Welcome Baby Josephine

Well, it has been a while since I wrote anything on here but in my own defense, I have not been intentionally neglecting my blog, I have just been SUPER busy!

Well, as the title says, Josephine is finally here!  I was induced on Thursday, April 12th and Josephine made her arrival at 4:15 pm that day! She weighed 8 pounds and 11 ounces and is 21 1/2 inches long! It was definitely the most difficult labor I have ever had, but seeing our beautiful baby girl made up for it in the end.  She is gorgeous!  I may be a bit biased, but really, she is a very pretty baby.  She has bluish gray eyes (we will see if they stay that way, like her mommy or if they will change colors like her brother's eyes), she has a little bit of reddish brown hair, sweet fluffy cheeks, super alert and definitely looks a lot like Eric! I am completely and totally in love with her.  She has a sweet temperament so far and is pretty laid back.  She LOVES her brothers already.  She will just sit and listen to them as they talk to her and sing to her.  Alex likes to read to her and Eric makes up songs for her...it is really sweet!  She is definitely the princess!  The boys argue over who gets to pick out her clothes, who gets to hold her first, and who will go get whatever item I need at that moment.  The boys are amazing and it warms my heart to see them so loving and nurturing.  James is completely smitten by her.  I find him getting home a bit earlier from work and jumping at any opportunity to help with her and to hug and squeeze her.  I have to admit that I find myself neglecting chores to be able to just sit and snuggle her.  A friend of mine that has grown children told me about when her first daughter was born after having two boys that "You love your boys, but you feel a whole different level and kind of love for your girl."  I didn't realize what she meant until Josephine arrived, and now I completely understand.  I am so grateful that the Lord blessed us with such a little miracle, she was well worth the wait.

Only 30 minutes old!

Alex and Eric meet Josephine

Resting in the Boppy at the hospital

Hospital Portrait

Another hospital portrait

Sweet kisses from Eric

4 days old!

12 days old

Baby Girl

Well, even though she hasn't made her arrival into the world, she has definitely made an impact.  Josephine is the name we picked for baby girl.  We are all very excited and anxious for her arrival.  We finally finished her room. We all helped out in one way or another.  I am looking forward to her growing up in that room.

We prayed for her for a very long time and felt that maybe we would never be blessed with another child, but the Lord had other plans, and it included a baby girl.  Maybe because this is my third, or she is a girl, or just because, but this pregnancy hasn't been easy.  Between all day sickness that just won't completely go away, raging hormones, and extreme tiredness this pregnancy has not been easy, but I know it will be worth it.

Having a girl has already taken some getting used to.  I now know where the girl's section is at the store, I am obsessed with hair bows and cute shoes, this kid has more clothes than me!  I am amazed at how different things are, and she isn't even here yet.  We feel very blessed to be able to have her in our lives and know that she will make her arrival soon!

I would love to post some ultrasound pictures or something, but none of them have been very clear, well, except her foot!  We do know that she has long legs and is a modest little thing.  We keep dreaming of what she will look like.  I guess we will find out soon.

Eric

Now time for Eric.  Eric has gotten so big!  He finally grew, and when he did, he really did.  Eric has grown two inches in the last 3 months!  He is loving preschool and he absolutely adores his teachers.  Eric loves to sing and to play make-believe.  Eric loves to play with anything Alex does and wants to do everything Alex does.  Eric is still in tumbling classes and excelling!  He loves the beam and the rings the most.  He is very strong and when he flexes his tummy he has some serious ab muscles.  Eric loves to play outside and his new found love is riding his bicycle.  Eric is still my cuddler and he loves being a Mommy's boy.  Eric is very excited about his soon-to-arrive baby sister and frequently wants to go and buy her new clothes and goodies.  Eric is my diva.  Well, whatever a boy version of diva is.  He loves his clothes and wardrobe and if I would let him he would change clothes three times a day at least.  He loves to assemble outfits and to wear either his shark shoes or his bright green lizard shoes.  He is constantly cracking me up with his stories and ideas.  Eric tells me that when he grows up he wants to be a missionary with Daddy and to go to South America and then to Utah so he can play in the snow.  Eric is finally adjusting to being a Sunbeam and enjoys going to class with his friends.  Eric is definitely one of a kind and I am constantly amazed by him.

