have SO much going on in your world. I love you and you are really on my mind today. I'm sending up prayers for you and your sweet family today, and thankful that you remind me that we cannot limit God! You're awesome!

Below are some pictures of our trip to San Diego that we took before the bedrest sentencing. I am so glad that we got to take this trip!! Collin was hysterical!

Collin's first trip to the beach! He didn't care at all that the water was freezing!

Collin and Daddy on a hike! (He always has the hat on, by the way. And he turns it "bakards" all by himself!)

He has no fear...none!

Does the petting zoo make everyone this happy?

Laughing at the seagulls...

They aren't quite as funny as they were five minutes ago!
Helping Daddy with the luggage!