Thing 1, Thing 2 and Thing 3

I feel like we're living the Cat in the Hat...

The sun hasn't been sunny.

It's been too wet to play.

So, we've stayed in our house all these cold, cold, wet days...

Lucky for us, Santa provided the fun for our Things.

They've gone around and around and around our main level for 3 straight days now!

It's been pretty much crazy to watch.

Click here to see for yourself!

And thank heavens for those Magic Erasers. We've wiped off tire marks on wood and on linoleum, off doors and walls. It's putting me in a SERIOUS painting mood. Just what I need for when they return to school!

(And Carrie's been an angel! She's FINALLY coming out of the colick stage and has slept through the night for the past 4 nights straight! She's so much fun to talk and smile with, and laugh at the other kids with. She and I have loved having down time with no school schedules to keep up with! ;)

Seth whips a milkshake up for himself

Shortly after Carrie's feeding, Seth decides he's in the mood for a milkshake.




Seth prepares himself a milkshake on Vimeo

Caroline the Socialite

Caroline, upset that her cousins, Olivia and Jillian, were wearing bows glued to their noggins, decided she was going to one up them...

Eat your heart out Zsa Zsa Gabor. Pretty soon Caroline will have a cosmetics line named after her.

homeward bound

Seth has been home from school every day this week so far, and it's getting really old. His fever today is the lowest so far, so I think he's finally on the mend. I feel so bad for him--he's lost about 3 pounds from this illness. (Now only 2 lbs. separate Rachel and Seth. Yikes!) There are so many places I should be going to get the last-minute holiday things done, but instead, we're home again.

So, I thought it would be fun to post a few of our old digital pictures. You can see who you think Caroline most looks like. Too bad I don't have any younger ones of Eliza digital...


So, this is Seth at about 20 months old.

Here's Rachel at about 3 months old.

And this is Caroline and her twin, Carrie.

What do you think?

one minute with Carrie

Okay...so even though our camera is ancient and takes TERRIBLE video, I thought I'd share with you Carrie's favorite thing: after a diaper change. She just LOVES when you strip her down and free her legs. It reminds me of Olivia, so I had to post it!

Click here.

Be patient...one minute is a long time to watch a baby kick, and she doesn't get into it much until the last few seconds. Oh...also be ready to watch sideways. I'm such an amateur! (I even tried embedding it, and it flopped. I'll have to ask James to help me later.)

does she ever open her eyes?

I looked through our pictures of Caroline and realize we have VERY few of them with her eyes open!

A few possible explanations:

• 1. When she's awake, she's usually eating.
• 2. When she's awake, I'm holding her and can't take a picture.
• 3. When she's awake, the other 3 kids are awake--no chance for picture-taking...

I'm starting to worry about Caroline becoming very much a "Mommy's Girl". At church I lead the music in Primary and she just screams and screams during those times. A real bummer. Rachel would be passed around at church and go to just about anyone. I'm not giving up hope yet, but it's sure heading that direction... She likes James too, but others are just not acceptable.

sweet sleepers

I was checking my email and responding to a few when I realized it got REALLY quiet in the house. I peeked me head into the kitchen and found both girls totally out! We were going to go run some errands, but I think we'll save those for later. Rachel's gotta be uncomfortable and probably will wake up GRUMPY!

in a fog

It's a foggy, foggy day, James is back to work from his Paternity Leave, so Rachel and I decided to stay inside and introduce Caroline to Baby Einstein. (This was Rachel's FAVORITE DVD collection as a toddler, and she still watches them on occasion.) Caroline looks a little shocked by it...maybe we should've waited a bit longer!

So, we've hit the 6-week mark! I can't believe it's been that long already, and it also feels like we've had Carrie in our family for much longer than that. I've been so spoiled since her birth. Between visits from family and friends and James off of work, I have had so much support! It was so fun to spend time with James and just hang around at home. What a treat.

To top it off, over the weekend we started seeing REAL smiles from Caroline! It is so rewarding as a parent to be getting positive feedback! We're not doing too bad at night right now either. Caroline has some colicky hours each evening still, but she will sleep 4 hours, eat and go back down for 4 more. I can't complain too much, but regardless, I still feel like I'm in a fog...

2 white dresses

On Saturday, Eliza was baptized! It was amazing to be part of it all. Eliza has such determination to do what is right and be a good example to her peers and siblings. It's so neat to see her growing up!

After the baptism, she's just glowing!

Then on Sunday, Caroline was blessed. What a sweet ending to an incredible weekend. We're grateful our parents and Marci were there to share it with us.

And finally...why you don't see family pictures of us! It's very difficult to get everyone looking the same direction. (This particular attempt ended with tears and gnashing of teeth.)

Five Guys and a trip to the park

We've had such a fun week with both sets of grandparents and Aunt Marci here! A few of the days have just been GORGEOUS. We headed to the park to enjoy Virginia at its best and finished the day with great burgers from Five Guys. YUM!

Grandma's first visit

A few pictures from Grandma PenGwen's first visit when Caroline was 2 days old. (I'm finally able to blog!)

Rachel loves Caroline

Caroline peacefully dreaming.

Rachel loves to play with Caroline's little unicorn. I think Caroline recognizes Rachel's voice as much as mine or James'...you can't miss the high pitched "squeaky" baby talk from Rachel. It's so sweet to see them together!

