The Perry Family

35 Weeks

2011-12-02T14:18:00.002-05:00

I am in my final weeks of pregnancy and I couldn't be more excited for this sweet baby to arrive. I can't wait to meet her, hold her, and love on her. I have been feeling really good lately. Curiousity is killing me thinking about when she will come. Will it be on Christmas? Or New Year's? Maybe I'll go into labor at one of the Christmas parties. Who knows! All I know is that our little family is anxiously awaiting her arrival!

Just a few cute pics from Summer

2011-09-08T17:58:00.005-04:00

Jordan and Iris

2011-08-24T07:03:00.005-04:00

I finally got around to taking the kids on a photo shoot. I love how the pictures turned out! They really show their little personalities, and that is what I was hoping to capture.

It's a GIRL!

2011-08-15T11:04:00.002-04:00

For the 3rd time in a row, my intuitions were wrong! We are thrilled to be expecting another little girl. The doctor has my due date as January 5th, not the 3rd as I thought. Everything is still going great with my pregnancy. I can't wait to meet this precious baby!

15 Weeks

2011-07-12T13:38:00.003-04:00

Now that I'm through my first trimester, I'm feeling MUCH better! I'm not getting sick anymore and I have a lot of my energy back. I am so happy I can say that. I'm not so happy to report this weight gain that's happening all too rapidly!! Finding clothes to wear when I go out and about has been a challenge. I refuse to wear maternity clothes this soon. We'll find out what we're having about 4 weeks from now. I'll keep you posted! :)

Happy Father's Day Honey!

2011-07-09T11:49:00.003-04:00

These videos were my gift to Mike on Father's Day. I am so blessed to have married a guy who is such an amazing daddy!

Summer

2011-07-05T13:18:00.003-04:00

Three's a charm:)

2011-06-05T21:17:00.005-04:00

In a few days I will be 10 weeks pregnant with our 3rd baby. 3rd baby!!!! I still can't believe I'm going to have three kids. This pregnancy was a HUGE surprise. To be honest, I was still on the fence as to whether or not I was having more kiddos, and then one "oops" and we're pregnant! It took me 4-5 months of "trying" to get pregnant with Jordan and Iris, and then one oops this time around and we're having another baby?! I love God's sense of humor:) When I saw that positive pregnancy test I really, truly couldn't believe it. I have been a basket case of emotions ever since....excited, nervous, and scared out of my mind! Every single day I feel like I have my hands FULL with Jordan and Iris, so the thought of juggling an infant while taking care of my toddlers seems impossible. But, I keep telling myself that it must be possible, because women do it all the time. I just need to figure out how. No doubt that I will be getting tips from those mommas of multiple children out there.

So far this pregnancy has been the most difficult of the three. I have been completely exhausted and have had an awful bout of sickness. I wasn't very sick with Jordan or Iris, but this time around I am sick all day long. My stomach just feels queasy all the time. I'm starving, yet nothing sounds good. I eat and I eat and I eat because if I don't my stomach hates me, and for that reason, this pregnancy is bound to have the most weight gain of all....yikes! I have already put on some weight and my clothes are definitely "snug," to put it nicely. For my other pregnancies maternity clothes were exciting and cute. This time around, I have no desire to step into a single maternity store. I will wear my same shirts until they can't stretch anymore. As for the pants, well, there's no way around that one. It looks like I will be supporting the attractive stretchy waistebanded pants in no time.

So my due date is Jan. 3.....a New Years baby? Mike is hoping for a 2011 baby, and if you know my husband, then you know why. Tax deduction! Many have asked if I'll be finding out what I'm having this time around since I have both a boy and a girl already. My answer? Definitely! The suspense would kill me...I am the world's biggest planner. Many have also asked which gender I'd prefer, boy or girl. To be honest, I love how different Jordan and Iris are and I think both are so much fun, so whatever this baby is will make no difference to me! My gut says I'm having a boy, but we will see. I can't wait to find out. Mike and I feel so blessed that God has given us another baby. Each and every one is such a little miracle!

So that is the scoop so far. I will keep you updated. Thanks for reading!! :)

A few random pictures

2011-05-18T09:29:00.003-04:00

Jordan had his first soccer game last Thursday. Here are the few pictures I took before the batteries in my camera died. I will take more at his next game and post them. Jordan was so funny. He didn't care much about trying to play the game, but he had a ball running around laughing and screaming as he tried to hold hands with the little girls on his team:)

Love that cute smile!

Time for an update!

2011-05-10T13:44:00.004-04:00

I admit, I do neglect my blog and this needs to change! Here is a little update on each of my kiddies.

Jordan
Jordan is loving life. He is so fun to be around. I just signed him up for preschool, which he will start this Fall, but I sure will miss having him around all the time. Tears have already been shed (my tears that is) over him going to "school" and it hasn't even started yet. We also signed him up for soccer, which starts this Thursday. Again, I about cried when he tried on his little soccer shorts, shin guards, and cleats. Why does he have to look so old??? :( I'm excited for Jordan to start experiencing new things, and I know that it will be so good for him, but I can't help but get emotional. He has been my little buddy for 3 years, always by my side. And now, he's starting to do things on his own. I wish time would slow down!

Iris
Iris is 19 months old now. She's still my adventurous one. Believe it or not, she is the leader and Jordan loves to follow. Of course you'd think it would be the other way around being that Jordan is almost 2 years older than her. Nope. Iris loves to take risks....she loves to try new things. At 19 months old, Iris has a vocabulary that consists of these words:

Momma
Dadda
hat (FAVORITE word)
hot
caca (cracker)
up
mo (more)
hi
ba-ba (bye bye)
ball
eye
nana (banana)
bow (bowl)

My little bean is finally starting to get some hair! She's going to be a toehead just like Jordan, and I'm hoping she gets a few of her daddy's curls! New pictures are coming soon....

