Christmas 2011

We had a beautiful Christmas here in Colorado. With me a couple weeks away from my due date, we had to stay here. Although it was hard being away from family, we had a very fun and special first Christmas together as our own family. As we anxiously awaited the birth of Jesus, we also anxiously awaited the birth of simpson baby numero dos! Here are some pictures that capture our December together.

Baby Guessing Game

Here ye', here ye'!!!

It's that time again to put in your guesses for the Simpson Baby soon to be here! (Aka. Bearcub) Enter in the game to get a really cool prize. ;) Gender, weight, height, when, where?! hehe

Make sure to get your guesses in soon. Click on the link below to enter.
http://www.expectnet.com/games/BabyBearcub

Singing his ABC's

Lately when we play music, John tries to sing along. He always bounces too. This video captures a little bit of him singing to ABC before he sees the camera of course. I love that you love to sing and dance for us baby Juan!

"SO BIG"

John Phillip loves to play this game, but will only do it when no one is looking, even the camera. So I hid the camera because I wanted to get it on film at some point. He will usually smash his face which is my fav.

Autumn

This fall has come and gone in the blink of an eye! We had a great past couple months, but always busy with traveling and other activities. I started the fall off with a CNA program that lasted all of August. Phil did in incredible job watching John Phillip every night and they became best buds. I finished the course and am now a CNA, whoohoo!

Phil has been busy training and traveling for wrestling and has done an amazing job. He's been doing really well these past couple months. Unfortunately he was set back a little bit with an injury to his knee, but is recovering well and should be back at it come January. He's not only our champion, but a magnificent father and husband every day without fail. Although it stinks being injured, me and John have definitely been enjoying his down time. :)

John Phillip has made some huge progressions in his babyhood!
He likes to babble all kinds of things. He makes out the words Dada, Mama, baba, go, although he doesn't quite know what he's saying yet. I like to think he knows Mama though as he seems to say this only when he's crying at my feet. He also likes to sing along and dance to songs. When certain songs come on, like Old McDonald (his fav), he will try and sing and bounces up and down.
He hasn't ventured to walking yet, but is still crawling and climbing all over the place. The stairs are his favorite if he manages to escapes the family room gate. He has five cute crooked teeth, with three more slowly coming in. He doesn't like his baby food anymore. He only wants big boy food and goes crazy for it. He has definitely found his voice/temper recently and likes to yell really loud when he wants something or is upset at not getting fed fast enough. So "NO" is definitely the word we're trying to teach him fast.
John Phillip loves his Baby Einstein DVD's and this entertains him if I ever need a little break. He loves to explore all areas of the house. His new favorite thing is playing the piano...banging on the piano. Anytime he comes accross something new, he knocks on it. He loves to knock and does this on anything and everything. And he of course loves the games, patty cake and peek-a-boo. He waves "hi" sometimes but his favorite is raising his arms up when we say, "how big is John Phillip?"
This will be his first Christmas and we're so excited to share it together as a family!

Baby number 2 is growing fast and will be here in about 4 weeks! This time around has been a lot more uncomfortable, but I'm hanging in there. This last month will be tough. We can't wait to meet you, baby! We are all patiently waiting for your arrival and I hope you come early. :) I still can't believe I get to have another baby!

Here are some pics from the fall.

John Phillip and Margaret Laughing

John had a great time with his cousins, Margaret and Veronica, when we went to Ohio for Katrina's wedding. It's amazing how much he recognizes and loves any kid or baby. The other day at the grocery he almost jumped out of my arms when he saw a little girl in the checkout line. He immediately started laughing and talking to her, wanting to grab her face. She was a little frightened. :)

Here are some cute photos of John Phillip and his sweet babydoll girl cousins.

Notre Dame Game Time

This is for the Simpson's to appreciate. :) Cute vido of the Simpson boys getting ready for a victory on game day!

Camping over Labor day

We went camping over Labor Day weekend with my sister and brother-in-law, Maria and Andrew, and had a great time! This is John getting excited about camping out.

Highlights: 1. Seeing Nicholas and Christiana play "garden" together. Nicholas kept himself busy digging with a shovel while Christiana helped prepare the meals. Main veggitation--tomatoes and apples. This continued into the morning as well. 2. Seeing John Phillip giggle and have the best time crawling around and exploring his new tent. And seeing how excited he got when he was around the kids. 3. Finding out it was a "no fire" weekend. ;) 4. Quality coal fire time with Drew and Mariah. 5. Eating a magnificent feast in the morning, prepared by my husband,  around our "coal fire."

