Trampoline fun with Dad!

Well, much to the chagrin of my mother, my kids have spent time lately on the family trampoline. Bart found his parents old trampoline that he practically grew up on. I also spent a lot of time on the neighbors trampoline not only jumping but sleeping out on it--what we were thinking?!? Anyway, the kids have enjoyed it and I enjoy them being outside exercising and having fun. The best part has been watching Bart out there reliving his glory days...front and back flips, tummy bounces, playing with the kids. I keep telling him I refuse to feel sorry when he himself has stitches or has thrown out his back. And yet, how can you resist these smiles? I have a great family. We just need a little help in the sunshine department. Here are a few of them playing on the tramp over the weekend when we had a glimpse that Spring and Summer may really make it.

Bart bouncing the kids extra high...look at those muscles on my stud!

Mom holding the kids during a quick break. However, they preferred to get back to jumping.And of course, jumping isn't any fun unless you are screaming, but look at that smile.Love the fuzz ball hair.
Here Dad holds and bounces them in a fun little back bounce. I tell you, his back will go out!Here they are taking a breather. Cute, cute, cute!
And here they are pretending to be asleep. Jacob gets it, but look at Anna just squeezing her little eyes and trying so hard not to ruin the joke on Mom! I love it!

Tiny toes

I have always loved tiny toes. From the moment Jacob was born, I became obsessed with the tiny feet. I love to touch them and look at them and love them. It has continued as the girls have been born as well. I seriously love the little feet, which is interesting because I don't particularly like my own feet or adult feet in general, an aversion developed thanks to an older brother. I will say Bart does have nice man feet though. Really, he does.

Anyway, I still love all 3 kids and their toes only now Jacob's have to be clean for me to want to touch them. There is just something about looking at them and wondering where they will travel and what they will see and do that is mesmerizing to me. And so, I took pictures of all of their toes the other day. I especially love that you can see the gross toe jam in Anna's toes as she won't let me touch them. Jacob on the other hand cleans his feet the minute the socks come off. And then cute Rachel, just learning to stretch and move her feet. She still kinda looks at you like, hey, who just moved my feet? I am sure you can guess who each set belongs to in the pictures below. Aren't they just so cute?


I also took a few pictures of their hands because they are just so beautiful. I can't wait to make these black and white. Isn't it amazing that we can make babies with all the toes and fingers and they just turn out to be so perfect? I still find it amazing. I wonder what these hands will do as well.

Boys Night Out

Last weekend Jacob and Bart were able to go to the Av's hockey game. Nana and Papa couldn't use their tickets and you have never seen two more willing participants. They will gladly bail them out anytime they can't be used. Nana bought Jacob a jersey as an early birthday present so he would be dressed in the proper attire. Anna and I got to stay home with Rachie and have a girls night in which proved to be quite fun too (Enchanted and popcorn=big fun). Jacob was extra excited to get to meet Dad and take the train to the Pepsi Center. They had lots of treats and came home with a big Nerf type thing in the shape of a hand that holds your drink for you. I am sure it is for beer, but hey, it works for Sprite and Diet Coke too. Jacob has become quite the Av's fan and the next morning was out drawing with sidewalk chalk and wrote 5 to 4 Go Avs. Did I mention it was a great game that led to overtime and then a shoot out, which they won, and I believe was the first time they've had a shootout at home. The boys didn't get home until nearly midnight, but hey, it was a weekend and who needs sleep before a soccer game? Sugar will carry you right on through. Here's to my 2 cute boys. I love them both!

Easter 2008

Easter was so fun this year. It was the first year that both Jacob and Anna knew what to expect. They were excited to wake up to baskets from Nana and Papa and a small present from the Easter Bunny too. They were even more excited to do the Easter egg hunt, as you can tell from this picture. It is quickly becoming like the Christmas tradition of sitting on the stairs before presents!
After the pictures, they jumped right into the hunt for eggs. Anna was allowed a head start so she could compete with Jacob. He was a good brother and made sure she got her fair share though. I think Papa and Daddy had the most fun hiding them all around.


Once the eggs were gathered and opened, we took a few pictures of just how many they had to find. We also thought it would be fun to put Rachel in the middle of them. She didn't make much noise. One day she will know the fun of opening the eggs! Okay, so they didn't turn out like Anne Geddes photos like they did in my mind before I took them, but hey, they are still pretty cute.