Easter

2011-04-25T18:38:00.004-04:00

In Memory of my Grandpa

2011-03-17T10:39:00.004-04:00

For as long as I can remember, Grandpa has always been “Paky”. As I recall, it was my cousin, Brandy, who came up with this name. Growing up, I didn't think much of it...it's all I ever knew. As I got older, I began to realize how unique it was. Now, thinking back, I wouldn't have it any other way. A unique nickname only fits a unique grandpa, and I love that he was our “Paky”.

I will never forget the times my parents would leave us to stay the night with Hermie and Paky. Grant and I were just in elementary school. Paky would sit us at the kitchen table and make us a cup of coffee. He would load it with milk and sugar, so it tasted good to us. Grant and I thought we were something else. The four of us would sit there drinking coffee while Paky would convince us to take a few puffs of his cigar. We got the biggest kick out of it. Paky would laugh and laugh. He would always say, “Now when your mom and dad come to pick you up, don't you guys go squealing on me.”

When morning came, Paky would give us a buck and take us to the candy store to spend our money. He would sit in the van while we ran in the store to fill up our small brown bags with as much candy as our dollar would get us. When we came back out, he'd ask to see how much we bought. I will never forget those days. Life was so simple when it was spent with them...simple, yet never dull. We all know that with Paky, there was never a dull moment.

More than anything, I will miss his laugh. He had a laugh that could be heard from miles away. He laughed more than anyone I've ever known. I will miss all of his crazy nicknames for people. I will miss him poking fun at everyone he spoke to. So often we hear the saying “they're a one of kind”, but with Paky there couldn't be more truth in that saying.

Paky, I love you and I will miss you.

(This is what I read at the funeral.)

This was our last picture together....taken at Thanksgiving.

Just too cute!

2011-02-18T16:11:00.001-05:00

Check out our new playroom!

2011-02-02T13:55:00.005-05:00

My latest project has been creating a playroom for the kids. This is the family room in our basement. We used to have a couch and some chairs in here to watch tv or hang out. I took out all the furniture and tried to create a more purposeful space for the kids. I'm not quite finished yet, as I still have some art I will be hanging on the walls to give it a more finished look. The kids and I have been spending a lot of time in here. Mike was quite the handyman and made the whiteboard you see. We purchased shower tile board from Home Depot, nailed it to the wall, put some wood trim around it, and voila! I'm excited that the kids now have their own space to learn and play!

I love moments like this.

2011-02-01T15:52:00.002-05:00

This is how I found them watching cartoons. So sweet:)

Updates on my munchkins

2011-01-27T21:42:00.011-05:00

It's been awhile since I've updated! I have actually tried to upload new pictures onto my blog a number of times, but every time I try, blogger says there has been an error. I may need to switch to a different site. Anyhow, here is an update on each of my kiddos!

Jordan
Last month Jordan celebrated his 3rd birthday. He looks and acts so much older. He is speaking so well and can carry on a good conversation with me. I love our talks. Jordan is still my little sweetheart. He has had a caring and tender heart from the time he started talking. He always seems to notice when someone is sad, including animals. He'll say, "Awww, look Momma, that dog looks so sad. Awww, why is he sad?" He says this with the most sympathetic voice. He also still randomly comes up to me throughout the day, gives me a big hug and says "I love you Momma." More often than not, this happens during those times when I need it most. Jordan shows so much affection to Mike and I, and even Iris. He loves to give hugs and kisses and snuggle up close to us. So many times I lie in bed at night realizing he won't be little forever. Lately, this has been a really hard thing for me to grasp. I can't tell you how many times I have said to Jordan, "Don't grow up, okay?" And just today his reply was this, "Okay...but I have to eat my carrots, and peas, and pears...right Momma?" I laughed because at the dinner table, we always tell Jordan he must eat these things if he wants to grow up big like Daddy. I am so blessed that God has given me such a precious little boy....so blessed.

Iris
Oh Miss Iris:) She is now 16 months old and full of life. This little girl makes me smile over and over and over again. She is my Miss Independant. She knows what she wants and there's no stopping her until she gets it. I always say that Jordan came out of the womb and hasn't let go of me since. Iris came out of the womb and hasn't looked back. Does that make me sad? Yes, I wish Iris acted as though she needed me a little more, but I've had so much fun watching such different personalities in my kids. At 16 months old, Iris is a very active little girl. She is always on the go and it is so hard to get her to sit still (unless she's cuddling up to me with her blankie in her hand and her thumb in her mouth.) Iris is a BIG eater. I mean, this girl can eat! I can't remember a time that Iris stopped eating because she seemed full....I always have to cut her off! She has a belly to prove it:) As for talking, she just started saying a few words aside from mama and dadda. Her new words are up, da (for dog), caca (for cracker), ha (for hi), and mo (for more.) And my little darling still hasn't much hair! Good thing I pierced her ears:) I love my little bean. She is my sunshine every morning!

FLORIDA!

2010-12-13T07:49:00.015-05:00

Here are some pictures of our trip to Florida. We had a great visit with my mom and a ton of fun at Disney World. We were able to go to all four Disney parks, and we walked around Downtown Disney a number of times. We also celebrated Jordan's 3rd birthday and Christmas with my mom. The kids received lots of disney toys from Grandma! Thanks Mom for everything!!

Here we are waiting at the airport. We didn't check on any luggage. Please try to picture what we looked like going through security. In tote we had a double stroller, 2 diaper bags, 3 suitcases, and 2 carseats....oh yeah, and two kids! It was interesting and we had many looks from people in the airport.

The kids did pretty well on the airplane. Iris was antsy for the first 45 minutes or so, but once she settled down, both kids fell asleep for a bit.

When we arrived at Grandma's house, you would have thought Santa had been there!

