The New Obsession!!!

So we have "invested" in a Wii....it has been a big hit at our house since its arrival in February. We sold our GameCube to a local store along with all of our games. We were very sad to sell our very favorite game....MarioKart among others that we really enjoyed.

Luckily for us, Nintendo is a very compassionate company and has created our new obsession....MarioKart Wii!!!!! We picked it up last week and we absolutely love it! We had friends over last Friday night to play (which was an absolute blast!!!!!) and my family played while they were up picking up Becky from college (also a ton of fun!). Chris is absolutely the most obsessed out of all of us (which isn't really a surprise) and he actually does really well with it! In fact, while I'm sitting here typing this he is placing anywhere from 5th in a race to about 12th (out of 12!). He gets very excited about all of his races, even his 12th place finishes! Daniel cheers for him and everyone else that is playing no matter how they are doing...he does a great job of being a moral booster no matter the situation. I was playing earlier and I fell off of the side of this rainbow road and Daniel was right there telling me "You rock momma!" This phrase he has taken from Guitar Hero (Daniel's personal favorite!)

While playing, Chris constantly asks for a rocket (one of the nice little prizes/game plays you can get out of one of the boxes you can drive over) and he usually gets one...this has caused him to be CONVINCED that if you ask for it, you will get one! Even if he isn't playing, he is asking for a rocket for someone who is...funny and absolutely adorable! :)

We did discover quickly on Friday night with our friends that if you want to race with Chris, you really need to keep your distance! He is the funniest kid to watch play this game! He moves to the left when he wants his car to move to the left...and I don't mean he just simply leans that way a little...this is a whole body experience! :) He moves his arms until they are outstretched and his whole body moves with him. It's a great workout for him...that's for sure! I also know that he is truly one of my kids because I have a brother that he really reminds me of! Chris even opens his mouth while he plays like my brother does (love ya bro!). I was in tears watching him play over the weekend...it was fantastically funny! I wish I had video to place on here but it just didn't occur to me to do it until it was too late and we had turned the game off...perhaps I will do that sometime this week.

Someday Chris will read this or be told about this and be absolutely embarassed, however, just know kiddo, that we adore you and we think it's the cutest thing ever!!!!!

I hope all of you had a great day! :) Will post more later!

A Month Has Gone By....

Well, as of today, one month and one day to be exact have gone by since Kate has joined us! I just can't believe it. It doesn't seem possible that a month ago I was in the hospital holding my adorable little girl shortly after she was born...that she was actually here. In the past month, we have been adjusting to life as a family of 5 (which is still odd to say sometimes)! :) The boys have really become obsessed with their baby sister and her needs, wanting to hold and touch her all of the time. Greg is getting used to changing a girl's diaper and loves holding her and snuggling her. I am just really enjoying getting to know her as a little person. I have figured out which cry is a cry about her diaper (most of the time!) and definitely which cry is her hungry cry!!!! :)

Time seems to be flying by faster with Kate than it did with either of the boys. I looked at her today and was just amazed at the difference in her now...she doesn't look or act like the newborn baby she was just a few short weeks ago.

I'm just in awe of her and the boys. I am amazed that we have created such wonderful little human beings (as crazy as they can be sometimes!) and that they are a part of us. It's just simply wonderful.

The picture above was just taken today...more pictures of all three of my babies coming soon!

Happy Mother's Day!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all of the wonderful mommies out there! :) I hope that your day is going as well as mine!

I want to especially say Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Greg's mom, and our grandmas! Without you we obviously wouldn't be here but we also really appreciate all of the guidance and support that you have provided us!!!! THANK YOU!!!! We love you!

I will be back on later tonight to post more pictures and update you on everything going on around here (which really isn't too much!)! Have a great day!

Nicole

How many times????

This morning we are home due to Daniel running a slight fever...not sure if it is actually something that is wrong with him or if he is simply teething or what but he's become quite unruly this morning so it's probably for the better! I'm not quite sure how many times I've said "Daniel, how many times have I asked you ....." and then fill in the blank with any number of phrases ranging from "not to bother the dog" to "not throw balls in the house" to "WALK!!!!!" GRRR!!! Poor boy...he's completely being picked on this morning

Chris's soccer season is over now and we made it through both of the games he had scheduled for last week! :) No rain in sight...just very chilly weather (especially Sat. morning!!!!!). Next on his agenda....the end of the school year, beginning kindergarten summer school (he can't wait for this!) and t-ball!

Kate is just hanging out...she's sleeping through the night (YEAH for us!), she's eating well, and she's awake a little more every day! We had her first pictures taken yesterday and I can't wait to get them because she was absolutely ADORABLE in her little dress!

