Rachael & Cecelia Rose Meet at Last...

Today, after school was a big day.  We picked Rachael up, got some gas in the van & headed for Auntie Becky & Uncle Nick's House! Rachael was going to meet Cecelia Rose Collins.  As soon as we got there, she was asleep in her swing with her blanket on, so we quickly ran to the bathroom to wash our hands.   Daniel was going crazy, running around ready to play with uncle Nick, he doesn't really want to go near Cece, but he was very upset with her bilirubin blanket & asked Becky to take it off of her because as Daniel put it "It's Freaking Me Out!!!"

 The beautiful green & purple blanket she is stretched out in or wrapped up in was handmade by a neighbor of ours.  It is so soft and beautiful.  Cece sure seems to love it!

 Cece sleeping in her swing,she loves that thing!  She is just like Daniel & Rachael...can't get enough of it!

 Cece sleeping on her side with Auntie Lia...she is so sweet, it was so nice having her close!  Nice to give Becky a little break to eat lunch & Uncle Nick played with the kids too!

 Rachael so proud to be holding Cece, and look who is smiling right back at her!  I think they fell in love with each other in an instant.  Rachael says when she gets a little older she will go shopping with her & they will pick out cute outfits...look out Nick & Becky!!!

 Cece thinks all this girl talk is exhausting!  Back to nap time for her... 

But not before a quick kiss on the nose from her big Cousin Rachael Rose.  They share the same Middle Name after their Great-Grandma Rose & Grandma Rose Ann!

Rachael helped her fall back to sleep with her blanket back on her tummy.  She had to eat soon & so did we, so we headed home.  What a fun treat though...Rachael sure felt like a big girl getting to hold her new baby cousin!  

Perfect Afternoon for Soccer at the Park!

This afternoon was a beautiful crisp fall day...perfect for an afternoon of soccer at the park!  This fall we're really lucky that the city has lined a small soccer field & put up two goals for the Under 10 traveling team.  We can do down and play anytime.  Daniel loves it & is getting really good, and it definitely helps Rachael to get more touches on the ball.  Above is a water break & Rachael was tickling Daniel, what a great natural Daniel smile, wish you could hear the giggle too.  And also above is Rachael starting to dribble & shoot!

 Daniel warming his hands up and waiting for his turn to take a shot on Mommy.  By the time we left the park he was filthy!  He wanted to help me make the homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner, so I had to majorly wash him up before helping.  

Rachael, Darby & Daniel, taking another water break.  They get thirsty easily with how much running around they were doing!  A lot of fresh air, they ate a ton for dinner, then baths & they were definitely ready for bed :)

 I love these pictures of Daniel.  The top one he is so serious, ready to start arms out for balance...he's still getting the hang of it, sometimes he gets running faster than he can dribble & goes head over heals.  He dribbled so well & then put the ball in the corner of the net. He was so proud of himself, it was great.

Here he was playing with Rachael and was passing her the ball.  They were working together to try to score on me.  I was so surprised at how well he understood what to do, and how accurate his passes to Rachael were!  He passed to her & moved up ready for the ball again.  He did it better than most of her Kindergarten teammates do!

Rachael & Darby...what can I say?  They sure do love each other.  He misses her so when she is at school & waits by the door for her to come home.  She runs in & yells "Darby, I'm HOME!" and collapses on the floor, he greets her with kisses.  They are protective of one another & she is loving the responsibility of checking his food & water & taking him out front or out back on his leash.  Sometimes I catch them in the living room, Darby in her lap, Rachael reading books to him.  I just quietly stand and watch those special moments they share & then silently tiptoe back out. 
 Best friends, Rachael & Darby.

Dermatologist, Winter Jammies!!!

 As you can see in the above picture, Rachael has a bump on her upper lip that has been there for about a month.  It is sore, and Rachael is very self conscious about it.  We've tried everything, including antibiotics, creams, etc.  So we were referred to a dermatologist by our pediatrician to have it looked at to make sure it's nothing to be worried about.  She gave us a topical cream to try that is supposed to make it very "hot" & help heal it.  We go back on October 4, hopefully it works.  We've used it, Rachael was very scared, but it didn't hurt or feel "hot."  

