The Gautreaux Family

So three kids keeps you busy.

2009-03-31T07:33:00.001-07:00

I am horrible about updating things. This is true. I am also in awe of everyone else's blogs...how my friends manage to take pictures of adorable kids, clean homes, and have entertaining things to write. Then there's me.

It is a good day if the dishes are done, laundry is put away, and I worked out. I dare you to open Anna's closet door and avoid injury. Yep, it's like that. Even so, I am happy to report that Anna and Seth have a blast playing with the neighborhood kids. There are 14 kids on our street, so the cul-de-sac is always full of scooters, skateboards, bikes, and chalk. I watched Anna and the girls play on a 60-something square hopscotch. Kinda funny. I'm thankful for our good neighbors. There is comfort in knowing I can walk outside in my fish pajamas and not feel ridiculous.

I am currently waiting on UPS to deliver our new camcorder. Our first, in fact. It has a hard drive and records in HD. Not that we have a DVD burner. Or HD. Still, I'm excited about filming the kids and taking the first step in updating our electronics.

Also, we took family pictures and those will be ready on Friday, which means I'll post them in two months. Ha! No really, I will try.

Welcome to the world, Claire Marie Gautreaux!

2008-12-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

Claire Marie Gautreaux was born via scheduled c-section on Dec. 18, 2008. She weighed 8lbs. 13oz. and measured 20.1 inches. Although I'd really hoped to do a VBAC, I knew that going past my due date increased the likelihood of an emergency C-section. I decided that a scheduled c-section after my due date would be our best option. Recovery has been going very well, and little Claire loves to eat! Seth and Anna are so excited to be big brother and sister. I want to thank my friends, Stephanie Alvarez and Bonny Rollins, for taking care of Anna and Seth during my hospital stay. You are wonderful moms and friends! I don't know what I'd do without you both. :)

Halloween

2008-11-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

We opted to trick-or-treat with our friends at MCAS New River. Since our subdivision is only one year old, we weren't sure about the trick-or-treat situation. I went the bold route and painted my belly like an eyeball. If I owned a lime green outfit, I would've been Mike Wizowski on Monsters, Inc. Brad was going to paint his belly like an eyeball, too, but at the last minute decided to let the kids paint his face. That turned out to be pretty funny.
Anna wanted to be a snow princess, so I customized her candy pumpkin to match her outfit. Seth spotted the Elmo candy holder and became best friends with it. He even carried his Hot Wheels cars in it for a few days.

Louisiana Trip

2008-09-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

Brad finished training on the Osprey about 6 days before Anna's school started. We had to make a tough decision on having Anna miss the first 4 days of school. We knew that with the baby being due Dec. 16, a Christmas trip was unlikely. The trip went VERY smoothly; I was pleasantly surprised. We knocked 1 hour off our drive time by packing food to eat on the way there. We also felt much better by avoiding fast food. The kids did great, and didn't fight or cry even once for 16.5 hours on the road!

We had a great time visiting everyone. My sister, Claire, threw a surprise baby shower for us, with lots of delicious food and a pretty diaper cake. My brothers and sisters chipped in for an AWESOME stroller! (a City Mini) It was really great to see everyone. My brothers and sisters always make me laugh. Alot.

We also had fun visiting with Brad's parents. Seth and Anna experienced heavy construction equipment firsthand when Brad's dad let them ride bulldozers, dump trucks and a trackhoe. Anna actually loaded some dirt into the dump truck! Ha!

Sadly, we had to leave Louisiana a little earlier than planned because of Hurricane Gustav. We only visited our families this time around. I hope that for our next trip, we can stay much longer.

It's a Girl!

2008-08-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

We had our ultrasound on Friday and found out that baby number three is a GIRL! I was already pretty sure, based on how this pregnancy compares to the two previous ones. She is very healthy and just the right size.

Brad's Promotion

2008-07-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Brad was officially promoted to Captain. Anna, Seth and I helped pin on his new rank insignia. We are so proud of you, Brad. We love you.

Wall E

2008-07-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

We went to see the latest Disney/Pixar film, "Wall E". All four of us loved it, and Seth sat still for most of the show! If you have kids, you should definitely go see it.

I love Anna's face in this one...I don't know why...

Anna's Birthday

2008-05-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

Anna's birthday party was held at Onslow Beach on Camp Lejeune. There was a cute little room that had a great view of the water. After cake and ice cream, everyone ran down the steps to play in the sand and water. Brad and the other dads flew a "manly kite". It was a happy day, and I want to thank everyone who came out to share in the fun.

I hope everyone is doing well!

House Pictures

2008-05-28T18:08:00.001-07:00

Almost every room in our house has been painted. Some of you may wonder why I'd paint rooms in a new consruction home, so here are two important reasons:

1. Kids and flat wall paint do not mix.
2. It's our first home, so we can finally have whatever color paint we want! Hooray!

Now it's time to work on the yard...

