Swimming

One of the many things I love about summer is the swimming pool!  I have so many memories as a child of spending long hot days at the pool, playing with friends and swimming until we were so tired and wrinkled we had no other option but to get out.  Thankfully my kiddos share that same love!  So far we've spent almost every weekend at the pool and it's been amazing to watch the boys conquer their fears of the water and learn how to swim.  Braden is quite the fish lately...that child absolutely loves the pool!  He will swim and swim and swim, regardless of how cold the water is and he's become pretty good at swimming.  I mean good enough that I actually don't have to be in the water with him when he swims.  That's a new thing for us and it's a bit weird to be honest.  I keep thinking I should jump in to rescue him, but then I remember that he can actually swim on his own, without me....another sign that my boy is growing up too fast!!!  In fact, Braden's almost ready to take the swimming test at our local pool which means he won't have to stay at arm's length to one of us when he swims, but his fear of failing seems to be getting in his way.  I'm hoping by the end of summer he will have conquered that fear!  Asher loves the water too and he does really well swimming by himself too, but he sometimes forgets to come up for air and he's a little too confident and that makes me nervous!  Asher swims in smaller doses because his little body gets too cold and his tummy beckons him to the side of the pool to eat endless rounds of goldfish crackers!  Sweet baby Amelia seems to like the water too.  Her personality is just so mild and calm that even if she gets splashed in the face with cold water, she just sits there quietly and doesn't seem to be bothered by it. This never would have happened with the boys.  They would scream if they got splashed!  She loves to be held tight in the pool and we love to cuddle her tiny little frame as we carry her around in the water.  I've yet to attempt the pool by myself with all three kids, but Austin and I frequent the pool every weekend and that makes me very happy!

Okay, check out the chunks on baby Amelia's legs...so stinkin' cute -

 Austin and his girl -

 I love a little man in glasses -

 This swimming business is exhausting -

 I love those baby cheeks -

Colorado

A few weeks ago, Austin and I got to slip away for a few days and head to the beautiful state of Colorado.  Austin had business there and I got to just go along for the ride.  It was so nice to step away from our normal role of being parents and to slow down a bit and just be together, like we were before we had kids.  We definitely missed all of our little friends, but it was so nice to sleep in, eat meals at our own leisure, finish cups of coffee while they were still hot and have time for real conversations.  We are so thankful for loving grandparents who cared so well for our children while we were gone. 

Here we are at the peak of Seven Falls, a beautiful mountain and hiking trail we got to spend the afternoon walking -

 And here we are on our last night, heading out to an event with Austin's work -

So thankful for my time with Austin!  It was great to get away and it was really great to get back to the little ones! 

3 Months

We made it...to the 3 month mark that is...and in my books, that means we survived!  Most days are still unpredictable as far as sleep goes and that drives me a bit crazy, since I'm trying my hardest to get her on some kind of schedule, but Amelia naps when she can, where she can.  I'm sure some of that has to do with the fact that every day is different for us as I shuffle kids around from school to baseball practice to birthday parties and parks.  What I can report about her though is she is a sweet, mild mannered, smiley, three month old, who loves to chat, loves to eat, sleeps all night in her crib, is locked in when her brothers come around and who loves to cuddle.  She is a delight in every sense and has been such a blessing to each of us.  The boys love her in a way I didn't think possible and even though she screams in her carseat and is a stinker when it comes to napping (unless I'm holding her, then she's knocked out), she is a champ at night, slept through on her own at 5 days old and is a happy, content little one when she is awake during the day, even if most days she wants to start her day at 6:30am!  Anyway, here are some pictures of our third month with three kiddos...

Oh how I love having this little one asleep on my shoulder...and this other one is pretty cute hanging on my leg -

Braden always asks to hold Amelia...Asher too likes to hold her but would rather just sit and talk to her -

Bath time -

Wow...all of the sudden Asher looks huge and Amelia looks so tiny -

Telling secrets -

So this is how we spend most of our days...not really...but some days this little lady does grab most of our attention...

