Baby Broccoli

Please help me welcome baby broccoli into this world. We won't talk about when she first arrived, but I can tell you when we get to see her in person for the first time, May 24 or sooner let's pray.
They say she's a girl, Ava won the bet, Gabe was disappointed for a short moment but then recovered with big brother happiness.
I was sick for 12 weeks straight all day, every day. The memory of it all wears me out. That slowed my blogging and socializing. Now that my energy is back, so is my larger butt (ah yeah) and a protruding belly. Most white folks won't quite ask if I'm pregnant yet, and I'm thinking why wouldn't ya? I wasn't looking like this 2 months ago! Although, I will say I have seen some heavy drinking ladies looking more pot bellied than me right now.
I'll officially declare it, Yes folks, I'm pregnant and 5 months and some odd weeks along. I'm feeling pretty good right now and we are wrestling over some names. In the mean time Ava has named her Baby Broccoli Kook Poop. We call her Broccoli for short and also had a nice long talk about how it's not nice calling her sister Poop.

Missouri Winter wonderland

 

 

 

 

Missouri Snow comes but a few times a year and did we participate in the coldness. Like all quality siblings they went out happy and giddy and AVa came in crying and cold from the snow Gabe tossed in her face, down her jacket and in her gloves. I giggles along with the memories of it all, and warmed Ava up, scolded Gabe out of necessity and sent em back out to play. They later made Percy the victim of their snow bal throwing and she came in full of snow dandruff.
A QUALITY MISSOURI SNOW if I've ever seen one!

Gabe's 8th year of bliss

The food should explain the atmosphere of the house. Joe was working a late night again, so I had to do another birthday party full of farting, burping, yelling, gun-slinging 8-year-olds. Last year for a party! I can VOW to this. All in all it was a good night, fun was had by all, all went home sugared up and ready to drive the rents nuts.
Gabe is now 8 and has turned over a new leaf. He is now Mr. Independent and no longer needs the coddling of his parents. To our delight we are letting him experience a bit of independence which is now costing him money. We fine him or charge him $ when things don't go as he planned. His 8 year old logic is money in my pockets. He takes pride in his new decision making however. Although he doesn't need our coddling he does prefer it on days. He still needs to be cuddled and hugged for a good long hour every now and then. It's good to be wanted rather than needed!

Christmas dancer

Ava is my little Princess dancer. She's got good ol ATL rhythem in her booty. Would you expect anything else though, now really?
She was getting everyone into the Christmas spirit when GRandpa Norm came to visit us around Gabe's birthday. Ava loves showing off her new moves, but more importantly urging the fam to get into the Christmas festivities.
It worked, we were excited for Christmas.