Smith Family Christmas Letter 2011

2011 was a year of fun

We renovated our house then moved to a new one.

Two trips to Alberta brought a lot of joy.

Now everyone is anticipating all the Christmas joy.

Abby is our busy girl who turned four this year.

She loves being in joyschool and shows no fear.

She took soccer and swimming had all sorts of fun.

Mostly she loves doing arts and crafts a ton.

Her first presentation in primary was a hit.

She said her memorized scripture without a fit.

Natalie turned two and loves to climb.

She is always on the go wasting no time.

Her baby brother is her new favorite toy.

Giving everyone hugs and kisses brings her joy.

She loves to sing and dance,

Banging on the piano whenever she has a chance.

Jared was slow in coming to earth

Mom had an induction and a slow birth.

He loves to smile and make a lot of sound.

His sisters love having him around

He loves to sleep which Mom adores

He’s growing like crazy and never a bore.

Ryan has been really busy this year.

Doing  our renovations with no fear.

Many wood projects and house projects too.

Serving in young men’s and ward mission leader too.

Being a Dad brings him great joy.

Playing with the kids and making them toys.

Jessica has become a mother of three.

And often runs around like a busy bee.

Making our house into  a home.

Taking the time to write this poem.

Serving in the Primary and Relief Society too.

Trying to balance life as we all do.

Family visitors came for special days.

Away from ICU with maternity pay.

Thanks for reading about our year.

Hope it wasn’t too much to hear.

Merry Christmas to you and all those you hold dear.

We wish you the best in the coming year!!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Christmas time is here!!!

As usual I am behind in the blog but here as some of the fun things we have been doing to get ready for Christmas!! Making snow angels in the front yard and decorating with colored water in the backyard!

 We went and chopped down our own tree again this year. It was so much fun. You don't get the perfect tree but the experience is well worth it!
We also are doing the 12 Days of Christmas this year which has been so much fun. The kids get really excited to run, ring the doorbell, and watch as the people open the door!
We went carolling on Monday for FHE to a few houses and Abby was so excited she sang jingle bells all night long both in and out of the car!

 Jared is mostly taking in all the girls excitement, screaming, giggles you know.

Only two more sleeps and then hopefully Mommy will be able to get some sleep!!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Halloween

Better late then never I always say. Well actually I hate being late and never say that but I am finding these days the blog is getting pushed out to the no time category hence writing about Halloween two weeks late. Anyway had to share our cute Halloween pics. It was so fun this year. Abby was so into it. Natalie burst out crying at the first door but once she got some candy she was really into it. Jared came to a few houses then handed out the candy with Grandma. All in all we had a great holiday here are my cutie pies in their costumes!! Natalie was a giraffe and Abby was a dog.
I didn't dress Jared up but he has some pretty good facial expressions without a costume so I figured he didn't need one yet.

This is us on the way out. Yes I was a total lamo and dressed up as a nurse. Ryan went as a cowboy but we didn't get his pic for some reason??

This is one of my favorite pics of the night. The two girls looking so independant and so eager to get to the next place. I feel like they are growing up soooo fast!!!!! Oh and by the way the weather was so fantastic like probably the warmest Halloween I have ever experienced thus far in Winnipeg!! Pretty awesome!!!
                       

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Just wanted to say I am so grateful for these fine people!!! Have a great Thanksgiving!!!

Oh and for this awesome guy!! Check out Jared's tie that Ryan made this morning before church. He is so excited to have a little boy to get ready. Pretty fun stuff!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Jared

Jared Alan Smith

Well here is my handsome little man who finally decided to come with a little help from the medical world. Since I was 12 days past my date I got put onto the induction list. I got called on Saturday afternoon while I was at the RS Service Project. We headed off to the hospital but nothing started to happen with the first step so we got sent back home. I finally started having regular contractions in the night and we headed back. Anyway to make a long story short I ended up on the IV and Jared came after a long day of labour. He arrived on September 25 at 6:45pm weighing 9lbs 1oz and measuring 21 1/4 inches. He has beautiful blue eyes like both his sisters and a nice head of strawberry blonde hair. Everyone keeps asking who he looks like I never know so here he is for you to decide. He does have his Daddy's fingers, toes, and personality. So far he is consistently eating every two hours and is growing and changing.

The second most asked question is how do his sisters like him? As you can see from this pic they both are pretty happy. They are always asking for turns to hold him and wanting to take pictures with him. Natalie is a little agressive and I am patiently repeating the word gentle about 1million times/day and maybe not so patiently by 4pm but we are working on it.

We are all very excited that he finally arrived and I am loving having a newborn to rock and cuddle.

Welcome to the world Jared!!!

HEHEHE!!!

So remember my last post. I was so excited to be done work and eagerly awaiting arrival of number 3 preferrable before the 12th because that was way too far away. Well it is now September 19 and this little one has still decided not to come. HMM maybe a stubborn personality????
My doctor spoke the dreaded word induction today. Not that I don't want the baby to come I just had this dream of doing it all by myself. The kids keep bugging me because I told them it was coming and it still isn't here. Abby asked me today,"Are you sure you are having a baby?"  I am pretty confident that it will come soon enough and if it ends up being induced quite frankly at this point I would be quite okay with it.

Abby has been enjoying her joy school so much. She loves to learn and we bought her a kindergarten readiness book which she pores over everyday. I love her desire to learn and how excited she is to be a part of some type of school. At church a couple of weeks ago she volunteered to sing a solo for the primary presentation. I was nervous for her at first. However she has been practicing her little heart out and tonight for FHE she sang the first half of the song pretty much independantly. I can't believe how grown up she is getting. Where do kids get their confidence. It is pretty awesome.

Natalie is still going strong. She is starting to say lot's of words now which is such a relief. She has not been a big talker for so long I was getting ready to visit a speech language therapist. She has a new friend in nursery and they run to it together each week. She is full of spunk with her curly locks and she repeatedly comes up to my belly and bangs on it while saying baby!!!

I promise my next update will be pictures of our new addition to the family.

Finished

Worked my last 12 hour shift in the ICU today. YEAH!!!! I am so excited to start the journey of mother of 3. I know it's going to be challenging and hard. Everyone at work kept saying 3 Are you crazy?? I am pretty sure that is what makes motherhood so amazing is that it is super hard and it makes you grow as a person and hopefully in the end you have children who love you and go out into the world as capable, independant, and loving adults.
Here's hoping that number 3 decides the 12th is too far away and comes soon. Will keep you posted!!!