Family Portraits

So............. I had a coupon to a big dept. store photo studio and I wanted a family photo for our wall. I took the kiddos in the other day to try to get sibling shots and because they didn't have time to take more than a few before setting up another appt. , I went home and took my own of the kiddos (what I probably should have just done in the first place).

I kind of went more out of curiosity. I never took Emmett but did his myself here at home and that always worked out great for us.... plus they were cheap to do *free!*. But with two and one of them being a baby I decided to check it out and have them done.

Ugh. Let's just say we probably won't be doing that one again. They were expensive. Getting the kiddos to corporate in a new stimulating environment was more of a challenge than anything else, the backdrops were fakey because they were indoors, and they were EXPENSIVE. But that is my fault because I was too chicken to say 'I just want the free photo from the coupon, please'. So I digress.

Nothing Fancy but here's my photo of the kiddos after we left that day....

However, let's look at the positives from the trip :O)

*The kiddos did great considering the appt. STARTED at 7pm. Their bedtimes are 730. We didn't leave until almost nine.

*We got a family portrait with EVERYONE!!!!! looking that I can put on the wall.

*We matched :O) and it wasn't stressful finding something in our closets that went together.

*We do have a free photo CD with rights so I can share the photos with you and make prints for our family members who desire one :O)

Here's the best from our Photo Trip......

Em and Aud

Emmett

Audrey

Emmett

Em and Aud

Daddy with the Kiddos
(I love Aud's face in this!!)

Mommy with the kiddos




Whole Family Shots

~Olive

My Big Brother Shares

Audrey Here. I just want to say how great my big brother is! He's always trying to share his things with me. He lets me hold the balloons he got for his birthday and tries to help me hold his dinosaurs..... and he really loves his dinosaurs.

Just the other day, he sat down to eat his supper and since he was eating he wanted to make sure I got some too. He put a piece of pizza on my swing tray so when I woke up from my nap I'd have a yummy piece of pizza to eat!!!!

What a wonderful brother I have!

p.s. don't mind the bad picture of me. I was half asleep and didn't have time to put my 'face' on. :)

Summer Haircut Time

BEFORE.....

AFTER.....

I'm not going to lie. I'm a wayyyy bigger fan of the before, however. With it being as hot as its been last week and the upcoming summer I can't have my little man sweating it up and overheating it out there.... especially if we're going to get a 'pool'. So, for the summer any way, he's got this new-do. I can't guarantee the old-do won't be back :)

~Olive

Update.....

We have had a crazy month, as many of you know. Crazy and good all wrapped up in one.

We didn't have desktop internet for awhile as we moved everything over from our apt. to our new house and just trying to figure out where everything should go, etc. So this is a little longer in coming then I would have liked.

The house is great though. We had amazing help getting the whole two stories painted before we moved in and then amazing help moving everything over!!!! I was floored how quickly it all went.

Just this week we are emptying some of the last boxes that we have downstairs. My progress upstairs is less than stellar upstairs because I can't entrust the two of them downstairs together for any period of time. However, the living areas are slowly and surely coming together nicely. I'm excited to have the furniture arranged how we want it soon and be able to 'decorate' a little bit.


And of course we had a baby!!! Most already know this but I thought this would be a good opportunity to post some photos.

Audrey Grace was born Saturday 18th at 3:16 pm. She was 10 lbs and 3 ozs, 21 inches long. The nurses and staff could not believe how big she was.


I'm just thankful she's here. When I went past my due date again, I have to admit there was trepidation about what was going to be 'protocal' since we were having her in a hospital this time. I have to say though that my OB office and the hospital, really, were great. The OB's was very understanding of what I wanted (no drugs, no inductions, etc) and worked with me to get that. They wouldn't have, of course, put the baby at risk but if I was showing progress, they weren't going to mess with that. I'm so thankful.

Really, when it comes down to it, the good Lord helped us through it all because He gave us the right OB/Hospital that we were able to deliver her naturally. He kept things moving so that we didn't have to be 'induced'. And in the end gave us a BEAUTIFUL baby girl!!!!!!


....who is a dream. Its hard to imagine that she will be a month tomorrow!!! Here's her accomplishments so far:
~Coos a lot
~Watches things, Very alert
~Smiles at you when you talk to her
~Quickly outgrowing her 3 month clothes
~98%: 12lb, 3 oz and 22.5 inches long


She loves her swing and sleeps in it most of the day.... saving grace right there!!! If Emmett will let her alone in it we'd hardly know she was there.



