Monday, November 21, 2011

the last week or so...

Sweet Eva ready for church (a couple of weeks ago!)

smiles
my new favorite picture -

Daddy & Eva

the mountains are beautiful when covered in snow!

By last Wednesday most of the snow had melted and we were able to work on getting the leaves up out of the yard. We spent a few hours in the afternoon (before it got dark) getting up all we could since more snow was coming on Friday.

big smiles







So...the table project I mentioned. We got it to the point we wanted it just in time for Thanksgiving week. Last Sunday afternoon...

By Friday night...

then Saturday...the finished for now project (the plan is to have the top re-stained and the leaf to match by Christmas!)

We are so excited to have the table ready for Thanksgiving week while Granny & Pepaw are here! Lots of extra elbow room - it's great! Thank you Daddy!!

Friday afternoon amid the snow coming down Daddy cleaned the leaves out of the gutters and put up the Christmas lights!

Saturday evening the big girls and I went out to see the lights all finished.

We got about 8in of snow by Friday night. Michael & I got out to shovel the driveway after we got the girls to bed. It sure was nice not having to do it on Saturday morning.

The girls were waiting anxiously for Granny & Pepaw to get here any minute!!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Eva is 3 months old!


Our little Eva Claire is 3 months old now! She is such a good baby and so sweet! She's increased her sleeping to 9hrs. at night (9:30pm-6:30am), and eats 5oz. every 3hrs. during the day. She loves to coo at us - she really thinks she's part of the conversation. I think she wants/tries to be a part of whatever Madilynn & Elizabeth are doing. She loves watching them. She turns her head to sounds, and still loves to suck on her hands.


We love getting her to smile and we've been trying to get her to laugh (because we can't wait) and she hasn't done it yet!

Trying on her little hat - getting ready for the snow!

I'm sure she's wondering what I'm doing...ha!

She must think I'm just hilarious!!!


What's been happening...

Well, its November already?! I can't believe it and we've gotten our first good snow this morning. It was slushy on the roads. We got our first snow last week but it was just a dusting and melted pretty much immediately. Today we've gotten inches - not sure how many yet...it's still snowing!


First, I just want to say how thankful I am for Michael. He's gone out of his way lately to plan surprises for me and dates with me where we've been able to have some time together without the girls. I think the hardest thing so far for me with having three girls the ages they are has been me feeling overwhelmed. Everyone needing something from me at the same time. I'm feeding Eva, Elizabeth needs her diaper changed or help on the potty, and Madilynn is telling me something, you know talking non-stop. So, we realized it was really helpful if I could get some time away each week. Getting back to the gym has helped with that some. Then Michael planned the hike for us (a few weeks ago), and a surprise last Saturday. He signed us up for private tennis lessons! I had mentioned back in the summer that it would be fun to learn tennis this winter and it was something we could do together. But, I knew nothing about it or how to get started, so it was a fun surprise! I'm just so grateful for him! We went to play tennis this morning (practice what we learned - we aren't anywhere near really playing a game yet!) and we had a great time!


Mommy & Eva before going to bible study last week

we tried on her little headband for the first time



Mommy & Eva (with my new haircut) last Sunday afternoon before heading out to Lowes. We have started a little project with our kitchen table. I'll share more as it progresses. We're hoping to have it all done by Christmas!



Something I want to remember: My grandma called me last Monday morning (at 7:30am). We had a great conversation. She was hanging up pictures of the girls I had sent her and she couldn't believe Madilynn is 5 and how much she looks just like I did at 5. (She's really like me in A LOT of ways!) Anyways, Grandma reminded me that when I was 5 I used to ask all the time when my cousin Lyndsi would be 5 too. And she would tell me well when she's 5 you'll be two years older. I thought it was so funny that she was telling me that, because that is exactly what Madilynn does, she keeps wanting Elizabeth to be 4, and I tell her all the time when Elizabeth is 4 you'll be 7. (Then I think to myself whoa, I can't imagine what that'll be like!) I'm so glad Grandma remembers all those stories from when we were little, because I didn't, and I'm so glad she calls to remind me of them!!


Madilynn has been keeping busy lately with preschool, piano class, and reading lessons with me. Since she isn't taking a nap anymore, she has an hour of rest time then we do her reading lesson, and practice piano. It has been working out really well for us. We are using the book "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" which came recommended from some teacher friends here. We are on lesson 18 and she is doing so good and even starting to recognize and read words around the house! Soon we'll be registering her for Kindergarten.

Elizabeth is getting to be such a big girl! She says everything, even sentences. We've been counting and she can count to 10 and she knows colors. The last couple of days she's been using the potty more - yeah!! Maybe we're almost there (with potty training!)

So, that's a little update on what's been going on with us. We're getting ready for Thanksgiving and excited for Granny & Pepaw to be here to celebrate it with us!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Eva waking up...

This post is especially for the grandparents.... I thought they might want to see how Eva wakes up...

she sleeps all swaddled up
when we open up her blanket she stretches big,

opens her eyes,

then gives big smiles,

such a sweet baby!!


One Sunday Afternoon...

Mommy & Eva

The weather was perfect, so we took a walk to the park...
We had the playground all to ourselves and had a great time playing, swinging, laughing, sliding, and climbing together!

"I love you and your pretty blue eyes" - Daddy (first told to Madilynn at 2 mo. old!)

down the slide with Daddy...

climbing the rock wall with Daddy (he's on the other side!)





Sliding with Mommy...







We found a beautiful trail along the canal that lead us back home...

We had to stop and say "hi" to the horse...

When we got back to our house Elizabeth said, "ride bicycle!" So that's what we did!

riding together

A couple of quick videos of the sliding - enjoy!!






A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!!!