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The Dayton Houghs

30 31 32 36 32 36 32 36 37 38 The Dayton Houghs: April 2009

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Jake is officially 12 years old. When in the heck did that happen? He was the little wild 2 year old that I fell in love with when Brian and I started dating. Now he is turning into this teenagery type person. His voice is getting deeper and his feet are bigger than mine and I am sure that by this time next year he will be taller than me! He is so much like me that he drives me crazy and makes me laugh at the same time. He is such a great kid and a good student and an awesome athlete. He is very patient with the little ones, which is probably why they adore him, particularly Isaac. I am so proud to be his mom!
His latest passion is Pitt Basketball, so that was his cake choice this year.

We also celebrated Gianna's fourth birthday. She is such a funny girl, which makes her very mad to hear, but it's the truth! We are always cracking up at the things that she says. She informed me the other day that it must be very complicated to be a long necked dinosaur! What 4 year old uses the word complicated in everyday conversation! She is also telling us hysterical and outrageous stories about her "friend" Theresa. Theresa ranges in age from 4 to 54, depending on what the story is about. She is very creative. She is also cute as a button! She is addicted to makeup and nail polish, but she also loves basketball and baking. I can't wait to see what kind of big person she grows up to be!

Her choice for her cake was a ballerina that looked like her. Judy nailed it as usual!

Ready...Set....Blow!

High five guys!

As usual there were tons of gifts from the family. Gianna got everything from clothes, a doll, Thumbelina and baking things...

Jake was totally happy with a pile of cards full of money! He is saving for basketball summer camp!

Happy Birthday Guys!

posted by Unknown @ 8:58 PM   0 Comments

Seven days and counting!

It is officially official! I am on the books to be induced next Thursday, April 30th! All that I can say is Thank You God! While I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of number 8, this has been a difficult pregnancy for me. I think that it's because he's a boy. That has to be it! A girl would never do this to her mother! Since I was diagnosed with a random blood clotting disorder, I have had to give myself daily injections throughout the entire pregnancy. It started out at once a day, but I am now on a different blood thinner and I have to inject myself in the stomach 6 times a day! So not fun. He was also transverse for about 16 weeks. Thankfully he did turn! That means that I probably won't need a c-section and there was no need for the doctors to try and turn him . He is wiggly and squirming working his way down. I keep telling him go toward the light!!! We have also developed a BAD reputation on the maternity floor. The labor and delivery nurses all sadly sigh when we head up for my biweekly nonstress tests. They try to smile but I know that they are inwardly crying. This child just will not cooperate. What should normally take 20 minutes to a half an hour has at the very minimum taken 45 minutes. My NSTs have averaged 1 hour and a half to 2 hours. Seriously, is there a need? The nurses that I have had a couple of times now know when I'm coming and make sure that they are doing something else when I arrive and pass me off onto some poor unsuspecting nurse. I actually broke one nurse's happy spirit! She walked into the room all smiles and sunshine, determined to get my little baby onto the monitor. 45 minutes later she walked out of the room dejectedly shaking her head. I don't think that she has been the same since. I know that whenever I see her she won't make eye contact and darts into another room to avoid me.

All of this is ok though, because in 7 short days, my sweet little boy should be making his grand entrance into this crazy world. I cannnot wait to hold him in my arms instead of in my stomach. I can't wait to hear him cry that sweet little newborn cry. I can't wait to see what he looks like and to feel his soft new baby skin, and touch his tiny little newborn fingers. I can't wait to introduce him to his 7 brothers and sisters who are also anxiously awaiting his arrival. I can't wait to see how my husband looks at him with the eyes of a new father, eventhough this is #8! I can't wait to see how he just fits right into our family. I can't wait to tell him that he is loved and wanted and precious to us. I just can't wait!

posted by Unknown @ 8:32 PM   1 Comments

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Our trip to Wonderland




It all started about a month ago whe nwe received an e-mail from the alumni office at Grove City College. It was advertising a children's theater production complete with a breakfast with some of the characters from "Alice in Wonderland." After discussing it, Brian and I thought that it would be a great thing to take Gianna and Hannah to. We talked about how they are always dragged from one sporting event after another of their older siblings, and how it would be so much fun to treat just the two of them. It was also a treat for us to be able to spend time with just the two of them. With so many brothers and sisters, it doesn't happen very often. After dinner we decide to make a big announcement telling them about this special treat for just the two of them. I must be honest, I was expecting giggles and shrieks of laughter and excitement. I was totally expecting "parent of the year" type adoration from the two little girls. Well....there were shrieks, but not of excitement. Gianna actually started to cry!! "Why can't our whole family go!? Why isn't Sissy coming!? Do we have to go?!" OK...not exactly what I was hoping for. I think that the other kids felt bad for us because they all started to chime in about how much fun it would be and how neat it would be for the two of them. It was really kind of sad and pathetic. Thankfully as time went on they started to get more and more excited and by showtime, they couldn't wait for our special day!

Our tickets



We farmed the other kids out to various family members and set out for our day of fun! The girls got all dressed up in their pretty pink dresses and we were off. After an hour and 20 minutes of "How much longer until we get there? Are we almost there?...etc" we arrived on campus. We walked into the Pew Fine Arts Center and found our tickets. We were escorted into the room where a dleicious breakfast waswaiting for us. The girls loved the heart-shaped frenchtoast and yummy bacon. The fresh strawberries were quite yummy as well.

Enjoying the yummy breakfast!


There were pictures of Alice and the various characters along with crayons for the kids to color while we were waiting. Hannah set to work coloring a picture for none-other than Alice herself. During the course of breakfast the characters started to wander around the dining room visiting the kids anxiously awaiting their arrival.

We met the White Rabbit, who was mistaken for the Easter Bunny....





The Mad Hatter...or as Hannah kept calling him the Man Hatter...

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum....






The Cheshire cat....




Some of the cards.....



The March Hare and Doormouse....



The Queen and King of Hearts.

The Knave of Hearts.
And of course....ALICE!!!!!

Hannah was thrilled to meet them all and as usual chatted away with them. Gianna...well not so much. She swears that she was NOT being shy, she was just eating and drinking! She was basically terrified. She would not make eye contact and looked like she might just melt into a puddle if they got too close.




Mommy and Gia (note the look of terror on her face!)





Hannah and Daddy








The play was very well done and the girls really enjoyed it. I liked the play, but I really enjoyed spending some time with them. Having Hannah and Gianna all to ourselves was the best part of the day for Brian and I!























































































































posted by Unknown @ 5:28 PM   0 Comments