Emmett LOVES his new little sister. He doesn't seem to be jealous at all but rather REALLY protective. His cousin Zoie got to hold her last week and he was NOT happy about it. Audrey was HIS baby! He's constantly trying to 'share' with her and gets really mad at me if he's laying with her on the couch and I pick her up. He doesn't like his 'baby' time cut short for any reason.


Emmett's birthday was last week. We didn't do much special but he got balloons and a monkey cake with candles. He's had presents to open on and off for awhile (we've dubbed him official baby gift opener). He still hasn't opened our gift to him because we've let some of the other presents wear off first.



The weather has been great and I'm itching to go garage saleing something fierce. I know its going to be majorly cut back due to 2 babies but I'm still super excited for garage sale season to begin.

Popeye is working hard and getting some job changes here shortly. I don't know if that means we'll see him less or the same but its a good opportunity for him.

Until next time
~Olive

Busy, Busy

We are super busy. Not a bad thing since we're 'patiently' waiting.

We closed on our house last week and have been (with LOTS of help!!) working steady to get it move-in ready. Popeye and his brother wired lights in the bedrooms upstairs since that's [ceiling lights] not something that's very common here. Most people use lamps for some reason.

My family, Popeye's Grandma and his aunt came and helped paint. We have almost the whole house done minus touch-ups!!! Popeye put in a new garbage disposal and waste basket in the cabinet, as well as put up our mailbox.

Amazing!!! I really didn't think we'd be able to accomplish all that.

We still have paint touch-ups, curtains to hang, and cleaning to do, and packing to finish BUT, I'm feeling good about what has happened already!

The move day is just a few days away. :O)

In the midst of all this we're patiently waiting for our little girl to arrive. She's due this week and we're excited to finally meet her. I tell people who ask, I'm very thankful we're on God's time table and not our own. I wouldn't be able to decide when would be best for her to make her appearance. God will decide when she shows up and whether or not that seems very convenient or not it will be the right time! (Don't get me wrong, we're still sorta praying she doesn't come the night before the move :)

Emmett is a little confused about the whole deal I think. His room is full of boxes and we're constantly going back and forth between the apt and the house. People keep coming so he's had lots of company (which he loves) but its unusual. He is loving the new house though. He has some toys there and he is a busy boy when we're there, running around and looking out all the windows. We're praying for a smooth transition after the move (and baby)!

I'll have to post pictures later. We have the camera packed up for the delivery so I keep forgetting to take it. I'll have to get photos from my family to post.

Thanks for the many prayers everyone has provided and hopefully we'll have more good news soon!!!!

~Olive

Unofficially, Officially Our New House

While we haven't closed on it yet, it reasons that its pretty much a done deal. We've gone through inspections and appraisals.... our realtor, lawyer, and Popeye overcoming some fun obstacles as we maneuver this new house market. Popeye has signed the final paperwork and we're now chugging along to a closing date. Yeah!

We're pretty excited about moving in and while the move is, of course, around the same time the baby is due it pretty much comes down to planning and a little flexible timing. Well, flexible until the fact that we have to be out of our apt. on a certain date (about that same time). We're so thankful the Lord worked all of this out. We've kind of sat back and just waited to see if He was going to open doors if they were going to shut and we'd pray about different options.

As it is, Emmett is going to love a basement to run around in, a fenced in backyard this summer, the playground just right down the walking path, and more space to play in general.

I'll update as we get the chance :O)

~Olive

Start of his Train Fascination??

If you can't tell I'm going through the video camera and clearing my card onto my computer. Anywho... I found this video and thought, this is probably where the love of trains started. I know he looks a little concerned but he actually had a good time. This coming year if we get to go back again, I know he's going to be alllllll about this train ride. What little boy can pass up a cool train!!

~Olive

Bubbles with Daddy

This is back tracking a bit but here's one of Emmett and Daddy playing with the bubble machine. Poor Popeye was trying to cook us supper and Emmett was determined that Daddy needed to play too! He loves his bubbles!!!

~Olive

Helping Daddy

This was right before Christmas. We had picked this up at a garage sale brand new and I had debated about weather or not this was really a toy Em would play with. After deciding we'd just try it out I was shocked at the work it was going to take to put it together...... in comes Daddy!!!!! And Emmett with his plastic tools to put the workbench together.

My handy men!!!


