Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Odds and Ends

Planting Dahlia's with Daddy!
Since it's been so long since I've actually posted, I thought I would just post a few more recent pictures along with a few of the cute things that have happened around here.



 Olivia lost her first top tooth today!  It's been hanging by a thread for days!  She was SO excited!  This makes her 5th tooth that she's lost!  And she's only 5!  She is finishing up Kindergarten and has 1st grade orientation in a few weeks!








 Naomi turned 4 last month!  She's recognizing more and more letters and knows all her colors.  She "graduates" from her little home preschool program in two weeks!





 Timmy is totally boy and continues to be very active!  He had his first set of stitches a few weeks ago...smack dab on his forehead above his left eye!  Whenever you tell him to smile, he squints his eyes!




 Gabrielle is 2 1/2 months already!  How did that happen?!  She was 10lb 3 oz at her 2 month check up- a gain of 3 lb 6 oz. She is so smiley now and coos a lot as well.  The kids love to sit and make her smile!  She is settling down and not quite so fussy now.  We discovered that she loves being swaddled.  Thanks to The Happiest Baby on the Block we have discovered how to calm her down when she works herself up.  We all love her to death and she gets millions of kisses a day!

Happy Birthday Naomi!

Happy Birthday Naomi!
April 2, 2012
4 years old!

(I am clearly very behind on this blog!  For good reason I can assure you!  It has assumed the bottom of the priority list...below kids, making meals, cleaning, folding laundry, and sleep!)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easter 2012!


He Is Risen!  Alleluia!  
Happy Easter from our family to yours!

 








Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Introducing....



Gabrielle Marie
born February 19, 2012
9:49am
6 lb   13oz   20in. 







Friday, February 17, 2012

False Alarm

So, yesterday was quite aggravating!  I awoke at 5:30 am with a couple strong contractions and thought, "finally, this is it! what perfect timing too!"  I was 2 days overdue, this had to be it.  Pete was up getting ready for work, so I told him he probably should switch gears and get last minute things packed for the hospital and kids.  He called his mom to come down to watch the kids, and the contractions slowed down.  Usually, when I go into labor, the contractions start and just keep getting stronger and closer and there's a baby in 2-4 hours.  Well, that wasn't so this time!  My mother-in-law got here and I was just having wimpy, irregular contractions.  She decided to take the kids to her house and we were going to go walk to get things rolling.  After she left, I was so tired, I laid down and dozed in and out for a bit. We ended up at the mall by mid day and walked the circuit a few times. We grabbed lunch at Panera (which was so nice!) and walked some more at a track outside until it started raining and I got too tired to continue.  Though we were within walking distance of the hospital, we headed home.  I had still been having random contractions, but they just were not becoming regular.  We decided to relax and watch a movie at home...still no significant changes.  At this point, we talked to my mother-in-law and decided that the kids would stay at her house for the night in hopes that this baby would decide to come in the night.  Well, if the kids were going to be gone anyway, we decided we might as well enjoy our free time and go on a date!  We headed to a local restaurant and enjoyed a nice dinner, then called it an early night just in case!

I slept so well last night!  Knowing you don't have to keep one ear open for crying children really can put one in a sound sleep.  It felt SO good to get a decent night sleep!  I awoke at 4:30am and told God that now would be the perfect time to send this baby into the world.  Guess He didn't agree, because here I sit, my children home and tucked in bed, even more pregnant than yesterday.  Ah well.  Sure keeps life exciting!

It was SO nice to have a day off though.  We got to go on a much needed date, relax, sleep well, and I feel much more refreshed!  Thank you ever so much to my wonderful mother-in-law.  When I picked the kids up at her house today, I arrived at the door to a very upset 5 year old.  She cried quite some time saying, "I don't want to leave Grandma's house...I don't want to go home...I don't like my bunk bed anymore...I don't like our house anymore...Mommy, sometimes little girls just don't like to have to leave their Grandma's house...sometimes little girls just don't like to go home to their houses." 

As if she wasn't upset enough and crying enough, her "bear" got dropped in the muddy driveway as we were getting into the car at Grandma's.  That led to a whole new waterfall of tears.  "That was my favorite toy...that was the bear Uncle Chris gave me when I was born...I want my bear....etc. etc."  I think our tears were largely due to be overtired!  Rest assured, though, bear has been washed and dried and is sleeping soundly in Olivia's arms!

I hope the next time I blog, it will be with news of a BABY!!!! 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

40 weeks...


And yet another pregnancy goes past my due date.  Why does it feel like when your due date has come and gone, you've missed the boat and your chance of having this baby is gone?!  I was 2-3 days early with the girls and 6 days late with Timmy.  I'm going to have to guess that this baby is a boy.

Here's hoping this baby arrives soon!  Any and all prayers for a smooth labor and delivery would be most appreciated!


St. Valentine's Day 2012

St. Valentine's Day breakfast...mini donuts with pink sprinkles! (Courtesy of Wegman's Grocery Store)

Making White Chocolate Dipped Oreos
St. Valentine's Day tea with Grandma

Heart Cookies (Compliments of Wegmans)
Making Valentine's for Daddy!

Heart Butterfly Valentines for Daddy!
Colorings of St. Valentine and our Our Lady of Lourdes grotto from her feast day
2 Dozen Beautiful Roses from my Valentine- one red for me and one white for our new little rosebud-treat bags from Grandma and little treat buckets for the kids from us.
We had a fun day, but I won't lie...I was exhausted by the end of the day!  Dinner came straight out of a bag from the freezer, cooked by Pete on the skillet while I melted into the bed, and then was served on paper plates.  We had pink angel food cake topped with whip cream and strawberries, then the kids were ushered into bed and we collapsed as soon as the Rosary was over!  All in all, it was a nice family Valentine's day and there will be more years for a romantic couples Valentine's day!