cuddles...

Eden has been studying all of our faces... so Jonah studied her back :)

baby pics, take two...

As promised here are some pics from Ryan's camera... sorry it took so long but Ryan kept taking his camera out with him and the kids so I couldn't get his pics...

First family photo...


The boys were excited to hold her, ESPECIALLY Jonah...




Tessa wanted to look but not touch- that has since changed entirely!

She was more concerned about Eden's shoes and said "Can I see what kind of shoes she's wearing?"



Already has her Daddy wrapped...



gma and gpa e...



Tessa helping with Eden's first bath...



Snuggling at home...



with gma and gpa d...



one last cuddle before bedtime...



Eden is sleeping well, eating well and loves to cuddle... I am in baby heaven!

introducing...

Eden Elise
8 lbs. 13 oz.
19 1/2 inches
June 27th
9:19 am



the name...

Eden means "delight" and Elise means "devoted to God".

On the way to the hospital we decided on "Avery Joy", but with about 15 minutes of laboring left I asked if we could change it to "Eden Elise", and Ryan happily and wholeheartedly agreed! We both love it and it just fits her perfectly :)



This was the quickest and easiest labor and delivery I have had, thanks to all of the prayers! We got started with the pitocin around 6:30 am and she was born in less than 3 hours. The nurse, Ryan and I each guessed what time she would be born- I guessed 9:20 and she was born at 9:19 am! My doc asked, before she came out entirely, if I wanted him to wait an extra 30 seconds for 9:20 so I could win, lol!



I love wrinkled baby hands and feet...



She has the most hair of any of our babies, and it's dark like Caleb--- she also has the same nose as Caleb...



She had the cord wrapped around her neck when she came out which seems to have left with with a bit of a sore throat, making her not so willing to eat although she's hungry. She sounds a bit hoarse and she squeaks when she cries, so cute! Her throat should be fine in a day or so :)



Because she came out so fast her face is a bit bruised.

Me and my new little girl...



More pics to come... Ryan bought himself his own digital camera the night before (I was afraid he wouldn't take them right with mine, he says I've become a picture snob! I can't stand using the flash on mine!) so we have lots more pics on his camera to share soon :)

it's baby time!!!

Ryan's Mom picked up the kids for the night, we were able to have a quiet dinner out and talk names :) Then we did some shopping- Baby Gap and Gap Kids are having huge sales right now!!! Baby girl finally got a coming home dress and Ryan picked out the pink onesie to the right for her- it has a chicken on an egg and it says "just hatched" :)

I still have to pack my bag and then *try* to fall asleep- I'm a bit anxious but can't wait to see her and finally get to hold her! I also can't wait to LAY ON MY STOMACH!!!

We go in at 5 am to be induced- please pray it's quick!

Thank you for all of the sweet and encouraging comments along the way and enduring all of my pregnancy/baby posts, I'm excited to show you all a picture of our new baby girl!!!

charms, charms, charms...

I know I should be getting ready for tomorrow (it's baby day!) but I couldn't resist making these the past few days... and once I make something I HAVE to get it listed (I'm kinda impatient) so...



1. dainty names on a chain- the charms are just 5/8" and stamped with tiny letters, so cute! Perfect for the Mom that likes small and simple :)

2. lucky charm- a domed sterling circle with a sterling 4 leaf clover.

3. simply faith- a sterling oval with a sterling cross- I wear mine almost daily!

4. wishing star- a sterling teardrop with a sterling star.

Any of the charms (cross, shamrock, star, etc.- I have others still in the works!) can be put on any of the different shaped word charms (circle, oval, teardrop, etc.) and can also be custom made with different words or names!

Find them in my shop!

the name game...

Me: Tessa, what do you want to name the baby tomorrow?

Tessa: Kate! Baby Kate!

Me: Jonah, what do YOU want to name the baby tomorrow?

Jonah: Amelia!

Me: Caleb, what do YOU think we should name the baby tomorrow?

Caleb: Maggie!

*sigh*

You guys are absolutely NO HELP at all...

letters from great grandma...

It's always a happy time when letters from Great Grandma E. addressed to the kids arrive--- full of stickers, a card and...



"Look! I got a DOLLAR!"



Thank you Great Grandma!!!

sweet face of summer...

I couldn't decide which one I liked best... what do you think?


A morning at the water park followed by a quick lunch and then out to a movie (Evan Almighty is playing for $2 a kid!).

Happy kids are snoozing :)

Fun summer day...

so when hubbie comes home...

...with 2 large pieces of wood, drags out a bunch of tools to the backyard, and starts sawing and hammering away while the boys crowd around him...

I start guessing what he's making. Because he won't tell any of us.

I would NEVER in a MILLION years have guessed.

He made...

STILTS!

Yes, I'm serious.

WHO does this? (Besides MY husband, of course!)

Naturally my big kid, I mean my hubbie, had to try them out first...



He even made them in 2 different levels.

Then the boys each got a turn but I was in the middle of making dinner and couldn't run outside yet.

But I was ready for Tessa's turn :)

"You got me Daddy?"



"Here I come boys!"



Sometimes, in moments such as these, I wonder if the kids will ever realize how unique and fun their Dad is...?

And I just run along side and take pictures :)

PLEASE VOTE... I'll be your BFF, plus YOU can WIN!!!

