Random Kid Pics and Updates

Spring has sprung, and here are some random pics of kids, life, and what we've been up to these past couple of months!

 

Charlye...Growing like a weed! 5 months already...started eating solids, is still pretty laid back, but likes lots of attention! This girl has a giggle that will get anyone laughing! She has started rolling over and can almost sit up on her own. Loves baths and watching her big sisters run around.

 

 

Olivya...our free-spirited, yet stubborn child! This kid knows what she wants and gets into everything! She loves to get messy, loves to paint, play in the sand, and test every possible limit there is to test. Her vocabulary has expanded greatly and she loves to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "ABC's". Of course, she also enjoys instigating trouble and antagonizing her big sister Adelyn.

 

 

Adelyn...loves dresses, dolls, lipgloss (we blame her Aunt Tasha for this one:) ) , and being outside! This girl has grown up so much and says things that floor us every single day! She loves writing and spelling her name on her own. Of course, being the oldest child, she continually pushes her limits as well and has learned how to be a bit sassy too. However, she has the most loving and caring heart and is always trying to "be good" and make people happy. She is also a great peacemaker between her and Olivya (quite the good negotiator also).

 

 

And when the girls all get along, it's pure bliss. Completely melts my heart that they truly love and care for each other.

 

 

 

Every day, we feel so incredibly blessed to be parents to these 3 amazing girls!

 

Nov 2014: Charlye's 1st Photo Shoot...hijacked!

This is a totally random post, and it's from over a month ago, but it also totally describes our kiddos right now and thought it was kind of funny. Charlye was meant to be the "star" of this photo shoot...but putting her little sister in her place (the "3rd child" slot) right from the start, Adelyn stole the photo shoot. 

This is our goofy, dramatic, fun, and sarcastic daughter! (otherwise known as the 1st born). Adelyn loves the attention, and loves putting on a show...being in front of the camera, etc,. etc.. And if these pictures don't bring out the best of her personality...I'm not sure if we will ever capture it on film:) So without further adu...heeerrreeeee'sss Adelyn! 

And then there's Olivya. We tried - man did we try - to get her to take some pictures. She wanted nothing to do with it. But that's our girl. Determined...sometimes stubborn...and downright hilarious. Like, honestly funny. Michael and I laugh at her (actually WITH her most of the time) multiple times a day. She has an incredible sense of humor and is shaping up to be the jokster of the family. She laughs at herself too, which I think is hilarious. We did manage to get 2 shots with Olivya in them, and of course she is looking as cute as can be (looks can be deceiving!)

And then there's Charlye. Sweet little Charlye. She is so busy watching her big sisters that she doesn't have time to do anything, or act up in any way. Poor girl...I think she is in such shock at this crazy world around her that she is content as can be...sleeps great...eats great...and of course is cute as can be. Ok, ok...she has figured out that she needs to get some of what she wants too...so she knows how to raise her voice when she's hungry, tired, etc. 

 

And once in awhile...in a very great while...we get all the sisters to be nice to each other and love up on each other in front of the camera. And when we try to get a picture of all 3 girls together...well, you can see what happens by the pictures below:)

 

It's amazing how different these girls are. All precious...all incredible...but so very different! So much love for these ladies...so much love!

June 2014: Olivya Walks!!!

It's official (actually has been for a couple of weeks now...) This girls is on the move!!! (And it's about time!!)

And because walking is such a huge milestone, I think this milestone deserves its very own post. 

Yay Livy!! Way to go!! 

May 2014: Throwback to Olivya's Surgery...

One month ago today, Olivya had surgery to put tubes in her ears. After 8 ear infections in 12 months and 2 months of her waking up 3-12 times a night, we were referred to an ear doctor and decided that placing tubes in Olivya's ears would be the best way to relieve the constant fluid and pressure in her ears, and reduce (hopefully eliminate!) her ear infections. Poor girl...basically her entire life, she has been uncomfortable and/or in pain!!!