House Pictures

2008-05-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

First Ultrasound

2008-05-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

We had our first ultrasound on May 22. The due date is on target, and we saw the heart beating! The baby looks like a little gummi bear. I've only gained 2 lbs. so far, which is great for me. With both previous pregnancies, I'd already gained 12-15 lbs.

Update!

2008-04-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

We are pregnant with baby number 3! The baby is due December 16 (Seth's birthday) and we have our first ultrasound on May 15. Seth killed our digital camera, so pictures are on hold until we get another one.

I've been keeping busy with painting the interior of our home. So far, I've painted the living room, dining room, kitchen, half bathroom, bonus room, master bathroom, and Anna's room. I should finish our bedroom today. There are only 3 rooms that I haven't painted. :)

Christmas trip to Louisiana

2008-03-25T06:49:00.001-07:00

Driving Miss Rhonda:

Driving the kids:

My ginormous family:

New Year's Eve at our friend Gidget's bonfire:

Christmas day with Grams (Brad's grandma):

Updates....Finally!

2008-03-25T06:08:00.001-07:00

It's been over four months since I've updated this site! Five days after Brad's winging in Florida, we left for a week long visit to Louisiana. Then we drove to North Carolina and began our house hunt. We stayed with our friends, Stephanie and Miguel Alvarez, and their two kids. We lived in their guest room for five weeks, so many thanks for putting up with us!

We finally bought our first home on December 17. We moved in and then left 4 days later to visit Louisiana for Christmas. Then we drove back to North Carolina again and have been getting settled in. We are so excited to have our very own house, and be able to do what we like with it! It's on three acres of wooded land, so we've been working hard to get the yard ready for fencing. I'll be posting a large amount of photos to try and catch up.

Following Brad and the U-haul to North Carolina:

USMC Birthday Ball in New Bern, NC

Waiting for the Christmas Parade in Richlands, NC

At the squadron's Christmas party:

Goofing off at Stephanie's house:

Brad's Winging, NAS Whiting Field, Milton, FL

2007-10-30T20:23:00.001-07:00

Corn Maize, Baton Rouge, LA

2007-10-30T20:20:00.001-07:00

Boo at the Zoo, Baton Rouge, LA

2007-10-30T19:30:00.001-07:00

Anna's Fifth Birthday, and other LA activities...

2007-07-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Anna's birthday at a little playground in Louisiana. Both sides of the family were there to play and eat cake and ice cream!

We're in Florida!

2007-07-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long....but we've been going non-stop! We moved from Corpus Christi, TX in May. We are in Milton, FL for the next few months while Brad goes through the helicopter portion of his training.

We look forward to all the beach trips and Louisiana trips. Hope everyone is well!

San Antonio Trip (May 2007)

2007-07-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little late...oh well! Before leaving Texas, we took a weekend trip to San Antonio. We went to Sea World, the Children's Museum, and stayed on the Riverwalk. It was a great time...

Seth loved playing in the kiddie park at Sea World. The water would squirt him right in the face, but he'd only laugh. Below is a picture from our hotel balcony. It was fun to see all the little tourboats float down the river!
"Control Tower" at the Children's Museum. I think Brad liked it the most.
Anna and Brad ran through the entire kiddie section of Sea World. This is quite a feat.

My Little Pony Live

2007-04-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Blue Angels at NAS Corpus Christi

2007-04-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

It was really fun this past weekend! Saturday was very windy, but Sunday morning was just perfect. Brad worked the static display of the airplane he's training on (TC-12). We saw many different types of aircraft, but the flying lawnmower was our favorite!

Playtime at the park on base

2007-03-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

Anna's School Picnic and Open House

2007-03-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Walking to the Beach...

2007-03-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Visiting the petting zoo in Kingsville, TX

2007-03-28T18:35:00.000-07:00

Exploring the TC-12 (Brad's new plane)

2007-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

We went on base so Brad could show us the new plane he's training on. Anna and Seth spent some time in the cockpit, and saw a little of why their daddy studies so much!

In the passenger area...

Seth and Brad in the cockpit...
Seth in the passenger area..
Pilot Anna!
Are we flying? Weeeeeeee!
Anna and her co-pilot.

Seth's Haircut

2007-01-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

Before the haircut...
During the haircut...Presenting....
Mr. Seth and his new hairstyle!

Christmas in Louisiana, with the Gautreauxs

2007-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

Seth with Paw (Brad's Dad)
Marcelle, Rhonda, Philip, Jessica

Joseph, give Seth his toys!
Shaylea was so happy to get Baby Alive for Christmas. What a little sweetie!Seth and Grams (Brad's Grandmother)

Christmas in Louisiana, at Claire's House

2007-01-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

My sister Claire makes yummy candy baskets every years...ooooh....
My brother Clint is trying to sneak some of the food a little early...
Seth with his PawPaw and Uncle Jason
Seth and Uncle Clint
Yee Haw!

