The Stain Family

Ellison Lee - Seven Months

2012-01-30T16:59:00.000-06:00

Oh, my dear, Ella Lee...you are now seven months old! It seems like just last week I was at the hospital in labor! I don't know how time has gone so quickly, but I am so thankful you are healthy and happy. We are constantly receiving comments on what a happy baby you are...always smiling!!! Those in the church nursery comment the most, namely Ms. Holly! :)

You have had a busy month!

You traveled to visit family for Christmas...

Rang in the New Year with mommy, daddy, and the 31-40 Sunday School class!!

On Jan. 3rd, Ms. Hannah and Ms. Kim treated your brothers to Chuck E. Cheese while I took you to your six month well child check-up...

{it was so strange to only have ONE child!}

{books are handed out starting at 6mo, so you received your first book!!!}

On Jan. 10th you had your first experience with rice cereal...

On Jan. 20th you welcomed your newest cousin into the world...

And on the 24th you had your first solid...carrots!

Just this past week {1/26} you cheered on the amazing Colt at your first basketball game!

And just today, on your seven month birthday, we went back to story time! This was your second trip and my first to take you and Lynden by myself!

Ms. Ann had missed us! I was nervous that Lynden would run around the room while my hands were holding you, but he was perfect. He loved every second {and of course playing with the toys afterwards}, so we'll definitely go back next week!

You now weigh 16lb 12oz

{.6oz less than your home weight last month and 1.5oz more than your dr visit weight last month...so, obviously you've hit a plateau!!}

Your length is 24.5" {dr had you at 25.75" last month, but I don't think that's accurate} and head circumference is now 16 3/8". You have a small head, but Dr. B said that's perfectly fine...I have a very small head too and I turned out okay. {I think...}

You have continued to sleep and nap in your own crib...no more bassinet!!! You take 2-3 naps a day and sleep 9pm-7am. You eat 5-6 times a day and have enjoyed trying carrots, sweet potatoes, and apple sauce! I've given you a cup of water, but you have yet to master holding it.

You are certainly going to be a tough girl. Lynden tries to share everything with you and "gentle" is not in his vocabulary. He will try to put a toy in your hand, but if you don't take it, he'll just drop it on you! And, when you're napping he often grabs his blanket and pillow and crawls in the crib with you!!! You wake up crying and then you both end up giggling. It's the sweetest thing.

Most people think you and Lynden favor, but a few think you and Raegen. The majority also say you have my eyes and your daddy's smile...and dimples!!! I now know where people get nicknames...every time you smile I want to call you Dimple!!! :)

Another month older, another month sweeter. What a joy you are, sweet Ella Lee.

In His Time

2012-01-21T15:41:00.000-06:00

We welcomed a baby boy into the family on December 29th, just in time to see 2011 out and welcome 2012!

I think all babies are miracles. And I think some babies are SUPER miracles! :) My brother and sister-in-law experienced great difficulty in becoming pregnant with their first baby, Izzy. It was thought they may not be able to have any other children. Then a miracle, without any medicine or special procedures, they became pregnant with a baby boy! What a blessing! My God is so good.
Baby Isaac Cole was born Dec. 29th, 2011
7lb 8oz ----- 20in

We were able to go for a visit when he was just three weeks old. He's just perfect.

Raegen and Lynden had a great time playing with Izzy...

She helped them add a little PINK to their playtime! :)

Isaac is grandbaby #11, and grandson #7.

What a perfect little boy to carry on the family name.

I still can't decide who he favors!!!

Happy in Hampton

2011-12-31T13:47:00.000-06:00

We had a great time in Hampton visiting B's family. They were in from both sides of the country for Christmas.

We stopped by Grandma Bonnie's first where Aunt Cat was hard at work...

Lynden and Raegen enjoyed playing with the millions of matchbox cars Grandma has and, of course, playing with her furry little friends.

There was plenty of food and desserts to go around. I had my first taste of "hello dolly" cake and I loved it. It tastes like a huge Almond Joy...pure deliciousness! :)

These babies sure have changed since our last visit...

As we were leaving Grandma's house, the boys thought it would be fun to "ride" on this landscape timber. Just after I snapped this picture Lynden fell off!!! haha That poor child spends most of his time on the ground!

Grandpa has a HUGE yard and despite it being the LAST day of December, the weather was beautiful!

The kids and I spent most of our visit outside. It was just too pretty to not enjoy.

Grandpa with his three Stain babies.

Nana and her siblings...

We sure enjoyed spending the day with them!

Cat is planning a huge road trip in the summer. She and Aidan want to visit all the cousins around the state. We are excited and know it will be great fun.

Ellison Lee - 6 months

2011-12-30T08:34:00.000-06:00

Ellison Lee, you are six months old! You are growing so fast...already sitting independently too!

You are now 16lb 12.6 oz and 24.25" long. Your head circumference is 16.25".

{your stats from the pediatrician on 1/3/12 were 16lb 10.5oz, 25.75", 16.25"....length is so hard to get accurate, but I feel confident you are somewhere between 24.25" and 25.75" hahaha}

You LOVE to SMILE!!

You give them freely to everyone that shows you the slightest attention.

You also love to twist your tongue. It's just the cutest thing...and instead of blowing raspberries, you smack your lips! Adorable!!!

You are wearing size 6-12mo clothing and size 2 diapers.

You just light up when your brothers enter in the room...and of course, your daddy!

You received your first doll...a precious doll/snuggie/rattle from your fave sitter, Ms.Hannah. Yes, she spoils you too. :)

You are feeding 5-7 times a day and sleeping through the night. You slept in your crib for the first time the evening of Dec. 19th. You only woke at 11pm and 7am to feed. You're just too easy.

Your first six months have flown by. What a blessing you are to us.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T00:54:00.000-06:00

Christmas is one of our family's favorite times of year. This was our Christmas card for 2011. I have gotten more compliments on this picture than any other in the past. It was just a snapshot I had my sister take while we were celebrating Mary Claire's first birthday.

I've always loved decorating for Christmas and I especially enjoyed decorating our new house.

Tree in the boy's room...

We also had Christmas lights on the roofline...more on that later.

Our first Christmas party of the season was with my side of the family at my parent's home. The kids and I went a day early to help with the festitivities.

Lynden made confetti out of the TP...so resourceful...

"What, no bow?"
it had gone MIA

I LOVE this picture of B sitting at the table all by himself!!! hahaha He likes to eat...a LOT. :) And, then go back for more.

Oh, the kids were SO excited to open their gifts!!!

Lynden LOVED his new big boy shoes...

The baby girls all received name bracelets. Ellison thought hers was just precious...

We had a wonderful Richardson Christmas!

The next day we had our Christmas program at church. Lynden will get to partake next year.

Raegen was a sheep.

Here are the wise men...

Oh, he's just the cutest!!

Daddy-o catching it all on film...

I just loved our "Simply Christmas" program. It was one big program with all ages involved. The younger kids were characters and the older kids sang in the choir. It was just beautiful.

Our Christmas with B's family was planned for the 22nd and I was beyond thrilled when he took the kids and I on an impromptu vacay just days before.
We were already in NWA visiting a few days early, so it was a great opportunity to drive over to Tulsa and spend some time together.
The last time we went on vacation it was to a landscaping conference and I was pregnant with Lynden. So,it's been a while!! :)
Our first stop was the Oklahoma Aquarium. We took Raegen to the Georgia Aquarium when he was about eight months old, so I knew it would be perfect for every age.

The boys just loved it all! They kept running from one exhibit to the next...

Raegen got to pet a stingray...

Oh, what a difference a few years makes!!

then:

If you weren't aware, Lynden LOVES all things furry. He was so confused as to why this raccoon would not turn around and look at him. He kept trying to pet it through the glass...

Ready to watch the otter and beaver get fed!!

I find it quite comical that Ellison spent the majority of her time at the aquarium in her stroller...

yet Raegen, at seven months, experienced it all! :)

And did again on our visit to Tulsa!

For lunch we dined at The Cheesecake Factory. You expected nothing less, right?
The only thing I was worried about was dessert and I definitely picked correctly...Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Somehow I was talked into sharing. Though I could have eaten the entire thing by myself!

I LOVED our hotel room. Priorities change once kids enter the picture and I must say "suite" is the only way to travel! We stayed in a hotel suite and were able to put all the kids down for an afternoon nap...total darkness, music playing...and sneak into the front room and watch a movie.
oh. SUITE. peace.After naps were finished we completed our day at Incredible Pizza. It's a ginormous indoor arcade, bowling alley, mini-golf, bumper car, and go-kart playground!
We had a blast!

Lynden fell in love with mini-bowling...

and the carousel...

And Ellison got a good nap, again!

B and Raegen enjoyed some go-karts...

Oh, we had the best time. It was the perfect first family vacation. I can hardly wait for the next!!
The next morning we woke at a normal time, had a gourmet breakfast downstairs in the hotel, then took a 1.5hr drive to spend Christmas with B's family.
We ate lunch, then let the kids open their gifts. The cousins all draw names so they love to see what each one received.

They also get a gift from Pawpaw and Nana.
Raegen received walkie talkies...

Amber was in charge of the festivities this year and decided to have an "ugly ornament" contest. It was so much fun!! Below is the ornament I unwrapped...I do believe it was later stolen by Michael. It was truly hideous. Why would anyone design a Christmas ornament to look like that?! :)

Our impromptu vacay caused us to forget a few things at home...one of which was our ugly ornaments! oops. B stopped at a dollar store on the way into town and grabbed us a few. This car freshener received the most laughs!!

