Grateful

Today I am grateful for these three beautiful children and a day to do nothing but be with them.  I have been so busy lately that I have not been able to just "be" with them like I would like to be.  Yesterday we did nothing and it was wonderful.  I had a chance to try taking photos of them in manual (thanks to Faith's photography class)  and I am very happy with the results.  

 

We were on a evening walk in one of the most beautiful places I know, with no where to rush off to and nothing pressing to do when I got home.  I was able to just let the kids run and did not have to try hard to get these shots of them because they were just having a good time already.

 

My kids make me happy and I really needed a day like yesterday to just relax and be there mom.  It was perfect.

I am so blessed to be their Mommy.

Charlie's 1st 12 weeks

We welcomed you into our world on July 15th.

One day

  

First day home.  2 days old

 3 days old

 1 Week

 2 week

3 weeks

We took a 8 hour car ride to my cousin's wedding.  We ran out of diapers at the reception and I made a cloth diaper out of a burp cloth and rafetta. 

4 weeks
You give us your first real smile.  You smile when Mommy makes a motor sound and smiles at you.

4 weeks

First camping trip and visit to Vermont.

5 weeks
You are starting to like to lay under your toys and bat at them with  your hands.

 6 weeks
Aunt Britty came from Texas to visit.

7 weeks
First time in the Jonny Jumper.  You love to stand and will spend 15 minutes looking around.

8 weeks
Mommy starts working again.

9 weeks

10 weeks

11 weeks
Second camping trip

12 weeks

Two Months Old

It is amazing to me that you have been in my arms for two months already and at the same time hard to believe you were not always there.

At this moment you are sound to sleep in your sling, snuggled up on my chest, it's your favorite place to be and one of the only ways I can calm you at times.   

 Your second month is a stark difference from your first.  You are now awake and try your hardest to stay that way.  You coo and goo, squeal and grunt to anyone who is willing to give you a smile. 

You are strong just like your brother Wes. You love to stand on Mommy's hands and look over my shoulder.  

You only like to be cradled in the sling or moments before you fall to sleep.  The world is much too exciting for you to just cuddle.

 You have decided that sleeping in the car is only possible when the vehicle is moving, that your siblings are great distractions while Mommy finishes a task before feeding you and that your tummy is the only way you will sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time. 

 You smile and squirm when we talk sweetly to you and stick out your bottom lip and cry when some one hollers or yells.  Your smile is about the best double dimpled smile around!  Your coos and baby babble are sweet and contagious as your older siblings mimic you and try to make out what words you are trying to say.

 You have officially out grown all your newborn and 0-3 month clothes.  You are long and lean weighing in at 11 pounds and 23 1/2 inches long. 

 You spit up often and need your clothes changed 3 or 4 times a day.  Wes is quite disgusted by all the "pukes" and often runs away as you spit, but will wipe off Mommy's back if asked to.

These past two months have been exhausting and full of family members meeting and falling in love with you.  Every minute with you is a good one, even those long tired minutes in the middle of the night.  God has blessed us more than expected with you.  You are so loved!

To the moon

.

 I just love these munchkins to the moon and back a bazillion times.

Even when I'm so tired that I can't talk right,

 

when I smell like spit up,

when I'm holding puke and pee soaked clothes and its not all from the newborn,

when all three are happily sitting together long enough for my to capture a memory to remember how short of a time I will be a puke covered sleep deprived Mommy to three small and incredibly adorable children.

Blessed

 Charlie is 2 1/2 weeks old already and I am beginning to feel bad that I have not posted more photos of him or about life since he made his speedy arrival.  I started to write his birth post but  have not been able to finish it yet.  My sweet baby is a hungry boy and not a great nurser which means I spend hours and hours a day sitting and nursing him.  The other two would nurse easily but Charlie requires two hands and all my attention so I don't have much time to use the computer.  I don't mind much though, it gives me plenty of time to look at and cherish all his sweetness.

 These photos happened on accident and I am so glad that they did!  I was photographing Charlie for his birth announcement and the older two were running around the yard while Kirstie  (my visiting sister from Texas) and my mom devoted our attention to Charlie.  When we walked out in the field to my favorite box, the kids followed and I quickly removed Wes' dirty shirt and could not be happier with the photos that followed.

I can see so clearly see the curiosity and love in Wesley's face as he snuggles his little brother.   I'm always impressed with how well Wesley does when he gets a new sibling.  He instantly loves and accepts them and cares and worries about them as if they were always a part of the family.

  Both kids have done so well with Charlie!  Felicity was not overly thrilled when she visited in the hospital and protested me nursing Charlie the first two days home.  She has since adjusted and often sits right next to me while I feed Charlie now.  She and Wesley dote on Charlie and cover him in kisses through out the day.  Felicity likes to snuggle and hold Charlie and if not watched closely will try to pick him up. 

 Charlie seems to be a combination of Wes and Felicity.  He is not as alert or needy as Wesley was or as calm and content as Felicity.  He enjoys being held in both a wrap and a sling like Felicity but hate having his hands swaddled like Wes.  His appetite is very much like Wes' (he eats a lot) but can be persuaded to wait a little while with a binki like his sister.  I am amazed that Matt and I can make three different children that are so much alike and so very different. 

 I am so in love with our newest family member and how he made us into a family of five!  I love watching the children interact with each other and see their expressions as they watch Charlie squiggle and groan.  I love how Charlie has made Felicity a big sister and how she just loves her new role.  I'm amazed how big she now seems and pleasantly surprised that she still snuggles and cuddles with me just as much as before Charlie arrived.  I am just so blessed to have big kids how want to help and get diapers, pacifiers, and burp clothes for me, who help out and enjoy their little brother.

God has really truly blessed us with all three of our children!  They are healthy, full of life and beautiful.  Matt and I are very thankful and blessed.