A Day of Firsts

Anna and Caleb had their big day this Wednesday, Sept. 9! Anna started Pre-K at Mt. Olive Christian Preschool, and Caleb started going to Miss Chris' home daycare. They both will attend these only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Mom is hoping to get her consulting work done during these times as well! Anna also had her very first soccer practice Wed. night. She did very well and listened to Coach Glenn and ran hard. The hardest part is always getting to know the other kids... unfortunately, she did not know any of them to start with. Eric and Anna have their first game this Saturday!! Pics to come....

Anna starts a coloring page while the teacher greets all the students

Anna in front of her school with her new blue school-issued totebag

Posing at home before school

Caleb, with his usual playful pose

He was mad that I was stopping him from playing to take his picture. I said goodbye to him at the daycare and he just said, "Bye, Mom", as in, "Go on, get out of here, I'll be fine". No kiss for Mom, nothing. Caleb is really a big boy now.


Anna's socer team and coach. This is a non-competitive league... it's just for fun, and for the kids to learn a few skills. They don't score the games, and every kid gets a trophy for participating at the end of the 8 week session. Eric will play this fall too!

Learning how to dribble the ball with the inside of the feet

Waiting her to turn to try a corner kick

Running to kick a goal

Our New Deck!

Here are some pictures of our new deck! It is about 90% done... we still need to add the handrails for each set of steps and we need to put up some lattice around the bottom to keep the cat from going under there. We are already enjoying using the deck, eating outside, sitting out there at night when kids are in bed... thanks again to Chad's folks for the use of this nice table and chairs! Trex decking is amazing stuff... no splinters, ever!

The Baumgartner Six Pack?

Ok folks, now that the news that we are expecting our fourth child is pretty much public knowledge, I suppose it's ok to blog about it. So first things first. I'm going to need a new name for my blog. Baumgartner Party of Five just won't work once we are 6. Send me your ideas... I will choose the new blog name from the suggestions I receive here. Post your suggestion as a comment (not anonymously, please).

And to reply to the most common questions I have been getting as a result of sharing this good news outside the four walls of my home, here are a few thoughts:

1. Yes, we are aware of what causes this.
2. Yes, we are crazy.
3. Yes, I am getting too old for this.
4. No, we don't care if it's a boy or girl. It will be one of those, I'm sure. And yes, we would like to find out early if they can tell us. I'm a planner, you know.
5. No, I have not had morning sickness, thankfully.
6. No, I will not tell you what the worst symptom of pregnancy is. You don't want to know.
7. I don't know yet if I will keep working. I haven't bought my Lotto ticket yet so I can't tell you.
8. No, we do not have any names chosen yet. If you have a good suggestion, and I mean a GOOD one, feel free to comment here. I can't promise to pick from my readers' submissions on this one, however.
9. I don't know if this will be the last one. I said the last one was the last one, but now he's not the last one anymore is he? Only God knows...
10. WOW is an appropriate response to our news. However, bear in mind, we are still no Jon & Kate plus 8 or the Duggar family (with 18 kids and counting), now are we? Four is a pretty good number, don't you think?

More to come soon....

Trip to Presque Isle (Erie, PA)

Instead of a longer summer vacation this year, we decided to build a deck, so our summer trip was just a weekend spent at Presque Isle (in Erie, PA for those not from around here). Presque Isle is a beautiful peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, and from the shore, you might actually think you were at the ocean! We had a great time, and we'll post pictures of the new deck tomorrow!

Anna enjoying the surf and sand.

Dad helps Eric get past the seaweed "sandbar"

Caleb warming up under his towel

Dad and the kids braved the water... it was still a little too cold for Mom's Florida blood.

Sunbathing

Beach 8 at Presque Isle

Anna collected teeny, tiny seashells for hours

Anna Banana

The Diego kite was a huge hit with the kids! Great day for flying it too!

Eric waits his turn to fly the kite

Caleb's 3rd Birthday!

Yippee for Star Wars toys... thanks, Deacon!

Daddy bought Caleb a train table and everyone is enjoying it.

Caleb is apparently excited.

The young Jedi's most awesome Light Saber Cake ever, made by Grandma B.!

Thanks for the Spiderman Scooter, Gramma Debbie!

Let's Roll!

Helmet? Check. Elbow and knee pads? Check!

The big digger from Mama.

The party blow-outs... thankfully not the noisy kind!

Spring has Sprung!

Yes, once again, I know it has been too long since my last update! We have had a very busy spring! Here are some pictures from a few recent events:

Eric's Spring Concert at school (sorry so blurry)

Cousins James in the orange shirt

Eric in the blue tie/white shirt

Fun at home with puzzles

Easter Egg Hunt in our community park

Anna and Caleb in the foreground

Anna and Caleb with friend Daniel

Caleb wonders where all the eggs are?

Anna and Eric attend a "Meet the Characters" event for the high school play, Beauty and the Beast

It's like Halloween in April!
Princess Anna with "Belle"

"Mrs. Potts and Chip"

Eric with "Lumiere" and other cast member

The Wardrobe (sorry it's sideways!)

Eric arm wrestles with "Gaston"

Trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo

Anna and Mommy

Ice Cream made a hot day so much better

Eric at the aquarium

In the polar bear tunnel

Our buddies Kim and Deacon

Anna on the elephant

Our friends Tricia and little Ruthie

A few BSg kids corralled for a pic.. more wandering around here somewhere!

Caleb shows his stuff on the slide at the zoo