7 Weeks

Latham has been hanging around here for almost 7 weeks now. Wow - that has gone by in a flash and she is growing, growing, growing.

I wish I could make time stand still for just a bit. I am trying desperately to soak in all of her newborness...it is quickly vanishing.

And now, we venture off to Athens for a birthday party. I am sure there will be stories to tell and pictures to share.

Vaughan's 3rd Birthday - Part 2

*For the record - I DID NOT make this cake. Lisa (with some assistance

from my brother) spent hours on it. It was a HIT!

We have been soaking up the last days of summer, have you? While I am terribly tired of these hot, sticky, never-ending days - I know in a month I will be remembering them fondly.

This past weekend, we had a birthday party for Vaughan. This was Vaughan's first birthday party that included people outside of our family or close friends. She had a blast.

The zip line was a blast. The kids loved it and I loved seeing their faces as they flew through the air. This along with that fabulous princess castle cake (compliments of Lisa) were V's favorite things about her birthday.

Is that a bird? Is that a plane? No that is a VERY fast two year old sprinting across the photo!

This was the first time that we have had a birthday party outside of our house. Um - why haven't we done this sooner. The staff at My Gym entertained the kids and had the party scene down to a science. With a 6 week old baby - this was definitely the way to go!

And the best part - after all the action, the kids were exhausted.

Happy Birthday Sweet V. I still don't know how you managed to turn three. It seems like just yesterday you were enjoying your first cake!

Climbing the Walls

*photo courtesy of Danielle Hutlas

The kids are climbing the walls down here. Literally, climbing the walls.

Yes, they have been a bit couped up since sweet Latham was born. And just when I can finally take them to the pool, the skies have opened up and blessed us with much needed rain. But this much needed rain means that we are still inside.

So we are getting creative around here. I have no idea what provoked Ellery to try to climb the wall but she did and she loves it. She is one strong 4 year old and is clearly part monkey. This monkey can make it all the way to the top and tap the ceiling. The only issue is her dismount. There have been a few crash landings but that doesn't seem to be dissuading her from this activity.

Hope that there is happy climbing in your house this weekend too!

Happy Birthday, Vaughan

Wednesday, this little lady turned three years old. Of course, according to her she is 4 - but that is a different story all together.

Here on Rockingham, we believe in starting off birthdays the right way -- with a cupcake, of course!

For dinner, Vaughan requested spaghetti and meatballs and I was happy to oblige. She also asked for a pink cake and, in addition, Lisa was kind enough to supply some adorable cupcakes (you know as an appetizer to the cake.) Is there such a thing as too much sugar? Me thinks not.

Dinner was eaten, cake was consumed, gifts were gifted. The night was a success.

Round two of the birthday festivities will commence on Sunday afternoon. 15 3-5 year olds should make for an interesting party.

Thanks for taking pictures, Danielle!

Happy Tuesday

Bathing a baby - a family activity!

It's Tuesday!! HOORAY! Why you ask? Well I say, why not. These days the days all seem to run together. There is no real differentiator between Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and well - you get the point.

I am hoping my brain starts to regenerate soon. Alan is highly concerned. Our conversations lately sound something like this.

me: I weighed Latham and she is point 4 less than 10.

Alan: Ummmm. That would be 9.6. Why are you talking in riddles?

me: She is 23 1/2 inches long -- off the charts.

Alan: Wow - the other girls weren't that long, right?

me: I wonder if they measured her wrong when she was born. There is no way she growed 3 1/2 inches in a month.

point 4 less than 10? Growed? What is wrong with me. I would be concerned too -- if I could remember to remind myself!

Now go enjoy your Tuesday.

Have you seen anything sweeter lately?

* Photos by Danielle Hutlas

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a ?

**This is NOT Latham**

I was excited when the package arrived in the mail. Danielle, our nanny, is also a magnificent photographer. She was going to take some pictures of Latham and we had ordered some photo props for the occasion. Photo props? Yes, photo props.

A few days earlier I had searched etsy and found some pics like the one above. How sweet is that cocoon? I researched, found the perfect one and ordered it. I had grand visions of how sweet Latham would look all nestled in the cocoon.

I had not pictured this:

or this:

or even this:

But I did get a good belly laugh. I mean seriously - this guy is FUNNY! Alan - thanks for making me laugh every day!

And - just to satisfy your curiosity - here is a sneak peek of Latham in the cocoon!

The Ballet Recital - Part 17

It seems like at least once a day, the girls emerge from Kids' Club (aka the basement) dressed to entertain. Sometimes they are princesses, sometimes they are super heroes, and sometimes - oftentimes - they are ballerinas.

I coax them to "practice" their performance in Kids' Club and then come up when they are ready for their grand recital.

