Rolling Ridge Ranch

Grandma and Grandpa babysat Holden's 3 cousins all last week while Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jen were away, and they did lots of fun things to help pass the time. On Thursday, they all went down to Rolling Ridge Ranch in Holmes County, and the boys and I tagged along.

We had so much fun.

We started off with a horse-drawn, covered wagon ride all around the grounds. I think it must have lasted about an hour. Everyone got a little bucket of feed and all the animals came right up to the wagon to eat during the ride. It was really neat. Holden loved the 2 big draft horses pulling us and he had lots of fun feeding and trying to pet all the animals who came over for a snack. Even Bridger did really good, just sitting/standing with Grandma and watching all the excitement.

Then after the wagon ride we walked around in the little zoo/petting zoo area. All the kids had fun going in the "pasture" to pet the small animals.

And we finished with a picnic lunch under the pavilion (packed by Grandma) and were on our way home just as it started to get really hot out. So it all worked out great!

And, of course, I took lots of pictures :)

The first animal we got to feed: Eeyore the donkey.

Camel

He got really close

So we gave him a nibble

Bridger watching all the animals

Riding on the wagon!

Feeding an elk all by himself

A water buffalo and an emu. Or something like that.

This guy pecked his big beak in the bucket too fast for my liking. But Grandpa wasn't scared!

He was really big

Some of the elk keeping cool

Zebras

Here comes a llama...

He was getting good at holding on tight and feeding some of them all by himself

Talking with Grandma

Putting some food down for the deer

And Bridger getting a closer look

There were a lot of little deer

And Grandpa helping him feed the big Buffalo

His horns were enormous

And this guy looked really hot

Cheesin' with Grandma. He had fun :)

Isaac, Naomi, and Holden checking out some of the animals in the petting zoo area

Baby calf

Grandpa and the kids

Itty-bitty baby pot belly pigs - not even a week old. They were cute.

All the grandkids!

Eight weeks, eight weeks......

(I don't think I really post things focused on me that often, but this is one...)

So I'm officially down to about 8 weeks left now and I can definitely tell he's getting bigger in there. I actually couldn't fall asleep last night for a little while because he was squirming around so much it felt like he was trying to break out through my belly button. I think he may be starting to get a little cramped.

And oh, the hiccups. He's been getting them for awhile now, but he must be growing because he gets them like 2-3 times a day lately and it's no longer just this tiny little bumping feeling anymore that I need to be still to detect. Now it rattles the whole inside of me until they finally pass.

Eight more weeks.

And while I still don't feel completely ready to have another baby around here yet (and who knows if I ever will), I'm pretty sure I'm feeling just about ready to be done being pregnant.

And I know there's a good possibility this may be the last time I ever get to have a baby inside me, wiggling and growing, and I try to appreciate all the little squirms and thumps and soak it all in... but honestly, it gets tough when sometimes my feet feel stiff like they're swelling up, I can't go up the stairs without feeling heavy and tired, I can't lean forward or take a deep breath because it just feels like there's no more room in my abdomen, I am forever chewing on Tums, or (my favorite) when he rams his head straight into my nether regions. Oh, baby.

I know it sounds really selfish and ungrateful, but I think after 3 babies in 3 years.... well, I think it'll just be a really nice gift to have my body back for me for a change.

And to drink a glass of wine again :)

But we'll get there. I've actually had an extremely smooth and easy pregnancy and I know I shouldn't whine about such minor inconveniences. I guess this is just a little vent. So you know it's not all peaches and cream. Ha.

And I think I'll be totally ready when the times comes. Ready to meet him and hold him, ready to see if we feel like we're a "complete" family now, and ready to be not pregnant anymore.

So cook, Baby, cook! And then come on out. Because we're all getting excited to meet you ♥

The weekly photo

And with my handsome boys ♥

It was so nice out and they were both in good moods and cooperating so well.

Happy Fourth!

It's been a pretty festive couple of days around here!

For the Orrville parade this year, Jared drove the Streb's Meats truck for his uncle. And I wasn't feeling much like going, so Grandma came and took Holden so they could both watch for the truck. I think he had lots of fun and he definitely brought home a bagful of goodies :)

Then on Sunday afternoon we all went over to my grandpa's house for some swimming and a family cookout. That was nice, too. The pool was so warm and both boys had fun splashing and swimming.

