Fall-ish 2012

Happy Fall!  Fall is our favorite time of the year.  We love watching the leaves change color and we love when the tempurature takes a much needed dip so we can sleep with the windows open!

This fall-ish:

We celebrated 8 years of wedded bliss.  I love this man more than words can say.  I'm so thankful that God brought us together.  He is a true and faithful partner, and I can't imagine going through life with anyone else.

We took pictures of our clones.

We took a long car ride up to Macinac Island.

Braylee started soccer.  She has been nicknamed 'Tank' by her coach, and my brother saw a video of her playing and said she looked like a bulldozer...that's our Braylee (I think she's only made 3 girls cry. So far.).

And Harper turned 4 months old (where did those months go?!)  She's getting a little more vocal.  She LOVES food (liquid or solid), and she wants it right when she wants it. 

We also said good-bye to our family's best friend this past week.  She had been diagnosed with Lyme Disease 2 1/2 years ago, and the symptoms were really starting to show.  Over the last 6-9 months it had been getting much worse.  She was having a lot of accidents and we tried a couple different medications.  It was SUCH a hard decision, but we know that she's not suffering now.

Lucie was the BEST dog.

She loved our kids like they were her own.  They could use her as a step stool,

or a pillow and she didn't mind.  She never barked.  She was a 60+ pound lap dog and love to be near us.   

Now, I don't have anyone to eat the crusts off the kids' sandwiches.  Or the crumbs they make with every meal (SO MANY CRUMBS!)  And, I don't have anyone to wait for me on the mudroom rug until I get home from the grocery store.  And, I don't have her to protect me while Scott's out of town for work.  And I don't have anyone to sleep on the floor by my side of the bed.  And I don't have anyone to follow me wherever I go.  She was such a loyal, loving dog...there is a hole in my heart and I don't think another dog will ever top her place.

We love you, Lucie Goosie.  We miss you so much!

*tear*

~Kristen 

Summer 2012

First things first...in case you were all wondering: my feet did not pop, but resumed their normal size instead.  :)

We've been so thankful to have had a safe and fun summer.  It was really nice to spend some good quality time with Scott (he took two weeks off when Harper was born) and the girls!  This was the perfect summer for our neighborhood pool and we used it almost every day.  Paitin and Braylee were happy to act like little fish. 

Fun in the sun with their cousin, Maisie.

And we were lucky enough to be invited back to spend the day at the Fremont Baby Food Festival with Grandpa and Grandma VanDusen.  It was a blast!  And only 88*, thank goodness it was on a cool day! 

We played in the rain...that one time it rained all summer for a whole 10 minutes.

Braylee watched Paitin play because she was sick.  :(

We took a road trip up to Macinac Island over Labor Day weekend.  My brother got to meet Harper for the first time.  He said, 'That's one big baby'.  :)

 

My babies started school!

Paitin on her first day of first grade.  She came home and said it was 'totally awesome'.  I love that girl.

Braylee started 4 year old preschool.  Do you see a theme of animal print skirts for her first day of school??

1st day last year

We want her teachers to be well aware that she's an animal...

And, Harper is now 3 1/2 months old (how did that happen?!)

Harper at a few days old

Harper at 1 month

Harper at 2 months

Harper at 3 months

Harper loves Paitin, and the feeling is mutual!

Braylee holding Harps.  I love my girls.

Harper is such a sweet baby.  She's been sleeping through the night (9+ hours) since she was a month old.  She smiles all the time, and only cries when she's hungry.  We have LOVED having her.  She is such a blessing to our family.

 

Can you tell which of our kids these are?!  Answers at the bottom.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

A. Braylee, B. Harper, C. Paitin, D. Braylee, E. Paitin, F. Harper

I pray that this finds everyone healthy and happy.

~Kristen

We are a party of FIVE!!!

Hello, everyone!  My name is Harper.

My entry into this world was pretty uneventful.

I joined my family on May 26th, 2012 @ 3:10am.  I weighed 7lbs 10oz and was 20in long. 

My dad is smitten with me!

My mom thinks I'm pretty cool, too!

This is my new room...I like it here - I sleep 7 hour stretches at night already!

I spent 4 days on a bili blanket shortly after we got home from the hospital. 

I enjoy playing Tiger Woods golf on the Wii with my dad. 

This is what I spend most of my days doing  (sleeping with puckered lips).

And this is what I spend most of my nights doing (sleeping with puckered lips).

These are two of my biggest fans.  They can't get enough of me! 

I'm smothered in love.  :) 

If you haven't met her already, now you know a little more about our little gift from God!  Harper has been such an easy baby so far.  Other than a few blips in the road, she's been quiet and calm, sleeps really well, and smiles already! 

(3 weeks and 6 days old)

We have LOVED having her so far...can't wait to see what God has planned for her life!!

~Kristen

Paitin turns 6!!! (and other stuff)

Our little, lovable Paitin turned 6 today...I have no idea how that happened.  I can remember holding her in my arms for the first time and it seems like only yesterday!  She is such a blessing to our family!

This was from her 1st birthday (May 2007)

And her being silly!

At Disney (November 2009)

So much has happened within the last year.  It seems like she's grown up so much!

She lost her 1st tooth!

 

and started Kindergarten.

Lost her second tooth!

Learned how to dance

Lost her 3rd tooth!

Found out she was going to be a big sister again

Lost her 4th tooth!

Learned how to read 

AND lost her 5th tooth (the day before her birthday).  :)

Paitin is so easy-going, smart, funny, silly, and beautiful.  She was and continues to be a gift from God!

In other news...

The pool opened May 17th and you'd better believe that Scott took the kids to go swimming on May 17th!

Braylee practiced her latest pouncing skills... 

I promise Scott is not flashing some vulgar hand gesture...he's just telling the camera that we'd made it to 8 months!

If you are at all sqeemish, please finish looking at photos here.  :)

This is what my cankles look like daily at this point.  My mom describes them as 'a roll of play-doh with toes'.

And what they look like after Scott has left his thumb print.   Scott has said that he's not worried that my belly will grow more, he's more concerned that my feet are going to pop.  Hah!  We are SO ready to meet this little one so my ankles can resume their normal size. 

I'm due in just under 2 weeks, so we'll post pictures of our 'party of five' very soon!! 

Any and all prayers are welcomed!

~Kristen