Another activity Amber planned was a "family video" contest. Well, our impromptu vacay halted plans for that as well. I was really bummed to not have an entry. Everyone else did a superb job. Here Mike and Amber are tabulating the scores...

Is it really a coincidence they came in second and first, respectively?
Kidding.
KID-DING.
hahahaha
They both had great videos.

The rest of the day was spent playing...

cleaning...

making crafts...

{Aunt Katie is great at always having something fun for the kiddos}

and just enjoying each other...

ten of the twelve grandkids...
{with differing nap schedules we never could get all 12 at the same time}

We came home the morning of Christmas Eve. I thought it was so sweet for B to suggest he and Raegen make cookies...
{they had so much fun together}

The next day, of course, was Christmas!

Here they come!

For me?

All three received remote control cars...

And we received a special gift from Raegen. A calendar with each month having a different image/design of his handprints.

LOVE.

I got a few things too.

Blessed girl.

Does this bow make my head look big?

Enjoying the toys...

After all the gifts were opened {the limit is 3 for each kid} we sat down and told the Bible truth of Jesus' birth. Then we got dressed for church and went and celebrated the day with our church family. What better way to spend Christmas day than in God's house!!

December Snow!

2011-12-09T23:27:00.000-06:00

Christmas 2011 came early with a light dusting of snow on December 7th. Raegen enjoyed it for a moment before heading off to school.

At five months young, this was Ellison first snow. The youngest age for any of my babies to experience snow.

Lynden got a taste of the white stuff last year, but now at 20 months old it proved to be much more enjoyable.

He LOVED it!!!

He just could not stop grinning...

and he made little tracks all over the yard. It was precious.

This was my fave pic of the day...captured with my iPhone...

I hope my babies can enjoy a few more snowy days this winter season!

Giving Thanks 2011

2011-11-30T18:37:00.001-06:00

So much to be thankful for! Our Thanksgiving festivities started the Saturday before Thanksgiving. My family met at my parents to celebrate...eight adults...ten children. They have us outnumbered! Grandchild #11 is due the first of January and Grandchild #12 is expected in April. I just love seeing all the cousins play together. They get along so well. Here are a few of the boys checking out a parts catalog...haha... Don't let this one picture fool you though, they know how to have a good time...pictures to come! ;)

I am so thankful for a healthy family. We had a scare with dad a few months ago, but all is well now. I'm thankful for this little 30 pound one-year old. And so is my chiropractor! He likes to be held...a lot! hahaha

Miss MC is almost a year old. She's so pretty and always pleasant...and so petite! If Miss Elle keeps gaining like she is, she'll be passing some hand-me-downs to little Miss MC!

Here's the real picture of the boys and their fun...

For our family, getting together just isn't complete without YouTube. It's really just too much fun to watch others make bad choices.

While the big kids played outside, the littles entertained themselves indoors...

and snuggled with the ones that matter most!

We hosted B's family at our house Wednesday through Friday of Thanksgiving week. Twelve grands...twelve adults...we're almost outnumbered!!! We had such a great time together. Everyone arrived early enough on Wednesday to join us for church. It was such a treat to let them all meet our church family.

Michael was my partner in crime this year and took as many, if not more, pictures than I did. It was a great relief to me to have him just pick up my camera and start snapping...I think he got some of the best shots of the holiday!! :)

Lynden absolutely LOVED climbing in little cousin Benton's walker! Oh, this child.

Thursday proved to be a fun, but loooong day. So, to keep from getting cabin fever, the ladies and older children went to the movies. We left the babies with the daddies! We had popcorn and coke for dinner and it was great.

All the grands, minus two...

we welcomed THREE babies THIS year!

{two last year- 2010}

{three in 2008}

We had a great time playing cards throughout the three-day get together. We created a new game of 8-person Spades, "Bobby". And April, Amber, and I even figured out how to play 3-person Spades...it just took us a few hands to realize there were 17 tricks instead of 13!

We had a blast even to the very end...Raegen thorougly enjoyed letting the air out of the mattresses.

What a blessing to have such fun with family...and Christmas is just around the corner!

Ellison Lee - 5 months

2011-11-30T15:20:00.003-06:00

Ellison Lee, you are five months old today!! My, oh my, how the time has flown by! You receive the same comment over and over..."she is such a happy baby"...well, you are and it shows!

You certainly have your moments where you fuss, but generally you're just happy. So easy. We are slowly getting a routine around here. You now go to sleep {still in the bassinet beside our bed!} around 9PM and wake around 7:30AM. {and on that note, you have taken a nap or two in your crib!} However, the past three nights have been brutal!! Your father asked me this morning if maybe you were teething. Well, why didn't I think of that?! I think he's right. Lynden always slept well, unless he was teething. I was hoping you would make it to 10months like Raegen, before you started teething, but at least you didn't have two at four months like Lynden!! I ended up putting you in bed with me last night and you zonked out. How is that possible? You're not happy in your bassinet, right next to my bed, but move you two feet and sleep beside me and you're out cold. At least it worked...I could be walking the house to keep you happy!

I think you are just too cute and just want to eat you up!!! Oh, stop the cuteness. {but not really...I really do like it} You take several naps throughout the day. You stay awake for 1-1.5 hours then nap for about two hours, eat, and repeat. You are still exclusively nursing and probably will through nine months or so. Your Pawpaw Stain has been visiting often and the poor man gets used and abused while here. He barely makes it through the door and your daddy and I are putting three kiddos in his lap and we're out the door to a movie!! haha It's a good thing you're easy to please because he has his hands full with Lynden!

It's hard to see how much you're growing until I see you in pictures. You're really growing into your outfit from Ms. Heather, above. You wear an array of sizes...a few 0-3mo, but mostly 3-6mo, 6mo, and some 6-9mo. I noticed the other day that you have a "double-cankle" on your left ankle. It's adorable. You just have so much cuteness to squeeze in your little body!

You rolled over from your back to your belly the day before cousin Ashlyn's birthday. Uncle Mike and Aunt April were here to hear me squeal with delight. You haven't done it again since. ha

The past month you celebrated with family and friends at cousin Ashlyn's birthday party, wished a host of others happy birthday...Izzy, Daddy, Honey, Nana, cousin O, and Aunt Jenn. You experienced the play place with your cousins {Benton, Brody, Ashlyn} and Lynden. And "gobbled 'til you wobbled" at the Richardson and Bader-Stain Thanksgiving's.

You are such a good little model for me and don't seem to mind when I play dress up and take hundreds of pictures. Though it is evident you were getting tired!

Thankfully you don't mind when Lynden tries to get your bow or just gets in your face because he's curious. You just grin.

You have gained 13oz in the past month and now weigh 15lb 13.2oz. You are 23.5" long and have a head circumference of 16". I just love all your rolls and you seem to enjoy them as well.

Of course it's your precious face that just melts my heart. Oh, how sweet you are...

Fall Festival 2011

2011-11-02T16:26:00.001-05:00

The kids had a great time at the church fall festival this year.

My cute cupcake...

Quarter-pounder with cheese...

and strong Iron Man...

There were four different bounce houses/obstacle courses, various indoor booths/games, laser tag, BB shoot, football toss, and a hay ride. And of course there was food!

Our buddies, Kibs, K, and J joined us for the great food, fellowship, and fun.

B stayed busy working the different booths at the festival so it was a challenge to get around with three kiddos, but my trusty double-decker stroller was a big help! Of course Ellison was too young to enjoy the festivities so she was happy to hang out in the stroller. And I took plenty of snacks to bribe Lynden back into the stroller when needed!! haha

I'm thankful for a great church and great friends. I knew there was NO WAY I was taking the three babes on the hayride all by my lonesome so I was very happy when my friend L said she would watch Raegen for me. He had a great time...no shoes and all! ;)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Lynden had a blast!

And baby Elle caught some zzzz's.

Raegen had the perfect outfit for the super slick bounce houses...it made him lightning fast!

Even me and L got in on the action...

ZOOOOOOM!

We had a great time.

Ellison Lee - Four months

2011-11-01T09:55:00.000-05:00

Ellison Lee, you are now four months old. You weigh 15lb 1oz, are 23 3/8" long, and have a head circumference of 15 7/8".

You have a smile for everyone you meet and those big blue eyes just sparkle. You no longer feed at night, but are still in the bassinet next to my bed. Some nights you sleep through and never budge, and other nights I get up a few times to find your paci for you and push the button to make your bed vibrate. You go right back to sleep.

You wear quite an array of clothing sizes...3-6mo, 6mo, 6-9mo...all depending on brand. I'm still enjoying dressing you up and sticking a matching bow on your head! :) You're just too precious. We STILL don't have a set schedule, but you generally feed at 7:30ish, are awake for an hour or so, and then down to nap for about two hours. Then repeat. You feed 5-7 times a day and are usually in bed around 9:30ish.

This month you met a new friend, Izzy, visited the Pumpkin Patch, went on a road trip in search of fall foilage, attended a few baby showers, made your first trip to the Arkansas State Fair!, helped celebrate cousin Izzy's birthday, and were the cutest little cupcake at the church fall festival!

You are so very talkative in the evenings...generally after your brother's have gone to bed! And when you are lying on your back you almost always have your feet pulled up to your hands. It is so adorable. You are so beautiful and we are so blessed.

Izzy turns TWO

2011-10-31T14:03:00.002-05:00

Izzy turns TWO today! Here are some pictures from her fun party this past weekend.

When Raegen walked in and saw the bounce house he said, "Wow." Little did he know he would get to be in a bounce house ALL day! He enjoyed them at the Fall Festival at church that evening too!

