Really fun day!

After all the running around the country lately, I decided to take Nate up to my bro's house and spend the day with my SIL and our nephews. Nate and the boys haven't spent alot of time together lately so I thought they would like that. My bro is out of town all week working in Chicago so I thought my SIL would like some girl time too.
Nate was the best kid on the trip up. It takes a good hour and 40 mins to get to Springfield, Illinois. I made sure he had his Thomas engines and box cars and Harold the helicopter and lots of books. He was so quiet but we did have a time of I Spy Bombines! (combines). Tractors and semis also! Every time we saw a semi, Nate would ask "Papa?" My dad drives a semi. We saw alot of semis on the road and I had to break it to him every time that no it wasn't papa. Oh, well. He took it pretty well.
He slept for half an hour on the ride home. The boys, Ethan and Nolan, ages 5 and 3 respectively, wore Nate out. They played at the park, with the train table, chasing each other. They had lots of fun!

I guess I should have been posting to my blog a bit more. I can't believe I did not post about Nate's birthday. What kind of mom am I?!! Ok, so Nate is 2 now. Not the terrible 2's everyone talks about. I call them the terrific 2's with some terribles on the side. He is the best kid. So fun to be around. He is in a very curious stage right now. So fun to watch and see what he is going to investigate. At the park today, he really could care less about the climbing structures. He wanted to walk the perimeter of the structures. It was a ledge about a foot high. He walked over a bridge I don't know how many times. Just investigating!!!
So, we celebrated at Jim and Kathy's house on the farm, Jason's parents, over Labor day. Had a Funfetti cake with green frosting with a farm scene. Here is a pic of it:


The 8th of September, we went to my parents and had my bro and his family there to help celebrate Nate's birthday. It was a carrot cake and had a Thomas the Tank engine theme. Here is the pic:


We bought Nate a Thomas train table for his birthday. We decided to set it up the night before his birthday and let him see it when he got up the next day. When I got him out of bed, he ran down the hall and stopped really quick when he saw the table. He didn't get as excited about it as I had hoped, but I know he really likes it.
That night we headed for Indiana by the way of Hillsboro Illinois to drop of the dog at my folks to take care of while we were gone on an extended weekend trip. Our main goal was to get to French Lick Indiana for a train ride for Nate. This is a train that was still running up till the 1960's. It was a diesel engine that pulled 2 passenger cars. It was an hour long trip with a pass thru a tunnel. Nate enjoyed it especially when the whistle went off. Here are 2 pics from the train we rode and one of Jason and Nate is an old steam engine that doesn't run anymore.



This is Nate looking out the train window:


This is the old steam engine:


After the train ride, we headed to our Bed and Breakfast. It is called the West Point Cottage. The family that runs this B&B acquired the cottage and relocated it to the current place. They dismantled it and when they put it back together, they added on and used screws and bolts. In some of the pictures, you can see some original beams between the living room and kitchen. Quite the history.

This is the only picture I could find. I will see if I can have Jason find the other pictures I took of the cottage.

Other exciting news in the family is that we are expecting a new baby around May 10th!!! I had my official appointment yesterday. I am seeing a new Dr and really like her. She was so nice and sweet. I like the other ladies in the office too. I think I am going to like seeing them for the next 8 months! I am 6 1/2 weeks along. I will have an official baby appointment the 8th of October and I am hoping Jason will be able to join me. The first appt yesterday was the one where they say, yeah you're pregnant and find the due date. Boring! I am hoping to get an ultrasound the next time I am there and maybe see the heart beat! I don't know about hearing it tho. When I first heard Nate's heartbeat, it made it so real to me.

I guess that's all the fun news on this end. I am sure I will be adding more as this pregnancy progresses.
-Lynn