Happy Birthday, Sadie Beth!

Anyone who has a birthday close to Christmas knows how hard it is to plan a party this time of year. Sadie is one of those unfortunate souls.  Last year we managed to throw together a family party at the last minute, and it was fine.  But since school started, Sadie has been planning her birthday party with her friends, so I knew we weren't getting off the hook easy this year.  Our December was super busy, and before I knew it, her birthday was here and there was no party in sight. :(  Mother of the year, I'm not.  That's when I asked Sadie what kind of party she wanted to have, and a small miracle happened.  That sweet child said she wanted to have her party at Chuck E. Cheese. 

Do you know how easy it is to plan a party at Chuck E. Cheese?  Super. Easy.  Within 30 minutes, I had the party reserved online and invitations sent. I ordered a cookie cake and relaxed.

 Sadie was so excited the day of the party!  She had some great buddies join her.

 I love this picture on so many levels!  You might be wondering where her little girl friends are.  Apparently she prefers to hang out with the boys.  And what sweet little boys they are!

 We were so excited to have PeeWee Herman Ryan be our host at Chuck E. Cheese.  He was really nice to the kids and super attentive.

 I like this picture primarily because the last time we were at Chuck E.'s both my children wouldn't get within 50 feet of him.  Jackson is still not a fan of large costumed animals, but Sadie figured since he was throwing a party for her, she might need to show him some love.

The last great party moment was the Ticket Blaster...Sadie let Jackson join her in this wind tunnel full of tickets.  Let's just say they didn't quite get the memo about grabbing the tickets while you were inside.  They thought it was super cool, though, and PeeWee Ryan helped them out in the end.

It was a great day, and baby girl got exactly the party that she wanted, which was all that mattered anyway.

Christmas 2010

We had a great Christmas this year. 

 The hardest part was getting three kids to smile at the same time.

 It's getting easier to get two kids to look like they like each other, though.

 We got out money's worth out of Annabelle's Santa outfit...it was so stinkin' cute on her we wore it everywhere!

 This is my nephew Josh.  He's "the cool nephew."  Annabelle likes him already.

 The thing I love most about Christmas is how excited my kids get about every single gift.

 The celebration ran a little long for my dad... ;)

...and to all a good night.

Angel Fire 2010

After Christmas last year, Kevin and I were talking about how we really wanted to spend Christmas somewhere in the mountains, surrounded by lots of snow.  We started looking around the internet for potential cabins that we could rent during Christmas break the following year.  We went to http://www.vrbo.com/ and entered the words "Angel Fire Cabin" and this is what came up:

To say a cabin like this would be our dream home would be an understatement.  It was awesome.  But it slept 22...a tad on the big side for our little family of four.  That's when we got the idea of rounding up the whole Peden gang for a family vacation...once we sold Mom and Dad on the idea (which took very little selling since vacationing in the mountains is one of their very favorite things), the rest is history.

Of course, the year brought about a few changes...Annabelle came along, and then Jones.  Annabelle was old enough to travel, but since Jones was only a few weeks old, Kim, Jed, Cody, Karen and Josh stayed in Oklahoma...which made us really sad, but we totally understood.  And then Mark got a new job the week before we left, so he couldn't go either.  But the rest of the crew made the trek, and boy was it worth it!

 Sadie was not a fan of skiing, but playing in the snow around the cabin was right up her alley!

 Jackson loved skiing!  Okay, maybe loved is a strong word.  He did great.  Sometimes the wind was a little too strong for him, and sometimes it was a little too cold, but he was a trooper and had a great time!

 Just like the rest of the Carter clan, Eli picked up skiing right away!  I think Jackson was inspired by his cousin's enthusiasm!

I wish I had more pictures on my computer, but we loaded the rest on Kevin's laptop, and it's at work with him.    If you're ever looking for a wonderful place to house a large group, this cabin is for you.  It's ski in, ski out, has tons of room and the owner is very easy to work with. It was a great vacation.  One we hope to do again soon.

The Magic of Photography

About two weeks before Annabelle was born, I received an email from the mother of one of my students.  We'd emailed back and forth before, and in the midst of our communication she mentioned that she was a professional photographer.  Of all the talents I wished I possessed, being able to take beautiful photos is at the top of my list.  The very  top.  So when she told me she took newborn  pictures, I jumped at the opportunity...because let's all just be honest here:  newborns typically don't photograph well.  No matter how beautiful you think they are, the photo doesn't do them justice.