I would say he definitely got the most use out of it!

Lynden had a great time climbing around too.

This picture is definitely one of my faves...all the kids lined up for a piece of cake...

While everyone watched Izzy open her gifts, Lynden entertained himself with a random stroller!! haha

We had a great time and I enjoyed catching up with everyone in BK.

Happy Second Birthday Izzy!

Showering Molly & Isaac

2011-10-28T11:57:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I drove home to help shower baby Molly and baby Isaac. One of my best friends, Treena, is expecting a baby girl and my sister-in-law, Kristen, is expecting her first boy. Their due dates are on the same day AND they had their baby showers on the same day too!

Treena's shower was that morning and her "hostesses with the mostesses" really put on a show!

The cake was ah-mazing!! Made by a very close friend of the family it was not only gorgeous, but delicious as well.

They put out quite the spread and made it all look so pretty. I just loved the pink pumpkin. So cute.

Mom {Honey ;) ;)} and Ellison

Treena received some great gifts, but my faves were from her mom. She is so talented!!!! She made this adorable outfit and said the tutu took EIGHT yards of ribbon! That is love!

She also made a few smocked outfits. What a stylish way to call the Hogs. ;) woo pig.

The most interesting gift was certainly this...

it's a tub that fits any sink and folds flat for storage! Love.

Treena has always been a great friend to me and I am so excited to see her experience the joy of being a momma.

We had just enough time for lunch and then it was time to shower Isaac. Kristen's friends always put together a great shower. I was happy to see the fruit pizza {I know, shocked, huh? Me excited to see sugar?!}...it's a great Pampered Chef recipe.

Stacy and the girls met us at mom's and we rode over to the shower together. At this point mom had her hands full of two very good things. :) Can you believe these beauties are almost seven months apart?!

Kristen received so many nice things for baby Isaac...it's a whole new world! From pinks and purples to greens and blues!

I had a friend make these things for Isaac and also a matching tee for Izzy. They will look too cute on game day.

Stacy had a different friend make these. I love them too!

And this is just one of the gifts from mom and dad. Isaac will look so handsome!

Mom with all of her "girls"...what a blessing.

Not just pretty, but practical

2011-10-28T09:35:00.004-05:00

I love seeing what other people can create with discarded items. I found this dresser mirror on CL for $20 and knew it was perfect for replicating what I had seen here. {I browse CL daily!}

I removed the mirror and gave the frame two coats of black paint {left over from this project}. Originally I was going to use ceiling tiles {I had access to some for FREE} as the "corkboard", but after some thought it seemed easier to just use foam board. The foam board was pricey {$10}, but because it was the same thickness as the mirror I removed, it was the perfect choice.

Once I cut it to size {use the mirror to trace the size onto the foam board then score with a utility knife...score both sides and then snap it apart} I covered it with linen fabric and stapled in place.

It was a perfect fit...

I replaced the original cardboard backing and stapled it into place.

I took my office space from drab...

to fab!

I was so happy to mark this project off my list.

The linen tote on the desk is my "mobile command center" that I love...idea found here. And I hang all the baby announcements and party invites we receive on my magnet board. A remnant of the HUGE magnet board we made for the playroom. Loving this space now.

Red Ribbon Week

2011-10-28T09:14:00.004-05:00

Raegen participated in Red Ribbon Week at school this past week.

Monday - Hats off to be drug free!

Tuesday- Dress for Success
{school picture retake day}

Wednesday- Put drugs to BED day!

{Raegen thought this was HILARIOUS! He was so giddy to go to school and see all of his friends in their pjs!}

Thursday- Say Boo to drugs day!

{I surprised Raegen with this Iron Man costume. He adores "Mr. Tony Stark", as he calls him, and was ecstatic to receive this costume so he could be just like his hero.}

Friday- School Spirit Day

Road Trip!

2011-10-12T16:33:00.003-05:00

On our way to the Pumpkin Patch last Saturday, my dad mentioned he wanted to take a drive north to see the pretty leaves changing colors. I said I didn't think they were ready yet, but he insisted his friend had already taken TWO day trips north to see the pretty fall leaves. We ended up leaving the Pumpkin Patch early because the kids were ready for a nap, so as soon as we got on the road I drove north in search of pretty leaves.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Dad asked if I had a state highway map.

My reply?

I'm a Richardson. I have five.

One is good. Five is better. My dad's unoffical motto in life.

But that's another story.

It was a nice, slow drive. No rush to get anywhere. We had a cooler of cokes and plenty of food because we had planned to have that picnic lunch. We made stops at furniture stores, parks...

interesting sights, and of course, Mt. View. It was just the right balance of driving and stopping to keep everyone {including the babies!} happy.

When we finally made our loop back home, mom helped me give the kids a bath, put on their PJs, then we headed back home "home".

Dad enjoyed riding for once and being able to take in everything we passed. It was a fun day of making memories, but dad did admit we were a bit early for the changing colors. ;)

Pickin' Punkins

2011-10-12T13:23:00.005-05:00

The Pumpkin Patch is always a fun day trip in the fall. Raegen and I have been visiting the Pumpkin Patch since he was a baby and before I had a blog! Here are our past ventures, since blogging:

Pumpkin Patch 2008

Pumpkin Patch 2009

Pumpkin Patch 2010

This year we visited the Pumpkin Patch with family as we did in 2007 when Raegen was a baby. The farm we visited has a lot of different areas to entertain the kids. They started the day by picking cotton...

And then enjoyed all the play equipment. This was Raegen's favorite...

as well as the tire swing...

There is a HUGE corn maze for older children and adults and a fun hay maze for the younger kids. It took the babies a while to warm up, but before long they were running through it just like the big kids.

My favorite memory of the day...

all the grandkids taking a picture with mom and dad...

"Madisyn, look at the camera! Raegen, what are you looking at?! Y'all look here. We're trying to take a picture! What are ya'll looking at?"

That goat that's running around.

"Well, quit looking at the goat and look at the camera."

Well, Ty's chasing the goat!

"Ty!! What are you doing, son?! Get over here and in this picture!!"

I'm still laughing.

We had planned to eat a picnic lunch, but after an hour or so mine were spent. We cut out early and hit the road for an impromptu road trip to see the fall foilage.

Lynden Rucker - 18 months

2011-10-12T11:20:00.003-05:00

Lynden Rucker, you are now 18 months old {really almost 19 because I'm so super slow at posting this!!}.

At your 18mo well child check-up you were 28lbs, 33" long, and had a head circumference of 19". At 18months you were still riding rear-facing in the car. It is now recommended to ride rear-facing until two years of age or until the child reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. I thought your car seat stated it was safe to ride rear-facing until 30lbs, but when I re-read it the other day I realized it says TWENTY pounds!! Oops. You were TWENTY pounds at SIX months old! I should have bought a different car seat for you at six months so you could continue facing backwards. That said, I have turned you around. I can't tell that you like it any better. You were very content when rear-facing.

I tried to get your "18month" picture with you seated in my recliner, but you're a bit more active than you were at 12 months.

You have really started to slim up and don't have as many rolls as you once did. I placed your horse blanket in the picture as I did in the past, but didn't dare spell out "18 months" with your wooden blocks as I did every month through 12 months. That was just disaster waiting to happen.

Speaking of horse blanket, that is definitely your safety blanket. You LOVE that thing and take it with you all over the house. We've started referring to you as Linus from the Peanuts gang.

You have a few other faves as well...your "Florida Gator" your Aunt Euna gave you, Raegen's soft dog "Christy" that he sometimes calls "Pepsi", the Horton elephant, the hungry caterpillar, and any other random toy that you want at the moment. And of course your pacifier is still key in getting you to sleep. And oh how I despise that thing and love it at the same time. It brings you great comfort.

Not comforting to you, is being awoken from your slumber.

There better be a good reason or you will make us PAY!!!

You are a typical 18-month old and constantly on the move.

You have so many words...SOOOOO many more than Raegen had at this age. And you mimic most sounds so you are jabbering ALL the time. Here are the words I can think of right now that you say often:
momma
dadda
ball
hey

hi
bye-bye
what that?
nana
more
please
thank you
go-go
no!

uh-oh

baby

dog

mmm-mmm

You can also hum your A-B-C's. That's one of the songs Raegen would always sing to you to help calm you down. You obviously like the tune.

You also now have HAIR!!!! It's still an odd, orange-red-brown color. And it's also an odd, wiry, coarse type of hair.

You absolutely LOVE all your sister's fun toys and I often find you in my room enjoying them all!

You adore your big brother Raegen and can out-eat him two plates to one at the dinner table. He should really start working out because you're going to be a lot to handle! You wear mostly size 18-24mo clothing and some 24mo/2T.
You are a great big brother. If you see a burp cloth ANYWHERE, you bring it to Ellison. If you see her pacifier ANYWHERE, you also bring it to her and try your best to cram it in her mouth. haha

You still have the biggest, sweetest smile and Bro. Tim at church just loves for you to smile for him. He also now enjoys head-butting you. He's going to need a helmet before long!

As big as your grin, you have an equally big frown and TEMPER. It can be quite exhausting to deal with, but I'm trying my best to curb it now because otherwise you'll be overpowering me when you're THREE!

You are currently cutting your second year molars so there's lots of drool, fever, and waking in the middle of the night to find you walking around crying and screaming. You're in a toddler bed full-time now, but it's a lot of work to keep you in there. I've learned that if I will lay down with you, you're usually asleep within ten or fifteen minutes. However, there are some days and nights where that doesn't work. I set up the pack-n-play in your room and that's where you end up if you simply will not stay in bed.

