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!!!

Oh Summer!

Well as you can see I haven't been on my blog for awhile. It has been a really busy/tiring past month and the trek down the stairs without kids hasn't been happening too much.

Natalie turned two in July we had a little family party. We gave her a water table which she loves to splash around in. At two she is my energetic explorer. She loves to climb and often gives 8 1/2 month pregnant momma heart attacks since I can't quite run as fast on the playground as before. She is starting to talk a bit more and is very independant. She is waking up at night again of course right before the baby comes just to remind me that she is still the baby. She can sneak around so quietly that I often find her downstairs before I even hear her. Last week we had the Barfuss's here and she found a jar of vaseline which she promptly styled her hair with.  Mostly what I love about my two year old is she has the biggest smiles and gives the best hugs.

Abby has been sick off and on all summer fighting this pneumonia she got. It has been tricky because she has so little energy poor thing. She is getting excited to go back to joyschool and restart her swimming lessons. She has become Mom's little helper and informed me that when the baby brother comes she will be ready. We don't know what we are having but Abby is insistent that it be a brother. We shall see how that works out.

Only a couple more weeks hopefully of pregnancy for me. I am so excited to welcome number 3 to our family. It has been a super hot and dry summer and I can't wait to enjoy it a bit more without this extra baby inside. Hopefully it will be a long extended summer. Now if only I was ready for the baby to come. Oh well soon enough.

My neice is going through the temple today and getting married on Friday. I can't believe it!!! She is such an awesome girl and I am so excited for her. Wish I could be there. I got to throw her bridal shower and help out with the Winnipeg party we had so much fun.  It was fun to have company in our new house and not feel so crowded like our old one however it was a little tiring. Tonight I have a RS activity that I am in charge of , Thursday I work my last shift and then I am clear to have a baby!!!

My camera is up on the second level so forgive that lack of pics. I can assure you my kids are still cute and my prego belly is huge.

Strawberry Picking!!

We headed out to a new strawberry picking farm this year. It was so much fun. They take you out on the wagon and you pick to your heart's content and then there is a petting zoo.

We had a lot of fun picking and if you notice Natalie she had a lot of fun sampling with her red face!!

Last night for Family Home Evening we had a ton of fun playing in the yard with the sprinkler. It has been so crazy hot here. So sad that I am 7months prego and am not totally enjoying the hot mostly mosquito free summer but my kids sure are!!!

Abby was practicing on a two wheeler last night without training wheels. She has been begging her Dad for months to do this. It is very interesting to watch your kids try to learn new things and see how they handle it.

Hope you are all enjoying the beautiful summer!!!