Happy 3rd Birthday Lauren!

Lauren turned the BIG 3 on the 17th!  We had a kid party for her, went out to dinner, and made cupcakes for her class at school.  Here are some pics from the big occasion.  We love you Lauren, so very much!  You are so stinkin cute, smart, adventurous, and you help make our family perfect!   I love seeing the world through your eyes :)

Lauren chose Toy Story theme for her party.  She loves the little green alien.  She calls him Pizza Planet!

Big sister got into the games too :)

Dirty pizza face :)

It has been a long time!

Having 3 kids under 5 years old makes for a very delayed blog.  Sorry Mom (you should just join facebook  :) )   So, update:  Having Jillian in our family is just so wonderful.  She is such a good baby too!  She usually only wakes up once in the middle of the night now, she naps (*gasp*), she is always smiling and making little laughing noises.  Her sisters ADORE her.  In fact, the biggest "problem" is that they are always in her face.  I love that they love her, but give the kid some breathing room, you know? :)

Below are some random cute pics of some of our adventures.  We kept busy with a trip to a resort in Arizona (Sam won a contest!), a road trip to the Olathe Corn Festival, trips to the museum, sprayground, many parks, zoos, etc.. Phew!  We have also had many "firsts":  first swimming lessons, first dance class, first time on plane, first baseball game..

Having a family with 3 little kids is exhausting, but the most fun ever!

Jillian at 10 weeks old

3 months old, grinning away in Bumbo!

Lauren's ready for her first dance class!!!  

9-15-11

Katelyn and I at the Olathe Corn Festival

The girl's first Build-A-Bears!

Daddy and Katelyn playing at the kids club, at the resort in Arizona,

Jillian Anne Masiello

Our precious little Jillian arrived in this world on Thursday June 9, 2011 at 2:59pm.  She was born weighing 8lbs 6oz and 21 1/2 in long.  It was a very painful labor and delivery but as I sit here, watching her fast asleep in her swing, it was of course totally worth every single second.  I know a lot of people like to hear the Birth Story, so I will share Jillian's.  I was set to be induced 8 days early due to high blood pressure.  The doctor started the Pitocin at 7:40am.  Within 30 mins I was having pretty painful contractions.  I do not remember the timing in all of this, but of course I asked for an epidural.  Honestly, going into this my biggest fear wasn't the actual birth, but getting this needle shoved into my spinal canal.  Fun times there :)  Well, for a few hours the epidural worked.. until the doctor broke the water.  Then the nice drugs couldn't keep up :(  I heard Sam tell someone after the fact that I went from 5/6cm-pushing in under an hour.  After a few pushes I hear the doctor say that she is sunny side up!  No wonder it seems like I felt everything.  But then right at the last push Jillian cooperated and flipped herself and was born!  She was born so fast she had bruising on her head,which now 6 days later is fading and almost gone.  Poor baby, and I thought I hurt.  She is a big, healthy baby!  She did have to be in a light bed for 36 hours due to some jaundice, but at her 4 day doctor appointment they took her off of it-  thank goodness, she hated it!  Now 6 days into her little life, she loves to be swaddled, cuddled, and loved.  Her big sisters dote all over her, always wanting to kiss her and hold her.  It is very cute to watch them.  She also loves to eat! :) We are all adjusting to our little addition over here.  Katelyn is her 2nd Mommy, and Lauren shows her love but is trying to find her way as the middle child.  We have been giving her special attention too.  I am healing, I just don't remember it taking this long.  It has only been 6 days, but I am eager to rejoin all the fun Sam and the girls are having to together! Sam is taking care of everything and really having so much fun with the girls. Thank goodness he is off from work until after the 4th and my mom comes out in under 2 weeks from now.  Anyways, I want to get some pics posted before Jillian decides to eat yet again :)

Last belly shot, induction morning!

Katelyn's Dance Recital

Katelyn had her second dance recital last weekend, and let me tell you, it was one of the cutest things EVER! :)  She really has been enjoying dancing, and even let me curl her hair for the event!  I can't seem to get the video to upload, but it is on my facebook page, so check it out there :)

THAT'S our girl! :)

"I'm too cool for you!"

She loves flowers from her fans :)

Lauren, her biggest fan :)

Happy Easter!

From our family to yours,

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Katelyn's First Field Trip

Today Katelyn's PreK class took their first field trip!  We went to the IMAX showing of Oceans 3D at the Denver Science Museum.  Katelyn could barely eat breakfast she was so excited!  And the fact that I went as a parent chaperone, I was pretty excited as well!  Ok, I was VERY excited!  I had every reason to be.  The kids were SO excited.  They got to ride the school bus, sit in a movie theater, eat a bagged lunch, and ride back.  How cool is that for a bunch of 4/5 year olds? :)  My favorite part is just that Katelyn wanted me there.  I loved watching her be with her friends and experience this new adventure.  Anytime I even think I miss being a teacher, I will think of this day..... truly special.

Learning Time: SIMPLIFY

As I grow bigger and bigger, somedays are harder than others to create really neat learning activities for Katelyn and Lauren.  And there are days like today that I am reminded sometimes simple activities are the ones that generate the most independent learning time.  For under $1.00 today, at a garage sale, I picked up this cool Spiral Art kit for Katelyn.  It reminds me of things we grew up with.  Well let me tell you, she went at it for probably 45 mins.  All it is are plastic discs to create "rainbow circles" and LOTS of stencils.  I got them more for the stencils than the circles because I know how much she loves using them at school.  Lauren sat across the table from her doing a color matching activity over and over.  I made it a few months ago for her.  Back then she was just learning the fine motor skills of opening and closing a clothes pin.  She was so proud of herself to do it all by herself!  Lauren then did her ABC puzzle over and over again as well.  I actually was able to make dinner in absolute peace!  So today's lesson for me:  Simplify simplify simplify :)