Halloween

Sometime last week was Halloween, did you notice?  If you have any kids, then you probably noticed.  We had the Halloween carnival the week before, and once I get Nate's pictures from his class Halloween thing together, I'll try to post those.  The kids had a great time at the school carnival, it was the first time we have gone where it was pretty nice weather.  Not raining, and not cold, so it seemed much calmer.  

We had friends come over again for the Halloween  trick-or-treating.  It was good weather for that also.  Not super cold, not raining, we were very lucky!  The kids had a great time, much less whiny than last year.  Rachel, didn't seem to care, have I mentioned how heavy she is lately?  Lord, is she heavy, no wonder I sling her all the time!  

The kids got a lot of candy, they have really enjoyed eating it, since they didn't have school the next day, we let them stay up a little late and I told them they could eat as much candy as they wanted to, I don't think Eric was on board with that, since he kept saying, um, I don't think you want to eat that...everyone survived!  

Here are the pictures:

Halloween 2012 - Slideshow

Oh September

It seems like fall now. Our trees are losing their leaves and it is down right chilly in the morning, and it is hard to plan the day of clothes for Rachel.  I'd forgotten that.  Thought you'd like to see some pictures from the last couple days.  Rachel appears to have the same fascination with looking at books and magazines as Gwen does. 

Now this picture is typically Nate, he certainly needs lots of hugs.  He's always been a touchy feel-y kind of kid and this always having to hold Rachel is really hurting his style.  Also he's missing some sleep and that makes him really need more physical contact.  He'll take it where he can get it, so you have to watch out.  But these needs make for a really sweet picture, doesn't it? 

We really enjoy bike riding, so this weekend we made the kids fend for themselves and hooked the car seat in the carrier and went for a little ride to the grocery store. 

Gwen is much better up the hill than Nate so Gwen and I "charged" up the hills and Eric pushed Nate up the hill.  When we got home I ran into the house and got the camera and tripod and set up for our first family outing picture.  Sure, it might not be the best picture, but look here we all are! 

Then we went in side and I got a picture of just the kids.  Look, everyone is looking at the camera!  HI!

 

Family?

Sure, this might not be a best picture, but look, do they all look alike? I realize that Rachel looks a bit crazy, but I guess if you look for those kind of things, there might be a family resemblance?  

Where are Gwen and I in this picture? I am obviously working hard around the house, or making dinner.  Gwen took the picture.  I am sure in the year to come we will get a better picture of the 3 of them.  But, I guess they do look alike.  I am sorry Rachel, we love you dearly, hopefully soon you will be as photogenic as your brother who you seem to look exactly like. You seem to have charmed everyone with your boyish looks, how alert you are, and your love of Momma.  (OK, only Momma is charmed by that.) 

All Rachel, all the time

Alright, now that Rachel is a week old, I guess it is time to post the last of the hospital pictures! 

The first night Rachel and I spent the night alone in the hospital, Eric was toast and apparently was fortunate enough to go to bed at 8p and slept until 8am the next morning.  I on the other hand wasn't so lucky.  Rachel is something of a pistol, now not near as a pain as the other ones, but around 2:30 in the morning (you know when she was 1 day old!)  She really couldn't be settled, I tried nursing and rocking and walking after about an hour I gave up and called in the nurse, who re-swaddled her and she quieted for a couple minutes, and I tried nursing her again and then she went out.  But it was truly a pain in the tail, and a foreshadowing of our first week. 

Rachel at this point loves to be held.  She especially loves it when someone who is not me is holding her, unless she is being nursed and just fell asleep.  Sometimes she will sleep in her pack-n-play.  Sometimes she will not.  We haven't really figured that out yet, it is kind of a crap shoot. 

Rachel doesn't seem to want to spend anytime awake yet.  She will be fine for about 20 minutes, if that then she will start crying.  Fortunately, Eric and I have a lot of experience with crying babies.  We've done this before!  Of course she is 100x better than Gwen and the jury is still out whether or not she will be better than Nate.  At some point Nate started to fall asleep on his own.  I am not sure that Rachel will. 

Rachel has a strong urge to suck.  I am not sure if that is because she is 9 pounds and I am not keeping up with her or she needs that to soothe.  We don't typically use pacifiers, and I am holding out for a while to make sure it doesn't interfere with her growth and my production. 

But, my word, when she sleeps she sleeps like a champ!  All Gwen wants to do is hold her, Nate just wants to kiss her and touch her.  When she cries they come running.  There doesn't seem to be any sibling rivalry, but I wish that it wasn't 100 degrees here so I could at least take everyone outside! 

