Eight Weeks!

I think this is the first picture of the two of us since we left the hospital! Thanks to Amy for the super cozy sweater--we can't stop squishing her!

Boys and Girls

A couple months ago, our pastor was talking about the differences in boys and girls and it cracked me up at the time because right when he was saying it, Jack was pretending a piece of gravel he had dug out of his shoe was a car and he was driving it up and down his leg while Ava was sitting up straight patting her sweater which she had thrown over her shoulder and was pretending was her baby. It always amazes me how they can turn the same toy into two totally different things. Today they were playing swords with the empty wrapping paper rolls and after two seconds Ava decided hers wasn't pretty enough and she had to doctor it up with some winter pictures and stickers and by the time she was done Jack had already shredded his with too much pounding on the walls.

Jemma's big night on the town

We took Jemma to Spokane for Ed's work Christmas dinner. The tab runs about 100 bucks a person--thanks to $40 steaks, $8 sides (that's per potato or plate of green beans, etc.), plus several drinks and dessert. We were a little worried about having to take her especially because she woke up as soon as we ordered but she was surprisingly quiet and I think I'm the only one who noticed her (considering I had to eat one-handed!). It was the kind of night that would have stressed us out immensely with our first baby but by this point I always think, what's the worst that can happen? And the worst would be her screaming and me having to sit in the lobby--in which case I would have had Ed box up my pricey little dinner and eat it on the road! Here she is in a terrible phone picture next to my ridiculously large strawberry shortcake! (and empty martini glasses!) The evening was a success as she slept both there and back and we had time to have an actual conversation without any interuptions!

Getting even better...

I just tucked in my last little pumpkin (and the only one who will sleep through a flash picture!) for naps, we have tons of still-white snow, the sun just came out, and Ed is at Starbucks getting me a Chai tea and then taking off the rest of the afternoon! What could be better than that?

Hap-Happiest Time of the Year

I love Christmas. I really do. I love the whole month of December and all the parties and the shopping and this year all the perfect snow! I just checked our calendar and from December 1st to the 25th we have some kind of event on 19 evenings. Now if this kept up all year, I would be just be exhausted but for one month I love it! I was afraid that this year with a new baby, I would miss out on the fun but the only thing I've missed so far is playing in the snow and frankly I'd rather stay inside and watch anyway! One of the best things about Ed is how much he loves the whole season too (we both have serious sleeping problems leading up to the big day!) and now it's even better with kids. Like right now Jack has been coloring a picture which he said was a surprise for Christmas and then he couldn't help himself and he blurted that it's a Santa! We love the presents--it's the secrets that are problems at this house!

Jack hard at work this morning.

Jack saw his picnic table and said "oh no, now we can't eat lunch out there today."

Ava has been hard at work with her own presents--she colored some "wrapping paper", used stickers for tape, and placed her girfts under the tree.

Bee-you-ti-ful!

Last night was Ava's first Christmas Program--an event she has been anticipating for weeks!
Jack said, "Ava, you bee-you-ti-ful!" (He said I looked cute...it's not exactly beautiful but I'll take it!)

Ed did one of the readings so he had to get all decked out too.

There she is--4th from the right--so grown up! She's been practicing her song for weeks now and even Jack knows all the words to "Joy to the World", which I caught him singing during the program. Even Jemma sat up and listened!

I had to take Jemma and Jack home for bed while Ed and his mom took Ava out for a treat and on the way I commented how loud Jemma was crying (she is not a fan of the car seat!) and Jack said, "that's okay, me and her are just really tired." So I tucked them in tight and the rest of us watched Ava's performance on vidoeo--she thought she did great!

Feed me

This is Jemma's little-birdy "feed me" face--I see it a lot!

Some days...

Ava used to say, "being a mom is hard work!" and some days definitely more than others. The other morning the phone was ringing, the cable guy was knocking on the door, I was trying to fix a toy for Jack and apparently not doing well cause he sighed and said, "never mind, daddy fix it" while Ava was informing me that all the other kids had shoes to change into at school so while she clunked around in her boots the other girls were in their pretty Mary Janes and Jemma was screaming from her crib. I grabbed the phone, answered the door and went to pick Jemma up and as soon as she saw me, she gave me a huge smile and a little coo and all was right again.

Ava's big day (again)

Ava had another big day starting with her class Christmas party at Grandma's house.

They made play-doh cookies and then frosted and decorated (and ate!) real cookies

And they had a book gift exchange. The kid giving the gift was always more excited than the kid receiving the gift--their little faces were so full of anticipation about the gifts they were giving!

Jack was thrilled to attend--he loves the kindergartners and on the way out he said, "you think the kindergartens will like our new baby?" Grandma got out Stephen's He-Man for the boys to play with and Jack never even looked up, even during the cookie eating and present opening!

While Jemma spent the whole party like this.

Later in the afternoon, Ava had a Christmas ballet recital.

Ending the night with one more Christmas cookie!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

First snow means Christmas jammies and cuddles by the tree!

Warm and cozy

We had two whole nights to ourselves in the middle of this busy Christmas season and we took full advantage of them! We had a beautiful snow on Saturday which means we, of course, watched "Frosty" that night. And then Sunday night we snuggled in for the "Polar Express"

My kids love when I do a party and they get all the leftover goodies. Here they are with a feast--Jack chowed the brie with carmelized pecans and the goat cheese pizza and Ava ate all the meatballs and the sundried tomato spread. They love a good appetizer--just like me!

Sleepy boys.

New toy!

Jemma got her first new toy (poor third baby) and she's been spending quite a bit of time in there lately. The only problem is that she is on the floor and susceptible to too much brotherly love!

Trying it out.

Trying to see behind her head.

Hey who's this? Ava squeezed in there and got some smiles.

Cocky little bugger

Jack loves this shirt for some reason. The first time he wore it, he stood in front of the mirror and said, "me really han'some." Today he was going to be seeing his cousin Sara and he was really excited so he put on this shirt and said, "Sara will say I look really nice." She didn't actually say that but I'm sure she was thinking it!

Six weeks!

Jemma Jane is six weeks and thriving. She is smiley (although this sleepy shot is the only one I could get on camera) and alert. She Loves watching the kids play but the problem is that they rarely stay long in one room so she gets antsy when they leave her alone (I have a feeling this will be a problem for years to come!). She loves her daddy, especially when he is reading to the other two. And she likes her schedule (which makes me very happy). She's out cold around 8:15 and she sleeps till 1 or 3 (never 2!), has a little snack and sleeps till sometime between 5:30 and 7:00. She gets bundled out of her cozy bed and into her carseat at 8:15 for carpool and then she naps in there till midmorning. She wakes up for lunch and spends a couple hours watching the rest of us and then conks back out till late afternoon. And then we spend the next three hours entertaining her till bed. The best thing about her is that she only cries when she is tired and she never fights sleep which means she is either sleeping or awake and mellow. She very rarely fusses all evening like the other two did so we actually get to spend a lot of time cuddling and talking to her. I meant to take her in to weigh her today but it's too cold for me out there so I'll just guess by the size of her cheeks and the dimples in her elbows that she is right on track!

King of the Mountain

So I told Jack we were going to be washing all the slipcovers today and by the time I turned around he was already busy "helping" me get them off the couch and loveseat. He was having so much fun I had to let him play awhile first. And so Jemma wouldn't miss all the fun, he wanted me to lay her on top so he could slide her down. Always thinking of others!