Our Laughter

So we are pretty late in getting Charlie’s 2 1/2 pictures. Sears had their GREAT sale – $7.99 and NO sitting fee. We love it. So the result is a HAM of a Charlie being good for yet another picture being taken. He had alot of fun and I was grateful that I was able to be there this time. You really cannot see where kade took a pair of scissors to Charlie’s head AGAIN!

The boys are dressed. Olivia is fed and dressed. I am dressed. Diaper bag packed. Errands arranged. And I can’t find the car keys. I had them JUST LAST NIGHT. So I am not going anywhere today.

So frustrating.

First of all, would you believe that we actually went the ENTIRE time Marissa was here without getting a picture of her with any of us, until this morning right before I took her to the airport, and even then, it was only of her and me, I having just rolled out of bed… ::sigh:: PATHETIC. And she has the picture, so I can’t even post it!

We had a wonderful time with Aunt Missy here. She was such a HUGE help for me, letting me sleep in until 8:00 or 8:30, or even 9:00 one morning. She played with the boys, making awesome train tracks, building garages and big buildings out of blocks, taking them out to play in the snow, reading books to them, taking them to Safari Land,  teaching them how to talk while plugging their noses (it’s ALL about the pee-ew stinky plant!!!)… SHe also helped me send a package to Aaron for his upcoming birthday. Although I probably would have survived last week, she made last week much more pleasant for me. Marissa also helped with dishes, baths, scripture study, holding baby Olivia, putting the kids down for naps and down to bed… I really was spoiled to have her here, at the expense of her family, who went without their mom and their wife for a week. Missy– we really do “Missy” you a lot already. I want you back! Can you come?

While she was here, she also took some pictures of our family and newborn pictures of Olivia. While I direct you to her photography site, Marissa Noe Photography, she said I could post a few up on my blog for your viewing pleasure :) I am really excited to have these pictures of my growing family!

Having a little girl has been a new experience for us in the Matthews household. Aaron doesn’t quite know what to do with himself– he goes shopping for something and comes back with a cart full of baby girl clothes (only a slight exaggeration) … To be fair, he does throw in some consolation prizes for the boys… But he never went and bought clothes for them “just because”… He’s been tempted to go back on our agreement of no babies in bed with us, because Olivia is SUCH a cuddler… and I am finding another woman in bed with my husband. I feel cheated! Of course, all of this behavior is also rather endearing and adorable, and I love to see him with his little baby girl.

But then, there was LAST NIGHT. I had fed, and fed, and FED, and changed, and changed, and CHANGED Olivia from about 6:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m… with just 20 minutes or so in between feedings. (These “power feedings” or cluster feedings are actually pretty nice, because she does actually sleep through the night with the occasional feeding every few hours) And she was still fussy, but obviously tired. So, I handed her off to Aaron, who was in bed waiting for me to finish feeding Olivia AGAIN. She was lying on her back, and fussing, so Aaron put his hand under her, turned her on her side, and snuggled with her. INSTANTANEOUSLY, this is what happened:   (taken with my cellphone… quality is not the best…): All I am saying is that we had BETTER be moving to Shelby REAL quick, because if I can’t get my baby girl to sleep, I know who can!

One of my FAVORITE General Authorities of the Church is Jeffery R. Holland. I love to listen to him speak. I finally found 2 of my most favorite talks from Elder Holland to new mission presidents. You can download them then burn them. The audio is not the best however I hope you find as much joy in them as I have.

Atonement –

Doctrine –

Let me know what you think :-)

We were giving Olivia a bath last night in the bathroom sink, and Aaron caught this candid picture of our little girl soaking in the “tub”. It was too cute to pass up!

We thought we would update some more pictures from the past couple of days. The past week has been sweet. The boys love their sister, she isn’t bothered by their raucousness, and we seem to be transitioning well (for now) to a family of 5.

Olivia was on the floor for “Tummy Time” and fell asleep. SOOOOO cute! She is such a sweet, pleasant baby. We love her to death already!

Kade and Charlie were playing “Row-Row-Row your boat” in a plastic tub and really wanted Olivia to join them. So, as soon as I was done nursing her, she went for her first “boat ride”!

Kade (and Charlie) both love to kiss “Olydia” or “Oyi-ah Et-er” and will clamor for any opportunity to do so. They also love to hold her, and Charlie has been known to sit on the couch for 5 minutes doing just that!

Here is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa getting their “Baby fix”. They are loving having Olivia here full-time.

Here are a couple of pictures I took when trying to get the tough “Bodyguard” faces for Olivia’s shirt. Charlie had a blast hamming for the Camera, and Kade chose to be difficult. But these two pictures were cute :)

As Amaree and Olivia were coming home yesterday I remembered that I have seen a picture of myself holding my sister after she was born. Well it was about 3 months after but still. The chair is still at my parents house. So I arranged to have the chair upstairs when they came home. After getting the kids used to baby we had them sit in the same chair and hold their baby sister.

Here is my picture – then my kids holding their sister -

After 9 months – and a wonderful day – Olivia has joined our little growing family. Since this was a “planned” C-section – it made it alittle easier. I was ready – :-)

But of course our Doctor would not even let me NEAR the open area. Owell thats life. i did get to watch. After the past couple of C-Sections that were NOT planned this was a welcomed relief. If I recall all we talked about was computer support help from Dell and how our Doctor will call me from now on :-) olivia joined our family at 10:05 am on Saturday jan 9th 2010. our Doctor came in on her day off and even when she was not all call. WE LOVE YOU DOCTOR LEE! Mom did great and is recovering fine – We hope to have them both home tomorrow – of course that is after Amaree makes going number 2 her number 1 priority.

PROMISED PICTURES -

In case you cannnot read her shirt -

In 5 days or less, I will have 3. Three children, 3 and under. YIKES.

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to have a baby girl, to be less out-numbered, to be un-pregnant again, to start eating better and exercising again (hopefully without this constant back pain I’ve been fighting for the ENTIRE 9 1/2 months!) and lose this baby weight and all other excess weight that is hampering me and making me feel fat (because at 38 1/2 weeks, I still look more fat than pregnant… Those glares when I park in the “expectant mother” parking spots are getting old ::sigh::) to put on my socks without holding my breath, to not have to get up a million times a night to use the restroom, (oh, wait… now I’ll be getting up a million times a night to nurse… shoot!) to kiss some sweet baby cheeks and watch my little boys adore their sister, to have a name picked out for our little girl, to watch our amazing little family grow, to have a daddy’s little girl, to have my sister come and spend a week with me… I am excited about all those things and more, I promise.

But… 

Do I still have time to change my mind?

Because having three kids scares me. Really bad.

And, seriously, am I old enough to have ONE kid, let alone THREE?

And, by the way… Is it seriously 2010?