Bowling!

We have been burning up the Groupons lately, we got one for 2 hours of bowling.  Since Eric can't allow something like that to burn a whole in his pocket we went this weekend.  I was thinking of waiting until after the new baby came, which would have been easier and less exhausting for me, but Eric wasn't on the same page.  I think the manager was concerned I was going to go into labor.  The kids had a great time.  They used the ramp for most of the time and they even put up the railings for us also.  Let's just say we all did rather well. 

We made it through 2.5 games, by the end we were all pretty much done, Eric kept asking if we wanting to leave, but I paid for 2 hours, I was staying.  Nate was more interested in the video games than the bowling and I was pretty sore and exhausted, but it was great fun and I am glad we did it.  We also took some hilarious video. 
This is Gwen at the beginning, I can't remember if this is where she tries to kick her leg back or not, but man the kid is observent and by the end she wasn't using the ramp at all...

Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.

We gave both the children the rules of the alley...first wait until the guy in the next lane goes before you bowl and for Nate I added a special rule, don't dance in the lane, come back over the line...sometimes we had to remind him, sometimes we didn't!

Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.

Gwen's spare, the little kid beat me the first game, but I beat her the second and third game. 

Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.

Unfortunately Eric had to do some trick shots, and some "granny" bowling, which meant Nate had to bowl Granny style...Eric had to go up and help him though.  I should mention the lady only had to come over once to recover a ball that didn't make it all the way down the lane! 

Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.


Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.


This, I think, is the funniest video from the day.  Gwen decided to bowl without the ramp, and it I think is funny.  She is so cute and after the first time she tried it I recommended a little swinging of the arm. I'd like to call this one, "look Ma, no ramp!"

Untitled from Melanie Ubil on Vimeo.

3pm

I don't know what it is about 3-4pm but I am so exhausted this time around.  It could be that I am running Gwen back and forth to school, getting up and walking in the morning, or I am just at the end of this pregnancy and am caring a lot of extra weight!  It could be that I am very busy with school finishing and things happening where we aren't home that much.  Fortunately I don't have any swelling, but my legs are tired and that affects everything.  I think I am going to have to rethink dinner. 

more interested in teeter-totter than strawberries

Other than that, everything is good with this pregnancy. I am very fortunate that I don't have serious complications when it comes to pregnancy and that I don't have any other complaints that tired.  I might start going to bed super early because these days so I can recover.  Part of the problem is that I have been go-go-go and I had to do some volunteering yesterday that usually requires 2-3 people and it was only me.  The person that usually volunteers that day is late so it was a while in before I realized that it was going to be just me.  I got fussed at for not calling anyone, but really it takes time to call people and who had time to think of that!   

What says Welcome from FL than a pink flamingo, placed by Gwen

I think the kids are enjoyed my lay on the couch in the late afternoon because I give them my undivided attention, as long as they stay by the couch.  They are playing more piano.  Gwen would like to take lessons this summer, and I have started giving her rudimentary instruction on the piano, she can find middle C and name all the white notes.  She knows how to hold her hands and sit up straight.  We can't afford to give her formal training and I think she might be a little too young to start with formal lessons, only because I am not sure we can handle the fights over everyday practicing yet. 

Nate wanted to be right in the action

Gwen has her big school play tonight.  I have heard she has come a long way.  She can be so timid that she doesn't say her lines very loud, so we have been working with her on it.  I have heard from her teachers that today during the "dress rehearsal" in front of the school she did a great job.  She is pretty excited about it.  The only problem is Nate didn't nap today, so I hope that he isn't a terror during the performance, since they start right at bedtime.  Maybe he will be mesmerized and fall asleep, a girl can dream! 

Shh!  Don't tell Gwen where Nate plays when she's gone

I started this post last week and still haven't finished it.  I just haven't been in the mood.  I am reaching the last weeks of this pregnancy.  I had a doctor's appointment yesterday.  Everything still seems to be going well, no indication that I am going to be having the baby any time soon.  Although Eric seems to be worrying I will be going early.  I am hoping to hold out until AFTER school finishes.  I still have stuff that needs to be done that I don't want to having looming over with a newborn in tow!  

trap or strawberry patch protector?

