Busy Week

Princess M started her first week of 2nd grade.  His a pic of her first day.

Funny Girl started swim lessons Mon-Thur for 2 weeks.

She's doing fantastic and is already swimming across the short end of the pool after only a couple days.

Both girls have started ballet lessons twice a week as well.  And Funny girl has started a preschool group 2 days a week.  So we're pretty busy every day now.  Alex took the week off to help me out with the new baby; this week would have been a lot harder without all his help.  He starts back to work on Tuesday and it's all me from here on out.  Thankfully, I'm feeling a lot better than I was a week ago, so I should be ok.  I ordered a baby wrap yesterday.  Can't wait for it to come in the mail.  Hopefully, that'll help me get a lot more done.

Funny Girl got a hold of the camera and took probably over 100 photos of her sister and random objects around the house.  I deleted most of them; however, she did get a fantastic photo of Monkey:

I just love her smile!

More swim lesson photos

Way to go girl!!!

Welcome Little Man!

He's finally here!!!  Baby X made his grand appearance July 30th at 5 mins before midnight.

The whole family with everyone looking fantastic (except for me of course).

He's exhausted.  It's been a long night!

Adored by all his beautiful princess sisters.

Big boy at 8 lbs, 2 oz, 19 inches long and a whopping 14 inch head.

He came at the perfect time too.  His sisters had just arrived back in town on Monday with my parents.  So we were able to leave the girls at home with their grandparents the night of the birth and they were all able to come see him the next day.  I was so relieved that Mom and Dad got to see him before having to leave on Friday.  We had so much fun with them in town; and they were constantly helping me out in one way or another before and after the birth.  What a blessing they are!  Thanks again Mom and Dad!!

More pics to be posted soon...

And Still...

No baby yet.  Someone needs to light a fire under this kid.  I guess he doesn't know that he was "supposed" to be born 4 days ago.  oh, well.  We're not willing to induce yet, so what can you do but wait.  and wait.

Good news is my princesses and parents are arriving tomorrow.  We're very excited to have our girls back, and to have my parents visit.  Now all we need is a baby!

Still Here; Bigger than Ever!

Hopefully this will be my last pregnant photo this time around.  Don't be fooled; the black shirt hides a LOT of belly.  I'm absolutely huge!  We're now 4 days from due date and hoping we don't make it that long.  Thankfully the monsoons have fully arrived, making everything cooler and greener.  My garden is growing like crazy and I don't have to do much in it right now except pick produce.  The house is so quiet without the older girls, and it stays a lot cleaner!  I wouldn't give them away for anything, but it's been nice not having so much housework to do these last few weeks of pregnancy.  I feel like an overfilled water balloon that is being held up by the knot.  Like a time bomb waiting to explode.  

We're all packed up for the hospital.  Arrangements have been made for Monkey, and she's all packed up for that as well.  I had my baby shower yesterday, which was better attended than I had hoped.  The wonderful and generous ladies in my life have really helped us build a wardrobe for this little man, so he won't be stuck in pink and purple for the first year of life.  We've typed out our birth plan, toured the maternity ward of the hospital, and filled the freezer with casseroles.  Now we just need him to make his big debut.  Hopefully my next post will be full of newborn photos!

We just got word that my parents and our oldest girls will be arriving a week from tomorrow.  Monkey will be so excited!  They may not have missed us, but Monkey has certainly missed them terribly!  Pregnant Momma is not so fun to play with all day.

Sherwood Family Reunion 2013

The Sherwood side of our family holds a family reunion every two years for everyone from my parents on down.  Thats 2 grandparents, 7 kids, 6 with spouses, and the baby in my tummy will make the 30th grandchild.  So it's quite the big affair.  The reunion this year happened to be scheduled for last week, which since we found out when my due date was, we had reconciled ourselves to the fact that we just couldn't go this time.  Not with only 2 weeks to go.  

But as June drew to a close, we became especially sad for our kids who would have to go 4 years between seeing some of their favorite cousins as a result.  We began to entertain the idea of sending Alex and the kids, and just risking that Alex might be late, if I went into labor while they were gone.  Then we found out that there would be no phones, cell service, or internet at the lodge they were going to, so absolutely no way to even let him know if I did go into labor; and that didn't seem like such a good idea anymore.

My brother's youngest boy was getting baptized in Colorado the weekend before the reunion, and some of the family would be there, so we decided to risk going to that event (it was 3 weeks before due date) and at least we could see some family and if I went into labor, Colorado Springs has very good hospitals.  It sounded like an ok alternative to the big reunion.  

