Crew is Here!!

Yay! This morning at 4:20, Crew Allen Werder was born. 9lbs. 1 oz, 21.5 inches long! And, joy of joys, he was two weeks early!! Trying not to think about how big he would have been full term... haha! I am so very glad he is here- and he is beautiful. Brown hair (and lots of it!) and a perfect little face. He reminds us very much of Ethan right now, however, I caught a hint of a dimple just like Emri.

Labor went really really well- don't throw tomatoes at me ladies! I can't believe how well natural labor can go- didn't have any time for drugs and didn't need them I guess! I chuckle when I think about how I told mom before we left home, "I hope this is it!" and he was born about an hour later. It was an intense drive to the hospital, that's for sure!!

The kids were here earlier and Emri brought her baby with- I have a feeling she will do with her baby whatever I do with Crew. And Ethan had to hold him- he is trying to figure out where mom's belly went. They are all such a blessing and I can't believe how my family has grown!

Here is a pic of the new little guy (wrapped in Emri's pink blankie- oops):

Karate Kid!

Ethan started karate two weeks ago, and already is a little star (to us!!) He is learning very fast- it is so cute to hear his little 'haya' and 'yes, sir!' He is and always probably will be a little timid at first, but he is catching on and getting more brave every time. Now I understand, however, when people say that letting your kids do something on their own is like letting your heart walk around outside your body. And this is just a 20 minute karate class! Yikers!!

At the last class, Mr. Chad was asking each child the simple question, "How are you?" and then after their response, he would ask, "Why is that?" He was stressing the point that there are reasons why we are feeling a certain way, and that we have control over our attitudes. Ethan answered his first question with, "good." and then, *tear* he answered the second with, "Because I have been with my mom all day." Oh, my, what a gift! I can't put into words how that felt. I will treasure it forever.

Now onto a funny little story: Mommy, Ethan and Emri conversation:

Ethan: I have a spider web in my eye.
Mommy: How did you get a spider web in your eye?
Ethan: I don't know. A spider must have crawled up in there and died or something. (Hey, he is a boy!!)
Mommy: Oh, that is too bad.
Ethan: Emri, do you have a spider web in your eye?
Emri: Uh-huh!
Ethan: Emri, it will be o.k. I have one too.
Emri: Oh.

What precious times these are- God, help me to cherish them!!!

We have already had quite the day in the Werder household. Alarm didn't go off- woke up an hour late. Which I guess I needed, but still...

Ethan woke up needy today. Most days he is content watching a cartoon until mom or dad gets him waffles, oatmeal, whatever. Today was- "I want this, I want that."

While he is expressing his needs, I am trying to clean up the kitchen so I can actually see the counters to make the needed waffles while daddy is getting his lunch ready. Chaos. Then we hear Emri. She basically woke up like this:

Old picture, not so old facial expression. She is a bit more tricky than Ethan usually to get going and happy in the morning. I guess it didn't help that daddy went up to get her and found that she had overflowed her diaper in both ways babies can. Bummer for dad, score one for mom;) Mental note: start potty training soon, wake her up so she can do this duty in the potty.

Now the kitchen is clean, Ethan is downstairs playing independently, Emri is pretending to play the Leapster, and mom's adrenaline is going down. Oh, and the little guy I watch, Aiden, is sleeping and I didn't even need to rock him. Oh, the grace of God. I believe He will make the rest of the day easy for me! Hopefully he does the same for the daddy who doesn't handle the chaos as well. Bring on the day!!

Life Lately

DUNK! I just heard Emri's bottle bang on the floor above me. She is in bed and she drinks her bottle (I know, she is a bit old, but she looooves it) and then casually tosses it over the side, puts in her nuk, finds the tag on her blankie, and goes to sleep. What a creature of habit and securities. She is getting so big and soooo cute, I don't even know what we are going to do when she gets older. It is a serious and legitimate fear I am sure many parents of girls have. I am very much looking forward to Dr. Dobson's "Bringing up Girls" when it is available. I need it already! Just to prepare myself to be a mom to a beautiful growing up girl!!! What a little ham she has been lately. She seems to really enjoy making her daddy laugh. This includes balancing anything on her head, repeating what he says (or trying to) and making funny faces. She is still attached to me, though, and if I am away, Wade says that a little "mama" will come out of her little tulip mouth every now and then. Aaaaahhh. What a precious time in life!!

On to the little man- he is so clever and aware- just like his daddy I guess. The other day, in his way, he said out of the blue, "Mom, you are SO my mom. " Thanks?? I think that was a compliment!! I'll take it!! He tries anything and everything to get out of bed at bedtime- tummy hurts, legs hurt, needing snuggles, needing more prayers, needing a vitamin (!) It is so hard not to laugh, but be stern. I find him using the disciplinary tactics on Emri that I use on him.

Me, "Ethan you get back to bed or I will take away your blankie."
Blank stare in return.
Me, "Alright, no blankie then."
Little legs running to the bed, arms holding to blankie for dear life.

