Checkups

We had a marathon of doctor visits today. Brooklyn and Sierra each had a checkup. Since they both see the same doctors, we were able to make one trip and schedule them back to back.

Sierra had her 2 year checkup and weighed 25 and a half pounds (40th percentile) and was 33 inches tall (25th percentile)

Brooklyn had her 3 month checkup and weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. She is growing well compared to her previous measurements but is still under all the growth percentiles for her age (which is normal for how premature she was for the next 3-6 months). The doctor says she is doing great for where she started. Her umbilical hernia is still present, and apparently should go away on its own but it could take anywhere from months to years.

It was hard to find pics of Sierra and Brooklyn together, but here are a couple. Sierra loves to pat Brooklyn when she fusses.

Photo Session and Braids

After the older girls went to bed, I got a chance to take some pictures that were long overdue. Brooklyn is almost too old for these "naked pictures," but I thought it was still very cute. We are blessed with each of our girls, but Brooklyn is our little miracle child! If you look back at older pictures from May especially, she has really filled out!!

Sleeping with mommy.

Wide awake

Playing with daddy

I had to include this one. Sierra's hair is just barely long enough, but I have been wanting to try it in braids for a while now. This isn't a great picture, but I thought they just turned out adorable! Of course they didn't last all night.

A day at the farm

We have been having a great time on Brendon's parents farm this summer. The girls love the animals and the room to run around. Here are some pictures from a recent day on the farm.

Liz cuddles up with Sierra and Reatha's dog, Max.

Sierra and Haddie both like to sit on the saddles and pretend they are riding a horse.

Sierra climbing the fence.

Brooklyn slept through pretty much the whole afternoon.

Brandis sitting with Haddie and Sierra on a rack full of hay.

Playground

Here are some pics from a recent day at the park. The girls love to play at the park. The swings and slide are two of their favorites, along with the teeter totter, but I help with that so no pics.

Brooklyn and the Parade

The older girls went to the parade with grandma. They had a great time, although Sierra was a bit timid after the fire engines started wailing. Her big sister, along with some other kids, helped her fill her bag with candy anyway.

Here they are at the park checking out their haul!

This didn't turn out that great, but Brooklyn is getting so big and I wanted to show her next to me for comparison.

Our purple girl. Even when she came home from the hospital, she had that double chin. It was probably the only fat on her then, but she is really starting to fill out now. We are starting to outgrow some of our preemie clothes now, although newborn stuff is still pretty big.

Old Settlers Days

So these pictures are a bit old, but while Brendon was in Washington D.C. with the youth group, my mom came out for a few days and we went to Metamora's Old Settlers Days festival. The girls had a blast, and so did we, despite the really hot weather.

Mom and the girls rode the big ferris wheel. It actually went pretty fast. Brooklyn and I stayed behind to watch, and even from the bottom I could hear Haddie yelling "Caw, caw, I'm a bird!" Grandma said they were flapping their "wings" and everything. How cute! Haddie also had to be told by the ride operator not to rock the car. Uh-oh, a troublemaker from the beginning.

Riding the little ferris wheel all by themselves. Looking down apprehensively.

Feeding and petting the fawns. They absolutely loved this; I could hardly get them out of the pen.


Haddie rode the big slide all by herself. I offered to go with her, but she marched right up the stairs and came down like a pro. She is so indepedent these days. Sigh, growing up so fast...

I Get Around

Mom found a great deal at a garage sale and I got some wheels! I've been practicing and am ready to show everyone my bike riding skills. I can go really fast, but I'm not ready to take of the training wheels just yet. Look at me go...

I am so happy to be able to get around on my own, and now Sierra and I don't fight over the tricycle!

Look at me go!

I learned that you can even ride with the handlebars backwards!

A lot going on!

We are adjusting to life with 3 little ones. Haddie loves to give Brooklyn (supervised, of course) rides in her baby stroller. She and Sierra also push each other around from time to time, usually to the "doctor," where, I am sorry to say, someone is usually getting "cut up so they can take the baby out." It is kind of disturbing to me, but they are both very interested in my scar and what happened. Hopefully they will remember the whole experience without too much trauma.

Cheesin'

I let each girl pick one flower (hopefully that doesn't backfire), and Haddie took the task very seriously. She had to show me which one she picked.

Sierra loves to smell the flowers. She gets right down next to them and blows air out her nose loudly instead of in. It is pretty funny to watch.

My mom was in town last week and we took my Grandma out for breakfast for her birthday. Happy Birthday, Grandma! Here is Brooklyn in her first four generation picture. We are blessed with a wonderful extended family!!

Haddie and my cousin, Johnathon were having fun making towers with the jellies. Boy was my Aunt Carol in trouble. She had strawberry jam on her toast, making the stacks uneven, which Haddie explained to her in great detail.


Afterwards, Haddie went to Johnathon's house to play while mommy and grandma bought paint to get Haddie and Sierra's big girl room ready. Pictures will be coming soon. It is looking really good so far, although painting with 3 little ones in the house is no easy task. I couldn't do it without you, mom!

Cowgirls like us

One of our favorite things to do is riding horses. Although it is a bit of an ordeal now that we have 3 children, Haddie and Sierra never get tired of the horses, and are both very respectful of and careful with the animals. Heather's rehearsal supper included a square dance in a barn, for which Heather got the girls these adorable cowboy hats.

Riding double with daddy. Hang on tight.

What a big girl, all by myself.

Cheese, I love the hats! Reatha's new puppy, Max in the background.

I finally got a picture of all 3 girls.

We are so thankful for our 3 wonderful blessings!