Go Pack Go

Here are a few photos of the kids in their Packer gear for the big game (friends here are saying they won't hold it against us that we're rooting for the wrong team). I thought the first photo was cute as the big kids are screaming GO Packers. the next photo of Vann, I have my days confused, I thought today was the 11th, but it's the 12th and I should have put a #1 in the photo with him, seeing that he is 1 month old today (hopefully I'll remember to get that photo today). lately Quinn has been giving a 'thumbs up' for lots of stuff, and when she makes the sign, she's just so darn cute with her hyperextended thumb and her scrunched up smile, I had to get a photo of it.

One more xmas present

We had a lot of rain over the actual Christmas holiday, so we did not give the kids this present, but waited until a nicer day.  Papa and Grandma Deb and Adam and I bought the kids some nice bikes.  I had them wait outside the garage for the door to open, they were awaiting the surprise, it was fun to hear them talking about what it could be...is it a Barbie car?...  I didn't get any photos of Brennan, but only videos, and I can't seem to get the videos to upload.  But he had fun riding on his new bike, especially since his last one is completely out of commission due to the chain falling off one too many times.  We drove around the little circle and then headed to the school parking lot.  And come to find out, there are plenty of kids that ride around in the school lot too.

Brennan's is a 16" black and red Harro and Quinn's is a 12" hot pink Harro

Quinn is still trying to understand how to work the pedals round and round, but she had fun nonetheless.

break for some diaper changes in the back of the van.

Brennan loves his big wheel.  It is a boy thing, but he loves to ram his sister.  The other day he stuck his back wheel out, and she went ass over teakettle and took a faceplant.  Luckily she didn't hurt herself, and needless to say, I was a little mad at him.

Quinn loves to ride her Diego tricycle around.  We call it Yeigo, and she doesn't work the pedals round and round, but just pushes her feet, but she loves it.

3 weeks

Vann was 3 weeks old yesterday and we had a check up.  As they say, he is growing like a weed.  Here are his stats. 

 

Head circumference 36.8 cm, 60%

Height 21.5 in, 73%

Weight 8 lb 8 oz, 39%

(again he was born at 7 lb 4 oz)

 

Here are a few phtos of him his past week.

 

(I did the best I could, I wasn't going to pay a professional to take a photo of a heart around his feet)

at the dr office yesterday.

an oldie but goodie outfit, nice hand me down from brother brennan.

working on some tummy time, dr said the head was alittle flat on one side...

I found Quinn helping him read the other day.  How cute.

first bath in the tub.  It could be a while before he can swim with us, we need his stool to firm up, breastfed babies are pretty watery...

here he is after the bath, all that soft hair

Holiday program at St Peter

 

So here is a little video, I'm not sure if it will upload or not (it wouldn't so here are some photos), of Brennan at his school program.  By the end of the show, Brennan had warmed up, but this first song he was pretty grouchy.  This song is something about Christmas Christmas Reindeer paws, Santa Santa Claus.  His last song was We wish you a Merry Christmas, and he was smiling and singing that one, but I didn't get good video.  Her is a photo of him and his teacher Mrs Bronwyn.

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone as it has for everyone else.  It was fun and nice, but stressful too.  Needless to say I'm glad it's over with.  I tried to keep up with some of our Christmas traditions, we went bowling (it was a bust) and Xmas eve worship (it was a bust, we had spent the afternoon in the house trying to help Quinn be successful on the potty, which she wasn't).  But we started some new traditions too, we went to see Christmas lights after church, the kids enjoyed the popcorn the most, and Waffles with the works (nuts, bananas and whipped cream) for breakfast, and currently we're celebrating the 12 days of Christmas while we wait for Epiphany. 

Here are a few photos of the kids with some gifts that they received.  Everyone was so generous, thank you so very much. 

 Large Lego blocks for Quinn, duplo blocks I think they are called, it is a gas station set.  She got some games and books and clothes and a nice doll and a Mickey Mouse microphone and a big girl bike, she doesn't understand how to pedel, but we'll get there.

 Brennan was very excited about the napkin holder that he made for Adam and I, shaped like a gingerbread house.

 Brennan got some little legos from Papa and Grandma Deb, he loves sitting and playing with them.  I on the other hand am already sick of stepping on them... he got some books, a remote control car, clothes and games, a nabi tablet and a new bike.

