5 weeks

Aubrey's 5 weeks old today. The chaos has become our new "normal." She's fitting into our family quite nicely.

A couple people have asked about her hair color. It appears to be a brownish shade of red. It the sunlight, it looks very red, but we're calling it auburn--appropriate, don't you think?

I've been trying to get a picture of Aubrey with her eyes open, but her best awake time, unfortunately, is late at night, and by then I'm not really thinking about getting the camera out.

Joel update

Our week has gone better than it started. Joel's nose is looking better. The swelling is almost gone, and now he just has a nice green bruise. He's enjoyed telling people this week about going to the hospital. He got stickers and a bunny (stuffed bunny--it was Easter, you know), and the doctor looked at his nose, and he cried, and he ate Nerds, and Daddy wore an apron (in the x-ray room), and ....
It's quite a long story the way he tells it.

This photo is just for fun. We think it's so funny that Grandpa and Grandma's usually unfriendly cat lets Kari tote her around like this.

March Madness Update

Well, we're in the elite 8, starting today, and the win tally is...
Kari and Greg--36 wins, 5 teams still in it
Joel and Andrea--35 wins, 4 teams still in it
Both have 3 out of 4 Final Four teams

It's neck and neck.

Crazy Oregon Weather

Quote from Kari as she looked out the window during lunch today:

"OH MY GOODNESS! SNOWING in the SPRING! How did THAT happen?"

Resurrection Sunday, Bloody Nose, and ER

Well, yesterday Joel decided to carry on Uncle Brian's tradition of smashing his nose and spending some time in the ER on a holiday, except he chose Easter as opposed to Thanksgiving. We really did have a great day at church celebrating Jesus' resurrection and the hope we have in Christ. And we had a great time the rest of the day, too, with grandparents and family...until it was time to go. Everyone else had already gone home, and we were getting ready to leave Grandpa and Grandma Moffat's house when Joel ran across the living room, tripped, and did a face plant right on the corner of the wooden step in the entry way. Daddy, Grandpa, and Grandma swooped into action, and Mommy swooped into panic mode (I don't do very well in these types of situations.). I called the doctor while they all tried to control the bleeding amidst the screaming and thrashing. He smashed his nose pretty good, and it wasn't pretty. Grandma rode in the van with us, with Grandpa following in their car. We dropped everyone off at our house, and Greg and I headed to the ER with Joel. (Just for the record, this was Joel's 4th ER visit. Crazy kid.) We were only there a total of 2 hours--not bad--and Joel was calm and pretty happy at that point. The x-ray showed no broken nose, and the doctor checked him out to make sure nothing else was going on. We did find out he actually has bone in his nose, which apparently is unusual for a kid his age. We had our camera with us, so Greg documented the occasion while we waited. On the way home Joel kept saying something about his shirt, and I didn't understand what he was talking about. Turns out, he was very concerned about his [white] Easter shirt. Grandma had told him she would try to clean it up for him while he was gone, so when we got home, he asked her if his shirt all clean yet. It was. Grandma had cleaned it up well. Never mind that your nose is all bruised and swollen. Just make sure your shirt is clean.

Easter Photos

We actually had a good time at the photography studio this time. (I know, we just did this back in January for their 2 and 4 year old photos, but once I got the coordinating Easter outfits, I had to do it.) The kids did great, and I was so happy they were able to get some cute ones of Aubrey. She was 3 weeks old at the time.

Jello Eggs with Grandma

Mom's keeping the Arnold family tradition alive, making Jello eggs with her grandkids. [Note: it's much easier now that they have the jello egg molds. We used to blow out the insides of real eggs, rinse them, and use the real shells--not so easy with holes in both ends.] The kids loved it, of course. Here's a video Dad took while they worked: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqWtutL64D8 . It's kind of long for the average viewer, but great for us parents and for grandparents. Skip to 2 minutes 45 seconds if you want to see Aubrey smiling in her sleep.

Don't try to tell him otherwise...

"I see Mater!" is what we hear from Joel (and now Kari, too) every time we drive by this old truck, and we drive by it often. Joel decided a couple months ago that it was Mater (from Disney's Cars). Kari tried to tell him it wasn't, but he was adamant. So, Mater it is!

