Growing, growing, growing

Seems like the Sauder family is just growing, growing, growing!  William is growing bigger and brighter by the day, Expat Homes has been super busy and even hit profitability last month (craziness!), and my pregnant belly is getting pretty hard to hide nowadays.  Oh ya, did I mention I am pregnant?  I am finally out of the dreaded first trimester and can officially announce it to the world!  Yes, the Sauder family will be adding one more to our clan this February!

Another lil elephant will be joining the ranks!

We will have the baby in Thailand again and we welcome anyone who wants to come help us out after the baby is born! (*hint, hint, family & friends!)  I am 14 weeks and am just going to the doctor tonight. I guess I'm not really sure what prenatal doctor's appointments are like in the States, but they are pretty laid back here and I just haven't felt a huge rush to go wait at the clinic late at night for them to poke me and tell me "Everything looks good!".  And honestly, this first trimester has been pretty brutal this time around.  I don't remember it being this bad with William (although I realize my mind could have pushed that out of my memory), but man... these last few months have been hard!  Nauseous, tired, throwing up, horrible migraines... yuck.  Not to mention, running around after a crazy active 20 month old in the heat doesn't help much.  BUT, enough complaining.  We have survived and Steven and our friends here have been super wonderful and really helpful.  Plus, I remind myself that these symptoms (as annoying as they are) are just proof that our little babe is continuing to grow inside of me.  And for THAT, I am most thankful.  

So... because I've been completely lazy and have lacked any motivation to do anything other than survive until Daddy comes home, the photo blog has suffered.  Again.  Here's my attempt to get caught back up again!  Plus, I am super excited to document my brother and sister-in-laws visit last month!!!  It was such an awesome time and actually really helped me feel better through my nausea.  We were so busy that I didn't have time to think about how awful I felt!  They have been some of our most favorite visitors and we are so glad they decided to make the long trek to see us!

But first, just some every day pics...

How to keep an 18 month entertained at church?  SNACKS!!!

What a cheese ball!

A day at the zoo

 The kid loves soccer!

Hippie baby

Farmer baby

Cool baby

A couple's massage for our anniversary!

Marker face!

Anxiously awaiting Doug and Kristi's arrival!  We took a flight down to Bangkok to meet them!

They're here!  I can touch them! And hug them! A great feeling :)

Doug's first real Thai food... and he started sweating profusely!

Bangkok was like "Planes, Trains & Automobiles".  We traveled by plane, train, taxi, tuk tuk and boat all in one day!  

Dougie loved the Thai beer!  (Which is unusual because most people don't...)

Tasting Thai fruit at the market

A rambutan!

They're good!

A video of Doug tasting the infamous "STINKY FRUIT"!

Lunch at the floating market

Grilled prawns!

Stevo was so excited to have another adventurous eater with him!

Drinks in a bag!

Sharing a Thai tea

Really refreshing on such a hot day

We're on a boat!

Awesome Thai pants that were required for entrance to the palace... but we were too cheap to pay to go in :)

I heard that you could get your eyebrows "permed" in Bangkok... so we gave it a try and prayed that we wouldn't wake up blind!  It took an hour and 45 minutes, smelled like a real perm and was a little scary, but...

... we woke up with curly eyelashes!  An Asian girl's dream come true!  (And all for $12!)

Eating Khao Soi... Chiang Mai's famous curry soup!

Hanging out with animals at the Night Safari

William was confused as to why he was holding such a strange looking creature...

On a beautiful ride through the mountains

Loved the quality time I got with these two!

A picnic at the sticky waterfalls.  Doug hates picnics, but was a trooper :)

The infamous "Sticky Waterfall"

Dougie actually drove the moped all around Chiang Mai!  So proud.

Lunch where Steven and Expat Homes employees eat almost every day

He loved the food

And Kristi was super adventurous too :)

William got a realllllly bad haircut.  It looked like he had a moat around his head and a hair piece on top of his head!  Gross. 

Tempting William to sit still while we shaved his head with a cookie and the ipad...

It didn't work.

He hated it.

Poor guy.

EEKKK!  I have a little monk!  (Thankfully, his hair is growing back quickly...)

At the fish spa

Quality play time with Uncle Dougie

4 wheeling!!!

Chiang Mai is so beautiful!

 Doug described all our activities as "super fun, with a little bit of fear"

Stevo purposely drove us through lots of mud.  Obviously.

 We love Thailand!!!!

