Life As A Moore...: The Last Eight Months...

I've often wanted to try and get on here, but it just never seems to happen. And now here we are...eight months later and just now blogging. I can't believe the last time I was on here was after Samuel's 2nd birthday in June. Sad, really.

I can honestly say, things have been going amazingly well. After Samuel turned 2, we took some leave and took him out to Disneyland, Los Angeles and the surrounding beaches, and finally San Diego. Oh, how wonderful it was to be able to go back there! We haven't been to San Diego since before our time in the Army, but it felt like we were going back home. James was ready to quit his job and stay, ha. We were able to do our typical family portraits with the tripod while out at La Jolla, too. Good times.

Looking back, the entire fall season feels like a blur. James did his bi-annual field problem in October, which ended up being cut incredibly short due to the Government shutdown and a serious lack of funding -- I definitely didn't complain about that! Ha. Now that I think about it, before the field problem, we were able to take a trip up to UT to visit James' cousin. That's another place where if James landed a job, I'd move in a heartbeat! They live about an hour outside of Salt Lake City, near Park City -- absolutely gorgeous! I'm so glad we were able to make that little trip. Between visiting family, seeing that area along with Moab (Arches National Park), it was the perfect getaway.

And that leads into the next part...The biggest news about last fall is that we found out we are pregnant with Baby #5. We were shocked, but absolutely thrilled. Okay, James nearly had a panic attack when we found out, but still. The joy of finding the right doctor was, of course, just as fun as ever, but I think we've found the right one. Things are looking really good. We just passed the mark of when we lost our first son, Jacob, so that's a relief. We're now 21 weeks along with another boy. Caleb Wesley Moore will hopefully be here in late May if everything goes well. The next few months can't go fast enough, as we anticipate his arrival. Please keep us in your prayers as we hit each week. It never gets easier after all that we've gone through with each loss, that's for sure. Just as he was with Samuel, it has been hard for James to get attached or even imagine a healthy, breathing baby, since we've been proven wrong so many times. Hopefully all will go well and he'll fall in love the second he sees Caleb, just as he did with our wild man, Sam.

Samuel is becoming a little more excited about a baby brother as time passes -- it really depends on the day, though. It's very bittersweet that we will never be able to experience raising a little girl -- something we feel robbed of after losing our little Olivia. However, I know a baby brother will be the perfect thing for Samuel -- a wrestling buddy! Here's hoping and praying he arrives happy and healthy. Oh, to get to that final moment and hear his cry...I can only hope.

This upcoming summer looks to be a crazy one. If all goes as planned, we should be moving to CA with a 2 month old and 3 year old. Fun times ahead! Oh, and we'll be downsizing to a small townhouse due to being at an isolated Army base. If Caleb makes it, we plan to have the boys share a room to help with the downsizing -- I'm sure there will be many entertaining moments ahead with that, ha.

With my track record over the last year, I suppose I might not be on here again for awhile, but I guess we'll see. Samuel is starting to sit for longer periods of time (5 minutes is long, right?) and be entertained by his recent favorite -- puzzles -- so maybe, just maybe, I'll get better about getting back on the blog. I miss it. I've been such a slacker not only with the blog, but also with photography. Just skimming through pictures from the last 8 months to post, I didn't find nearly as many as you would think. Anymore, if it's not taken on the cell phone and posted on instagram for family, it's not taken. I do feel like I should brush the dust off my camera and start using it in preparation for Caleb, but we'll see if that actually happens. After all, for those that know me, I'll be doing my own photos of him rather than hiring another photographer. I actually mentioned getting a birth photographer this time around and the hubs wasn't much of a fan (he was the same way with Samuel, hence no photos of such things). Only will tell...

Until then, here are a few photos since the last time I was on here...

Samuel with our Jacob Bear on Jacob Tyler's 10th Birthday in Heaven...

Samuel LOVED the spinning tea cups ride at Disneyland. We went on it several times every night before heading to bed. Pure joy!

Here's Samuel on his first roller coaster. He was exactly at the height requirement and upon finishing the ride, he sprinted back to the line to do it again. Sweet boy!

While waiting to go on the Mater ride. He loved this one as well. Oh, the laughs coming from this kid. If I could've captured it, I'd listen to it daily...