Mini-Moffat March Madness

The last several years I've filled out a bracket for the tournament so that I have a somewhat vested interest in the endless games my husband loves to watch each March. I have no idea what teams have done well and who might pull an upset, so I just choose based on the rankings and pick upsets at random. I've actually done ok a couple different years. :)

This year, I enlisted the help of our little man, Joel. He helped me choose the winners of each match up. He liked the sound of North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Gonzaga and Stanford (which he has all the way to the final 4...hmm). I chose UCLA.

Kari helped Greg fill out a bracket, so it's Joel and I against Kari and Greg. Don't worry--Greg has his own bracket (his real one), too. We'll see who wins!

On a different note, check out Ryan and Michelle's blog. Michelle posted some cute photos she took of Aubrey the other day.

Church and Eggs

These first two photos are courtesy of Laura Stager at church. At the beginning of the service, the kids formed a line and walked to the front with palm branches in honor of Palm Sunday. Joel was supposed to stay right behind Kari in the line. Instead he walked VERY slowly, got way behind Kari, and sort of held up the processional. The little boy behind him was very patient. Kari stayed in the line and as they circled back around, she came and found me, but I had to go looking for Joel. One of the older girls was watching out for him and brought him to me.

Last night we dyed eggs. The kids wore their most colorful t-shirts and really got into it. Joel thought you had to have two eggs in each cup, and he didn't think the spoon thingys necessary. We have brown dyed hands and many earth-tone colored eggs as a result. I finally had to put a time limit on the activity. They would have dyed those same eggs for the next hour if we'd let them.

And this is what Aubrey did while we dyed eggs

Aubrey's 3rd week

Kari and Joel taught her "If You're Happy and You Know it (clap your hands)"

*Correction: Kari says they were doing Pat-A-Cake in this photo

She got her first real bath at home. We had lots of help.

Joel has learned to hold his "so soft" baby Aubrey. He likes to put his cheek against her head. It's very sweet.

Wee Little One

Aubrey is two weeks old today. She's still so tiny and wonderful to hold. It's probably a good thing I have two other kids to take care of, otherwise I'd just want to hold her all day long, never put her down, and get nothing done. Greg went back to work today (paid parental leave is a beautiful thing), so it's back to "normal" life for us.

Kari and Joel are still loving their baby sister. Kari does a great job holding her on the couch, and Joel gives lots of hugs and kisses. He likes to touch her head. He's says, "So soft!" and, "So cute!" in a little high pitched voice. I don't have many pictures of him with Aubrey yet because I'm usually holding (ie. protecting) her when he's giving her "love." It's safer that way.

Poor guy

It's not often you hear a mom say she's glad her toddler has an ear infection, but today I was happy to hear the doctor say Joel has a raging ear infection (two of them actually, one starting in the other ear, too). Apparently, he has a pretty high pain tolerance. I feel bad that he's hurting, but I'm glad to know there's a reason he's been so stinkin' cranky and difficult! We've been debating about taking him in the last couple days, attributing the attitude to just "being 2," but after some night waking and crying last night (which I slept through, by the way--very strange), Greg decided to take him in and risk looking like the foolish parent. So glad he did and so glad our pediatrician's office is open on Saturday mornings!

Happy Birthday, Greg!

I have the most amazing husband who is also a wonderful and dedicated father. He's been off work and home this week, helping us adjust to life with three kids, and he has been working hard (hence this first photo)! He's taken the kids on bike rides, changed diapers, built towers and forts, and done so much more. Today may not be the most relaxing birthday you've ever had, since you're home with us, but I hope it's enjoyable, nonetheless. We love you!

Happy 29th Birthday!

Kind Baby

We've had two nights of six hour stretches of sleep. So nice of you, Aubrey!

First Week

Aubrey has done very well in her first six days. She's such a little sweetie. We have really been enjoying our tiny new baby. As Kari and Joel keep saying, "She's so cute!" She's eating and sleeping great. The last two nights she's slept 4 hours between feedings! I'm not really expecting this to continue, but it sure would be nice. Aubrey Ann, you're just precious.

Joel looks so big to me now! I think he grew while I was in the hospital.

The kids have been having fun this week, getting back into their routines and enjoying having Daddy home.