My crew

This is my crew.  I love them more than words can say.  They are adorable, cuddly, lovable, delightful, enjoyable, hyper, cantankerous, contrary, whiny, ornery, stubborn, extremely unpredictable, crazy, and everything in between! We have fabulous days and not-so-fabulous days. Some days I lose more hair than others. But as a whole... life is perfect, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I love watching them grow and learn new things.  They teach me so much about myself, they are the light of my life, and I thank God for them everyday!

Happy 30th, Sissy!

My little sis turns the big 3-0 this month (on the 22nd)...Wooo Hooo!!

Since her birthday is actually on Thanksgiving this year, we had a small party for her this past weekend with family and a few close friends.

Happy 30th, Melanie...

I love you, Sis!!!!

5 months old

Natalie is 5 months old.  She now weighs 14 lbs,12 oz. She's a pretty happy baby, though not afraid to let it be known when things aren't quite to her liking.  When she starts to giggle, her eyes get really big and she gets the hiccups.  It's the cutest thing ever!

We went to see Dr. K, her cardiologist last week.  She had an ultrasound, and her heart and lung functions are great.  Her pulmonary pressures are normal, and her right atrium is only slightly enlarged now.  Her oxygen saturation was 100%, and her liver is much smaller.  She does still have a significant ASD (atrial septal defect) that will have to be closed- probably when she is about 2 years old.  Dr. K said it will most likely be a device closure that he can do in the cath lab, so she wont have to have open heart surgery.  He feels like she is doing so well that he doesn't need to see her for another year. We are so thankful for such a great report, and that God has kept his hand on our baby girl!

Happy 4, Baby Girl!

Kaitlyn turned 4 years old this week (Monday, the 12th). She has been looking forward to this day for a long time.  So many of her sentences used to begin with "Well, when I'm FOUR,....".
We had a great family day.  We went out for lunch at Red Robin, went shopping at the mall, and then got yogurt.  She got to stay up until midnight the night before (a new tradition that Daddy started this year with Talon), so we did some online shopping for her birthday gifts this year.  She got some things to decorate her new room in Hello Kitty, and a comforter set for her new daybed.  She's pretty excited, but doesn't know why the stuff she ordered online "doesn't just hurry up and come!".

(At Red Robin)

Very excited about showing everyone how old she is now!

Opening her presents

Kaitlyn got a new baby with a whole wardrobe. A mom in the NICU at Salmon Creek makes doll clothes for these little 5" dolls, so I bought a few of them for Sissy.  They are so cute. She's having fun dressing, and re-dressing her doll.

Some pictures I took of her this Fall...

I had to go back and look at some of her pictures from the last four years. Love my little girl! It's hard to believe how time has flown by!

(3 years old)

Her 2nd birthday.  Love the crooked grin and those big brown eyes!

18 months

1 year old

4 days old

Happy Birthday, Kaitlyn Michelle!

We love you SO much!!

Hunting

We took a day trip with Papa and Granny, to go hunting on some family property down by Monroe, Oregon.  Talon's been begging to go hunting with Papa, so we all went (except for Nolan and Natalie, who stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa Bauer and got spoiled!). It was very rainy and quite cold. We didn't get anything, but saw quite a few doe and fawns.  The kids loved it.  Talon had fun trying to figure out how to use the binoculars. He's pretty sure he's a regular hunter now!

And Kaitlyn wanted to come along just because she was sure she was gonna miss some fun that might be had were she to stay home!

Watching the deer in the orchard.  Very serious business!

Granny, get your gun!

Getting organized

Yes, I must admit, my OCD has kicked into high gear! I bought a set of canisters to organize my cupboards. Then, I liked the result so well, I went back and got 3 more sets.  Oh, how I love having everything organized and labeled!  I could hardly go to bed last night.  I was too excited about getting my whole pantry organized! I love it!!