08/08/08

Trying to explain to the girls that this won't happen for another 100 years.

Pretty cool.

We just got back from a swimming party for Katie's softball team. It was a good turn out and was hosted at the clubhouse pool of one of the girls' families. Allison couldn't get enough water. Eric was exhausted from toting her around the pool for about an hour. And Emily....well, she could have fun just about anywhere. She is very comfortable with this group of girls. We have known most of the families since the girls were in Kindergarten (some preschool...and one girl we have known since she was born!!!) Hoping that all 3 girls will be plenty pooped out and will sleep well.

This is the weekend of the annual TKE campout. Eric's buddies from college get together and act like they are 20yrs YOUNGER than they are. And most of them, I am sure, spend the whole of next week feeling like they are 20 years OLDER than they are.... ;)

Time to tuck the kiddos in. Yay!!!! Just kidding....a little....

G'nite!

Happy Birthday to Allison Lynn...

Happy Birthday to our sweet baby, Allison.

I cannot believe that it has been 3 years since you joined our family...making us complete.

I will admit, the news of your presence and pending arrival was quite a surprise, but wonderful, nonetheless. Daddy and I thought that, perhaps, we were going to be a family of four forever. But God had so much more planned for us. God had YOU planned for us.

I remember telling Daddy that you were growing in my belly. We both were quite speechless for a few days. But we kept you all to ourselves for a few weeks. Finally revealing to Katie and Emily, that they would be big sisters...Katie would have 2 little siblings and Emily would know the "joy" of a little sibling. Katie and Emily were overjoyed...just like your dad and me.

I remember the ultrasound. At about 20 weeks. Daddy and I decided that Katie and Emily could go, too. It would be a family affair. You were, of course, the baby for ALL of us.

I remember that K&E were fussing, as sisters do and daddy was tending to them both. I remember that the ultrasound tech kept the wand rolling over my belly and I remember her asking if we wanted to know if you were a boy or girl. I remember as she typed a word on the screen....

"girl"

I knew it. All along, I knew that I was meant to be the momma of girls. I remember telling K&E...."it's a sister!"

We were all so happy.

You grew and grew in my belly. AND GREW!!!!

At 35 weeks, I went for an ultrasound to check how you have grown (I was measuring big).

The ultrasound tech did her measurements. You looked so wonderful. She wrote some numbers on a little card and gave me a picture of your profile. The card said "35 weeks. 8lb 12oz." I remember asking if that was how big she thought you would be when you were born. She replied..."no. that is how big she is now." Panic set in. You were growing to be a big girl.

The doctor decided to induce me a little early. Because of your growth. And I was happy to oblige him. It was so hot. We couldn't really leave the house. I couldn't stand the heat. You were like a little heater and you kept me warm all of the time!!!!

I went to the hospital and the induction started. I had decided to try to do things without an epidural.

Wow....thinking back, that was a crazy decision.

Labor progressed slowly but I got to 10cm after about 12hours. But you were still so high in my body that the doctors and nurses could hardly touch your head when they checked me. And high up you stayed. After 2.5 hours of pushing and crying and pushing and pushing....you were still high. So...I got an epidural. It was a beautiful thing. But...you didn't come down. Even with awesome strong pushes.

The doctor suggested a C-section and Daddy and I didn't really need to talk about it. We wanted you here!!!!!

So...at 6:41a.m., in OR 2, you were born. Screaming as soon as the air touched your body. I remember hearing the doctor say..."no wonder she wouldn't come down". You were a wonderfully, perfectly BIG baby!!!! Daddy had been by my head the whole time, but I wanted him to go check on you. I could hear you cry, but couldn't see you for a few minutes. Just the nature of the operating room. I was crying from the joy and shear exhaustion!!!!

You were healthy. And beautiful. All that we could ever ask for.

When we got to our room, Gma and Gpa B were there to greet you. (They were nervous because I was having surgery.)

The rest has been a blur. 3 years have gone so quickly.

Sometimes, some days seem to drag on forever - 3 kids can fill a house up quickly...

But, as I look at you now. I see the toddler that you were and the big girl that you are becoming.

Cheering as you use the potty successfully. Comforting you when you get a booboo. Being the number one person in your whole world.

You are a great kid.

You are houghtful. Sweet. Affectionate. SOFT!!! Caring. Bossy. And funny.

God certainly knew that we needed you in this family. We all needed you.

Happy Birthday to our sweet baby. You will always be referred to as "the baby".

We are so glad that you are here!!!

The picture? It was Allison's first Christmas and we were sitting by the tree. Talking about how we had to be gentle with it. We could touch it, but not pull on it...and I had the camera. I asked her to smile and she got right up to the camera and smiled....love that smile! (Think we'll need braces????)

Very excited about this book!!!!

Hoping to get my hands on this book.

I am so intimidated by mini albums. But I read about alot of folks LOVING them. So...I will give them a try. And hopefully, with the help of this book!!!!

Gotta go....BIG storm coming.

A winner and a wedding....

I am so happy to get to pick a winner of my RAK!

It is fun to give. Seriously....



I did the Random Number Generator, but didn't know how to make a cool copy of the page. I typed in that I wanted 1 number randomly picked from the numbers 1-17. And I got the number.....





Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:7
Timestamp: 2008-07-13 19:34:48 UTC

Suz said...
You are so sweet and really show us that there is so much to be thankful for big and little the Lord takes care of it all.I'm thankful for my relationship with Jesus, family, friends, and for this great hobby of scrapbooking that gives me pleasure and I meet so many awesome people....
July 7, 2008 10:57 PM

So....I got 17 comments. 1 was from my oldest dd. But I told her that she could be in the RAK drawing. She is a hardcore scrapper. She will be sad that she didn't win...but that kid has quite a stash of sb stuff. I sometimes have to raid her stash to find something I need. Shhhh...don't tell her...


So....Suz/CraftySuz...http://craftysuz.blogspot.com/, please e-mail me with you address and I will get some goodies to you!



Now....for the wedding part....


My niece, Anna, married Sean, yesterday. The ceremony was lovely. The bride was beautiful...and the flower girl, ring bearer and reader were stunning (if I do say so myself).
I will post photos as soon as I can...as soon as I can figure out how to get pictures to my computer without my dock.



Have a wonderful day. I am trying to reclaim this disaster zone, otherwise known as HOME....

Laundry....ahhhhhhhh....

Please remember to post here for my RAK!!!http://blessthismess-3girlsmomma.blogspot.com/2008/07/little-rak-for-all-of-kindness-that-was.html





My dryer has landed. Right where it is supposed to be. And my kids act like they have never seen a dryer. They are commenting on how shiny and white it is. Telling me how pretty and quiet it is. The first load??? Everyone's blankies and pillow cases.....

This will be us, today.....

Life's simple pleasures.

Have a wonderful day!

PS....THE wedding is in 2 days.

Bedtime prayers and laundry.....

Please remember to post here for my RAK!!!
http://blessthismess-3girlsmomma.blogspot.com/2008/07/little-rak-for-all-of-kindness-that-was.html


I love this old photo. I don't know who this little girl is, but I am sure you have seen it before!!!

People are kind, and generous. I am so thankful. Still.

That isn't just talk.

As we were saying prayers, with our girls, last night, I was struck by the sweetness of it. The girls were on our bed, with their hands folded. Eric and I were kneeling at the bedside, looking at them.

Those girls are our world. And they know it. But they don't think about it all of the time. Because it is just the way it is in their world. They are loved, content and happy. This house that we call home is all that they know. It is their world and their safety net.

I want it to always be where they can feel safe and comfy. Where they can be themselves.

That is my goal. Always. To make this place a place where my family feels safe and where friends can come in and flop on the couch and hang out.

On another note....

Honestly, I cannot wait to do laundry in my own home. I know, I know...it sounds insane. But I have been without my dryer for over a month. after 15 years of faithful service, it gave me its retirement notice. And it is gone. Our new dryer (thank you to the great sale at Home Depot) will be delivered tomorrow. For a 2nd time.

We had a dryer delivered last week, and it had a little scratch on it. Bottom, front. The delivery guy asked me how much it bothered me because he could get a little money off of the dryer. I told him that it didn't bother me a bit...how much off????

Well....he set up the dryer and turned it on. It was loud, with a grinding, metal-on-metal sound. Come to find out, something has bashed in the back of the dryer. So they took it away. And couldn not deliver a new one til this Thursday. I was so sad. I even had laundry saved, to do that evening, in our new dryer.

I cannot wait to have warm, fresh towels in my home. Ones that smell like laundry and not the laundromat.

But, instead, I may have to resort to this. hahaha....Check out the long-johns. Obviously not my laundry!!!

Need to get camera fixed. ASAP!!!

Wedding this weekend and the girls will look so sweet! I cannot wait to see them in their "ballerina" gowns (as Allison puts it).

A little RAK for all of the kindness that was shown to me....

Kind words mean so much. Really.

I try to offer them as much as I can. And they came back to me.

The last couple of weeks were challenging, to say the least. But my family is healthy and we have awesome air-conditioning. What more could we ask for? Well...a working sewer...and we got that!!!
And our new dryer will be coming this week, too.

All is well. We are thankful for all of the little things...

Girls in white dresses (my niece, Anna, is getting married this weekend and Emily and Allison are the flower girl and ring bearer, respectively).

Air conditioning (I cannot say it enough).

An awesome hurricane fan that keeps the air moving.

Little girls "scrapbooking" at the dining room table because it is too hot to go outside.

A job that lets me have several days off, in a row. And Eric's job, that gives us flexible hours so the girls don't have to go to daycare.

Family who loves us.

Friends who love us.

New online friends, who I have never met, but mean the world to me...Amy, Judi, Studio Calico, in general!!!.... :)

So much more.....

So...the RAK. It isn't much, but I think that it is cool enough....
ETA: RAK stands for Random Act of Kindness....

Just to say thanks for the prayers and kind thoughts.

I only have a photo of this...





I love this set. It is so girlie, summer-ish to me. There are more goodies, but I don't have a functioning camera.....

Please just leave a comment and tell me what you are thankful for...and I will draw a name Sunday, July 13th. I can't wait to use that random number generator!!! haha.

Be cool and stay well. Be well and stay cool.

Ami