We decided to go to Hallzooween this past Saturday at the Cincinnati Zoo. We have a membership, so it was a free time for us! It was PACKED, despite it being so cold. Eli got all dressed up in his Lion costume for the festivities and had a blast. We enjoyed trick-or-treating at the different treat stations, and seeing all his favorite animals. Our nephew Wesley came around, so Eli had even more of a blast having him around!
At one of the Treat Stations
He was ROARING like a lion!
Checking out the Lions - they were SO close!
Enjoying some chocolate!
The Monkeys were checking Eli out!
Mama and Baby Monkey
Me and my Man!
Family Shot
Eli enjoying his candy watch
You can see ALL the pictures HERE.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Hallzooween 2009
Last Day of Tumbling
Well, Eli's last day of tumbling class at the YMCA was last Thursday. This was his 4th session. He has had a blast, and it will be sad for him to get out of this routine and have fun with the other kids. But, as my pregnancy progresses, I'm having a much harder time keeping up with him and chasing after him and getting up and down off the floor! So, for the winter months and after the baby is born, we're going to take a break. Maybe we'll pick it back up after Ethan is here, but for now, it's a much needed break!
I only got a few pictures of his last day.
With his favorite instructor, Brad
With Evie, one of his little girlfriends. We exchanged numbers with Evie's family, so hopefully we can get together for some play dates!
Trip To New Hampshire
Eli and I went to New Hampshire for a quick weekend trip a little over a week ago. Vince had to work that weekend and teach at church, so I planned a little getaway for me and Eli. Figured I better get it in before I'm not "allowed" to fly! Eli did great on the flight to Boston from Cincinnati. He played with his games, colored, and had snacks. We even got compliments on how well he did and complimenting me for keeping him occupied! That felt good! Then we had to take a bus from Boston to Concord, NH. I was worried we wouldn't catch the early bus since my luggage was taking forever to come. We made it to the bus stop with 2 minutes to spare!! Thank you Lord! Eli did great on the bus ride too, but towards the end, was so ready to be done travelling, and spending time with Nanna! Here's some pictures from our first leg of the trip:
Playing with his iPhone on the plane.
Checking all the safety precautions.
On the bus to Nanna's - his iPhone was a life saver!
When we got to my mom's house, Eli was so happy to see his Nanna! We had a long day, and Eli only got about a 30 minute nap the whole day. He did so well! I bought him some Toy Story pajamas for the trip and didn't show them to him until we got to Nanna's house. He was so excited to wear them! Apparently, he was so excited to be at Nanna's house - he woke up at 6:30 - wide awake! He went back down for a little bit, but was ready to go at 7:30. So much for sleeping in!
Eli in his new Toy Story PJ's showing Nanna his iPhone games.
We went and I got my haircut from the lady that used to cut my hair when I was growing up. I always try to get in with her when I get home - just to get a really good hair cut! She also touched up Eli's hair from his not-so-great haircut he got the week before. Thanks Peggy!
Then it was off to lunch with my grandmother at Johnson's Dairy Bar. Yummy seafood - a must when you're up in New England :-) Then we stopped to visit my Aunt Bev and Uncle Jim and cousin Tori (missed you Vanessa!) Eli had a blast with Uncle Jim exploring the big yard! They sat on the tractor and explored the shed, and then walked around in the woods in the yard. Eli was in his glory (and I think Jim was too!)
Guess he took it to heart when we said to clean his plate!
Exploring with Uncle Jim
Trying on Tori's boots!
So cute!
This is the life!
Then on Sunday we went to Trinity where I grew up and saw a bunch of old friends. It was like Old Home Days! Eli did great in the nursery, like I had any doubts he would! After church, it was home for naps, and then we went and saw 4 of my dad's 5 sisters. It was a great time getting together. Eli hadn't met any of his great-aunts yet, so that was fun! We had great food and fun and spent time at my Aunt Christine's camp. It started to snow as we left - crazy!
Fast asleep with Doggy Turner.
Playing with Aunt Christine - she had the goods! Play-Doh, Coloring Books, Books!
Me and Eli with my 4 Aunts and cousing Ashley (Left to Right: Aunt Linda, Aunt Christine, Aunt Vickie, Aunt Sally, Ashley).
My Mom and the Sisters!
The only picture we got with me and my mom and Eli!
The next day, we laid low. Mom had to work in the morning, so Eli and I had a lazy morning. When mom got home, we went to the 99 Restaurant for lunch, where Eli finally ate something of substance during our trip! He's still on the "eat hardly anything for days/weeks, and then finally have a few good days" diet. Oh well - eventually he'll come around, and I won't be able to keep enough food in the house! We went and spent some time with my grandmother afterwards, and Eli had a blast playing her organ - always a treat for him!
Such a music virtuoso!