~Olive

Cake and Floating Icing

So here's my Emmett story of the week. :O) oh the anticipation :)

We had gotten a birthday cake for Popeye's brother who's birthday is the day after Christmas. There was quite a bit left and we brought it home, eating some here and there. I was back doing devotions one morning when I heard a squeal. (Most of you probably know where this is going :)

Yep, that's right. I go out to the kitchen to see a very excited little boy with a piece of cake in each hand and the rest of it upside down on our kitchen floor and his feet. He had icing down the front of his pants and on his shirt.

Well, he was delighted. Mommy wasn't so much. This icing was a butter cream icing and pretty oily stuff. I made him drop the cake and carried him back to the shower, plopping him in it before attempting to take off any clothes. Unfortunately, the bath was more of a reward than a punishment for his actions. I cleaned up the kitchen while he played in the bathtub. The Emmett's Mommy in me says he was probably eating the floating icing in the tub but I can't say for sure.

Sigh. I wish I had a double so I could have taken a picture despite all that.

Boy he keeps us hopping!

~Olive

To Start the Day Off 2.....

We went to the Doctor.


We came back from last weekend Christmas fun with a cough. Not a big deal, but I was watching it. What I realized last night at 6 pm (of course its after the Dr. is closed :) is that Emmett had puffy red eyes. Pink Eye.

I don't know how he got it but now he looks like one of those newborn kittens that have been played with too much.... well, not that bad. His eyes are still able to open.

Thankfully, we got medicine today so by tomorrow night when we arrive for our second weekend of Christmas fun we can be around people...... :O) Which is great because nothing really slows this kid down!


~Olive

To Start the Day Off......

We called poison control.

Ahhh, even in the busy rush of the holiday season there are some things that are normal. I still don't have poison control on speed dial yet but I'm definitely considering it.

I had just changed some diapers and was out putting together a Christmas card for someone at Popeye's work when I realized how quiet it had become. He had been tossing toys from a storage bin in his room so it was pretty obvious he was up to something. I walked in and saw the can of diaper supplies that I typically keep on the dresser, on the floor. I went through the apartment and just as I reached our bedroom, Emmett came walking out from behind a chair eating diaper rash cream.

sigh,.

I called poison control immediately, though I usually don't think he eats much of it before I find it but you never know...

For those of you who've never had to check, diaper creme (at least the Target brand) is relatively safe unless in extremely large doses. A little (because let's face it, it sounds just NASTY to eat a lot of that stuff), will just give your child a rather gross oily diaper later on. You should wipe the stuff out of their mouth and have them drink some water.


The rather funny part about the whole thing is guess what I found him doing about 5 hours later.......? yep, hiding behind the chair eating diaper rash creme again!. It got really put up this time!! But who really would eat it twice???

I'm considering putting him on that fear factor tv show at a young age since he apparently has no qualms with eating nasty stuff and no fear of much of anything. is that show even on anymore???

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and we'll be posting some fun videos / photos if I get around to it :)

~Olive

Last October with Cousins

So this video is from a birthday party in October but my sis-in-law sent it to me yesterday and I love it! These two were having such a blast! (This was before they got the lid off of the ice chest). For not seeing each other very often these two cousins got along famously!

~Olive

Hot!

Here is mommy's little copy cat. He learned *the hard way* awhile back that the oven is hot and so now, when I open it he stays back quite a distance a blows on it while I check on supper. Last night however, I was stirring the sweet potatoes and using the pot holders. This, I guess, was very inspiring. He then stood at the closed oven door and put the pot holders up to it. So far, he hasn't tried to open it....... oh dear.

~Olive

Escape Artist

So we think our little man has had a growing spurt. Things he can reach that he couldn't before includes the thermostat to the apt. and the lock to our front door.

We can't do much about the thermostat except check it when it seems awfully hot or cold in the apt but the door..... well, we HAD to do something about that. After a day of chasing after him in the cold because he had gotten out, was spanked, brought back inside, and still continued to do it, Popeye didn't waste any time in putting a chain lock high up.

Here he is trying to get out. The door opens just enough for him to see out but not enough he would even possibly squeeze through. As I've said before, we are CONTINUALLY childproofing!

:O) ~Olive

Civil War Reenactment

This past weekend was a busy one! We had family and friends visiting from IL and Missouri. We got to take time to do something just with us as a family though.... which doesn't get to happen too often with Popeye's weekend hours. There was a Civil War Reenactment about a 1/2 hour from us so away we went.

To be honest, we actually didn't get to see the reenactment. We got there pretty early and it was chilly so we walked around the 'camp' and listened to the various Generals talk about their lives and war strategies. Emmett got to play on some of the slides and play areas they had set up for kids too.

