I'm 12 Weeks Old and I'm SOOOO Happy!

Here are a few of the cute photos I took of our 12 week old boy! He has changed so much! Here is a photo from the first day of his life:This is today! It is amazing how much changes in just 12 weeks! I thank God for him daily!


Well, I'm happy MOST of the time!

The Thumb Wins!

Yes, I am afraid we have a thumb sucker! I really tried to get him to like the beebee (that's what Daniel named the pacifier), but Drew has decided he prefers the thumb. This is how I find him in his bed anymore!!!He continues to sleep through the night and even "overslept" this morning! He didn't wake up until 8:00 am! He went more than 9 hours without eating! I am used to him waking between 6 and 7 am. I guess I will have to start setting the alarm clock again!

He was really alert in church this morning and everyone was commenting on his "Hershey Kiss" eyes! They are looking rather chocolaty and BEAUTIFUL! I love his eyes! They are so expressive and so gorgeous to look at! I never thought I would have a dark eyed boy. Matt has light hazel eyes, Sarah has green/blue eyes and Daniel has blue. I just assumed he would follow everyone else - but he got brown - and they did I mention that they were beautiful?!?! Now if he would have only been a redhead! He would have had the perfect combination! I guess those German traits beat out my Irish ones - oh well!

We only have three more weeks of class work and then we are taking a week of vacation and finishing school in Williamsburg, VA! We have been studying American History this year and have really been looking into Colonial times. We went last October, but I was pregnant and sick and it rained the entire time we were there. It was a nice trip - but I am hoping this one is much better! It will be fun to have Drew with us in body instead of inside my body! He does well in a carrier, so he will do just fine! Please pray for the kids as they finish up their school work. Please pray for me as I work on their portfolios. This has been a crazy year and I have not kept up on some things like I should have. I really need to pull things together!

Isn't he just wonderful? He really is a tremendous gift from God!

11 Weeks!

All day today I had Drew one week older than he really is - I kept thinking he was 12 weeks old - but he is only 11! I am not trying to rush things - just brain dead!!! I don't think my brain will ever really recover from this pregnancy - too much shrinkage went on I think! Anyway, my sweet boy is 11 weeks old today and he is a real pleasure 90% of the time! He is really starting to settle into babyhood. He doesn't cry as much as he used to - though still has bouts of hysteria for seemingly no reason at all (like tonight at a birthday party!). He is REALLY smiling at all of his siblings and Andy and I. Matt is most impressed with this and feels that Drew likes him the best - it could be! Drew is also making all sorts of cute cooing sounds! It really sound like he is having an entire conversation with you! He looks at you and "talks" and "talks" and "talks"! Why should he be different than the first three - they are all talkers! Andy and I find this hysterical since we are really not talkers - we much prefer a quiet and peaceful setting - not our kids! They can't stand silence and fill every void with speech! I have a feeling Drew is going to follow in their footsteps!

The best thing about Drew right now though is that he is sleeping 8+ hours at night!!!! I lay him down between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, feed him around 10:30 pm and then he's good until about 6:30 pm! YAY!!! Now if I could only force myself to go to bed at the same time I'd be set! I think one reason is starting to sleep longer at night is the fact that he found his thumb! We really tried to get him to like a pacifier - but I believe he is opting for the thumb. Matt and Sarah both sucked their thumbs. Daniel took a pacifier. It was much easier to break Daniel of his bad habit than it was the older two. Oh well! It looks cute while they are little!I started back at the gym last Saturday and it felt so good! I am so glad to be back exercising. My goal is to lose the last 16 pregnancy pounds by September and then continue on the weight loss journey I started before I got pregnant. I really need to lose the weight - I just want to be done with the diabetes and high triglycerides. I'd like to live long enough to see Drew have a family - if I'm going to do that I need to be healthy now!

Easter Weekend (a little late!)

We had an extremely busy weekend! It all started Friday with a visit to my dear friend and most kindred spirit, Donna. I hadn't seen her since August of last year! It was a visit that was LONG overdue! Plus she just had to meet Drew! I can't believe we only live about an hour from each other and yet it's so difficult to get together - but she has six kids and now I have four - it just gets a little interesting in the scheduling department! But we finally got our acts together and up we went to the suburbs! It was a beautiful day and Drew did amazingly well! It was just great to see her and talk to another adult! Our kids get along super well - maybe because they have all known each other since they were born! They all consider each other their best friend. Maybe our friendship has made them all comfortable with each other. It will be fun to see what the next few years bring as our oldest enter into teenage hood!Saturday we ventured up to the in-laws. Each year, if the weather is decent, we try to hold an Easter egg hunt for our kids. Andy's home church used to have a big one the Saturday before Easter, but no one wanted to take on the responsibility for it anymore and so it is no more! But we have enjoyed doing it for our kids. This year Jonathan, Andy's brother's grandson, joined us! It was good! We hid 140 plastic eggs with all sorts of junk in them (some even with coins!). we only lost 1! The kids had a blast and it was another gorgeous day! They were pretty dirty and worn out - always a sign of a good time!

Can you find the egg?

Sunday was Easter Day! We had to wake up a bit early and be at church early for the two services that our church held. The kids sang in both services and they all did a great job! They all looked great in their Easter attire thanks to MomMom!

After the services we headed up to my parents for another egg hunt put on by my mom and a ham dinner. It was nice and relaxing as it was just my sister and her son and Andy and our kids. Usually we have all kinds of family - aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews - but this year my mom kept it low key. It was great!

My four on the left and my nephew Sam! He should have been mine with the red hair!
Poor worn out baby!

10 weeks old!

Drew in his Palm Sunday finery! He's such a little man!

Yes, Drew was ten weeks old this past Monday! Unbelievable! I can't believe that much time has past already! Life is just flying by. I am trying to appreciate each moment - though some moments are easier to appreciate than others! Drew has taken to crying A LOT throughout the day unless he is in someones arms or outside! We are working on this, but it is a process! I am extremely thankful for this little guy and at each cry I remember that this is just a season. Before I know it he will be happy and talking and running around with the rest of the bunch! He is still sweet - and I do love holding and cuddling him! Here are several photos I took this week. He's such a cutie! Drew is getting big! Daniel can hardly hold him anymore! Though he still loves to do so!His hand caught his eye here! First time I noticed he discovered his hands!

He discovered the water as well! He just let his hand feel the water! It was funny to see him love the water so much!

This is my new favorite photo! He is smiling much more these days! When he's not wailing!Sarah was getting him to smile! He loves his siblings!