 Merry Christmas to little Vann, he got some clothes, and books and a gift card, what to buy....  He and I sat on the couch and worked the camera.

 Nice shirt for Adam from Joe and Suz.

I've been looking picking up a scarf, but there are too many choices, so it's best if the choice is made for you.  Thanks Joe and Suz, nice choice.

Vann Adam Thomas

From my ultrasounds the doctors were under the impresson that the baby was going to be on the small side.  The last two weeks while we waited for the baby to arrive I was pretty uncomfortable and thought each ache and twinge in my stomach was 'go' time.  But I must be a good home, because this little guy did not want to come out. I was able to schedule my induction for my due date though, which is nice, cuz we liked that fun date of 12.12.12 whichh won't come around again for 89years, right..  So we were to be at the hospital on 12.12.12 at 8am if I didn't go there on my own earlier. 

 

Here is a photo of the family just before we headed to the hospital.  Adam and I got to hang out in the delivery room from 8am til about 8pm.  And it was odd for us to have an induction during daylight.  Normal for us is going in at 9pm and then sleeping through the process and having a baby in the early morning.  But not this time.  People laughed when the saw that I had brought a book.  But I needed a book, when we showed up at the hospital I was only 2cm.  The pitocin was started around 9:30 and I got the epidural around 1pm.  And by 430pm I was ready to go.  I think I surprised the nurse when she checked me, with a funny tone to her voice, she said I think I better call the doctor, you are going to have a baby.  I don't think she was expecting me to be that far along (and by this point Adam and I have been checking the clock commenting that we were running out of time for 12.12.12 and that the baby better hurry up.)

 Here is the first photo of baby boy, we decided to name him Vann Adam Thomas, his first name is something that Adam came up with, for several reasons; I wanted double nn in the name, he thought Brennan would get a kick out of his little brother being named van (he loves cars/trucks etc) and it incorporates his dads name Ivan. And the middle name is for the little guys dad, Adam.  He was not such a little guy like they thought, he was 7lb 4oz and 19.5in long.  Pretty good size if you ask me.  Take a look at this photo, I can't believe how purple he is, this is him just after entering the world.  The dr said he presented with his hand on his face (I don't know if that is necessary for the story, but I just remembered it as I'm looking at this photo).

 At birth, he had some black black eyes with no eyelashes.  The eyes are still dark, but the lashes are coming in slowly.

 I have a photo of the other 2 like this too, they all have the same cry face.

 and they all have the same pout face.

 And check out the hair.  The old wives tale talks about bad heartburn, and did I ever have bad heartburn with this little guy.

 The nurse decided it would be easiest to get the gunk out of his hair by just putting him under.

 I have photos of the other 2 like this too.

 Oh, and this is funny too.  When he got all cleaned up and combed, we had to laugh, he looks like he was born 40yr old.

 The kids came to visit on Thursday night.  They were very excited to meet their new little brother.

 Here is the happy family of 5.

 We came home from the hospital on Friday afternoon, and both kids just wanted to play with Vann.  So we had to take pictures etc.  They both already really love the little guy.  It's hard for them to understand though that he can't do all the things they would like him to do.

 Here is one of Quinn with him, and everyone looks to be happy.

And then we all get back to the reality of life.....

Thanksgiving...no family and California style

Just being honest here, we were hoping for an invite to join someone for a nice warm, family style, Thanksgiving meal.  We have kinda lucked out in that area the last few years.  But that didn't happen, which is OK too, but we decided to take a drive and head to the beach instead.  We packed a picnic lunch and went to Santa Cruz.  It was just over 2 hours away, the weather was nice, about 60.  The water was chilly, Adam did say if he'd had his suit he would have gone in though.

We visited two beaches, Capitola first.  And there was lots of people surfing in wetsuits and plenty of people on the beach with the same idea as us. 

We actually made a uturn not far from home and went back for the sand toys, which I'm glad we did.

Trying hard to get a Christmas card photo, but I'll keep trying.....

took a little walk on the pier that you can see from the earlier photos

We visited another beach called Natural Bridges.  The kids are walking with Adam here on the rocks.

 

Of course, being with more family would have been better, but hanging out just out little family was great too.