You're a sweet, sweet baby growing into a sweet, sweet boy.

Ellison Lee - Three Months

2011-09-30T16:26:00.000-05:00

Baby Elle, you are now three months old.
You now weigh 14lb 5.4oz

Have a head circumference of 15.5" and are 23 3/8" long.

You have slept through the night more than once, but still average waking once in the night. Sometimes at 2am, sometimes at 4am, and sometimes at 6am. Not consistent at all and that is completely my fault. I STILL don't have you on a schedule. During the day you feed every 3-4 hours. You'll stay awake for about an hour and then doze off and sleep until you're hungry or Lynden finds you and wakes you up. :)

You are so easy and almost never fuss. I'm so thankful!!!! :) Your calm is a much needed relief.

You have been losing your hair which is so comical to me. Raegen NEVER lost any hair, Lynden never had any to lose, and yours shows up on EVERYTHING you lay on! :) But of course, you're still beautiful.

Richardson Reunion

2011-09-24T10:12:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back we had a mini-family reunion at my parent's home. My dad has one brother and he lives waaaaay out in California. We don't get to see him and his family very often so we were excited to spend some time with them and introduce them to the newer members of our family...
Here's almost everyone...

Our family has grown too big to dine out together so we opted for delicous BBQ from the Bulldog and my parent's beautiful yard for the kiddos to run around in. It was a beautiful day.

The boys ALWAYS find something to "work" on...

Ellison was a typical newborn {yes, she's still a newborn to me! haha} and just slept...

so pleasant...

And of course she got plenty of attention...

from Madisyn...

Daddy...

and her Great-Uncle Ross...

And her outfit was just ridiculously cute.
of course.

I made some delicious Peanut Butter Bars for the occassion and didn't come back with even a crumb! You can find the recipe here.

The only thing we did bring back was a baby Lynden COVERED in mosquito bites!

They LOVE him.

Sunday morning at church everyone thought he had Chicken Pox!
Poor thing.

Peanut Butter Bars

2011-09-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've made this recipe no less than five times over the past two weeks. It's one of those perfect, fail proof, delicous recipes and I don't know why I've neglected it for so long. This is not my own, but rather a recipe from a very good friend, a mother of two boys and one girl {now that sounds familiar...}.

So, for all those that have asked recently, here it is:

Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:
½ c. butter (softened)
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. quick cooking oats
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (12 oz.) chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla.
2. Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
3. Spread mixture into a 9X13 pan.
4. Sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture.
5. Bake on 350F for 18-20 minutes.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes then spread on icing mixture.

Icing
½ c. powdered sugar
2 T. creamy peanut butter
2 T. milk

"Movie Madness" Fair Fun

2011-09-21T11:35:00.006-05:00

Tuesday afternoon we met Aunt Amber and the girls to watch the county fair parade.

Raegen had no idea we were going to watch the parade OR that he was going to see cousin Ashlyn so he was VERY excited!! We found a nice grassy spot just perfect for the kids.

Lynden and Ellison had the best seats in their comfy stroller, but I knew it was just a matter of time before big boy wanted a little freedom...

This was Lynden's fourth parade, but I believe he enjoyed this one more than he did the first, second, or third {not blogged about because I was busy being pregnant, packing, moving, repeat, etc.}! The parade had his attention, for sure.

I'm so glad Amber asked us to join them. We had a great time and it's always nice to spend time with family.

Raegen ran into his buddy, EK, after the parade. I always enjoy seeing him interact with his little friends. So cute.

Afterwards, we joined the traffic bandwagon and headed out to the fair. Ellison slept through most of it... {as she did the parade too!}

And Lynden enjoyed his first sucker. What started out as him holding Raegen's balloon {attached to a Tootsie Pop}, ended with him realizing he could take the paper off that ball on a stick and put it in his mouth! We didn't dare take it out of his hands. haha

Some of the kids at church show animals through the 4-H program so Raegen got a hands-on experience while viewing the goats...

Who knew at last year's fair that our 2011 family fair pic...

would include a NEW baby?!

God knew.

That's who.

The fair is a great place to meet up with old buddies...

"Hey friend, it's been a while!"

What's a fair without rides? haha

{we might rethink this next year when we have TWO that want to ride...}

We had a great time and B even bought me a corn dog...he really does love me! ;)

Ellison Lee - Two Months

2011-08-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ellie, you are now TWO months old!
{updated bc I figured out how to use Picasa to load my pics! yay!!}
You are smiling so much and even cooing too. It is so sweet. You are now in the church nursery exclusively, but of course I check in on you and generally feed you between services.

During your second month you went to storytime at the library, met your Great-Grandpa for the first time, escorted big brother Raegen to preschool, visited family in NWA, attended your very first birthday party {cousin Gracie}, visited your Great-Grandmother and sadly, later attended her funeral, and also witnessed big brother Lynden's very first hair cut. Everyone comments on how quiet and easy a baby you are. It's really true. You rarely fuss and when you do you either want to eat or need a new diaper. When you're sleepy, you just go to sleep!

Your face has cleared up and doesn't seem to be as sensitive. So, I have you back to sleeping on your belly. During the day you nap pretty well anywhere...bassinet, swing, play mat...
You eat 7-8 times a day, including nighttime feedings. Sometimes you last until 5:30a.m. and other nights you're hungry at 1:30 and 6a.m. It's so random. I still do not have you on a schedule, but I would like to!

Last week I took you and Lynden for your two-month and 18-month check-ups, respectively. My stroller is my sanity. If I didn't have it we would never leave the house! And that's just scary to joke about.

I really don't realize what a chunk you are until I see a picture of you.

I think it's because all your little roll lines show up in photographs! To me though, you are so tiny. You now weigh 13lb 9.5oz and are 24.5" long. Your head circumference is 15".

Your brother is now 28lb, 33" long, and has a head circumference of 19". That is a lot of weight for mommy to carry around!! I usually put you both in the stroller, but sometimes I carry him on one hip and tote you around in your carseat. Quite the load.

You are beautiful and we are blessed to have you.

Ellison Lee - Eight Weeks

2011-08-26T13:28:00.004-05:00

Elle Lee, you are now eight weeks old.

You weigh 12lb 3.6oz, are 21.5" long, and have a head circumference of 15".

You've had another busy week. Your Great-Grandmother passed away last Friday so we traveled east to be with family. That evening your Grandaddy got very sick and we had to take him to the Emergency Room. He's all better now, but we spent the entire weekend at the hospital. Of course baby Mary Claire was there too. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if y'all were twins! I think the double stroller had them confused. :)

You are eating 7-8 times a day and 1-2 times at night. You are still sleeping in your bassinet next to our bed. You have plenty of baby gear and I'm always placing you somewhere different...swing, bouncy seat, play mat, etc. Lynden is quite the fan of all your baby gear too...including your carseat!! {and your paci...we really need the Paci Police!}

I am in love with your smile and you are showing it more and more every day. It is so precious. Also precious is Tuesday evening when Raegen looked up at me with his big brown eyes and asked if he could hold you. So sweet.

You are still in 0-3 month clothes, but there are a few brands you have outgrown in that size. I put you in a little knit dress on Wednesday for church and though that was only the second time you've worn that dress, it was also your last!! hahaha It looked like a t-shirt!

Daddy has been gone on business this week so Raegen has had quite the entourage to drop him off at school. He has to be signed in and out each day so I load you and Lynden up in the stroller and off we go. Raegen has enjoyed having us walk him to class.

Today I dressed you in an adorable tie-dye onesie {a gift from one of daddy's old college buddies}. Earlier you had on a gown from The Shifty Fox. That is one crafty lady! I'm going to try my best to keep her in business. ;) It's just too much fun to dress you up!

Princess Gracie Party

2011-08-23T12:00:00.005-05:00

We headed north a few weekends ago to celebrate baby Gracie's FIRST birthday!! The past year has really flown by. Here is baby Gracie and her cute curls...

It was nice to see all our NWA family. Raegen is ALWAYS asking to go see his cousins!!

So glad we got to celebrate the big day with you baby Gracie!!

Ellison Lee - Seven Weeks

2011-08-18T20:05:00.002-05:00

Oh, baby Elle, you are now seven weeks old. You have had quite a busy week. Last Friday we headed north for the weekend to celebrate cousin Gracie's first birthday. It was our first overnight trip since you have been born. I took an infant travel bed and prayed you wouldn't know the difference. You slept just as well as you do in your bassinet at home. It was wonderful. Lynden slept in the pack'n play in Pawpaw and Nana's room and Raegen and Brody bunked together.

You met your Aunt Bridget, Uncle Danny, and cousins Sean and Gracie. You have now officially met all your aunts, uncles, and cousins...and that's saying a lot! We came home Saturday evening and you stayed home with the boys while mommy enjoyed dinner and a movie with her friends.

You now weigh 12lbs 1.6oz and are wearing 0-3 month clothes. You are doing great in cloth diapers and still in size 1 disposies for church and town.

You stayed in Sunday School nursery with Mrs. Jolene and Mrs. Angie for the first time. As expected, you did great and now have your first attendance sticker on the chart. You and little Scarlet are the only baby girls with a whole lotta baby boys!! You're going to have the best little friends.

Your head circumference is 14 7/8" and your length is still 21.25". On Monday Raegen started school so the house just hasn't been the same. I've been placing you in the bouncy seat more often so Lynden can see you. His face just lights up and he jabbers at you. It's so sweet, but I have to stay very close because he's not a gentle giant...he's more rough and tumble.

