Alaria's 4th Birthday

Alaria turned 4 on Tuesday!  She's been talking about her birthday for months (literally) and I wanted to make it a special day for her, especially with a brand new baby in the house. 

Grandma was here, Kris took the day off work, and we pulled Cole out of school.

All ready to head out for a fun day!

Alaria has been asking FOREVER to get her ears pierced, so I decided to suprise her and we started the day by going to the mall and getting them done!  She was SO excited and did so good!

Checking them out in the mirror

Showing off the new earrings!

Next we headed to lunch at Cafe Rio.

Then we went to Monkey Island and the kids had a blast!

Mariella pretty much just slept through it all (it was a good first outing for her!)

Then we headed to Emmett and Ethel's for ice cream!

The kids always get to pick what they want for their birthday dinner.  This year Ali picked chili which made us laugh so hard...because she doesn't really like chili.  But she insisted.

So we had a chili dinner

And of course princess cake!

She also got spoiled rotten with great gifts!

Happy Birthday Alaria!  We can't believe you are already 4!

Alaria is such a sweet and happy girl! She sure is a girly girl - she loves to get her hair curled and her nails painted! She loves shoes, purses, jewelry, make up, dolls, barbies, princesses, and singing and dancing! She is such a good helper and is always right at my side. 

We love you! 

Having Too Much Fun!

One Week Old

My friend came to visit Mariella last week.  She reminded me that I haven't been good at taking pictures

(I get so frustrated because the camera just can't capture the actual cuteness!) so we took some one week photos.  Thanks for making me get my camera out, Shelley!

First time in the swing

The Arrival

I was scheduled to be induced on Monday the 7th.  When Kris came home on Friday (the 4th), I was super uncomfortable and so anxious about having the baby and going into labor. I suddenly didn't feel ready and kept telling him that.  I was having a bad pain in my side, so went upstairs to lay down for a minute.  About ten minutes later my water broke!  My mom was coming up the following morning so she could be here to watch the kids.  So we called the Hortons, who graciously invited the kids to come and sleep over.  We checked into Timp Hospital at 6:30 p.m.  They were extremely busy and said we were getting one of the last two labor rooms they had available.  I was dialated to a 3 when we got there, but my contractions were already about 3 minutes apart.  We got all settled in and I got my epidural, and awhile later when they checked me again, I was still at a 3. I was preparing for a long night.  They said they would wait one more hour and if I wasn't progressing they would start me on Pitocin.  An hour later I was at a 6 and thirty minutes later I was at a 9 and about ready to push!  My doctor had 4 patients at that hospital at that time, and right as we were about to get started, a nurse ran in and said another baby's head was showing.  He ran over there and looked, then ran back and said mine was coming first.  I pushed through two contractions, and my perfect, tiny, sweet girl was out!  She was born at 10:39 p.m.  Mariella was the first baby born of that round of laboring mothers and within one hour and one minute of her birth, 6 babies had been born! It was such a crazy night!

Our first meeting

6 lbs. 10 oz. and 19 inches (my smallest baby)

First bath at the hospital

So happy she's here!

Cole

Joshua

Alaria - finally a big sister!

First night at home, so comfy and cozy

First bath at home

I love this picture with Ali in the background just watching the bath.
The kids love her so much and have adjusted really well.  They are such great helpers!



She's Here!

Mariella Christine arrived on Friday night.

She is perfect and we couldn't love her more!

(more pictures and info coming soon...just wanted to show her off real fast!)



Random

 I've finally got the nursery all finished.  Though didn't take pictures of everything. 

This is what I made to hold hair clips (to attach to headbands)

                                      And her new blankets that I can't wait to snuggle her in!

                                      (I didn't make these...just one photo I got of her room)

                     I finished my sewing class. It was fun to make pj's for Josh...

                                                  they are so cute on him!

And it was so fun to take a class with good friends.  Half of our class was pregnant, it was so funny!

On to the next project....getting the baby here.  Less than a week away! 

Projects

I've definitely hit the 'nesting' phase...not only did we recently paint and move Alaria's room, redo the boys room, and get the baby room ready...but I decided I needed a few crafty projects to keep me busy.  In addition to taking a sewing class this month, I decided to make a carseat cover for the baby...

 This shows the outside and inside fabric

                                                             This is the outside view

And these are the flowers and headbands I've started...need to do my ribbon ones.  They have been so fun!

I will post pictures of the new bedrooms soon.

Jr. Jazz

 Yesterday was Cole's first Jr. Jazz game.  He lives and breathes basketball these days.  If I don't hear a basketball being dribbled in the kitchen, or shots being taken on the little hoop against the door, then something is wrong.  His team is the "Mini Thunder" (named after Westlake Thunder). He adores his coaches and had a great first game!

Cole's coaches always say he's a mini Michael Jordan because he always has his tongue out when he plays.  So intense!

This is the first shot Cole took in the first game

Baby Time

 Last night was Allison's baby shower.  It was so fun to spend time with great friends, but was so funny to all be pregnant at the same time! Had to get a picture...what a fun memory to have one day!

In order from when we are due (right to left) Allison, Shelley, Michelle, Shelley, Laura

Luckily Colleen came before we were done taking pictures.  How fun to all be having new, sweet, little babies at the same time!

Christmas Morning

The kids had such a hard time sleeping. They couldn't wait to get downstairs and open presents! They came in our room at 12:40, 4:00, 5:00....so at 5:30 a.m. we finally gave in and got out of bed. What an amazing Christmas. Cole's favorite gifts included football pads and a jersey, legos, an indoor basketball hoop (spends ALL of his time on this!), BYU blanket, and movies
Josh's favorite gifts included a huge car track, star wars guys, legos, robot bug, huge nerf gun, and a car game
Alaria's favorite gifts included a pillow pet, dolls, barbies, polly pockets, a cat piano, sing-a-ma-jig, and her letter factory.
They also love their new ZhuZhu pets!

After we opened gifts and had breakfast, Grandma and Grandpa Gillespie and Kelly and Laura came out to visit! Then we packed up and headed to Price. It was like Christmas morning all over again. What spoiled kids! We were so blessed this Christmas!

Josh hanging out with Grandpa Gamber (and Charles)