After all the festivities we got everyone ready for church so we could go and actually celebrate the true meaning of Easter. This is where exhaustion and sugar do not make a good mix. By the time we had everyone ready Rachel pooped again, Anna had a tantrum, and Jacob was ready to stay and have more candy. Naturally, I forced everyone out on to the porch for a great family photo and the end result after 4 pictures was not so great (as evidenced below). I will say that at least Rachel made a great debut in her dress for a special Sunday. Well, at least I have proof that every once in awhile we dress up and comb our hair and attempt to look like real people. Maybe next year won't be quite as exhausting!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Anna!

Our sweet Anna Kathleen turned 3 on March 22nd. We were extra lucky this year to get to have both sets of grandparents around on her real birthday. Grandma and Grandpa Nelson had to leave shortly after the party, but they were here for the best part. We spent the morning running errands and finishing touches for both the birthday and Easter the next day. Anna was so excited when we picked up her cake from Sam's Club. Sidenote: I normally make my kids cakes, but since everything I own is still packed up, I had to do a store cake. I was a bit sad about it, but my back after just having baby #3 is thanking me for giving it a year off. Anyway, I wish I had the camera with me when we picked it up, but the singing pictures are still fun. I love how she looks like she feels special and isn't that what it is all about? It is still weird to think that she is my big 3 year old girl. I remember her birth so vividly and how shocked I was that she was a girl as I was so certain she was a boy.

At 3, however, Anna is fantastic. She is the most stubborn little thing you have ever met, but boy is she also adventurous. She was the first of the kids to get stitches to prove it! She has a great smile and infectious laugh. She wants anyone and everyone to play with her (especially if you will play doll house). She loves pink yogurt, pink clothes---and will only wear things she picks out, ice cream (Baskin Robbins rainbow sherbet which is pink and orange), taking care of her sister Rachel, shopping, shoes, purses, sunglasses (yep, they are pink too), and following big brother Jacob around. Anna is very funny and loves to pretend to be about anything but her favorites are robots and doggies. She loves dolls and taking care of them. She is definitely a mother in training.

I think the thing I love most about her is that she is so darn independent and strong, qualities I definitely want her to have. I also love how good she smells, how cute she is, and how much she loves her family. Her Daddy is usually the apple of her eye, but there is room for the rest of us too. So, at this special time of year, we hope Annie, Anna Banana, Anna Banana Pants, sweet girl, princess, princess punk, and Anna Kathleen (Caf-a-ween is her pronunciation) knows just how much we love her. Happy 3rd Birthday, Big Girl!

The traditional family cake picture, but one of the only ones we have with all 3 kids and no crying! Aren't they cute kids? We think so!
Anna having just blown out her candle is proud and feeling special!

The picture with Jake is the present he gave her. He was so worried about me having a gift for him to give her, it was really sweet. Luckily, Mom (and Grandma who actually bought that one) were prepared! I love that he wants to give her gifts. The other pictures just have to speak for themselves as I am having technical difficulties right now!

Rachel meets Grandpa and Grandma Nelson

Rachel Elizabeth meet Grandpa and Grandma Nelson!!!

We were so excited to have Grandpa and Grandma come over to Denver to meet their newest grandchild. We are so blessed to be the 10th grandchild and there are another 3 on the way in the next few months! Rachel will have so many cousins to play with! We had such a great trip and definitely wore all of us out with shopping, swimming at the hotel, holding the baby, eating some yummy food (thanks Mom and Dad for cooking my favorite Mexican dishes), hanging out, washing the baby, more of Mom holding Rachel, and not to be forgotten, we watched A LOT of NCAA basketball. Good thing I like basketball as much as they do! We also got to celebrate Anna's 3rd birthday the day they left. I had a hard time watching them leave and definitely miss them so much, but we are so grateful that they could come and be with us during this special time. Rachel is so lucky to have such great Grandparents on both sides. She is already loved so much. We can't wait to see you again!

Grandpa and Grandma with Rachel

Grandpa loves how soft baby hair is...he always rubs his cheek against it!
3 Crazy Generations of Fun!

Mom loving Rachie in one of her new outfits!
Lavender is definitely a good color on her!