So when Chanda of Chanda Holter Photography arrived at our house when Annabelle was nine days old, I tried to keep my expectations/hopes at a reasonable level.  Chanda and I had never met face to face before that day.  She is such a nice person!  She was on time and completely prepared, but she took a couple of minutes to scout out my house for additional props.

Then the magic began.  I handed over my baby and stepped back to watch.  Annabelle was sound asleep, and Chanda handled her so carefully and talked to her so sweetly. She would wait for the perfect moment to take each picture, and sometimes that required a lot of patience (poop, hunger and general fussiness are workplace hazards in her line of work).  It was wonderful to watch.  But the amazing thing was how she took everyday objects and turned them into this:

Or this, in which she took some fall garland and pumpkins I had laying around the house...

And then, to satisfy the girly girl in all of us...

But the two that I love most are the ones she took at the very end of the session.  Annabelle was hungry and fussy and not very cooperative, but Chanda somehow managed to capture these moments...

As I look at these, Annabelle is sleeping in her bassinet nearby.  She is six weeks old this week, and she has already changed so much.  I am so thankful to have these pictures to remember that very fleeting moment of her life.

I can't even begin to say enough nice things about Chanda and her business. Be sure to check out her website, chandaholterphotography.com, and see some of her other beautiful images. And if you do book a photo session, ask about the "brag book"...it is a fabulous way to carry multiple images with you--a great gift!

On this day in history...

When I was in junior high and high school, I was one of those girls who marked every significant (or insignificant, for that matter) moment either in my journal or on my calendar.  To this day, I can tell you the birthdays of people I haven't seen in 20 years as well as various other blips on the radar of a lifetime.  I don't know if I owe this quirk to my Papa, who would start every story with something to the effect of, "Back on July 15, 1937..." or to my mom. 

A few years ago I decided to make my parents a calendar using family pictures, and in the process I snuck Mom's calendar off the wall and wrote down all the dates that were important to her.   Let me just say that there are LOTS of dates that are important to her.  If you've crossed her path more than once, you're probably on the calendar.  Deaths, births, anniversaries, firsts...they are all on there.  Sometimes I wonder why she puts some things on there. Other times, I get it.

At some point after high school, I stopped marking my calendar.  I don't know if I just got too busy or just found fewer things worth commemorating, but I stopped.  I still kept a journal, but with less frequency and enthusiasm. I did start journaling again when I met Kevin.  And although I can't tell you the exact date, I know it was the first day of inservice, 2002.  What I realized with him was that it isn't the date that matters. It's the moments.  Like how on my birthday, only a week or so after our first date, he brought me my very own birthday cake.  Or how after he met my parents for the first time, we drove up to the spot where as a kid I wanted to build my house, and he thought it was as amazing as I did.  Or how he would leave little Post-It notes in my make-up drawer so I would find them in the morning when he wasn't there.

Or how, on November 15, 2003, he proposed to me under the stars, surrounded by candles, in the middle of the North Meadow.  How he read a letter to me that he'd written years before we met...to me..to his future wife. How my entire life changed in that one moment, because from that point on, I had a partner to walk with me.  No matter what, I would never be alone.  No matter what, I would be loved.  No matter what.

So to my husband on this day in our history:  I love you.  More today than that day way back when.  Life isn't always sexy or pretty or even fun...but I'm always glad to be on this adventure with you.  I'm so glad you asked me to join you!

Halloween 2010

Last weekend was very exciting for Jackson and Sadie!  On Friday, the kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes for "trunk or treat" at Sunshine Friends.  I have to say that if it weren't for Nana and Nannie, the kids might not have had costumes this year!  Normally I have the kids' costumes ordered nice and early, but this year I was a little distracted (hmmm...wonder why?:) )  Luckily, back in the summer Nana ordered these sweet Batman and Batgirl costumes for the kids to play dress-up.  Even more luckily, the kids were dead set on wearing these costumes for Halloween!  The only problem we had was that the smallest size for Jackson's costume was about two sizes too big for him. Enter Nannie.  She was able to alter the costume so that it fit perfectly (almost!). 

Don't you love their muscles?

I didn't get to go to trunk or treat last year, so I was really excited to be there this year.  It was fun to see all the kiddos in their costumed-up best.  Sadie loved getting the boat-load of candy...

Jackson mostly loved being Batman all day long.

Nannie and Nana helped pass out goodies from my trunk.  Batgirl was very happy to see them!

City-wide trick or treating was on Saturday, and as most divas do, Sadie chose to make a costume change.  Friday afternoon she found a monkey costume that Nannie had bought a month or so earlier, and decided she wanted to be a monkey. I was fine with this because it would be warm and required almost no preparation!  We have a couple of regular stops other than downtown.  The first stop we made was to our neighbors' Mr. Bo and Mrs. Pat's house. They are always so nice and so excited to see the kids!

