2 1/2 already?!

snapped these before church Sunday...

SB loves wearing her pearls or really any kind of jewelry! She's such a girlie girl but yet kind of a tom boy too!


taking a bow and saying ta-da! :)


My little 2 1/2 year old has quite the personality. In fact, she is full. of. it!! She loves just about everything in life! I want to be more like her! She loves to joke around, she'll say, "You jokin?!" and laugh. She loves to make you laugh and she loves to laugh. Sometimes she'll say, "talk to me." And she really wants to have a full on conversation with you! She especially loves to talk with daddy after he's been at work all day. And he always takes the time to talk with her. She a daddy are big buddies. They play super hard together and always have a blast. Jared is pretty busy with work this time of year but he always makes time for his Spicer. They love to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together, take shower's together (I hear them singing in the shower at the top of their lungs!), make jokes (Spicer really gets Jared's humor, probably because she is a mini version of him!) play outside and just pretty much anything! SB adores her daddy! Of course she loves mommy too, but she's with me all day, so when he comes home it's all about him! Jared loves it!

Spicer loves all things girlie. But she also loves to play rough, be outside, play in the dirt/mud, and animals. She's a good little mix of girl/tom boy! A good ol' country girl! SB also loves going to church. She always tells me that she learned about Jesus! This just warms my heart! Every morning she sings "Good morning God," says two scriptures, and prayers for the day. This is such a precious time and I love hearing her little voice talk to Jesus! Sb also really enjoys her friends. She has so many at church but she also has friends from bsf and gymnastics. Some of her best friends or friends she talks about the most are Aspen, Abe, Adelynn, Natalie, Jake, Micah Kate, Bella, Joben, Jaben, and baby Ty and there are many other's these are just the one's her little 2 1/2 year old self talks about the most. She loves them all so much and she will even tell me, "mommy I love my friends." So sweet.

She is learning to recognize some letters of the alphabet apart from the order they are in. I know this isn't something she has to know until kindergarten but I try to teach her the best I can. I think she can recognize s, o, p, r, and t consistently. I haven't worked with her on this for basically my entire pregnancy and I'm just now getting back to it. So, I'm sure with some more practice she'll start recognizing several more soon! :) not that she has too! She says, "S, is for Spicer!" So cute! She also can pretty much count to 20. She definitely doesn't recognize the numbers yet (but haven't really worked on this) but she can count them. Oh and definitely doesn't have the 1 to 1 correspondence concept down just yet! lol! I plan to start working with her on grouping things in groups of ten to help her develop the concept of 10. That's what our system is, base 10! I wasn't the best at math so I hope I can help her to be.

Jared and I love her sweet little voice. We love how she doesn't really say her "s's" and that she says /y/ for /l/. Like in, aunt yowa! Oh and /w/ for /r/! She has always said the word again like "adin" and the other day she said the word correctly! Jared and I looked at each other and got kinda sad. Jared said, "I don't want her to talk right!" haha! We just love her being little!

SB tells us she loves us and hugs and kisses us so much. She and I like to give each other "fishy kisses!" She loves to sing and dance and say little nursery rhymes. I recently taught her the little rhyme "Say, Say my playmate" with the motions and she loves to try and do that. Like I said, she basically loves everything! :)

Spicer you are the sweetest, smartest and cutest little girl! Daddy and I love you more than we ever thought possible! You love life and you love to have fun. You are full of joy and laughter! Everyone that knows you loves you and you love everyone (for the most part! ha) It is our joy and privilege to be your parents. We thank God for you each day and pray that you will accept Him as your Savior at a very young age. You're the best SB!

29 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights----

How Far Along: 29 Weeks
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 21 lbs! yikes!
Size of baby: 2 lbs 14 oz (per ultrasound) and 15 inches
Maternity Clothes: Oh YES!
Gender: Boy... Axl Joe Steven Fowler :)
Movement: Bigger kicks and punches and I can really feel him try to stretch out in there too!
Sleep: I'm not near as tired during the day! yay! and sleep great at night!
What I miss: Turbo Kick and laying on my belly. Yay for getting to workout a little though!
Cravings: Root Beer
symptoms: pressure and a growing belly... and yes, my breasts have shrunk! crazy!
Best Moment this week: Getting to come home from our little hospital visit with Axl still in my belly. Praise God! :)

*the doctor has me on strict bed rest this week.

