Greta Jane Update

Look at my chubby cheeks..I am growing!

Why Mommy did I have to get these yukky shots? Look at my boo boos.

Greta is growing up! She had her 2 month check up with Dr. Gibson on Thursday September 15th and she weighed 11.6 lbs and was 23 inches long! Dr Gibson said she could find nothing wrong with her, I can't either, of course I am just a proud mommy! She also said "She is cute, no make that crazy cute!"and I would have to agree 100% on that as well! She got her first big round of vaccines 1 oral and 2 injections into each leg...OUCHY! Mommy felt bad, how awful to see the look of pain and confusion on such a tiny face, it hurts mommy too.

Praise God for the vaccines that help to protect my children!

Fair Week

The count down began about a week ago for Emrie. She remembered the fun rides from last year and was very eager to do it all again. We visited all the animals first. While the pigs are still my very favorite the jury is still out on whether she will follow in my footsteps and enjoy the unusual mammal. I have to admit I am rooting for her to love them like I did along with a Grandpa and even Great Grandpa. We'll see maybe Emrie will never get past the smell and Henry and Greta will adore their course hair and snout nose! I would almost place a wager that Grandma Jane would bake cookies more frequently just to share with the curly tailed animal. Greg might take some convincing in all of this but I feel strongly that he would develop a love for all of it.

Emrie is finally over all of her birthday celebrations. Emrie seemed to enjoy a birthday that kept going! We had a picnic party at Kacklemacker park with Mama Linda, Bryan, Aaron and Ea. It was a fun time, the kids had so much fun running and playing and were happy to have an audience. Boy were they dirty, Henry most of all(of course).
Sunday afternoon Papa Emery and Emrie had birthday cake and delicious homemade ice cream to celebrate.
Her last one was a joint party for her and Papa Mike. She got birthday money and was happy to spend all of it and then some buying clothes not toys. It is highly fascinating to watch her bounce from rack to rack choosing items she feels she can't go without.

Henry has begun to use the potty occasionally which is exciting. He gets a chocolate chip for peeing and a popsicle for poo. Emrie benefits from this as well so she is always excited about Henry and his achievements! Still battling the terrible twos even though he is not yet two. Fits for this or that or maybe over nothing at all, usually land him with a spanking or time spent in bed. He is a master of climbing out of bed which has been an exhausting challenge each day at naptime. He nearly falls asleep during lunch and I put Emrie and him direcfly to bed and an onset of energy emerges from both of them(makes me a little batty). I do enjoy hearing the laughter and giggles they produce but I also know that a day without naps results in a very dramatic evening with lots of tears and whiney noises.

Greta Jane is 8 weeks and I am loving seeing her little interactive smile and more and more coos. She is still my easiest baby yet and such a wonderful night time sleeper last night 10-4, woohoo!!

Praise God for a beautiful week and the time spent at the fair!

Sept 6th

My day:

1:30 am Greta says time to eat
4:30 am Greta says time to eat
6:30 am Greta says time to eat
8:00 wake up from a semi restful nights sleep in the recliner.
8:15 Emrie wakes up in song, singing about what clothes to pick out for the day
8:30 Breakfast with a side if Calliou for Emrie and Henry to watch and Greta is hungry
9 Jeremiah comes and Greta falls asleep
10 Build a tent out of blankets and chairs for Emrie & Henry
10:30 Laundry, dishes, laundry
11 Greta is hungry
11:30 spaghetti for lunch
12 Letter A lesson with finger paints for Emrie and Henry
12:30 Clean up, laundry, nap time
1:10 Emrie and Henry still chatting
1:11 Mommy rocking Greta and waiting for quiet to catch a few afternoon winks!
1:45 still waiting and Greta is hungry
1:50 Quiet, ahhhh
2:40 Naptime over
3:00 Dishes, laundry
3:30 Jeremiah goes home
3:45 Greta is hungry
4:30 fix dinner
5:00 dinner
5:30 Emrie and Henry bath, Greta is hungry
5:45 out of the tub.
6:00 daddy fixes a tire on van, we watch Bob the builder
7:00 go to mama janes, daddy stays home to grade papers
7:30 greta is hungry
8:00 head home
8:30 brush teeth, Dr. Suess then prayer
9:00 still hearing chatty kids
9:15 Greta is hungry
9:30 pack daddys' lunch
10:00 Swaddle Greta
10:20 Yay!! Bedtime for mommy!! Daddy still grading papers.

Praise God for the energy to get thru!

Emrie Turns 4!

Emrie Turns 4!

A fun day at the zoo with Mama Jane, Papa Emery and Jeremiah for Emries 4th b-day! The weather was perfect and the kids really enjoyed all the animals.
Emrie wore her birthday outfit that she picked out at Target very Punky Brewster-ish & very cute!
Emrie rode on the carousel and really loved that. She brushed a goats hair but was not interested in petting a very large bug or lizard.
She was most impressed with the polar bear and elephant.
I don't know what Henry liked the best but he did want to offer his animal crackers to the elephant.
Greta was most content to be in her sling while we walked around and slept most of the time there.
We had a yummy late lunch at MCL (one of my favorite childhood restaurants.)
Then we went to visit Great Grandma Morgan. She got to meet Greta for the first time and was happy to hold her. As we were preparing to leave and I took Greta from her arms she said she envied me. She loves to hold and rock babies, she has had lots of practice over the years with 8 children of her own and many grand and great grand children. I wish I could take the children there everyday to visit her, I know she finds such Joy in them.
Daddy wasn't able to go with us but when we got home he had balloons and presents for Emrie. She got Disney Princess roller skates, Dora tennis racket, a Caboodle with a hair brush and hair clips and 2 dresses.

