Our Sweet Anna Kate

Anna is 2 months already, I just can not believe how quickly it has passed. This little baby is a wonderful baby. I grabbed some pictures of Anna while big sister slept (so far Anna has not gotten what Elizabeth had...) Here is one of my favorite girls in one of my most favorite outfits! Happy girl, all rested and comfortable....

Close up of our littlest sweetie.

Trick or Treat

Trick or treating is so much fun in the neighborhood...so many costumed kids and parents out talking on the street. I think the parents like it as much as the kids, passing out drinks, warm cider and other tasty treats. Here is our front porch with my favorite little treaters inside. Which sucker ?? which sucker?? Since E could not decide, she had both...why not?? This night was the beginning of a 6 day coughing, fever, ear infection streak....looking back now, she really isn't looking too healthy here

Our little munchkin Anna Kate...she helped Daddy pass out candy.

The girls before trick or treating....

October fun

Our Halloween pumpkins! Elizabeth did not want to help because the were "Ewwwie." Maybe next year she will want to sink her hands in the pumpkin...for now she was content running around looking a the pumpkins... Grandma came over and carved with us...Elizabeth says Grandmas name like Gwamma.

We went to a 3rd birthday party... Anna is such a party animal. She was happy sitting in her seat sucking on her nuk. Celebrating Sebastian's 3rd birthday!!

Pinatta! E gathered 3 things from the pinatta, she picked up a yellow crayon, a wind up robot and a beautiful red ruby ring.

The other party animal.

Buster and Elizabeth before heading up to Toledo to fly. Anna was sleeping peacefully.

E and our friend Grayson, he is a monkey and E is a duck again. She was not interested in wearing the cute fairy outfit this year, she was a duck again, only taller. We trick or treated
in a nursing home, it was wonderful to see their faces. Grayson also has a little brother who was in his stoller too.

Trick or treaters, E and her friends. She loves to talk on the phone to Maya (who is the beautiful princess in the middle) and Hayden on way left.

My brown hair....I wanted something different. A change, something new, so I went with hair color because that is easier to change back than chopped hair. It is brown, blonde on the tippy top and a little red. It is great for fall.

Introducing Rose Marie

My brother and his wife had a baby yesterday! Apparently Stacey's water broke around 1ish and they went to the hospital and she delivered around 9ish. Brent, Anna and I went down to Columbus to welcome our new little niece! I became and Aunt yesterday...this is something new and I like it. Elizabeth played with Grandma and had a blast. Rosie is a very healthy newborn with tons of dark hair, she even looks like her mom already. Rosie was almost the exact same size as our Anna, Anna was an inch longer....which is crazy because my brother and his wife are taller than Brent and I. It was wonderful to see their happy little family!




My cousin Mike is holding our Anna (she is smiling now) and I am holding my new little niece, Rosie!

My brother and his wife Stacey and the newest little family member Rose Marie. Rosie is named after Stacey's mom.

Hi there! Here is Anna resting comfortable after some breakfast...she is smiling again.

Anna Kate giving a tiny little half smile that I absolutely love!

Dee and Steve

My friend Dee from OSU got married this past weekend. It was great to see some old friends! It is amazing how we hadn't seen each other in a few years but we just pick right up where we left off. Here is Dee (the bride) my wonderful friend Alyssa and wonderful Tara! Alys and I in front of a beautiful staircase, it was an incredibly elegant evening.

Our fam minus little miss, Anna is in one of my most favorite outfits...can't see it good enough here, it doesn't do her any justice. It is off white with pink ribbons....absolutely adorable.

Hang on Sloopy...but I just couldn't dance yet....Alys,Tara, Maddy and Dee.

Me and My Mister Wonderful!

Tara's parents and little Maggie...how adorable. And her dress matched her Mom's maid of Honor dress.

Mothers and daughters, how cute.

Lunch at Pickwich and Frolic, yummy! It was great to catch up and talk with friends.

When Pigs fly...

I have started to brave life with two children. We have actually gone places. We were driving to one of the girls Doctor's appts. Elizabeth is in her carseat playing with her super soft stuffed pig making funny buzzing noises and going vroooooom. So I ask her what she is doing and she said "pig fy." She was making her pig fly!

My favorite two year old

Elizabeth is two today...can you believe it?Where did it go, what a fun 2 years!! So we celebrated this weekend, with a Buckeye Birthday party with Elmo of course...E loves Elmo, she received 3 of the exact same Elmo birthday cards!! Here is our family... A cabbage patch doll! Perfect for our little miss...

Brent helped E open gifts, how fun for Daddeee...

Bannana birthday cake for lille monkey E Mae.

I made banana cake again this year and I had so much joy bringing her that Elmo cake I almost began to cry... (I guess I really am a hopeless warm fuzzy). I knew she would love it!

Elmo party hats too...

Here is her cake, with Elmo.

Our friend Charlotte

Great grandpa with E and Charlotte.

Great Grandparents with Anna and Elizabeth the Birthday girl.

