stoked

guess who's coming to birmingham?  ME and the three little pigs.  :)

lame, i know, but i couldn't help it.  i'm trying to find something to call my kiddos when i reference them.  i'm so used to saying "me and the girls" that i now find myself saying "me and the girls and anderson" which takes entirely too long.  but he needs to fit in too.  that might prove to be a good blog post when he's a little older and i can further tell who will be running to the one who built their house of brick.  hopefully all of them. funny the prayers you pray for your kids based on a storybook.

see you in one sleep!

life with three

many of you have asked about life with three...is it harder?  more than i expected?  better?  worse?  am i sleeping?  some of you have asked me to tell about what life with three is really like, as if i would tell it some other way, or because you know i tell it like it is :)

so you wanna know?  sure you do.  to all my mommy friends with 2...you want to know.  trust me.

it's been easier than i thought.  there, i said it.  that doesn't mean i'm supermom, in any way.  that doesn't mean certain things haven't been more difficult.  you need examples?  sure...

- going to the grocery store.
- going to the grocery store in between feedings/school/nap.
- during the first two weeks, being awake enough to function for the girls when they wake up.
- getting three kids up, fed, dressed, in the car and to avery's school by 9am.
- the above, after having not slept.
- when you're done doing something for one of them, the other one needs something done.  it's a never ending cycle.  in fact, it's taken me 3 days to write this post.  :)
- learning to use a sling.  i have two.  one is small and petite and fitted.  the other one "looks like a curtain" allen said.  i have been successful at neither. 

so basically my issues have been learning to manage my time.  he's following in the footsteps of his sisters and he's a great sleeper.  midway through week 2 he started stretching his nighttime feedings out to 4-5 hours.  he goes to bed at 9:30ish, gets up at 2:45 then again at 6, then 9.  that, friends, is manageable.  i'm ready for that 9-9 schedule though.  i heart sleep.

i've also forgotten a few things about babies.
- they sound like cats when they cry.
- every three hours comes every three hours.  clockwork. 
- their fingernails are near impossible to cut and no, i haven't tried to file them.
- they go through diapers like crazy.  almost makes me want to go green.  almost. 
- how much they love to hear you talk to them.  his eyes just lock in and he tries so hard to talk back. 
- how snuggly they are.  he snuggles right in when i hold him. 
- how much i love nursing.  for all you soon-to-be-moms...it's worth it.  give it two weeks (really just one) and it does get easier. 
- how thirsty you are.   allen laughs at me because i fill up my cup, stand there and drink it all so i can fill it up again. 
- how easily they learn.  you hold them, they're fine.  as soon as their shoulder blades touch their bed, screaming.  pick them up, fine.  lay them down, screams.  it wasn't funny with avery.  we were exhausted and wondered what in the world was going on.  now, it's funny, because we know we're being played like a fiddle.  he's still too young for me to fully let him 'cry it out' but the day is soon coming.  i will say, as long as he's swaddled, he drifts off much more quickly.

so far, by myself, i have done the pool, the grocery store and a birthday party with all three in tow.  i did have help at the pool (we went with friends). 

to answer your questions...yes it's easier than i thought.  yes some things are more difficult.  it's better than i expected.  i am sleeping enough to not take a nap during the day.  no my girls aren't jealous.  in fact, they've been quite helpful and they love to love him.  no, so far, there are no difference in baby boys and baby girls beyond diaper changes. 

 to answer your question...yes, i love being a mommy to three!

we'd like to introduce you to

Anderson Cruz Drew

4.16.10

9:20 AM

7lbs, 7oz, 20.5 inches

and the first time his big sisters saw him, they thought he was amazing!

oh, yes oh, yes it's springtime!

we love spring...and it's especially fun this year knowing we're so close to 'the condo.'  i'm sure many of you have big plans for the weekend, as do we.  the warm weather seemed to come at just the right time, as if the Lord would have planned it any other way :)

we're excited about celebrating His life with our new church this weekend and are so excited to have my sister and her family joining us.  i don't get to see her as often as i'd like, but we talk just about every day.  it will be nice for her to get to see our new world rather just hear about it.

