What a haircut can do

Last night I gave Brody the summer buzz and have been amazed ever since at how grown up a haircut can make him look.

My oldest two can now pass as twins.

And here's some more just for good measure!

For your sakes...

I will update for all of you who are hanging by our every blog post...you've been hanging for quite some time now. My kids will look so different to you all. Well, maybe not THAT different but Olivia might. She is growing up faster than I imagined. It really is true, the older you get the faster time goes. Unfortunately for my kids, I'm getting older making time go faster for them. Well, at least in my eyes. I can't believe how much kids can change in such short periods of time.


Brody is talking more than ever and often makes us chuckle with his phrases. He is such a boy but has no steady playmates that are male so he thinks playing with dolls and being a princess is typical boy behavior. He figures out ways to incorporate his lion and tiger into the mix to add some testosterone. I can't get over how cute he is! His run is darling with one arm pumping for speed, or as fast as his short little legs can carry him! He is my little buddy and I'm finding that he truly treasures the cuddles I give him in between my constant time with Olivia. We manage to squeeze some in there.Brylie is getting so big, I think I give her way too much responsibility. She doesn't let me down however and I feel a little bit better when I realize that I was in her shoes and did fine with the responsibility and even enjoyed it. In fact, I think I'm doing her a favor to a degree. Some kids don't learn responsibility until they move out of the house. She could move out in a few short years with all she's getting. Although, I'd like to keep her as long as possible!

Olivia is growing bigger in height and girth! She probably weighs in around 17 lbs if you ask me. She is cooing like crazy and has started laughing a little. She is also learning to form sounds with her little mouth and is almost blowing bubbles. She eats up any attention she may get and lets us know when she's not getting all she wants! I love that she's getting a little older in that she is spitting up less and going longer in between feedings! I can't believe she is almost 4 months old. Her sleeping habits are becoming more frequent in the night...I am dreading the time we teach her how to sleep through the night (cry it out).

Brad and I couldn't ask for better kids and cuter too! And I couldn't ask for a better husband! He truly works as hard as he can to juggle all he is working on currently! He is a trooper and I love and appreciate him! Thanks hun!!

Hope these pictures tide you over until our next post.

Miracles DO happen

Brylie decided to be potty trained and when I say potty trained, I mean she's only had 5 accidents and wakes up dry. It has been about a week now! I am so proud! And she's not 5 years old like I thought she'd be!!!

We had an outdoor activity at our house that was fun for the kids but Dad wasn't so thrilled about it (writing on the door). Sidewalk chalk works on more than just sidewalk.

It has been fun to see how much Brylie loves Olivia and how much Olivia loves Brylie. Here is a video of the two talking!!

Can't Get More Precious Than This

Nipples...

Today Brylie said to me while we were sitting down for dinner, "Mom, I need my nipples; they're over there." Now we've had the nipple conversation with me nursing Olivia so I know she knows what nipples are so I thought she was trying to be silly but her face told me she was serious and she really "needed" her nipples. So while I was quickly thinking of a tasteful way of telling her, "No, remember what nipples are..." she said, "They're over there in the window" where we keep her chewable vitamins. And it clicked. She was not really talking about nipples at all. Phhhhhew! Silly girl! I love you! And then I gave her a vitamin and she was happy!

Olivia

After several requests, here is Olivia today smiley as can be! We are so glad to have her in our family and healthy.

Birthdays galore!

We have managed to work it (unintentionally) so that all our family birthdays land within 2 months of each other!!! We can get all the present opening over with and then have 10 months to build our excitement of opening presents again. Brylie has said many times, "tomorrow I will be four!" only to be disappointed when I say, "no, you still need to have a halloween, and thanksgiving and christmas when you are three". She has even tried to trick me by saying, "mom, when I turn four tomorrow, I will go pee pee and poo poo in the potty". I have seriously debated letting her "turn" four prematurely just for the chance she would go on the potty. Just another attempt at almost successful manipulation.

As seen here, I turned 31 to start off the celebrating of birthdays, that is, after the actual 'birth day' of Olivia on the 29th of December. We had a few friends over for delicious princess ice cream cake. Brad picked the cake up on the day of so there weren't many to choose from. Princesses fit me better than dinosaurs, I guess. I had a great birthday as usual and am delighted to turn 31!?!

Brylie could hardly wait for the 3rd of February to come so that she could actually be 3. We had talked about it for a very long couple of months and she had no problem abandoning the 2. We opened presents that morning and she enjoyed cards and phone calls from relatives throughout the day. We had another princess cake and opened remaining presents. She had an awesome day and as mentioned before, wants to turn four tomorrow.