We were so excited to go to Disney World!!!

Pinocchio was the first character we ran into. The kids weren't quite sure what to think!

Pluto was next, and both Jordan and Iris had smiles on their faces as we waited in line to see him.

Love the castle...I think it's my favorite part about Disney World. It's so magical! :)

Here we are getting ready to enter Minnie's house. I wish I lived there....it's so cute!

This is a show on the stage of the castle. It's AWESOME.

We were watching the parade and Iris was pointing at everything she saw.

Breakfast time at Grandma's.

Chip and Dale:)

The kids LOVED the jumping water!

The dragon is in front of Lego Land at Downtown Disney. The entire thing is made of legos...pretty amazing!

And here are the lego dogs...

The line to see Buzz and Woody was long, so we decided not to wait to meet them. Instead, Jordan was glued to the window watching their every move. Woody spotted Jordan and came up to the glass to wave and give him a high five. I'm sure this was a highlight of the trip for Jordan:)

The lights at Hollywood Studios were amazing. What you see here is only a small portion of them.

Lightening McQueen!! Definitely a favorite of Jordan's!

And Mater too, of course.

Iris was passed out as we enjoyed a delicious Indian meal.

Iris at 14 months old

2010-11-23T16:36:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-03T16:02:00.005-04:00

Go Bluuuuue!

2010-10-14T10:17:00.003-04:00

This was Iris's 1st Michigan game and Jordan's 3rd. If possible, we're going to try and take the kids to one game each year. Jordan was a ham for the fans around us. They were tossing the football back and forth with him, sharing their popcorn, giving him high fives, and making him laugh over and over again. We had to confine Iris to the baby carrier because she's so squirmy. She lasted for about half of the game and then she wanted nothing to do with being in those bleachers. It sure was a chilly day, but fun to go to a game!

*On a side note, Jordan has learned the Michigan fight song and sings it wherever we go. It is so funny. We'll be walking through the store and Jordan starts pumping his fist in the air singing "Hail, Hail to Michigan..." People get a kick out of it, and those that don't must be state fans;)

Happy 1st Birthday Iris!

2010-09-20T08:55:00.011-04:00

This day is so bittersweet for me. I cannot believe it has already been one year since Iris came into this world. I remember the day of her birth like it was yesterday, and I think I always will. At 4am on September 20th my water broke while I was sound asleep. We were out the door within 15 minutes and on our way to the University of Michigan Hospital. Contractions were coming hard and close together on the drive over. I just kept praying we would make it there quickly and safely. Mike wheeled me into labor and delivery. I will never forget how I felt when I stood up from that wheel chair to get my hospital gown on. The pain was so intense. The nurse checked me and I was dilated to 7cm and 100% effaced. She asked if I wanted an epidural and my answer was "YES!!!" While I laid on the hospital bed, she pushed me down the long hall into another room. I can so vividly remember how everything played out. A doctor came in to ask some questions. I was in such pain that I couldn't even concentrate on what was being asked, let alone actually give the answers to her questions. The nurse told me they would send an anesthesiologist in right away to give me an epidural. Just a few minutes later, someone popped in the door to say the anesthesiologist was tied up in an emergency surgery and wouldn't get to me for an hour or so. I clearly remember shouting "You've got to be kidding me!!" I honestly didn't think I was going to make it. I wasn't having any breaks between contractions. The nurse was going to give me some morphine to take the edge off until they brought the epidural, but right before she did, the doctor decided she would check me again due to the amount of pain I was in. Might I remind you that I was just checked only 10 minutes before this. She said "I'm going to wash up, and then I'll see where you're at. Just let me know if you feel the urge to push." Not even 10 seconds later, I yelled to the doctor from across the room, "I think I need to push!!" I won't forget the look on Mike's face. We had just gotten to the hospital and we're already going to have a baby?! The doctor rushed over to check me. I was 10cm and ready to go. She told the nurses there was no time for any kind of pain relief (meaning no morphine, and certainly no epidural). I remember thinking there was no way I could push this baby out 100% naturally...NO WAY. But, after 4 or 5 pushes, Iris came into this world. It was the most amazing thing ever. I have never experienced such immediate relief. I was overjoyed to meet my baby girl. I looked up at Mike. He had tears slowly rolling down his face as he watched them take Iris over to check her vitals. He kissed me and said, "You did it honey. I'm so proud of you." They brought Iris to me right away. She was so precious and perfect. I remember how she immediately calmed down and quit crying when they placed her in my arms. That moment is one I will never forget.

This past year has flown by much too quickly, and that is why today is so bittersweet. My sweet little baby is no longer little. She is starting to walk and talk and play like a big girl. Iris is such a blessing and a true gift from God. I thank God for her every single day. I love you my sweet little Iris!!

First steps!

2010-09-10T07:35:00.006-04:00

For the past week or so, Iris has been determined to stand up on her own without holding onto something. It seems like everytime I turn around, she'll be in the middle of a room trying to balance herself on those wobbly little legs. Well, as of the past few days, she can now stand up and stay standing for maybe 3-5 seconds. She is so proud of herself when she's standing there, grinning ear to ear. Mike started standing Iris against the couch and then she would try and walk to him. She's starting to take a few steps before falling. She has a ball trying this over and over again. I love this age!!

