Almost here

Summer break is almost here, my last day of work is on Thursday! I'm so ready to have a long break with the kids and the calendar for June is already filling up. The summer movie program starts on Monday and I'm excited to hit the theater every week with Emma and Josh. It was fun last year but having a 4 and 2 year old at the movies while being 5-6 months pregnant in the AZ heat, wasn't always fun. We leave for California on 6/6 and the kids are super excited to spend a week with my grandparents. My mom and I are taking them to Disney one day and the kids and I have already mapped out our whole day at the park (never step foot in that park without a game plan). We have parties to attend when we get back, a wedding, and Emma is all set up for Vacation Bible School. I think swim lessons will need to wait until July, which I'm absolutely fine with because I HATE cold pool water. Unfortunately, the kids keep begging to hit their favorite public pool so I know it's only a matter of time before the cold water and I meet. Hopefully, my time off during the summer will give me a chance to keep up on the blog, but, no promises. :o)

Camera

For our anniversary, Eric got me a really nice camera. So nice, I'm still figuring out how to use it properly. I have no desire to be a photographer but feel confident in some of my skills after watching Eric for a number of years. Here are my Elizabeth 6 month pictures I took in our backyard, I'm a little bias but I think they are adorable. I also got some really nice shots of Emma and Josh.

Rice Cereal

Elizabeth is by far the happiest baby we've had. Josh was always a content but Elizabeth is always smiling and happy as a clam. I've been excited to get her started on rice cereal for a while now and on her 5 month birthday, we gave it a go. You see, Elizabeth is also the pickiest eater we've ever had. Emma and Josh would both gulp down bottles whenever you gave them one. Emma would even go so far as to drink way more than her little belly needed (as a new mommy, I had no idea how much to give) and then puke it up 2 minutes later. Elizabeth is quite the opposite, she has no attachment to the bottle whatsoever. If she's not hungry, she doesn't eat. If there is too much noise, she doesn't eat. If Emma and Josh are any where around, she doesn't eat. If Eric tries to feed her, she doesn't eat. You get the picture. Well, rice cereal came and rice cereal went. Elizabeth had the same reaction as Emma and Josh did the first time eating it but a few weeks later, she was a terror when it was time to eat. As soon as I offered her the cereal, she'd arch her self backward in the Bumbo and scream. Elizabeth never screams. Then, as I'd put the spoon to her mouth, she'd lock her lips so tight that I couldn't even get the spoon in. After fighting for almost 3 weeks, I decided it was time to move on to bigger and better things. For the first time, I gave one of my children veggies before 6 months. I started her off with sweet potatoes and she did great with them, thank God. She has continued eating her veggies well and definitley has favorites and dislikes. I can't wait to start fruits and yogurt.

Where to begin....

Another month has by! Seriously, how do they keep getting away from me? Life with 3 kids is a little more hectic then I thought it would be. It's funny though, Elizabeth is by far the happiest, easiest baby but just having another little one makes everything just a little bit harder. Thank God she is so super sweet because I truly think I would have been committed by now if she'd been the kind of baby her big sis was. Here is what we've been up to over the past month,

Eric and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. He bought me a great camera (much nicer than I am capable of) and I've taken tons of pictures but still haven't learned how to upload them.

Josh got a bike for his birthday and has been a maniac on 2 wheels (well, 4 wheels if you count the training wheels). He wants to ride nonstop and loves going on long bike rides with Eric around our neighborhood.

Emma has officially been registered for Kindergarten! I am still struggling with my desire to send her to St. Tim's Academy but for now, it just doesn't seem to be in the cards.

Spring Break has come and gone. The kids and I had a nice week together and did lots of outdoor activities. The weather in AZ was absolutely gorgeous and I don't regret canceling our to CA. Eric was able to take 2 days off midweek and we split the kids up both days and spent some one on one time with both Emma and Josh.

Elizabeth is five months old now and had her first taste of rice cereal last Wednesday.

We switched the kids rooms again. Josh and Emma are roomies now and Elizabeth is on her own. The first night Emma and Josh went to bed at 7:30 and whispered and laughed until 9:15. It was very cute listening to them outside the door. They were both up before 6 am the next morning and were so exhausted that both took close to 3 hour naps that afternoon. Elizabeth seems to be doing better at night now that she is by herself. She still only wakes once at night after a solid 8-9 hours for a quick bottle and then sleeps for a few hours more. The reason for the big move was she kept fussing out through the night needing me to give her binky. I came to realize that Emma is a loud sleeper and was disrupting Elizabeth. So, until Elizabeth becomes a really great sleeper like Josh and Emma are, she gets to be by herself.

Eric has been able to go out shooting a few times over the last month which always makes him happy and I've been able to see a few movies and have a couple of evenings to myself which makes me happy.

The next few months are going to be busy at home and work. I'm ready for summer to come so I have more time to be home with the kids. Hopefully I'll figure out my camera soon so I can post pictures. No promises though. :)

Happy Birthday

Josh turned three this past week. I cannot believe that three years with this little guy has gone by. Josh is the sweetest boy with a new flair for whining. He is still my cuddler and has the best personality. No matter where we go, people are always telling me how much they love him. Josh has never met a stranger and will talk your ear off if you let him. He amazes our doctor with how much he talks for a three year old and for a boy. He still loves the AZ Cardinals which he calls Mr. Cardinals and only wants to wear jeans and a Cardinals (or ASU) shirt every minute of every day. Dressing him for church is a nightmare because we won't allow jeans and you'd think his whole world is caving in when we put him in a collared shirt. Josh loves playing rough with Eric and at times takes his roughness to new levels when playing with Emma. He is extremely sweet with Elizabeth and loves being a big brother. He loves movies and bowling. He also loves pizza and has been nicknamed Joshie the Hutt by his godfather.

I love watching this little guy go and am never sure what he has in store for us next. It has been an incredible three years and I look forward to many more. Happy Birthday Bubbas Boy!

Christmas

Two months later, I figured I'd post something about Christmas.

Christmas Eve was spent with the Wiemann Clan and Christmas evening was spent with the Hildwine's. Both were wonderful and full of tons of food and gifts (each year I swear that I am buying less than I do the previous year). Christmas morning with our family of five was a peaceful breakfast and gift opening followed by a beautiful mass. It was sad to see another Christmas come and go but there's always next year :o)

Here are a few images from Christmas Eve (the kids weren't really cooperating)

Christmas morning (Elizabeth was asleep for the whole thing which is sad because I forgot to get a picture of all 3 in their matching Christmas jammies)


Christmas evening

Apology

Dear Elizabeth,

Sadly I must admit that everyone is right, you do take less pictures with each new child. I always swore that we'd never do that and well, here we are. You poor girl, before these cute 3 month photos, the last time we took pictures of you was at a few weeks old. I might as well apologize now for your baby book too, for at this moment, it doesn't exist. I'd love to tell you that we are going to be better and that we'll have 5 million pictures of you like we do your big sister but I think that comment might come back to haunt me. For now, find comfort in the fact that you have been the most wonderful baby and I love every minute we spend together!

Love,
Mommy