Annie's 3 months old!

Annie turned 3 months old on the 20th...she had busy week accomplishing milestone after milestone! On Monday, she started grasping objects and today, on Thanksgiving, she rolled over from back to tummy! Then, she laughed for the first time! You're so much fun , Annie!

A Smile is worth a thousand words....

Though she has been smiling for a while now, this is the first real one caught on camera....sooo cute!

Out of the mouths of babes.

Preceeding events: Ethan was grumpy from lack of sleep through Day Light Savings and it was quite evident in his tone of voice.
Ethan: I want a movie.
Mike: Ethan watch your mouth.
Ethan: But dad, I can't see my mouth.
Thus the explanation of the phrase: "Watch your mouth."

We're on vacation now!

Now that we have moved out of our house, we are staying in a "guest quarters" of our good friends. It's so relaxing......finally time to rest!

Trick or Treat!

We had a blast trick or treating....in our midst we had a Power Ranger, Bumblebee Transformer and a little kitty!
This year was dfferent, we watchd Bella "speed trick or treat" with the big kids, and Ethan brought up the rear because he was busy opening his candy after each house! It was our last Halloween in our neighborhood, so we savored every moment of it!

baby massage

Annie LOVES her baby massages! She falls asleep every time! Tonight I massaged her after bath...too cute!

he loves her.....

Ethan has been the best big brother, ever. He's so gentle and caring and always willing to help! Here are some pictures of him giving her a bath....well, helping me give her a bath. :)

Annie: 2 months old!!!

It's amazing how quickly time goes by....I'm sure it's because I, as a mother, wife and household manager, gets caught up in the day to day tasks of my 3 jobs. I am so very grateful to hold these important positions in life! So, to toast how quickly these last 2 months have gone, here's Annie's progression!
Birth stats: 7 lbs. 11 oz. 20 inches.
1 Week stats: 8 lbs. 2 oz. 20 inches.
2 Month stats: 11 lbs. 9 oz. 22 inches. (75% for weight, 60% for height....wow!)

I left her appt., sure that she was the biggest of the 3 kids so far, and was eager to find out! So, I pulled out Bella and Ethan's baby books:
Bella at 2 Months: 10 lbs. 14 oz. 23 inches!
Ethan at 2 Months: 12 lbs. 0 oz. 23 inches!
Much to my surprise (really shouldn't have been though) Ethan was the biggest...thus our nickname for him, "Beef". Bella has Mike's body type....long and lean...always in the 90+% for height and 25% for weight!!! Ethan has the Parker genes (my mom's side).....really broad shoulders and average height. Annie takes after the Duenas's (my dad's side), like me.....shorter and "athletic" thighs...the Duenas's breed good runners. :)
Anyway, her most recent milestones include: smiling in response to someone, "talking" and rolling from tummy to back. I posted her pictures....from birth, 1 month and 2 months.... Enjoy!!!

Farewell, sweet house.

Sigh.....it's official. Today we signed our house away...we are set to move out Oct. 31st and they move in Nov. 1st.
We've enjoyed 3 wonderful years here, and yes, I feel extremely sentimental. Yes, it's just a house, but it was our first house. The house Isabelle prayed for 3 years ago. The house that God blessed us with and giving us small desires of our hearts...a backyard for Bella, a front porch for me, a best friend 2 houses down for Ethan, and the perfect look and location for Mike. In a sense, this was the first place we made a home....where our family felt complete....where we felt comfortable. It's just perfect...cookie cutter looks, on a cul-de-sac, a neighborhood filled with kids, llots of parks and trees around and the #1 elementary school right down the street. Aaahh...if only this house was in Gig Harbor.
Nonetheless, we are still a family, still comfortable, still complete.

isn't she lovely.....

The first time ever I saw your face.....

My little homeboy.

I just had to throw this in....he's too cute and dressed himself.

A New Normal.

Ok...so we're 4 weeks into our new life with 3 kids. It's been a whirlwind of a month, but a good whirlwind. Nothing to complain of...everything to rejoice. Though my labor and delivery didn't go as I had planned, it went as I hoped: with the outcome of a healthy baby. For those of you who didn't hear, I had an emergency c-section within 1 hour of my water breaking....Anna's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. The cause was the cord wrapped around her neck and the result being a 3 day, $20,000 stay in the NICU!!! Thank God for good insurance. :) She and I have recovered nicely and quickly. She is a very sweet baby with a sweet spirit...very joyful...though she hasn't smiled in response to anyone yet, her eyes smile when you talk to her.