Downtown was crowded and chaotic as usual, but the kids had a great time.  Annabelle chilled out in her "Peas in a Pod" costume I picked up at Dollar General for cheap.  I thought it was pretty cute considering!

Sadie's buddy Hudson...I'm still trying to get her to make friends with girls, but with boys this cute around, I'm going to have trouble!

These were two tired trick or treaters!  I realized at the end of the night that I didn't have a picture of them together.  This was as good as it got!

Sadie managed to find every box of Dots in her bag.

 

The last stop of the night for us was Aunt Judy and Uncle Ronnie's house.  As tired as the kids were, they were still excited to make this stop. Of course, five minutes in, both kids had shed their costumes entirely and kicked off their shoes, but isn't that what you do in front of family? :)

Postpartum Ponderings

Jackson graciously shared his Batman cape with his baby sister.
Monumental.

Full disclosure:  As I write this, I'm not sure how much pondering I'm going to do.  But that title has been in my head for weeks, and I just had to use it! :)

First, our new addition is a month old now, and I can honestly say this has been the easiest four weeks post-baby we've ever had.  Annabelle is a wonderful baby.  She was honestly fussier in the hospital than she has been at home.  I am beginning to wonder if chaos relaxes her.  At this very moment, Jackson and Sadie are playing within 10 feet of her--they've wrestled, played house, built a car out of a chair, jumped, screamed, you name it--and she is sleeping peacefully in her bouncer.  She isn't a big fan of her bouncer, but as long as she has her brother and sister around to pacify her, she's a happy girl.  Honestly, she is almost always a happy girl--unless you (and by you I mean me) wait a minute past her appointed feeding time (she is the only one who determines that time and don't you forget it, mister).

Speaking of feeding...the third time is apparently the charm for that too.  With Jackson, I remember a couple of weeks filled with nights of crying--him and me--because we couldn't figure it all out.  I remember sitting on the edge of the bed, sobbing, and asking Kevin how he felt about only children.  Once we did figure out what we were doing, I assumed breastfeeding any subsequent children would be a piece of cake.

Right.

Let's just say Sadie and I didn't mesh too well either. Oh, I knew what I was doing, but she just wasn't interested.  We tried and tried, and managed to muddle through four months, but that was all we could take. I honestly can't say why, but it was a mutual decision and she seems none the worse for it (if she's lost a couple of IQ points and graduates third in her class and Jackson graduates first, I will probably never hear the end of it...but that bridge is a few years down the road...).

But Annabelle is a natural.  From the very first feeding, she knew what to do.  It probably helped that I was fully prepared for problems should they arise.  But the only problems we've had have been the occasional bout with reflux or a tummy ache (oh, and most recently a nasty 24 hours of mastitis--horrible, terrible and no fun, but just for me, luckily), and those problems have only happened during daylight hours.  It is amazing what a big difference rest-filled nights make.  Kevin is getting a full night's sleep every night in his own bed, and Annabelle and I sleep great between the one or two feedings that happen between midnight and 6 a.m.

And speaking of sleeping...

I want to pause right here for any new mothers, expectant mothers, or potentially new or expectant mothers that might be reading this to get their car keys and wallets.  Because if you've ever had a newborn that just didn't sleep well in that bassinet beside your bed during those first few months, you're going to want to run right out and buy what I consider a miracle in a box. Yes, I said miracle. Considering Jackson had to sleep in his carseat for three months because he screamed any time we put him in his bed, and considering Sadie woke up screaming every two hours and usually cried for a great deal of the night, I don't think MIR. A. CLE. is too strong a word.

Behold...

The Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper.

(Right here, if I had my way, the sun would beam down on your computer and angels would begin singing the Hallelujah chorus.  Yes, I obsess.  Don't judge me.)