Always with a ball in his hand!

Swim day with Auntie Kristi

Dinner out

Hanging out with the tigers

 Infinity pool day!

Enjoying a nice apple candy drink...?

I'm sorry, but he's just so cute.

 Just riding an elephant in Thailand.  No big deal.

This place was so random... they barely spoke to us, threw us on the elephants and gave us an experience we'll never forget.  We all thought we were going to fall off or get trampled by the elephant.  They were freaking out because we didn't know we were going in the water and bathing them! Ha! 

 Trying to get back on!

 Sweet memories

Baby #2's first elephant adventure!

 Love this pic!

Took a trip out to a nearby town to see how they make those paper umbrellas

Got one painted for our pregnancy announcement!

Since Doug was determined to do EVERYTHING in Thailand, one of the last things on his list was to eat some bugs! 

 Mission accomplished!

Again, it was so awesome to spend 2 full weeks with these guys.  Because they met after we had already moved to Thailand, I cherished the time with them to just hang out, talk, experience crazy things together and have William get to know his Auntie and Uncle.  Meant a lot to my heart.  Thanks guys, for blessing us with such a fun time!

The following weeks, after we got back from a SIM conference, we just spent relaxing at home.  I think William was missing his routine and just being with his mama.  He's becoming quite the builder, just like Daddy!

Just love when his legs pop out of his crib!  Getting so big... :(

Really loves puzzles, too!

After breaking Auntie Kristi's sunglasses and always asking to wear everyone's, finally got the cool dude his own pair :)

Again, loves balls :)

You want me to do what?!?!

Oh, cool!!!!  We haven't really tackled the whole potty training thing, but we thought we'd give it a try.  He's getting pretty good about the "poop-in-the-potty" thing!

Was on a walk in the neighborhood with William and came across an Expat Homes sign!  So cool!  Super proud of Steven and humbled by the ways God continues to bless this business!

He likes to build a little bed for himself in the corner of our room

Shhh... don't tell Dad!

"All I want for Christmas..."

Date night out!

13 weeks pregnant!  (Sorry for the bathroom selfie!)

The boy loves a mope ride!

Breakfast to kick off my birthday week!!!

And then to top it off, Steven gave me the best birthday I could ask for!!!!  Unfortunately, I had an awful migraine the morning of my birthday and stayed in bed most of the day.  He tried to lift my spirits with an awesome breakfast in bed, but by the afternoon I was still feeling pretty awful.  He decided to break the news to me that he was planning a surprise party for me and was wondering what he should do... cancel it or keep the plan?  After crying (I blame the pregnancy hormones and the fact that I was feeling sorry for myself and bad that I was ruining Steven's efforts...), we decided I needed to get out of bed and try to suck it up!  So, my dear friend, Jen picked me up as planned and "distracted" me by taking me for an amazing neck and head massage.  It realllly helped my migraine!  And then we came home to a house full of all my favorite Chiang Mai people!!!!  Even though I wasn't "surprised" that they were there, I was so surprised by all that they had done!!!  Nicole had decorated the house, Liv had made all my favorite side dishes (twice baked potatoes, spinach artichoke dip and cabbage salad!), Jess & Michelle brought drinks and my husband was outside grilling these amazing steaks (a rare treat in Thailand!) and had somehow managed to make homemade bread and a few other side dishes!  I seriously couldn't believe it.  I felt so loved and celebrated!  It was a great way to start my 30th year!

 Blessed by these friends.

My stinker is ready to party!

Love this man.  (Oh! And an ice cream birthday cake from my favorite ice cream place in Chiang Mai!)

And to top off "the best birthday ever", Steven's gift to me!  A new diaper bag (a mommy's dream!) and a trip to Japan!!!!  WHAT?!?!?!?  I have always joked with Steven how going to Japan is on my bucket list, but I never really thought it would happen.  Turns out, we had enough miles for two round trip tickets since it's not too far from Thailand and this was our best chance to go before baby #2 comes!  So... we're heading to my homeland at the beginning of October for a much anticipated trip!  I can't wait!  

Just writing this blog, I'm blown away by all that I have to be thankful for.  A great visit from my brother and sis-in-law, an adorable boy whom I absolutely cherish, a husband who knows me well and goes above and beyond for me, a healthy pregnancy, a strong community of friends and a growing business and ministry.  Wow.  I am undeserving, yet so grateful for these things that God has entrusted me with.  What an honor.