More. I'm In Love.

I cannot help myself from posting his picture.  More details on his arrival tomorrow.  For now, enjoy our 3rd baby boy...

Oliver Is Home

Holy Fighting

I didn't expect the fighting.

Holy moly.

The boys can quarrel!  Since they're still too young to solve their own problems they yell, scream, hit, cry, and body slam one another until Mommy intervenes and redirects.  

"But I want to sit in that basket!!!!"

 "Uh oh, what did I do wrong?"

 Redirect...

"Peek-a-boo!" 

 Everyone is happy.

Oliver!

1 Day Old

1 Week Old

2 Weeks Old

 5 Weeks Old

 

6 Weeks Old

 

6 Weeks Old

Helping

The boys helped Daddy get the house ready for Christmas.

 Watching Daddy put icicle lights up on the roof.
I love this picture so much.

 "I can climb too!"

 The boys staying near Daddy while he works.  

They were working too.

Ten more days and Santa comes!
Happy Birthday Aunt Stephanie!  We love you very much.

Merry Christmas!

We Have Table Manners!

"Look what we can do Mommy!"

 Concentrate...

 Woo hoo!

 Lukey's turn!

 Success!

 All together now...

Our baby boys are growing up!  

*Sniff sniff*

Our Baby Boy

Oliver is almost 5 weeks old!!! 

We cannot wait to meet our sweet baby boy on December 27th!!

Sweet Girl

Lilly has always kept us on our toes but there is one consistency and that is that she is sweet.  Lilly has a very good heart.  She is always thinking of others' feelings and has a lot of empathy.  When her siblings cry she's the first one to comfort.  When a stranger looks sad she worries.  When another child is lost, she runs to help them find their parent.  She has a big heart my sweet baby girl.

Yesterday Lilly fell running to see friends before school.  She knocked her chin and head pretty hard so I took her home.  We cleaned her chin wound and bandaged it, I gave her Tylenol, and she rested until she was ready to go to school.  In the meantime I called the school nurse to make sure it was ok to send her in since she was complaining of pretty strong jaw pain.  The nurse felt since Lilly was eager to go to school I should send her and she'd keep an eye on her.

Mrs. DiMedio, the nurse, checked on Lilly twice and called me with her assessment.  She also got her a different snack that was softer so Lilly could eat it without pain.  After school Lilly decided she should get a gift for Mrs. DiMedio since she took good care of her.  She picked out a nurse ornament and told the lady at the kiosk to write, "Love you, Lilly" and "2011" on the nurse's clipboard.  Then, Lilly wrote a really sweet card and put it all in her backpack to deliver to the nurse.

"Dear Mrs. DiMedio, You are nice.  You helped me feel better.  I love you.  Love, Lilly Davis"

My girl is good.

While we were at the mall, I was having a rough time.  I had all four kids and Ella freaked out in Sears and sat down on the floor screaming.  A little girl came over to me (we were ignoring the fit) and said, "Ma'am, is that your daughter?"  I replied that it was.  "She peed all over herself and the floor."  "Oh, ok, thanks!"  I got Ella up, bought an outfit off the clearance rack, asked where the bathroom was (the sales girls were all glaring at me because she'd been screaming for 15 minutes), of course it was upstairs and the elevator was out of order (double stroller) so I risked lives and took the stroller up the escalator.  We went to the bathroom, I cleaned Ella up, changed her into her new outfit, and headed back downstairs (Ella was barefoot since she peed in her shoes).  I couldn't get down the escalator so I made circles around Sears trying to devise a plan.  Lilly found a salesman and walked up to him and said, "Can you please help my mom get downstairs with the stroller?"  He told her that she was so grown up and he took us to the freight elevator!  Thank you Lilly...

When we got downstairs I took the kids to throw coins into the fountain and to see Santa from afar since we've already seen him at a different mall.  By this time I had backup as Andy met us there; thank the Lord.  After we waved to Santa and Lilly gave him a hug since there was no one in line to visit him, we went into an ornament store and were browsing.  Lilly asked me if she could buy a particular snow globe for Santa.  I told her Santa doesn't need a snow globe and said a few other random things to try to sway her and finally resorted to, "Go ask Daddy."  Andy said something similar about Santa can make any toy and then he said, "Go ask Mommy."  She was determined to give him a gift and she said, "Mommy, no one gives Santa anything!"  I looked at Andy and we both sort of shrugged so I gave her the $6.41 and off she ran to give Santa his gift.  She waited in line and then handed it to him.  He said, "That's very impressive.  Wow."  Lilly left and said to me, "I feel so great because I gave Santa a present!"

This kid is always thinking of other peoples' feelings.  What an awesome quality.  Love you Lilly Loo.

Dance Time!

Ella started dance class! 

Lilly has been dancing since she was 2 at Marcia Hyland.  She loves it and dances September to June each year.  This year Lilly tried soccer so we held off on dance (one activity at a time!) until just last Saturday when we returned for the first time this year.  Ella was excited to start her own class but when we got there her nerves set in and she didn't want to go into her class.  After much coaxing she went in with me and we sat against the wall and watched (the boys were with us too!).  She did the moves while sitting next to me and about halfway through she got up and joined the class.  I was very proud of her for overcoming her fear!  I stayed but will hopefully be able to leave next week.  She is quite the rule-follower trying her very best to do each move as instructed.

 Lilly was thrilled to be back as she did not care for soccer one bit.

 My dancing girls (and Luke)...

Thanksgiving 2011

We traveled to Virginia for Thanksgiving as we do every year.  Unfortunately everyone else was traveling as well and the usual 5 hour drive took 9 hours.  

The boys kept each other company on the drive...

 The girls did an amazing job in the car. We hardly heard a word from either of them.  The boys got a bit rammy and Mommy was having a fit but we made it and it was worth it to see everyone.

The pictures on this blog post are literally the only pictures I took while we were away.  Taking care of the kids' needs trumps picture taking I assume.  I was a bit bummed that I didn't capture more of our time in pictures.

When we arrived the kids were excited to see what the Powhatan Turkey brought them...

 Grandmother snuggling with Andy...

 My favorite picture of our trip.  What a beauty!

 Luke loved playing in the woods.  I wanted to get both boys' pictures in the woods but since Gabe just started walking he wasn't really fond of the constant falls on sticks.  He preferred to be held.

 Socializing.  It was a gorgeous day.

 Gabe loved uncle Jeff!

 Getting ready to bless the meal.

 Jason being a good child of God and praying before his meal.  Dad on the other hand...

 Sister picture. We missed Steph but know that Bailee's soccer team rocked it out at Nationals and were semi-finalists!  Yay Bailee!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.