First Row....

On Wednesday Dans mom called to see if we would want to go to the cardinals game! I will always go to a cardinals game! His cousin Ellen and Bob were not going to be using their seats that night so they offered them to us. Judy wanted to stay with cole so Dan, me and his dad went. Lauras husband is from Lousiana and has nevr lived in a city where there has been a profesional baseball team, and had been nagging Laura how he hasnt done "anything st. louis" since moving here. So we invited him along too!
The seats were freakin' first row behind home plate! Holla! Talk about feeling like a celebrity! Obviously we do live that life, so we were so excited! You walk in through "the club" and get to eat at the restaraunt for free, and then get all drinks and food at your seat free.....if only I couldve had more than sprite! I had to make sure that I ws never eating when someone was up to bat or my fat butt would be right there on the jumbo tron and tv! Lots of pressure! We had so much fun and enjoyed a win from the Cardinals...and of course seeing my hottie player Skip!
I really wanted to take Cole but we are going again today and he is going (in the nose bleed seats) so we didnt want him to be uninterested!)

What is her name....Captain Princess....

Well, after much debate we have decided on a name for Baby Bertino. From the moment we found out we were pregnant, Cole said it would be a girl and that her name would be "Captain Princess." He hasnt given that up, even telling the ultrasound tech as she revealed it was a girl, that her name is Captain Princess. Yes, he is very serious! If she is entering our family she too, must be a superhero!
For years I have said if I have a girl, her name would be Hattie. It was my great grandmas name and I love how old fashioned it is! Well, it has just never really sunk with Dan, so I abandoned it....he did play a small part in this creation I suppose. We made a list of names that we have been looking over. Finally Dan said, just pick something, and if I can live with it, then its fine with me! So I did, and ran it by Cole and he agreed. Her name is going to be.... Captain Princess Emmy. The E in Emmy is the first initial of my dads name, and Dans grandpa as well. We hope she will love her name! Her middle name will be Lynn after my sister, and sister in law and my mom!

Let's Do This!

Sitting at his table like a big boy!

Cole and I ready to "do this"

His very large backpack!

Sweet baby so excited!

The night before pre-k and all through the house...

Cole officially started pre-k on Thursday! He id so well! He woke up happy and ready to go! Dan came home an hour early from work so we could both take him for the first time! When Dan walked in the house cole said "Im going to school dad!" We got there and he was sucha big boy, not even shy! He and Dan exchanged manly words of "lets do this" before we walked in the door! We said our goodbyes and walked away! As i turned to look back from the door, I heard him tell the teacher about all the dinosaurs he had found in the box and then I lost it! Dan thought I was doing so good until i lifted up my sunglasses! He just seemed so little all of a sudden! Bless his heart...I just love him so much and want to keep him in my little bubble of happiness! When I picked him up, he literally ran and jumped into my arms and hugged and kissed me and said "mom I have missed you so much!" I asked him if he liked it and he said yes. I asked him if he made friends and he said "yes, but they are my boring friends." He said he will go back so thats a good sign!

Birthday Celebration

Last night Dan and I, Heather and Jay and Kristy and Karl all went to dinner and the Funny Bone to celebrate my, Kristy and karls bdays. Dinner was a comedy of errors. THe waitress was so incredibly rude! Not to mention they were out of glasses, napkins and personality! It only made it more funny for us though because it just kept getting worse and worse!
The funny bone comedy club was great! Lots of laughs! It was a gorgeous night so we went and sat on a patio afterwards and enjoyed a nice august evening. It was a great night with friends! Happy Birthday To Us! (sorry, the flash shows the white bra under my shirt) but I swear you couldnt see it unless you took a pic)

Vrooom!

On Saturday one of Dans friends from the firehouse asked if we wanted to bring Cole out to Gateway International Speedway to watch the motorcycle races. We Knew cole would love it so we went. It was so crazy to see these guys flying around the track at 140mph. You typically just heard the sound and then looked for them becuase it was so hard to catch a glimpse! Cole had a great time!