You have been smiling more and more and seem to recognized faces now. I just love it. On Tuesday, while Raegen was in school, I took you and Lynden to see your Great-Grandmother. She is very sick. I'm glad you got to meet her, as you both share the name Lee.

You are feeding 7-8 times a day and still eating twice in the night {though last night you slept til 4AM and just fed that one time!! woohoo}. I believe you have outgrown your spit up issues and you are no longer congested either. That is certainly making life easier for us both! I am still LOVING dressing you up in your adorable clothes and I am more than obnoxious with your bows. I was so disappointed last Friday when I realized we left the house without a bow!! Oh.the.horror. ;) Today we walked with the Kibs and her precious babies for the first time since you've been born. You and baby K are going to be great friends, I just know it. I really hope we can get back in the habit of walking together because it's great for you and me. Lynden has been sleeping and napping more in his toddler bed this week. Soon his baby crib will be all yours. I'm not ready for you to move to your room just yet, but I am anxious to put the bedding on your bed! :)

Bye-bye shag-a-do

2011-08-17T14:47:00.004-05:00

My little linebacker has been in dire need of a haircut for sometime now, but

1) we've waited soooo long for him to actually get hair I really didn't want to cut it all off

2) his little curls on the back of his neck are so precious and I know as soon as they're cut they're GONE, and

3) I highly dislike seeing my baby turn into a boy with just one haircut.
ugh.

B and I took Raegen for his first haircut at 10 months. I knew he wouldn't be able to join me this go round so I opted to take Lynden to a fun "children only" hair salon. I needed all the extra help I could get!! He loved playing with the toy train set all by himself...no big brother telling him where to put the trains, etc. haha

Of course that only lasted so long and he wanted to sit in the vintage airplane and "fly".

I was thankful the stylist let him sit there while we waited for our turn. There were only two stylists working and there was a steady stream of customers.

It took all of ten minutes to turn my baby into a big boy...

He is too precious.

Raegen's first day of PreK!

2011-08-15T16:08:00.004-05:00

Raegen had his first day of preschool today.

{below pic idea came from Pinterest...LOVE}

I thought it best to get my pic with my little preschooler BEFORE we took him to school!

We had a sitter come stay with the babies so B and I could both take him on his first day. I wasn't so much concerned about Raegen, but myself! Raegen has been looking forward to school ALL summer. I knew he would be just fine {not to mention I have a secret spy that can pop in his classroom at any time and make sure he's okay...and give me updates and pics!!}.

I, on the other hand, know that this new step means my baby boy is growing up and it breaks my heart. I'm realizing that even when we know we are making the right decision, there are still tears, and that is okay.

I thought it was so sweet that he held his daddy's hand as he walked in the school. We made our way down the hallway and as soon as he spotted his teacher's door he dropped that hand and ran right in...to the toys!!! haha He was ready to play!! Mrs. B kindly and quickly redirected him to his seat.

It was at that point that I could hold it in no longer so it was time to G-O. I can't imagine what it will feel like next year when he goes to kindergarten. Oh.my.heart.is.hurting.
It was a strange day without my little king and I could tell Lynden missed him too. I'm glad Raegen didn't miss us though. I'm glad he is so eager to experience new things and places- I can take NO credit for that! And most of all, I'm thankful for my "secret spy" that is at school and available for Raegen if he needs her.

That makes my heart happy. I'm so glad he had a great first day.

Ft. Stain

2011-08-12T23:38:00.000-05:00

The other day B built a fort for the boys and it was a hit!

Raegen and Lynden both loved it and played in it for hours.

I have fond memories of building forts when I was growing up. We always used old blankets and secured them to doorknobs with rubber bands.

I have a feeling this is just the first of many for my boys...but hopefully the last where they use my nice coverlet from the bed!! ha

Preschool Open House

2011-08-11T23:19:00.003-05:00

Raegen's preschool Open House was tonight. It brought back a LOT of memories...getting to meet my teachers, seeing my friends after a long summer break, school supplies!! This year Raegen will be attending school five days a week, so it will be an adjustment for us both. I know he will love it though and he will learn so much. While we were in the parking lot beforehand, a teacher friend drove up. Raegen asked why she was there and I explained she is a teacher and has her own classroom of students. He replied, "Oh, that's right. And she's there if I need her." That's right. She is there if he needs her and that makes my heart happy. Here he is with his friend, Mrs. A.

There was a general meeting in the cafeteria to go over the handbook, etc. with all the parents. Raegen was busting at the seams to get to his new classroom and play with all the TOYS!!!! haha

Here he is with his new teacher, Mrs. B.

We had to pry him away from the toys when it was time to go {and promise him he could build a HUGE tower of blocks on Monday!}. My little king is growing up...

He is going to have so much fun!

Ellison Lee - Six Weeks

2011-08-11T22:34:00.008-05:00

Baby Elle, you are now six weeks old. Last Friday I woke up and was one miserable sickly mommy. Thankfully I was able to get some antibiotics pronto and was feeling better in no time. Daddy came home early from work and we decided to head south a day early to visit family. You got to meet your Great-Grandfather for the first time. You are one of THREE great-grandbabies he has welcome this YEAR. You are number 13 of his 14 GREAT-grandchildren.

Mawmaw thought you were a doll.

You took the two hour trip well and slept through most of the visit too.

Nana was there visiting as well and took Raegen and Lynden for a ride on the golf cart. {Raegen made sure that SOMEBODY did!! haha}

On Saturday you stayed with daddy for a few hours {not many because you still eat every 2.5-3hrs!} while Raegen and I went shopping for back to school clothes. On Sunday you joined me and daddy in our Sunday School class again and stayed with me during church service. That afternoon we got a special treat in our yard...GEESE!

You weren't that impressed.

Daddy tried to get near them and actually made some progress, but eventually they flew over to the neighbor's pond. They have been visiting our yard daily now and leaving their "mark" all over the driveway! yuck. {thankfully we've gotten plenty of rain this week to wash it all away!!}

Sunday evening you stayed in the nursery during Training Union and again during preaching service. On Monday I FINALLY mailed your birth announcements...woohoo!!

The vote is still split 50/50 on whether you favor Raegen or Lynden. Your daddy says you're the spitting image of baby Raegen. I agree. You also remind me of your Aunt Stacy's baby pictures. You definitely have Lynden's light colored {need to be painted on} eyebrows. ;)

This picture just cracks me up...

I ADORE dressing you up in your cutesy clothes and bows. It's really just too much fun. You are now 11lb 7.8oz...

21.25" long, and have a head circumference of 14.75".

I love cloth diapering, but I really dislike how bulky it can be at times. {some of your clothes won't fit with the cloth dipes!} The preemie size prefolds I borrowed was just a wee too small and the infant size I have are just a wee too big. You'll grow into them in no time though.

You are still having some gas issues and MUST burp after each feeding. I've also started putting you to sleep on your back because your skin is so senstive and you quickly get a rash on your face when on your belly. I'm so glad sleeping on your back hasn't caused any new issues. You generally feed last around 9PM, then I swaddle you and put you to bed. Your next feeding is usually around 3AM or 4AM and again around 6:30AM. From there it is every 2.5-3.5hrs.

You have been grinning more and more and it is so precious. We have had a very low key week and have mostly stayed at home. Things are going to get very busy when school starts for Raegen on Monday. I'm looking forward to the routine though. Time for bed, we have a busy weekend scheduled!

Raegen - Preschool Month Seven, Eight, AND Nine!

2011-08-11T21:00:00.001-05:00

This blogpost is very late, but better late than never!!! We had Raegen's Open House for Preschool tonight so I just had to {finally} post these pictures from preschool last year...

Day 52 - baby cousin Benton was born...play time at the hospital!

Last day of school...

Last day of school gift...

Toy Story Tervis Tumbler.

Ellison Lee - Five Weeks

2011-08-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

My little Elle, you are now FIVE weeks old and have just surpassed your brother's birth weight {Lynden-10lb 12.2oz}! You now weigh 10lb 14oz.

Your head circumference is 14.75" and you are now 21.25" long. You were your {bulky} oh so cute cloth diapers at home and disposables when we go to town and to church. Those big 'ol dipes just won't fit in the cute covers that match your adorable dresses!!

I thought it would be fun to put you in the newborn outfit we brought you home from the hospital in. I was surprised it actually fit! I've moved you up to 0-3mo clothes.

You were pretty upset during our little photo shoot and fussed so much you put yourself to sleep! It's hard to find time in our busy days to get some good pics of you so I was trying to take advantage of some free time, but you really should have been taking a nap. Sorry!

Later in the day I tried for some more pics and though it's blurry, this is my fave...

LOVE that big 'ol grin!

You were about to roll off the wedge so I was trying to catch you and snapped a pic at the same time.

You are pretty inconsistent with your sleep at night. Sometimes you just wake twice and sometimes three times. On average you eat 7-8 times a day. I give you Mylicon before most feedings and that really helps with your spitting up issues. You are also staying congested, but the nurse said it is nothing to be concerned about. You do NOT like the bulb and you make it known! :) You stayed in the nursery for the first time last night {Wednesday night service}. However, I had to go get a mom that was working in the nursery so she could go be with her child and ended up staying in to help. So you weren't really in there for very long without me...and of course Lynden was with you the entire time.
He has decided you are part of the family and not just something we picked up at Target. ha He's been showing an interest in you this past week...bringing you burp cloths, giving you hugs, and of course stealing your pacifier!! I also took you into the playroom with the boys this week.

Lynden taught you the startle reflex...he whacked you in the belly with his hands {he wasn't trying to hurt you, he's just a baby and doesn't know better} and it startled you!!!