Great Grammy, Eli and Me
Then it was home to RELAX until the next day, when we had to fly out back to Cincinnati. We ate more chop suey (my mom's FAMOUS chop suey that we usually have her make when we visit) and m&m cookies from Shaws (my favorite!). Eli and Nanna hung out and then it was early bed times. Although, Eli woke up at 5:30 - almost an hour before I was going to wake him up! Oh well!
Laying in bed with Nanna drinking his yogurt.
Then, it was off to the bus station to catch our bus back to the airport in Boston. Both Eli and I were crying, upset to be leaving Nanna. We had a great trip visiting, so it's always so hard to say goodby. The ride was pretty good and Eli slept about 10-15 minutes on the ride.
Eli showing Doggy Turner Boston out of the bus window.
We got to the airport and got checked in pretty quickly once we got to ticketing. In the security line, I was starting to feel woozy, I mean WOOZY. I was feeling myself getting ready to pass out, so I stepped out of line, and pulled Eli to the side with me, and I sat down on the floor, attempting to put my head near my knees (kind of hard when you're 6 months pregnant)! I had many people rush to my aid, and soon Airport Personnel were there making sure I was ok. Of course, by that time, I was crying, and feeling really cruddy. Poor Eli - didn't know what was going on - he just kept telling me to hold his hand - what a sweetie! A nice older lady stayed with me the whole time, and helped me and Eli through security (with the help of Airport Personnel as well), and made sure that I got to the elevator all right and we were on our way. I think a combination of lack of sleep, lack of food/drink, and just trying to get everything in order put me in that predicament. Thankfully, God protected us and we were on our way back home to Cincinnati. The flight went pretty well - definitely not as good as the flight to Boston, but we survived, and we were SO glad to see Vince when we got off the elevator at the airport. I immediately started sobbing and clinging to him! There's just no place like home!
We had a great trip, and I can't wait to get back to see my family, hopefully the next time will be after Ethan is born! We miss everyone already, but like I said, there's just no place like home!
You can see ALL the pictures from our trip HERE.
Michaela's 16th Birthday
We celebrated our nieces 16th birthday a few weeks ago by going to TGIFriday's. It's hard to believe that she's 16!!! Here's some pictures from our fun time together!
The Birthday Girl!
All the Family.
Eli Cheesing It Up!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Leaving On a Jet Plane
All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go. . . . .
WAIT! No they aren't! My bags aren't even CLOSE to being packed! I have my packing list done (although it had to be tweaked a little bit after my mom told me how cold it's been up in NH - hats and mittens and warmer coats are added to the list). I have my to-do list in place, although, it seems to be getting longer by the second! Eli and I will be flying out on Friday to visit my mom for a long weekend. Vince has to work this weekend and has to teach his Alpha class at church on Sunday, so me and Eli will be braving the skies by ourselves! Vince tells me that I'm brave for flying alone with Eli and being 6 months pregnant, but I'm stocked up on snacks, games, actvities, and toys for Eli. Hoping it works!!
Here's what is STILL left to do before we fly out tomorrow afternoon:
* Laundry (hopefully just one load)
* Take Eli to get his flu shot this afternoon
* Pick up Eli's immunization records (to have on hand while we fly)
* Buy Eli a winter hat - it's been on the list, but we haven't needed to get one yet!
* PACK
* Pick up some paperwork from the office I used to work at as I'm helping them to develope a new brochure for their office - fun!
* Chiropractor appointments tomorrow morning for me and Eli
* Get Eli a nap before we go to the airport - otherwise, it's a loooooong day tomorrow
* Get to the airport on time :-)
So, if I can just make it through another few hours of work today (3 1/2 hours to be exact), we'll be in good shape. Oh, and if I can just start feeling better, that would be great too!!!
We're looking forward to seeing family we haven't seen in a while, introducing Eli to 4 of his Aunts that haven't met him yet, spending time with my Mom (aka Nanna), seeing old friends at my mom's church, and just getting some time of relaxation in the great state of New Hampshire!! Oh, and eating out at some of our favorite places (of course) and Shaw's M&M cookies! The simple joys!!
So, I'll be on a blogging hiatus until we return, with tons of pictures of course!! Enjoy your weekend!!
National Infant and Pregnancy Loss Day
For those of us who have lost babies, whether to miscarriage, fetal disease, or anything else, today is a day to honor us. Praying for those that have felt this loss and praying for comfort and hope in the future.
After we lost our twins 4 years ago, I never thought I would heal. But God heals all wounds, and we have been blessed with our spirited 2-year-old Elijah, and another one on the way, Ethan. God is good. Praying that God continues to heal those that have lost a loved one.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Such a Serious Eater!
Eli is so serious sometimes! As I'm looking at these pictures, I realized he's wearing the same pajamas, but they were taken on different days (can tell by his big-boy hair cut in the last 2 pictures). Such a serious eater :-)
Free Falling!