Then it dawned on us, that my parents would be at the baptism, and were planning to come visit us at the end of July to help with the baby.  We could send our two oldest children with them to the reunion, and they wouldn't have to miss out at all.  We deliberated several days on the issue and ran the idea by my parents and family.  Everyone was so supportive and excited about the adventure, that we decided to go ahead and send our children away.

It was hard to drive away that last time in Colorado Springs, leaving them behind and not feel like a little bit of a bad mom; but I'm so glad we did.  The girls have had a blast, and are reported to be behaving themselves for their grandparents.  My SIL, Rachael took a whole bunch of photos of the reunion and posted them on facebook.  I downloaded all the ones with my princesses and a few others.  (Thank you, Rachael for taking so many wonderful pictures of my girls.  It feels like a little sneak peak into their week with family.  I wish I could have been there too.  It looks like a wonderful week at a gorgeous location!)

Here are my favorites:

Princess M with a cousin from Utah.  I understand they quickly became thick as theives.

Funny Girl with the littler princess crowd.  Can you tell they don't miss us at all?

About 2/3rd of all the grandkids.  What a good looking crowd!

And my absolute favorite:  All the Little Princess Cousins (with one notable exception from CA not in the photo and one from Chicago who couldn't come to the reunion).  Aren't they all so beautiful!

I put the rest of the photos I downloaded on this slideshow if you are interested.  It certainly looks like they had a wonderful time; and the scenery is absolutely fantastic.  I hope we go there again sometime, so I can see it in person.  And no, I don't think they miss us at all.  I'm very glad!  Thank you, Mom & Dad for making this possible!  I'm thrilled for all the time they are getting to spend with you!

Reunion 2013 - slideshows

More Summer Fun

Princess M and I got to attend our dear friend's ballet recital.  It was delightful!

The heat here got unbearable (especially being 8 months pregnant) so I chopped all my hair off again.  (It was just barely long enough to donate.)

Alex took the girls on a hike with friends up to the hieroglyphics in the area (slide show at the end of the post) 

Monkey really really enjoyed her smoothie.

Yesterday, we had a day of fun, with a festival of sorts in the morning with balloons, jumping castles, face painting, free food and prizes;

then we were off to the pool in the afternoon as seen here; 

and we ended the day off with a picnic and movie (princess bride) in the park.  We were all exhausted by the end of the day!

Some more photos of the hike:

2003 Heirogliphics Hike - slideshows

Happy Father's Day!!!

Princess M came up with the idea to make a memory book for dad for Father's Day.  She used some photos that we had taken earlier in the year, and she went on a photo shoot around the house.  I thought she actually got some really cute shots.

Unfortunately, the kids probably see this scene alot.  Both Mom and Dad at work on their computers.

I almost deleted this one, but I just love the way Monkey is looking at Funny Girl with such loving adoration.

We're so blessed to have such beautiful girls that love each other so much!

Some fun to start the summer

Alex's work had a family luncheon and we played at the nearby field for a little afterward.

That thing funny girl is holding is a frisbee of sorts.

They had a blast just running around.

The older girls showing off their recent prizes from the library reading program.

We inherited some chickens from our recently moved out tenants/friends.  So I had Alex build me a coop.

It's not fancy, but it works well.

Funny Girl checking for eggs.

In the Navy!

Last day of school for Princess M was also a big day for Alex.  After nearly a year of trying to re-enter the military as an officer, he was finally sworn into the US Navy Reserves as a directly commissioned ensign.  

 He was able to have his friend from church and work perform the oath ceremony.  

Signing the required papers.

 It's official, Alex is now a Navy officer.  We joked with the girls that now they have to start addressing him as either "Sir" or "Sir Daddy".

 The serious pose  ;)

 We're all very proud of you Alex!!

School's Out!

So school's out for the summer.  Princess was so excited.  It probably should have been out a week ago, actually, since all they did their last week was watch 2 movies a day and have recess.  I'm not sure what is up with that.  Why even keep the kids there if you're not going to do anything?  Probably some number requirement or something silly.

Anyway, last Wednesday was their awards assembly.  Princess M was awarded the President's List award. Here's the family patiently waiting for the 1 grade's turn.

Funny Girl has been begging to take pictures lately.  (There were 110 photos on the camera of the cat, her bedroom, and the road outside the car when I didn't know she had it.  Thank goodness for digital camera, right?)

 We're so proud of our now 2nd grade princess:

 I just love her fashion sense too!

With school done, Let the Wild Rumpus Start!