Brody had to wait a whole 20 days and then got to celebrate twice because I was in the hospital with Olivia over his birthday. He opened a present or two and had a brownie with candles that night for dinner. He heard from family on the phone also and enjoyed many cards. We finally opened all of his presents and had his alligator cake Friday the 5th of March. Needless to say, he had a great birthday and loves being 2.


The last birthday was Brad's 29th. His was the 26th and I was still in the hospital with Olivia so we postponed the celebrating. We did open his presents around the same time we opened Brody's but today we are having his birthday dinner and cake. Pictures to come!

So now we have a whole 10 months to get excited about present opening and to discuss going pee pee and poo poo in the potty today without turning four first. So many fun things to anticipate!

Together at last!!

We came home today! So nice to be back!

News from the hospital...

For those who are unaware of the last week, our whole family got a cold and regardless of our efforts to keep Olivia from getting it, she did and we wound up in the hospital. We have been here since Sunday morning. Olivia sounded pretty good except for a cough that made her gag on her own secretions and she had a fever. Her fever persisted a few days and then went away but she started to sound bad again when she should have been sounding better. She then got another fever so the doctors began to look for a secondary infection. And they found out this morning she has pneumonia. So hopefully she will respond to the antibiotics quickly and the crap in her chest that is causing this cough and difficulty breathing (meaning her oxygen saturation hasn't been as high as it should be) will resolve and she can come home. We anticipate Sunday or Monday, however, you never know what will happen and I don't have much confidence in predictions as we have been disappointed with them so often in the past.

Here is Olivia in her mist tent. This is like a big localized humidifier. Very high tech!

You can't see in the picture but she is on oxygen and has an IV. It took 6 pokes and she has had 4 different IV's that eventually didn't work. She is so strong physically (she'll be my "sporty" daughter) and emotionally. It's nice to be able to calm her in these tough times! I guess the Lord knew we had been through this before and could handle it, or we just haven't learned the accompanying lesson. I know I learned this, all of our future children WILL be born after RSV season, so in the summertime!

A large THANK YOU to everyone who has helped out, expressed concern, given a meal, called us on the phone, visited the hospital, watched our kids or watched Olivia for us and more! You have no idea what an outpouring of blessings we have received and I have been able to see our prayers and your prayers on our behalf answered through all of you! It's been very humbling and testimony building. I can't express my gratitude enough! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Can't stay out

of the hospital that is! I don't know what it is I'm doing or not doing but we just can't seem to keep my newborns out of the hospital with RSV! Olivia was admitted on Sunday with RSV and we don't know when she'll come home! Keep her in your prayer and we'll keep you updated!

Thanks to all those who have helped out so much! Especially Grammie for being able to visit and take care of Brylie and Brody. What would we do with them otherwise?

Their biggest advocate...

I have just become the biggest fan of this...I may not have any impressive credentials but I am a mother of 3 kids who have all braved RSV in the first few weeks of their lives and I can say that this nose sucker would have made things SO much better for all of them, maybe even kept the older two out of the hospital. I wish I could buy one for all of you! It's that awesome!

All Smiles

Blessing day

Today Brad blessed Olivia! She wore the same blessing dress Brylie wore and was very good during the blessing. Here is our family! And here is Olivia with her dad! We are so lucky to have this darling baby!

LIke mother, like daughter

Olivia weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces when she was born.
At 5 1/2 weeks old, she weighed 13 pounds.

Totally Hilarious!!

So I think Brad is hilarious but many of you don't see his humor as often as I do so I thought I'd share this little video. Brad grew this beard and kept it because it seemed to be easier and he and I liked it. But he decided to shave it and this was the fun we had when he did.

What we've been busy with...

Cassidy's Birthday!

Today is Cassidy's birthday! We love you Mom and hope you have a Wondermous Day! Time to party like it's 1989!

-Brad + Brylie + Goober + Peanut

Family of Five

Here are pictures of Brylie and Brody meeting their little sister Olivia as well as our first family of five photo!

Take THAT Uncle Sam!!!!

We will be taking THREE dependent child deductions on our income taxes for 2009!!! Thanks to Olivia Gunnell coming in at 3:12 PM on 12/29/09!



Olivia was 8 lbs, 12 ounces, and 21 inches long (at two weeks early no less!). She has slightly darker hair than her siblings and brown, BROWN eyes, but her face is a perfect blend of Brylie and Brody.

Mom is doing great, and just keeps saying, "This is such a RELIEF!!!!"

-Brad

Christmas Ornaments

Today we colored some ornaments we got from Grandma and Grandpa Allen. Every year we get an ornament with our name on the back and this year we got to color them. Here is the end result. Mom may have helped a little!