Bella Is 5!

Today our first little miracle turned 5! We had a whirlwind weekend with Auntie & Uncle Shawn in town, as well as Pappa and Granna. Both girls had their soccer games and then we celebrated by cooking out at Papa T & Nana's house. It was so much fun just hanging out with perfect weather. Sunday we went to breakfast and sat outside and then headed to the park where the girls went on the choo-choo and carousel.

Bella has become such a little person. She has an amazing heart and is so sensitive to things around her. She is extremely creative and an extremely bright. Her art is becoming so detailed and she loves to learn. She loves soccer and being a big sister. She is very gentle with Jeremiah and he lights up when she sings to him. I am excited to see her grow and the great things she will achieve.

Soccer has started

The girls started soccer for the fall. Gabby gets to play this season and she gets so excited. She runs around and squeals she get so into the game. Bella's team is all girls, but Gabby is on a co-ed team and there is one other girl on her team named Gracie. Gracie has no intention of playing, but during the first game Gabby would grab her hand and try and coax her onto the field and teach her how to play. Bubba just sleeps through it all or eats. Bella is quite the hustler. She runs all over that field.

She is so happy when she plays

Now onto our little man...he is now in 9 month clothes and he's just shy of 3 months!! He's so big it's hard to look at him and remember that he's only 3 months. He has started to giggle...even though I haven't heard him yet :(. Bella and Gabby LOVE their little brother. They love holding him, telling him stories and of course singing to him. He coos back to them and loves to sing with them.

2009 Memories

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Jeremiah Newborn Book

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Our Smiley Guy

He's smiling!! He is so handsome and BIG! When I look at him I think he's more like 6 months instead of almost 2. He still is a pretty sleepy guy and went on a 9 hour stint last night!!! He is getting strong and loves to lift his head up when we are holding him or on his tummy. He also loves to sit up and look around. We may need to get him a bumbo soon. He started day care two days a week. It seems strange dropping him off in the baby room, since the girls were home until they were one, but he did great...I mean he slept most of the time :)Getting ready for football season to start. Thanks to Nana and Papa's chair they got him.Bella wanted to have a tea party after he was born.And showing off their muscles. Both girls are fantastic big sisters.Bella started Private Kindergarten a few weeks ago. This was on her first day. She is doing great with her numbers, patterns, comprehension and of course all her art she comes home with every day. Last week they started homework...she is so excited and did all her homework the first night.She and Gabby sleep with so many animals. The other night she had them lined up on both sides.The girls have started dance class at school and can't wait for their recital in December. They both keep saying that Santa is making their costumes!

Gabby loves her little brother and makes sure he always has toys. He is starting to grab his rings and toys. He loves lights and the blinds. He stares at the blinds when we hold him on the couch.

Gabby is still our funny girl. She talks so much sometimes you can tell her mind is going faster than her mouth. She is super cute and always tells Joel and Jeremiah that he is her "best buddy". She also has been saying "yeah uh-huh" or she'll start this elaborate story and at the end say "and I'm not lying that really happened, yeah, uh-huh". She keeps us on our toes. She has an answer for everything. She has been staying home with Jeremiah and I on Tuesday and Thursday. She loves to do crafts...especially if she gets to use glue or cut paper. She can't wait to start soccer.

How does 5 weeks fly by so fast?

It's hard to believe our handsome little man is over a month old. He had his 1 month check up on Friday and he was 11 pounds 14 oz and 22 3/4 inches. Some of his 3 month clothes don't even fit him anymore...he's getting so big. I LOVE his snuggles and that he's becoming a mama's boy. The girls have been amazing with him. They love to hold him and play with him and his toys. He is also getting pretty strong. He lifts his head up and looks around when we hold him. He is a pretty smiley little guy. He finally has started waking up more, well a little bit more. Sometime when I look at him I think I'm looking at the girls. It's kinda crazy how much they all look the same. He is starting to lose his dark hair and his blonde hair is coming in...another toe head.

We had a shower for him on Saturday, but I don't have the pictures so I'll have to blog about that later...but we had a blast.

The girls love playing with him on the mat even though he sleeps through a lot of it.I love this picture. It was right after he was born and Gabby was so curious. She also looks so much like me in this picture when I was that age.

Jeremiah Arlo Newell - 7.5.11

After giving up that he was going to come early like his sisters. I woke up last Tuesday morning (7/5/11) and got out of bed. Within minutes I was having contractions 5 minutes apart, which soon turned to 3 minutes. I called mom and said I needed her to bring me to the hospital and I called Ryan to take the girls to school. We got to the hospital around 10 am and I was dilated to 5. It took awhile to get to a room since they needed to call some nurses in. I was at 7 when we finally got to a room and my favorite doctor (the anaesthesiologist) was there within minutes to alleviate the pain. He did a great job and by the time Dad came in (who knew the anaesthesiologist) and then Steph. I had no pain and we all just hung out for a few hours. Dr. Purhoit came in, since Dr Watters had left out of town on vacation that morning (so Dad didn't get to deliver this one), and after 3 pushes he was out. All 9 pounds and 1 ounce and 21.5 inches of him. I was shocked when they told me how big he was. He looks like his sisters, but thinner and longer. He is such a great baby and it's hard to imagine our life without him in it. It's funny how an instant can change your life so dramatically. Joel was surprised at how well I feel after having him. I guess it just gets easier the more you have. He loves to snuggle into my shoulder after he eats...and he sleeps most of the day and night. He makes the cutest little noises when he eats and he hardly fusses at anything. The girls are fantastic helpers. Gabby is more concerned about him than I thought she'd be. She loves to get everything ready for a diaper change and puts it all away when I'm done. They both love to feed him and hold him. I think they are a little disappointed at how much he sleeps, but that won't last long. They give him the cutest kisses. Gabby is very protective of him. The other night mom and dad stopped by and Gabby was holding him. Dad asked if he could hold him and she put her hands over him and said "No, he's my Jeremiah". A few minutes later she said he could hold him "but only for one minute." Today Nana watched him while I took the girls to gymnastics. When we went to get him we had been chatting and then Gabby came up and said "Nana we need Jeremiah so we can go home". We still have some transition moments, but it's been easier than I expected. Bella I think would just sit and hold him. We are very blessed family of five!