Lately...

I have neglected our poor blog. I do have a good reason. Ready for it? Baby #2 has made for an unpleasant and exhausting first trimester (that would be the past 8 weeks or so). I've neglected many things- like our poor house and our gardens (but not Dave and James, of course). Do not fear, I have entered the second trimester, and am feeling so much better! The house is clean (almost) and the gardens are beginning to look a little better. I will be better to the blog from now on too. I promise.

Updates...

I am currently about 14 weeks pregnant. At my 12 week appointment, everything was as it should be. This baby's heartbeat is a little faster than James' was, so the nurses at the doctor's office are guessing it's a girl. We will find out in 6 weeks! There will not be belly pictures for this pregnancy- at 14 weeks, I look like I did when I was 20 something weeks with James (you can refer back to those posts).

James is a talker! He doesn't say many actual words, and the one's he does say are not consistent. But boy, does he have a lot to say! He goes to sleep talking and wakes up talking. He walks around with my phone between his head and shoulder and talks to no one!

James is also a hugger. This is one of my favorite things about our sweet little boy. He does overdo the hugs sometimes with friends his age, but he can hug Mommy and Daddy all day long if he wants to. Here's a picture of James with his friend Cole...

We have had brutal heat this summer, but this week a small cool front blew in. James and I went to the zoo, and we've spent lots of our days outside lately. James has become attached to our soccer ball, so much that he likes to take it in the car and ride with it on his lap.

James is a huge fan of his daddy (as he should be). Whenever Dave comes from work, James will stop whatever he is doing and run to the door. He'll squeal "Dada" the whole way and he grins from to ear to ear. It's the sweetest part of my day!

We did get a new camera, so new pictures should be coming soon! Look out!

That's all the big stuff for now. It's almost Fall, so we've been getting our fantasy football teams ready, and we're so much looking forward to some cooler weather!

James' last day of music class

We took James to a music class for babies at TCU this summer. He loved it! He loved the music and instruments, and he sure can dance! On the last day of class, parents could take pictures... unfortunately, I didn't get any great ones because James was on the move the entire time, and our camera has a delay that makes photographing a moving toddler impossible. Stay tuned for a new camera in the near future! Here's a couple pictures that I did get:

James is very excited that he gets to bang on this drum!
Let the drumming begin! James is vigorously shaking some shakers.
And, here is an adorable video of James dancing. Mommy had the camera turned the wrong way, so you'll have to turn your head sideways to really see the video.

Baby #2 is on the way!

I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and we expect our new little one's arrival sometime around February 25, 2011. We are so excited that James will have a younger sibling!
Baby Stoner at 6 weeks

Baby Stoner at 8 weeks

James is wearing his "Big Brother" t-shirt proudly. We let James' shirt tell our parents about our exciting news! Grandma and Grandpa Gabriel get to see James on Skype (webcam) and it took them a few tries to figure out what his shirt says. Their first guess was "Big Buddha" (as in a buddha belly). Wrong. They did finally get it, and are so excited! Nana Stoner came up to visit and played with James for a while before she realized what his shirt says. The expression on her face was priceless!

Father's Day

This Father's Day was extra special for Dave because it was also his birthday! For Father's Day, James got Daddy a gift card to Home Depot with the hope that Daddy would pick out a plant/ tree that they could plant together. For Dave's birthday, Mommy got him Ranger's baseball tickets for next weekend.

James is helping Daddy blow out his birthday candles.

A family photo.

Uncle Mike surprised us, and drove up to wash our cars as Dave's birthday present. Our cars are so clean! Mike worked so hard in the brutal heat and we are so appreciative. By the way, James is looking at Uncle Mike's hands because he was making fart sounds with them.

James loves water!

I took James swimming for the first time last week at the YMCA pool with my friend Erin and her daughter Carter, and James loved it! Almost too much though... he kept stepping off the steps or even the side of the pool into the water. I think he thinks he can swim. We stayed very close, and we had lots of fun!

Mommy's little helper

So, after watering the lawn, James decided to come inside and vacuum the kitchen floor. What a sweetheart!

James' Fort Worth Birthday Party

We had a second birthday party for James at our house this past weekend. We had planned to be at the park, but the weather called for temperatures over 100 degrees, so we made a quick change. James had fun playing with his friends and showing off all his toys. He was not as big a fan of his birthday cupcake as he was at his other party. I think he had too many snacks leading up to cake time.

A monkey cake for our little monkey!

Family photo!

Erin is a very good friend of Mommy's. She is great with James, and James really loves her. Erin made the shirt that James is wearing. It came out really cute! Thank you, Erin! Erin's daughter, Carter, is the focus of James' affection whenever she is around. He is always hugging and kissing her.


Aunt Karyn with James' cousin Isabella.

James with Erin and Aunt Karyn.

Action shot.

Isabella's face is priceless here! She is such a cutie patootie!

There's the birthday boy!

Lauren with James. Lauren's son, Cole, couldn't come to the party because he has been sick. James missed him terribly!

Daddy is helping James open his presents.

James is checking out his loot.

Big family photo!

Our living room when it was all over!