elle july 2014

Elle is our big helper! She's a sweet big sister to Todd and Reese. She's good at grabbing diapers, letting us know when Reese spits up, calming Reese down, playing with Todd, and loving on them. We can't keep her out of the pool, but still needs her floaty ring to feel confident. She loves to ride down the big hills on her bike and go fast! She's exerting a lot more independence, and showing us she's really ready for big school. For example, walking herself to Bible class. Her last days at Sonshine School are drawing near, and I can't believe Kindergarten is coming next month. I've been thinking about my days as a Kindergarten teacher and I remember how little they all seemed, but I look at Elle and think she looks so big since our days cuddling in her nursery in the Huaco house. She prays for her family, friends, and cousins constantly. She's becoming more like her Daddy in so many ways. She loves her books, and will even "read" to Todd a lot.

todd july 2014

Todd has had to make some adjustments in the last month or so with a new baby in town, but you can tell since reaching his half birthday he's reached new milestones also. Naps have sometimes been just wherever I can get him to lay down. He is really into reading lately. He's very independent, which means some battles every now and then. This has been a little more difficult on him as we've had to set some boundaries, and timeout has been a more popular place recently. He's tripled his vocabulary, but because he doesn't enunciate as well still he's almost gotten harder to understand. A lot of the times though what comes out of his mouth is hilarious! He's started calling Mops "Mopsy-girl" even in his prayers, which is really cute. I even found myself dreaming about Todd and woke myself because I was laughing at something he said. He's still as sweet as ever!

sibling bonds

Elle and Todd have had to stick together more these days. They've gotten closer as we've been adjusting to Reese's arrival, and I really admire their friendship. Some mornings I'll find them in Elle's bed reading together. If one's awake they want the other to be up with them. They play together pretty much all day if they are together. Sometimes Todd will even go to Elle for comforting if he gets hurt or in trouble. Don't get me wrong they still have sibling squabbles, but overall they have amazed me how well they get along. It's so sweet to see the bonds they're forming now and already consider Reese to be in their special circle. I pray that they continue to always be so close.

reese @ 1 month

Reese has been with us a month now, and I can't believe how fast the time is going! I'm trying to absorb every minute with her. She is such a sweet baby! Reese has plumped up already, and is really resembling her two siblings. She sleeps well at night for a newborn, pretty much only getting up to eat. She has started smiling a little, plays on her playmat, and coos, gurgles, and grunts! It's a good thing she's mostly agreeable because she has a set of lungs on her. We are totally in love with our third little!

welcome reese!

Reese Lydia Shrock 

May 18, 2014

7:20 pm

6 lbs 2 oz

19 in

I think the theme of Reese's life will be surprise. She's been a surprise from the very beginning! We weren't necessarily done having kids, but we hadn't made any plans to have another one yet. Then both Chris just felt like we should wait to find out the gender because it was more fun to have a surprise baby in the delivery room. I had in my mind she'd be a week late, because that was what Todd and Elle had done, but she surprised us by coming on her due date of all days. We had anticipated it being a quick labor because Todd was so fast, but contractions started around midnight Saturday night and we didn't end up leaving for the hospital until 5 pm the next evening. I was surprised at how tiny she was when she was born. I've been surprised at how easy she is to take care of. However, I'm not surprised at how naturally she seems to fit in already. Or about how much we all adore and love her instantly. I'm curious to see what surprises she has in store for us in the future!

A little bit of the birth story for our memories: Once we got to the hospital, it was a fast delivery. The contractions rapidly got closer together and more intense. I had decided to go without the epidural and really there wasn't any time to change my mind once I had refused. Two pushes and she was here! She had a loud squeaky cry and let everyone know she had arrived. Chris was the one who announced the gender because for some reason the doctor and nurses weren't saying anything. They put her on my chest and she stayed there for a long time.

They didn't weigh or measure her for such a long time, that Elle and Todd had arrived by then and got to watch. They got to see her first bath, which I think was good timing for their first glimpses of her. Elle was a proud big sister and wanted to hold her immediately. Todd was a little overwhelmed, and didn't really want to hold her. He was more interested in the birthing ball in the room. He finally came around by Friday and asked to hold her. He loves to give kisses to her, and stroke her head.

We've all been adjusting pretty well these early days. Chris is wonderful to help all the time. He's so good about staying up late with Reese or taking her when she's not needing to eat, but needs to be held. We've been so blessed by everyone's gifts, well wishes, prayers, yummy meals, and visits. It's hard to believe she's already 2 weeks old! I tried my hand at some newborn shots one day in her bear outfit. I have a lot more respect for people who do that professionally. Elle loved taking pictures with her, but Todd was sick and napping so he missed out. Hopefully, we'll get some with him soon.

todd lately

Toddy, Toddy, Toddy! He is at such a fun age! He wants to get every second he can out of life. He's too cute for his own good sometimes. He's incredibly sweet, adores his sister, can't get enough sports, and loves to sing and dance. He's not too little to do anything so he thinks! He loves going to school and walks right in ready for the day. He's very verbal, but he's got his own language, which is pretty much caveman/- the first consonant of every word. But it just adds to his charm! He likes to say his prayers, but you might sit there awhile because he likes to thank God for everything. We could probably learn a lesson there. He loves doing gymnastics and soccer. He got his first big boy haircut last month and he looks so much more like a big boy. He talks about the new baby a lot, and I know he doesn't really understand what's about to happen, but I know he will be a great big brother. I just love him so much!

elle is 5!

I can't believe Elle turned 5 in March! She just finished her last day of Pre-K and it just doesn't seem possible that time is moving this quickly. She has learned so much this year! She loves reading and has begun adding numbers. She loves to write and draw. Her favorites of late are the Tinkerbell dolls, movies, and now chapter books. We have been breezing through the chapter books because she wants to read them all the time. Elle has become really good at her gymnastics and absolutely loves soccer. She's enjoying it even more now that her friends Olivia and Alohi have joined her class. She's a great big sister and plays really well with Todd. They have such a special bond. If he's upset he will choose her for comfort a lot of times. She's very sweet and lets him take a nap in her bed, and a lot of mornings I find them reading together in bed. She prays all the time for the new baby that it will be "safe and healthy". She wants a sister, but I know no matter what she'll be a great big, big sister.

For her birthday this year she wanted a My Little Pony party. She'd been talking about it for quite a while. She was really excited to have everyone over to her new house so we decided to have it at home. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather! We had stations for each pony: Shutterfly's animal care taking with Elle's vet kit and beanie babies; Rarity's Boutique where kids could color; Twilight's Library in Elle's tree tent that worked perfectly; Apple Jack's Apple Bobbing, Rainbow Dash's  Race where the kids could win cutie marks and Pinkie Pie party blowers, Rarity and Spike's gem hunt in the sandbox, and Pinkie Pie's Sugar Cube Corner with cupcakes for each pony, Twizzlers (Elle's favorite), "Horse Oat" no bake cookies, carrots, and apples. Elle had a blast and was so happy to have so many of her friends and family around her!