Our kid needs a yard!

He loves playing outdoors.
He loves grass, water play, and running.
We can't deny it. This kid needs a yard!
So we promise ourselves (and Dylan) that the next place we live WILL have one.
He also asked once for a dog, but that's NOT happening anytime soon.

Family of Four

Nevermind that Baby Addie is crying in this picture. It just happened to be that this is the best one of the rest of us, where Dylan is actually looking AT the camera instead of squirming off of the couch. It seems that the older he gets, the harder it is to take pictures of him like this.

(Involuntary) First Smiles

I remember during my pregnancy, while listening to music with the laptop perched on my belly, that the baby always seemed to kick more while I played this song. Remember?

Well, the other night I wanted to see if that kicking was a sign of her loving or hating the music. Turns out she liked it. So much that we got a string of (involuntary) smiles. A glimpse at what her little smile will be like in another few weeks, and my heart melted. COMPLETELY.

(Big) Fortune Cookie

A package came in the mail the other day. With a note saying it was for Dylan, from Addie. Ok. So I began wondering who could have sent this clever little gift...
Kathy. Of course. She's always got the most clever gifts up her sleeves and this time was no exception. And she knows Dylan's favorite color (GREEN sprinkles!) - adorned with pictures of him and his sister, and complete with a big fortune inside...
He was in heaven!

Do you fancy them?

A new blog is out in cyberspace. Check it out. I personally know one of the editors, Em (M), who is both witty and hilarious.
Per her description, the blog is a combination of personal insights, fashion, news, what they (Em and Elle) are loving for the week etc etc.
But enough of that. Go see for yourselves!

Siblings

Baby Addie, cozied up in her blankie.

Along comes her brother, wanting to snuggle and hold her... and she takes it.
He wants to know where she is, what she is doing, what I'm eating (that she'll get from me when I feed her again), if she needs a blanket, a pacifier, anything. He adores her. And I know that in the next few months, she's going to just adore him right back!

I Saw God Today

Have you heard this song yet? It's beautiful. The very end of the song made me cry.
Perhaps it is these post-partum hormones. But perhaps it's just a lovely song that touched my heart...

To Grandma's House He Goes!

For the first 10 days after Addie was born, my parents came down and stayed with us, helping with Dylan and stocking up our freezer with meals. Having them here was a huge blessing and I definitely had some adjusting to do with both kids last week on my own (see previous blog for how that went!)
When they left the plan was for Dylan to go up for a visit sometime in the next couple weeks before they left for Oregon again.

So, tomorrow Dylan will be going up to stay with my parents for the rest of this week, and we'll go up to get him this weekend. I know he'll have a wonderful time with his grandparents and cousins (after all, somehow my parents can make a trip to Costco fun for a 3 year old), yet I'll certainly miss having him here. That's the selfish, worrying mommy in me, I know.
Imagine what a wreck I'll be when he goes off to camp oneday, or (GASP!) college!!!

Baby Addie will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. She's been tracking with both eyes since 2 weeks and she's grown to like her baths as long as I make sure she's been fed beforehand (big, big mistake that first bath). She's sleeping pretty well at night, waking up about 3 times (every 2 hours). And as long as I don't put her down in the bassinet, she seems to be happy.

First day out with TWO...

Today was my first offical day with the kids on my own. I decided to venture out to the park to meet up with some friends, thinking to myself "I can do this, I can do this..."

And after an hour, it seemed I was going to survive, sitting on a blanket next to my friend, nursing our daughters while our older kids played in the playground sandbox under the direct supervision of two of our other friends. I commented to her that the morning was going pretty well so far for us and even though Baby Addie seemed a bit annoyed by being outside, Dylan was having a good time with his friends.

Then IT happened.

Dylan had been jumping off the little platforms in the sandbox with his buddy Nolan and somehow hit his nose on the platform. My heart leaped from my chest and I ran to scoop him into my arms. The blood running down his nose and his screams broke my heart and those post-partum hormones kicked in and I found myself crying along with him... asking my friends to call Ryan to come meet us at the hospital (where I had just delivered Addie two weeks ago) as soon as he could.

(I hate to say this, but it actually looks worse than this picture)

Ryan arrived just about the time we did. And if it weren't for my friends all pulling together alongside me, ensuring I didn't lose my mind, I don't know what I would have done...
After taking xrays and being examined by the ER doctor, the biggest cut at the bridge of his nose was durabonded (glued) together and thankfully there wasn't any break. We all came home and spent the rest of the afternoon piled up in our bed, watching tv and trying to ensure the rest of our day was uneventful. Let's just say that icing a toddlers painfully bruised nose per doctor's instructions took some skill.

Tomorrow I don't think I'll venture out far from home. Maybe we'll get the mail.

First Bath

Addie's cord fell off on Sunday, so last night she got her first official bath. I think she was hungry when we decided to do it, so she was quite upset with us as you can see.
But she smells terrific!
Now we just hope she's not one of those anti-bath kids. Dylan LOVES the tub and it'd be nice if she did as well...

Happy Birthday Dylan!

Today Dylan is THREE.

How do I put my feelings/thoughts into words? While Baby Addie sleeps, I'll do my best...

My baby boy is growing up. In a good way, but yet my heart aches. I know it's because of the changes that have occured this past week. It's a combination of my desire to have things as they were before, being the person who is teaching him, playing with him, and singing him to sleep at night - and feeling the changes all around us, transitioning our family from one of three to four now that our sweet baby girl has arrived.

He's growing up. He put on his clothes this morning nearly by himself as I sat and nursed his newborn sister, amazed how much he can do on his own when I can't help him. It seems he has discovered imaginative play overnight, building 'caves' with his toys and airports to Mexico in the kitchen. He sits in a regular chair now at the dinner table and we've put away his booster seat. He doesn't wear a bib anymore.

He's growing up. He's a great big brother, asking how 'baby Addie' is and wanting to help bathe her, dress her, change her, feed her. Loving her. Wanting to keep her 'cozy and safe' whenever he's around her.

But he's still my baby boy. Last night I went into his room after we was already asleep and uncovered his sweaty head from his covers, pulled him into my arms and rocked him. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about how fast he's growing up, how fast he's becoming more independent. I leaned in close and breathed in the sweet smell of shampoo in his hair and kissed his soft neck and face. I thought about how much his world has changed in the past 6 days, how much our family has changed. And at the same moment in time, I was happy and sad and scared and falling in love all over again with my son.

He's still my baby boy. He hugged me and kissed me at preschool as I dropped him off, looking at me from the back seat as we drove there, talking about which 'friends' he'd see today at school.

And tonight when we celebrate his third birthday with ice-cream-cake and pizza, I know my heart will be happy, knowing that he'll always be my son... regardless of his age. And for now I'm going to soak in this time, tantrums and all, because it's only for a season and I love this season of my life!

Getting to know you...

Dylan and his new sister: Baby Addie!
He loves her so much already.
Getting to know you...
Settling in as a family of four...
An intellectual, deep in thought?
One of my favorite quotes:
Life is short; Nap hard.
Soaking in these first few days with our precious little girl.

And if you want to see a little video, look here.

Welcome Baby Addison!

Addison Marie was born July 1st, 2008 at 7:19AM. She was 6lb 13oz and 19.5in.
Both sets of grandparents came to see her on her birthday, which was a great blessing. Here she is with Briana's mom.
With Ryan's mom.

The moment of birth.
Looking at mommy.
Can you guess who this is when she came home from the hospital? Kind of reminds us of a previous blog.
First time being held by Daddy
With Uncle Matt