Sugar And Spice And Everything Nice

Most of you have heard by now that we are having a baby girl! Cole has been telling us from day 1 that we were having a girl and her name would be captain princess! I honestly thought I was having another boy! When I was pregnant with Cole a boy was what I asked GOd for! He has been such a blessing to us and so easy to raise so far! SO I had made comments with this pregnancy that I would like a girl to dress and put bows in her hair, but I wouldnt mind a boy because thats what we know and already EVERTYHING for!
When she said "do you see the 3 lines" my heart dropped. I turned my head and looked at cole and said "Colie, its a girl," with huge tears in my eyes only to be replaced with laughter when coles response was "mommy, i have been telling you that everyday for a wong, (he cant say l's)wong, time! Only to be followed by Dans response "Buddy, we are up to out neck in bows."
It is amazing how much more attatched I already feel to her in the 3 days that have followed. I feel so blessed to get to raise on of each. I can only pray that she is as easy going as cole has been. We did go right to the mall and buy clothes for her! It was so weird being on the "other side" of the store to buy for!
God has truly blessed us. There were so many months where I really began to digest that we werent having another baby...and had really begun to accept that, only to be surprised after telling Dan I was ready to quit trying and take a vacation. 2 years later my prayers were answered. They always say "let go of what you are tying to control and leave it to him."
Cole is going to be such a great big brother. He already said yesterday we needed to save his potty seat so he could teach her!
So I am spending lots of time looking at fabric to see what I want my friend to make her bedding with!
We will have lots of ultrasounds from here on out so I will keep posting! Can you beleive its halfway over already!

Pre-K Already?

Well, its official! Cole is starting school for the first time! If it was up to me he would just stay in his little babysitter world, but as a Kindergarten teacher, I know he needs to go to be ready to come to kindergarten next year! I just cant believe it! It seems like yesterday I spilled ravioli sauce on him in my hospital bed, and he took his first steps and now pre-k!Where did time go? I cried all the way there but held it together inside! I just hope and pray he takes all the things we have taught him and puts it to good use! IM so proud of him, but just do not want him to grow up! I may have to take a half day for his first day of school becuase I am not sure i can go teach after I drop him off! God love him, hes such a sweetie! I just hope she sees what an awesome personality he has and appreciates it!

Happy Bday Papa

For Dans dads bday we decided to do something a little different this year. Instead of boring old dinner, we headed to the St. Charles County Fair. We had such a great time! I felt right at home and was totally diggin' the accent of the tractor pull announcers voice! Papa ate some fried gizzards and we devoured a funnel cake and much more! We watched a pig scramble which was hysterical and rode rides, played games and even ran into friends! Papa loved watching Cole ride rides, and Cole would wave to him from every ride. They are best buddies! Aunt stace and gigi were there too to help with all the round-y-round rides Dan gets sick on and I cant ride! He put his hands up on the kiddie roller coaster and it was hystercial!Papa even rode a big ride and looked as if he might crap his pants at any moment! We had a great time!

A Soggy Day

Last weekend Me,Cole, Laura and her daughter Estella and neices as well as Betsy and her daughter, decided to go to Grants Farm. Good Ole' Dave Murray said the showers were a light ban and would be gone by 1pm. So we got there...and as soon as we stepped off the tram it poured! No light ban of rain here! So Cole and Katherine fed teh goats in the rain. Since we had 4 and 6 months old with us, with one umbrella (thanks to me) we found a big tree to stand under. No cover at Grants Farm! We stood there for about an hour as Cole and Katherine played in the rain, Betsys stroller got soaked and Estella slept in hers. Let me mention that we were standing next to the gigantic tortoises that we found Lindsay we deathly afraid of as one walked toward us! So we moved cover again. WE stayed there 15 minutes and decided to get the heck out of dodge and just run like hell in the rain to the tram! Oh...but whats that? Oh yeah...all of the other 200 people had the same idea. SO we ran in the rain, only to be at the end of an hour long line for the tram with no cover! We gave Laura the umbrella and took the kids under a sliver of an awning. With no cash left, I ran to the free beer counter and got Besty, the kids and I an Odouls to share. (thats non alcoholic) Finally an hour later we load the tram and get back to the station as it QUITS raining! Who cares, we left anyways and went to the fire station to play on the trucks! In the picture you can see Cole was a pirate fireman!