I also let you hang out with me while I got my craft on this week...the hum, hum, humming of my serger put you fast asleep! Other firsts this week included your first trip to the library and Burger King. You also had your first WM monthly photo session...get used to it because you have 11 more to go! :)

After the photo session I picked up some groceries. It was my first time to shop with all three kiddos. It was definitely work, but not impossible. I was wearing you, had Lynden in the seat, and Raegen riding in the basket. A gentleman who was clearly in a hurry {talking on phone, walking briskly, etc.} stopped to tell me he just loved the way I was carrying you. It was a little odd coming from a man, but also sweet. You just never know what people are going to say...it was nice to hear something nice!!

You are smiling more every day and your hair seems to be getting lighter. Your little eyebrows are so similar to Lynden's...almost non-existent and they definitely have a reddish tint! We think you are wonderful.

Trying to beat the heat!

2011-08-04T17:50:00.004-05:00

The kids and I met up with some friends today for some INDOOR {cool!} fun.

This is how I roll with three...

We first visited the "Tube Room" with our playgroup in March.

Here Lynden is as an almost one year old...

and now as a sixteen month old... {ALWAYS smiling!}

Then I took this picture to show that he actually DID have hair...

and today I wanted to admit that my child has a mullet because I just don't want to cut my baby's hair!! :)

Raegen had SOOOO much fun and I was glad he got to have some lazy day fun before school starts.

Lynden had fun too, but we were there during his normal morning nap so I did lots of holding him on my hip. Which tends to get difficult when I'm already holding a baby. :)

Here he is with his buddy Jonathan... {poor J had a run-in with a table just yesterday...you should see the table!} ;)

Kellen was in our picture too...she was just trying to nap!

We had a great time with our friends INDOORS! Thank the Lord for air conditioning.

Tell me a story

2011-08-04T17:34:00.003-05:00

I was so excited to take Ellison to "Mother on Goose on the Loose" storytime at our local library, but I was not so excited about wrangling three little ones! :) When I had Lynden, the age difference between him and Raegen was perfect...three years apart. This time around it's a different story and I just don't have enough hands to successfully handle a four year old, sixteen month old, and a newborn. So I enlisted a little help and we made the venture on Monday. ;)

Between building the house, moving, moving AGAIN, being pregnant, and then having a baby we have not been to the library in a LOOOOONG time! {we didn't go to ANY of the summer programs...boo} I was so excited for Lynden to experience storytime again and he picked "Humpty Dumpty" up and placed him back on the wall like he hadn't missed a week.

While the babies enjoyed storytime, Raegen stayed out in the children's room and picked out a few books to take home.

My little helpers are about to start school again so I'm not sure how many storytime's I'll brave on my own! ;) I'll probably just wrap Ellison on me {she tends to sack out every time I do} and at least I'll have two hands to handle Lynden...though it seems he requires more than TWO!

Ellison Lee - One Month

2011-07-30T21:40:00.004-05:00

Little Elle, you are now ONE MONTH old.

Your stats are all the same from your "four-week birthday" just two days ago, so I won't bore you with repeating them. ;) Though I do want to mention how sensitive your skin is. It gets irritated so easily by different fabrics, but always clears up quickly. You can see what I'm referring to in the below picture:

We spent your one-month birthday at home and you had some special visitors...
Aunt Bea

Aunt Betty

and Uncle Paul!

{I'm pretty sure Uncle Paul was being "used and abused" by Raegen here! He later told Uncle Paul he could teach him some basketball tricks if he "had him long enough!"}

They really enjoyed spending time with you and your brothers today. They also think you look a lot like Raegen.

Tomorrow is "Fifth Sunday Singing" at church so Raegen was practicing his special, "Jesus Loves Me". IF he gets up and sings, it will be his first time to sing by himself. He sings in the choir with the adults every Sunday.

It's precious.

To celebrate we went out for bar-b-que...your favorite!! ;) haha

I ADORE this outfit you have on. {If you're counting, this is outfit #4 for the day!!} I talked myself out of buying it and went back a few weeks later because I just knew I couldn't live without it!! Your adorable bow is from Aunt Amber. It's the perfect accessory!

You fell fast asleep at the beginning of dinner and almost slept through the entire meal.

Your first month of life has gone by so quickly, yet so smoothly and we are beyond blessed for that!

jump, jump, JUMP!

2011-07-30T21:21:00.004-05:00

After FOUR months of no playgroup, we were long overdue so we joined our group at a local play place on Friday. Raegen was the most excited for the special treat...

Of course, the ONLY reason we were able to tackle such a fun experience is because I had a "mommy's helper" with me! Raegen and Ellison aren't so much to keep up with, but Lynden sure is!! haha

It was nice to reconnect with the other moms and I also ran in to my old college roommate!! It was fun to catch up with her as well.

Raegen worked up quite a sweat while there...he was slip, flip, slidin' his way to FUN!

The playgroup generally meets in the morning which is also Lynden's naptime, 10a.m.-12p.m. He survived, but he would have rather been at home and in BED! ;)

He's still a bit small for the inflatables, so he enjoyed playing with the ride-on toys and random balls.

This was our first attempt at a picture {another great advantage to having a "mommy's helper"...I get to be in the group shot!!}...

I decided Lynden needed a little help and propped him up on my knee. Raegen's new friend asked if he could be in our picture as well. Who am I to say no??

I laughed so hard when I looked through the pictures on the camera...of course he would make a silly face!! Love it.

Raegen will be starting preschool in two short weeks and his playgroup time will come to an end. I'm glad he got to have a little summer fun with his buddies. ;)

Ellison Lee - Four Weeks

2011-07-28T22:14:00.006-05:00

OH my Ella Lee, you are four weeks old! I guess it's time to clear a few things up. ;) I call you my precious pearl because you were born the last day of June and your birthstone is the pearl.

We named you Ellison Lee after a combination of family members. Your Grandmother Richardson's name is Ellen and I wanted something to honor her, so we named you Ellison. Your maternal Great-Grandmother's middle name is Lee and so was your paternal Great-great-great Grandfather, Robert E. Lee Autrey, and his daughter/your Great-great Aunt Demma Lee.

You are still NOT a fan of having no clothes on! You now weigh 10lb 6oz. You have moved up to size 0-3mo clothes.

Your new diaper covers arrived this week and I LOVE them! They are PINK and key-ute! I also ordered a white cover. They are HUGE, but the smaller size is for NB to 9lb. So we'll just deal with it. I borrowed some newborn prefolds, but they don't seem to work well with the HUGE covers. I've been using Lynden's prefolds and they look really silly on your tiny body, but they don't leak and that's what matters! haha

Your length is now 21.25"

and your head circumference is 14.5".

Ten little fingers and ten little toes...

Your daddy just adores you and says you remind him so much of baby Raegen. You have characteristics of both your brothers and you all three have something in common, dimples! ;)

You and I took Raegen to his last TOT class. You dressed in blue for the special occassion.

While I was busy taking pics of Raegen, you decided to make a little noise so one of the other momma's helped you out by giving you your pacifier. Pretty soon you had quite the crowd tending to you...it was adorable.

Afterwards we went grocery shopping at WM. Lynden was at home {napping!} with a sitter so I took advantage of ONLY have TWO kids! haha While wearing you in the baby wrap I had the following convo with a fellow shopper:

Random lady: What do you have in there?

Me: A baby girl.

Random lady: Awwww.

{looking closer...confused look on her face}

Random lady: I thought you said you had a baby GIRL?

Me: Yes, I do.

Random lady: But there's a BLUE bow on the baby's head.

Me: You are correct.

{because I've never been one to put a bow on a baby boy's head!!! Talk about blowing someone's mind! haha}

We had some more visitors this week also. The Ibarra's brought us a delicious meal and some new pretties for you.

The boys had a lot of fun playing together...

and chasing the deer away!

You also made your first trip to church! Bro. Matt presented you with your first New Testament. It's pink and PRECIOUS!

You also made your first trip to a baby shower and went with me while I got a mani-pedi. Sweet mother-daughter time!

Today it finally cooled off some so I let the boys play in the water while you napped.

Because it was so cool {and breezey!!! woohoo! It was such a BEAUTIFUL day.} I brought you outside for a little Vitamin D as well.

You just snoozed. of course.

Everyone wants to know how the boys are adjusting. Raegen adores you and Lynden adores your toys!!! ;)

You are still feeding on demand and generally wake once or twice during the night to eat. I've started swaddling you for your day time naps too. Sometimes I use the "dummy" Kiddopotamus swaddle and sometimes I swaddle you with a blanket {because, yes, after my THIRD baby I have FINALLY learned how to swaddle with a blanket!}.

I'm just amazed it's already been four weeks. We had our family photo shoot this week and I'm so anxious to see the proofs. I'm a little sad that you didn't sleep for any of the pics, but I know they're precious just the same. :) Oh, my sweet baby Elle...love you always.

Ellison Lee - Three Weeks

2011-07-21T23:47:00.015-05:00

Ellison Lee, you are now THREE weeks old!
{gown made by The Shifty Fox}

You are such an easy baby. You really don't fuss at all. I've learn that you MUST burp, so I take the time to burp you after you've eaten and then you're ready to fall asleep again. You are quite the eater. I think I might start calling you Miss Piggy! You've recently had some spit up issues, but I've started giving you .3ml of Mylicon before you eat and that seems to be working.

We've been having some scorcher heat so I usually wait 'til late in the day to let the boys play and I leave you in your bassinet right beside the door so I can hear you if you need me.

I even found a little bitty pool {so embarrassed!} I had stored away and let the boys play in the water. Lynden was less than impressed...