Strawberry Pickin'

Last weekend we went to Wild Things Farm to pick some strawberries and see the animals. Spicer always has so much fun when we are there. She loved picking and eating the strawberries! And of course she loved petting the animals! She fed the little pig some strawberries and thought that was pretty funny! :)

labor and delivery...

is not somewhere you want to find yourself when you are only 29 weeks pregnant. Yet, this is exactly where this pregnant gal found herself Friday night!

Friday evening I had been experiencing a ton of pressure. I then began noticing that this pressure wasn't constant, but was coming in regular intervals. Could this be contractions? Nah... but better to be safe than sorry, right?! So, after a quick call to the doctor we were in route to be monitored on the labor and delivery floor.

The whole way up there i just kept thinking how stupid the nurses would think I was for even coming in. But after all, my doctor did suggest it. That always makes you feel less dumb, right?! ;) Anyway, we get there, get checked in and get settled into watching the monitor roll. And... much to my surprise my uterus was indeed contracting! What the flip?!!! I really just thought all the pressure must have been because, oh ya know, Axl is dropping, something simple. But, no. no. I was indeed having small contractions that were coming every 2 to 3 minutes at only 29 weeks pregnant! The nurse then checked my cervix and said I was dilated to 1 cm and 50 % effaced! Again, What the Flipity Flip Flip?! You've got to be kidding me? This isn't really happening. I mean, I thought I was going to be made fun of for coming in! lol!

So, the monitoring game began. We watched, waited, laughed... took several trips to the potty room (they were drowing me in water!)... oh and then we waited some more. Finally, the nurse called the on-call doctor and he said I needed to be admitted for the night. What?! Are you really serious?! Unbelievable!

So... we then headed on over to our room (just down the hall) and got settled in for a nice long night! haha! They had to try twice to get the i.v. flowing because my veins are super small. This is never fun for me. I absolutely hate getting I.V's for this reason. After they finally got it, they began giving me magnesium to settle my uterus. I was thankful for this but man does that stuff hurt! My arm was on fire the entire night so I couldn't rest... well between that and all the bp checks, bathroom visits (which required me and the nurse with all the cords, lol) and beeping! ha! Typical hospital stuff. I think Jared was able to sleep some. Thank goodness, because he headed out at 4:30a.m. to go mow (with all the rain lately, he just had to go get caught up.)

Anyway, crazy little unexpected thing in life. I had been feeling just fine, I mean, actually feeling pretty great! I'd even been working out (which Jared and I think maybe might have contributed to this little incident). But, when you're feeling so good, you want to do the things you can. Or at least that's how I roll anyway! It was an evening/night/next day full of emotion and question. Could little Axl make his appearance at only 29 weeks? If so, what will we face with his health? Will I end up on bed rest for the remainder of this pregnancy? (which by the way, i'm currently on until thursday.) All these things scrolling through my mind when just hours earlier I had been at the gym feeling amazing. It's something how life can change so quickly, isn't it?! This little hospital visit was just a reminder to Jared and I that we are NOT in control! We may have our plans, hopes, and goals but only our sweet Jesus is in control. And man is he ever in complete control!

That morning in the hospital, around 10, the doctor came in to check me. He said if I was really dilated to 1 cm that the hospital room would be my home for quite a while. Again, What?! This is just crazy! He checked me and said, "Just what I thought, your cervix is closed!" Amen and hallelujah! Praise Jesus! So, either the nurse just messed up (which checking for dilation is subjective) or God just closed me up! I'd like to think the later is true but either way God caused all this to happen for a reason! So, the doctor took me off the magnesium (I was really thankful for this!) monitored my uterus until 3, and sent me on my way (on bed rest of course)! And that was that! Bye Bye labor and delivery hope to not see you again until I'm at least 38 weeks!