A Baby Story: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" - Jeremiah 1:5

Life as I knew it was just beginning for my husband and I. We had our first baby, a boy! A beautiful miracle, John Phillip. And we just celebrated our 1 year anniversary. I was feeling overly blessed by God. He had given me so much in a short year’s time. Little did I know He wanted to give me even more!

                When Phillip and I were out in Kansas for Easter visiting with our families, I started questioning things. After I took a shower one night, I later told Phil, “My stomach is getting bigger!??” (I never gain weight there).Thoughts started rushing through my mind, “could I possibly be pregnant?” No way. John Phillip was just 3 ½ months old and I was nursing him. I couldn’t be that fertile. I shortly got rid of that idea and carried on with life as usual with it in the back of my mind, but not giving it any attention.  I told myself it’s just because I haven’t exercised in so long. But that wasn’t the end of it for Phil. Right away he started researching things on the internet and was anxious about it from then on.

                As time went on, we started to get more worried as I started to get more tired and as my milk supply was slowly diminishing. The following weeks after Easter, all my morning meditations on the daily readings seemed to have the same theme: TRUST. I knew Christ was saying, “Just trust in me, Tricia. I will never abandon you.” All signs pointed in the direction of pregnancy, but I was in denial. It came to the point where I knew I was pregnant, but just didn’t want to take a pregnancy test because I didn’t want to know for sure. I wanted to live in “freedom” a little longer. Poor Phil. The unknown was eating him alive. But he sat back, just encouraging me like the amazing husband he always is, and letting me take my time. I finally took a pregnancy test Mother’s day weekend after many tears and much encouraging from Phil. POSITIVE!!! The plus sign showed up in 2 seconds. Phil wrapped me in his arms as I cried many buckets of tears. It was such an overwhelming feeling. I felt so horrible for feeling so sad and selfish. All I could think was, “why me, God?” I knew I would be happy about it, but right then, my world was crumbling down. I like to have things planned and perfect and I felt as though God had given me enough this year. I was still getting used to being a new Mom! But as Phil hugged me, and as John Phillip gave me kisses, I felt Jesus doing the same.

Pregnancy Test :)

Very proud "littlest" big brother

                Phillip and I are 100% pro-life and also want a big family. So the idea of having another baby was wonderful thing, but I was not expecting it to be so soon. I was in shock, and it took a little while to get over the shock, but Mary has helped me.  We couldn’t be happier to be carrying another one of God’s precious miracles. And after the death of a best friend, many new doors were also opened to my eyes. The “why me, God” attitude flipped to, “why do you continue to bless my life, God?”  I felt as though I never wanted to complain again. What if I’m only able to have two children? What if my life is short? I need to embrace and love every moment I am given. I am beyond privileged to even be a Mother and have a loving husband. You feel like you know all these things, but sometimes things come up in life where you have to relearn them and recommit your love to God.

God works that way in my life sometimes and I couldn’t be more thankful.  As he drove out the sheep and oxen from the temple, he will also use circumstances, trials and difficulties as his "sword" to drive out from our lives whatever is opposed to God´s goodness and our own dignity. I was set in my ways and through this “struggle,” God has stretched me and taught me what surrendering my life to Him is really all about. He doesn’t want part of my life, He wants it all. And through this, He has allowed me to fall ever more in love with Him. One of the prayers in my meditation during this time read, “Lord Jesus, I trust in you. Despite the real struggles and obstacles in my path now, I know that you are leading me towards you. You are the only one who can fill the depths of my heart. Somehow, mysteriously, each of these trials is part of making that a reality.”

Our baby is due January 3, 2012! We won’t know the gender till then. We are getting so excited as my stomach is sticking out and as we get the feel the little baby kick and squirm inside. I know John is just as excited too. J We both feel like it’s another boy so we’ll be surprised if it’s a girl! I will keep you posted with updates and pictures. In the meantime, please keep our family in your prayers.  

All our love, Phillip, Tricia, and little John Phillip

Baby's toes

First Ultrasound

Little nose and mouth

Profile of baby yawning

2nd Ultrasound....head getting bigger.

John Phillip Scoots

Lately, little John has been moving around everywhere. He's been discovering new things like electrical outlets, wires, curtains, etc. He likes to come find us when we're in another room too. I can't stay in the kitchen too long before I see his little head coming around the corner. No stopping this boy now!