Trip to Mimi Carol's

(All smiles in Aunt Marta's car)

Emily and Michael were very excited when we woke up Saturday morning. They were ready to go to "grandma and grandpa's house". They got out of bed and went straight to the garage and into the van before Adam or I could get them out of their pj's or eating their breakfast.

Adam and I drove 3 hours north where we meet with Marta, who drove them another 3 hours to my parents' home. From Saturday evening until Friday, Adam and I have a quiet house, a newborn baby, and some time to enjoy being a family of just 3 again.

We're lovin' this!

(Marta meets Robbie)

Oregon Coast photos

Mary and Rob came to visit us Easter weekend. We took them to see a lighthouse on the coast, and Mary captured some lovely shots on her camera.

This last photo is from a look out point off the road, taken after we visited the lighthouse.

Basketball Birthday Cake

We bought Mikey a Little Tikes adjustable basketball stand for his 2nd birthday. I've never been the type to do much for birthday cakes, but this year I thought it'd be fun to put some thought into it. So, Mary, Emily and I did our best to make a basketball birthday cake for Michael. We baked the cake in an oven proof glass bowl to get the round shape. We had a lot of fun making it together.

The Rest of the Gang

After spending 2 days in our quiet hospital room with our newborn son, I came home to Emily and Michael and could not believe all the energy they had, and how messy they are with their food stained clothes and runny noses! Just think, they were both little like Robbie once upon a time.

Peter and Krista said they had a wonderful time with the kids, and the kids definitely had a blast with them. I am so glad--it really was nice to not worry about the kids while we were in the hospital. Uncle Peter and Krista really took care of them for us--visiting "the restaurant", going to the park, buying pink cereal, and dodging Michael's lunch as he threw it this way and that. We really appreciate all the help our family gives us. Having a new baby helps me refocus on the small details of caring for my family.

Robert Jay Anderson

Robert Jay Anderson
Born 1:43 pm. March 15, 2008
7 lbs 4 oz - 20.5 Inches

Mom and baby are doing great. I just got home to get ready to bring everyone home tonight. Keep an eye on the blog. I'll post some more pictures soon.

Our Weekend Plans

So, do you have plans for the weekend? Adam and I do--we are probably going to have a baby. I never thought I would do something like this (and I don't plan on doing it again), but we are going to have a new birthing experience--that of being induced.

Peter and Krista are coming down Friday night to stay with the kids (thank you, thank you, thank you to Peter and Krista). So, unless labor begins on its own before Saturday (and I wouldn't be surprised if it did), and as long as all goes well at our next check up, we’ll head for the hospital at 6 AM Saturday, and keep you posted with news as to whether this baby is a boy or a girl. I can’t promise that we’ll have a name picked out before the weekend is over, though…

Updates

Right now, I should really be unpacking, organizing, or thinking of baby names, but I feel more like posting some pictures and updating our blog. Adam and I are in the new house, and at first my reaction to this big, old house was, "what am I doing here?" The house has a strong personality that doesn't exactly match my own (Mary and Rob will soon see what I mean). I don't really want to post pictures of the house since we are house sitting for someone else, but I'll tell you that it is ~2700 square feet, so I feel a little overwhelmed with the space that I will "manage" as the official homemaker here. But after being here for a week, we are enjoying the extra space and low rent. The kids stay busy playing with toys left behind by the owners, the backyard, and Stinky the cat. The downsides are outweighed by the upsides. Now, it may be challenging to move out of here into a smaller space.

One fun feature: the laundry shoot. Our first day here, I kept hearing loud noises and found that Michael was busily dropping all of his toys down the laundry shoot. Similarly, the nursery has a little window that looks out into the living room/foyer. The window is blocked with an iron railing so the kids can drop their toys through the railing onto the floor below without dropping themselves as well.

We also have a laundry/sewing room that is bigger than the kids' bedroom. Here's a fun project I've been working on: baby burp cloths. I love the idea of being able to give something homemade for a gift. A friend of mine is due a week before me, and this is what she's getting from us. Because I am such a visual learner, this tutorial really helped me see how to make these burp cloths.

The last of the updates: photos of the kids.

Emily likes to pose for a picture.

I have a hard time getting a photo of Michael without his binky. If I take it away, he complains and there goes the photo op. It's just a part of him. He likes his "binky" and his "blankey".