Because we live in a small town now, the specialist (ear doctor) only comes to our clinic every other week, so after we saw him, we decided that we would drive to his main clinic in Duluth to get her surgery rather than try to schedule it in Aitkin and wait another 2-3 months (because his schedule was booked until then).

Like any other surgery, Olivya couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight the day of her surgery. Luckily, Duluth schedules surgeries from youngest to oldest so the good part was that she was the first surgery of the day. The downside to that was that we needed to leave Aitkin by 4am to make it to Duluth by 6am. I was VERY nervous that she wouldn't handle the morning well without a bottle if she woke up...

But we made it to Duluth and this girl took it like a champ! The doctors and nurses were great! After changing her into her over-sized "surgery scrubs", they let her play with the mask that eventually would put her to sleep...

After pre-operation things, they took us upstairs where we had to wait for the surgeon and nurse to come out and get her. Luckily, they had a pretty sweet play area that Olivya could play in, which kept her busy for quite some time.

Soon enough, the Surgeon and nurse came out and talked to us, and before I knew it, I was handing my baby over and praying like crazy that surgery and the anesthesia and everything would be ok. I would be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear as they took her out of my arms and through those doors into surgery. The "what-ifs" were killing me, even though I knew it was a very routine and common surgery. 

Michael and I headed downstairs to wait for her surgery to be done, and just about as we sat down in the waiting room, the surgeon came in and told us that she was all done...things went great...and she's in the recovery room waking up from her anesthesia! I found out later that she was "put under" for a whopping 6 minutes and the surgery took 4 minutes (2 minutes per ear). Crazy!

When they brought her into our recovery room, she was nothing but smiles!!! I was so glad to see her awake and happy!! I couldn't stop smothering her with snuggles and kisses...

And about 1/2 hour later, we were on our way back to Aitkin! Since her surgery, there has been some nights that Olivya has woken up once though out the night (I'll take it over 8 times a night any day!), but for the most part, Olivya is actually sleeping through the entire night without waking up at all!!! (And once again, I am remembering what it is like to sleep!!). 

All in all, I'd do it over again in a heart beat! Its made the world of difference in Olivya, her sleeping, and her attitude!!! And today I'm thankful for the medical abilities that we have to help our children, and the doctors and nurses who live to make children (and parents!!) feel comfortable during what can be a scary and nervous time.

Hurray for fixed ears!!!!!!

April 2014: Olivya's 1 Year Photo Shoot

Better late than never, but here are some reflections on Olivya's first year (along with her 1st Year Photo Shoot)...

Our precious daughter...you are (for the most part) laid back, and often serious...(though you're becoming more silly now that we got tubes recently put in your ears! And you're sleeping like a champ!! That not something we have seen much of during your first year...It may be for the first time in your life, you are no longer in pain! After 8 ear infections within 10 months, we decided that tubes was the best option for you, and I think we were right).

You LOVE to explore, be outside, and are so content just doing any and everything! You're definitely a "go with the flow" baby...

Your favorite games to play are "so big", the Itsy bits spider, and patty-cake! Keeping in true form to your sister, you aren't very anxious to walk. You've mastered crawling, and going up and down the stiars, and pushing things around while walking (even holding a finger while you walk) but you just have no desire to do it on your own.

You notice textures all the time and it takes you a minute to be ok with a "different" texture, whether it be something you feel or taste. So far, you are a pretty good eater and LOVE fruit, tomato soup, frozen peas, and popcorn.

You're belly laugh is out of this world contagious, your personality is starting to come out (you like to be silly and make people laugh!) and you've gotten the nickname "stinker" by your big sister adelyn because of the mischief that you get into (especially getting into Sami's water dish and food...and you love to make messes of all sorts!)

You still are a little cuddle bud...you love your blankie and nuk and have also begun a liking for stuffed animals! You have blessed our lives every day this year and we can't wait to see what the future holds for you (who knows...based on these last two pictures, it seems possible that you may be following in your mama's footsteps...bahahahaha. so cute!)

I can't believe how much you have grown this year and how fast the year has gone! We love you Olivya Ann!!