Then last night, on the actual fourth, we just made a fire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. We played with some little Bang Snaps (the things you throw and when they hit the ground they go "snap!") and sparklers, played a game of one-on-one cornhole (Jared beat me left-handed. Talk about a blow to my self-esteem...), and enjoyed the four different sets of fireworks going off that we could see from our backyard. It really was nice. And although we would have liked to get out and take Holden to some fireworks, since he loves them, we really were surprised at how well we could see them just from our yard. And how calm and quiet it was, sitting by the fire watching, as compared to actually being in the bustle of everyone at the show.

So yes, our fourth was kind of quiet this year, but it really was nice to just be at home, outside, together, just hanging out. It feels like that doesn't happen often enough. And I know I really enjoyed it.


These are from last night:

Waiting for Daddy to roast the hot dogs

A stick, some meat, and a fire. It sounds like a man job to me.

Eating his supper

Almost every time there's a chip clip around, no matter what I say, Holden wants to play with it.

And almost every time, it ends with me having to kiss some sort of boo boo.

Is it any wonder?

Helping Daddy

Such handsome boys I have in my life.

Bridger Dean sitting in the big boy chair

I left him sitting in the grass for a minute and this is what I found. He no longer sits still for very long, that's for sure.

Watching the fire with Daddy

Photo by Holden.

The first one he's ever taken that we're actually in :)

Cruising around the picnic table

Throwing Bang Snaps with Daddy

And time for Sparklers!

First time. We told him it was going to be like a little firecracker he could hold.

I think he liked them :)

Happy Fourth, everyone!

Scooter

And..... he's mobile!

Bridger is 11 months old now and he is definitely on the move. It still looks like he's going to be skipping the crawling milestone, but that's not slowing him down anymore. When he's not holding someone's finger to walk or bravely (and very wobbily) tottering from furniture to furniture, he's scooting. And it just cracks me up.

I'm sure everyone's seen babies do this before, except me. But I'm just so simple sometimes and the silliest things make me laugh. This is one of them.

He scoots across the floor on his bottom until he gets close enough to something to pitch forward and stand up. And it just amuses me every time I see him do it.

Here's a tiny little video of our Scooter.

But other than that, no real big changes since last month. Eight teeth, still sleeps good, Holden is pretty much his favorite thing in the world, he's starting to wave, and he thinks it's a really funny joke to stand/walk on things. And I have no idea why.

But he's still a big, happy guy for the most part!

Summer's here.

I kind of tend to feel like it's not "officially" summer until it's warm enough to go swimming.

Well, according to my standards, summer's here!

When Jared and I lived in Cincinnati and had no access to a pool anywhere (and I was very hot and pregnant with Holden) we bought one of those inflatable above ground ones one summer. We haven't bothered putting it up since we've been back near home, since my grandpa lives about 5 minutes away and has a beautiful in-ground pool. But this year, I decided with two little ones and another big pregnant belly, it may be worth it to put it up - so we can play outside and still stay cool. And we've only used it a couple times so far, but it's been great.

Holden and I went out the other afternoon while Bridger took a nap. And then yesterday I took both boys in. Holden has a floaty swimsuit and can touch the bottom, so he really has so much fun (and feels really big, I think) walking around all by himself. And while Jared spends almost the entire bath time every night repeating over and over to "Stop splashing", both of them were able to splash their hearts out in the little pool, which they just loved. Silly boys. (And Mommy got some sun without feeling like I was baking. Woohoo!)

So yes, our little pool may not be the most attractive addition to the yard, but the boys and I are sure really glad it's up :)

Walking out to the pool with Mommy.

Holden beat us there :)

He loves it.

Playing on the ladder. Getting used to the water......

He likes it!

And cue the splashing.

First experience "swimming" was a hit :)

Buds

And some after-swimming-treats: Popsicles!

I think he was excited.

I think he just looks so grown up here. Handsome Boy.

And leave Bridger alone for a few seconds nowadays and he's almost always standing! Little Daredevil.....