Merry Christmas Ya'll

Have a Wonderful and Safe Holiday!

LOVE

The Oakes Family

The Most Wonderful (and Exhausting?) Time of the Year...

I really do have a blog, even though it has been a bit neglected of late.

We've been busy...

Christmas shopping

and

baking cookies

and

decorating

and

looking at Chritmas lights

and

making gingerbread houses

and

drinking hot chocolate

and

making snow angels

and

snuggling

and

watching movies

and

wrapping presents

and

spending time as a family

Whew... I love this time of year.

Happy Halloween 2009

We had a lot of Halloween fun this year. Enjoy the pics...

At Lagoon's Frightmares

Trick or treat

There are more pics on my facebook page. Too many to post here.

On a side note - we had to say goodbye to Rainbow House. After renting from Alisa and Tyler for 8 months (it was only supposed to be 2), it was time to start the demolition and remodel. Unfortunately we still haven't heard back on our short-sale offers, so we get to rent a little bit longer. Yes, that means we get to move our stuff once again. sigh

Anyway... we're all doing well and enjoying this wonderful time of year (my favorite!)

Bewitched...

We LOVE this time of year!

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays,

if you can call it a real holiday.

We've heard how fun Gardner Village is this time of year.

So we decided to check it out.

We had a great time - tractor ride/tour of the witches' house and garden,

pony rides, face painting, treats, treats, and treats!

Here are some pics!

Caffeine Free...

One of the many reasons I made the switch...

Crayola Mischief

Just to give you a glimpse of what life is like on any given day around here...


I was just in the other room doing laundry (the story of my life), when I heard little giggles from the kitchen where I left the kids coloring. I peeked around the corner and this is what I saw...

(necklace and eyelashes)

(apparently it started with a green mustache that morphed into something else?)

Thank goodness they were washable markers...

Changing of the Seasons...

Yesterday = 87 degrees
Today = 41
It's that lovely time again.

Time to clear out the closets of warm weather clothes.

Does anyone else dread this chore?
The thing is I'm not sure if we're done having kids, so I get to store bins and bins of this stuff, and I swear it multiplies!
Alas, here are the girls trying out some new hats for the changing weather...

Dance Camp 2009

Summer and her cousins, Sara and Emily, had a wonderful week at Dance Camp. We decided to enroll in the Tinkerbell class this time. What adorable dancing fairies.

(Emily, Sara, and Summer)

Look Who's Sleeping Through the Night...

FINALLY!

(Sydney with her Great-Grandma Dorothy)

Yay... we're finally getting some solid sleep. Maybe now I'll have more energy to get back to some things I've been neglecting (like blogging).

Right now I'm heading to bed.

My baby might be sleeping through the night,

but she likes to start her day cooing at 6:00 a.m. sharp.

yawn

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Ryan!

Look at this fabulous tie designed exclusively by Summer and Joshua.

Yes, he wore it to church!

Grandpa got one too!

Another Year Older...

31 feels OK, I guess.

I had a wonderful birthday.
Ryan surprised me by taking the day off, which meant I got to sleep in.

Summer eventually came to wake me up with some flowers that she picked out.

She and Daddy had decorated the kitchen with balloons and happy birthday signs.

Joshy and Summer helped Daddy make some very delicious and colorful waffles

(we love food coloring around here!)

We took a fun hike, even though it was a bit chilly and rainy.

There were tons of grasshoppers and crickets and beetles

(yikes! I tried not to be too scared)

Later that night, Ryan and I dropped off the kids and went to dinner just to two of us.

What a GREAT day!

Tired...

I think we're all looking forward to when

Sydney starts sleeping through the night.

Third Time's the Charm...

I must say that this time around, the baby experience has been a bit different.

First of all, the pregnancy was tougher - I threw up more.

(I didn't throw up at all with Summer, and only once with Joshua. )

Secondly, the delivery was easier - a pretty speedy affair. She was earlier, too. Summer was delivered on her due date, Joshua a week late, but Sydney a week early, making her our smallest baby.

She was our most yellow baby, too. We had to do the billi lights for five days - not fun.

Aside from all that, though, things are different in other ways.

I find myself more relaxed this time around.

Maybe it's that I have more confidence in myself as a mother, who knows.

******

When we had Summer, I was a basket-case! I was afraid I was doing everything all wrong. I read all the books, which my wise mother told me not to, and they made me crazy (especially Baby Wise). I was terrified of creating bad habits like nursing my baby to sleep (which I later discovered was no big deal). My mom just kept advising me to follow my instincts, the problem was I didn't know I had any.

When we had Joshua, I was a basket-case again! This time I was overwhelmed with caring for 2 children. I was so emotional, too! I would feel guilty that I wasn't giving Summer the attention she needed. I worried that I wouldn't love Joshua as much. Again, I discovered these fears were unnecessary - it IS possible to give each child the individual attention he or she needs. It IS possible to love another child just as much.

And then the third time around... bringing Sydney home has been so much easier. Maybe it was because my mom and sister were here virtually every day for the first 6 weeks, helping me out with meals and cleaning and child care. But, I suspect it's more than that. I've finally gained some confidence and discovered, yes, I do have instincts. Instead of worrying so much, I am just enjoying this baby. I love her so much.





Yes, my babies are a lot of work, but the joy they bring into my life is more than worth it.

Crash and Burn

Last week we went out as a family for frozen yogurt.

While we were leaving, Ryan and Summer were horsing around in the parking lot. Ryan does this thing with the kids where he runs and jumps over the kids.

Well, he went to do this to Summer, as he's down thousands of times before, but this time she moved right when he was in mid-air. He came down right on top of her and sent her face first onto the asphalt.

She had a giant bruised goose-egg on her forehead and her nose, lip, and chin were bleeding. Of course, she was screaming, "I need a band-aid."

Ryan felt terrible.

I took this picture 3 days later - it doesn't do it justice.

It's incredible how quickly kids heal - thank goodness!

The Best Mother's Day Gift...

For Mother's Day, I got front row tickets to see my favorite band, Keane.

Kimi and I got all gussied-up, left the kids, and off we went!

Their tour bus

Look how close we were!

The band

Tim on the keyboard

There's Tom, the lead singer. I'm so giddy!

Thanks, Ryan, for a much needed GNO!

I could eat this kid!

We got our photos back from our recent family photo shoot. So cute! Now I just have to decide which ones to put on a birth announcement, so I can get them sent out - She's 6 weeks old already!

Matchy Matchy...

It drives my husband nuts when his sister dresses her girls alike.

He he he... look what I've started doing...

I can't help it - it's so fun!

Introducing...Sydney

She's here!

Well, she's been here for a little over 2 weeks,

but I'm just now getting around to blogging.

Sydney Jane Oakes

6 lbs 6 oz, 19 1/2 inches long

(our smallest baby yet)

She is so stinkin' cute! We love her soooo much!

I'll try to post more photos soon - right now I'm headed to bed because a little munch-mouth will be wanting to eat in a couple of hours (sigh). Goodnight.