Christmas Fun

After reading Jessica's post today it made me reminisce on my childhood traditions and what we continue and what we have implemented.


Holiday traditions are my favorite and I am so lucky I get to continue or start new traditions with my children.


My favorites from my childhood that we continue are picking out our Christmas tree and cutting it down, cookie baking and handing out to the neighbors, that one present the kids get to open on Christmas Eve (which is always pajamas), opening stockings first on Christmas morning and instilling gratitude in our girls during this season and always of giving to those in need.

Some new traditions we have started since becoming parents are Elf on the Shelf makes her appearance (today), Christmas tree lighting ceremony, gingerbread house building, and candlelight service before midnight! We are hoping to make it to a light show this year and hopefully we will be blessed with a tiny bit of snow so we can do a few sledding runs. This Northeast girl thinks it doesn't feel like Christmas without a bit of fluffy white snow.

Share your favorite holiday traditions!

Life Lately...

We are in the throes of the little years. 4, 2 and 7 months (this weekend). Man is it busy but so much fun. Recently we had friends over for a playdate and I realized our blessed we are with the children God chose for us.

Our fall has been busy as we move from one house to another - knowing we will be moving again in 1-2 years.  Keeping up at work, hanging out with friends, and enjoying all that fall in the Mid-Atlantic has to offer this time of year. We are hoping to venture north to visit Mima and Papa, Auntie Erin and her brood of four boys soon too!


Our Wizard of Oz troop had a blast on Halloween especially Dorothy and Glinda the Good Witch, Toto was obliviously but was happy to smile and coo and then sleep through the end of it.

Our eldest is rocking her last year of preschool (wahhhh) and so excited about going to kindergarten. We have applied to three private and toured our public school. We hope to make a decision by January.

The middle, ohhh the middle. She is feisty and funny and keeping us on our toes. We just adore her spunky attitude. She rocked potty training a few months ago and now is trying to keep up with big sister and love on baby brother.


Baby boy is now 7 months, he rocks sitting up, hates food, loves nursing and is working on cutting one bottom tooth. He had a horrible virus that caused lots of upset bellies for 2 weeks. He is now finally on the mend and his cheerful self. We just adore him.

We are finalizing holiday plans and looking forward to all of the experiences of this season.

Sorry for the delay...

HE IS HERE!


Another fast and furious birth but we welcomed a gorgeous baby boy on April 11th.


The entire family is enamored. We have all been soaking in the newborn bliss. However we are back to real life this week, school work and daycare!


I will post pictures and the birth story soon. You don't want to miss it!

New Addition(s)

No - no baby (yet). Frustrating to be on bed rest and stop labor meds only to still be pregnant two weeks before the due date! Life is funny! But a healthy baby and a short hospital stay are much appreciated.


Saturday the husband surprised our oldest with baby chicks and ducks - so far she has named one Eliza, Lucky and Penelope (still working on naming the rest).

I cannot believe how great she is with them at a mere three (almost four) years old. The two year old however, a terror. She loves them a little too much and the poor ducklings are likely to get their necks wrung because of her loving and how easy it is to get her little hand around them.

Now let's hope baby follows suit and decides to come soon so I can squeeze them. Big sister asks daily when baby is going to come out of mommy's belly. I'm not the only one excited to meet this new little person.

 

Almost Time ... I think!

This pregnancy has been anything but ordinary and here I am sitting at 36 weeks awaiting the arrival of our third baby. Any day I am told. I have been told this for the last month. You see, I am almost 6cm dilated and almost completely effaced. Yup - I am still pregnant. The waiting is killing me. I am grateful. Grateful to have made it this far, grateful everyday for a healthier baby. But I have severe anxiety of having the baby on the side of the road with my almost four and two year olds present and no one else. Of not making it to the hospital. Of knowing, is it time? Are these labor contractions? We now have a date they will break my water if baby hasn't arrived by, but it is longer than I have ever been pregnant. My first was born at 36 weeks, my second almost 38, I have to believe this baby will come sometime soon or in the words of my doctors - any day.

