So much to be thankful for

Around 9:30pm on November 20th, I started pre-labor.  Pain wasn't terrible and so I fell asleep about 10:30pm with the contractions about 20minutes apart.  Around 1am I was woken from sleep with a sharp contraction and from that point on I didn't sleep much.  About 3:30am I woke up Matt after I had taken a shower without any relief and told him that I thought I was in labor.  He suggested I call the MD on call, while he jumped in the shower.  My contractions were about 10-12 minutes apart and she advised that I stay at home until they were about 2 minutes apart.  So, Matt went back to sleep and I tried to doze off between contractions if I could.

 

 I had an MD visit the following day 11/21/12 at 11am.  When the NP examined me I was dilated 2-3cm and contracting but still not 2 min apart.  She told me to come back in 1 hour and she would check me again.  So, Matt and I ran some errands and then went back.  When she checked again I was 4cm dilated, so she sent us to the hospital to OB triage.  The NP there would check me again and decide to admit me or send me home.  About 2pm on 11/21/12 she checked and said I was 6cm dilated and so she admitted us.  Matt and I were excited that we were going to meet our third little munchkin.  What we didn't know was that the baby would hold out until early Thanksgiving morning to be born.  At 4:25am 11/22/12 (Thanksgiving morning), I gave birth to a 8lb 12 oz little girl.  She measured in at 22 inches long and was Perfect.  She looks just like her big sister, brother and daddy.  However, she has dark hair which is new for us.  Her own little trait.  We are truly blessed and have so much to be thankful for.  This was by far the best Thanksgiving we have ever had.

 

Meeting Daddy



Learning to use hand sanitizer before touching baby sister

Meeting their baby sister, Cassidy Elizabeth.

Excited to finally meet the baby.  Carter didn't even mind that the baby was another sister instead of brother

Ella Catherine holding Baby Cassidy for the first time, completely mesmerized.

Happy about having a new baby sister.

Sibling LOVE

Little momma adjusting the blanket so she can see Cassidy better.



Happy to be a Big brother.  He was so gentle with her.

Meeting Nana for the first time

Family shot.  Now that there are 5, we could not all fit on the hospital bed. :)

Another family shot

Sisters

The Lynch girls

Proud Daddy with all 3 of his Children.  I love how Cassidy is looking up at him

Going home.  Big YAWN.

Daddy feeding Cassidy first day at home

Meeting Pop

Big sister feeding Cassidy

Happy Thanksgiving

Time with Daddy

Saturday mornings at 9am Ella Catherine has gymnastics.  So, Carter and Matt usually have some father/son time.  Sometimes they have projects around the house and sometimes Matt takes Carter to either Home Depot or Lowes for their children's workshops.  He has built a race car, a fire engine and this past weekend a turkey Napkin holder.  It is so fun to see his little face light up talking about his newest creation.  I LOVE that he and Matt have this special time.

 

Proud of his Turkey Napkin Holder

Halloween 2012

As I have posted here many times, Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year!  I just love helping the kids get dressed up and watching as they get so excited running from house to house.  I know I've also mentioned that due to the extreme hills in our neighborhood we have opted to take Matt's truck in past years.  This year was no different with one exception, Matt is usually the driver and I am the walker.  Well this year being less than a month a way from delivering munchkin #3, it was I who drove the truck.  I walked with the kids the first few houses and then opted to sit and watch from a distance.  So, I would drop them off and drive ahead several houses and then they would hop in when it was time to climb a large hill.

In addition to the Rosenhagens, we had some other friends join us this year too, the Curriers.  Matt, Kimberly and Kailey came over and then we drove over and picked up our neighbors and great friends the Rosenhagens.  It was so much fun having friends to go around with.  We were running a little behind and so I completely forgot to get a group shot of the kiddos on the back of the truck.  But here is the low down on who was who.  Ella Catherine was Jesse Cowgirl from toy story, Carter was batman, Kailey was minnie mouse, Shaun was a power ranger and Libby was a fairy princess ballerina.

