Dawson's kindergarten phase-in day

The first day of school is a phase in day for kindergarten.  Owen had only been born 5 days prior, so Daddy took Dawson.

Although, let's be honest Dawson would prefer Daddy to Mommy any day of the week.

Dawson at his big kindergarten desk

At the phase in day Dawson did a craft with Daddy, listened to his teacher read a book, practice going through the lunch line and took a short bus ride.

He is officially a polar bear now!

It's hard to believe that kindergarten time is here for you already!  I'm going to miss my sidekick, but I know that you are going to love school.  You are so naturally curious and interested in learning, I know that this is going to be a huge year of growth for you.  We love you Dawson!

Welcome Owen James

Welcome to the world Owen James!  We are so in love with you and so glad that you are here.  You came into the world on August 17, 2016 at 2:14 am.  You weighed 7 lbs 2 oz and were 20.5 inches long.  You share your name with big brother Carter Owen and grandfather Michael Owen.

Your last in utero picture with Ava snuggling and talking to you.

During my pregnancy we had discussed being induced during my 39th week, but much to our surprise the doctor recommended induction after an ultrasound at 38 weeks.  Thankfully Grandma Jackie and Grandma Sue were able to take care of your big siblings while we went to the hospital. 

We got to the hospital before lunch time and you were born at 2:14 in the morning.  You came into the world with no doctors in the room and the nurses were scrambling around trying to prepare for your arrival.  Daddy was the first person to see you, and it made for an exciting birth.

Your siblings are so in love with you.

Dawson loves to hold you and exclaims several times a day "that bebe is soooooo cute."  If he sees me without you he will ask me "Where is my bebe?" 

Recently Ava told me "Mom, that's not your baby, he's mine."  Ava loves to smother you with kisses and hugs.  She would hold you every second possible!  Meme has joked that if I bottle fed you then I could turn all your care over to your big siblings.

Carter is a little quieter, but he loves to hold you.  He is so gentle and loving.  Carter has also been so concerned for me, and will check and make sure I'm ok and feeling well.  

Owen, you are such a little angel baby.  You sleep the majority of the day, but we are starting to notice more quiet alert times.  You have this high pitched hungry squawk that sounds like an eagle or pterodactyl.  You are growing so well, at your one week check up you weighed 7 lbs 1 oz, only one ounce less than your birth weight.  Owen, we love you for ever and for always.  Thankfully Meme has been here helping out for the first two weeks of your life so I have been able to snuggle you and enjoy every minute with a newborn.  I have experienced the fleeting nature of this sweet time and I want to hold you every minute.  Love you baby boy. 

Daddy Adoration

Right now Dawson is in a very intense Daddy adoration stage.  It is really endearing and sweet, and he follows Mike around like a shadow.  If Mike is working on a project around the house, I can guarantee he is hot on his heels and watching every little thing.  He is constantly asking when Mike will have the day off from work, and the weekends are his favorites.  Yesterday morning (Saturday) him and I were the only two awake.  He asked me if Dad was working today and I said no.  He let out a big cheer and said "I love it when Daddy comes down in his grey shorts!!"  I just had to laugh because no more than an hour later Mike came downstairs in his grey shorts.  Dawson loves to cuddle with Mike and he will wrap his little legs around him while we are reading books and watching television.  

He is always showering Mike with sweet little gifts like this:  a leaf that he found outside and wrapped in plastic.  

Half of my guys!  I love watching this sweet little guy love on his Daddy!

The Tiny Troublemaker

July and August have been filled with appointments, appointments, appointments.  Not surprisingly, I have gestational diabetes with this little guy.  But unlike Dawson's pregnancy my numbers have been more difficult to control, and I'm taking medication at night to control my fasting numbers.  Due to this, plus advanced maternal age (yes, I'm officially old) I have doctors appointments twice a week.  Every Tuesday I have an ultrasound, and every friday I have a NST.

My view this summer

Thankfully all my tests have come back with a healthy baby and not unusually large either.  At the last growth ultrasound he was in the 71% percentile for weight.  Next tuesday they will measure again.  My fluid has been low twice now, so I'm drinking a ton of water and doing my best to stay out of the heat.  Only four more appointments left until it is baby time!

Thankfully I've got a great on call baby sitter in Nana Jackie.  I set the kids up with a movie and snacks and I'm usually back within an hour.  They have fun hanging out and spending time with her, it's worked out so well!

And now we wait!  We are really excited to meet you little one!

Carter's Big Day

Well, yesterday was Carter's big day!  He had all his orthodontia taken out of his mouth.

It makes him look so old with these four big adult teeth in the front!  He does have a retainer and he will be wearing it constantly until school starts.  He will not have to wear it to school, but he will need to wear it the rest of the day/night.

But I think he was really excited about the bag of sticky candy the doctors office gave him along with a cookie for his birthday.  Looking handsome, Carter boy!  And now Ava goes in next week for her expander.  I think we need some kind of frequent orthodontist card, haha!

Summer Memories

July is such a nice quiet month for us.  Although we all thrive on routine, July is a nice change of pace.  This year we are keeping it pretty low key because the heat and standing/walking for long periods of time really don't agree with me.  Thankfully the kids love to do art projects and science experiments, which can be done in the comfort of my air conditioned home!

These shoe box guitars have been such big hits!  They have been making up songs and video recording themselves for hours.  

This poor kid was so excited to meet friends at SkyZone (a new trampoline park near us)  that he ran smack into the high corner of my desk and gave himself a black eye.  Every morning he would ask me:  What color is it today?  It was some pretty ugly shades of blue, purple, yellow and green!

Carter has been making lanyards for his backpack.  He is also loving his new desk and spending so much time up there reading, writing and drawing.  He drapes a blanket over his bed and it makes his own quiet little cave under the loft.  He looks so big!

The water xylophone has also been a favorite, along with paper airplanes.  Who knew how much time these kiddos would spend flying paper airplanes?

Kennywood

For Carter's 9th birthday we gave him the option of having a friend birthday party or doing something fun with our family like an amusement park or water park.  Carter choose the amusement park, and even though it's only July we decided to go to Kennywood in Pittsburgh so we could visit family as well.  Carter's birthday is also the first day of school and with our little brother's impending arrival I knew it would be easier for me to go sooner rather than later.

Ava is not going to be a amusement park enthusiast (I understand Ava girl, neither am I.)  There were several rides that she was tall enough to ride, but she refused because they looked too scary.  She preferred kiddieland, so Mike would take either Dawson or Carter to ride a roller coaster and she would ride happily on the smaller rides.  From many car rides we have learned that she suffers from motion sickness, so it's quite understandable.  

Here is the log jammer!  Smiles all around!  I love Kennywood, I remember riding all these rides as a little kid!

Here is a picture of Carter on his first "real" roller coaster, the jackrabbit.  I remember riding this with Margie!  Carter went on it, said he liked it, but didn't want to do any more roller coasters after it.  Ok, maybe next year.

Sign Sorry Shelfie

My three cuties

They also went on the raging rapids and got soaking wet!

Still dry at this point!

Ava loved getting soaking wet but got off the ride and hated it.  I thought the water looked refreshing!

This kid is going to be his Daddy's riding buddy.  He adored the roller coasters and wanted to go on more!  Mike can't wait until he is a couple of inches taller so he can go on the much bigger rides!

Ava and Carter on another Kennywood perennial favorite, the whip.  Ava said it felt like Dawson was driving!

What a fun day with my favorite three little ones.  Even though I couldn't go on any of the rides with you four, I'm so glad I got to see your smiles and giggles afterward.  It was a long day but a day we will always remember!