Fall has arrived in MN, and with the cooler temperatures, I pulled out our warmer clothes bins.  This summer we did some garage sale-ing and I'd forgotten how many pairs of warm jammies I'd picked up because they were such a good deal!  Thank God, because now they're both set for Winter! Rachael was so excited to put on this long night gown with little lambs all over it...so soft & warm, I think it was flannel.  Daniel wanted to wear his "night gown" that my mom made him out of blue & white striped material.  He always wanted to wear Rachael's night gowns, so she made him a "night shirt" so Grandpa didn't have a heart attack seeing the little man come down in a pink Princess night gown!  They're all tucked snug in their beds, cozy with warm blankets...I'm ready to head that way too.

Welcome to the World Cecelia Rose Collins

Yesterday was September 11, 2011, the 10th Anniversary of the most horrific day in our Country's history during my lifetime.  I remember being away at school & wishing I was home with my family so badly.  My cousin is a NYC Police Officer & I remember worrying about him, knowing he would certainly be one of those people who would do anything to help others that day, and those days following.  

I stopped after church yesterday to buy the newspaper, with my thoughts & prayers going out to all those effected by the evil that day.  While waiting in line to pay, I noticed I had a message on my phone, from my Mom.  Weird, because she knows when I go to church & just wouldn't call while I was there!  So, I stepped out of line, checked the message & heard the wonderful news that my younger sister, Becky, had been woken up with strong contractions at 4:40am, was admitted to the hospital and had the epidural at 11am.  In a moment, my mood changed from sadness to cheer joy, we were going to add a new little one to our family today!  But then it hit me, her birthday was the 10th Anniversary of 9.11.  I looked down at that paper & thought, well, here is Cecelia's first item for her baby box!  I have the newspaper from the day my babies were born too.  Someday it will be neat to look back on, but what a significant day for our country our Princess, Cecelia Rose Collins was born on.  

She was born at 944pm  7lbs10oz   20 in    tons of dark hair.  She is BEAUTIFUL!   Daniel met her, and touched her leg lightly but was overwhelmed by how tiny she was & couldn't understand how that was in Becky's tummy?!  Rachael was at school when we went over & will hopefully meet her tomorrow, when she is at home.

Becky is doing great, sore but great.  She only pushed for 45 minutes!  The doctor said, "okay, hold on!" they wanted the NICU team in and ooops, out came Cece!  She was fine, everything was excellent.  How great do they look RIGHT AFTER DELIVERY!!!  Leave it to Becky it do it in 45 minutes of pushing on her first baby, and look beautiful right after she's done!!!

First Day of Preschool & a Target Model Shoot!

First Day of Preschool....a day I've long been dreading.  I started crying last night, just thinking about dropping my baby off.  Rachael didn't start school until she was 4, because we agreed she was too young at 3.  Daniel has JUST turned 3, so why is it any different now?!?!  I go back & forth with this, and even though it breaks my heart to drop him off, to see him cry, to know he is missing me like I am missing him...I do not want to hold my little boy back simply because it is, I, who am not ready to let go.

I've decided we'll give Friday school a chance, we can always be "Preschool Dropouts" if it's too much for him (or me).  He he he.  I'm joking, although the director did say that some parents give it a try & do realize their child needs one more year to grow before giving it a go.  Besides, he does have 3 years before going to Kindergarten!!!

Today wasn't a good day for him.  Most of the other Children (there are 9 boys & 1 girl) know each other already because their parents drop them off for "Parent's Night Out" every month.  So, a group of boys would not allow Daniel to have room to set up his train track, so he could play trains.  So, he put the trains away, and got the Dinosaur bin.  The boys decided they wanted that, and took them away from Daniel.  His teacher (and Daniel) told me that it seemed anything he touched, the boys didn't want him to have, and Daniel just allowed them to bully him.  The teacher tried to get Daniel to engage with the boys & tell them he would like to share with them, but he just took a book & sat in the corner.  Then he cried for me to come get him.  :(  

We have a picture of Rachael from her  first day in front of the statue too!

He was very happy to see me at noon for pick up!  He grabbed my hand, scooped his school bag off the hook & said "let's get out of this place Mama!"  Today was only a half day, next time it's from 9:30am-2:30pm, hopefully it goes better then!!!

After school Daniel had a very fun photo shoot for the Black Friday Ad for Target.  He got to work on a coloring table, and a baby stand up toy.  He had so much fun & they LOVED him!  It will be so fun to see him in the ad!