I saw this in the Fisher-Price catalog before we even got pregnant and thought if we did have a third baby, I would be purchasing this sleeper.  My Aunt Betty and cousin Amanda gave this to us as a baby gift, and I couldn't possibly thank them enough.  Now, if you follow the link above to Amazon.com, you're going to read a few (five or six) reviews that blame this sleeper for flat spots on their babies' heads and damaging their neck muscles. I am not belittling their problems at all, but I do think blaming one particular product is a little strong.    You will also find 136 five star reviews (out of 164 total reviews).  But of course, we always worry a little about the "what ifs"...so here's my two cents:

Yes, it has a hard shell beneath the cushioned fabric. I put a cloth diaper between the two layers just to be safe.  HOWEVER, our pack and play was just as hard beneath what I think is a thinner layer of cushion.  But Annabelle sleeps great in this. I only put her in it at night, but now I don't lose sleep worrying about her sleeping on her back (neither Jackson nor Sadie ever wanted to sleep on their backs). When we finish our middle of the night snacks, she goes right back to sleep--even if she doesn't burp!   Other bonuses:  It is very light.  If you wanted, you could lift it with one hand and move it anywhere.  It is super-easy to put together.  The cushioned part comes off easily for washing.  It is super sturdy.  It is a perfect height to see your child from the bed.  It is easy to rock and seems to soothe Annabelle easily. Oh.  And it is relatively inexpensive, which is good, because it is obviously not for long term use...six months tops. But I still love it.

So.

One of the biggest moments of her first weeks home was her first bath.  Not a big moment for Annabelle, necessarily, but for Sadie. Ever since she helped give Annabelle her bath in the hospital, she considers herself an expert.  She spent the entire time grinning and telling me what we were going to do next.

That's how the past month has been.  So much fun.  So little time! She is growing so fast.

And Christmas is coming.  Oh. my.

Happy Birthday!!!

October 6th is always a special day for our family.  My husband's birthday is on that day, and this year I decided, "What the heck.  He's a pretty great guy, so I'll splurge and give him a baby for his birthday." : )

The day started off very, very early. The kids spent the night with Nana and Aunt Robin so that they wouldn't have to get up at 4:30, but they made it to the hospital bright and early.  Jackson was so sweet.  He was pretty concerned about me and how I was feeling.  He came in several times throughout the morning, just to check on me and make sure I was okay.  This picture was taken before the contractions kicked in.

Labor and delivery was more or less what I expected. I was labeled "history of quick delivery," so all the nurses were ready for the main event by 9:00 a.m.  The funniest part of all that is it didn't matter how prepared we all were, we still had to wait on the doctor.

Let's break here for a quick history lesson:  when Sadie was born, I went into labor at home around 11:35 p.m. (Contractions began then. Like a good patient, I was waiting the requisite hour to make sure contractions were regular...and then they went from 8 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart in one contraction), got to the hospital at 12:50 a.m., and Sadie was born around 1:10 a.m.  No pain meds.  Would've delivered sooner, but had to wait for doctor.  Of course.  Because no one else in the room can say "PUSH" quite like a doctor.  Whatever.

Now, I'm not mad at my doctor.  Much.  But my epidural didn't take well and it wasn't exactly a walk in the park to NOT push.  But once he arrived, it was a breeze.  Three pushes and Annabelle was here!  She came out crying and I realized why the last few weeks of my pregnancy were so uncomfortable! That sweet little girl was 22 inches long!  I kept telling people that she was more of a "stretcher" than a "kicker"...and boy was that an understatement! :)

I will spare you the icky post-birth pics.  She might want to look you in the eye someday.  But these pics were shortly after she arrived.  Her daddy and her siblings were sooo proud.

  Jackson--the boy who only recently told his little sister that his cousin "stole his baby brother"--was completely smitten...to the point of just wanting to sit and look at her.  Of course, Sadie loves her too, but that was a given!

Annabelle is such a sweet baby.  Now, I know she isn't really smilling, but she smiles all the time and almost always has a pleasant look on her face.  And she is so alert!

The nurse was so nice to the kids when she gave Annabelle her first bath.  She pulled up little step stools and let them help bathe her. They did a great job!  This was right up Sadie's alley, because all she wants is to be a little mother to her baby sister.

One major mistake I made was forgetting to put on waterproof mascara that morning!  Oh well.

Sadie likes to give Annabelle her "wahwah" (pacifier, for those of you who don't speak Sadie)...she has a hard time understanding why she doesn't want it.  And the camo moose in the picture (by my dad's shoulder) is a toy of Jackson's that he brought for Annabelle to play with.  How sweet is that?

Right before this picture was taken, we let Jackson hold Annabelle.  Sadie broke down crying because she thought we weren't going to let her hold her baby sister. She perked right up when we put Annabelle in her arms.  (And for those of you who know Sadie at all, she has yet to call Annabelle "Honey"...she says that's not her sister's name.  I think she's afraid it will hurt Annabelle's feelings.)

This is the expression I see almost the entire time this sweet girl is awake.  With the exception of about 30 minutes at night, she is completely pleasant and content.

Today marks her one week birthday. Time has truly flown by so far!  We are blessed.