How to pass the time

Randy is in Hawaii this week for "work."

I am at home with our three beautiful and wonderful children!

How do I pass the time you ask?

Hmmmmmmmmmm...I'll have to think about that one?

But, somehow I manage to keep my cool!!

I Will Survive

...as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive. 3 kids the oldest is 3. Hmmmmmm?! Interesting dynamics. Well it's lucky my kids are pretty cute. I decided that it's not as crazy as you might think. Things are manageable most of the time. It's when one kid has a meltdown and the other joins in (I do have 2 babies) that is gets really crazy. But that doesn't happen too much. So I manage. Luckily it is super warm now and we live outside. We spent a little bit of money this year on outside toys...whoops. Let's see: 3 tricycles, a sandbox, a barbie jeep. We also have 2 sprinklers and a swimming pool. Nice. Outside time is happy time for everyone. Here are some random cute pictures. That's all for now.

Coping

How are the kids doing? Well, Charlie seems to be having a harder time adjusting to baby sister. How does he cope, you ask? Let's see...

Stealing Faye's binky

Swinging in Faye's swing

Pulling a discarded DQ blizzard out of the trash and making a BIG mess

And, giving big hugs

Charlie says "baby" very clearly. It's quite cute!


Here is a video of the kids in the sprinkler and Charlie standing. We have a BIG announcement. I took this video yesterday, and today Charlie walked!!! You would think since we already have Mabel who learned to walk it might not be so exciting. This is the most anticipated event in the history of our children. Charlie walking. He took about 10 steps in a row tonight!!! I was SOOOOOOOOO excited. 2 days before he turns 15 months. What a big boy. FINALLY!!! We thought he would walk at 12 months. He showed us.

Handy Randy

I have decided to make a new segment to the blog called 'Handy Randy.' We will be following the many projects that Randy starts...and sometimes he even finishes them! This is his latest conquest. My most wonderful husband has made a gate for our porch. Now I can let Mabel and Charlie go out without worrying about where they are at. It's mostly for Charlie (and soon to be Faye) who has figured out how to go down the stairs, but is still pretty shaky and freaks me out. Here is Mabel helping ensure her captivity. Huahuahua (evil laugh)!!! Little does she know...she now hates the gate because she realized it locks her onto the porch, SUCKER!!!

Handy Katie, wuh? Psych! Randy built it. I am faking help, I didn't do a thing to build it.

Cutest prisoners EVER!!!

Look how Randy matched it to the original porch railing. He rocks!

Welcome Faye Evelyn Teed

So here's the story. On Monday, March 29th, we went to my Dr. appointment and left thoroughly disappointed as he would not agree to induce me until Thursday, April 1st. After the longest three days of my life, I woke up at 2:30am and waited for 7am to arrive on the 1st. Here I am looking absolutely thrilled to head out to the hospital at 6am. BEST labor and delivery EVER!!! They started the patocin (can't spell) at 7:45am. The Dr. broke my water at 9:30 and she was born at 12:48pm. That's really all there was to it. 9lbs. 3oz. 21 1/4 inches long. I only pushed for maybe 2 and 1/2 minutes!!!

Here is Charlie playing with my makeup and dressing up with Faye's bow.

Here is Faye's giant head with her double chin!

Mabel looks great in this picture.

Charlie stole Randy's strawberry slush.

Here they are Mabel, Charlie, and Faye.

Faye is not a real baby. At least not yet. Maybe she will wake up next week or at some point in the near future. She wakes up twice a night to eat. During the day she wakes up every 3-6 hours to eat. Sometimes I have to wake her up. The kids love her. Randy's mom is here for a few more days helping out. We are doing great and are looking forward to this new adventure in our lives!

Birthdays and Updates

So here is the quickest update I think I can give. We celebrated 2 birthdays in February. Charlie had the big 1.0. The first birthday is always the best in my opinion. I made him our traditional teddy bear cake for the first birthday.

We gave him a tie to look more manly.

Charlie tried to grab the candle a couple of times, but was unsuccessful.

This is his cake face. I believe he enjoyed it.

