First Week at Home

Life is pretty simple for a one-week old baby, however, for the rest of us, I think we're getting a glimpse of how life is changed forever (and we wouldn't have it any other way)!  We've loved settling in as a family of 5 and have enjoyed many visitors, including Grandpa Bob &  Granny who had yet to meet any of their great-grandchildren at this newborn stage!  It was a wonderful day for everyone and we're loving the transition.  Alice seems to be doing well, although, let's be honest...she's like every newborn baby before her and loves snuggling and sleeping.  Jane and Luke are VERY proud of her and are excited to tell everyone they talk to about her.  They like to sit right next to her and just watch her...especially Luke, forever the tender-hearted.

Halloween was a bit overlooked this year with having such a small baby around, but we did our best to still celebrate for the older kids; Evan was off work and enjoyed taking them to the library for the festivities there and just a few rounds of trick-or-treating; the weather was so crummy here, it wasn't even worth any of the hassle!

Heading home, luckily not in the dead of winter like the other 2

The welcoming committee

Great picture of Aunt Lana and Uncle Kyle

Getting ready for a bunch of visitors

Grammy, Bob, and the kids in their special Mickey/Minne jammies from Aunt Connie

Enjoying cupcakes (courtesy of Nana) for the "birthday party" celebration for Baby Alice

Already got him wrapped around her finger

A very happy crew

A very proud great-grandma

An unusually warm and beautiful day for a short walk/bike ride

I really like this picture, even with Alice in hysterics.  We were putting lotion on her after her bath and she wasn't a big fan of that

Dash (with a mask that's just a teensy bit too tight) and Cinderella

Our little pumpkin; Luke's pet name for her

Alice Eleanor

She's here....and a week early at that!  We are so excited to announce the birth of our 2nd daughter, Alice Eleanor, born on October 24th at 9:10am, weighing 7lbs 13oz and 21.5" long!

Wow, as usual, we are completely smitten with our 3rd blessing from God!  Alice had been letting me know for over a week that she was really getting ready to make her grand entrance, as I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions since my 38 week appointment.  Every time I would actually stop and remember to pay attention to them (vs ignoring and telling myself there is no way she would come early), they would be sporadic and nothing I felt was worthy of heading to the hospital.  Right after my 39-week appointment, I just knew that there was no way she was waiting any longer.  I went to bed on Wednesday night and woke at 3am with contractions.  I finally thought to myself that I should get up and pay attention, and I'm sure glad that I did; after an hour of very strong, consistent contractions, I woke Evan up and quickly got our things around.  We arrived at the hospital a little before 6am and this little lady was here in no time!

She was rather feisty right after she was born, as she was crying and crying nonstop.  Evan and I just looked at each other and wondered what life now had in store for us!  As per usual, we didn't decide on a name until well after she was born, but both felt in the end that Alice was the name chosen for her.  

More to come on this sweet little lady!

Long fingers just like her older sister!

So little, and so precious

Another one of daddy's little girls

Love those eyes!

Meeting her older siblings for the 1st time!

October 2013

October officially became waiting-for-baby-to-eventually-come month, as it was an exceptionally long and tiring pregnancy for sure!  I started with Braxton Hicks contractions around 6 months and they continued, coming even stronger throughout the month of October.  We tried to nestle in here at home and eagerly await our 2nd daughter's arrival, while also cherishing this time as a family of four for just a bit longer.

Jane's pre-school took a trip to the fire station and it was a great time, although Jane was feeling a bit under the weather.  We also braved a little chilly night and took the kids to their first (and only) Rochester Zebra football game.  We had fun bundling up and watching the game; and by watching I mean talking about the concession stand, cheerleaders, elephant ears (long discussion ensued about the fact that there weren't actually elephant ears at the football game), and pretty much anything but football.  The most memorable part of the evening was allowing Luke to try some blue Powerade, only to have him ask the next day for that "yummy blue milk" - he still talks about it today!

Evan and I enjoyed putting the kids to bed and finishing our Breaking Bad marathon and starting The Walking Dead; evening rituals included hunkering down in our basement and watching 2-3 episodes a night while we patiently (sort of) awaited the arrival of our daughter!

Morning before Jane's field trip

After awhile, the fire station just isn't all that exciting to 3-yr old girls

It was a beautiful day and fun memory

The kids LOVE taking baths together; Evan left them alone for 10 minutes and secretly caught them laughing and playing with tons of great pics on our camera.  They love being silly together.  They are both getting so big it's almost impossible to bathe them together any longer.. :(

Bundled up at the football game!

Jane and mommy (2 days before baby arrived!)

They love this Mickey Mouse piano book from Great-Grandma S.  Lots of time "practicing and infructing (instructing)" says Jane.

Jane debuted her artistic ability with this Magna Doodle portrait of our family.  She drew each person.  I love how Daddy was the 2nd from the right...

September 2013

Whew...one would think that after all the excitement of August, we would slow things down a bit, but alas, this family seems to move at 1 of 2 paces....fast, or even faster!  

I just love the month of September (and not just because it's my birthday month!) - it brings back memories of closing the summer, getting ready for school to start, warm but not blazing hot weather and the slight beginnings of fall, my favorite season!

We enjoyed our time here at home with no travel in September, and instead welcomed guests (my cousin Matt and his wife Alison), enjoyed our annual trip to Thistleberry Farm, watched Jane's preschool class "perform" at church, and began to really prepare the nursery and rest of the house for the baby's arrival.  All in all, a very low-key and wonderful September!

A wonderful visit with this wonderful couple!  We got to show them around Rochester, enjoyed a boat ride (the weather was amazing!), played games and just visited!

Loving life on the boat with my 2 (and a half) favorite people!

He is getting SO big!

The highlight for Jane during our trip to Thistleberry.  We love going to the farm and luckily chose a weekend this year when it wasn't blasted cold!  Jane loved this slide and went down it a least a dozen times.  The picture of her from the bottom didn't post correctly, but she was all smiles.

Jane trying to "help" Luke onto the big jumpy thing - she loved it...

...him, not so much.  He wanted off immediately!

Loving the cow train as usual

The climbing wall was a new addition to the farm and Jane took to it right away!

Huge progress for Luke as he wouldn't even go near the horses last year - he rode all the way by himself and no tears!

The hayride was less-than-thrilling for Luke

Picking pumpkins!

Getting ready for Jane's pre-school "program" at Church. 

Grammy and Grandpa Bob joined us for the morning much to Jane's delight!

Jane did a great job singing for everyone - I was one proud mama!

A fun picture of life here at home.  Jane loves dressing up and having tea parties and always invites (read: makes) her brother to join.  He obliges as you can see he'll wear the jewelry but normally draws the line at putting on her princess dress-up clothes.  This feast is fit for a king!

I love this one, they pretend to feed their stuffed animals; I have no idea why Luke is holding his arm like that, but he kept it like that the entire time!

Happy Birthday to me!  Unfortunately, I had a work meeting all day in Indy, but the guys on my team treated me to this delicious chocolate cake!

Is this my 3 1/2 year old, or someone else!?  She is so beautiful to me!

Here's me being brave putting a preggo picture up here...picture taken at almost 37 weeks pregnant.  She's almost here!!