the weekend kicked off with avery's easter egg hunt at school...we had to send 12 prize eggs with their name on it, as each child would have to find their own eggs.  that also allowed the parents to fill the eggs with things their child would love and could eat!  i asked avery to name some of her favorites....and she said the my little pony washcloth (you know, the kind that is so shrink-wrapped you have to put it under water for it to expand??), my little pony stickers, lipgloss and bracelets, the stuffed monkey and the candy - so all of it.  :)  i guess we did well!

we don't put emphasis on the whole bunny side of easter, but we do have easter baskets, candy, egg hunts and we dye eggs. 

anyway...

here are some pictures of the egg hunt today.  the weather was fabulous and we all had a great time. 

sack races

i'm sure there will be lots of new pictures to show you next week too...stay tuned!

can you believe it?

yes it's true...it's the third time i've posted this week.  not really sure why, other than that i feel like i've left you out of some major life events at our house. 

there's always something going on, somewhere to go...school, church, errands...but we've been having a great time!  the girls are really fun to watch together and even though they argue and fight and scream like little girls, they really are best friends.  i wish i had video of addison trying to cross her arms and stomp across the room.  i shouldn't laugh because it's not funny.  wait, yes it is. 

allen and i were supposed to take a quick 4 day trip to NC last week.  he was asked to preach at a church friday-sun night and we were really looking forward to one last getaway before the baby arrives.  an added bonus?  some friends of ours live there and we would get to spend time with them...and we never get to spend time with them (seriously, like once a year)!  however, after my dr appt last week we decided it was probably best that i stay home.  we were bummed. 

however, my more than wonderful mom was already scheduled to come down for the weekend so she came anyway and made it another girls weekend! 

that meant, even though i missed out on a weekend away with allen, i got to enjoy some things here i would have missed...like avery losing her first tooth.  allen tried one last time to pull it before he left, and it wouldn't come out...by the time he landed in atlanta, she had pulled it herself.  he was so sad to miss it and she wanted to call him immediately. 

i also got to take the girls to their big sister class at the hospital.  it was really fun and they make a really big deal about siblings and their responsibilities.  both the girls had fun, but avery really took on the 'biggest' sister role and oooohed an ahhhhed. 

they had fun learning how to hold the baby, change the diaper, feed the baby and some things they can't do with the baby.  they also got to see the nursery and the room i would be in.  avery vividly remembers when addison was born so she remembered that i'll be gone for a couple of days.  she's not really excited about that so we have lots of fun things planned for them during my 'stay.'

i might squeeze in one more post this week and make it a record week for posts.  we'll see.  my dad is coming in today with all of our guest room furniture.  who cares that we've been in this house since september with no guest room furniture??  it's coming today and the girls are so excited to spend some time with their pop!  can't wait for you to see pictures! 

andersons baby shower

i spent a wonderful weekend "in town" (as avery calls it) with my family and had the best 'girl' days with my mom doing all the fun girl things she knows we love to do.  we hit downtown homewood, shopped, ate, went to 2 bakeries (and left with treats from both), found a cute consignment shop, went to toy stores, shopped and ate a little more...and we had the best time! we also got some much needed play time with some dearly missed friends. 

to close out the weekend, and the very reason i went, some of my very best friends insisted that anderson could not be born into this world wearing pink...and to be quite honest, he was coming close because i have not done much boy shopping.  the clothes just aren't as cute, but that's another post.

no doubt the world looks different in blue ~ and we were so very blessed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of everyone who came to celebrate anderson.  i don't know a group of people who "know me" better than these girls and it showed in every little detail. the only thing that would have made it better was if my sister stacie could have been in town too!

 

like that painting?  we did too!  thanks abby!

jennifer latham made this amazing quilt and the picture just does not do it justice

and, i wish i could show you all of the scrapbook allen's aunt made for me.  it is gorgeous...and 100% complete.  all i have to do is take pictures to fill in the pages.  she's so creative and talented!  i'm a lucky girl!

all in a few days

lots to catch you up on...it's been a busy busy week at the drew house!  and, without any further delay, i must announce that.....

AVERY LOST A TOOTH!

she was so excited...and she pulled it herself.  no tears, no hysteria, no freaking out about the blood.  she just did it and was so proud of herself!

we've also been having lots of fun around the house...one of our favorite things to do is have sack races in pillow cases.  you'll notice addison doesn't always keep her pillowcase on. 

lots more to come...hope you're enjoying this spring weather as much as we are!