Pumpkins

Well the weather has been as low as the 40's - 50's at night so the day time 60's-70's has been gorgeous. We even lit a fire last night! It was Annabell's first time recognizing a lit fire and she was mesmerized by the flames. Yesterday after work, Brad and I took the kids to a pumpkin "patch". I wanted Annabell to be able to run around and look at all the pumpkins and cute games. She LOVED the little pumpkins and would proceed to move each one to her little picnic table. We ended up picking up 4 small ones for her friends that are coming over on Friday so they can paint with them. Playing outside in this weather is very enjoyable for Annabell, because she can last longer outside when it's not too hot. I also love dressing her up in all of her "cold" clothes. She has some great hand me downs from our neighbor's daughter that I'm trying to get her to wear before the weather gets hot again! Well here are some pictures. Oh and today we ate lunch with Brad and noticed that Annabell will now hold her hands together to Pray with us. And say "Aaahhh" for Amen at the end. Very precious. The picture of her eating is for y'all to laugh, she eats just like me, with a GOOD appetite!
ha. Love y'all!


Oh and here is some video of Annabell opening her Halloween card from Big Pop and G-ma. Oh and here is a picture of her nose...she fell at church on the asphalt. It looks worse than it is...she has been falling a lot now that she can run.


And here is a video of the guys playing with Annabell and Bekah outside the other day.

Chuck E Cheese

Annabell is so cute. Okay I'm bias but I just can't help it, she's adorable. She now does this arm grabbing thing with Brad and I. If she is sitting next to us at dinner she will rap her arm around ours and smile! She has also been extra cuddly lately. It could be partially because she's not feeling well, or because we cuddle with Ford, or just one of those stages, either way we are both eating it up. I love when she'll lay on our laps! She seems to really enjoy her hair being run through when cuddling. Well yesterday we were going to go to Hunsader Farm in Sarasota. They have a pumpkin patch, animals, hay rides and much more. But I couldn't make it in time with my ride so I decided to go on my own with the two kids. About 3/4 of the way to the interstate, with Ford screaming to eat and Annabell crying because it took us an hour to just get that far I decided it probably wouldn't be a good idea. So we called G-ma and asked if she would like to go to Chuck E Cheese with us. So we picked her up and off we went. Annabell had so much fun. She liked running around I think even more than the rides and games though. One of the funniest things was the fact that she would get on a ride, but once it started to go with the exception of the merry-go-round, she didn't like it at all and would hop off. She the dance station they had where kids would dance and be on TV. I think that was her favorite, with no surprise, dancing is probably one of her fav. past times, including playing in the dirt! Well I was a dummy and left the memory card out of my camera, so all these great photo's I took there didn't stick. BUT I did take some when we got home because her hair was cute, and a picture of Brad reading her bedtime story,


with her hair crazy. Oh and her first taste of chocolate, she loved it and went a little crazy, but that's okay!

Love y'all!

Good Day

Today was such a nice and good day. Annabell did much better today with her listening skills, I think partly because I was feeling much better and was able to spend more time with her. My neighbor Heather came over and watched Ford for about 30 minutes so I could take Annabell to the park (it was too cool and breezy for Ford). We played hard and she had so much fun and even left the park willingly.
We also have had 2 days of painting her pumpkin. She enjoys it, but likes playing in the colors more than actually painting. She even put them in her mouth! UGH, I'm having to teach her not to do that . Oh and two molars have come in, on top. She has had a cold for two days now, her little eyes were so red today and her nose ran all day.

I can't believe how fast she has grown up. I look at Ford who is bigger than she was at his age, and I can't remember her being that small! I miss my little girl already. Time really does pass us by in the blink of an eye. It's so important that we teach them what they need to know and show them how live in Christ. Because before you know it she will be making her own decisions and living her own life. She's even trying to now. She no longer likes me to follow her up the jungle gym stairs. If I walk behind her she turns around and motions or whines me away! :( She wants to do it all by herself! So now when she actually cuddles with me I cherish every second! Love y'all!

Day by day

Well each day Annabell is adjusting better to being a new big sister. She loves to point out to me anytime she hears Ford cry. She is sweet with him like that. She doesn't notice him too much, but she is curious when he's eating as to what he's doing. Her naps have switched in the last two days from 2 naps to one really long one. I wonder if this is permanent or temporary. Her signing has really increased, she now will also say thank you and is learning to sign others easily. But she still hesitates to actually say many of the words although she has said some here and there. She completely understands them though which is great, especially when asking her to do things like put stuff in her room or putting the crayons back in her box. We are having to work on her not putting the crayons in her mouth which she does mostly for the reaction she gets from us.

