ICE!

Last week we decided to go to the Falls. Patrick and I have never been, that we can remember, to see the falls when it is frozen. It was an awesome site! The ride there was a bit frightening though...everything was smooth until we got about 1 mile away from the exit and there was this guy going about 10 miles an hour. I, of course, got mad and "tried" to go around him. Well we soon found out why he was going so slow. The car was totally out of my control and we went through all the lanes and back. We actually did that 2 times before I got control back. It was so scary!! So we went 10 mph for the next mile too. Once we got there it was beautiful! Patrick took the girls out to go walk around and I stayed in the car with Owen. I could see all the people sliding around and I didn't want to risk falling with the baby. Anyway...I'm glad we made it there ok and back for that matter because on the way back there were NO cars on the road itself. They were all either in the ditches or stopped on the side. I wish we had a better camera to show just how gorgeous it was but ours will just have to do for now. Enjoy! :)

Cute : )

Owen is a little over 3 1/2 months and getting a personality! Just thought I'd show some pictures of him being...himself. Enjoy!

Nellie and Samantha have made up a new game. They put these pillows on themselves and then they fall. They think it is the funniest thing ever! Patrick and I think they are very creative to even think of something like that. It is very funny to watch too! :

'Tis the season!

Everyone knows how much Patrick loves to bake. Well this year we have taken it to a whole new level. He wanted to try and make pumpkin cheesecake with real pumpkin. So, of course, I was left to figure out how to do that. I found a website all about pumpkins, read a little and then just improvised a little and tried my own thing. After a few duds I got it right and he made his first cheesecake out of real pumpkin. We took a bit at the same time and just stood there. It was the best pumpkin cheesecake I've ever had! Last year he made one with the store bought stuff but this didn't even compare. Earlier this week a friend of mine asked if we wanted their left over 4 large pumpkins. I said sure, thinking we could do the seeds and use the meat for cheesecake and pie. Well, today we gutted, cooked, pureed and canned them. We ended up with about 30 16oz containers of puree. I'm so excited to be able to share the cheesecake with everyone! We called some friends and family members to try the first one and he'll be making more for others to sample. If you want one for the holidays or just to eat, let us know. He is selling them for $15.

Growing up

Oh and I forgot to mention that Nellie now has glasses and is loving them! She didn't realize how much she needed them.
I can't believe how fast the past 3 months has gone! Owen will be 3 months old on Halloween. He is 17 and a half lbs now. He has outgrown almost all of the clothes that we had for him. We just had to go out and get 9 months size! He is laughing, holding his head up nicely and almost rolling over. One of my sisters-in -law just had her baby and Owen looks like a giant next to him. It's hard for me to believe that he was that tiny just a few weeks ago!! Nellie is loving school and Samantha's school finally started so she is very happy now. It is so weird only having one kid at home for almost 3 hours a day. I hardly know what to do.

I have started a new hobby making wipe containers and small diaper bags to match. Not like a regular diaper bag but one that literally just fits diapers in it. I will be selling them for $15 at a Christmas Bazaar that a friend and I have a booth at. If you know anyone that would like one or if you want one yourself, let me know. I have a few different fabrics for boys and girls. The one set in the picture is mine and it was the first one so it's not the best. The wipe containers are alone but I will be making the bags to match soon.

Lots going on...

Well, Owen is 2 months and a week, Nellie turned 6, Nellie started Kindergarten and we had our family pictures done. So first of all Owen. He had his 2 month appointment and is doing GREAT!! He weighs 14 lbs and is 24 in long. Overall he is in the 90th percentile. The doctor says he is growing very nicely! Next, Nellie had her 6th birthday party at the Imagination Station. We had lots of friends and family there and she had a great time. She is also very excited to be in school, and so are we! She loves her teacher and all her new friends. The only bad part is coming home from school. She isn't the nicest person for a while after school. Oh well, I thought that would happen. Finally, once again Patrick's sister Bethany took our family pictures and did an awesome job. The girls however "forgot" how to smile so they look semi retarded in most of the pictures. But overall they are good. That's about all for now. Enjoy the pictures!

1 Month Already!?!

I can't even believe that it has been 4 weeks since Owen was born! He is a great boy. He sleeps 4-5 hours at a time, at night. He really doesn't cry except when he needs a diaper change or when we wait to long to feed him. The girls are absolutely in LOVE with him! It's nice that they are older and can help me, but it is also not nice that they are older and try to hard help me. He is in 0-3 month clothes, finally, and in size 1 diapers. I don't know how much he weighs yet so you'll have to wait for that. Other than that everything is great! I feel great and am healing well from the birth. Enjoy the picture. We'll have more to post at his 2 month mark.

He's here!!

From the start...
We went in on Thursday night, the 30th, to start the process of being induced. They had me come in the night before just to do some gel stuff to make it easier for the pitocin to work the next morning. They did that at 10:30pm and said that it is normal to have some contractions for about an hour but that they would stop after that. Well, one came and the next came seconds after that and 3 hours 2 min later he was born. Patrick was at work and my sister was at the hospital with me. He almost missed it! My midwife couldn't be found so they had to call one from Tigard to come and she almost missed it. Nellie and Samantha were both all natural births. With Owen after about an hour, I think, I got an epidural. Let me tell you that was great. I actually remember the whole thing. The bad part was that it didn't fully work on my left leg, but it was better than nothing. He was 7 lbs 5 1/2 oz and 21 in long. So far he is a great baby! He is actually nursing, something I wasn't able to do with the girls.
The bad part is that we were home one day and I wasn't feeling very good. I took my temp and it was 101 so I called the doc and she said to just watch it and if it gets to 103 to call back. Monday I felt horrible and my temp was 102.8 so I called back. She told me to go to the ER. We got there and they got us right in because my temp was now 103.3! They did a chest exray and nothing, so I just have an acute virus. But that means that I have to wear a mask for 3 days, no visitors, and I can only hold Owen when he's eating. Now today the girls have had a fever so I gave them meds and sent them to bed. We are all hoping that Owen doesn't get sick now.
Other than the sick part, everything is great! We are so blessed to have him in our family. He is such a good boy. Enjoy the pict, more to come.