My little sweethearts

2010-08-26T14:30:00.001-04:00

11 months old

2 years old

Iris at 10 1/2 months old

2010-08-12T05:31:00.007-04:00

It seems impossible to think Iris will be a year old soon. This past year has gone by so fast and I get incredibly sad thinking about it. Anyways, I thought it was time to give an update on our little bean...so here it is.
*Iris is not what I would call "laid-back". This little girl is always on the go. She will not stay in her stroller when we're out and about. Every time I turn around to look at her, she has wiggled her way out of her seatbelt and is standing up. She is rarely content being carried in my arms through a store...she squirms every which way, trying desperately to escape. Put those two things together and you might realize how impossible it is to have a relaxed outing with my energetic 10 month old.
*Iris now eats just about everything we eat. A few of her favorite foods seem to be eggs, toast, bananas, and yogurt.
*Since I last posted, 4 more teeth have popped through, giving her a grand total of 8 teeth!! Is it just me or does that seem like a lot of teeth for a baby under 1??
*Cruising along furniture is a new favorite hobby. Iris likes to stand more than she sits. She has started to take steps while holding onto my fingers. I know it won't be long now and that makes me sad!! When a baby starts walking on their own, they're not a baby anymore! I'm not ready for this:(
*Iris has finally started saying "Momma" every once in awhile, though "Dadda" is still her favorite thing to say. When Mike walks out of the room after talking to her, she'll often shout "Dadda!" It is the cutest thing.
*If you ask Miss Iris how old she is, she'll hold up her little pointer finger to show you she is (almost) 1 year old! I love this new trick of hers.

I think that's all for now. I will post some new pictures of her soon. In the meantime, here's some I took a few weeks ago.

(I would like to add that most of the pictures I put on the blog are unedited photos taken with my point-and-shoot. There's enough editing on my plate without adding all the fun photos I take of my kids:) I'm afraid that if I waited to post their pictures until they were edited, I would never update my blog!!

My little ball of energy

2010-07-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

Summer!

2010-06-28T13:18:00.007-04:00

9 Months Old!

2010-06-20T20:13:00.002-04:00

Proud to announce....

2010-06-11T21:12:00.005-04:00

that Jordan is potty-trained!!! I started getting him used to the potty a couple months ago, but didn't commit to "training" him until just a few weeks ago. I decided to go out and buy the potty that plays music everytime you go. Jordan thought that was pretty neat. Every time he peed and that music started playing, he got the biggest and proudest smile across his face. It was so funny. I also rewarded him with an m&m whenever he went potty, and trust me, he never lets me forget that I owe him that m&m:) Most times he hasn't even finished peeing and he's saying "I get m&m!!" I think it only took one full day of potty bootcamp:) for him to catch on to it. After that first day, he started telling me whenever he had to go potty and now, many times he'll go all on his own. Up until today, he wouldn't poop on the potty, only in his diaper (usually during naptime) or occasionally he would have accidents in his undies. However, this evening I ran to Target by myself for an hour and when I got home, Jordan came running to the door saying, "Momma, I went poo-poo in the potty!! Come look!" I never thought I could get so excited about seeing poop! Definitely the highlight of the week:)

One day he's going to kill me for this, but I couldn't resist!

8 1/2 Months Old

2010-06-09T10:35:00.002-04:00

A little update on Iris...
*She now has 4 teeth. Her big grin is just so cute.
*She's still refusing formula, and she doesn't nurse all that well. Her milk intake is low. I'm going to talk to the doctor about it at her next appointment. I'm not sure what to do.
*She now pulls herself to her feet. She loves to stand up.
*She rarely eats any baby food, mostly just table foods. Whenever I try and give her baby food, she spits it right back out. She eats things like small pieces of chicken, sweet potatoes, peas, toast, crackers, pears, peaches, applesauce, cheese, pasta, and eggs. She LOVES crackers. Whenever I get the box out, she starts kicking her legs and flailing her arms in excitement.
*She says "Dada dada dada dada" all the time. That's the only thing she's saying right now. We're working on "Mama" though:)
*She takes 3-4 naps a day, but only sleeps for an hour or less at a time. I've tried to get her to take less naps and sleep longer, but I guess she likes her way better.

Our trip to the zoo

2010-06-04T21:21:00.007-04:00

We took the kids to the Toledo Zoo a few weeks ago and they absolutely loved it. Jordan was so excited to see all the animals. He's still talking about the goat. Of all the animals he got to see...tigers, elephants, polar bears, gorillas...I think his favorite was the goat. Oh, and the ducks. He was fascinated by the ducks. He cracks me up.

Family picture!

The polar bear cub was born on Jordan's birthday!

Checking out the giraffes and zebras.

Jordan LOVED the ducks. He really wanted to pet one.

There's the rhino!

Quick diaper change for Miss Iris...

There he is....Mr. goat!

Mike was letting the goat lick Iris's toes. Yuck!

Jordan was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day. He was falling asleep in the wagon as we pulled him out to the car. I couldn't help but snap a picture of him before we put him in his carseat. Such a sweet little guy.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T21:42:00.010-04:00

Mike and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on Friday! We spent the afternoon golfing....it was a beautiful day and it was so nice to relax and enjoy each others company:) Saturday we headed to Frankenmuth for the weekend. Every year on Memorial Day weekend, they hold this big dog show/festival. This was our second year going to it. We had such a fun trip. We spent our time watching the "big air" competition (where dogs compete in long jump off the dock), seeing the hot air balloons, eating an amazing chicken dinner at the famous Zender's, shopping at the Birch Run Outlets, visiting the cute little shops of downtown Frankenmuth, playing at Zender's Splash Village (an indoor waterpark), and shopping at the Howell Outlets on the way home. I posted pictures of most of our trip, but unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of the kids at Splash Village! :( I wish I would have because that place is amazing . God has blessed me with the most amazing family!

The only picture I have of Splash Village...It's so much fun!

Breakfast at Splash Village

Jordan loved the big nutcrackers.

Family pic in front of the Bavarian Inn

As long as she has that thumb and blankie, she's one happy camper:)

The band

This is what they call "the circle of friendship"...

We all held hands and sang songs like "American the Beautiful" and "How Great Thou Art".

"Arrrgh Mate!"

Mmmm...Zender's has the best chicken!!