Happy Halloween

So, I'm a little late on the Halloween picture scene. This is my first week of life on my own as a mother of 4--no Mom, no James. The challenge has been getting the kids off to school. It seems like we're off to a good start and then Caroline needs to be fed, and it ends up we're racing to meet the bus. After school hours are even more CRAZY. I have yet to make a real dinner since she was born. I'm sure it'll just take time to get the kinks worked out of the daily routine.

We did have a great Halloween. James took the kids to the trunk-or-treat at Church, and I stayed home to answer the door...a total of 4 times! And, of course some of those 4 came just as I had gotten settled feeding Caroline. Oh well...it was fun and a little scary. I've decided I don't like to be the one at home answering the door alone. Two boys kind of freaked me out with their masks. Then I started thinking of all the random things that could happen... ;O

cutest zookeeper, first bath

Rachel had her Halloween party at preschool. Isn't this about the cutest costume ever? Marilyn/Nana from Colorado helped put it together!

Caroline's first bath at home. She's looking calm now...

Enough of being cold!

All cozy in the swing. It's been a great week so far!

Meet Caroline (finally)!!

She has arrived!

Caroline Grace Peterson

Born: October 16, 2006 6:04 pm

Weight: 7 lbs. 11 oz.

Height: 21 inches

James had to capture the view from our hospital room.

After a long day, I've finally arrived!

Going home...

to have my big sister, Eliza, hold me!

what are the odds?

After we'd lived here a few months,

a friend from Colorado called

to let me know her neighbor Stacy was moving to the

Warrenton, VA area!

Then, I found out Stacy was pregnant (her 3rd)

and due in early October.

She called me for advice on doctors, etc.,

and she ended up with the same OB that I have.

She was due this past Sunday, and now is overdue.

I got a call from her yesterday,

telling me that she's scheduled to be induced

the DAY AFTER I AM!!

She'll be 9 days overdue at that point,

and I'll be 6 days prior to my due date.

So, I'm feeling a little guilty that I have

an earlier induction date...

(my doctor only induces on Mondays and Tuesdays,

so she was out of luck with Monday because I was on the schedule)

But...I've been pushing for this for months.

Do I need to feel bad?

another week

Some highlights for this week:

• SuperTarget scooter experience: Rachel and I just had to get out of the house and do our own shopping! Did you know that those motorized carts make a LOUD reverse beep that draws everyone's attention from all angles in the store? And, their shopping capacity is limiting...but a fun experience. Stores need to shelve items lower!

• The start of some SERIOUS nervous system woes: Like...walking down the stairs and worrying that at any moment I'm going to have a shooting pain down my groin and fall down them. Or, walking the kids to the bus, and then walking down the hill and almost falling down after a sharp psiatic nerve pain. (Think arch/toe cramp but in your groin or buttock.)

• Dr. appointment disappointment: I am still only dilated to a 1. Proof again that my body has not figured out how to get the baby out on its own. It's just depressing.

• Induction scheduled with the hospital: we are to arrive at the hospital on Monday, October 16th at 7:15 am to start on pitocin. Wish there was another way...

• New discovery: the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Mop. I can actually see some white in our linoleum in the kitchen after one mopping! It's been impossible before to tell when/if I'd ever mopped. Now it looks slightly clean! I'm hoping each time I mop it will look brighter.

THE name

We'd heard so much about Olivia before she was born, that we thought it would be fun to fill you in on what this little one will most likely be named!

Around our household, there's just one reference to the baby and that's...Caroline (pronounced "carah-line"). Rachel talks about her all the time...it's very cute the way she says it. James sings "Sweet Caroline" to my belly. (Also the reason for our dancing to the song a few months back.)

Since our move to Virginia, we have just fallen in love with the name. Living out West and growing up there, I'd never met a single little girl, Caroline. Have you ever noticed that names are regional, or at least have regional popularity? We've also met a few little girls named Charlotte out here...very different than the names you see most common out West.

We'll probably end up calling her "Carrie" for short, or "Cara". (James doesn't think Cara works to shorten the name, but we'll see...)

So, Eliza...Seth...Rachel...Caroline. There you have it!

alright...here you go

So, you've all wondered..."Is Valerie really pregnant, and does she even still exist?"

I haven't posted any pictures of myself throughout the pregnancy, (mostly because I'm the one with the camera usually), but last week at Rachel's birthday party, and then on our way to Church, James actually caught me on film (is a digital camera considered film?).

So, there you have it! I'm documented on the blog...

Only 2 1/2 weeks to go until they induce me! It's finally seeming real. I may actually sleep again. Well, I'll be interrupted with feedings, but at least my body will be able to get comfortable when I am in bed. Hurray!

once in a lifetime

I can't believe we really did it...

We actually held Rachel's birthday party at McDonald's!

I loathe the place.

Well, I take it back...I like breakfasts there a lot,

but going inside is where I usually draw the line (I'm a germaphobic).

Our kids have probably played indoors on their toys

a total of 5 times in their whole lives.

The funniest thing is that Ronald was scheduled for a visit

just half an hour after the party started.

(I might have found that out if I had called to schedule the place,

but instead it was a total shocker.)

After Rachel finally consented to coming down from the jungle gym,

bawling from fear of the red-headed looney,

the kids all really enjoyed watching him juggle and do magic.

I guess it wasn't that bad...