The funniest part of the day was, as usual, Emmett. There were horses there, of course, for the Calvary and Emmett was all about those horses..... from a distance. He yelled at them, 'baa-ed' at them, and downright talked their ear off. However, as soon as one of the soldiers rode over so Emmett could pet his horse, Emmett was not that brave at all. No touching anything of that size I guess.

He's sticking to the bunny rabbits that were there to pet..... much smaller animals :O)

~Olive

The Baby's name is {gasp}

We do have a name picked out!!! (and the baby's not due until Feb???!!!!) Shocking, I know. :O)


You won't get it out of us though. ;)

I was told most people are calling the baby Norah because they know I love the name so.
Unfortunately... the baby's name is not Norah but feel free to continue to call her that for the time being.

However, rest assured that the name we !agreed! upon is:
1) similarly cute
2) a little bit classic, like 'Emmett' is
3) actually shares something in common with one of you.... ;)

Now that I've hinted but not given a thing away!!! You'll have to patiently wait until Jan/Feb to find out ;)

~Olive

Emmett's Favorite Things

So I was thinking the other day that Emmett has his very favorite things.... toys and items that I know will come out sometime during the day. While he reminds me every now and then that I can't put some things into storage I'd like, his play is changing!!! That wonderful imagination of his is definitely headed towards 'action figures' and imagination games.We recently got Emmett some new rain boots as he's had a few growing spurt since Uncle Mike and Aunt Regenna got him his first pair (a size 5), we're now on size 7/8s. Emmett has a pretty good shoe fascination and these are his 'go-to' boots. Whenever I tell him to get his shoes, these are the ones he drags back to me.... this is really only a problem on Sunday mornings :0)

He actually plays with these more at his Grandpa and Grandma's house because I tend to keep these somewhat put up but he loves legos. Now, there is a catch. It can't be just legos but it has to be with lego people and wheeled lego..... DUPLO to be exact (all the 1 1/2 -5 ages ). Something about legos mixed with 'wheels' is a great combination for a little boy's budding imagination.
We have one ball in particular that Emmett brings to his daddy as soon as he gets home from work. I can't decide from watching them play if Emmett will love basketball or soccer but right now he tries his hand (and foot) and both. :)

Every morning we start out with Curious George cartoon episode and breakfast. It's on our tv about when he wakes up. He owns the original cartoon movie as well for long car trips but if any cartoon can keep him completely entertained it's this one. I don't mind as its based off a book and Popeye actually enjoys watching it too.

We actually own an older version of this that I found at a garage sale without any cars to it. I found some cars a while back at another garage sale for 25 cents so I picked them up to go with it. Although we don't have any people, he doesn't seem to mind. He loves playing with this thing and loves to run the elevator up and down.... also it has sound!!!

His uncle Josh and aunt Bethany found a fire engine that makes noise somewhere and picked it up for him. He is all about this firetruck toy!!!! He loves this thing. Not only does it make great noises that he LOVES to imitate but he can carry it around by the ladder.... super!!!

~Olive

Cousin Time

We got to keep Zoie for a few days this week and boy are these two growing up fast! While there's still the occasional toddler fights over toys, they definitely are playing together better and enjoy each others company more. Emmett is REALLY going to miss Zoie the rest of the week.... I have a feeling when he wakes up from his nap he's going to be looking for her (he's determined if he's up, she's got to be up playing too :) Thanks for coming to stay Zoie!!! We loved having you :)

~Olive

October Swim

Oh Emmett. Oh my little guy.

We went to a park/garden place near us with a children's play area. It had forts, slides, little water things, etc. spread out among a huge garden. We stopped at a little fountain thing that had a small cascading water fall. There were large stones the kids could take out of the water and throw back in as well as statue frogs that spit out water. Emmett LOVED it.

After us moms had enough of the water, we went to a fort thing that was right next to it. ..... Emmett wasn't really that interested in the fort. He found the kids' tunnel that led back to the water section. I thought he was right on the other side until I realized it was one of the other little girls we came with the other mom was talking to.

I headed back over to the water section but before I reached it, I heard crying. It was a familiar cry. I saw moms looking and saying, 'ahh, that little boy fell in.'

I rounded the turn and saw Emmett. Picking himself up on one of the waterfall levels, wet from head to toe, and crying. He had apparently tried to get some stones and fell in head first.

He was fine. Just very, very wet.

He wanted a hug or two and then down. He wasn't done with that water yet. There were still more rocks to throw and water to hit at.

Thankfully we brought extra clothes. :O)

Oh my little guy.

~Olive