MY 4 KIDS

Last Tuesday, the 21st, all three kids went in for a wellness checkup. All left with flying colors, of course.

Bryggen is 34 pounds and 37 1/2 inches tall placing her in the 50th%. She was sick that day with an apparent viral infection. After two more sick days she recovered and all was well til today. At 4 am she woke up with a fever and complaining about her ear hurting. Now Bryggen is never ever sick so after last weeks viral infection it was time to go back to the doctor. And she has an ear infection for the first time in 2 years. Poor thing. I am really loving all about Bryggen these days. She has a great personality. Full of fun and laughter. She is not dull but very busy and exciting. She loves going to the basketball games, to ballet and especially school with her friends. She is great running errands with me and is very helpful. She loves her baby brothers and does a lot to entertain them and help take care of them. I never expected such a loving child to come out of a 3 year old but it has in her.

Griffin is 20.07 pounds and 29 inches tall placing him just at the 50th%. He's been great and happy for some time and I pray he continues. He was sick last Thanksgiving with an ear infection, had a bacterial infection right before his birthday but overall has been a healthy angel. He has been pulling up and cruising around furniture for several weeks now. He has let go or pulled himself up without holding on a few times now. He can say Mama, Dada, clap his hands and more. He is off the bottle and off formula and on regular milk in a sippy cup eating mostly big people food. He is a normal one year olds now and its fun and sad. Its been going by so fast but its so enjoyable too. He is calmer but still very busy and playful. He is laid back and relaxed and content. More like me. He likes to hang out and enjoy the show as well as participate in the action.

Jackson is 20.12 pounds and 29 1/2 inches tall placing him closer to the 75th%. He's been great but a little sick lately. He had a double ear infection last Thanksgiving and then again right before his birthday along with a bacterial infection. On Tuesday, 21st, he was all well and happy. Jump to yesterday and we were back at the doctors office with a double ear infection again. That's 3 double ear infections in 4 months. Poor guy. These days Jackson is super busy and playing in everything. He cruises around furniture like Griffin, waves but not on command, claps, says Mama and does most one year old things besides walking yet. And I can be patient with that. He is off the bottle and off formula and on regular milk in a sippy cup eating mostly big people food. He is my goofy and silly and fun 1 year old that has a lot of the same characteristics like Bryggen.

Baby boy is doing great and growing perfectly. He still has no name but we are slowly working on it. I have my big ultrasound to check on him next month and I really look forward to making sure all is well and on track. I can't wait to give him a name, to get his room ready and to bring him home. We are fortunate in that we have clothes from the big boys for him and have almost everything we could need. I think he will only not use their 6month and some 12 month clothes due to the weather difference. I have already bought a few things we did need and his room is starting to get in order. We already had a crib from DC that he will use, the guest bed will stay in there for our nanny to sleep in, the dresser will become his a combo dresser/changing table and all we will change is the wall color and add his crib bedding which I have picked out and am just waiting on the go ahead from Mike.

Life has been full of crazy sickness around here this February so I am praying that we are all well from here on out. The kids being sick all month, me having bronchitis and a sinus infection and Mike with the flu. Fortunately, we have new help that started yesterday. Her name is Laura and she will help us Monday afternoons, a few hours on Wednesdays and all day Fridays. I am looking forward to her being here to help me get things done. I did great without help for a while but I realized I couldn't do it all. Now I am beyond ready for the beach house to be finished so I can get down there and relax. Hopefully only another two weeks but I do realize I have been saying that for some time now. Mike and I do have a trip coming up March 12th that I can not wait for. I am taking us to Vegas for his birthday present. It will be so much fun and my sweet friend Bonnie will keep the kids for us. Yay!

Comparing

Here's Griffin at one years old

Jackson at one years old

And Bryggen when she was one.

Its hard to see the similarities but there are a good bit. Of course, Bryggen was larger at one and the boys have more hair than she did at one. But they have similar skin tone and face shape. They're all so perfect. Can't wait to see what Baby #4 looks like.

One Year Later

Jackson and Griffin in the NICU a year ago. Valentines day will always be special to me because these little guys are the best valentines present I have ever received. And the best little guys in my life.

And the trouble now a year later continues. What an absolute blessing!!! Can't wait for them to meet their brother in June.

The Big One!!!

Tomorrow is the big day. Jackson and Griffin turn One. I can not believe that a year ago I was about to be delivering these little guys. I never would have guessed they would have been born on Valentines Day and here it is almost a year later. They have been the best babies ever. They sleep great and barely fuss or cry. They are happy guys and make my day every day. I love walking into their room in the mornings or after naps to see the two of them standing up in their cribs smiling and giggling. I love the way they all play together(all three of the kids). They love Bryggen and she adores them. The boys are sick right now but are getting better. I sure hope they enjoy their day tomorrow.

The boys are busy these days. Still eating every 4 hours during the day taking 6oz of formula and regular people food. They have cut down on the formula and aren't interested in it as much as before. I will begin easing them off formula and onto whole milk. They have been crawling since they were 7-8 mos old. They have been pulling up and walking around furniture for a few months. But I think I have some time on the full walking thing. They are not steady yet and that is okay with me. Even though they are getting heavy carrying up the stairs, I am not ready for walking babies. Griffin has 7 teeth and Jackson has 6 teeth. They both weigh 20 pounds but I am not sure about their height just yet. We have their 1 year wellness check up next week to get all of their stats and I can not wait.

Hope you all have a Happy Valentines Day. We will be celebrating with more blue from now on!

ITS A BOY!!!!!

WE FOUND OUT WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY BOY!!! WE HAD AN ULTRASOUND TODAY AND THIS LITTLE GUY WAS READY TO SHOW HIMSELF OFF. I GUESS HE WAS TIRED OF HIS BIG SISTER CALLING HIM A GIRL. WE BROKE THE NEWS TO HER AND SHE WAS NOT HAPPY AT FIRST. SHE ASKED ME WHY. I TOLD HER THAT GOD WANTED TO GIVE US ANOTHER BOY. SHE TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS MEAN. HAHAHA! AFTER A LITTLE LAUGH, I THEN EXPLAINED HOW EXCITING IT WAS TO BE WELCOMING ANOTHER LITTLE BROTHER FOR HER AND SHE THEN BECAME HAPPY. GUESS WE WILL SEE HOW THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS GO.

I AM 14 WEEKS AND DOING BETTER. THE FIRST TRIMESTER WAS EMOTIONALLY HARD DEALING WITH MOOD SWINGS AND 3 CHILDREN. BUT I AM BETTER AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS LITTLE GUY. TOO BAD MIKE AND I HAVE NO NAMES ON A LIST TO WORK ON. GUESS WE BETTER GET STARTED.

JACKSON HOLE, WY TRIP

WE TOOK A SKI TRIP LATE JAN. BRYGGEN WAS SO GOOD THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE THERE. WE SENT HER TO SKI SCHOOL THE FIRST AFTERNOON WE WERE THERE BUT THINGS DID NOT GO WELL. SHE REFUSED TO PUT HER SKIIS ON. HOWEVER, TWO DAYS LATER WE TRIED AGAIN AND IT WAS A SUCCESS.