swimsuit, sunscreen wearing...

the 

swimsuit, sunscreen wearing,

BBQ'ing,

backyard lounging,

lawn mowing,

watermelon cutting,

trampoline jumping,

sprinkler running,

Popsicle eating,

8 hours in the sun,

go to home depot every saturday,

thank goodness it's summer

SEASON

began at our house today.

the "bigs" made mud pies in the water table.

i couldn't get max to stop drinking the gross, dirty water.

brennan showed her how to sit in the water table.

good thing she had a regular diaper on.

wait...

good thing we had a size small swim diaper to replace the 50lb regular diaper that soaked up half of the water in the water table.

good thing her tush is tiny and fit into that size small.

i taught my kids the art of laying out on the tramp to warm up and dry off.

max looked so grown up.

it scared me.

i had my first rocket Popsicle of the year.

and we acquired an old swing set from our neighbors.

all of this while the carpets in our house were steamed cleaned.

b/c max got creative with her smoothie after breakfast this morning.

i give you,

the culprit.

GUILTY AS CHARGED.

{notice the finger painting on the door. war paint on the face. very artistic.}

we are so proud.

i've been looking for a good excuse to have my carpets cleaned.

so glad they got it all out.

my house looks brand new. 

from top to bottom.

they tell me it took an iron to pull it out.

yes, a real bonified iron your clothes iron.

magic.

now,

about that max...

no more smoothies inside the house for her until she's 18.

she can take hers on the patio from now on.

umpf.

i'm exhausted.

what a great day:)

gorilla feet {uggs}

Pediatrician: "and how are you doing emotionally?"
Me: "well, I don't feel like I need to kill any cats or small children, so pretty well I think!"
Pediatrician: "ohhhhh...um, well that's good..."

{looking at me like he's not sure if I'm joking or serious}

I guess he'll never know!!!

Bahahaha!!!

......................................

"i am a gorilla, and these are my gorilla feet."

-brennan, 4 yrs old

...

man i love this kid!!!

hilarious.

{ugg boots really do look like gorilla feet, who knew?!}

hasty tasty

 because when life is good,

it's really good.

bliss.

:)

........

i may be hasty in my conclusions.

in fact,

i am SURE i must be being hasty,

based off of what everyone has told me about 3,

but color me pretty i'm going to declare it!

going from 1 to 2 was harder than from 2 to 3.

this is why:

going from 1 to 2,

you have to get everyone used to someone else being the center of attention.

what once was 1 is now about 2.

but from 2 to 3,

everyone is already used to sharing everyone else and everything.

what once was 2 is now just a busy 3.

we shall see if this theory holds up

when 3 starts moving.

or when we actually have to all go somewhere.

on time.

have mercy,

let's hope we don't ever have to be on time again.

oh, and i've

FINALLY 

listened to everyone about going to bed with the baby at night 

and taking naps during the day.

sleep.

it's all about the sleep.

:):):)

and really great family and friends who are still bringing us dinners.

bless them.

cordless

ladies and gentlefolk,

the

cord

is

off

!!!!!!!!

as of sometime around 4am last night.

hello happy baths:)

goodbye sponge baths.

...

how i keep my newborn awake

after eating during the day...

cold carrots and an ice water mug.

cruel and unusual?

i think not.

cruel is when they think it's day when it's night.

ok the carrot is unusual.

but it was what i was eating at the time.

and it seemed to perk him up.

oh how i will miss this sleepy state when it's gone.

my kids will not.

for i must admit my patience is wearing thin in my sleepy state with them.

pity.

angry cat

{there's nothing better than a sleeping newborn lump on my chest.}

..................................

sometimes chase sounds like an angry cat.

and i go to yell,

"hey! leave the cat alone!"

and then i think,

wait,

we don't have a cat.

it's just chase.

getting his diaper changed.

he hates getting his diaper changed.

{the wipe warmer helps.}

and then i think,

boy, am i glad we don't have a cat.

just children a'plenty.

:)

underwear & red sparkle shoes {pee}

underwear for brennan.

and

a diaper with red sparkle shoes for max.

that may or may not be from last night.

typical morning at the gibson home.

good thing everybody dressed wasn't one of my goals.

good thing spring is bringing summer again this week.

poor chase got max's stuffy nose.

it is sad.

sleeping in the bouncer seems to be the only thing to help. 

which we didn't figure out until 5am.

getting peed on is just part of my day.

me, not chase.

although he usually pees on himself in the process of peeing on me.

sometimes i change, sometimes i don't.

i always change chase...ok, not always.

it really just depends on if it puddles or not.

don't judge.

pee is like water around here.

happy monday:)

letters to Beth {3 kids, night sweats, & fighting kids}

Dear Beth,
        I am so glad you finally got my package! I can't believe it took two weeks, but I am just glad it made it. That little lamb is so darling. I love it so much. Today was the first day where I was bored and agitated since having Chase. I chalk it up to the weather and no visitors. We just had a normal day at home. Brennan was whining all day and fighting with Max the rest of it. Fortunately, Chase still sleeps all of the time so I don't really feel like I have 3 kids yet. Just a little toy to play baby doll with all day. I particularly like to smooch his amazing cheeks. Sean says all during the night he hears me say "Chase, I love you. Chase you're so cute" when I'm up nursing. Since he pointed it out it now seems like a cliche when I say it, but he is right, I really do say those two lines over and over again. I can't help myself. He's just so wonderful. Max has been sick since Sunday. We have gone through soap like I go through water. You KNOW how much that is. I have been wearing two shirts so that I can take one off to hold Chase and put the other back on to hold Max. Her little germs are everywhere, and I look at her hands like they are poison, but I don't want her to feel that way, so it's been quite the juggling act. I'm worried that despite all of my efforts the bugs have finally caught up with Chase b/c he has a booger in his nose this morning and has been sneezing, and not just the newborn sneezes, as I know those are normal. Let's hope I am just being paranoid. We will keep anti-back-ing still the same.