Maybe tomorrow I will post a video of Ellery doing her Irish Dancing....it is quite a sight to see!

p.s. - Keeping things real...don't let these photos fool you. After they lovingly hugged, they fell in a heap on the floor and started working on their wrestling moves (thanks Uncle Jared!)

HOT HOT HOT

I don't want to complain, I am trying not to complain, really - I have very little to complain about. After all, we are all healthy and adjusting relatively well to Latham. But darn it - it is HOT here. Not just hot - it is sweltering.

Generally hot weather = swimming. But, as you can imagine, that is not really an option with a newborn. I have felt terribly guilty the last week. Guilty because I am literally bribing my children to watch t.v. Yes, you read that correctly. That is how much t.v. they have watched. They don't want to watch it anymore.

The conversation goes like this.

me: Why don't I put on a show for you?

Ellery: We want to go outside!

me: Well, if you just sit and watch one show - then we can go outside.

Ellery: But we have been watching t.v for hours.

me: Do you want a lollipop while you watch the show?

When did it become ok to get your children to watch television by bribing them with candy? YOWSERS! This is dangerous territory.

Yesterday, after nursing Latham, I kept true to my promise. Aunt Kathryn sent us a new sprinkler and some awesome sidewalk chalk. We walked outside and I almost melted. Can breastmilk boil while still in my boobs? If so - we might have a problem.

I tried to find a sliver of shade to sit in. You see, I wasn't even partaking in any physical activity. I was just sitting. Immediately my brow was moist and sweat was accumulating on my face. But never fear - I stuck with it. The girls ran through the sprinkler and got into the chalk. I grabbed my camera to take a picture.

Wondering why the photo is so blurry? It was so hot and humid the darn camera lens fogged up when I brought it outside.

Is it too early to start dreaming of Autumn and weather that requires a sweater?

** For anyone interested it is World Breastfeeding Week. You can get a free breastfeeding cover by going to http://www.uddercovers.com/ and entering breastfeeding for the promo code. You only have to pay shipping (about $9.95).

Groundhog Day

This picture really has nothing to do with this post. But - when I saw it I chuckled and thought you might get a little giggle too. Every night, Alan comes up with a unique way to coax the girls back to brush their teeth and go to bed. The double shoulder carry is always a hit. Then we wonder why he needed back surgery last summer.

OK - back to the topic at hand.

So, it turns out these pictures have nothing to do with this post either. But, again, I digress.

Sometimes life with a newborn feels a little like Groundhog Day - you know, the movie. Instead of lather, rinse, repeat it goes a little something like this feed, poop, change, repeat.

Ellery doesn't know what to make of it. It can be perplexing - even to the most seasoned.

And in case you are wondering - that is exactly what we have been up to around here. Feed, poop, change, repeat -- and then add in there bake, dress-up, paint, and play barbies (you didn't think the barbies had gone by the wayside, did you?)

Cherishing the moments - or at least trying our best to. Oh and Danielle took some amazing shots of Latham yesterday....I can't wait to share them!

Then and Now

Moments before being wheeling into the OR.

Time is flying by over here on Rockingham. I can't believe that Latham is already three weeks old! We are slowly adjusting to life with three little girls. I have been managing to get some sleep and I have had lots of help - which has made the transition to three so much more manageable.

This is a shot of Latham just minutes after she arrived here in this world. Upon initial inspection - we thought she was the spitting image of Vaughan. But she is changing every day and I think she is looking more and more like Ellery.

So far she has been a good baby - in other words, she sleep for long stretches at night (YIPPEE!). I am just hoping it all lasts.

The girls have been VERY interested in Latham. They constantly want to hold her, touch her, burp her....they are also curious - especially about the details of nursing.

This morning, I snuck away to the nursery to nurse Latham in solitude. It didn't take long for Ellery and Vaughan so sniff me out. In less than three minutes, Vaughan was trying to climb into my lap and Ellery was hovering around my feet. It can be frustrating and sometimes logistically difficult to tend to a newborn with a 2 and 4 year old swarming me like bees swarm honey....but I try to remind myself that these girls are in LOVE with their sister, they are curious and have the best intentions.

I have been enjoying time away from work. It is nice to lazily pass the morning in our pjs, make pancakes, cookies, and banana bread.

It has also been unbearably hot here. So hot that we are unable to venture outside. This has created some challenging moments too. I mean - there are only so many craft projects, cooking projects, dress up games we can play....and the pool is not possible with a newborn and let's not even touch on the thought of squeezing into a swimsuit!

So I am trying my best to remember how lucky I am to have these three precious girls here with me. Before I know it - the older girls will be back in school and I will be nostalgic for the summer. Until then - if you have any good indoor activity ideas - send them my way!