I forgot to add a couple of details about Erin's birth in my last post. One is that she was born with black hair and blue eyes (that seem to continue getting bluer). She also had done so much flipping and flopping that she got a knot in the umbilical cord, but it didn't effect her at all. Now that I'm up and running (almost feeling back to myself), I'm going to be making an effort to take many more pictures! These are all just pictures taken on cell phones, and mostly taken by Courtney...not me. I also got her newborn pictures done professionally, and am soooooo excited to get those photos back in a couple of weeks. The photographer gave me one as a sneak peek, but there will be many more adorable poses to come! She also insisted on taking some of me with Erin, which I guess could be a good thing since I've yet to have my picture taken with her, other than the one with me laying on the operating table. Baby Erin continues to be a mellow, easy going baby, much like Grace was. As of the past couple of days, she's been awake more and more. She still sleeps well at night, only getting up to eat around 2 and 6, then right back to sleep. Such a sweetie! We got for a her 2 week well visit this Friday. Grace is also going to have her 18 month well visit that day, just a few weeks early. I will update again at that time and hopefully have many more pictures! 

She smiles quite a bit for a brand new girl! Colin captured this one during one of her naps on his lap.

Sisters

First time holding Erin. We were visiting Colin at the fire station.

Sneak peek from her newborn photo shoot

She quickly realized how crazy our house has become, but crazy in a good way for the most part! :) 

Grace has been extra cuddly these past couple of days. She was running a fever off and on, we think due to one of her bottom teeth trying to break through. Her gums are super swollen and red from it. 

Love for Papa from all the grandkids 

Another napping smile!

Alert girl

Napping on Mimi while we went to see a movie

"Life outside the womb is EXHAUSTING!"

Erin Olivia is here!!!

Our sweet baby girl, Erin Olivia made her entrance into the world on Friday, August 19th at 11:47 via c-section. She was 21.5 inches long and weighed 10 lbs. 3 oz. We are adjusting well to a family of 5, and life is great. Colin and I are feeling very blessed and complete. We are so in love with baby girl, and there is just nothing better than a sweet newborn baby in the house. She nurses and sleeps like a champ. Jack and Grace are doing so great with her. Jack enjoys loving on her pretty much nonstop, giving her kisses and hugs. My recovery is going great, which is a major change from the previous two. I don't have a lot of pain anymore, and have only had to take Advil for pain relief the past couple of days.

Welcome to the world!

First group shot right after she made her grand entrance

look at her legs!

love

This is when Colin and Erin were in the nursery. Jack, Grace, and Grandma are taking a peek at the newest family member.

This picture looks so much like big brother when he was a newborn!!!

checking out my new sister

He is so proud! He told my friends that came to visit, "This is my sister. Do you want to come pet her, girls?"

Uncle Mike helping out with bedtime when we were still in the hospital.

All the grandkids!

Kisses for sister

Daddy's favorite - napping on his chest

Hanging out in the hospital bed

such sweet hugs

more cuddling

Her purple "first favorites" outfit from Baby Gap

He looks upset, but he wasn't! He loves her.

Our first outing as a family of 5 - went to get Erin's weight checked at the pediatrician's

Lastly, I was so proud of Jack for bringing this home from school last week!!! Such a big boy!

The blog is now private again. If you know people who enjoy the blog, just have them email me their email address so I can add them.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I can't remember a time when I've ever been this stressed...for various reasons, but this week mainly trying to get everything lined up for my sub before Friday. Today I have several meetings, so my time to work in my classroom is very limited. I'm praying that i can get it all ready for her. I guess the blog has taken a back seat. I'm just going to put some pictures on here. Hopefully I will blog from my hospital bed on Friday using my iPhone with pictures of our new baby girl. Today I had a doctor's appointment, and she said that I'm effaced, dilated, and low positioned. She said it's hard to tell when, but my body is starting all the preparations for labor. I think I'll make it another 24 hours though!