Disregard the messy bathroom selfie - I was at work!

In other news, I have a two year old and a three year old. Our sweet lucky charm turned TWO on St. Patrick's Day. We had a small celebration (since I never know when I am going to actually go into labor) and she had the best day ever!

Our oldest is so excited to become a big sister again and cannot wait to meet this baby. She has deemed it her baby - We cannot wait to see her thrive again as a big sister. She is the sweetest most caring girl and we are truly blessed she made us parents.

Both girls were there however the littlest wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with the Easter Bunny and the oldest, well I bribed her to stand beside him.

Now I am off the play Easter bunny and prepare the house for a new sweet baby! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter!

 

This is happening

A little back story on baby #3.

This past summer was ah-mazing. Our girls were at such fun ages (15-18 months and 3.5 years). We had lots of trips to the beach, parks, pools, vacations to Vermont and fun with family. Adding another baby was not on our agenda. We were having too much fun. Low and behold other plans were made and we found out at the end of summer we would be welcoming a third baby to our clan come spring. 

Shock! We were both in shock! 

We waited to make our announcements to friends and family until we had cleared the first trimester but then I was having some other complications so we held off until our anatomy scan. When we were given the all clear – we announced. Everyone was thrilled and shocked but mostly thrilled. Our eldest is ecstatic! She has been begging for a baby for several months. She is such a little mommy and I know will be a big help. Our littlest – well she isn’t sure what is coming her way but I know she’ll be a wonderful big sister!

So there you have it. I am 26 weeks and praying for a nice full-term baby that I have in a hospital and not on route to said hospital. Just a refresher my last labor and delivery lasted a whopping 40 minutes and it takes 40 minutes to get to the hospital from our house.

Currently we are decluttering, reorganizing and soaking in all of the extra moments with just us four because come spring we will be a #partyoffive!

2016

Two Thousand and Sixteen.

My husband and I celebrated our 14th New Year together at home with friends. It is hard to believe another year is behind us and a new year is before us. All the possibilities!

2015 has been a year. One of great fun, lots of adventures and wonderful memories with our families. It has also been one of struggle, turmoil and hardships. While I am not happy to see it go, I am excited about the New Year. 2016 is going to be epic. 

There are so many new adventures on the horizon. Our girls are so much fun right now. We will be welcoming our 3rd baby in just a few short months, more on that to come. We have high hopes to take as many adventures as we can squeeze in with our girls before baby arrives and after as well. 

We learned so much about each other and being parents this past year that I have high hopes that a 3rd baby will blend into without too much adjustment. We have also learned to go and do, do not wait. So the beach, the mountains and everywhere in between is calling our name.

I have few goals set for this year. Survival will be my biggest for the first few months and then to enjoy. Enjoy my time off on maternity leave, enjoy my husband, and enjoy my babies (all three of them). Travel, enjoy the experiences of it. Even the sleepless nights and car seat meltdowns. They will be eighteen before we know it and spreading their own wings. I want them to love traveling, love people, and love coming home. Is that an oxymoron? To love to leave and love to return. I certainly remember the thrill of that first overseas flight and the excitement of sharing my journey with those I love upon return. Again, stories for another day.

I want to simplify. I am not sure exactly what this will entail, definitely getting rid of the “stuff”. Pairing down on what we think we “need”. It may include downsizing our home and moving or not. Those decisions have yet to be made but I do know the hustle and bustle of just getting by is not fun any longer. I would rather spend all of my time planning adventures and activities with our family and friends than having to work extra for the new car, or the bigger house. Again, no real decisions have been made other than we want to enjoy our year. 

So maybe goals are not exactly what is being made but more a word of the year to live by and that word is ENJOY!

We hope everyone is off to a healthy and happy New Year!