The Girls

It has been wonderful to have Brent home. Anna's arrival has brought on a lot of juggling!! We are loving our little girls and E has absolutely become a Daddy's girl in this "maternity leave." Here is a story before bed... Anna and Brent chillin on our couch...

Anna's first bath...and those are screams, not a yawn!

Anna in the sink tub, I love her tiny little toes!

Ut-oh

So having a new baby makes you not think clearly...the sleep derivation does something to your brain...anyway My mom was here last week helping to take care of Anna, me and mostly Elizabeth. So we prepared for nearly 2 hours to go to a doctors appt. We packed up our minivan and we were pulling out of the driveway and Elizabeth is in the backseat say super loudly..."Ut-O, Ut-O, Ut-O" we look back and realize we did not close the sliding door of the mini-van! Wow, it really puts it in perspective when your 2 year-old is reminding you to do obvious things!!

Anna Kate has arrived!!

Our new family, Brent and the girls!

Anna Kate and I....6 hours after birth.

Brent and his newest little girl.

Anna right after birth, you can see how swollen she is and lethargic.


Before c-section in our room...We are dressed and ready to have a baby!!

What an incredible week it has been for us! A week ago on Thursday I thought my water had broken, so I called Brent's mom Judi and to play with Little Miss while I go get checked out. I did not call Brent because my Grandfather had died on Tuesday his memorial was scheduled for the next day and I did not want him to take some precious time off to come the the hospital for a false alarm. So I parked and walked into the hospital, told the nurse check in person I was here to get checked out ...she asked me my name....and then the tears began...she just asked me my name and I started to ball. So they put their arms me and we walked back to a beautiful birthing room. Shortly after this, I started to bleed. So it is a good thing I went in. It is now about 10:45. The nurse told me to call my husband it looks like the baby is coming TODAY! Called Brent and he rushed over from Oberlin, about 40 mins. He arrived, and so did my dad. Mom made arrangements at school to get up here. I went in for the c-section at 1. Anna was born at 1:26, after we screamed "its a girl!!!" I said "sisters!!!" and started to cry again. This c-section was so much better than Elizabeth's..it was almost fun?? The unknown c-section fear was not there. Anna cried for a split second then she was super quiet. We were concerned, the doctors finished putting me back together and we went back to the beautiful birthing room....for a loong time. We waited there with Mom,Dad, my Grandparents Beep and Gwee for 6 hours. Our visitors left and finally Anna came to our room along with 2 Pediatricians. We held and loved Anna while they expressed their concerns of Downs Syndrome. Anna exhibited several features that indicated Downs. This was an incredible shock. I am only 29, we do not have it in our family. We were floored and honestly frightened. Anna was incredibly swollen, her face was pushed up making her eyes look very puffy, her neck was swollen...she did not look like herself. Brent and I took the news with tears and the incredibly need to educate ourselves on Downs Syndrome. I was thinking, wow maybe this is why I worked with special need children, maybe this is the path we were meant to walk. We can do it. Elizabeth will be a wonderful big sister and we will be strong parents. We agree to some blood tests to "confirm" the pediatricians suspicions. The first results would be pretty instant, they performed an EKG to look for heart troubles. Which is apparently a common worry associated with Downs. Her heart looked healthy and strong. The next results are a blood test that we would get back Sat at 3...it was Thursday night. It was one long wait. Meanwhile we had tons and tons of wonderful visitors to brighten our day. We were both exhausted but the visitors were wonderful. Friday night about 9:30 Brent came home to water our band new yard...and my room phone rang and 2 nurses ran in to get the important phone call. It was the Pediatrician with "some good news this evening." The blood test results were in early and there is no Downs in this test! I sobbed so loudly and the nurses hugged me. I called Brent sobbing to share our good news. He left the lawn and came to the hospital. It was astonishing, it seemed so eminent just two days before. Anna's muscle tone was improving and her swelling was going down. We were discharged on Sunday afternoon, still waiting chromosome testing. Which we just received these results yesterday that those were "normal" chromosomes! We still have one more test result we will receive next week. Anna is growing...she has gained a whole ounce every day since Sunday, she is thriving and a good sleeper (I feel like I need to say for now...I don't want to jinks our rest). Elizabeth is adjusting, she loves her little sister and she is a great helper....a little jealous but a great help. I am healing and Brent has held us all together this week.

Here are some pictures of the last few days....

Bus

So, yesterday we got a new minivan...we are feeling pretty officially a family...feeling good about our purchase.... then all the sudden today Elizabeth starts calling it a bus!!!

Mini Van=Mega Fun!

Today was another momentous day in our lives....we purchased our first Mini Van! We could have squeezed into the fusion but now we have plenty of room...for 2 kidos, for Jones and even some friends! It is fantastic. It has gray interior...so it is a buckeye mobile! It even has a sunroof! It will be perfect for our family...now the baby can come any day and we are ready!!

Pool

It is the greatest thing to have a neighborhood pool! We love to take Elizabeth up there to swim even for only an hour sometimes. She loves the water! Here are our new friends, Katie and Charlotte. "Sharing" noodles

Break time...we need a snack!

E and I (I am sporting a lovely maternity full coverage suite)
Summer goes by so quickly!