Sunday, January 22, 2012
Kids Cook!
There is a cool place in our neighborhood that caters to kids cooking. Since Kate started taking a cooking class one day after school, I decided to take her there on one of her days off. She got to make a breadstick, and then decorate it with powered sugar and melted chocolate. She had a great time, and an even better time eating her delicious treat!
First Bottle
Emily got her first bottle at about a month old. Considering we waited until 6 weeks with Kate and it was a never-ending struggle to get her to take the bottle, we figured we would start a little earlier this time.
She took it like a champ and downed 2 ounces!
She took it like a champ and downed 2 ounces!
Crowe's Nest Farm
Before the holidays, Charlie and Kate both had field trips to Crowe's Nest Farm the same week. I got to spend two days at the Farm, lucky me. :-) I only got pictures of Charlie's trip. But both classes pretty much did the same things.
The kids also got to see a cow being milked, and lots of other animals throughout the farm.
Picnic lunch
Class picture
Checking out the Longhorns
The kids also got to see a cow being milked, and lots of other animals throughout the farm.
Christmas!
To say we were exhausted for Christmas is a bit of an understatement! We were so happy to be home for Christmas though and to have a new baby that it wasn't so bad being bleary eyed tired. My biggest fear was to be in the hospital on Christmas, so I was very happy to be home.
Since we did not know if Emily would be a girl or a boy, and we were not expecting her (or him) until mid-January, we did not have anything for her to wear! We ran to several stores and could not find anything...they all had their Valentine's Day outfits out and were sold out of Christmas stuff. Unbelievable. We finally found red pants and a Christmas onesy. No cute dress. :-(
Christmas Eve we went to Mema's house. Uncle Keith and Aunt Merry were here for the holiday - both very excited that Emily came early so they could meet her. We had our traditional seafood dinner and the kids got to open a couple of presents....the first of many.
Christmas morning was a wrapping paper, present opening extravaganza. We weren't planning on having anything for Emily, but Charlie was excited to see what Santa would bring for Emily. When we tried to tell him that Emily might not get anything, he would not believe that Santa would forget her or leave her out. Back out to the stores we went.
We opened our stockings on our beds.
Santa brought Kate a dollhouse, Charlie a race-track, and them both an art desk to share.
Christmas day Paul made us all dinner. Beef roast and potatoes! It was delicious.
Since we did not know if Emily would be a girl or a boy, and we were not expecting her (or him) until mid-January, we did not have anything for her to wear! We ran to several stores and could not find anything...they all had their Valentine's Day outfits out and were sold out of Christmas stuff. Unbelievable. We finally found red pants and a Christmas onesy. No cute dress. :-(
Christmas Eve we went to Mema's house. Uncle Keith and Aunt Merry were here for the holiday - both very excited that Emily came early so they could meet her. We had our traditional seafood dinner and the kids got to open a couple of presents....the first of many.
Big girl drinking out of her wine glass
Christmas morning was a wrapping paper, present opening extravaganza. We weren't planning on having anything for Emily, but Charlie was excited to see what Santa would bring for Emily. When we tried to tell him that Emily might not get anything, he would not believe that Santa would forget her or leave her out. Back out to the stores we went.
We opened our stockings on our beds.
Christmas day Paul made us all dinner. Beef roast and potatoes! It was delicious.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Emily Grace Despins
On Monday, December 19th I hit 36 weeks pregnant. That morning at my doctor's appointment, my doctor decided to take me off of bedrest with instructions to rest as much as possible and really try to make it one more week at least.
Well that night at about 9pm my water broke. It just took about 8 hours off of bedrest for labor to start! At 4:36 the following morning, after about 9 hours of labor, Ms. Emily Grace was born. After a complicated, difficult pregnancy, her birth was relatively quick and complication free! I had another drug-free VBac and Emily came out crying and healthy! Even though she was a preemie, she did not have any major complications and was able to come home with me 48 hours after she was born...right in time for Christmas.