I seemed to have developed some sort of allergy/cold.  I have started to take something for it, since I don't really want to be worn out and trying to get birth.  The doctor has asked me to take it easy, so I have removed all the toys on the floor of my kid's room.  Apparently they can't see the hamper or find trash cans, so I'm just helping them out.  They just can't seem to keep stuff off the floor and cleaned up.  I get tired of repeating myself and I just can't clean up their room anymore, so as they keep their room clean and put back stuff where it is supposed to be they will be able to get 1 item back.  It took Nate about 1 hour this morning to realize I was serious and he just got some cars back for FINALLY putting away his shoes and hanging up his jacket.  Their birthday's are coming up and so we need to clear some stuff out, especially now we will have a new baby who has stuff also.  Hopefully Gwen won't freak out too much! 

"Look I trapped a butterfly!"

We are in the home stretch around here, we have clothes washed and hung, toys pulled out, which is a good thing, since I am now down to weeks instead of months.  We are in good shape for this baby, the benefit of #3 is that we still have barely used stuff from #1 & #2 from these first months.  We all are looking forward to meeting the new baby and gearing up for summer! 

The Wedding

Gwen's godmother got married last weekend, we drove up to Virginia Beach with Mom to the wedding.  We had a really nice time.  I was asked to do a reading, so we had to drive up on Thursday to be there for the rehearsal.  I was fairly nervous about the reading, but I've been told it went well, I am pretty sure they didn't have a videographer, so we'll never have any proof.  Kiki did a great job with the wedding, she was beautiful and since she and her husband met at a dance studio, there was lots of fun dancing!  Of course, by then I was not too into doing anything but sitting in my seat and watching.  The kids danced and danced and danced.  The kids were obsessed with Kiki and kept running up to her and giving her hugs.  We let the kids stay up way past their bedtime and everyone crashed in the hotel. 
We had a great mini-vacation.  The hotel was right on the beach. So the kids played on the beach, the water was cold!  I miss the gulf coast!  The kids didn't care though and played in the waves.  We even saw some dolphins.  We had adjoining rooms with Mom, so we had space, and could sleep in.  It was great! 

Kiki's wedding - free slideshows

Build-and-grow

We have gotten in the habit lately of taking the kids to the build-and-grow at Lowes.  Every couple weeks they have a new thing to build and the kids love it! As a matter of fact, Nate came into our room this morning and saw the printout for the waiver and started squealing with delight.  A couple of weeks I actually remembered to bring my camera and snapped some pictures.  

This was the "castle"  The kids don't always help a lot, but they love adding the stickers.

Usually the kids hammer once our twice and hit their finger/thumb and then are out for the count, but this week we did a "card maker" for valentine's day.  Gwen actually decided to hammer, so I had Eric take a picture.

  Today since it is March Madness time we are going to build a mini basketball hoop.  The kids will be able to add new patches for their aprons and get their little certificate.  It is a great way to start the weekend.

Bunk bed

The kids need a bunk bed and instead of buying one Eric decided to make one.  I have been trying to talk him out of doing it for weeks.  Not because I doubt his abilities, but because I was afraid it was going to take forever and although I love my children, containing them while Daddy is home and they can't play with him is an altogether another story.  Nate told me it was like "daddy was at work" and he didn't seem 100% pleased.  The first day, Gwen decided to sort all the puzzles we have, which is about 8 kid puzzles and 3 puzzle books. That actually took most of the morning and the kids seemed to enjoy it, but by the afternoon they were toast, so we watched a movie, it was too rainy to go outside and Eric didn't want us to leave since he was running the saw, in case of emergency!  By the first night he had finished the bottom, but didn't have enough wood to finish the top, so he had to go back to the store for the 3rd time.  We put the room "back together" and put Gwen's bed on the bottom and left Nate's daybed together.  Eric was curious about some noises he heard and went in and found they had made a fort out of the bed and last night they slept in the fort, it was really sweet.

So, day 2 we went to Church came home and Eric had almost finished the slats and needed more stuff from the store (trip 4 if you are keeping track) so we all went and Eric struggled to finish realizing he needed 1 more run to the store (trip 5) and finally he finished.  The kids and I persevered through another day with minimal fighting and disturbance.  But, man they wanted to help and play with Daddy!  Here is a slide show of the bed making! 

Bunk bed - how to make a free slideshow

On day 2 while Eric was working we decided to work on Gwen's "landform" for school.  Can you tell what she decided to do? 

It is the desert.  I made the "modeling clay" and she helped with the colors, a little and then she designed and made the rest of it.  I have to laugh because it is so hilarious what she thinks and how she gets confused.  She told us the sun is always shining in the desert (the moon never comes out) and there is a buffalo and cacti and a snake.  She has a whole story for the buffalo, which I can't remember but it was walking through the desert and what not, who knows. She has been to the desert before, so I was thinking that should help her, but you've got to let them do what they want, fortunately this isn't for a grade, just for fun!