Jordan was zonked out after a lonnng day!

Here is Jordan on one of his many attempts to escape!

Mike and I get the biggest kick out of Jordan when he walks along with his hands in his pocket. What a little man!

Here we are watching the white peacock.

Iris is in awe of the balloons!
p

Iris is trying to sneak some water from Jordan's cup before he catches her.

Jordan LOVED watching those balloons "way up high" as he kept saying!

Easter Pictures

2010-05-18T10:26:00.002-04:00

8 months old (in a few days:)

2010-05-17T11:37:00.005-04:00

She's on the move!

2010-05-09T19:21:00.014-04:00

Iris is 7 1/2 months old now! This past week, she really started moving around. She's all over the place! Here are some pictures of her crawling. She is definitely my adventurous one. She's curious about everything she sees and she will go after it every time.
My next bit of news is that 3 little teeth have made their appearance! I knew one was coming in, but I was quite surprised to see the other two. She now has 2 bottom teeth and one top tooth. This all happened in a week's worth of time. Poor thing!
I've started giving Iris puffs and a few table foods. She loves to try new things. She's tried little bits of pancake, pieces of banana, and ice cream. The girl is like a baby bird when you give her ice cream. It is too funny!

Playing outside

2010-05-02T20:51:00.003-04:00

splish splash they were taking a bath...

2010-04-27T11:42:00.004-04:00

This was the first time Iris took a bath in the big tub! She loved watching Jordan splash around. They were so cute together!

Iris at 7 months!

2010-04-23T08:13:00.003-04:00

I know, my blog has been picture crazy lately! I just have so many pictures from the last few weeks and I feel behind if I don't get them on the blog. I took these pictures of Iris yesterday. She turned 7 months old this week! She continues to change every single day. She's sooo close to crawling. She has mastered the army crawl and makes her way across the room every time I put her down. She looks like a clumsy little inchworm....it's so cute. She also has her first tooth in! I wish time would slow down some!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-22T12:42:00.004-04:00

Jordan looked for Easter eggs in Grandma's backyard with his cousins, Jack and Lilly. They found lots of candy-filled eggs! We still have a stash in the cupboard. Good thing Jordan doesn't know where it's hidden! Candy just magically appears from time to time:)

Boys will be boys

2010-04-19T14:37:00.006-04:00

Having a boy is so much fun! Jordan is already a sports nut. That's all he wants to do. I think his favorite sports are baseball and golf. He was so funny swinging his golf club in the yard the other day. He would put his ball on the tee, line his club up, pause, and then take this big swing and wack the ball across the yard. Mike and I were cracking up because nobody taught him to swing like that...he must have seen it on tv. Jordan loves to watch golf. How is a 2 year old entertained by golf on tv?! I'll never forget the first time Mike was showing Jordan how to putt the ball. Mike said, "Ok buddy, make sure you keep your eye on the ball." Without hesitation, Jordan got down on the ground and put his eyeball right on the ball. It was hilarious! Mike and I couldn't stop laughing about it. And as for baseball, anything and everything becomes a baseball bat. Whenever we play baseball and Jordan misses the ball, he says "Nice try!" or "Almost!" He's just too funny.

Easter Morning

2010-04-16T14:20:00.003-04:00

Coloring Easter Eggs

2010-04-13T08:44:00.004-04:00

Good friends...Good times...

2010-04-10T19:48:00.004-04:00

Our good friends, Rob and Mariah, came for a visit Easter weekend. As always, we had a great time with them! We spent most of the weekend in Ann Arbor, walking around and eating good food:) Jordan loved playing with "Uncle Bobby" and "Aunt Riah". Thanks guys for coming out! Come back soon;)

Iris at 6 1/2 months old

2010-04-06T07:11:00.005-04:00

At 6 months old, Iris is such an alert and active baby! She loves to be where the action is. I lay her down on the floor to play and she rolls...and rolls...and rolls. She can get to whatever she sets her eyes on by rolling, turning, and inching herself to the object, even if it's something clear across the room. It is so funny to watch her. If I put her in her bouncer and don't strap her in, within seconds she flips herself over and inches her way out of it and onto the ground.
Iris is now sitting up on her own. She likes to sit there and play with her toys or roll the ball back and forth to Jordan. She's also eating 3 meals a day, which she loves! I think her favorites are carrots and applesauce. She's still nursing every 3-4 hours. I've tried giving her a few bottles of formula to see how she'd do and she hates it. She takes one drink and she's done. Looks like we may be nursing longer than I anticipated!
Iris has been more vocal the past month or so. She likes to say "da da da da." She makes so many cute noises. In fact, as I'm typing this, she's in her jumparoo talking up a storm.
Here are a few pictures from last week. Isn't she precious?

How is this possible?

2010-03-30T09:26:00.003-04:00

This seems like just yesterday....

And this WAS just yesterday....

St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-26T20:48:00.004-04:00

For St. Patrick's Day, Jordan and I made cupcakes with green frosting. Jordan, of course, loved licking the utensils. Mmmm!

Who doesn't love rainbow chip cake batter?!

And what's better than that?....Rainbow chip frosting! (colored green!)

"Are they done yet??"

Finished product:)

This was only the beginning. He asked for cupcakes everyday until they were gone!

He loves being a big brother!

2010-03-24T11:38:00.002-04:00

I love this picture:)

Happy Birthday Emmy:)

2010-03-17T14:43:00.002-04:00

On Monday our pooch turned 5 years old! We got her when she was just a puppy, so it is hard to believe she is five already! Mike tossed our leftover meat into her dog dish and we sang Happy Birthday. Jordan got a kick out of it. Good times...good times...

Knitted Gifts from Aunt Pauline

2010-03-15T21:29:00.004-04:00

Happy March!