Annabell was able to go to the park with her G-ma and Briana today, which she absolutely loved. Lately she has seemed to want more snacks during the day and I think it's because she normally gets to go out and play a lot more, but since I can't take her out she prefers to snack, which isn't a habit I want her to develop so I'm excited to get back outside and play with her...but who knows, it could be because she is growing. She looks more and more like a little girl and less like a baby.
She also played outside with her daddy some while he worked on his trailer. She loves working outside with Brad. Also Brad had Ford and Annabell for about an hour by himself this evening while I went to a friends to pick up a pump. When I came home Ford was cozy and asleep and Annabell was bathed and ready for bed sipping on her milk. I was very impressed with his daddy skills, because two kids is a whole different ball game.

People from our church have started to bring us meals for dinner so we will not have to cook while recovering from labor, which is really nice. We are enjoying them and it is helping me heal faster since I'm not having to run around and make supper. Which is awesome. I'm hoping by next week to be 100% back.

Helper

Check out my little brother's Blog www.oursonford.blogspot.com

Well today was our first day with out any help from my family. They left this morning, so I guess I did have help, but after her first nap it was just the three of us! She did well for the most part, she did completely miss her cousin Mikayla. They played so well together. They would run to each other and hold one another so tight, and they would also wrestle which was hilarious with Brad and I commentating as if it was a UFC match. The house was so quite today and she was use to playing so hard that I felt compelled to try and take her to the park, so around 3:00pm we ventured across the street with Ford in my arms. HUGE MISTAKE! I was in no shape for that yet and could tell from the moment we arrived. I had Ford in my arms and was trying to lift Annabell into a swing just wasn't going to happen. Thankfully a member of my church was there and she came over and put Annabell in the swing while she kicked and screamed at her! I then swung her for about 5 minutes and then couldn't take the pain anymore and had to tell Annabell we had to go home. She threw herself on the ground and began to have a fit. Kim picked her up and walked her home for me. I was so grateful she was there! We won't venture out like that for at least another week. I keep feeling I am good and then try something and BAM I know I'm not. Here is a sneak peak at Annabell's costume for Halloween, compliments of Aunt Kari! It was adorable. We were going to take the kids to a pumpkin "patch" but Kari came down with the bug that has run it's coarse through our entire family here with the exception of me and my dad and Ford so please say a prayer that Ford doesn't get it. That is why she had her costume on.
Oh and the reason I named this "helper" is because Annabell did well when I would have her help. I asked her to get me a diaper after Ford peed on the new one and off she went to help, she searched in his diaper bag until she found one and brought it to me, she was so proud of herself. I also noticed that she likes to pull Ford and when she does that it's because she wants to hold him. So I asked her if she wants to hold him and she shook her head yes, so I told her to come sit down and she got up on the couch and held him, with a lot of love! It was very cute! Well we love y'all!

P.S. Annabell has said some more words which I personally missed! She said "yeah" and "cool".
She also enjoys coloring with her crayons, even though I think she prefers sorting and collecting the crayons even more than the coloring. She also is all about hugging now, as you can see with her hugging her neighbor Rebekah.
Here is a video of her laughing at her daddy playing with her feet! Love y'all!

Big Sister

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. We have had a very busy week! Well Annabell is officially a big sister. She is doing really well with it too! She has been so patient with me recovering from her brother's birth. Well Thursday I was feeling "icky" and took a nap when Annabell took her afternoon nap. Then that evening Brad stayed home from work to help out with Annabell since I wasn't feeling very good. That evening around 1:30am I woke up Brad thinking it could be the "real thing" but didn't want to jump to any conclusions. After speaking to the nurse she advised us to go into the hospital just to be safe...my contractions were about 4-6 minutes apart. So we called our neighbors, Heather and Pete to come stay at our house until Grandma Z arrived to take care of Annabell. By the time we got to the hospital I was having them about every three minutes and was 6 cm when checking in. So they moved me into a room and about 5-10 minutes after arriving to the room the doctor checked me and I was 8cm. So she broke my water and then just waited in the room with us because she said it wouldn't be long. She was right. About 10 minutes later she asked if I wanted to start pushing soon. I said "ok", even though I had no urge to push. About 4 contractions later, Bradford James Zachritz II was born at 4:08am. He was fast to arrive so I'm sure he will have tons of energy just like his daddy. Trying to stick to Annabell...she had been sick Wednesday and Thursday with a fever. So we didn't allow her to hold Ford, and so it was kind of tough on her with me in a hospital bed and not being able to touch the new baby. But finally she got some pictures with him and was totally disinterested at the time...but she becomes more and more interested in him...and has given him a lot of hugs and interest. Yesterday she finally was so upset that I hadn't spent time with her (her being sick the dr told me to avoid a lot of physical touch, so my family and Brad has been doing the things I normally do with her). She walked around and cried and cried and nothing would make her happy...Brad picked her up and said she said "I wa moooommmy." Hearing this broke my heart, but God is so good. Ford finally slept great through the night, so I woke refreshed and was able to great her in the morning and get her out of bed for the first time in a while. I also got to "dance" with her this morning to some music which she loved. I met her at Lakes Park this afternoon after Ford's Dr. appointment and played with her in the water some, and then also gave her a bath and read her bedtime story to her just before I tucked her in. I felt better and so did she! She did get very jealous of Ford getting into her old car seat and stroller today, but she will get passed that kind of stuff soon. Well here are some pictures of her with him and her playing with her cousin Mikayla in the pool. My family came to help for the week and have been HUGE blessings! Oh and here is a picture of Ford with his PawPaw.

