Rowyn - 4 weeks

I have another friend (mother of one of Haven's classmates) that wanted to promote her photography business - a very popular side job for stay at home moms around here! Kirsten offered to come over and take some pictures of Rowyn. Of course I agreed, and I was sooo pleased with the results! I am in LOVE with this little sweetie. She is such an amazing baby too and is making the transition to #3 pretty manageable... notice I didn't say "easy".

For family members who want to order pictures at a very reasonable price (aka: CHEAP) - you can view Rowyn's pictures and order through her website at: www.kirstenevans.com.

Family Pictures for the sake of a decent Christmas... I mean New Years Card!

A friend of mine in my playgroup who has her own photography business took these shots on the beach... when it was freezing cold and super foggy out.... go figure. But we did get a few good pictures of the family just a few weeks after Rowyn was born.

Which one will appear on the now "New Year's" card? You can guess. The cards should be arriving any day! Which means they will be sent out the first week of January (my goal). Thanks for being patient.

Christmas dresses

Nate was in charge of taking some shots of the girls in their Christmas dresses since I had to feed Rowyn (I can't remain in control of everything). And, he pulled through with this daunting task of creating smiles and capturing them in their Sunday best! I buy Christmas dresses each year after Christmas (I get screaming deals this way), so these dresses have been hanging in their closet for a year. Haven was so excited to FINALLY get to wear her beautiful red dress!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Haven turns 5!

Haven turned five this last Saturday and we celebrated Friday night with a garage full of games and activities, pizza and cake! Haven had 11 girlfriends over and we partied hard! Haven wanted a "Littlest Pet Shop" theme, so we went with it... hence, the animal decorations. I have to give credit to Auntie Julia for turning the garage into a birthday pet shop and becoming the game director for the evening.

It is beginning to look like a California Christmas...

We are transforming the inside of our home to prepare for Christmas even though outside is sunny and 70! Strange for me. I miss the cold and snow... but only until December 25th, then I am over it. So, really I am not complaining of the San Diego climate. I just want it all - the snow and the sun. =0)

We have had lots of help and family in and out of the Speer abode. My parents and grandmother were here for the week of Thanksgiving, then my in-laws came, as well as Aunties from LA! Being that I could not do much, I REALLY appreciated having extra hands around to help. Thus, the Christmas decorating was accomplished, the girls were fed and bathed and we had clean plates to eat on... thanks again, family!

I also have to mention that my parents to the girls to Disneyland - their FIRST time! I was a tad jealous I could not make it (I was in the hospital learning how to walk again), but glad they were making memories with grandpa and gigi. I should have pics soon...

Rowyn Jade arrives...

Well... Rowyn came in a very different manner than I anticipated, but really how many times do things go according to our expectations? For me, not that much. But I naturally assumed that my third little girl would come into this world with some contractions and a few pushes. I would stay at the hospital for two days and arrive home in time to pull myself up to the dinner table for turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

Instead, I endured over 14 hours of contractions and two hours of pushing... Rowyn was not budging and had found herself in a very comfy spot in my pelvis and was not descending, even with the help of the vacuum. So, around midnight, the doctor, Nate and I made the call to go in and get her via C-section. C-section. The procedure I really I thought I would avoid after having two successful and fairly text book vaginal births. Oh-well, gotta let go of those expectations!

Rowyn Jade arrived at 12:45 am on November 24th weighing 8 lbs 4 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. She is my biggest, fattest baby yet - and I just love the chub! She is eating like a champ and all is going well considering that I just had major surgery. I will be going home from the hospital on Saturday, the 27th. My parents are here till Tuesday and then we'll find a way to get through the next few weeks with the girls - a prayer request for sure! I did have a small melt down today at the hospital when the nurse told me no driving for two weeks, avoid the stairs, and do not lift anything heavier than the baby. Ugh.

BFF Kamille comes...

While Nate hunted in Montana for five days, Kamille was able to come and stay with me - to not only keep me company, but to help me with the girls. I basically told my husband he was NUTS to leave me all by myself at 37 wks pregnant and thus, he needed to remedy the situation by giving up one of his frequent flyer Southwest tickets to someone who is more compassionate. Since I haven't seen Kamille in a very long time, I was praying and hoping it would all work out for her to come visit. She has three girls of her own, so I know it took a lot of work on her end to free herself up so she could come and have a fun weekend with me! I miss her already and her effortless ability to bend over and sweep up droppings with the dust pan (a job I hate at the moment).