But Raegen enjoyed it!

for a little while...haha

You and I just sat and observed as daddy and the boys played.

You've had a few more visitors this week. Mrs. Andrea and Sean came to see you and so did Mr. Patrick and Mrs. Heather...

You were given these A-dorable socks this week as well as a super cute damask/dimple dot minky bib {soooo stinkin' cute!}. I've ordered some new diaper covers for you that should arrive soon. The Bumkins are working "okay", but often feel "wet" due to the vent in the back. Aunt Stacy suggested we try the Bummis Super Brite diaper cover.

You are still sleeping in your bassinet beside my bed. Because you sleep so well on your belly I quit swaddling you. Then you started waking 2-3 times a night instead of ONE, so I've started putting you in the Kiddopotamus swaddles again!! ha Your last night time feeding is around 10:30PM and now you're back to waking just once, between 2AM and 3AM. You generally wake to feed again around 6:30. I'm usually too lazy to sit up and feed you so I just let you lay beside me...sometimes I'm too lazy to put you back in your bassinet when you're done! ha So, this is what I ended up with in the bed the other morning...

Raegen usually crawls in bed with me every morning after he wakes up...so now he snuggles with you too!

You are already up to 9lb 11.2oz!! Yes, that's nearly a pound in one week...I told you you were a good eater! :) You feed on demand anywhere from every 2.5 to 4 hours during the day.

Your length is still 21" and your head circumference is 14.25".

I tried to get some cute pictures of you on the floor, but Lynden was awake and kept trying to sit on you...he may have been successful a time or two. So, we changed locations!

He's still not sure what to think of you. When I'm feeding you and he's around, he wants up in the chair too. He generally pats your head or squeezes your little feet, then he hops right down again.

Your daddy was away on business for a bit this week. We sure were glad to see him come home. He brought the boys some new hats and he brought us chocolate!!

Because you sleep on your belly, you get plenty of tummy time. It's important to have some back time too, so I put you under your play gym this evening. Raegen enjoyed "teaching" you a few animals with the pictures that are attached.

He is so very sweet to you and loves to help take care of you. If you're fussing he'll find a toy for you or put your pacifier back in your mouth. In the car {you REALLY dislike riding in the car!!} he'll sing "Jesus Loves Me" or his ABC's to you to help calm you...he did the same thing for Lynden. It just makes my heart happy to see.

You made the paper this week! Your birth announcement came out in a few papers and it's scheduled to come out in a few more next week. I've yet to mail your birth announcement to our family and friends {it's on my to-do list!!}. It seems with three babies some things just get pushed to the side!

A little banged up...

2011-07-18T14:02:00.006-05:00

I was in a car wreck yesterday.

I am fine.

I had NO babies with me.

My car is fine.

Well, it WILL be fine after a little doctoring.

The other driver is fine.

And by "fine" I mean I am terribly sore and have some neck and back pain, but what a miracle that that is all I have to complain about!!

There was a wedding shower at church yesterday afternoon. I had already decided Ellison was still too "new" to go, but I wanted to be there for the special event. I fed my precious baby, changed her diaper, and left her in her daddy's care. The boys were both down for naps. I was so looking forward to seeing my church family and the beautiful bride-to-be. I would be back in an hour.

Or so I thought.

I turned my Tabb Family CD on and hit #5, "He Knows My Name." It was a beautiful day and I was singing along, just envisioning Mrs. Kim from church singing it. {oh, how I love to hear her sing!}

I had been on the road mere minutes when I came to a curve and met a speeding car that was in MY lane. I veered to the right to give him some room...just hoping he would correct himself and spare us both. Instead, he just kept coming at me! Before I could realize what was happening he plowed right into me and I was then barreling down the road in a vehicle I couldn't control.

My vehicle was pushed off the shoulder and miraculously didn't roll right down the embankment, but came back onto the road and darted across to the other side. The whole time my vehicle was just shaking back and forth and I was hysterical as to what to do.

My side airbags had deployed and I was just blind to the world around me.

The only thing in my sight was a HUGE ditch in front of me and an even BIGGER tree that I knew was going to stop me in my tracks. At the same time I was terrified someone rounding the curve would hit me AGAIN because now I was in THEIR lane!! Oh, the nightmare wouldn't end!

I had a moment of clarity and realized I was so tensed up that I was pushing on the brake with all my might. I let my foot off the brake, regained my steering, and slowly hobbled back over into my lane and out of the way of oncoming traffic.

It is quite difficult to manuever a vehicle on a rim!

I've had my Tahoe for nine days. NINE short days. Oh, how thankful I am to have been in that vehicle and not something smaller. The outcome may not have been as favorable. Here's the other guy's car:

How thankful I am that the Lord took care of us both. We were both able to walk away. It could have easily been a head-on and then who knows how that would have ended. So glad I saw him when I did and was able to give him some more room...too bad it wasn't enough room!

I don't think he had a clue what happened until our vehicles met. I don't know if he was sleepy, texting, talking on the phone...all I know is he was where he wasn't suppose to be.

He told the officer he didn't know what happened. He told ME he didn't know what happened. There was plenty of evidence to support my story and the officer said such.

I really despise that highway. It has numerous curves, NO shoulder, and people just drive way too fast on it. I wish there was another route to church! :)

Can you see the absence of white paint in the below picture? That's where my rim ran over the white line when I was NORTHbound and in the SOUTHbound lane. Just a few more inches and me and my car would have gone down, down, DOWN in the ditch!

What a BLESSING I had no babies with me!! That's all I said over and over when folks stopped to make sure we were alright. I was just so very thankful I had no babies with me. What a true miracle. A little seatbelt rash and sore neck and back is all I suffered.

Truly amazing.

He knows my name...

Ellison Lee - Two Weeks

2011-07-14T16:07:00.013-05:00

Oh, my baby Elle, I just don't want to admit that you are now TWO WEEKS OLD!

It goes too quickly. boo.

You have had yet another action-packed week.

{here you are in a precious little outfit made for you by Aunt Stacy...LOVE!}

You now weigh 8lbs 15.2oz. You are such a good little eater...and "burper" too!

{your precious bow is from Aunt Amber...she got you one in pink too!!}

Last Friday you had your "one week checkup" with Dr. B. Your weight was already back to 8lb 7oz. {it was 8lb 4.5oz just two days before}.

And your length was 21.25" and HC was 14". You were less than thrilled about taking off your cute outfit and bow!!

Your brothers would have probably had a few words for the doctor {at Lynden's first checkup Raegen told Dr. B, "You're hurting him! You're hurting him!!" when Lynden was crying}, but they were at a friend's for a playdate.

They had a lot of fun and were ready for a nap by the time I picked them up. {because you were so upset I took you to Target after the ped appt to get on your good side again...it worked!}

I'm praying you'll be good with sharing because it seems your brothers really like your "toys"...

On Saturday we had a little cookout. You finally got to meet Uncle Frank and Uncle Marc.

You mostly slept through the party...

waking just once to eat.

On Sunday we stayed home from church again. I was so excited when daddy and the boys came home and brought you this sweet onesie from Mr. Blane. I just thought it was too cute and wanted to dress you up IMMEDIATELY, but I refrained and waited until you finished your nap. ;)

On Monday morning you got your first "real" bath. Your cord fell off on day six, but I wanted to give it a few more days before dunking you! :) As you can tell from the picture, you didn't think much of it...

But you quieted down as soon as I wrapped you in your "Princess Ellison" towel from Mrs. Treena!

Then I glammed you up and we headed to town to take Raegen to his TOT class.

You do a lot of sleeping...mostly on your belly. Most of the time I just place you in the bassinet on your belly, turn on the vibration, and you fall fast asleep. Sometimes the paci is required!

On Tuesday Nana and Pawpaw came down to be here for the arrival of your newest cousin, Olivia. We all went to dinner together and then they headed down to the hospital with daddy to wait for her grand debut.

Later that evening Mrs. Treena and Mr. Tim came to see you. Mrs. Treena said, "I thought she would be smaller." haha You are a growing girl...and that's a good thing!

Early Wednesday morning baby Olivia Nicolette was born. That evening we left the boys with a sitter and we went down to meet Miss Livi. She has the sweetest face and...

the longest hair {just like her big sis Ashlyn had at birth!!}!! She also has what looks like natural highlights?!?! I've never seen such on a newborn baby! Oh, look how long that hair is!

And, of course we took a little something for Aunt Amber's hospital door.

I'm so glad little Livi is here and hope the two of you are great friends, always.

You really are growing before our very eyes. Your head circumference is now 14 1/8" and you are 21.25" in length.

I just started you on cloth diapers TODAY {thank you Jenn for letting us borrow your newborn prefolds!!} and so far, so good! I switched Lynden back to cloth today as well. Things have finally settled down again {we're not building right now, we're not moving right now, we're not moving AGAIN right now, etc. ;)} and it will be easier {and cheaper!!} to have you both in cloth.

You are my perfect, precious pearl and your boys and I just adore you. Raegen loves to hold you and love on you.

Lynden loves to squeeze you...haha...preferably your feet! Oh, and he likes to pat your head too. It's a good thing you're almost always out of his reach!

You are still feeding on demand, about every three hours or so. The past few nights you have only woke once in the night {usually between 2-3AM} to feed. That's been REALLY nice!

You also had your second chiro adjustment this week, which you THOROUGHLY enjoyed. AND, a few nights ago one of our new neighbors stopped by and brought you a bag just FULL of goodies...clothes, lotion, photo album, shoe and headband set, onesies...it was just the sweetest thing!

