Sydney, Ollie, and I flew out to Kansas last week to visit Malinda's family. It was a well-needed break after 9 weeks of being in the whirlwind of sleepless newbornhood. Malinda always makes me laugh so hard and we get to talk till the wee hours of the morning. Her boys are little angels and we wish they could live closer.
Malinda shares my love for Halloween and all holidays :)
Charlie was so extremely sweet with Oliver - he didn't leave our side the entire week. He'd ask to help burp him, clothe him, share his blanket, and run all of the diapers to the trash the second I'd finish changing Ollie. I wanted to bring Charlie home with us as a live-in babysitter! :)
We did family photos at their favorite Tuttle Creek before having an Oktoberfest celebration
look at this cake Malinda made!
root beer in authentic German steins
the yummiest bratwurst on kaiser rolls that tasted EXACTLY like the street brats we used to have when we lived in Germany
look at Mason and his axe! I should've taken a photo of his collection of about 50 knives. ;)
Oliver was wishing he could eat some of the tasty bratwursts ;)
ended the trip with "Boo-Nilla" milkshakes with Harry Potter floating candles from the ceiling. It was the perfect trip to get in the Halloween mood!
Such an amazing gift to not only have my sister, Kathleen, at the birth, but to have this beautiful video she made for us to cherish forever. I have cried watching this more times than I can count. I love these little babies that enter our family and add so much love and sweetness. Fresh from heaven.
Oliver came late at night and it took a lot of self-control to not get someone to wake the kids up and drive them over to the hospital to meet their little brother right away. So they skipped school the next morning and came to the hospital to meet Oliver. This is my very favorite part about having babies. Their reaction was so sweet. So curious, eyes big with wonder. Poking at his tiny ears, fingers, nose. Unwrapping him to see his tiny diaper and funny-looking belly-button.
Oliver's due date was the 22nd, and Max's birthday is the 24th. The only thing I cared about was that Ollie NOT come on Max's birthday. And I'm so glad he arrived the 23rd. They can be birthday buddies, but not birthday twins. :) I want Max to have his special day. So Max spent his birthday morning meeting his new brother, and I told him it was his very own special birthday present. :)
At one point during their visit, the on-call pediatrician came in to do a check-up on the baby, and Ollie began to cry and scream. Max's bottom lip started to tremble, then he ran over to me and buried his face in my arms and cried until the baby settled down. He has a tender heart, this boy.
I love Sydney's expression here, excitedly telling me something while gently caressing her new baby. And Noah's constant curiosity about everything in the hospital. The kids were the most curious about my tummy. It was such a shock to see the baby OUT of me. They kept pushing on my tummy and commenting on its squishiness. Max asked worriedly, "Is yow tummy wooind (ruined)?" ;)
meeting his Nana and auntie Kathleen
Kathleen was at the birth of Noah and it was so wonderful to have her at Oliver's too. I don't think I'm as private about this sort of thing as most - I would love to have all of my close friends and family there to celebrate the arrival of each new baby!
my heart melts seeing these two together
I love the hospital stay. Feeling pampered and special, and just staring at this new bundle in my arms every minute of the day.
My mom and Kathleen and her sweet Eden came to be here when Oliver was born. The kids were in heaven having their beloved Grandma and Auntie and "Baby-Eden" here (it's never just "Eden"). Poor Eden was smothered by hugs and kisses and curious, doting cousins all day, every day. It was a good distraction for the kids during such a big change and a lack of a Mommy around the house.
My mom is brave and always lets the kids join her in cooking amazing dishes.
look at these flower-shaped apple puff pastries!
story time
their expressions say it all. :)
My sister, Malinda, started the Valentine's Day tea party tradition, and we carry it on her name. In fact, as I was laying out the place settings and goodies, Sydney said, "I wish Malinda made this!" ;) Maybe crackers and Cheese Whiz wasn't the kind of fancy Sydney had hoped for. But we enjoyed it just the same.
Noah serenaded us with the accordion while Max danced the jig.
Noah hasn't quite mastered the art of drinking out of a cup.
We are loving the 70 degree February! I think we will eat all our meals outside.
