Just a quick update. We're headed up to Fort Wayne today for Thanksgiving. We're flying! Should be quite the experience with two little ones - we're excited and really looking forward to a break.
We had a fun weekend. Andy went camping with Silas on Friday night. Crazy boys - it was 17*F with snow on the ground. No thanks! But they had fun.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to hang out with my mom and sisters. They all came over for dinner, games and a movie, then SB spent the night here as well. In the morning we went to Panera for breakfast (all accept Mollie who sadly had to work). The kids were with me, but in sleeping most of the time, so we still had fun.
I've been meaning to post this for a long time. Here's a picture of Kaela in her bassinet. Mama made the bumper pad and sheet for her...I love it...so cute and nice and bright!
Andy handed Christopher our small A-80 camera last week and showed him how to push the button and then look at his pictures on the screen. He LOVED it and didn't want to part with the camera. I think he took nearly 100 pictures...so here are two! =)
One of the light in his playroom.
And one of Mommy and Kaela.
Last weekend, Andy took Christopher on a date to a nearby park so they could throw rocks and play on the playground. That kid lives to be outdoors and always has so much fun.
Hmm...not so sure about the grasshopper, Daddy.
Andy took a few pictures of the beautiful oak tree behind our house. It just keeps dumping leaves! It has covered this yard 3 times already and they've blown all the leaves away...now it's full again and there are still leaves on the tree.
Christopher and I decided to surprise Andy while he was gone on a trip to Memphis. With some help from SaraBeth, Ryan, Anna and Joy, we transformed our living room (see the picture of Kaela and I above) into a restful sanctuary. It finally has color! We'll have to take a picture of the whole room put back together to post on here, but for now here is a picture and video of my littlest helper! And thanks to everyone else for the b-day $ and help painting. =)
Andy and I had fun on Saturday taking pictures of our princess. Andy got a few more backdrops, so we played around on white this time.
We started off in this basket - she was sound asleep and so cute, but by the time we got the lighting right...she was awake and not quite so happy! =) Still cute, though.
Peek-A-Boo.
Gazing at Daddy. She loves to look at faces now.
Later that evening, I tried unsuccessfully to get Christopher to pose for some pictures. He wasn't quite so interested, so I only got one before he was almost out of the bag and off to play. We'll try again sometime, because I think it would be cute. Also, notice the polo over pjs look - totally his idea. He's quite in to dressing himself these days.
Update on us: It's been a rough week. Andy was gone 3 days and has had some late nights and all nights at work...which leaves us both pretty worn out - him from work and me from having the kids all day and night. We're worn thin without much to give to each other right now, but we're still hanging in there and thanking the Lord for our beautiful, precious family.
My ultrasound at the OB doctor revealed nothing - everything looks normal, so still no answers as to what may have happened twice! He was able to start me on some medicine that is beginning to help with my post-partum depression - I'm feeling more energized and even happy at times - yeah!
Christopher is keeping us on our toes daily. From dropping his cup of milk into Andy's subwofer to sticking toys in the toilet...and then to singing to and calming Kaela, and singing with us on our laps before bedtime. What a wonderful child. He knows a lot of the books we read and can fill in almost any word we leave out of the songs we always sing at bedtime. It amazes me when he chimes in with words like "sufficient" "Messiah" "Intercessor" "Coming King" etc. How can we not smile?
Kaela continues to grow daily. She was up to 8 lb 9 oz when I weighed her last week, so I'm sure she's put on a few more oz by now too. She's awake more often during the day, and enjoys staring at lights, faces, and Chritopher as he runs around the room. I think her favorite is when Christopher kneels beside her and shakes her rattle and other toys and waves them in front of her face. Most of the time, she'll stop fussing whenever he goes over to her and sings, plays or shoves her paci in her mouth. A lucky little girl to have such a great big brother.
The 30th was my birthday. Earlier in the week, my brother and sister-in-law invited our whole family over to their house to celebrate, and also hang out with some friends that were in from out-of-town. We had a great time. Silas made Grandpa's BBQ chicken and it was delicious!
Christopher had fun playing with "Aunt Mollie's microwave" while we waited on dinner. He probably opened and shut that door close to 100 times!!!!! Then he discovered that he could play peek-a-boo through the glass when it was open. =)
My favorite - cherry chip cake - and Mama made an icing with real cherries to go on top. Yummy!
Everyone enjoying dinner. Thanks, Si and Mollie! It was our first visit to their new home. Fun!
Family Picture: Rachel, Christopher, Andy and Kaela Ruth
Whipples came to visit us this weekend for our annual "Fake Thanksgiving." (I know, I know...a terrible name because we ARE very thankful...it just somehow ended up being called this since it's never actually on Thanksgiving.) This was year four of Andy and Lizbeth cooking a huge thanksgiving feast while Dave and Rachel played video games. Ok, so this year with two kiddies...the video game part didn't really happen, but the feast did!
They decided to smoke the turkey on the grill this year - delicious!
Christopher discovered a new toy in Daddy's spray bottle for the grill. At first he sprayed it at the fire...then decided it was more fun to chase Daddy around the yard...
...and spray the windows. He thought it was hilarious and was giggling a lot.
Dave played a football video game for a little while - to entertain Christopher who really likes football. Every time a play was over and Dave had to do something else on another screen, Christopher would ask, "What happened? Where game go?" It was pretty cute. He was quite absorbed.
For dinner we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn casserole, creamed spinach, cranberry sauce and rolls. So good. For dessert, Dave baked a pumpkin pie. Also very good.
Andy, Christopher, Rachel, Dave and pregnant with baby Ada - Lizbeth. Kaela was sleeping upstairs.
It was a great visit, and we were sad to see them leave. It's nice to have great friends that feel like family even when you live miles apart.
Well...we weren't really going to dress up for Halloween this year, but since we live in a community of townhouses full of elderly women that absolutely ADORE our son...they all had bought special things just for him and were asking what he would be and when he was coming by. So we participated! =) Christopher wore on old costume of Mommy's and dressed up as "Dr. Tolan" aka Babu. He then proceeded to perform wonderfully for his friends and charmed them all. He received animal crackers, apples and some candy. Of course, he knew where the candy dishes were in each house, so he made a beeline for those as soon as he was in each living room. So at 5 different houses, we chatted for awhile in the living room, Christopher listened to several heartbeats with his stethoscope, they gave him a treat, and then he hugged them all goodnight. It was pretty cute and they were all thrilled. I'm glad we went.
Snoozing with Daddy on a lazy Sunday afternoon - watching football.
