Introducing...

Kate Abigail

Born Saturday, October 27th @ 2:05 a.m.

Weight:  7 lb. 2 oz.

Length: 21 1/4 inches

When I passed my due date, my mom appropriately dubbed our little one as "Late Kate."  Not only did Kate come two days late, but she also made her appearance in the middle of the night...keeping with the LATE part of her name.  :) 

I had just tucked the kiddos in when a few stronger contractions started.  I went to bed thinking I would just sleep them off as had been the case for the past few weeks.  With the encouragement of my husband ("I do not want you to deliver this baby at home!"), we headed to the hospital around 12:30 a.m.  After the paperwork/check-in process, I was officially admitted at 1:17- still not in intense labor.  Things progressed quickly from there, and little Kate was born at 2:05 a.m.    What a blessing!!  God is so good and blessed us with a speedy delivery and a healthy baby girl. 

Here's a picture of Jon holding Kate around 4:00 a.m. - a couple of hours after her birth.  My 4:00 a.m. picture with Kate will be for Kate only someday...just to prove that I am the birth mother!:)  Here is a picture of us taken the following day. 

It was fun to introduce Kate to big siblings, Scott and Natalie.  We've been pleased with their adjustment so far...another answer to prayer.  

Natalie says, "Baby Kate Abigail so tiny and coooote!"

Scott says, "She looks like a boy."  

I overheard the kids putting on a show last night for an imaginary audience.  Scott "announced" to the crowd, "I have a new baby sister.  Her name is Kate.  She looks like a boy, but my mom and dad say that she's a girl.  I still think she looks like a boy."  

(We may have to pull out the hair bows sooner rather than later for Scott's sake.  He's really stuck on this.  I think he was expecting his new sister to have long Natalie-type hair.) 

                                

We were discharged from the hospital early (like 6:30 a.m.) Monday morning.  We bundled Kate up for her first trip out into the cold.  It looks like I may have gone a little overboard.   Two hats...really?!  

And finally...a few more pictures of our cuddlebug.  During her first week of life we've learned that Kate:

-is nocturnal.

-loves to snuggle and be held.

-can sleep through Scott and Natalie's marching band.

-seems to resemble Scott's baby pictures more so than Natalie's.

-is definitely a keeper!

 

DUE DAY...

 ummm...scratch that...how about...

ZOO DAY!

How ironic that I haven't had a "late" baby until my third.  What's up with that?!  We made the most of the BEAUTIFUL day though and enjoyed our time at the zoo. 

Blogging or Nesting...one or the other

 This silly girl was "ribbiting" all day in honor of her frog shirt.   Her greeting of the day was a "RIBBIT!" 

 Lately, when asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she says, "A bumblebee!"  Scott corrects her and tells her she cannot really become a bumblebee which makes her mad.  She will shout, "BUMBLEBEE!" even louder and they go back and forth.  After all the ribbiting and hopping I saw going on today though, I wonder if she'll change her future plans...

This is Natalie's "REALLY TIRED!" face.  She will often make this face when she's getting scolded for something and say how tired she is. 

Cousin Brody recently announced some fun news!  He's going to be a BIG BROTHER in April!  Yay for another niece or nephew! 

Oh how I wish I loved arts and crafts as much as the kids.  Scott constructed and painted this train and had so much fun doing so. 

We made a second trip to Monkey Joe's.  This time, with Daddy!  The kids were happy to have someone who could help them up the slides and such. 

For the pregnancy update:  I'm not due until the 25th.  The doctor says it could be any day though (he said this last week).  Scott was born right on his due date and Natalie was born six days early.   Jon and I were laughing because both of the kids' entrance times match their personalities.  Scott was born right when he was supposed to be born.  Why?   Because that was his due date, of course.  So black and white.  Natalie, being the eager beaver that she is, just couldn't wait any longer and forced her way into the world six days early.  We are wondering how this baby will compare! :)  My vote is for this Thursday...10-11-12...wouldn't that be a cool birth date?! 

Anything but FLY

Let's go (insert action word of choice...run with, reassemble, get tangled in, rip, burn) a kite...

 Early in the summer, the kids received kites as gifts from their Uncle Derek and Aunt Maggie.  We had been waiting for the perfect windy day to fly them and finally attempted our kite flying session today. 

 The two and four year old probably wouldn't know that the attempt was very unsuccessful.   They had a blast running back and forth in our backyard "flying" their kite. 

 

 For some reason, the whole experience had me laughing harder than ever.  Whether it was Jon running across the yard as he attempted different flying methods, the kids repeatedly getting tangled in the string, or Natalie exclaiming, "OOPSIE DAISY!" with each nose dive of the kite,  it had me doubled over in laughter at times.  Sooo...thanks Derek and Maggie for a fun afternoon activity.  Next time we hope that the kites also come with a tutorial session.  :)  

Dynamic Duo

We recently moved Scott to a twin bed.  He came up with the idea that his new bed needed a step stool by it so he could get in and out easier.  He decided that he and Daddy would build one.  Once he got this idea in his head, it was not a matter of if, but when.  He talked about this project for days.  They drew up some plans and finally were ready to begin.

 After a much anticipated trip to the hardware store in Daddy's blue truck, the guys set out to work. 

That power saw was sure noisy!

 Sanding and assembly...

 Ta-da! 

Time for the paint.  Scott couldn't wait for this part!  He chose "Thomas the Train Blue" to match his bedding, of course.

  

The step stool has been a hit.  Not only has Scott enjoyed using it to crawl into and out of his big bed, but the kids have also been using it as a stage in the living room to put on daily shows.  These "shows" get rather lengthy at times for this audience member.  I convinced the kids that I could still effectively listen/watch from the reclined position.  :) 

Pumpkin Patch

We're getting our fall activities in early this year just in case the baby wants to make her debut.  Natalie has been saying all along, "October...baby be born!"  So, when I told her it was October the other day, she was ready to meet her sister then.  Scott has been asking me to pray that the baby is born each day.  I told him that he could pray for that, but that I wasn't quite ready to speak those words! :)  

Natalie got a kick out of this and kept saying, "Apple heads!" and laughing.  

We took a bumpy tractor ride to the pumpkin patch.  Scott found us a large family pumpkin in about 60 seconds.  Jon liked his selection and the men were ready to hop back on the tractor and head to the van. 

Natalie, on the other hand, wanted to keep shopping and needed to examine all of the pumpkin choices before consenting on Scott's selection.  What a girl!  It's funny how the male and female differences are apparent at such a young age.   

 

Hooray for fall!