Hello my name is...

It's always a little nerve wracking when my older children come and meet their new baby for the first time. I never really know how they are going to react, plus because I have been in the hospital for the last few days their normal schedule has been disrupted which always throws my kids for a loop.

Jack was very excited to meet Ben and he has been in love with him ever since. It has been fun having a child old enough to understand what is going on. He loves that he has a baby brother and he is always saying sweet things about him like:

"That baby is just so special"

"Baby Ben you are handsome and cute"

"Baby Ben you were born in this family and we love you so much"

"Mom we are going to have to tell Vandy (our nanny here in Cambodia) to be so gentle with the baby" *this was before we moved back

Here is BenVan all ready to meet his brother and sister

Jack smitten with his baby Ben

Jane wasn't so sure what to think of Ben in the beginning. She has always loved being the center of attention and she quickly realized that the baby was going to take a little of that away from her. She has been really good with him as far as being gentle and nice but she does get jealous on occasion when I have to direct my attention to the baby for a while.

She was uncomfortable to say the least when we had her hold him for the first time.

Oddly enough putting sunglasses on her made her more comfortable. Go figure!

*My sister Leah pointed out that she bears a striking resemblance to Willy Wonka (Johny Depp style) 

Once again not really digging it!

Jack is always inches from Ben's face.  He can be a tad smothering at times.

So tiny...oh I wish they stayed that small forever.

Transitioning from baby to big sister really took it out of this girl. She could not keep her eyes open and I was trying every trick up my sleeve to keep her awake!

There is just something about having a baby that literally changes your perspective. All the sudden Jane who I was still calling "baby Jane" the day before was so massive to me.  Instantly everyone in the family shifts in positions and it's almost like having a group identity crisis. It always takes me a while to figure out all our new roles in this new family and learn to embrace how it has changed us. It wasn't quite so intense this time and I really credit Ben for it. He was such an easy going baby and it allowed me to spend a lot of time and give a lot of attention to Jack and Jane. Now that we are fully adjusted to the transition I am so grateful for this new little family. Having 3 kids is so much fun and I love them so much (but I am REALLY glad I have a nanny again!!!)

As my bro likes to say "Too School for cool"

I am "Slightly" behind on my post's. So what I have decided to do is mix my post with old and new. That way everyone can keep up with our current life but I can still document our past.

School days

Ah I am so glad to have my kids back at Giving Tree! I just never got into the groove with Jack's school in Utah. I like talking to the teacher, visiting the class, meeting the kids that my kids are playing with, and that is exactly what I get to do here!

Jack has fallen right back into place. Lot's of his old friends are still here and he has loved seeing them again. He is such a social kid and loves school so much! His biggest concern every day is what he can bring in his backpack to show his friends at school. 

This kid has got a mega watt smile!

Jane

I was slightly concerned about Jane's entry into school. She just turned 2 but she is very emotional mature for her age so I thought she would do just fine. She loves to color and do crafts so really school is right up her alley! She can be a little dramatic and hard headed at times so I was hoping for the best.

Her first day was great she let me leave without a single tear and I thought "wow that was easy" a little too easy if you know what I mean. Well the next 3 days were full of tears and literally peeling her off of me! It was sad but I also knew she would love it as soon as she calmed down.

Sure enough she's all dancing and giggles when we walk in now and runs to her teacher without looking back. I can't believe I have 2 kids in school now! CRAZY!

This was day #1 when she was still happy about her life!

She gets a lot of attention at school. Maybe a little too much. This girl tends to be on the spoiled side. No one can say no to those big brown eyes! (but me :))

3rd times the charm

It is no secret that this pregnancy was a bit of a surprise to our family. We were living in Cambodia having a nice quite life when all the sudden BAM our lives were turned upside down! I did NOT want to have the baby over seas and I was determined to get my family back to the U.S. Slowly but surely we all made our way back. My pregnancy was relatively easy I can honestly say that 50% of the time I was having to remind myself that I was pregnant. I had a lot on my plate and my stress level was high until we were all safe and sound together in Utah. 

We really had impeccable timing (and when I say impeccable I really mean horrible). We decided to move into a house 2 days before I was due. It wasn't just moving either I was purchasing and organizing EVERYTHING you might need to have a house. We had sold everything before moving to Cambodia and when we came back we didn't have as much as a spoon to our name! I was sooo ready to check into the hospital on the 3rd of November because to me laying in a bed and giving birth was a vacation!