I entered Tessa and Jonah in Parent's Magazine's Cover Model Search, the winners will be featured on one of their covers this year and they get to go to NYC!!! How fun!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click the links under their pics below and then "Recommend" them (above their pic and a bit to the right, "rate them 5 stars" (right above the pic) and maybe leave a comment if you'd like, make them seem desired to be on the cover!!! But do it quick, the judging ends soon!

Come on people, I'm begging you here!

And I'm not opposed to bribing... if you leave a comment on the Parents Magazine site after recommending then I will pick a winner from those comments for some free jewels from my shop!!! Sound good? The first round of judging starts July 1st, so I will randomly choose a winner then!



To see her pics and vote/recommend Tessa click HERE! Wouldn't you love to see those blue eyes on the cover?



To see his pics and vote/recommend Jonah click HERE! Those dimples were MADE to be on the cover!!!

Oh, and FAMILY and FRIENDS- you can vote once a day, so come on back and vote daily :)

Thank you!!! Thank you!!!!

date night...

Thanks to my Mother in Law we were able to go out last night.

We ate dinner, shopped a bit, then sat at Barnes & Noble pouring over baby name books and making lists.

She's still "baby girl."

*Sigh*

It will come... right?

remember these???

We were watching a show yesterday and they had these things, I remeber these from Middle School... I think they're called "cootie cubes" or something? (Does anyone remember the real name of them?)

We're calling them "question cubes"...



The boys thought they looked pretty cool, and I said I could make them...



I whipped out some paper and made one and the look in their eyes was one of "wow, our Mom is really cool."



So we embellished them with colors on the outside and numbers on the inside, and then the very inside flaps say "yes", "no", "maybe", "I don't know", "try again", etc. It's answering all of our questions, like "will the baby be born early?" and "is the baby really a girl?"

How they work:

1. Ask someone to pick a color.
2. Spell out the color while opening the cube alternately.
3. Ask them to pick a number.
4. Count the number while opeing the cube each way alternately.
5. Ask for another number and then tell them to ask a question.
6. Open the inside flap of the number they chose and read the answer.

It has provided LOTS of fun entertainment :) I love hearing the questions they think of, plus they're learning to spell colors!

Or you can just make them into puppets, Tessa's favorites...



Have fun!

I'm off to run some errands that HAVE to be run, please say a little prayer for me... :P

watch this Mommy...

Time to relax at the pool... or jump in over and over again, each time saying "watch this Mommy" before jumping...Tessa definately won that contest today :)

I think the way my kids jump in describes their personalities...

There's Caleb, always trying to do his best and dive in "just right"...



there's Tessa, who has not a care in the world and just throws her body in the pool (gotta love that bootie, isn't it cute? lol)...



and there's Jonah, always trying to make us laugh with his funny faces and poses...



I love how different each one of them are and can't wait to find out baby girl's personality!!!

***side note- I dipped into the pool today for the first time this summer and it was like HEAVEN!!!***

my first treasury...

Thanks to Etsy seller babygoinplaces for including my moon necklace in her treasury, it's my first time in an Etsy treasury!





Click here to go right to it and leave a comment if you'd like :)

baby etsy finds...

There are so many cute baby items on Etsy, it has been hard to pick which ones to buy!

I bought this Hanging Ladder Photo Frame from fabricationsbylin, I plan on filling it with pics of the girls...



And I bought this vinyl wall saying from Humsandtiddelypoms, it's hanging above and in between their closet doors- I think I may get a crown to go right above it...



And yes, I have learned that these work on textured walls as well as smooth ones :)

I highly recommend BOTH of these shops-- they were both so nice, helpful (quickly answered my list of questions!) and shipped super fast!


[ UPDATE ]
***Humsandtiddelypoms is offering all readers of this blog FREE SHIPPING for a month!!! Just be sure and put "the vintage pearl" in the notes to seller box and she will adjust your invoice!***

[ ANOTHER UPDATE ]
Fabricationsbylin is offering all readers of this blog 10% off your order!!! Just put "the vintage pearl" in the notes to seller box and she will send you a revised invoice! She also has a fabric shop called Fabric Supplies where you can pick out any fabrics you want for your frames! Have fun shopping!

she takes the cake...

This afternoon, Tessa and I decided to bake a chocolate cake while the boys were playing outside.

Just for fun I poured the batter into a bundt cake pan- Tessa asked what is was so I told her- "we're making a bundt cake."

A few minutes later the boys came in and Tessa, very excitedly exclaims:

"Boys! Guess what?! We're making a BUTT cake!!!"



Our finished cake...



We think it looks like a giant chocolate donut with sprinkles :)

he did it again...

Yesterday (yes, on Father's Day) Ryan ran the Tulsa triathlon!!! This was his second time and he did great! He had to swim a mile in a lake, then bike 24 miles, then run 6 miles!!! Way to go babe!

The kids and I went and cheered him on- it was HOT and windy... thankfully I had packed plenty of snacks and drinks, which made it so much easier!

The kids all made signs for Daddy...





Tessa put dots on hers because, according to her, Daddy LOVES polka dots!



and we saw him bike in AND run in...



How he's still standing up, I have no idea...





We're proud of you Ryan!!!