Eric playing in the snow for the first time

Playing a video game with Clifford (Eric's class pet)

Eric showing off a strawberry he picked

Alex

I don't know where to start with Alex!  He is becoming such a big kid!  He celebrated his 6th birthday in March and has become quite an amazing young man!  Alex's new love is Legos.  He received some for his birthday and plays with them on a daily basis.  He is very creative and loves to just sit and play with them for hours. Alex is excelling in reading!  He amazes me with how much he grasps language and how much he enjoys reading.  I am so grateful, as I know this will carry him to amazing opportunities and knowledge.

Alex lost his frist tooth this week, and it was truly bittersweet for me.  I can't believe how much he has grown and matured.  He is very responsible and tries very hard to do his best in everything.  Alex is playing baseball again this season and he seems to really enjoy it.  He is on the same team as one of his best friends and that has been really fun for him.  Alex may not be the fastest, or the most focused, but he puts his heart into the game and tries to better himself each time he plays.  Alex is very sweet and wears his heart on his sleeve.  At times he gets his feelings hurt or gets a bit over emotional about things, but he is quick to be a friend and show love to those around him.  He is so much like James!  At times I can see how James must have been as a child when I watch Alex interact with people and how he plays and thinks.  I can't say enough about my big boy, he is truly amazing!

Alex after he went tubing down the mountain!

Alex on Opening Day 2012

6th Birthday!

Alex caught a fish with Daddy

Very proud of his lost tooth

We Will Start with the Adults

Well, I guess we will move from oldest to youngest on our family update.

James is still working hard at Conroe Machine.  He is constantly trying to improve is skills and increase his knowledge.  He is an amazingly hard worker and has been told that he is an asset to the company.  At church he is flourishing as the Gospel Principles teacher.  He is completely in his element and has spent a lot of time studying and praying on each topic he is assigned to teach.  James loves spending time with the boys and teaching them new things.  He celebrated his 28th birthday in February and enjoys his birthday present very much.  He finally got a riding lawn mower, and has used it a lot already.  James has been busy helping me get the baby's room ready and anxiously anticipating baby girl's arrival.

I have been working at the preschool still and really enjoy it.  In fact, today is my first day not working and I am missing my kids terribly!  I am still the Primary Chorister, and as I have said in the past, there is really no better calling in the church!  The boys keep me busy with activities and being their room mom, and everything else being a Mommy entails (which is pretty much everything, right?).  I am 38 weeks pregnant and anxiously waiting for baby girl to arrive.  I spent a good chunk of time nesting.  I even mopped a clean floor!  Those who know me and my housekeeping skills know that will probably never happen again.  I feel tremendously blessed with wonderful friends that love me and are watching out for me.  Oh, I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I am now a mini-van mom.  We bought our van in late November and I don't know why people are so against them!  I love my van and can't imagine driving anything else!

Well, that is all I can think of for "the adults" in the house and what is going on with us.  Maybe there is more, but right this minute it doesn't seem too important.  Now to move on the update about the best parts of our family.

Again, It Got Away From Me

Well, it happened again.  My blog got away from me!  This time I can say that I think it is because I have been crazy busy and life moves faster than I do these days.  I was trying to decide how to update everything, but I really can't go back and summarize everything from December until now, so I guess I will post about each of us and you can fill in the blanks.  Hopefully things will start to calm down and I will be able to post more.  Life is changing for us as a family, but then again, it feels like at times it is the same story, just a different day.  Oh well, life is a learning experience and some lessons are learned easier than others.  Well, now to update about everyone...