Sharing

Annabell has been learning to share lately. She has done wonderfully with her food, she gladly feeds Brad or I at our request. Today she was able to play with Rebekah for a while at our house. She was asking for the toys and not getting what she wanted and started to whine a bit, but besides that she does great. Here is some video of them playing together. She was even sharing her toys at the doctors visit today with the doctor. The doctor was talking to Brad and I and she kept walking up to her and Brad and handing them different toys. It was very cute. Well here are a ton of different pictures. Oh and she is also learning to put her glass down gently versus throwing it down when she is done with it. She picked this up quickly with me telling her to go pick it up and put it down when she does throw them.

Baby update: At our appointment today the doctor said I am 5 cm dilated! I know I couldn't believe it and neither could the doctor. So I'm thinking it will only be a matter of time, God willing. I really don't want to have to be induced so say a prayer please! Annabell is also becoming more and more affectionate with babies and other children. She loves to kiss Briana, and she follows around Rebekah and holds her hand and hugs on her every time she's around. It's very cute. I'm excited for her to know her baby brother! She will be a great big sis!
P.S. Some of the pictures are blurry but they were making me laugh because she was laughing so hard trying to get the camera. Oh and as you can see Roxy is officially an outdoors dog. She's doing pretty well with it and actually we spend more time with her being out there than we do her being in the house...and it's so much cleaner! My floors actually stay clean now! Love y'all!

Date Night

Last night Annabell stayed the night with her Grandma and Big Pop so that Brad and I could go on a date before baby boy arrives. We she went with them around 2:30pm so that gave us time to play as a family. We woke up and had breakfast together (Annabell loves when we are all together) and then went on a walk and then to the playground. She had so much fun running around. It was overcast so it aloud for extra energy with out being drained by the sun. She climbed a wall, which she had not done before, you can see her scaling it in her picture. She watched some other kids do it and then off she went. She also still loves the slides but the issue now is she drags her elbows so she has burns that scab up when she wakes up the next morning!
Also now when we say "let's put on your shoes" she comes over to us and sits in our laps and puts her feet out. Here is a picture of Brad putting on her shoes.

She also has been trying hard to say words. I hear her trying to say a word immediatly after I say one, but it tends to be muddled a bit. But she understands as clear as day! You can ask her and tell her things and she will be sure to answer you with yes or no or to do what you asked her to do! Well I hope y'all have a good week...here is a video of Brad swinging her at the park, she was waiving at me, but stopped once I started to record. Also her is a picture of me 9 months pregnant with our son.
Love y'all!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

Well today is Brad's birthday! He got to celebrate by working two jobs! He's such a good daddy to Annabell. We decided to go visit him at his second job (youth group) and spend the evening with him. It was great for him to be able to hang out with Annabell for a bit before we had to leave to get her to bed. Annabell and I went on a walk this morning which she got to play at the playground for a bit. She loves to wave at the birds, i got a picture of her waiving from her stroller.

There was a little boy there being very disrespectful and disobedient to his mother (about 4 years old) at the park. She was observing him very closely. It makes me wonder when she sees behavior like that will she mimic it or just be boggled by it? I'm not sure. Well after her morning nap we headed to the library to return some books and get some new ones. She LOVES the library. The first thing she does is pick out new books and then they have a butterfly garden with benches and a fountain in the back. So we headed out there and spent a little time playing. She enjoys being outside so much, so it was nice to be there since it's enclosed and I don't have to worry about her running into the street or anything else.

I also took some pictures of her in her stroller to show how incredibly long she is becoming. At her 15 month check up yesterday she was in the 95% for height! She so tall. I'm pretty sure she will be taller than her mommy! She also got 4 shots yesterday which she did amazingly well! He said she looks great and is growing perfectly!


Her new thing is riding Roxy our dog, she loves to sit, step and pull on her. She has only done it with Roxy so far though, no other dogs. Well Love y'all!