Christmas in Texas

2007-01-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas Tree

2006-12-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2006

2006-12-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

We stayed in Corpus Christi for Thanksgiving, and had a wonderful time with our friends. The Burnhams and Lebruns came over for fried turkey, ham, and a ton of food. Many thanks to Yvonne and Rebecca for the yummy dishes you brought!

2006-12-07T05:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Trick or Treat on Padre Island...

2006-11-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

We went trick-or-treating on Halloween and it was great! Anna and Seth had so much fun, and there were so many people...
Create Your Own!

The getaway

2006-09-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

A baby gate is no match for an ambitious dachshund!
She just wanted to snuggle...

Seth's favorite picture of himself...

2006-09-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

He laughs every time he sees this picture! He's crawling with exceptional speed, and he goes faster when you chase him.

Fire!

2006-09-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

First, let me say that nothing was damaged. The field behind our neighborhood caught fire when the neighbor's kids played with a flare gun. Luckily, the wind was blowing away from the homes. Since we're the last group of houses on the island, no one's house caught fire. Still, it was exciting for Anna...

Anna's first day of school

2006-08-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

2006-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome, Miss Rhonda!

2006-07-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we bought a red mini dachshund. Her name is Rhonda and she is the happiest, hoppiest little thing you've ever seen. She has a little stuffed bear she drags everywhere and attacks. Brad named the bear Mike.

We have some video of her on our other website: http://www.dropshots.com/marcellegautreaux

Summer Fun

2006-07-24T22:08:00.000-07:00

Anna recently rode her Uncle Matt's jet ski for the first time! We all had so much fun in the water. Even Seth tried to swim a little.

Later, Anna helped her daddy wash the truck...

...and also ride her bike!

The Circus Comes to Corpus...

2006-07-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

We took Anna and Seth to the Ringling Bros. Circus, and they were really excited! Anna loved all the pretty horses, and Seth laughed at the clowns. I think Brad and Matt had fun, too.

When Douzats Attack!

2006-07-24T21:54:00.000-07:00

My family came to visit us for the Fourth of July. We had a great time goofing off at the beach, roaming around downtown Corpus Christi, and misbehaving in general. There were 14 people in the house! It was crazy, cramped, and some of the best times we've had here.

We also tried to play some mini-golf...

This is my nephew, Keaton!

Goofing around in downtown Corpus Christi, TX

2006-07-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

During their outing to downtown, my brothers decided to play a friendly game of "Shoe War".

Brad's tie gets cut

2006-07-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Brad had his tie-cutting ceremony in June. This tradition is a way to celebrate the first solo for a student aviator. Anna picked out his tie!

Brad's instructor cuts his tie...

He talks!

2006-07-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

He's saying Dada!

2006-07-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

Brad's family visited us for a week in June. We had so much fun at the beach! We also went to Brad's squadron and got a close look at the plane he flies. We all had our first experience with mini-golf and bumper boats! We were sad to see them go, but Brad's sister, Jessica, stayed with us an extra two weeks.

2006-07-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

2006-07-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Anna!

2006-06-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

Anna turned 4 on May 16. We celebrated by going to Sea World. She loved all the animals, especially Shamu! We also strolled along the River Walk in San Antonio.

Happy Easter

2006-04-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Bella loves fried turkey....mmmm...

Anna at the park

2006-04-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

Anna went down the big slide all by herself!

St. Andrew by the Sea

2006-04-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

This is our church, located about 3 blocks from our house. It's outdoors, so we can enjoy the sunshine while we are at "Jesus' house" as Anna calls it.

Anna on the Flightline

2006-04-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Anna accompanied Brad to the flightline to see where he spends his time! She was really excited to see the airplanes...she thought she was really going for a flight. She told Brad, "Daddy, I don't want to fly upside down. I only wanna fly upside up so my helmet won't fall off."

We're in Corpus Christi!

2006-03-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

We're finally settling into our home in Corpus Christi, after the long drive from Florida and Louisiana. Here's a picture of our house; I'll post more after I finish unpacking everything (almost done!). Our house is on a narrow island and is located across the street from the beach. They allow bonfires on the beach here, and there's even a place to ride horses...

On a more serious note, Brad has started Flight School here at the Naval Station. He's very excited, as he has been waiting for this for a long time...We are so proud of him!

Seth is cooing and giggling more every day. He is growing very fast, and sleeps through the night just like his big sister did!

That hair is long!

2006-03-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

Anna's hair was getting so long and pretty, but it was constantly tangled. She asked for a haircut...

More of Mr. Seth...

2006-01-24T21:33:00.000-08:00

The gang's all here!

Such a sweet, sweet baby...

Seth is here!

2006-01-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Seth Michael Gautreaux was born on Dec. 16, 2005 at 1:23am via emergency c-section. He weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz. and was 21 3/4 inches long. Anna is very excited to be a big sister! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers...

2005-11-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Anna and I really enjoyed playing on the beach in Pensacola...