Love!

Logan will be 3 months old on Tuesday! I can't believe it!  We are having so much fun with him. He gives us great big smiles and just in the last week, we've been getting him to giggle.  He is so alert, my most alert kid yet. There is plenty going on around him, that is for sure.  He does best when there is noise and music playing and can sleep through almost anything. Well, almost anything. Not so much when his big brother is in his face, trying to play with him.  Nicholas can't wait until Logan grows up.  I'm still trying to "Baby-Wise" him (putting him down awake and letting him fall asleep on his own).  It's not going so good. Ok! So I'm spoiling him just a little and holding him a lot! He takes a good nap in the morning but is spotty the rest of the day.  Luckily, I've been able to put him down around 8pm and then he'll sleep until 4:30 or 5:00am.  A dream. He hates his carseat and riding in the car, which raises everybody's blood pressure since there are places we have to go.  And somehow he knows the minute I take him in to any store & starts fussing.  This boy does not like to shop.  Ugh! 

But...what he DOES love is his Mamma (she provides the goods), his big sister, Macy (the "Baby Whisperer") his Dad, who makes him giggle, his swing (worth it's weight in gold), baths, and his binkie (thank goodness for that).  No one told me life was going to feel this crazy with four kids! Most of the time, I am completely overwhelmed with kids, laundry, nursing, dinners, & carpools...but Logan's little smiles seem to bring me back to reality and remind me what is really important. So what if my laundry sits in my hall for a few days. Eventually, it will get folded and put away but this baby will only be a baby for a little while.

Love him!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day was perfect and we were fortunate enough to have family here to share it with us.  This was my first time hosting and gratefully, my mother-in-law was here to help me pull it all together.   All the dishes turned out so delicious.  We ate until we were stuffed and had more pies than we could possible eat.  I think we each put in our own order.  We are still enjoying the leftovers.  YuM!  Thanks to my in-laws and Heather and Jason and Kennedy for coming!  You made our whole Thanksgiving!

My cute niece, Kennedy, loved baby, Logan.  She was always so concerned whenever he cried and was always right there to take care of him.  She is going to be the best little "Mother's Helper" to her new baby sister due to arrive in February.

Logan's Blessing

We blessed Logan today in our home while Mark's parents and sister, Heather, and her husband, Jason were here visiting us for Thanksgiving.  I couldn't help but get a little sad as I dressed this little boy in his blessing outfit, realizing how much he had grown in the short 10 weeks we've had him and knowing that my heart never knew it could love something or somebody so much! Logan has been the best baby! He is so happy and sweet.  He's just what I wished for after having twins and now I am taking all the time in the world to kiss and snuggle and enjoy him since he is probably my last. That alone, makes me SO SAD.  I wish I could keep him little forever or just freeze time.  Today, I am grateful, more than ever, for the blessing I have of being a mother and to have this little guy in my life.

I was so proud of Mark, too.  He gave Logan such a beautiful blessing and I am grateful for him and the priesthood he holds.  We were both so happy his dad could be here to be a part of everything since Logan carries his name.  That made it so very special.  It was sweet seeing the two of them together.

Grandpa Phil and Logan Philip

 

On a lighter note, Mark told Nicholas to go and get dressed because we were going to give Logan a name and a blessing, which we do in our church.   Nicholas replied, "But Dad, he already has a name.  It's Logan."   It made us both laugh.  That's one for the quote books! 

Go! Go! Power Rangers, Samurai!

I don't know how my kids got hooked on watching Power Rangers Samurai on Netflix but they did! That show scares even me but somehow they think it is so cool! I ordered their costumes a few weeks early and had to put them away until Halloween because they were wearing them so much and things were starting to tear.  When the actual day came, Karlee couldn't decide what she wanted to be.  For school, she was a princess, during the day...a Power Ranger and right before she went out Trick-or-treating, she put on LAST year's fairy princess costume.  She wanted to be something "beautiful" were her words exactly.  That is SOOOO Karlee!  I don't even argue with her anymore.   We had friends stop in for CHILI and lots of yummy food beforehand and then all the kids went out Trick-or-treating together.  The rain cut the night a little short but as always, it was a magical night.  I SO love Halloween!

