Odds and Ends

Just had some random things I wanted to record here on the blog - not much has been going on with us. Max has started pee-wee baseball practice and is really into it this year. Tee-ball last year was a little slow for him, but getting to hit off the pitching machine is so much more fun for him:) Gabe (along with his brother and his dad) are helping coach this year and everything is going really well...two practices down, and another one tonight:)

Last weekend a wonderful family friend came to visit with her two little boys, who are 4 and 5 years old. Max was in heaven having other little boys to play with! Here is a picture of all 3 boys sitting on top of my Grandma Raber's freezer (where there are still some of her yummy goodies she used to make frozen away for us to enjoy later)...

And here is a great picture that my Aunt Gina snapped of me and Grandpa Raber:

A few days ago my brother Clay (Max's "Uncle Faye) played basketball against the Harlem Wizards at the Washington gym. We had a good time sitting with my cousin Chas and her family, and I even managed to get a picture of Max and Clay - these two are the best of buddies!
Ya know how they say that children are almost honest to a fault...well, Max was brutally honest with me one day this week! ha ha! We were in the kitchen and I turned around to get something out of the fridge, when Max says from behind me "Mom, your butt is getting pretty BIG!" Oh my goodness...well, gee, thanks Max. Just what I needed to hear...he's such a stinker! Speaking of the joys of pregnancy...my ankles have already started swelling - I'm afraid I'm in for a long summer! August just can't get here fast enough:)

Our little weekend away...

This past weekend we took a little Spring Break trip to Indy, where we stayed at the Holiday Inn at the Pyramids (which has the waterpark inside). It was nice just to get away...just me, Gabe, and Max - and spoil Max a little since I feel like he's been a little abandoned thru my whole pregnancy because of me being so sick and such. So we let Max make most of the decisions...what to do each day, where to eat, etc. We ended up spending time each day at the waterpark, eating pizza and drinking pop alot, visiting the children's museum, watching two movies on a big screen at the hotel with free popcorn, and just playing at the arcade MULTIPLE times:)

We had such a great time, but I was so busy enjoying myself that I didn't take many pictures. I

did get a few that were cute, Max is in the navy blue/orange swim trunks:

I also haven't shared on here that last Wednesday we found out our little Swartzentruber baby is a GIRL! Max was hoping for a sister, so I was glad his wish came true:) We are so filled with joy about this little girl - we have been discussing names, looking at baby bedding, and my mom has been buying out all the pink outfits in any store within 30 miles:) Ha ha - we cannot wait to meet this sweet little one. I really think Max will be such an amazing big brother - can't wait to see him in action!

Speaking of Max - he informed me that although he wore his earplugs each day at the waterpark, he managed to get some water in his ears and now has a major ear infection. We are heading to the ear specialist tomorrow afternoon to see what can be done. He has had so much trouble with his ears - two sets of tubes and now holes in each ear drum (I think from the tubes falling out and the ear drum tissue not growing back together??). I just hate to see him suffer thru all these ear aches...it really is miserable for him! I'm sure the Dr. will get him all fixed up tomorrow and he will be back to his little happy self soon!