Sleeping Around

What's been going on at our house????

A lot of this

For Everyone

Including the cat Max (who loves the baby)

Everyone getting caught up on sleep except the mom who is taking all the pictures of everyone sleeping.  Here's to more days with naps for everyone including ME

Grove Tree Lighting

A great tradition that we started when we lived downtown and just love is the Grove Tree Lighting.  The event always happens the Saturday after Thanksgiving and gets us into the Christmas spirit.  We get to watch the big tree get lit up and sing Christmas carols with the crowds of people.

The big tree all lit up

Allie and her aunts.  Allie looks so thrilled to be there

The whole family made it down to the lighting.   Baby Sophie was bundled in the front pack and zipped up under Blake's coat for the evening.  She stayed nice and toasty warm:) 

Ballet and Festival of Trees

Allie was able to try out a Ballet class this last fall.  Let's just say that Allie is very glad that it's over.  After about 4 classes Allie asked when she got to be done with Ballet.  I told her we had to finish the session, but when it was over we could be done.  Ballet was NOT Allie's thing.  There was way to much structure and to much standing time at the bar for my little rambunctious child.   

Allie working on leaps across the floor

Practicing their "Nutcracker" dance for the big recital

Practice, Practice, Practice

For their performance the dance class got to perform down at Festival of Trees.  Considering last year Allie froze during her tap performance I wasn't sure what to expect.  Allie surprised me and did an awesome job.  I was so proud of this little girl.

She was following the girl in the front the whole time

Allie is the one on the right (the one with the long black skirt)  Her poor mom (with a post pregnancy brain) ordered her skirt, but I did it too late and it didn't come in time.  Her sweet teacher pulled one together with one of the older girls' skirts.  It was sliding off Allie's tiny waist the whole time.  Allie does some funky tongue chewing when she is nervous  (she takes after her dad), but she at least was dancing and looking cute

Allie with her flowers from daddy  (sometime you have to teach a dad that they need to bring their little girls and big girls flowers) 

Turkey Trot

Well it's official; Sophie participated in her first race at 5 days old..  Every year the Hansen Family participates in the Turkey Trot; it's a relay race formed by groups of 4 people.  We usually end up having 4-5 teams formed between the Hansen family.  Each member runs/walks (this year I was a walker) two miles of an 8 leg race.  Allie and Sophie got  to escort me through my two mile walk in the snow.  It was quite fun and I was quite soar following this walk. It's amazing how out of shape you are after not working out for a few months and after giving birth to a child.  But we finished and that's all that counts.

It was snowing like crazy, but we were able to catch a quick picture of the girls under a tree. 

Tub Time

Well.....it was time to get the "girls" bathed.  Allie decided that she wanted to go first (at this point the girls are taking separate baths since Sophie is not allowed to get her cord stub wet)   Blake was in charge of Allie's bubble bath for the night and they both had quite a bit of fun.  

Allie all covered in her bubbles

I love this shot.  I captured Blake giving Allie a peak of her "bubbly face" in the mirror (this is their reflection in the mirror)

I can't believe this little peanut....she is just too little.  Enjoying being wrapped up warm in her towel

Family reflection in the bathroom window....got to love it 

I just had to get a quick shot of this peanut on the rocking chair.  She doesn't even fit across the cushion on the chair.  I know she won't stay this small for long, but just to remember how small she was; I needed a mental picture

Allie examining Sophie, wondering if she's here to stay.  Goodnight and sweet dreams girls!!!

Sophie Bella Hansen

Mommy had ambitions to have you as my Halloween baby, but like always the man upstairs knows and has our best interest at stake.  Mommy tried lots of things to get labor going and to get you out.  After starting into labor spontaneously with Allie, 10 days early, I wasn't sure why you weren't coming.  I tried everything to get things going; Allie and I ate a whole pineapple (supposedly that works-but not recommended due to the tingly tongue following), we climbed stairs, jumped on the tramp, tried nipple stimulation, sex, acupressure-nothing was working and I had kind of given up.

Finally, (you are very punctual already) I started into labor on your due date-November 14th.  Throughout the day I had a few contractions that were a little more painful than they had been previously.  While I was making dinner they also started coming more regularly than they been.  Once I mentioned this to Blake he was all over helping me get you out. After dinner we went out to jump on the tramp as a family and then decided we were going to go on a walk to Papa Von's and Grandmas Julia's-2.5 miles from our house.  We put Allie in the wee ride and she quickly fell asleep.  This would be the last little walk our sweet family of three would take.



Arriving at Papa Von's House after our 2.5 mile walk.  The last picture of our family of 3.  If I only new you this was taken six hours before you would come out.

Once we arrived to Papa's and sat down the contractions stopped.  We finally arrived home around 11 pm and a few contractions were coming here and there.  I told Blake that I was going to hop in the tub to relax and see what that did.  My contractions were coming about every 10 minutes in the tub.  I would love to birth in the tub, the relief it provides you during the contractions is amazing.  I was in the tub for almost an hour just watching the contractions to make sure they were going to keep coming.  During this hour I kept hollering out to Blake to pack a few last minute things I didn't grab before getting into the tub.  I stepped out of the tub and dried myself off, only to find I continued to have water dripping down my legs.  It took me a second and a few more heavy contractions later to realize my water had broke.  We immediatley called over Aunt Katie and left  for the hospital.