2010-03-15T16:49:00.006-04:00

My Little Picasso

2010-03-08T13:21:00.001-05:00

Play time!

2010-03-05T14:22:00.001-05:00

Underwear Model

2010-02-26T15:34:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago we put Jordan in underwear for the first time. We thought we were going to start potty-training him, but that lasted all but 2 hours before we realized we didn't have enough underwear to keep it going. When I'll start again, I'm not sure. I need some motivation in that area! Anyways, Jordan was so cute in his Lightening McQueen undies. These pictures crack me up....my little underwear model:)

Coffee shop

2010-02-24T08:17:00.002-05:00

5 months old!

2010-02-23T19:19:00.005-05:00

Here is Iris just hanging out while I warm up her food.

And here she is in the middle of bites. Must.Have.That.Thumb!

She was introduced to the exersaucer this past weekend and it's her new favorite toy!

At 5 months old, Iris is becoming much more playful. She loves to play with toys or anything she can get her hands on for that matter. And of course EVERYTHING goes into her mouth! She also loves to be on her tummy. I put her down on her back and within a matter of seconds she has rolled over. The exersaucer, bebepod, and jumperoo have become new activities she really enjoys.
Teething is also a new hobby of hers. Although nothing has popped through yet, her gums are white and she's showing every sign of having her first chompers very soon.
Eating rice cereal and bananas has now become a morning ritual, though Miss Iris never seems to be all that interested, so most of it ends up down the drain. I'm going to start her on sweet potatoes in the next few days...maybe she'll find those to be more satisfying!

Just another day:)

2010-02-16T22:33:00.002-05:00

Cute story: We went to church this past Sunday but decided to only stayed for worship. We thought it would be a good idea to sneak out during prayer so we wouldn't be a distraction. As we were quietly walking out of the sanctuary, Jordan turns around and yells "Bye Jesus!" It was the cutest thing I have ever heard. When we got out the doors, Mike explained to him that we weren't leaving Jesus because He lives in our hearts. I just love that little boy of mine...too cute:)

First taste of food!

2010-02-08T15:36:00.005-05:00

Iris had her first taste of rice cereal this weekend. She was so funny...she kept grabbing at the bowl for more. I'm excited for her to try some tastier foods in the coming weeks!

Boy oh boy

2010-02-05T14:30:00.002-05:00

I was in the kitchen for a minute while Jordan was playing with Iris. I walked back into the living room to find her like this....lol. Jordan gets a kick out of making Iris look funny....and we all know, it's only just begun!

Reading to baby sister

2010-02-03T13:23:00.004-05:00

Jordan wanted to read Iris a book. It was so cute watching him show her what everything was. Iris LOVES it when Jordan talks to her. He gets her to smile every time!

Pretty girl:)

2010-02-01T12:20:00.005-05:00

Here she is just moments BEFORE...

Of course she was comforted by her trusty thumb!

And here's the little beauty AFTER! :)

Well after giving it lots of thought for the past few weeks, we went out and had Iris's ears pierced. I think she looks adorable with her little earrings!!

4 months old

2010-01-28T10:23:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe that Iris is 4 months old! At her doctor appointment last week she weighed 13 lbs. I looked in Jordan's scrapbook and at his 4 month visit he weighed 16 lbs! Iris is now rolling over quite a bit and she's also grabbing at toys. She nurses every 2-3 hours and still sleeps randomly throughout the day. At night she wakes once or twice to nurse for a few minutes and then falls right back to sleep. I need to break her of this habit very soon. I keep saying I'm going to do it, but then 3 am rolls around, I'm exhausted and I don't want her crying to wake Jordan up so I just nurse her real quick and then she sleeps with me the rest of the night. Another bad habit! Ah well, when it's your second, you do whatever it takes to make sure everyone is getting sleep! It's funny how laid back I am this time around....no routines, we just go with the flow!

So sweet

2010-01-20T14:40:00.002-05:00

I love this picture of Jordan talking to his baby sister....so sweet.

Sleeping beauty

2010-01-14T13:09:00.003-05:00

I knew these pictures of Iris seemed like deja vu. Check out the pictures of Jordan as a baby (below.) I think it's safe to say they look like brother and sister.

Flower Girl

2010-01-07T13:20:00.006-05:00

Iris is now 3 1/2 months old. She's such a good baby...just as sweet as can be. This past week we drove out to Colorado and back (22 hours each way) and she rarely made a peep! She's a very content baby, especially since she discovered her thumb....yes, she's a little thumb-sucker! I'm not sure what to think about that. She looks adorable sucking her thumb and she has mastered the art of self-soothing, which I LOVE being Jordan wasn't very good at that. I'm hoping we won't have too hard of a time breaking the habit down the road though. Any advice on that matter would be greatly appreciated!

These flower pot pictures are from about a month ago but I hadn't gotten around to posting them. Based on the pictures above you can see how much she's changed in just the past month!

Smiley Girl

2009-12-16T08:31:00.002-05:00

Getting bigger by the day!

2009-12-10T15:08:00.002-05:00

Iris at 2 Months Old

2009-12-08T14:06:00.002-05:00

Here is Iris at 2 months old. She has changed so much in the last month. She's now smiling and cooing at us quite often. She loves to be talked to and still loves to be held. She's gotten over her "fussy" stage and hasn't had the discomfort that she had when she was first born. She's still nursing around the clock, usually every 1 1/2-2 hours! She's a fast nurser though, so I don't really mind. I can't believe how fast she's growing. It seems like each week she looks so much bigger than the week before. She's fitting into her 3 month clothes really well now and will probably even move to her 3-6 month clothes very soon here. Mike and I always comment on how sweet she is. I think she already has us both wrapped around her little finger.

Jordan's 2nd Birthday!

2009-12-07T11:54:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday Jordan!