Ben came into this world without much fuss. I was induced on a Wednesday  (mainly because Dan was going out of town on the following Monday for work). It was nice to have a little alone time with Dan the hours before he was born. We were really still in denial about this number 3 babe. But when Ben came he melted our hearts right from the start and we have been so in love ever since.

Don't I look thrilled!

Mom and Dad anxiously awaiting Benjamin!

Van Felsing arrived!

It took some serious work to get that head of hair clean

My sweet little guy! 

Proud Papa

I know I said it early (and believe me you will get sick of hearing it) but this guy is perfect. He NEVER cries EVER! Its amazing! He sleeps great and eats great and is so chill and laid back! He has not once frazzled me or been hard, and for that I am extremely grateful because lets face it I just could not handle anything else!

Attention: VERY Important Announcement

The BEST baby in the World was born!

and lucky me I am his mom!!!

Benjamin Van Felsing

Born Novemeber 3rd, 2010

(picture taken in hospital on his 2nd day of life)

I know this announcement is a little late in coming but non the less true. Ben is so good and so sweet and pretty much perfect! Lot's of picture to come of this guy!

A Dreary Halloween

Let me count the reasons why Halloween is quickly becoming my least favorite Holiday...

• It rained the WHOLE night
• it was freezing cold
• I was days away from having a baby
• Kids + Sugar + night = cranky, crazy kids and even crankier moms
• Jack got scared at the first house because of a pink gorilla mask (scary I know!) and was pretty much hanging on to me for dear life the rest of the night

I am sure there are other reasons I have blocked out but one thing I do like about Halloween is how dang cute my kids looked!

Jack in his "loafy" dragon costume...since when do dragons have love handles?

He was sooo excited this year to get dressed up and talked about it non-stop for about 3 weeks prior. To bad it ended with Dan and myself explaining that everything was pretend and Jack saying he just didn't want t talk about it any more!

Perfect costume for my little busy bee! Thanks Melissa for helping me out in a pinch! 

We did have a pretty sweet Jack-o-lantern this year

Courtesy of Dan the Man

1st and 2nd runner up for costumes this year. It was a close race but the loafy Dragon won in the end!

One thing that Jack really liked doing before Halloween was talk about what he thought everyone's costumes were going to be.

Me: A mean Witch

Dad: Wearing a T-Rex T-Shirt (he knows his dad would never dress up)

Jane: A Ballerina

Gram: A cute witch

Peeps: A Monkey

Auntie Leah: A Snapping Croc

Chloe and Ellie: Butterflies

Auntie Kristina: A cute cat

Heidi: An Iguana

Brody and Xander: Batman and Super Man

Snowbird

When Dan got back from Cambodia we decided to take a mini vacation and live up at Snowbird Resort for a month. I fought Dan on this in the beginning (it may of had something to do with the 4 flights of stairs while being 9 months pregnant or the threat of avalanches) but I am sooo glad that he talked me into it.

We had the BEST view of 3 of the seasons and lots of family time. It was a such a good way to spend those last few weeks as a family of four.

The craziest rainbow ever.

lots of cozy mornings

Hello my German friends...fun at Snowbird

Surely the next fashion icon!

I'm the king of the world! Jack hiked a mountain with his dad and he was so proud!

More Snowbird

We missed Fall last year in Cambodia but we got our fill of the beauty this year. It was seriously amazing!!!

(taken on a sunday drive up past Alta)

Winter. I have a love-hate relationship with snow. Love to look at how pretty and white it makes everything HATE to be cold in it, drive in it, walk in it, or worry about being stuck in labor because of it! 

One morning it snowed so much that after the plows came we had 4 ft. blocking the garage door! The only thing I could think was "Thank goodness I didn't go into labor!!!" Dan could NOT handle a home birth!

(This postcard beauty was taken right from our living room window...I was not kidding about having the best veiw EVER!)

Snowbird we will miss you! 

I highly recommend staying there off season. It is reasonably priced and sooo sooo pretty any time of year.

***On a side note I am glad we got out of there before ski season! I would have been a widow to the mountain!