Jack has said some funny things lately, but I can't remember all of them right now. One thing is he doing lately is memorizing movie lines. The other day he said to me, "My father's not crazy! He's a genius!" He said it with the most expression in his voice. That is a line from Beauty and the Beast. Then he was skipping back and forth in the hallway singing a song. Kelly, Devin, and I couldn't really understand what he was saying, but at the end of each phrase he would say, "nuh-uh!" Then I figured out he was singing, "No there ain't no road too long, nuh-uh!" which is a song from Follow That Bird. Also, I think it's safe to say that he is officially potty trained, with the exception of bedtime. I sent him in underwear to school Tuesday, and no accidents. We have the occasional one at home, but it is usually in the evening when he starting to get tired and misbehave. The other night when I let him in the living room from his high chair, I told him to go get in the tub, and he decided to pee a stream from the kitchen to the bathroom. uhh

Grace is changing and learning all of the time. She can repeat just about any word and has become quite chatty. Although she might have a shy gene in her, because when we are around strangers, she becomes very quiet. She went to school Tuesday, and she is going today as well. They moved her into the toddler room, and said she did great with the exception of nap time. They're expected to sleep on cots, and I'm sure she had no clue what that was since she's never had to sleep anywhere but a crib before. 

I keep loading pictures. It takes about 15 minutes, but then don't go on the post. Hopefully it doesn't have to do with our new t.v. and internet provider that we just switched to.  Strange! Therefore, not many pictures this morning! More tomorrow I'm hoping.

The kids and I met Devin and Kelly at the library this morning so that Colin could steam clean the carpets before "d-day". They mostly enjoyed the puzzles and play areas at the library. They did a little bit of reading too, but preferred the other things this time. And I must add that Jack has been in underwear ALL day today, even during outings. He did have one "accident" at home this evening, but this was about the best I've seen him do for an entire day!

When did he get so big!? He looks like a little preschooler in this picture!

After many, many attempts, I finally got Grace doing some of her tricks on video. She is one stubborn little girl!

That's all for tonight!

Happy August! The countdown begins - 18 days!!!

It's 7:00am, and I'm currently waiting for the first kid to wake up. That doesn't happen often...or ever for that matter. I heard Gracie saying, "hi" over and over on the monitor so I got up, but now she is laying back down, so I thought I would get started on this. I think she feels like she needs to wait until she hears that Jack is awake before she can get out of bed. Every morning Jack calls for me ("Mommy, I'm all done sleeping now. I'm wake up. Come and get me please."), I go get him, then we go in and get Gracie, so I think it's just a routine for her now.

I took a photography class at Best Buy this weekend. They just taught the basics of all the things D-SLR cameras can do. I was practicing quite a bit yesterday. I took my camera off the automatic setting, and set all of the pictures up based on the conditions. Hopefully I'll get better and better! It's hard when your main subjects are so energetic. After I manage changing the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. I might want to make some purchases like a flash attachment, some lens filters, and a telephoto lens. :) 

Jack absolutely LOVES swimming these days. He often will tell me, "mommy, will you please text Beth to see if we can go in her ploo (pool)?" 

jump!

The title of this picture is "Lazy Sunday". Needless to say, he was my easiest subject! 

Trying to get the look where one main close-up object is in focus, and the background is blurry.  

SO excited to put flowerbands on the baby!! Grace won't keep them in for long at her age.

I got out our huge storage bin of books last night to try to find a specific one for Jack. I go a little crazy buying books for them, so what I end up doing is just rotating the books out every couple of months or so. They each found several to pull out and keep on their bookshelves. Jack was silent for a LONG time going through all the books that he's never seen. The kids loves his books! Grace is liking them more and more all the time, but not as much as her brother.

Don't think she's too excited about the tutu! She kept saying, "off" and trying to pull it down.

This weekend Mike and Kiya took the kids for a few hours. They went to a park in Tavares that we've been meaning to go to this summer at some point. Sounds like everyone had a fun time. And Colin and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a movie and going to Target, BJs, and Publix. We got lots done, and man, is shopping a leisurely experience when the kids aren't with you! :) Pictures from the park:

Last night we were eating dinner. Jack had been next door playing, and was telling us about that. He was sitting on the kitchen table eating a plate of popcorn chicken when I asked him why he wasn't sitting in his chair. His response: "That's a good question!"

And a couple of pictures from this morning - Grace knows I like them to sit together for pictures. She took it upon herself to go sit by the front door where the lighting is usually the best, so I took advantage of the photo opportunity!

Grace smiles! 

Jack smiles! He was saying, "Gracie tickled me!"

Gracie and I are just laying low today and staying in the air conditioning. We did make a quick Winn Dixie run, but other than that, we are just hanging out at home. I pondered going in to get some work done at school, but I think we will do that on Thursday. She is napping now. I'm going to eat lunch and clean up around here. We might do a rare thing (for a weekday) and head to the fire station for a visit after we go pick up Jack from school.