2009-12-01T14:28:00.011-05:00

On December 3, 2007 at 9:03 p.m. Jordan Michael Perry came into the world...

Two years ago today my life changed. I became what I had always hoped to be...a mother. God has blessed me with the most amazing little boy. Jordan is full of life. I have watched him go from a sweet little infant to an energetic toddler. He loves to laugh and has a personality that can light up a room. It's only been two years, but I can't remember life without him. Happy Birthday sweet boy...I love you!!!

Iris and Daddy

2009-11-26T18:35:00.003-05:00

Here is Iris at 2 months old!

Iris's Room

2009-11-18T12:44:00.004-05:00

I promised to post pictures of Iris's bedroom once I had the curtains hung...so here it is! Isn't it cute? *Sorry about the picture quality...not the greatest, but you get the idea.*

He's almost 2!

2009-11-14T14:50:00.002-05:00

In just a few weeks Jordan will be 2 years old! He's looking and acting so much older these days! He still loves to talk and has a vocabulary that blows my mind. His memory never ceases to amaze me either. He remembers everything he hears, even if he only hears it once. Jordan has become a lot more independant since Iris has been born, and he's also become quite the show-off when company is around. Sports have become his latest interest. He loves to play basketball, soccer, golf, and his newest, hockey. He also loves to watch sport on tv. He constantly asks for us to turn on a baseball game or football game. Mike took him to the Michigan game last week and he just loved it. He had a ball with the chants. Anyways, that's the little update on Jordan!

Love her little expressions

2009-11-08T21:39:00.002-05:00

I just had to post this picture really quick. It's from a few weeks ago, but I love her little expression.

Sweet girl :)

2009-11-05T10:19:00.001-05:00

6 weeks old

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-02T09:47:00.004-05:00

Jordan's new glasses

2009-10-30T12:02:00.003-04:00

Grandpa Tom (my dad) with the kids.

My dad had his glasses sitting on top of his head, so Jordan thought he'd do the same. Too cute!

Mike accidentally broke his glasses, so he taped them back together and gave them to Jordan to play with. Jordan loves to wear them around the house. It's hilarious!

1 month old

2009-10-26T14:01:00.002-04:00

It's so hard to believe Iris is over a month old already! She has changed so much since the first week she was home. She's now awake almost the entire day...this girl rarely sleeps! Iris is quite the eater, as you can tell from the pictures:) She's eating every 2 hours, sometimes sooner. She reminds me of Jordan at this age. He was always a big eater as well and put on baby chub very quickly! Iris is definitely fussier than Jordan was though. Unless she's held every second that she's awake, she is not a happy camper! And even when she's held, she fusses a lot from what I think is gas. I'm sure it's also due to the fact that she has a bowel movement only once every 4 or 5 days. Last night Mike ran to Meijer to get some Karo Syrup, which is what the doctor recommended I try giving her. I put a little in a bottle mixed with breastmilk, but she hardly drank any of the bottle. She was so uncomfortable last night. We felt so bad for her! :( That's the update with Iris. We sure are loving her to pieces. She's just a little doll!

Go Blue!

2009-10-24T18:34:00.003-04:00

Jordan loves Michigan football. He shouts "Go Blue!" just about every day and he loves to wear his jersey on game days. He calls it his "go blue shirt." He also loves to play with his football!

Grandma Visits!

2009-10-23T12:16:00.004-04:00

My mom was home from Florida all last week. It was great to see her. Of course she spoiled the kids with lots of neat Disney things! Jordan had a lot of fun with "Nema," which is what he calls her:) They carved a Micky Mouse pumpkin, read books, and colored on his new chalkboard. Thanks Mom for the visit and thanks for the fun toys! We love you!

Jordan's 1st trip to the ER

2009-10-19T10:25:00.002-04:00

Last night was the scariest night I've had as a mom. Mike and Jordan were working on his train set at the dining room table. Jordan was on his knees on the chair when he slipped, hitting his chin hard on the table. When Mike picked him up, he noticed his bottom teeth had gone completely through the skin under his bottom lip. I panicked for a few seconds, but immediately started praying for God to take away his pain. Mike did an amazing job of comforting Jordan while I drove to the hospital. Jordan was so strong and didn't seem to be in too much pain. God is so faithful!! Jordan ended up having the wound glued shut instead of stitches. Another praise! I can't imagine my little guy having to go through the trauma of getting stitches on his face. This morning he seems to be doing well. He's running around the house like a wild man as if nothing ever happened. That was quite an experience for all of us last night, but I'm so thankful Jordan is okay!

Kiddos

2009-10-19T08:34:00.002-04:00

Flavor Fruit Farms

2009-10-11T17:19:00.003-04:00

10 Days Old

2009-10-01T22:30:00.001-04:00

Jordan's First Haircut

2009-09-27T22:29:00.003-04:00

He's such a big boy!

2009-09-27T21:03:00.005-04:00

I cannot believe how grown up Jordan seems since I brought Iris home. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. It's true what everyone says...they grow up way too fast! He got his first haircut this weekend. I'm still trying to get used to him without his cute little waves going every which way:( This little guy just melts my heart.

I'm a big brother!

2009-09-26T19:55:00.002-04:00

Jordan LOVES his baby sister. All throughout the day he is walking by her saying "Hi baby Iris" or standing by her side with the biggest smile on his face. He must always know where she is and if he can't find her, he'll say "Iris go?" He also loves to be a helper and get diapers for her when she needs changed. Today was the first time he held her and he thought it was the neatest thing! I'm going to love watching the two of them grow up together.

Iris at 2 days old

2009-09-22T19:24:00.003-04:00

Iris has been such a good baby so far. She rarely cries unless she's hungry. She definitely has her days and nights confused though. Last night she was awake every hour. I'm hoping she'll do a little better tonight. I love to snuggle with her...she's the sweetest thing!