Emrie had her 4 year check up she weighed 36lbs and was 41 inches tall. She made a picture for Dr. Gibson when she gave it to her she said "This is for all the people who work here in this hospital." Emrie didn't have to get shots at this appt which I was glad for. Next year will be her kindergarten boosters.

I took all 3 children to the dr and shopping all by myself, it takes a little forethought on loading and unloading from the van to insure that each child is not out of my sight EVER and ALWAYS holding onto my hand. I find myself checking and double checking that I have all 3 right with me, I often get a feeling of panic that I somehow have misplaced one or lost one. This absolutely terrible feeling that I am pretty sure causes my heart to skip a beat. Anyway, I would consider our day a complete success!

Praise God for our sweet Emrie Ann.

So much glad in me!

So much glad in me. While I could be grumbling about this or that, I am going to take the Polly(one of my very favorite movies)approach!

I am Glad for:
Monday a beautiful almost fall like day
Healthy children
Busy children
Baby Greta who sleeps so well
Hard working husband, not to mention smart, funny and good looking ;-)
Food on our shelves & a pork roast in the oven(boy it smells good!)
A house with plenty character, my perfect little home.
Our new van-I am oozing with thanksgiving, it is a luxury for our family of 5 to fit in all together.
Our new windows(I still consider them new) it is awesome to easily slide them open and closed(Easy to clean too!) Allowing the fresh breeze to blow thru.

Praise God for Today!

Almost Gone

Emrie Ann in her "school girl" outfit.

Henry Michael he is in a "whats that?" phase, he looks like he is inquiring about something.

Our last week before Back to School:-(. I dread losing my extra help but I am so thankful that Greg enjoys his work and has a job that has summers off. I am also very thankful that he has taken this soccer season off, i would be terribly lonely on those long days with out him around.
This week had a rough start for me. Sunday afternoon I knew something wasn't perfect with me and by Sunday evening after playing outside and taking a walk I knew exactly what my problem was, mastitis. A few hours later my chills and body aches became more uncomfortable. I went to urgent care and got a prescription for an antibiotic, orders to rest, and to continue with pain relievers. I know rest is important and I did rest but I am not programmed to sit around and do nothing. My mind just goes full force at what I want to do or what should be done and makes me feel worse for not being able to do it. I like the busy hustle of 3 kids, I like to speed clean, I like to fix lunch and dinner for my family. Of course I like breaks from all of that but not when it comes at the cost of being sick. Anyway Greg took good care of the kids and me and Aunt Beth made dinner for us. By early morning Tuesday my chills turned into sweats and relief came shortly after my fever finally broke. I was feeling much better by Tuesday evening. Greg fixed dinner which I found very funny b/c it was a meal my dad would fix when my mom wasn't able, Beanie Weenies & a frozen pizza! It tasted good! Scary how similar Greg and Dad are!
Wednesday i was feeling back to normal we walked with Tanna and Micah, in perfect low 80's weather.
I took the kids out to the backyard and they played in the playhouse for a long time,I let them hose it out and use a bucket of soapy water to clean their house,boy they had fun! Once again I wished for an outside shower for the kids to clean up before going indoors!

Henry requested for breakfast one morning sausage raisins pretzels and M&m's. Breakfast of champions! I did give him the sausage and raisins. He has been toting around a purse all week long he must find it very convenient to load it up and carry his toys in the bag.

Emrie is getting very anxious for her birthday. Crazy to think she will be four next week. Aunt Beth took her birthday shopping(outfit pictured above)Thank you Aunt Beth she had lots of fun! My girl is quite the shopper, I am beginning to worry about the future and how we will pay for our shopaholic:-)

Praise God for Gregs job and the summer that we can spend so much time together!

21 days!

They love their baby sister!

Sisters!

3 Weeks

Greta is 3 weeks old today, it seems as though she has always been part of our family & like I've known her for so much longer.

She has been a very laid back little girl, I often wonder if it is because I am more laid back. Emrie was high maintenance and demanding from day one or did I miss all the cues that a baby gives being a first time parent? Henry was laid back as well but needed his swaddling and white noise from the very beginning and until his little blankies couldn't wrap around his growing body. I felt more at ease with him, not a beginner anymore. With Greta though I feel more confident even through all my constant worries. Mostly experience has taught me those little things I worried overly about before are not likely & now they are more fleeting, it has to have an effect on the child. That all being said I still do not consider myself an expert in this field :-)

Henry seems like he has grown up so quickly since Gretas arrival. He can do and say so much. I think I have failed to mention that he has developed a love for chocolate milk(thank you mama Jane!). He is completely hooked and he is now frequently in the fridge getting the chocolate syrup to make his favorite drink! Oh well if I had his metabolism I'd drink it all day too:-)
He has been expressing his love for everyone all the time here recently. Lots of I love you's!

Greta has been sleeping so well, she is usually ready to be swaddled around 9 and gets her belly full and by 10 we are in bed. She is sleeping in bed with us, Greg far off to one side- me to the other, she occupies the center. I set my alarm for 2:30 am but she is usually beginning to stir a little before then and we move downstairs to the recliner for the remainder of the night.
During the day she is eating about every 2 hours sometimes a little longer if she happens to fall into a deep sleep.

She went to Wednesday night church for the first time this week. She got to meet Great Grandpa & Grandma Howdyshell and Aunt Karen and Jeffy for the first time there.

Thursday night we watched Daddy win the tennis tournament he played in!

Friday we had pizza at Nornie and Poppys and had a nice visit with Julie, Tim and Taylor.

On our way home Greta began to fuss and Emrie said "She needs her Fire Paci.". I think she meant pacifier, he he. A fire Paci sounds a bit dangerous!

Praise God for the hot/beautiful weather and for a perfect 21 days!