Blake was speeding down the highway and I was crouched on the floor of the front seat trying to breathe through contractions. We arrived to the hospital about 12:45 a.m. the morning of the 15th and got everything situated for your arrival.  I was trying to go natural like I did with Allie, only because she came so fast, but things were not going in my favor this round.  I was exhausted, and they wouldn't let me get in the tub because your heart rate continued to drop when I would contract.  At one point I had to get into the bed and lay on my side with some oxygen to get your heart rate to come back up.  Laboring in bed was not my cup of tea.  I finally got checked at 2:30 and was a 6.  I felt so exhausted and told them I was on board for an epidural. Wow....what an enjoyable hour we had before you arrived.  I LOVED my epidural.  I was able to feel the pressure of you coming down and was able to help push you out and just loved the experience. 

Sophie arriving to the world-3:55 a.m. the morning of November 15th

The Dr. proving the cord was cut by Blake.  Blake was sitting on the side at this point trying not to pass out on us.  He was not able to be down at the bottom when Allie was born because Allie came so fast and he was up by my head supporting me.  This was a new experience for him this time and we have learned he doesn't tolerate the bottom view during labor very well

So thrilled my little miss has arrived

Our pint sized peanut weighing in at 5 pounds 12 ounces

So alert and ready for life

Our first family photo-minus Allie girl

Our bright eyed little girl

Sophie is a smitten image of Allie

Allie arriving to meet Sophie, so excited!

So excited to be holding her sissy for the first time

Watch out Dr. Godfrey, we had a whopping 30 pounder

Family Photos

New family of four

Papa and Grandma Deb with their Hansen granddaughters

Sophie arrived just in time to meet Uncle Jeremy.  He is heading overseas to Germany.  We will miss you "old man"

Warming up after her first bath.  I can't believe how little this girl is; a washcloth is covering her little body

Love Allie's face....wondering what just rocked her world

The staff was great with Allie, involving Big Sis in everything.  Getting to pick out sissy's hair bow

Stylin' hair bows all ready

Loving the wrinkly grandma looking fingers.  Allie thought I had painted Sophie's fingernails

Sophie's 4th toe on the upper foot is smashed up from the womb.  I'm hoping it will work it's way back

Welcome sweet sweet Sophie Bella!!!  We are thrilled you are here!

Max & His First Kill

Blake and I were just talking days before this event happened, how Max is getting quicker at attacking us when we play with him and how we are shocked he hasn't killed any live animals (not that we are wanting dead animals brought to our house).  Max must have heard our discussion because days later he brought us his first kill; a poor little bird.

Max protecting his bird and not wanting it to be disposed of

Blake is just disgusted by the site of dead animals, so I had to get him in action with the dead bird.  He wanted me, the pregnant wife, to deal with this.  Good thing for me being pregnant because I won that battle.  Here's to hoping we don't have any mice brought home now that our cat is on the prowl.

Coloring Contest

If I could say one thing about this girl it would be that she LOVES LOVES LOVES to color.   Did I say that she loves to color?  She not only colors well but loves to draw.  In fact Allie spends most of her day at work in her room coloring or in the office coloring and drawing away.  The other day Allie asked if I could draw a dog.  She definitely doesn't' get her artistic talent from her mother because I surely could not draw a dog.  She was very frustrated with me and told me she would draw a dog.  Sure enough this girl drew a great looking dog.  Allie comes home with a backpack of papers every day from school.  At the beginning of school I asked Allie about the multiple copies of one of the projects and I asked Allie if everyone drew multiple copies.  Sure enough no, it was just Allie.  She continues to bring 2, 3, or 4 copies of the same paper home.  Blake and I often talk about what this girl will grow up to do because she is so talented with her artistic ability.   I hope that one day Allie has a little girl who colors just like her. I don't know what to do with all of these papers that continue to  float around.  Once a week I try to go around and selectively pick up her piles making dumps into the recycle bin.  She has found her papers multiple times in the trash and I feel bad but tell her that we can't keep everything.  All that being said, my little artist recently entered a coloring contest at Albertsons.  She was very excited about the possibility of winning a contest and came right home and got to work.  Well weeks went by and we got a call that sure enough this girl had won the contest.  Allie got $5 for winning the contest and thought she was on top of the world for days.  She ended up buying a movie with her winnings.  

The proud girl with her winning picture

Raking Fall leaves

I can not believe that it is November.  We have been enjoying sunny weather in the high 60's.  As you can see we have been trying to enjoy the outside for as long as we can before our weather turns cold.

Allie has been helping her teacher rake the leaves at school and has enjoyed jumping in them as well as going down the slide into them. Allie and I decided to rake our small pile of leaves the other day.

Allie getting buried in the leaves.  Come on winter, we are ready for you!