Well that night at about 9pm my water broke. It just took about 8 hours off of bedrest for labor to start! At 4:36 the following morning, after about 9 hours of labor, Ms. Emily Grace was born. After a complicated, difficult pregnancy, her birth was relatively quick and complication free! I had another drug-free VBac and Emily came out crying and healthy! Even though she was a preemie, she did not have any major complications and was able to come home with me 48 hours after she was born...right in time for Christmas.
Minutes after her birth
A very excited older brother and sister
Dr. Lockey - my doctor who delivered Emily
Kate's Christmas Concert
Kate sang again this year in the Christmas concert at her school. She was absolutely adorable. Her favorite song was "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."
Tree Trimming
Unfortunately, I was on complete bedrest right after Thanksgiving through Christmas so we did not get to do a lot of the things we usually do before Christmas. We did decorate the house and tree though! Well, Paul and the kids did while I sat on the couch and watched.
Kate really enjoyed decorating the tree this year
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was a fun holiday. We had Aunt Merry and Uncle Keith come for a visit. The weather was so nice we got to eat outside on the deck.
Preparing the green beans with Aunt Merry
Master carver of the bird
Charlie is Reading!
Charlie has grown by leaps and bounds the first couple of months of kindergarten. He is now reading his own books. He has also gotten to be a much better writer, and now will write out stories and descriptions on the pictures he draws. Here is a video of him reading a story to his Dad. This is from the very beginning of the school year. Now he can read the entire Dr. Seuss books!:
When I was in the school, I spotted this that he had written when they were learning about owls. This was from the beginning of the year:
When I was in the school, I spotted this that he had written when they were learning about owls. This was from the beginning of the year:
Owls can turn their heads.
Charlie's Fall Harvest
Charlie's kindergarten class planted a small garden at the school. The day they planted the seeds, Paul attended and helped the class. Right before Thanksgiving break was the harvest. I got to attend, and we harvested the vegetables and made a meal out of it for the kids to eat. It was a great day and a really good experience for the kids.
Radish!
Sampling the food
Beautiful Winter Weather
Here is Austin, we love our winter weather. After a summer of relentless 100+ degree weather, its nice to revel in the cooler beautiful weather. One Sunday we decided to have a picnic at Zilker Park. We brought a soccer ball, some lunch and just hung out. It was a great day!
Halloween
The good thing about Halloween is the kids got good use out of their costumes! The bad thing about Halloween is that it was the first time I had signs of pre-term labor and the beginning of a long ordeal before little Emily came.
It was a great Halloween though! Kate had her Halloween parade at preschool and she got to wear her costume to Ballet class. Charlie had the Doss H'Owl at his school, which we all attended. The H'Owl is a huge halloween festival that Charlie's elementary school runs the Sunday before Halloween. There are games, food, jump houses and tons of stuff for the kids. Its also a huge fundraiser for the school. I volunteered and helped to organize it. The kids had a great time and the day was awesome! We also had a little party at a friends' house, and went trick or treating with some friends.
Kate wanted to be Abby from Sesame Street and Charlie was Luke Skywalker. They were incredibly cute!
It was a great Halloween though! Kate had her Halloween parade at preschool and she got to wear her costume to Ballet class. Charlie had the Doss H'Owl at his school, which we all attended. The H'Owl is a huge halloween festival that Charlie's elementary school runs the Sunday before Halloween. There are games, food, jump houses and tons of stuff for the kids. Its also a huge fundraiser for the school. I volunteered and helped to organize it. The kids had a great time and the day was awesome! We also had a little party at a friends' house, and went trick or treating with some friends.
Kate wanted to be Abby from Sesame Street and Charlie was Luke Skywalker. They were incredibly cute!
"Abbydabby" as Kate says
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May the force be with you...
Charlie playing one of the games at the H'Owl
Trick or treating on Halloween
Annual Halloween party with friends
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