Activity mat time -

 Oh my...sweet smiles from the little lady...she loves her daddy -

I love this picture b/c I remember this moment and instead of putting her down to sleep in her crib, I held sweet Amelia like this for her whole nap...just because I could...this time as Mommas passes too quickly...I want to have no regrets...so I got to hold and cuddle...and most importantly not regret -

How Amelia spends a lot of her time in the evenings or at the park -

 Sweet baby has found her hands this month and loves to chew on them and stare at them and swat things with them -

 Happy Three Months Baby Girl -

Easter

So this post is late as usual, but we had a sweet little Easter celebration as a family of five this year.  We didn't get to do much egg hunting or crafting this year...things are still a bit chaotic and unpredictable over here...in fact let's just admit, we are still in survival mode most days.  But hey, I was just proud of myself for getting the Easter decorations out on Good Friday...two whole days before Easter.  Anyway, although we didn't get to do much celebrating prior to Easter, we did get to talk to the boys about Jesus' Resurrection almost daily in the days leading up to Easter and that is what is most important anyway!  God gave us rain on Easter Sunday this year.  For some reason it just doesn't seem right to have damp, cold weather on such a glorious day, but nonetheless, we had a great day.  Here is how we celebrated the Easter season this year....

Dying Easter eggs while sister attempted to nap...

Notice the cute Pirate Easter eggs the boys made...of course this motivated them to spend the rest of the day in pirate costume...

The day before Easter we headed to Cheekwood to hunt for Easter eggs and visit with the Easter Bunny.  Yes, my children are dressed in winter attire because it was freezing that day....

While the boys hunted eggs, sister did this...

Braden so happy that he found the golden egg -

Asher digging in his Easter basket -

 Braden, excited that he got a small Lego kit and a shaving kit in his Easter basket -

 My sweet babies on Easter morning -

 Attempt at a family photo -

 Papa holding Amelia -

Austin giving his girl lots of kisses -

I spent my Easter Sunday holding sweet baby Amelia while she napped...would not have spent it any other way -

And on Easter Sunday, baby girl turned 2 months old.  Cannot believe she is so old already!!! She truly is such a joy -

Introducing Amelia Katherine

Sweet Amelia Katherine made her very quick appearance into this world on January 31, 2013...almost two months ago now.  I know, I know, I should have posted seven weeks ago, but we are still in the newborn fog which means survival right?  Anything outside of making sure everyone is fed, slept and pottied is considered unnecessary and nearly impossible at this stage of the game.  Not to mention we've had pneumonia, double ear infections, high fevers and two stomach bugs among the boys and one terrible cold from the little lady between now and then.  Ugh, how I hate sickness.  We seriously stayed healthy most of my pregnancy and then all the sickness came like a flood after little girl's arrival :(

Anyway, back to little missy's arrival...my labor woke me at 3:58am and she was born at 7:45am, weighing 8lbs, 8 oz, and measured 19 inches long.  Her birth story is a true testimony of God's goodness in that He ordained all the details that I had been so anxious about over the past 9 months.  If you know my birth story with Asher, then you know how truly traumatized I was about laboring for another child.  Thankfully God knew my anxiety and in His graciousness granted such peace and gave me a beautiful healthy delivery of a beautiful baby girl.  To say that we are smitten by her presence would be an understatement.  Amelia is truly a gift and a blessing to us and I am so grateful for her sweet, quiet presence in our lives.  I cannot imagine our family without this precious child...

Here are some pictures of our day...

Breathing deep and feeling some rough contractions....

Holding my baby for the first time...that is a crazy, unbelievable moment for any momma to meet and hold that little one whom you've felt moving inside of you for months on end...truly a miracle from God -

First family shot with Amelia - 

 Austin holding his baby girl for the first time...love his big smile as he meets his baby -

Oh my goodness, she is sweet -

The boys meeting Amelia...I can't even imagine what they were thinking as they saw her for the first time -

 This looks just like my baby picture -

 The littlest men, exhausted after their first day as big brothers...I CANNOT remember the last time that Braden fell asleep in the car.  Taking care of a babe is exhausting work as you know...

 Here is sweet baby girl, ready to go home -

 First family of five picture -

 My three little ones...

 And we are home...and exhausted...and so very blessed...