What I'm most excited about is the changing weather! It's definitely starting to warm up outside and in fact it was so nice yesterday we went to the park with our dearest friends and had a BLAST! I can't wait for so many more times/memories like this one! And of course I took the camera and forgot to take pictures! I promise to do so next time!

For now, here are some other pictures that we've taken recently...enjoy! :)

Kate in one of her MANY Cardinals outfits! They won on the day she wore this...coincidence? I think not! :)

And here are my three beautiful children all sitting together and looking at the camera at the same time!

Daniel at Chris's soccer game! Everytime I took a picture of Chris playing, Daniel wanted his picture taken! :) I took a couple and this one turned out just fantastic! Daniel loves going to Chris's soccer games...he was champ about sitting and watching...I can only imagine what it will be like when he starts playing! :)

New Pics...

Hello everyone! Things are going well here in good old Kirksville! Kate had a doctor's appointment on Friday to check to see if she was back up to her birth weight and she is! :) She now weighs 7 lbs. 12.8 ounces! What an overachiever! :)

The boys are doing really well. Chris is keeping his fingers crossed that the weather cooperates so he can actually play some soccer this week! His games are supposed to be on Saturdays but almost all of them have been rained out! He has a make-up game this Thursday (there is a 40% chance of rain) and then one on Saturday (there is a 20% chance of rain) so please keep your fingers crossed for him! :) He is also wanting to sign up for T-ball...I'm just hoping the weather improves for that!

Daniel is really loving his baby sister (as does Chris!)...he is very protective of her and gets very worried if she starts fussing at all! Trains are still the highlight of his day and in fact he is playing with his Thomas trains right at this moment!

Hope everyone out there is doing well! Feel free to leave us a message and let us know how you are doing, etc! Enjoy the pictures...

Kate on her new toy gym (a gift from the kiddos at school!) - She LOVES it!

Daniel LOVES holding his baby sister (baby sistah as Daniel says - with emphasis on the sistah!)

Chris playing soccer...goalie is his favorite position!!!!

Daniel can't wait until it's his turn to play soccer!!!! :)

Katherine Grace Marshall is HERE!

Hello everyone! I'm here to tell you that Katherine Grace Marshall is here! I'm also placing some pictures at the end of this post for everyone to see!

For those of you who don't know, Miss Kate was supposed to be delivered by C-Section today (April 24th)....well, who knew that she would have her own ideas!

At about 3:00 a.m. on April 11th, my water broke and off to the hospital Greg and I went! Later that morning, at 7:12 a.m. Kate was born! :) She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 22 inches long. She was absolutely perfect from the moment she was born! We did have some issues with jaundice but nothing to worry too much about. She was on the bili-blanket until the following Thursday to help with her jaundice.

I do want to thank everyone who came by the hospital while we were there for four (very long) days! Especially to those of you who came and hung out even though I was not always coherent, etc! :) You know who you are! :)

I just can't believe that Baby Kate (as the boys call her) is actually here. The pink in our house is fantastic and the boys are totally in love with their baby sister. They are both so loving towards her and heaven forbid she ever cry while they are around! :)

Well, here are some pictures for you to enjoy and there will be more later! :) Thanks for stopping by!

Baby Kate a couple of days after she was born!

The proud big brothers!!!!! :)

Kate at about a week old....

Kate two nights ago in her bouncy seat.....

Okay, so I'm not Nicole...

This Is Becky, Nicole's sister, posting pictures for all those who are not on Facebook.

For those who don't know, Katherine Grace Marshall was born April 11th, 2008 at 7:12 am. She weighs 7 lbs 12 oz and is 22 inches long.

To tell the whole story, Nicole's water broke at about three this morning, and I got called in at about three-thirty to babysit the boys. Nicole and Greg were at the hospital by four, and she was told she would be having the baby at seven. So that's how baby Kate joined us!! Grandpa and Grandma Harman and Grandad and Grandma Marshal have all been to see the new baby, and everyone who sees her says she's beautiful (even for a newborn!)!! Nicole is doing fine, and mommy and baby expect to be home Sunday or Monday.


Here she is!! Katherine Grace Marshall!!!

The Marshall boys with their new sister/daughter!

Mommy and baby... This was around feeding time, so Nicole was actually out of bed

This is Becky, Nicole's sister, posting pictures for all of you who are not on Facebook.

For those who don't know, Katherine Grace Marshall was born April 11, 2008 at 7:12 am. She weighs 7 lbs 12 oz, and is 22 inches long.

To tell the whole story, Nicole's water broke at about three this morning, and I got called in at about three-thirty to babysit the boys. Nicole and Greg were at the hospital by four, and she was told she would have a C-section at seven. So that's how Baby Kate joined us!!! Grandpa and Grandma Harman and Grandad and Grandma Marshall have all been to see the new baby, and everyone who sees her says she is beautiful (even for a newborn!)!