Happy Turkey Day!!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my Mom and Bapa Jim's this year. The food was great, the company wonderful and Monkey kept everyone pretty well entertained.

Unfortunately I took very few pictures.

However, I was fortunate enough that I caught this one of Monkey and Bapa in their "matching" sweaters.

Monkey pretty much has Bapa wrapped around his chubby little finger. They have had a special bond since Monkey was born - Bapa was at our house almost every day for a long time and Monkey absolutely adores him. All day long he was either looking for Bapa or trying to get Bapa to pick him up, play with him, torment the dog with him, etc.

It was also Baby's first turkey day. He slept through most of it, although he did have the chance to meet his Aunt Meg. She will be leaving us soon to move down to Peru, so it was nice that they could spend a little time together.

We made it home safely, although Monkey was covered in Pumpkin Pie Puke! and we spent the evening changing sheets, taking apart the car seat, and comforting a very sick Monkey :(

Yesterday he was better, but last night he was sick again, so we've just been taking it easy this weekend. I'm exhausted. We all are...

Except maybe Pipps...she had a wonderful day yesterday with her girlfriend going downtown to see the Macy's exhibit, having lunch at The Oak Room and going to the Mankato/Eden Prairie game all before they came back and decorated their Christmas Tree. I'm looking forward to a few months from now when we can start doing our girls days again. I miss the city sometimes - the museums, restaurants, shows...it's nice to have a daughter that appreciates those things - someone I can share them with...especially lately when all that interests her is boys and popularity and Hollister clothing...she's growing up!

SO...that's my update. I know I was going to try and get to writing every day again, but it's hard with 4 kids. Plus, the hubs starts school this week, so I will be on my own 2 nights a week. It'll be a challenge, but I DO love a good challenge :)

Until next time...

Hooby Hooby...

I've turned into my Grandma Rae. Seriously. I keep coming up with these random, made up words.

Hooby Hooby is one of them. I don't even really know what it means, but Monkey has started using it on Baby :)

He gets right up to his face and says HOOBY HOOBY!!!

It's kind of cute.

Not as cute as Neega Nagga Nooga (That'd be Rae-Rae's personal best), but it's a close second :)

On a side note, I uploaded a bunch of new photos. I know I should post them here, but I'm lazy and don't have time since the fabulous Ms. B. is coming over tonight...

I'll try and post tomorrow. Really. I swear ;)

Baby...

I was going to mail these out, but now it's time to get my christmas cards done, so you'll just have to get yours this way :) Notice that I did all the design work BEFORE he was born and basically just plopped the pics in now...sorry, that's my laziness :)

Here's the excerpt from the poem that would've been on the back:

'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you

Till China and Africa meet,

And the river jumps over the mountain

And the salmon sing in the street,

'I'll love you till the ocean

Is folded and hung up to dry

And the seven stars go squawking

Like geese about the sky.

'The years shall run like rabbits,

For in my arms I hold

The Flower of the Ages,

And the first love of the world.'

from "As I Walked Out One Evening"

by W. H. Auden

Tantrum in Slow Motion...

He wanted to touch the lens - I said no - this is what happened next...

(FYI - that's him throwing himself on the floor, not me pushing him)

:)

Boo!

I'm terrible, I know it. I'm still trying to get into the swing of things, but Baby got sick last week and so I haven't slept at all.

I did get my hair done...

and we did the Halloween thing...

Other than that, I have more pics posted here if you'd like to look :)

I promise I'll get this going again...after all, we have one of those notoriously cold MN winters coming up...stupid MN winters...

Baby...

Ok, so it's obviously been a LONG time since I've updated this thing.
What can I say, I've been a little busy.

We got admitted to the hospital on the 15th at 3:00, got induced at 5:00 and Baby (yet to be blog-nicknamed) was born at 1:06 am on the 16th. He was 7 lbs, 6 oz and 20.25" long (the smallest of my boys).

We changed his name at the last minute just like with Monkey and even though I won't post his name here, I will tell you that it means "Greatest Old Friend". (His middle name is after one of my favorite poets).

Labor was pretty intense. There were a couple minor complications, but we're both doing fine and are both slowly recovering...Pipps and B have been a HUGE help both with the house and with Monkey. Monkey has adjusted suprisingly well, but does need reminders to be gentle, not to step on the baby, not to feed the baby goldfish, not to throw toys at baby's head, etc.

It's a process...

I did post a few pictures here from the first few days.
I need to upload many many more...

Life since Baby was born has been a whirlwind of activity and attempts at inactivity. It hasn't been easy. We have been blessed with a number of wonderful friends and family who have made the past couple weeks bearable and even enjoyable. I have been overwhelmed by everyone's kindness, generosity and friendship.

To all of you: Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!! From the bottom of my heart, I want everyone to know how much I appreciate everything you've done for our family.
(Don't worry Grandma - I'll still be sending out thank you cards...you taught me well)

So...I have a ton more to share, but I don't think I'll be posting as often until I'm back to 100%.

Plus, I've been spending a huge amount of time lately just staring at our newest little miracle...serioulsy....just watching him sleep, look around, etc. He's pretty amazing...