Here we go...

I initially started this blog to chronicle our family events, so that I wouldn't have to keep a journal. Im thinking a journal may be easier to keep up with. So much time passes and then you realize so many things are changing with your kids and there is just no way to remember all the little things. Especially now that we have added to our clan with little man, John Foster.
So here is my lame attempt to get back in the swing of things.
The end of my pregnancy was rough. I was so uncomfortable. I had such a hard time sleeping and running around after 2 kids was tough. I think this one does it. I am putting that in writing in hopes that I really mean it.
JOhn Foster was born December 21st, 2012 at 3:43 pm. 19.25 inches and 8 pounds, 4.5 ounces. A big boy. They induced me a week early. SImply because I was induced the first 2 times and it was looking like that would be the case again. So he joined us early and we had a great little Christmas gift! Delivery was great. We checked in on the morning of and they started pitocin around 1030 am. By 1230 pm I had my epidural and the pain subsided. My blood pressure kept dropping and I had to get this med that made me feel like I was having a heart attack. I was feeling pretty rotten, but low and behold within about 30-45 min I went from 4 cm to 10! This is my third go round and for some reason I always freak out when they tell me I am about to start pushing. Well, I was feeling pretty good about myself, because 3 pushes and he had arrived! He was a squawky thing. The nursery nurse came in much later for some reason, but she was worth the wait. She explained everything to all the grandparents and kids. Emmie was so excited and Anabelle was a little overwhelmed. Anabelle started laughing and then crying when she first got there. But she warmed up to him and loved watching him get his first bath.
John Foster is now 2.5 weeks old and he is doing great. He is a sleepy head. But I am not complaining. He has some good awake time in the morning and e is usually fretful and fussy in the late evening.  He loves his big sisters and they love him. We are trying to keep him in a bubble as much as we can. The reality of it is that we have 3 kids and you do your best to keep the germy ones away from the newborn, but you can only do so much. The girls have been real good though and use their hand samitizer all the time.
Brent has been helping alot and taking the girls to school in the morning has been a huge help. Now picking them up in the afternoon in a workout. Emmies class is up 2 flights of stairs and Anabelles class is down 1 flight. I am worn out by the time we get everyone out to the car.

Christmas was great. We saw Santa a lot. We had brunch at the club and went to Phipps. We saw him at school too.  We did the Pink Pig one day and went to LAyne's Christmas cookie decorating party. Anabelle did great with Santa this year. No tears, all smiles. Therefor, success!
Emmie turned 4 yeasterday. We had her party at her gymnanstics gym. She had a blast. So what to say about a 4 year old...
She is doing great at gymnastics, soccer and ballet. She is much more coordinated. She can write her first name with little to no help and we are starteing to work on her last name. SHe knows all her numbers, letters, colors, etc. She loves learning and exploring. She likes to collect things, anything. We do scavenger hunts alot and she loves that. She is very creative. Loves to color and do art. She is very into pretend play.
She and ANabelle play very good together, but have no fear. They get into some pretty nasty pushing mathces, yelling quarrels, and fist fights too. Anabelle has learned how to push emmie's buttons. Anabelle is full of spunk. She still naps really well, but when it is time to go to bed she parties. And parties hard. Bedtime is typically areound 8-830 and I would say 5-6 nights out of 7 they are up in their room until 10-1030 at night. They sing, read books, pretend with their stuffed animals. It drives me bananas, but this is what you get when you let siblings share a room.  Anabelle moved into Emmies gymnastics sclass yesterday and did great. She does ballet too. She talks up a storm and is very clear with what she says. She know her letter and EMmies and that is pretty much it. WE need to get the flash cards out I guess.
Brent and I are good. I am tired, but then again I am up every night feeding the baby. I love my friends and family who have helped out so much over the past couplde weeks with the chaos. The reality is 3 kids now, so I need to get into the swing of things. I get to say home until the end of feburary and then I go back to work. I plan to enjoy every minute that I can.