        I just think you are amazing to nurse on such a strict diet for allergies. I admire you so much for being able to do that, AND you made my boring agitated state this morning smile and laugh over your conversations with croissants. Your banter is just so entertaining, and I wish for nothing more than for you to come home immediately and banter in my kitchen. I could really use those chocolate covered strawberries rolled in peanut butter cups right now. I think every person in my house today needs a nap, especially me. It appears the newborn honeymoon is not in affect as of this moment. Pity. I am so glad that you got your craving for chocolate fulfilled. I laughed really hard at Bryce saying they couldn't even be called cookies.

        Chase's hair looks blonde in the sun and red inside. It is definitely more red than blonde though b/c even in the sun you can see red kissed with streaks of sun kissed blonde. It is the most beautiful hair color you've ever seen, especially when it is all washed. We had his newborn pictures taken on Thursday, and I can't wait to see all of the prints. The photographer let me take one shot on my phone to take home. Click here to see it. He was so adorable and didn't pee or poop on any of us the entire time. There was one shot where I was holding him really close to my face, and I was VERY afraid that if he peed it would shoot me straight in the face. He was a good boy and didn't. Bless him. Now that I have oodles of milk he is a happy happy man all day and all night. It is wonderful. The new baby is always the easy one in the beginning if they are healthy and well fed. It is definitely the other two that are the most challenging when it comes to being a mother of 3. When the "bigs" fight and go stir crazy things get rough REAL fast. {pardon my misuse of grammar for effect/affect?}.


        I've had the night sweats with post birth this time. Did you have them? I got them with Brennan. Not with Max. I swear it makes the LB's come off faster. Nursing is my favorite thing on the planet. Not only do I get to sit down and relax every three hours for 20-30 minutes, but I get to eat everything and anything all day long. It is lovely, and I want to thank my body for being so good to me. It is truly amazing. I will say that it is still harder to recover from a 9lb baby than it is to recover from a 7lb baby, even when it is your third. The first three days were not too fun, and the epidural site hurt just as much as everything else b/c the anesthesiologist said I had small spaces between my vertebrae. I thought it was weird that the other two previous doctors never had problems with this AND never mentioned it either when they placed my epidural. He on the other hand just kept shoving and adding more numbing medicine to shove some more. I knew it was going to be sore the next day, but I was ever so grateful for the good block that he gave me, nonetheless. It is not as hard to get up and nurse in the middle of the night with Chase, and I've been taking afternoon naps when Max is down while Brennan plays computer games. He calls his games "dot com," and I think it's really cute. He is a great kid and is so sweet with Chase. Max likes to hit Chase on the head when I'm nursing and won't let her sit with us in the recliner b/c of her cold. Then she kisses him on the head and thinks everything is right again in the world. It makes me not happy. She doesn't really care that much.


        Despite my "whining-s" from today, I have been blissfully happy with our new addition. I could not have imagined a smoother transition, and know it will not last, but am enjoying it while it lasts. But am secretly hoping it will last forever, all at the same time.  The weather has been wonderful until today, and we have all been happier for it. The "bigs" have been out on the tramp {which Sean and my dad set back up after we brought Chase home}, playing in the sandbox, and going down the slides all week in the backyard. My weeds are growing like wildfire, and I just hope I can motivate myself to plant all of the seeds I bought at Macey's a few weeks ago. Chase is the sweetest little baby, and I adore him for sleeping great at night, and being very low maintenance during the day. He has the cutest little face. Brennan adores him, and calls Chase "his baby." When he wants to hold him he always reminds me that he needs to wash his hands so he doesn't get him sick with germs. Then he sits and holds him, and kisses him on the head so softly that I feel like I will burst with pride and joy. Max wants to be his mommy, and pretend cries whenever Chase cries, pointing at him so that we know Chase needs our help. I gave in and let her hold him a few days ago after washing her hands and making her promise she wouldn't touch his face. She was in heaven...and then she coughed right on his face. I'm awesome, I know:). Sean is still changing diapers for me at night, and I love him for doing it. Whenever he is home he is helping with the kids and Chase. I sure lucked out!!! He is the greatest dad and husband.

        I am going to attempt making dinner for the first time tonight since having Chase. Pizza/soda night. If the kids are still cranky we will be bagging it and going to Little Cesar's. Pray for me!

Hope the lotion works out!
So glad Bear loves his Binky Buddy!
Tell the croissants you're coming in T-minus ____ months!
And keep on the hunt for better ways to get your chocolate cravings...maybe bananas are not the right thing to mix with it?


Tell me all about Smith's school. I want to know everything about the first day. What he did, how it went, what he wore, how you did with him being gone, etc. Exciting times!

Love you,
Emily