Thursday, February 23, 2017

The Rest of February

What a blur of posts in one day.  I had to just sit down and plow through to get it all done.  This should get me caught up.

The kids both had AMAZING mid-year parent conferences this year.  I was seriously blown away.  Everything was so positive.  We celebrated with Baskin Robbins!  My grandma always took me to Baskin Robbins when I visited her and I have an affinity for it.  I still love the same ice cream I used to get with her.
 Just hanging out.

 


 

 

 
When your bib is as big as you are
 Love

 

 

 
Everyone's birth announcements
 Lunch with the big brother

 
A gift from Kim's neighbor
 On Monday the kids didn't have school and we ran some errands in Hurst so we stopped by our friends' restaurant for lunch.
 I hear this picture may make an appearance on their social media sites
 He got this sleeper from my friend Mandi at my shower
 Lunch with Sis
 And Aaron

 

 
She loves to lay with him and hold him

More One Month Pictures

 
I had so much fun taking pictures of Andrew as he turned one month old
 


 
It really has been a perfect month
 Some other things I forgot to mention in my other posts:  I said through almost all of my pregnancy that this would be the first kid not to make it to his scheduled delivery date.  I knew I wouldn't go into labor, since I can't do that, but I just knew he wanted out and he would find a way.
 I also said throughout my pregnancy that he was the strongest, most aggressive kicker of our kids.  This has been confirmed outside the womb, as well.  Even when we went to get his PKU test done when he was a week old the nurse commented on his strong legs and kicking.  Since she does this A LOT I assume that her commenting on it means it was a bit out of the ordinary.
 He did a great job getting his blood taken, though.  He's actually handled a lot of things like that way better than I have experienced with other newborns.  The same with the first bath and tummy time. 
 He is stubborn.  In the hospital we learned that if he didn't want to eat, he would not eat.  We were told by every nurse that you could force a feeding.  Still haven't been able to do it. 

 
But when he does want to eat, nothing can stop him.  He is such a great eater and has been able to go three hours between feeding since birth, I think because he takes such a good meal.  This was his coming home outfit, by the way.  He also had a bonnet that Julie's mom made for him.  It is a keepsake that came with a beautiful story about how his future bride can carry it with her flowers. 
 He looks SO much like Aaron that it's nuts.  He has the same expressions and mannerisms already.  It's funny because Aaron and Abigail were so different from each other and Andrew seems so much like Aaron.

 

 
I have absolutely adored the newborn phase.  Every reflex and stretch and baby noise and expression and gurgle.  I just can not get enough of it all!

 

 

 
 His hair is light compared to our other kids (and us).  The nurse in the OR said he was blond and I think he's probably not, but he's definitely a lighter brown than everyone else.
 

 He does very well swaddled, but he also will nap some not swaddled, so that is a nice mix.  The other kids had to be swaddled to sleep.  He also doesn't mind his carseat as long as the car is moving.  I know that is normal, but neither of our other kids did well in the car so we are feeling super blessed by this!  He actually will sleep in the car.  We have never had that!
 

 So over the moon in love with this one month old!
 

Andrew's Look and Love

My church was so sweet to throw Andrew a baby shower but we MISSED IT because he came early!  So it turned into a Sip and See or a Look and Love on his one month birthday.  It was so fun.  It was at Julie's mom's house.


 These clothes were actual gifts for Andrew
 He woke up at the end and was so surprised by all the attention!

 

Jump Rope for Heart

Every year the kids raise money for the American Heart Association and they have a great time jumping rope for the cause

 

 

 


 

 

 


 


 

Valentine's Day

 
The Kindergartners had a Fancy Valentine's Tea and the kids paraded through the school all dressed up
 The older kids had a more low key Valentine's Party

 
Love these valentines
 Abigail's class party

Abigail's Birthday

 
Abigail turned six this month!  I absolutely can not believe it.  Her party was a few days before her birthday at a gymnastics place.  Sis LOVES a good birthday party.  While Aaron gave up parties a couple of years ago in favor of experiences, Sis has her parties planned out for the next four years.  Yes she does.  She loves all the people and the presents and the activity and the cake.



 
She has had a Minnie Mouse theme at almost every party she's had.  We had Minnie Mouse snack packs before cake.

 

 

 
 She picked this cake out herself
 


 

 



 

 
 

 
The next day Dee and Papa took her to Cotton Patch to celebrate her birthday.  They brought her a tiara to wear.
 


 
This was her actual birthday

 She had a party at school

 That night we went to dinner at Cracker Barrel. 
She had a fantastic birthday.  I could not love this child more.  She is so full of hearts and sunshine.  She leaves notes that say I love you for all of us all the time.  She takes notes and pictures to her friends and teachers at school.  She dances and sings and draws her way through life.  She has so much to tell you.  I love to listen to her at the end of every day.  She is smart and sweet and impulsive and high strung.  She loves Jesus and her family.  She loves to swim. She loves to read. She loves, loves, loves to play pretend - school, house, family, beach, restaurant.  We are so lucky to get to have a bit of her.