Hannah takes her first big steps

Finally Hannah has taken her first independent steps!! I think she secretly knows how to walk and spends her nap time walking around her crib. I could be wrong but she is very sure on her feet and can stand up and drink her milk, eat her food and bend down and pick things up. I think she just wants to be carried like her baby brother. Only time will tell but we (and she) were so excited when she took her first steps. Let's hope this is the first of many more!!

Welcome our little baby boy!!

After a long wait (eight days past my due date!), I finally went into labor five hours before I was scheduled to be induced. Andrew James was born on July 12 and weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. Quite a big boy!! Thankfully, Grandma was here to take care of Caroline and Hannah and we stayed at the hospital to recover. So far, he has been a very sweet little boy with his brown spikey hair and blue eyes. The girls have been handling it very well and I have been handling the girls (with the HUGE help of my mom) pretty well also. We are patiently trying to get Hannah to walk as I am not sure how I am going to be able to carry a newborn and a 22 lb. 15 month old!! Life with three has been a little crazy but we are excited that Andrew is here!

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th -- didn't my baby know that he was supposed to arrive yesterday?? I guess not because once again, my due date has come and gone once again! I am not surprised since both of my other girls were almost a week late. We are waiting patiently. Meanwhile, we had a great 4th of July. In the morning (where it looks like we live in Alaska!), we participated in the local parade with Caroline riding her decorated bike and Hannah rode in the wagon and we walked with them. Needless to say, I got a few comments about me walking with my big pregnant belly. Caroline thought she was so cool and Hannah just sat back and took it all in. We then went to a friends house for a BBQ and they had some of their own fireworks -- the girls loved them!! So let's keep our fingers crossed that something happens soon and that I don't have to be induced. We will keep you posted!

Hannah's big personality

Hannah has started to really develop a personality and is getting a little better about communicating -- not full sentences (haha!) -- but you know when she wants something and when she is finished with something. She is very inquisitive and likes to work with her hands. She is busy putting lids on things, putting things inside containers, talking on her pretend phones and doing a crazy little dance. In this video, she finally started walking with her walk toys. She gets a kick out of Caroline and loves to chase her around the house (crawling of course because she hasn't started walking yet -- much to her mother's 39 week pregnant body!!). She is a smiling and happy baby. Poor thing doesn't know that her status as the "baby" is about to be drastically changed!!

Blueberries!!

While Aunt Katie was out visiting, we went to Underwood Farms to "pick your own blueberries". Thank goodness Katie was there since I don't think I could've carried Hannah all the way out to the fields and then pick with Caroline. So thank you Katie!! The girls had a great time and Caroline really got the hang of picking the ripe blueberries. We picked a ton (really a pound) but it seemed like a lot.

Hannah and Caroline hanging out

Oh, Mexico... when can we go back???

We took a trip to Sayulita, Mexico (about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta) at the beginning of May. My sisters, their husbands, my niece and my parents joined us at a beautiful house that we rented on the hilltop. It was absolutely amazing!! The house was gorgeous and the view -- well let's just say we didn't spend much time aside from sleeping on what was the "indoors". We were a block away from a great beach with an amazing tide pool for the little ones and a block from the restaurants and shops in town. Our mornings were spent at the beach while our afternoons were spent at the pool in our yard while the kids napped. On a few evenings, we had a cook come to our house and make traditional Mexican food for us and the guys went fishing one day and brought us home dinner. Trent was in heaven as he was able to surf almost every day, Caroline could've lived at the beach and Hannah, well, Hannah was just happy to be around the water ALL THE TIME!! I was in heaven as I had lots of helping hands which was great since I was 7 months pregnant. Caroline still keeps waking up in the morning at home asking if we are going back to Mexico today. What a great vacation (kids included!!)