So now all that is left to do is buy a twin mattress for Nate, rearrange the room, paint the bed and we'll be done...how long do you think that will be?

Father-daughter dance and Valentines

The school has a father-daughter dance and Gwen really wanted to go.  I kept asking Eric if they were going to go and he'd say "I don't know anything about it".  So finally, at dinner the other night I asked and he said, I'll go if someone asks me.  So Gwen asked and low and behold they went to the dance.  I snapped a couple pictures before they left. 

Unfortunately I couldn't get her to change out of her socks, but I did get her to put a shirt under her dress.  WIN!  She also did her own hair and jewelry.  She is starting to get into necklaces and such, not so much bracelets or hair.  She is wearing a "medal" she made it school. 

Nate and I waited anxiously for them to come home, well Nate fell asleep, and I waited.  Gwen was fairly tired but I did find out they did have fun, ate lots of snacks and didn't dance.  Eric spoke to some of the other Dads and asked Gwen to dance, but she didn't want to, she just wanted to hang with her friends.  Apparently the had photographer who took pictures and Gwen brought home 2 flowers.  Eric got a glimpse of what the future will be and I am not sure, he might be scared.

Nate and I decided to secretly make some Valentine's cookies.  Sadly, I had to do a babysitting thing today, so I didn't have time to put the cookies away.  Guess who spotted them about 2.5 sec after she walked in the door.  Guess who told Daddy immediately so she could have some for dessert.  Oh well.  Guess I don't have to sneak them into lunches tomorrow. 

Nate really likes to help and now he has the fancy apron for helping.  He was a much better helper when it was just us and I didn't have to decide which kid does each task. 

School happenings

This week was Catholic Schools week and so they had busy happenings at the school this week.  The Kindergartners were invited back to school on Wednesday night in their PJs for bedtime stories and bedtime snacks.  Gwen was SO excited.  Sadly, I forgot to take a picture.  She had a good time and fell asleep almost as soon as she went into her room. 
Friday night they had the faculty/staff basketball game.  One of Gwen's teachers was playing in the game, as was our neighbor.  We were surprised at how evenly matched the teams were and there seemed to be a lot of players that weren't faculty or staff...I guess we will figure that stuff out as the kids get older.  The Pastor and the principal were designated foul shot takers.  Gwen sat with her friends under the basket.  I couldn't believe it, isn't that what the teenagers do, not my kindergartner?  Well, she and Nate had a good time, I guess that is all that matters! 

 Getting ready for the halftime dance, all the kids went out to do it...I took a video of just Gwen and Nate. 

 Gwen's friend came over and took these pictures of us, as you can see Eric thought he was going to be in the picture also, he was denied.

 She did take a picture of him also. 

During "half-time" it is traditional for there to be some sort of dance thing.  This year they decided to have a "flash mob" and invited all the kids to do the dance the teachers have apparently been doing all week.  The teachers apparently decided to break out in dance periodically during the week.  I recorded the whole song. 

Bless the heart of my uncoordinated children!  (Nate might be really tired and it is possible he fell asleep on the way home and stayed out all night!) 

Outside

We have a big field at the end of the neighborhood, the kids love to go there and run wild.  The husband enjoys running around with the kids, so I sat on the hill and watched. 

They would come and check on me every so often, but I was knitting and watching them, so I was good. 

It is good for them to get out in this unseasonably warm weather and run some energy out.  I know some day it might actually become winter here and they will have to stay indoors.

They are a little crazy, but man do they like to run outside! 

We like to encourage the running around outside, so they don't run around in the house and scream at each other.  Of course when they get too tired they whine more, but then they go to bed early, you win some you lose some.

Preparing

The time is here, to prepare for Christmas, and we are almost ready. Breakfast is made, cake is cooling, presents are being wrapped. 

But, I've been told it is time to get ready for Church.  So, I guess it is time to get the kids in from outside and find out what fits. 

The kids are excited and a little crazed today.  I guess that is to be expected on Christmas Eve, isn't it?

Who wants to take bets that Nate will fall asleep on the way to Church? 

That should make a for a fun evening! 

Oh, I almost forgot, the shrimp is thawing!  YUM!  Still have to pick up some bread though.  I would have made some, but Mom said it was too much work! 

Hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday season! 

Happy Christmas Eve!