MORTON IS 3!!!

We took our yearly trip back to Fort Worth to celebrate Morton's bday.  It is always so fun to go and hang out with everyone.  We always make time to go to the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord Texan.  The girls love all the decorations in the atrium of the hotel and absolutely loved ICE this year. 

The theme this year was Shreck the Halls. 

 Even though they haven't seen the movie, they loved all the ice sculptures.

Family pic (minus Holland who was in the room all nice and warm with Nana)

it was about 17 degrees in ICE

my favorite sculpture

group shot....

Matt, me, Morton, London, Kristin, Kinley, Henry & Casey....Love them all :)

after ICE we met up with my mom and Holland and walked around the atrium at the Gaylord.  London and Kinley loved this huge gingerbread house.  and YES, it was real, everything on it was edible!!

London and Kinley's favorite part in ice are the big ice slides.  Kinley must have gone down about 10 times before we finally had to pull her away.

Matt loved the dragon...... since his nickname at work is Dragon.  I have no idea why but that's what all the attorneys and his assistants call him.  ha ha!!

sweet cousins at ICE

HALLOWEEN

I've been so terrible about blogging but am attempting to get caught up with a few short and sweet posts! 

Halloween was fun.  We did the typical Halloween things as usual.  One afternoon we ventured out to a pumpkin patch.  London had to take a pumpkin to school that was unique so she picked one with a long curly stem.  Kinley was drawn to the small round pumpkins and had the hardest time deciding on just the right one.  Holland was great and well, slept the whole time :)  Don't you just love the skeleton pj's.  Kinley had some to match and her were glow in the dark.  If I knew anything about taking pictures I would have taken on of her glowing!!!

I found time between playing with Kinley and nursing Holland to make this cute candy corn dress.  I saw it on Pinterest and was thrilled on how it turned out.  I made London and Holland a coordinating outfit (no pic - bad mom) to match Kinley.  It must have been chaotic because I have no pics of the 3 of them together the day they were all dressed up.  London's outfit was an appliqued shirt with a candy corn on it and I made a twirl skirt in candy corn colors.  Holland had a white layette gown with a candy corn applique on it.  

Halloween afternoon was crazy.  I got London home from school, quickly carved pumpkins, did homework and London had violin lessons. We rushed home for a quick dinner and to get dressed up.

The girls were butterflies for Halloween, I was going to make Holland a crysalis (just swaddle her in a green blanket) but I never got around to getting a green blanket.... oh well, I ended up nursing her almost the whole time we were going house to house.... so no one would have seen her anyways.  Again no pics (bad mom).  I think Matt took some pics with his phone.  We went down 2 streets and called it quits.  We made it home in time for the girls to check out all the candy they got, get a quick bath and were actually in bed on time :) 

OK, that pretty much sums up Halloween :)  On to the next post.....

LATELY....

I've been slacking on my blog lately.  Life with 3 kids is .... well ... busy, but a good busy.  My arms are tied up more now... if I'm not holding Holland or breastfeeding I'm helping London with homework or playing critters, pet shop, ponies, or doing something with Kinley.  I'm finally adjusted to having 3 kids and life feels normal again.

We were pretty low key the first week home but I got cabin fever BAD and couldn't stand staying home so we have slowly started venturing out.  I have tackled going out solo with all 3 girls and Matt has had to work late several nights and I had to do bedtime solo for the first time too.  Luckily Holland cooperated and wasn't too fussy on the nights Matt had to work late.

Our Sunday school class has been so great and several people have brought dinner over.  My mom came several nights the first week Holland was home and helped out with dinner and bedtime.  Matt's mom came and cleaned and helped out last week and my mom is back with us this weekend since Matt is taking a trip to the ranch.  We've had lots of friends come visit too and get to meet Holland.

Holland has had her first trip to Target, Nana's, Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart and HEB.  I forgot how much space the car seat takes up in the shopping cart so our shopping trips are quick and we walk out with only a few things.  I got a new Baby K'Tan sling today though so I will start using that to put Holland in and free up some shopping cart space!!!  I loved my Baby K'tan with Kinley and knew it was a must have with Holland.

Kinley at Target... she insisted on wearing her princess dress and "tee-ar-e-uh"

Life with 3 is fun.... I love seeing our girls interact and play and care for each other.  London and Kinley are great big sisters and I haven't seen one bit of jealousy towards Holland.  I'm sure there will be moments that are hard... sibling rivalry is bound to kick in at some point...it already has a little and usually about minor things...between Kinley and London... but right now they are all both so sweet to Holland and such a little team when it comes to comforting her and helping mommy.

the night I tackled bedtime with all 3 solo!!