Home life is adjusting as well. Ethan and Bella LOVE their baby sister....it's hard to keep their hands and lips off of her! Mike and I, mostly me, are limited in our sleep of course and learning how to juggle 3 kids. You know how with each new baby you have, you think back to life with the last and say, "having only 2 kids was easy!"...that's the stage we're in now. 2 Kids was a lot of work, but seemingly EASY compared to 3 kids! I'm happy that Annie is such an easy going and patient baby, who hardly ever cries....it makes our life easier when we have a Ethan and Bella to tend to as well. Is that just the way the 3rd baby is because they have to be? I'm assuming so, either that or God just knew we needed a mellow baby for the time being.

So, all in all, things are finally back to normal....but normal has changed and we love it. :)

There go my babies.....

Today was the first day of school. Bella is in the 1st grade and Ethan started pre-k. I wasn't fully prepared for this morning. Don't get me wrong, their clothes were ironed and sitting out, shoes by the side, backpacks at the door, lunches made, paperwork filled out.......I was physically prepared. But, like every mom, I wasn't emotionally prepared. They were resilliant....a little shy and tired, but they put on brave faces and took on the challenge.
Being a teacher myself, I see this transition every day and every new year.....so I know what's best....I put on my brave and excited face, reassure them that this is the funnest thing ever, and tell them I will pick them up this afternoon, give them a kiss, hug, another kiss and an extra hug and say good-bye. As I walk out the door of the classroom, Dr. Jekyll turns to Mr. Hyde as I fight back the urge to run in there and give them one more hug or even just keep them home with me for one more year. I'm also holding back tears as I walk out of the school just to give in to them, the minute my feet hit the parking lot.
Oh, but it gets worse.....I get back home to a quiet, empty house and sit on the couch. Next to me I find Ethan's "nigh-night" and "pandy" (his blanket he's slept with since he was born and his panda bear he's become attached to since his surgery last spring). I then "lose" it. I call Mike and just cry. My kids are still my babies, no matter their age, grade or size. I still long to carry them and cuddle them...I can't resist sneaking into their room at night and just kissing them on the cheek. I still miss them when they're just sleeping. I am so blessed to be a mother of 2 (soon to be 3) amazing children. They fill my heart with so much joy, I can't contain it.

the normalcy of life spoils us.

So, today a friend of mine, Amber, is deeply on my heart. Her father was in a tragic and unfortunate accident last week and has been in a coma in the i.c.u. ever since. Today, they removed him from life support and he has passed. Please pray for her and her family.
I have to speak what is on my mind and just get it out:
I can't imagine what she is going through....it all happened so quickly. How is she coping through this? I know if it were me, I'd have been praying every second, daily for God to heal my dad. I can't imagine how she is dealing with that. Why God does things the way He does. Would I be in a world of doubt right now? Would I allow anger to rise up in me against Him? I naturally think I would be shaken to the core as anyone else, but would hope my faith in God would somehow rise above the bitterness and loss.
The other thing that naturally comes to mind is the importance of things around me.....what's more important? Having my dream house or not being stressed and driven to make money that I am not the mother God made me to be to my children. I think of those moments where, "I lose it" with the kids and immediately feel guilty. Why do I act like this.....it's because I am spoiled with life....the normalcy of everything...the fact that my kids have always been healthy, my husband has always been around, we've always had a roof over our heads, cars to drive, food in our pantry. I wish this is something I would realized on a second by second basis and not just occasionally or when the tragedy of life hits. I wish I would react with this in mind, the next time my kids argue and whine at me or they fight over a toy. How bad can it be? How bad do I have it? Spoiled, I tell you....Spoiled because I am blessed.

Good-bye

Today my dad, Jureen and baby brother Jaret moved to Jakarta, Indonesia. We love them and will miss them terribly. It has been a blessing being so close to them and watching Jaret grow up and become buddies with our kids. As emotional as I am in this pregnancy, it was not easy saying "good-bye". I hate being away from family, thus our decision to move to Gig Harbor as soon as feasibly possible.....

hair coture...not so much.

One of the greatest parts of being a parent is the fact that we get to act COMPLETELY silly with our kids....that is in the privacy of our own home. :) From made up songs and dances, to dressing up as super heroes and saving the zoo animals, or "fake laughing" because I'm being tickled but not the least bit ticklish.......it's heaven to have the privilege of being a part of their lives like this. So, in honor of making our children laugh, here's Mike and proof that we'll do almost anything our kids ask.

Super Heros.....

So, my kids are now openly known as super heros. After the wedding, they dressed up as Red Power Ranger and Buzz Lightyear to guard the wedding cake. They will most likely be embarassed that we let them do that, but oh, well...they are only young once! Why not enjoy it!!!

Family Gathering....

Can't believe I actually didn't get a picture of Eric and Callie together! It was a beautiful wedding...the black and white was stunning!