Sorry!

Every once in a while I need to be reminded that Asher is only 3. Tonight was a prime example. Amber was away with Nate at a volleyball match getting some much needed away time and I was left with the boys. After putting Caleb to bed, I whipped out Sorry! and set it up for Asher and me. He had been asking to play and so I figured why not.

I asked him before we began if he indeed knew how to play and he assured me that he did. He said he had played with some close friends of ours. I checked the age on the box and it said 6 and up. This gave me cause for concern, so I prodded a little further and I found myself persuaded that he in fact did grasp the basics of the game.

It didn't take long to realize that I had been duped. I tried my darndest to explain the dad blamed game to him, and finally after what seemed like an hour, but was only 5 minutes, I realized that I was playing a board game with a 3 year old and no amount of reason was going to work.

I still don't understand all of the rules of playing the game Asher's way, but he assures me he won and that Daddy did good too.

Game Week!

This picture was taken yesterday morning before I went to work. So at approximately 7:45 am EST, Asher and Caleb officially acknowledged that it was game week. How it does this father's heart good to see them developing this love at such a tender age. I have to go now and wipe away my tears of joy!

Bye Bye Billy!

Well, we were finally able to send this thing back where it came from! Nate was a bit jaundiced when he went for his first doctor appointment, but we were already prepared for this as his jaundice level had kept going up at the hospital. Plus both Asher and Caleb were jaundiced as well, but theirs never went as high as Nate's. So we were able to experience the billy blanket first hand. It is this little machine that the baby is hooked up to by wearing the yellow "blanket" on their back. It's a big pain because everywhere the baby goes, the machine has to go too. You can only imagine what diaper changes were like at 3:00 am! We got the billy on Sunday and Nate wore it until Wednesday morning. Needless to say we were not sad to see it go! And yes, I know I said I would update the blog "tomorrow", but this is tomorrow in my new life with three children!

Can we say glow worm!

Asher and Anna getting in on the picture taking action.

(The Thompsons were driving through Raleigh on their way back to Georgia so they stopped in to meet Baby Nate)Baby Paul wasn't too interested in Baby Nate!

Whew... I'm ready for a nap!

More of Nate the Great!

Here are some more pictures of Nate at home. So far we're all doing great! I don't know if Mom will say that next week when Dad goes back to work though! I've been busy doing alot of eating and sleeping. I haven't been able to be around my brothers too much because Asher has been sick. I've been a little jaundiced too, but Mom says she will post more about that tomorrow.

Aren't I handsome

First time in my bouncy seat

Hallelujah!

Me and my big brother (by the way, I don't have a tail. Mom says she will write more about that thing later!)

A BIG thank you to Mama's friends, Aunt Laura and Aunt Tina! You both are so special to us and we couldn't have done it without you. Lots of love.

Nathaniel Jackson Hickman

Well, Baby Nate is finally here. At 4:31 a.m. this morning he arrived. Both Amber and the baby are doing great. He is 8 lbs. 13 oz. and 21 in. long. Somehow Amber survived it and to this point it has been her best delivery and recovery of all three boys. Keep praying for us and until we come home Saturday, enjoy these pictures.

The Dry Season is Over!

This time of year is great for the Hickman family. Last Thursday, the family flag went up (pic to come later), and last Friday practice began for our beloved Crimson Tide. Only 23 days and counting til kickoff! Praise the Lord. June and July are the longest months of the year.

Baby Update: Contractions are coming on strong. It looks like we'll be headed to the hospital shortly. Not much longer now, hopefully. By this time tomorrow, some more important pictures should fill this space.

39 Weeks and counting...

OK, so I know I'm a little late in posting some prego pictures. Here I am in all my pregnancy glow and glory! Needless to say prego pictures just aren't my fav, but I realized I better take some this go round since there really aren't any to be found when I was pregnant with Asher and Caleb! As of today we are 5 days from our due date so Baby Nate could really come at any time. I have been having lots of false labor contractions which are exciting at first, but then become discouraging when I realize they aren't amounting to anything. I go back to the doctor on Monday so we'll see if I've made any progress since last week.... unless of course I go into labor before. We'll keep you posted!

Road Work

As little kids, my brother Stu and I loved running to the window every Monday and Thursday morning to see the garbage truck coming by our house. Something about kids and big trucks makes for a nice combination.

A couple of weeks ago the city of Raleigh finally realized that our neighborhood roads were in desperate need of repair and after two months of prep work, they repaved our culdesac. Here is a picture of Asher and Caleb spellbound and a picture of the big trucks.

Obviously, if I'm writing a post about road repaving it means there is nothing new to report on the baby front. Amber is 39 weeks today and was ready for the baby to be here a month ago. We'll keep everyone posted. But for now, enjoy these pictures of the boys. Amber should post some pregnancy pictures tomorrow.