Kinley has taken the role of diaper go-getter.  She takes her job very seriously and gets mad if I go get a diaper before asking if she wants to do it first.  Sometimes she will even bring 2 diapers and tell me which one is better.  She is so loving towards Holland and will look at her and say "I just love her" "Baby Holland is so cute!"  It just melts my heart.  She wants to hold Holland all throughout the day and kisses on her the whole time :)

London feels so 'big' and loves that she can stand up and hold Holland and has even walked around with her... which really makes her feel special.  She loves holding her and has really stepped up in helping out with helping Kinley.  She is so interested in how Holland is growing and changing each day.

So....

What else have we been up to....

Kinley has been up to ..... 

finding my lipstick!

London has been up to...

starting violin lessons and she loves it!!

Holland has been up to...

making faces!

 And we've all been up to...

Going to the pumpkin patch....

and we came home and let the girls paint their pumpkins

Trying new recipes...

chicken pot pie muffins... so easy and the girls loved them.  

(I found the recipe on Pinterest... my new addiction :)

...and a little sewing/embroidery/appique

bath robes I monogrammed for my sisters wedding party.... can you say spa day!!!

halloween shirt for Morton

candy corn pillowcase dress for my cutie!!

(saw this on Pinterest!)

I think that just about sums up the past 3 weeks.

  Happy Monday everyone!!

HOLLAND IS HERE!!

WHEW...  The past week has been full of unexpected excitement!

On Thursday we welcomed the newest addition to our family...

Holland Gale McWilliams

6# 13oz 19" long born at 4:28pm!!

A little background....

Monday I had my 37 week appointment and the doc did a scheduled sonogram just to check that Holland was head down and getting ready for delivery.  Well, after seeing that she was head down the doc thought her head looked a little smaller than expected, not abnormally small, but it didn't take up the whole screen like she was expecting and she didn't see as many pockets of amniotic fluid as she would have liked.  She scheduled another sonogram with the sonogram people for Thursday and said we would do more measurements then and see what that sonogram showed us.  She asked questions about my other two pregnancies and sent us on our way.

i came home.  Called my mom and had a minor meltdown thinking I was going to have yet another tiny baby (London was 4# 7oz at 38 weeks).  

Thursday came and the sonogram showed that Holland was measuring right on track and wasn't small for a 37 week baby BUT, my fluid level was low.  The doc looked over the sonogram results and gave us two options.... 

{1} head to L & D and deliver or

 {2} come back and repeat a sonogram in 72 hours and if my fluid was still low (apparently it can fluctuate day to day depending on how hydrated or dehydrated you are) BUT, my doc wasn't on call and if I still had low fluid I would have to deliver with a doc I had never met.. or heard of. 

 We decided it was best to go ahead and deliver right then.  I wanted my doc to deliver me and even though I had hopes of going into labor on my own, she reassured me the sonogram results showed that Holland looked good and would be a decent size.

Matt and I left the doctors office and made some phone calls to family and got a plan for getting the girls taken care of.  Luckily my friend that had Kinley was able to keep her until my brother made it down to get her.  He ended up picking London up from school too.  After all the calls were made and I knew the girls were taken care of I headed to L & D and sent Matt to get my bag (thank goodness it was packed) and he ran to his office to pick up some work.  Before I knew it my mom and brother were on their way!!  

I got to L & D about 10:15 and they didn't waste any time.  I got my IV, and labs were drawn right away. By 11:15 the nurse had started pitocin and the doc came in and broke my water not too long after that.  I thought it would take a while to start having contractions but they started alot quicker than expected. Matt and my mom and brother were on their way to my room by this point!!  About 2 I got my epidural and it was smooth sailing from there.  I'll wrap this up quick.... I was 6cm at 3:50 and Holland was out with only 2 pushes at 4:28!!  

Our hospital stay was short and sweet.  We were in the car headed home 25 hours after I delivered.  We took Holland to the pediatrician for a follow up on Saturday morning and have enjoyed being home. We've had lots of help from my mom and lots of visitors and dinners being delivered.  This whole experience kind of makes me want to do it all over again.... only if I am assured it will be just as easy :)

  

GRANDPARENTS DAY 2011 & EMBROIDERY!!

Each year London's school has a special day dedicated to grandparents.  My parents went last year and again this year.  London loves this special time and enjoys eating lunch with her Nana and Avy.

I've finished a few embroidery and sewing projects too.

sweet turkey shirt for a new baby!!

Holland's baby sister gown :)

London's birthday skirt

And just a cute pic of Kinley on our way to pick up London from school today!!  I'm loving the upside down sunglasses :)