My Samurias

In action

 Our cute little pumpkins

 Logan was a skeleton! Loved this hat! He even glowed in the dark!

Welcome, Baby Logan!

He's finally HERE!! We are happy to announce that Logan Philip Swensen was born on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 at 6:09 pm.  He weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz and was 20 inches long.  He is absolutely perfect and we are completely in LOVE with him!

My mom arrived in perfect timing the day before.  As coincidence would have it, my water broke that night while cleaning up after dinner.  The doctor on call told me I was definitely in early labor and to try to get some rest that night.  She wanted me to be at the hospital by 9am the next morning.  During the night, my contractions started to pick up.  After getting up, and getting the kids off to school, I finished packing my bags and we headed to the hospital. This was the day we had been waiting for!

When I got to the hospital, I was only dilated to a 3. They like you to be in active labor within 12 hours of your water breaking and want you to have your baby within 24 hours of it breaking to avoid infection.  To move things along more quickly, they gave me a small dose of pitocin, careful not to give me too much since I was doing a VBAC.  My contractions started to pick up.  I got my epidural (I love modern medicine) and a few hours later, after 30 minutes of pushing, Logan entered the world, perfect and peaceful! 

It is such an incredible moment when you see that little baby for the first time.  That moment when he looks in to your eyes and goes quiet because he recognizes that voice he's been hearing for the past 9 months.   It is an instant bond and a love that cannot be measured! We are so happy he is here and feel so completely blessed to have him in our family!  

 

Family of six now!

 

 Macy has been the most excited about this baby! She wanted to be the 3rd person to hold him after me and then dad! I am so lucky to have her.  She is such a little mother and a wonderful helper!

Thank you for all of your love & well wishes!   There's a new Swensen in town that we can't wait for you all to meet!

Off to School

The kids are officially in school and I now have quiet mornings at home with baby Logan! Nicholas and Karlee started Pre-K and Macy started 2nd.  I miss them when they are gone but my mornings are HEAVENLY!  Perfect timing to have a baby! I can crawl back in bed once I've gotten everybody off.  I just can't believe how they are growing up! Nicholas and Karlee will go to KINDERGARTEN next year! Now that trips me out! 

Macy Turns 7!!!

 The party started bright and early when Macy walked into my room a little after 6am and said she couldn't sleep. She was "just too excited" for her birthday!  Soon, everybody was up.  It was going to be a long day...but a good one!

 It's become tradition on birthdays to break out the window markers & draw to your hearts content! By the end of the day, the window is covered in ART.  

Macy HAD to open a few presents before Mark left for work.  She couldn't wait!  Her favorites were the"McKenna" American Girl gymnastic doll clothes, the gym bag and the cast and crutches.  Good thing Mom ordered early since everything went on backorder after the Olympics.

Our next adventure was to the ENCHANTED FOREST in Salem.  We've driven by this place hundreds of times and wondered, "...what kind of people go there! Looks a little sketchy!"  But, after doing a little research and talking to some friends that have been, we decided to check it out! It was pretty cool and the kids had a BLAST!  We took Macy's best little friend with us and I chased everyone around (mind you...37 weeks pregnant) until Mark made it up there from work! Just a note for anyone thinking of going.  This place is located on a mountain side.  Come prepared to climb hills! I can't believe I didn't put myself in to labor! 

Storybook Lane was the kids favorite! It was full of fairytales and nursery rhymes, slides and fun houses to peer in to and play in, mazes and secret passageways to discover.  The kids were a little apprehensive at first but once they realized nothing was for real, they wanted to do everything again and again!

We bought wristbands for the kiddy rides and spend a good hour riding the ferris wheel, bumper water boats, train and the best of ALL... the Frog Hopper!

 This Cinderella theatre show was hilarious! 

Macy even got her own Birthday Button!

After dinner at Red Robin, we came home to have Birthday Cake with friends! Macy requested Texas sheet cake with sprinkles! Easy enough (since I am horrible at decorating cakes).

 All in all, this may go down as the "BEST BIRTHDAY EVER."  It'll be hard to top! But, we'll keep spoiling this girl because we LOVE her so much!