In addition, Mimi came and joined us this year.  She had a few days off and decided to spend them with us.  Halloween day I was with Ella Catherine at her field trip (see next blog) and Carter got to spend the day with Mimi.  He was so excited to get to spend the whole day by himself with Mimi.  It was fun to have her along for Halloween and very nice to have another set of adult hands with all the kids this year.

P.S.  Not a shock that Batman refused a shot by himself and since we were running late we opted to obey his wishes.

Jesse the cowgirl "AKA Ella Catherine" ready for trick or treating

Jesse Cowgirl

Batman "AKA Carter", Jesse Cowgirl "AKA Ella Catherine" and Minni Mouse "AKA Kailey"

The crew at the first house

So fun going with a group of friends

The fairy princess ballerina "AKA Libby"

Jesse leaving a happy girl with candy in her pumpkin

Jesse joined by batman after getting some candy in his pumpkin

The crew including Mimi, the Lynchs, the Rosenhagens and the Curriers

Me with the kids after trick or treating.  Couldn't pass up the opportunity to dress up too this year.  So what did munchkin #3 and I dress up as?  Mike Wiskowski from Monsters Inc. :)

First Field Trip

Ella Catherine's class took their first field trip to the Discovery Center and I was lucky enough to be able to go along as a chaperone.  The first part of the day was spent learning about different birds, animals, reptiles and fossils.  They were able to learn about and see an owl, box turtle, king snake, salamander, hedge hog, ferret and a bunny.  The owl and salamander were the only live creatures that they were not allowed to touch if they wanted.  I was super proud of Ella Catherine because she decided that she would touch every one and see how their skin/fur felt.  I only wish I was a little faster on the camera as I missed a lot.  Her reaction to the hedgehog was priceless.  Poor little fellow was a little scared and as you touched him would jump and arch his back like he would to prey trying to eat him.  She about jumped out of her skin when he jumped.  Can't say I blame her as I jumped a little when he did it to me too.

After the morning of learning they had lunch and then were allowed some free time to play on all the exhibits.  It was so much fun to meet all her friends I have heard so much about and see her having fun learning and playing.  I hope that I get the opportunity to go on more of these trips with her.

Ella Catherine in the purple next to her friend Alex in the red looking at the salamander

Petting the box turtle

Petting a ferret

Petting a bunny

Identifying fossils

More fossils

Having lunch with her friends

The power of water exhibit

The grocery store



The arts and crafts center ( no shock that this was Ella Catherine choice of exhibits when it was her turn to choose)

Playing on the locomotion

Adding coal to the coal car

Driving the car with her friends (this is forshadowing of the future and frankly it scares me a little)

Escavating at the construction center

Bake Sale

Ella Catherine's school had a bake sale today and I volunteered to contribute to the sale.  My contribution were these pumpkin cake pops.

Fall Break

 Ella Catherine's first Fall Break was Oct 1-5th.  With the new baby coming Matt and I have been trying to save our time off.  So, Nana offered to come up and keep her while Matt and I went to work.  Carter went to school the first half of the week giving Nana and Ella Catherine some one on one time to do some arts and crafts etc.  However, the second half of the week she kept Carter too and they had fun going to the park, having picnics and craft time.

It isn't hard to tell from the pictures below that they had a blast.  Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of Nana and them playing because we were at work while the fun was had.  My favorite part of the week was coming home from work each night and hearing both kids tell Matt and I with excitement in their voices what all they had done that day.

It is so great to have family that can come up and watch after the kids when we need them.  We love Nashville but do miss having family nearby.  So, it is very nice and we are very lucky that our famlies are so willing to arrange their schedules to come up and help us out when we need it.
Thanks NANA!

 

Carter riding his "motorcycle"

Ella Catherine riding her bike

Playdoh art

Enjoying some Playdoh time and making some art together

Look at that stance. :)

Ella Catherine pushing Carter on the swing

Ella Catherine pumping her legs and swinging by herself

Rock Wall at the park

 Carter Climbing up

Carter Sliding

Ella Catherine Sliding

Ella Catherube Climbing up

Picnic at the Park

Ella Catherine mastering the fireman pole all by herself

Happy day at the Park

The boy loves Tball