Ethan, "Emri, you want to come down the slide with me?"
Emri, "Nuh-uh."
Ethan, "Alright, no fun then."
Emri walks away unaffected. Doesn't quite work for him I guess!!

I even caught him threatening a time out if she didn't eat the "applesauce" he had "made" for her in their play kitchen.

But it is a lovely way to spend my life- sacrificially for sure! I never realized the work involved, but someday I will look back and not regret a single second of it.

Here are pics of us lately- including one of the little boy who is SOOO active in mom's belly right now:

I've been.... DUH Duh duh.... Tagged!!

What is being tagged? I guess it is when you are put on the spot to do something for friends that will make them smile, while at the same time making yourself out to be a weirdo.... I'm game!!


Here are the tagging rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. If I am eating something yummy to my palate, I shake my buns in my seat. As a kid, I had the nickname "wiggle buns". It is a totally unconscious movement and if I could stop, I would.

2. As a kid, I faked an allergy to potpurri so my mom wouldn't keep it in the house. I would pretend my nose was plugged and make myself cry. Good little actress, I guess.

3. If I would have told the "me" of 10 years ago that I would be a stay at home mom and wife, I would have dropped over and fainted right there.

4. I am obsessed with kissing my kids, and squeezing their cheeks. Mainly the lower ones.

5. I love fashion, scarves, and making women feel beautiful.

There is a little about me! And, oh, I have to break the third rule because I haven't read anyone else's blog but Rachel's and Jeannie's, and they both tagged me;) I just have to make more blogger friends I guess!

A vacation, a wedding, and an ultrasound.

I haven't had the chance to write in a month! Yikes! Chasing kids, cooking, cleaning, laundry, trying to make time for my hubby and myself.... And to put a huge spin on it all, we had the opportunity to stay in a camper for two of those weeks. Two kids taking a nap in bunkbeds when they usually have the peace and quiet of their own rooms with fans on for dead noise was.... interesting. Stressful to be honest. We had to try and rig up a towel on the outside of the window but little Emri always found a way to peek her little face around it- cute, yep. Make mommy frustrated? yep. She loves her own bed at home so much that her first nap back in her crib was for FOUR hours! A little creature of habit.

So one of the Saturdays, we had a wedding to go to. And, shocker of all shocks (?) we had to hire a babysitter. For the first time!!! Both sets of grandparents and Uncle Aaron and Auntie Billie were busy!!! So was my dear friend Rachel, who has watched the kids before but is more of an Auntie than babysitter. So, yep, we had an expensive day. Gift card from Target, check. Managed to lock the keys in the van so we had to use $10 more in gas, check. Pay the babysitter $40, check. Back at home after one dance because Ethan cried into the phone so we picked him up a 'treat', check. Guess what the little guy wanted? A spin-toothbrush. Nice!

So all this was 'news' for our family, but the biggest news is that we found out we are having a....baby.... BOY! Yay!! Ethan proudly walked into Grandma Peaches' office and announced, "We are having a boy brother." Classic.

Here are a few pics from our vacation- we got the kiddos dressed up and attempted some cool photos. We got a few out of all the hard work;)

Aaaaah. Beach Days.

Lovely lovely summer, how I love you. You make me tan and happy! Okay, so I am working on being happy no matter what circumstance I am in, but the smell of tan oil, sand in my toes, and waves splashing on my kids just does it for me. We spent the fourth out at my parents house cruising on the pontoon and over at the beach. Ate too much, got too much sun, and didn't do much of anything, but that's the beauty of it, right? Okay, I will try and NOT tell myself it is okay to have three brownies just 'cuz I am pregnant, but that is all I will try and fix.

I often wonder why we live in Minnesota if Wade and I share the same love of warm weather, but I do believe it is because we savor it. We get 9 months of the not-so-ideal for the thrill of the 3 wonderful ones. Do not ask me why we have chosen to be pregnant for three summers, because I have no smart answer. I tuck my round body into a swimsuit and play with the kids anyway.

The beach today was a lovely experience- complete with Ethan's first time with head under water, Emri's first time sitting and playing in water, and my Cousin Megan's son Carter's first time flashing the beach. Yep- the funniest thing- we were chatting away of course and Megan jumped up quick and my mom radar went up. Is Carter okay?? Of course. Just naked. What can I say, the kid just likes to be wild and free. And at three years old, who can blame him?? Well, some people I guess because 10 minutes later the manager of the beach came out and asked us, "This is a weird question, but is there a boy out here with no clothes on? Someone came in and complained about it." We were shocked. I had to contain myself- seriously! Who would be so cruel to a mom to do that?? It isn't like Megan was letting him run around like that! So please, if you are ever at the beach and you see a naked child, remember there is somewhere likely a mom who is completely embarrassed and doesn't need it pointed out. There. I have said my piece for the day. Thankfully Rita, the manager, thought it was a ridiculous complaint as well.

So my message is enjoy summer- I know we will be. And Carter will be too. Probably naked.