Add in the shrug sweater and she is a fashion queen already!
Grandma sure knows how to pick the cute outfits and how to love a girl!
This outfit is adorable, but it only lasted about 30 minutes before it was a complete disaster. Of course, by then we were already shopping and I was feeding her in the car. The poop got everywhere...a good 20 wipes later, a new outfit, a cleaner carseat, and with the help of my sweet Anna, we were able to catch up to Mom and Dad. By the way, this was the 2nd time in a row that Grandma had put on the diaper and a blowout had happened shortly after...is this a pattern?
One of my favorite pictures of Rachel in one of my favorite outfits. She is so beautiful.
Her sweet eyes trying to see everything. Here she is wearing a preemie outfit that as of today 2 weeks later, she has outgrown. It was SO cute!Rachel trying to go to sleep-leave me alone, Mom!Jacob had to fight Grandma for his time to hold Rachel. I love how he is dressed head to toe Broncos and how blue his eyes are. He truly loves holding Rachel and is an excellent helper. Fortunately Anna is learning to be like Jacob.
Time at the park...Jacob and Anna weren't ignored during the visit. Here we are at our favorite park, O'Brien Park in Parker. And it was a GORGEOUS day!
Grandpa was such a sport. He followed the kids around (bad knee and all) and played as much as he could with them. Jacob loves this spinning seat and Grandpa pushed him super high on it!We also took them to see the house and it had just been painted. I love it! And my husband is HOT in this picture too!All in all, it was a great visit! We miss you already and come back soon!

Tongue Tied

There are no pictures to accompany this post, just a few thoughts as I encountered Rachel's first medical procedure today. Yes, I did it. I had her fenulum released or a fenulumectomy (no I don't know if I spelled it right). What may you ask is that? It is getting your child's tongue tie cut. I have debated and stressed about this procedure for the entire 10 days that she has been alive. I finally decided on day 3 that it was absolutely necessary or we wouldn't make it much longer with breastfeeding. We were having such a hard time and thankfully I am not a first time Mom so I knew something was wrong. I asked and asked in the hospital about it and everyone said just wait and see what happens or as long as she is gaining weight it is fine. However, having great difficulty with feeding is NOT fine. I shall spare everyone the gross details, but I really almost gave it up. We were told our pediatrician could just take care of it, so imagine my surprise when on day 5 we went to the pediatrician and paid our $25 co-pay and he said, oh we don't do that here, you have to go to an ENT. An ENT? I am not kidding. And so I had to wait until today. I thought I was okay with it, but I got more and more nervous last night and this morning. Alas, we arrived to see this ENT and to proceed with the fenulum release. Of course, as I go to pull her out of the carseat for the scale it turns out she had pooped all the way up her back and front. So, with all that poop, a onesie and an outfit she came in at a whopping 7 lbs. I am certain it is closer to 6 lbs 11 oz. Maybe less by the amount of poop that came out. So there we stood ready for the moment and my Mommy protective nature kicked in. Was I really doing the best thing for her? Would she ever forgive me? Would I start crying as I watched in horror and of course due to the lack of sleep and overactive hormones? And most of all, would she really be okay? I hounded the doctor with several questions and then we went for it. It was painful watching them hold her little chin and head still and I couldn't look as they actually did it. Rachel didn't particularly like being held down, but as they held the gauze on the wound for blood the cute nurse rubbed her cheek and calmed her down. She never even let out a scream. I couldn't believe it. And I couldn't get to her fast enough. Amazingly they want you to feed her right there to soothe the wound (who knew breastmilk was so great) and it was a night and day difference. I couldn't believe how easy it was for her to latch on. I couldn't believe how well she ate. Fortunately it has lasted all of today and so I know I made the right choice. But man, it is hard to knowingly submit your child to pain...even though you know it is best for them and even though you know they won't remember it. What a stressful morning! I am so glad I did it, but it just reaffirms how much you love your child from the minute they are born. 10 days into this, I love her more than anyone could ever imagine. She better not ever doubt it! Of course, I apparently failed to explain it very well to my children as I was leaving. Jacob got it for the most part, but Anna came running to the door and wanted to see what her mouth looked like. I thought it was a pretty normal question until she asked me what Rachel would do with her tongue cut off. Oops. We had to explain it one more time. Gratefully, we are no longer tongue tied, although for a moment today as I waited for her to cry, I was tongue tied for just a moment. And that, my friends, is a true feat!

Tub Time!

Rachel's first tub at home! You can see how tiny she really is when you compare the size of the cup to her head.









She didn't love it at first, but once she felt the warm water, she calmed down. She much preferred the wrapping up in the towel at the end.














Here you can see how blonde her hair is already. She also looks EXACTLY like her Dad's baby pictures. Almost frightening really. Good thing Bart is so cute!

Anna looks on as Rachel gets clean. She liked watching and helping. She even helped wash her feet. Let's hope Rachel is as beautiful as her big sister!