This is Randy and Mabel's cake face. Seems they enjoyed it also.

Here's Charlie with some new toys and Dory's tail, his favorite part of her.

Here's Randy's "surprise" birthday cupcakes. Randy went to church early on his birthday and as soon as he was out the door I made some cupcakes as quickly as possible. I told Mabel it was a surprise and she shouldn't tell Daddy. During sacrament meeting she looked at Randy and said, "Daddy, Mommy made cupcakes!" Then she looked at me and remembered what I said, so to recover she said, "Shhhhhh, but don't tell. It's a surprise!" We laughed as quietly as possible.

Surprise! Happy 27th Birthday!

So, somehow we have survived the last few months. We have had recurring sickness, strange weather and of course, the most uncomfortable pregnancy I have ever endured. Randy was called as the Young Men's President in January. He has been doing YM things, I have been doing primary things. Mabel loves going to school and learning. She asks me everyday to practice her letter sounds. She does very well at knowing which letter makes what sound. Charlie.... what happened to my sweet baby boy! He left for awhile. We had a new Charlie join us for several months called, Teething Charlie. Wow! That is all I have to say, wow! But, recently, my sweet baby boy has rejoined us and I remembered that, oh yeah, I guess Charlie is pretty cute.

Yesterday I went in for a sonogram. They think the baby is around 9lbs. 3oz. That's right. Imagine holding that on your stomach all day. My back and legs frequently protest against this child. So, I go in on Monday to talk with my Dr. and it looks like they will probably induce me next week so she can make it out. My official due date is April 9th, so it would only be one week early. Both Mabel and Charlie came a week early on their own, so we will see who is faster, the Dr.'s or my body. The race is on and I don't care who wins as long as she comes out next week!

Time Flies

Look at this kid. Isn't he precious?!

Wow, has it been two months since my last post? These fall months just seem to fly by. If I was really cool I would make up a little jig to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas about the last couple of months. I'm not though, so I will just tell you with pictures and words.

Well, there was Halloween. We did the Halloween thing. Then there was Thanksgiving. Grandma and Grandpa Teed came to visit with Uncle Danny or "Dan" as he goes by now apparently. (Nice try Danny, we'll probably always call you Danny!) There's a picture of Mabel reading her magazine with Grandpa as he reads the paper at the table. It was way fun to see family, but even more fun to play nonstop games as our children screamed in the background for the lack of attention.

So now it's Christmas and we are doing the Christmas thing I guess. We went to a hockey game which was fun. There is a picture of Mabel sitting by herself holding her bear. She did not want to leave because her bear was sleeping there. Then we had our first snow! It was fun to see snow after being in Texas for a winter. Mabel loved it! Charlie thought it was an interesting but strange substance not suitable for eating. That is a big deal because Charlie eats EVERYTHING!!! That's right, all caps and 3 exclamations everything. We also had a tree fall and take down the power lines for our small neighborhood. Whooops! Randy was so excited, he got to use his Christmas present, a chainsaw, to cut up the tree. Thanks, Mom and Dad! I hold you responsible for the future doctor bills of missing fingers, toes, or limbs (arm and leg limbs, not tree limbs). My parents bought the chainsaw for Randy, by the way.

Here's an update for me. I have been called as the primary president in our ward. I want you to know that being president will not change who I am. So for my close friends and family, nothing formal, just call me pres. Hey, that's just who I am, right? After primary today, I am beyond thrilled to go on our vacation next Sunday and get a break, even though I just started...hmmm...

We are heading to Mexico on a cruise next week. This is our family vacation for this year. It's my cushy president salary. We are going at the last possible time because of my pregnancy.

KEEP READING! Almost done. For the official announcement, we are having a...GIRL!!! She is due on April 9th. Anything else?! Oh yeah, I got a solo for the Christmas program in our ward choir. I'm so proud! I'm also exhausted. So I will try and keep up with our lives now. I should definitely post pictures of our vacation. Keep checking in, you won't be disappointed.

Mabel wearing our Christmas stockings.

Just like Grandpa.

Randy using his killer boyscout skills to build a fort for the kids.