God brought me great comfort through His Spirit and His Word during this time. I wasn't really telling friends/family that I was there because I wasn't really sure what was going on and didn't want to alarm anyone. I just prayed that the Lord would ask his saints to pray for me. When I called my sister the following day to tell her the situation she said, "That's funny, because late last night I just felt like I really needed to pray for you and Axl, even more than I normally do." That's not funny, That's God! And I'm so thankful for a sister who is sensitive to His spirit!

It's Sunday morning now. I'm home (on bed rest) and doing great! Axl is doing great as well. We actually got to have an ultrasound (such a blessing) while in the hospital and the little guy is measuring perfectly! It was good to see a glimpse of him too!

Been here, done the bed rest thing before and I can do it again for my boy! I'm just praying that the bed rest is only until Thursday this time. Then I can get back to some what of a normal pregnancy. There are lots of things I hope to do with SB this summer (it being our last with just her). Yes, I'm getting super sentimental about this! And the fact that she is growing up way to fast!

Some comfort from Jesus during my wide range of emotions....
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ( Oh how I love this!)

Matthew 6: 34
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Isn't this the truth!)

Thank you Jesus for my precious family. Thank you for the lessons you teach, the things you remind us of and always carrying us through the situations life brings our way. You deserve all of our praise! To God be the glory!

28 Weeks!

Welcome to the third and final trimester Kerri Fowler! Wow! Can't hardly believe it!

Pregnancy Highlights----

How Far Along: 28 Weeks
Size of baby: 2 1/2 lbs and 14 3/4 inches
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 16 lbs! I guess or I'm hoping! ha! haven't weighed this week. :)
Maternity Clothes: Oh YES!
Gender: Boy... Axl Joe Steven Fowler :)
Movement: Bigger kicks and punches and I can really feel him try to stretch out in there too! Little Hiccups too!
Sleep: I'm not near as tired during the day! yay! and sleep great at night!
What I miss: Turbo Kick and laying on my belly. Yay for getting to workout a little though! I went to the gym Saturday and then again this morning! Wow! haha!
Cravings: El Chico's... their steak fajitas and frijoles rancheros are the best!
symptoms: pressure and a growing belly... this may sound weird but I think my boobs may have actually shrunk a little. idk!
Best Moment this week: SB kissing my belly... i love this! :)

Ma's Garden

The other day we headed over to Ma's house to help plant her garden. We planted tomatoes, squash and okra... all our summer time favorites! Spicer enjoyed helping Ma for a little while but then she was ready to just play in the dirt! You would have thought she was in heaven rolling around in the dirt and throwing it everywhere! At one point she literally started doing belly flops into the garden! Like I've said before, she cracks me up! While she was actually planting the tomatoes she said, "I"m a farmer!" lol! Spicer loves her Ma and she loves being outside! :)

Big Cedar

My sweet little family and I headed to Big Cedar Lodge near Branson last week for a couple of days. And man, it was just what we needed! That place is so relaxing!
When we arrived in Branson on Wednesday night we headed to the Landing to eat at our FAVORTIE mexican restaurant Cantina Laredo! Oh my! I love that place and had been craving it for months! Awesomeness! That's pretty much all we had time for that day.
Then, on Thursday we had breakfast outside (love eating outside) at one of the restaurants, walked several miles on the gorgeous trails, checked out the Marina, played on the playgrounds, swam in the outdoor pool and napped! It was a great day! That evening we headed to the IMAX (We just can't go to Branson without going there) and watched a movie about tornado chasing. Not quite sure SB approved of it but about halfway through she wasn't scared anymore! yikes! Oh well, it hasn't caused her any sleepless nights! ha!
Friday we got up had breakfast on our balcony and packed up (reluctantly, it's just hard to get away for long this time of year). Seriously, we could stay at Big Cedar for a week and hardly even go into Branson (but we do love Branson)! We just love it! We headed to Tanger for a little shopping, bull riding and break dancing (sb broke it down in gap! Michael Jackson was playing on the radio and the girl just couldn't help herself! She kept having to put on different accessories while she danced. She wore a gap hat and jacket most of the time! Oh my! Jared and I were rolling! haha! This kid has quite the personality!). After all that fun, we decided to head home.
Thank you Jesus for your many many blessings!