Playing Catch Up

How did I let this thing slip so far from me!?!  I can't believe that I haven't posted in so long.  Things have been so busy, this just happened to get put at the end of the list.  So, here is a quick update/ run down of the Wardell's life.

Okay, so since August things really have changed a bit for us.  In the month of August we went to visit GiGi for a few days.  We went to Galveston to see dolphins and took the boys to La Kings on the Strand.  We enjoyed a quiet long weekend there and were enjoying wrapping up our summer break.  When we returned home there was a MESS.  A water line to our refrigerator burst and we came home to a flooded living room and kitchen.  I can look back now and say it was definitely a learning experience and I love our new floors and paint, but getting there was no fun at all.  We finally finished it mid-September as we had a few bumps in the road before all was said and done.

Riding in the boat at La Kings

James and the boys ready to see dolphins

Look! Dolphins!

Playing Chess on the Strand

At the end of August Alex started kindergarten!  I can't believe my baby is in kindergarten!  Alex was very excited to start school.  Things were a little rocky in the beginning, but now he is completely settled in and loving it.  His teacher constantly tells me how sweet he is and what a great helper he is.  I love that Alex gives everything 100%.

Alex on his first day of Kindergarten!

September definitely came with a BANG!  Eric was supposed to start preschool right after Labor Day, but Mother Nature had other plans.  Labor Day weekend was very stressful as most of Magnolia and Waller were evacuated due to a HUGE wildfire.  The Tri-County fire ripped through our area.  My parents came to stay with us for 10 days as the fire burned.  We were very blessed to be out of harms way, but the stress was unimaginable.  School was cancelled because they were being used as command posts, and everything was out of whack.  At this point our house was nothing but sub floors.  Our refrigerator was in the living room, we had no furniture in the living room or kitchen, and lets just say we live in a single family home, and it made things a little tight.  Everyone tried to be good sports about the situation.  We made it through, again, with lessons learned.  Finally Eric started school and he was very happy to go.  Alex was able to start his Fall Season of T-Ball and we also found out that we are expecting baby number 3 and morning sickness definitely won many battles.

Alex got the "Game Ball"!

Alex was so proud!

Alex plays catcher at the game

Eric ready for his first day of preschool!

He is such a ham!

October rolled around and I started working at Eric's school as the Pre-K teacher.  This is definitely work, but tons of fun at the same time.  Eric really likes me being at the school and I like the kids and something to keep me busy.  Halloween came and the boys were very excited.  I let them pick their costumes this year.  Alex was a Jedi and Eric was Super Why.  They had lots of fun at our church trunk-or-treat and then trick-or-treating on Halloween.  Eric loves to play dress-up, so we went and bought a few costumes on clearance after Halloween.  He has enjoyed being many different super heroes.

Alex the Jedi

Eric as Super Why

After the Trunk-or-Treat

After the Trunk-or-Treat

November came very quickly.  I celebrated my 26th birthday and then then Thanksgiving break came.  We were very blessed to have James home the entire week of Thanksgiving.  On Monday we all went to my doctor's appointment as we were supposed to find out if baby #3 is a boy or a girl.  Well, while Alex and Eric argues over what it was going to be, the technician kept trying, but baby is VERY modest and wouldn't let us see...so we still don't know.  Then we took the boys to the zoo for a fun filled day.  The rest of the week was spent enjoying our time.  GiGi came to see us for a little bit, that is always fun.  On Thursday we went to James' parents and had an amazing Thanksgiving meal.  Friday we did some relaxing and I did a tiny bit of shopping.  Saturday we put up all of our Christmas decorations and then James and I went to the temple.  All in all the week was amazing!  I felt refreshed and ready to start back to our everyday lives.

This chimp came and sat by James and then did everything James did.

I love my boys

Now it is the last day in November.  Half of the Christmas shopping is done.  I got the housework caught up (mostly), Eric is napping after spending hours playing with a box, the sun is shining and the air is crisp.  I feel so blessed and can't imagine things getting much better.  I promise I won't let my blog go this long again.  So until next time...