Ellison Lee - One Week

2011-07-08T15:57:00.027-05:00

Ella Lee, you are ONE week old!

{I'm just a day late in posting!!}
Oh, time, please slow down!!!
You are such a sweet baby and you have your daddy's dimples!!!

Here is the week in review...

You just barely made it as a June baby, arriving on the last day of month.

You weighed in at 8lbs 8oz...my smallest baby by half a pound!

{someone asked me this week if you were my largest...hahaha...not hardly!! You're my smallest!}

As a June baby your birthstone is the pearl and yes, I have already added your pearl birthstone to my bracelet your daddy gave me for Christmas!

You are my precious pearl, my baby girl.

There is some discrepancy regarding your length. At your "two day" checkup with the ped they measured you a couple of times and kept getting 21" in length...1/2" longer than the hospital. So, I say you were 21" at birth...just an inch shorter than both your brothers at birth.

And, your head circumference measured 13.75".

Because you came "quickly" when you finally got in place, your body was unable to expel all the fluid and you had to have it suctioned out once you were born. After they poked and prodded on you they handed you over to me where you cried, cried, cried and continued to spit all that fluid up. I felt so badly for you. It really did seem painful to your tummy. All of that caused your daddy to have to wait FIFTY minutes before he FINALLY got to hold you!! He was so patient and he was soooo smitten.

Grandaddy was as well. He had spent the night in the car in the parking deck of the hospital. He didn't want to venture too far because he wanted to be there when you were born. He cried. Of course. He could have 100 grandchildren and he would cry every time. :)

Mammie, or "Honey" as I do believe you'll call her, stayed with us through the entire labor and delivery. She was there for it all and I am thankful.

Once you arrived she got to snapping photos because she knew that's what I wanted!! And look at your hairy back! haha It looks just like Raegen's did, only his was much darker hair.

You have hair everywhere...on your shoulders,

on your cheeks, on your legs!! It is so sweet.

It didn't take daddy long to catch some zzzz's. And I was so drugged up it didn't take much for me to doze off too!

You were given a bath by the nurse. I had wanted to give you your first bath, as I did with Lynden in the hospital, but I was really in no condition to do so!

Once you got all squeaky clean and put on some pretty clothes, it was time to have company. Aunt Amber and cousin Ashlyn were the first to arrive. I can't say I was much of a host. I had so many drugs running through me that I could barely open my eyes. So I mostly talked with them closed!

Mrs. Kibs was in town and able to stop by too. She's a "natural birther" too and just LOVES to hear the birth story as well.

Pawpaw and Nana Stain got held up in traffic, but they were also there to greet you when you were just hours old.

Of course, as soon as I was able, I stuck a huge obnoxious bow on your head.

A-dorable!!!

Aunt Jenn and Kordell came by to visit too and being the uber thoughtful friend that she is, she brought me one of EVERY sweet snack that the snack bar at Target has to offer! Seriously.

Oh, I think you are so precious!

It is a fact that I packed no less than six hair bows in your diaper bag for the hospital and ZERO diapers.

Priorities, my dear child, priorities.

This is one PROUD {Grand}papa!!

Our first family picture...

I'm hoping to get a better picture of you and your brothers with your 1, 2, 3 shirts.

The hospital gave you this key-ute knit cap to celebrate the 4th...

along with this precious tee.

I think I changed your outfit about five or six times this day!! :)

The next day {7/1} Aunt Katie and the Bader kids drove down to visit too!

And Bro. Matt dropped by as well.

Then daddy-o and your brothers showed up to take us home!! Woohoo!!!

I was THRILLED to get to hold you while they wheeled me down to the car. This was a first for me as they've always made me place the baby in the car seat in my room before being wheeled down. What a special treat!

As soon as we got home Raegen wanted to hold you. He was so proud.

I packed a bag for him and Lynden and they went home with Grandaddy and Honey for the week. ;)

So it was just daddy, you, and me!

Friday evening Uncle Mike & Co. drove down for a quick visit. We had a pediatric appointment scheduled for early Saturday morning so it really was a quick visit!!

You were less than thrilled about your first ped visit. If I interpreted your cry correctly, I do believe you said

GET

BOW

NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your weight was 8lb and length 21".

Later that afternoon Aunt Stacy, Uncle Kent, and the Witcher kids came to see you. They too thought you were teeny tiny.

While they were still at the house visiting, Uncle Justin and his family stopped by to see us too. We had a mini family reunion. ;)

We have had so much fun the past week playing dress-up. :) Here you are in one of the gowns I made you just days before you arrived...

Daddy has enjoyed the special time too...here he is making you smile...

On the 4th of July I dressed you up in an outfit from Pawpaw and Nana Stain and of course, stuck a big obnoxious bow on your head. You loved it. ;)

Your daddy knew I was probably getting stir crazy so he told me he would take us out for the afternoon. Here we are all dolled up and ready to party!

We rode with him as he returned a trailer to the shop, then sat in the car as he shopped at Best Buy, and finally dined at Texas Roadhouse. Your first trip to a restaurant.

Daddy was excited to eat a big, juicy steak.

Too bad he didn't have a better dining companion. I was VERY weepy that night and basically cried the ENTIRE time we were there. I'm sure the patrons seated near us thought I was some lunatic. ha

On the fifth, Nana Stain stopped by on her way through town. She had been to visit Great-Grandpawpaw. I just love this picture of the two of you because you have the BIGGEST grin on your face!!

Our Sunday School class has been keeping us WELL fed! Here you are with our Sunday School teacher's wife, Mrs. Trish.

Mr. Skip and Ms. Jenn came by to see you too! They will be getting married VERY soon...so we must find you a special dress ASAP!! :)

On Wednesday, July 6th, I took you BACK to the pediatric clinic so a nurse could look at your belly button cord...despite being cleaned frequently, it had gotten kind of funky. She was able to cauterize it and make the smell go away. :)

Your weight was already back up to 8lb 4.5oz...oh, you will have the cutest chunky legs!!

You were still upset after I got you dressed so I promised to take you somewhere special...

we went to Target! ;)

We also went to the mall and I found you some key-ute outfits at Gymboree. We got the boys some new things too AND we stopped by the jewelry store and picked up your pearl charm for my bracelet!

{yes, I overdid it. yes, I'm still sore. yes, I should have known better. boo.}

To round out the afternoon, you had your first chiropractic adjustment. You didn't know what to think at first...

But then Dr. O hit the spot and I thought you just might start snoozing on the table!

When we got home Miss Hannah came over to meet you and snap some photos.

I asked her to come do a mini shoot and show off her mad skillz she's learned in her photography class.

Judging from this picture, I think she knows what she's doing!!

That evening our meal was delivered by our playgroup coordinator. I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things and join the playgroup again soon.

And, finally, the perfect ending to a LOOOOOONG day of running here, there, and everywhere....Ms. Jenn from church sent your daddy home with a DOZEN gourment cupcakes. Oh my sweet tooth yummy goodness.

On Thursday, your one-week birthday, Grandaddy brought your brother's back to me. Raegen had his TOT class so we hung out in the vehicle for 45 minutes. That was interesting with a 15-month old and a one-week old. :)

Afterwards we took Grandaddy to the peach orchard for a special treat.

The peaches were ripe for the pickin' and we picked plenty!

I wrapped you up and you slept nearly the entire time. It was about 88* so it wasn't too hot, but it could have been cooler! Do you see your little, partially bald-headed brother there at my legs?? He too wanted to be held. poor baby

Grandaddy quickly realized it was much easier to carry the peaches and pull Lynden! Who wants to carry 30lbs on their hip?! :)

That evening Aunt Mari came by to meet you. She was gone to Texas when you were born. She was amazed at how tiny you are too! Your little legs are sooo tiny!!

I'm just hoping this next week goes much slower, though I'm sure it will be jam packed too.

You are getting a new cousin on Tuesday!!! Miss Olivia Nicolette should arrive sometime on Tuesday. I think it will be great fun for you to have a cousin so close in age and the same gender. Ya'll will be great friends.

At this time I am using disposable diapers on you. I had borrowed the infant prefolds I used with Lynden and they're not available now. I will probably be able to use cloth when you're about three months or so, depending on how much you grow.

You are eating so well, nursing about 8-9 times a day. At night you simply wake to eat, burp quickly, then fall back fast asleep. And you, like Lynden, are a belly baby. That's really all it takes for you to fall asleep. You don't even need a paci! Mrs. Kibs is letting us use her baby alarm that will alert me if you quit breathing or moving. It has give me such peace of mind.

I love you and do think you are such a precious pearl. I don't know why God chose to bless us with baby #3, but we are so thankful. What a blessing you are.

Elle's Hospital "Mug Shot"

2011-07-08T14:37:00.006-05:00

Raegen's hospital pictures were so terrible {his face was BRIGHT red and his fists were balled up as if he wanted to punch someone...I ordered none, just printed the proof on typing paper! ha} that I declined to have Lynden's taken. I knew they would be terrible and I didn't see the point in him leaving my room for something that I wasn't going to buy. So, once again, I declined hospital pictures for Ellison.

But THANKFULLY the nurse shared that an independent contractor, a REAL photographer, had just been hired to take the newborn pictures. AND, the best part was, they would come to the room to take the pictures!

And here they are...

my precious pirate... ;)

OH, how I love these.

I wish I had known about this ahead of time, but the contractor had started the day before Ellison was born...the DAY I ended up being induced. Oh, I'm so glad she held out for 42 weeks...these pictures were so worth it. ;)

My photographer I have lined up for her newborn portraits is out of town until the 11th, so I will be using these pictures to make her birth announcement.

I'm so excited!!!