The other night, Eli took his Brobee chair, and put it up on the ottoman. There's nothing new with that. He'll do that often, and turn it around and watch TV. Guess he just wants a better view. Well, this night, he took his chair and turned it towards me, and then slowly started to lean back. I was right there to catch him, but he wasn't anywhere near the edge. He slowly started to lean back and his feet started flapping. It was so funny. Then he said, "WHOOOOOOAAA!" Then fell back. He laughed hysterically, and then said, "HELP!" So, I got him up, and he did it again a few times. Of course, I had to get a picture, and he willingly obliged! He's such a funny boy!!
Almost 6 Months - Can It Be?
Wow! I can't believe that I'm almost 6 months pregnant! Time sure has flown with this pregnancy. I guess it helps that I'm chasing around a non-stop 2-year old! Well, let's see. Where are we at with this pregnancy?
Here's a semi-updated belly shot. It was a few weeks ago. I'll get another one when I'm officially 6 months. I do have to say, that I haven't taken nearly as many belly shots with this baby. I guess once you've seen a pregnant belly before, you've seen it all! 
(Vince kinda cut my head off - oh well!)
We had our ultrasound a few weeks ago and found out that we are having a BOY! We are SO thrilled to be having another boy. Ethan Michael Turner will be such a wonderful addition to our family. Eli will be such a great big brother to his little brother, and they will "hopefully" be great friends. And I'll tell you, having another boy will be "easy" in the sense that we already have everything that we need (with the exception of a double stroller)! We have the clothes, the bedding, the gear. They can share a room and everything! God is SO good! AND, with 2 boys, we don't have to pay for any weddings! :-) HA!!!
Well, here's some pictures of my handsome little man in utero. 
We will be having another ultrasound sometime in November. This one will be a more detailed ultrasound, concentrating a lot on his heart. Vince has a heart valve defect, so they will do a Fetal Echo on Ethan to make sure that he doesn't have a similar heart defect. We had this with Eli as well. It's a very detailed ultrasound that usually lasts a while - 1-2 hours. That's a hard one for a pregnant mama to lay on those tables for that long! But, to know that Ethan's heart is ok, it's worth it. So, we'd appreciate your prayers in that regard.
Otherwise, this pregnancy is still nothing like Eli's pregnancy! I have been dealing with some lovely (and I use that term loosely) sciatica and migraines. The migraines have started to taper off some, but are still lingering. The heartburn has pretty much subsided for now. I've only gained 12 pounds so far - WHOO HOO! That's a huge accomplishment because of how much I gained with Eli. A lot of his was water weight, and I haven't had much swelling if any with Ethan. Another praise!
Eli is still attempting to grasp the fact that he's going to have a brother. He's still not understanding it fully, but he's 2 :-) He'll catch on soon enough! Vince and Eli got to feel Ethan kicking the other night. Ethan moves a lot at night, so Vince and Eli aren't usually around to feel the moving. Well, the other night, Ethan was kicking up a storm (and I could see it), so I told Vince to hurry to my belly! He got to feel him kick twice, and then we put Eli's had on my belly and he got to feel Ethan kick. He didn't quite know what happened, and then he tried to hit my belly back! HA! He was just defending himself. He's so cute!
Other than that, things are going well. We are so thankful that God has allowed us to have another little boy. We are praising HIM for this miracle of life and are humbled that HE has allowed us to bring another child into this world. God is SO good. I hope that we never take that for granted, ever!!
Monday, October 05, 2009
Old West Festival
Last weekend we took Eli to the Old West Festival here in Cincinnati. We didn't know what to expect (if it was going to be cheesy or not!), but we ended up having a lot of fun. Eli couldn't stop talking about the Cowboys and Horses! We'll definitely go back next year. Here's some fun pictures from our day. You can see all of them HERE.
MY LITTLE COWBOY
THE TOWN
COVERED WAGON
DOESN'T HE LOOK SO HAPPY?!
FUNNY GUY!
You Are Good
This song is on one of the CD's that I got for Elijah, but it seems that I listen to it more! Just a wonderful reminder of how good God is in our lives, no matter what our circumstances. God is always good, we just don't always choose to see how good He truly is in our lives! What a great reminder today, as I was grouchy on my way into work when it was still dark out and cold! God is GOOD!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ultrasound Results
We are so excited to know that we are having another boy! Eli is going to love having a brother and will be such a great friend to him! We have picked out the name Ethan Michael. Ethan means STRONG and Michael means GIFT FROM GOD. We've picked out the name Michael after Vince's brother and my cousin. Ethan was a name we liked (and could agree on!!)
We are praising God for this blessing and a healthy baby BOY!!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Random Pictures of the Day!
I love when Vince sends me pictures of Eli during the day while I'm at work. It just really makes my day! Here are a few from about a month ago, apparently right after Eli got his haircut. What a cutie pie!
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