Iris Elizabeth

2009-09-21T14:28:00.010-04:00

Yesterday (Sept. 20th) at 4:00 a.m. my water broke. We were out the door in about 15 minutes and arrived at U of M hospital around 5:00 a.m. My contractions were coming quick and getting very strong on the drive over. By the time we arrived and they got me into a room, I was having contractions one after another and the pain was unbearable. I knew things were moving extremely fast. They checked my cervix around 5:10 and I was 7cm and 100% effaced. In a matter of about 10 minutes they quickly wheeled my bed into a delivery room, popped my IV in, and I felt the urge to push. The doctor checked my cervix again about 5:20 and quickly yelled to the nurses "We have a baby coming!" I pushed for 10 minutes and Iris Elizabeth was born at 5:35 a.m., weighing 8lbs. 1oz. and measuring just about 20 inches long. We just barely made it to the hospital in time. I can't imagine what my story would be if we would have hit some traffic or construction on the way there! I'm still trying to process everything. It was so fast. There wasn't any time for an epidural or any kind of pain relief for that matter. I never thought I would deliver a baby naturally, but in a case like that, you have no choice. I will say that pain was something I can't even put into words, but what I felt afterwards made every bit of the pain so worth it. This little girl is so precious and such an awesome blessing from God. I'll be posting a lot more pictures throughout the week.

In case you're wondering...

2009-09-17T14:56:00.005-04:00

I'm still pregnant:)

Well, I thought this little girl was coming a week ago...guess I was wrong! I had another doctor's appt. on Monday and I was still 3cm dilated and 50% effaced. I thought for sure that with all the contractions I'd been having, I MUST have progressed. Oh no, not the case. This waiting game is cruel! Of course I wake up every morning wondering if today is the day, so I clean up my house for the five billionth time, make sure my bags are ready to go, and WAIT. Oh well, she'll come when she's ready. Say a prayer for us:)

Waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

2009-09-13T14:27:00.002-04:00

I went to my 37 week appointment on Wednesday (4 days ago now!) and found out I was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced. That evening I started having more frequent contractions than I had been. In fact, for about an hour there, most of them were 5-7 minutes apart. We almost headed to the hospital, but when I got home, they calmed down quite a bit. I have been having contractions since, but nothing as regular as those and nothing painful, just uncomfortable. I have my bags packed and the house clean - now it's just a waiting game! I started reading online and some women will just sit at 3cm for a few weeks! Ahh! I have another appointment tomorrow, so I'm hoping I've continued to progress...fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted.

37 Weeks Pregnant!

2009-09-07T07:35:00.002-04:00

Only 3 short weeks left! I am SO EXCITED to meet my little girl!

33 Weeks Pregnant!

2009-08-12T11:48:00.005-04:00

This pregnancy has flown by. I can't believe that in 7 short weeks or less, we will have a new baby!! I'm starting to feel more and more ready for this next chapter in our lives. It's just crazy to think I'm going to be a mommy of two! We finished painting the nursery last week. The color is called 'pale sunshine' and it looks perfect with the bedding I have in there:) I will post pictures after I have the window treatments up...they're really going to be the icing on the cake! As for how I've been feeling, I can't complain. I feel blessed to have this be another easy pregnancy. The only difference in this pregnancy compared to Jordan's is all the pressure on my bladder. It definitely causes some discomfort and VERY frequent trips to the bathroom, but aside from that, my pregnancies have been quite similar. This little girl sure is more active than Jordan was though. I'm not sure that she ever stops moving, whereas I didn't even know Jordan was in there most of the time. It will be fun to see what her personality is like. Well, I will keep you posted in these next few weeks. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting bright!!

Maiden Voyage

2009-08-08T19:41:00.001-04:00

19 Months Old

2009-07-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Summer!

2009-07-01T11:02:00.001-04:00

Jordan's New Room

2009-07-01T09:42:00.003-04:00

We recently moved Jordan into a new room and kept the nursery the same for the baby. We took awhile to complete a few projects in his room, like staining the dresser and making the letters to go above his bed, but I'm glad to finally have it finished! I'd still like to have some curtains made and possibly get a little rug for the reading corner.

Memorial Day Parade

2009-07-01T09:40:00.000-04:00

Baby Names

2009-06-26T19:59:00.002-04:00

So I thought it would be fun to get some opinions on the baby names we have picked out. I just can't decide and I'd love to hear what you think! Our top 3 names are Iris, Kate, and Paige. Mike and I love all three! So if you frequently visit my blog, PLEASE give your input. Thanks and can't wait to hear what you think! :)

18 months old ALREADY!

2009-06-06T19:27:00.002-04:00

A few days ago Jordan turned 18 months old. He's having so much fun being a toddler. He LOVES to play outside. We daily take walks around the neighborhood in his wagon and he loves to play with any type of ball. You'd be surprised at the arm this boy has! I just recently found a basketball hoop at a garage sale and he could play basketball for hours on end. Jordan also realized how much fun it is to chase our dog around. He wants to know where she is at all hours of the day. He stands there yelling out "Emmmmy....Emmmmy!" It's the cutest thing. Other things Jordan REALLY loves are reading his books and playing with his cars. He continues to talk up a storm, saying new words every day. He is constantly mimicking us. We just can't get enough of his little personality!

21 Weeks

2009-05-17T12:08:00.002-04:00

Halfway there!

2009-05-07T13:10:00.002-04:00

Well, I am going to be 20 weeks along in just a few days. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by so far! I'm sure everyone knows by now, but we found out we're having a little girl. I'm so excited and can't wait to meet her! My due date is officially September 29th now. I have been meaning to post a picture of my growing belly and haven't gotten around to having Mike take one. I'll try and do that today! Stay tuned...