Wow time flies...

I cannot believe that Christmas is only days away. In the past month we have all been so sick off and on that the days have just flown by. I thought that tonight since everyone was in bed by 8 except for myself, that I should at least try to catch up on the pics.

So...one day in October...a long time ago, we spent a sunday afternoon going to my future sister in laws house to take pics of the kids. They were supposed to be for Madelyn's birth announcements (oops! at what point do you just decide that it has been too long to do them? When she is one?)

We had a blast and I loved allowing Jacqui the opportunity of using my babies as her models. I am sure that there will be many more pics in the near future. :)

All in a days work...

I can't tell you how often I hear the question "how do you do it all?" Well, this is how...

7am Lizzie gets up and we have to put on her lotion and medicine (she has skin issues)

7:30am I get Wesley up and we all eat

8am Maddie gets up and eats
After everyone is fed we play until...

9:15am Maddie goes down for a nap while Liz, Wes and I play or do laundry or dishes...

11:30am Maddie gets up and eats

12:00pm Liz, Wes and I eat
we all play and watch Ellen until...

1:00pm Maddie and Wesley go down for a nap and Liz and I go into the study

2:00pm Lizzie goes down for a nap
If I am lucky I have from 2pm until 3:30pm to myself, but it doesn't happen often.

3:30pm Maddie gets up and eats

When I am done feeding her it is officially my favorite time of day. I have made it a habit of having the kids go with me to wake up Madelyn from her naps and so I decided a few weeks ago that it was only fair that she get to wake up someone from their nap. Maddie and I go and get Wesley out of his crib and the two of them giggle at each other. Today we had to get our new friend out of the crib too. You should have seen me trying to set up the camera to take this.
In the last week Wesley has gotten very attached to the Mickey Mouse that he got from Santa last Christmas. He takes it to bed with him each night and to nap time as well.

This is him telling me that he is ready to go to bed.

We are excited that Wesley has a new friend. It is precious to see him with his buddy.

Two years ago Cody and I had just found out that we were pregnant with Wesley and we had a doctors appointment for the day before my birthday. After the appointment we went to have lunch with Lizzie at one of our favorite places. I ran across the picture today. It is so hard for me to believe that this was only two years ago. I can't believe that I am getting older, but 2 years ago this week, Liz was bald and still in a highchair. If I remember correctly she couldn't eat a freebird either. We had baby food for her. My how much she has grown up. She is my little princess and always will be.

Four months old this sunday

Well, for Halloween we survived an hour of trick or treating and came home in one piece. Wesley and Lizzie both got a little scared at a couple of houses, and Maddie slept in the stroller most of the time. We got home at 7:30pm and put Wesley and Madelyn down at 8 and then Liz and I sat on the front porch and passed out candy till 9 or so. By the end of the night she was ok with the scary masks and would say 'it is just pretend' as one walked up to us for candy. My mad little cow, handsome fireman and beautiful princess.
Madelyn will be four months old on sunday and I will have a weight update in a week or so. She is the happiest baby that we have had so far. She loves the bath and loves to talk and watch her brother and sister play. She sucks on her hand when she is tired (just like her brother) and she loves to play in the exersaucer.
She is a pretty good sleeper. She is still sleeping through the night and takes 3 awesome naps during the day allowing mom to have some time with the other two.
I do think that she is attached like no other though. She knows when I am gone and tends to give trouble to anyone that tries to watch her while I am away.
She just loves her mommy.


Elizabeth, Madelyn, and Wesley

3 months old this week

Madelyn is three months old this week. I had her weighed today and she is 12 pounds and 5 ounces. It is hard to believe that it has been 3 months. Time flies.

She is a very very happy baby. She oohhs and aahhs all the time. She wakes up at 8am and goes down at 8pm. I do wake her at 10pm for one last feeding, but I plan to get rid of that feeding this weekend. She is an awesome eater and sleeper and she loves to play with her siblings. She watches both of them as much as she can. She is sharing a room with Lizzie and it is working out pretty good. This week started off a little shaky. Cody turned 33 on Monday and came home with a little cold. The lack of sleep from the weekend and trying to act 21 again caught up with him (he really didn't try to act 21). On Tuesday he felt so terrible that he stayed home and worked from here. A day of rest helped a ton. It was back to work on Wednesday while the kids and I went to Bible Study and came home to tutor.

Wednesday evening I walked into the living room to see this. Is this considered child abuse because Wesley loves it!!! We have come to the realization that it is a lot easier to run after and catch him if he is in overalls. They are awesome. I can carry Maddie in one arm and Wesley in the other.

Maddie loves to play on the floor in the playroom and when she does, the kids think that they get to lay down right next to her. When she starts crying...they all run. :)

Wesley is still obsessed with shoes and feet. He does walk around in his daddy's boots and does a pretty good job with it. He is all boy!!!

Friday morning I took this picture. They are growing up so fast. Lizzie can completely take care of herself, it seems. She dresses herself, undresses herself, goes to the potty by herself, picks out her own food, sets the table, starts the dishwasher, helps fold clothes...and so much more.

Wesley now has 8 teeth and is going to need a haircut very soon. His sweet little curls are getting too long. We keep putting it off because they are just so darn cute. I got him to say 'hot rod' today which made his daddy so proud.

Maddie is rolling over, sucking her thumb and is very observant. She smiles and laughs, but can be very loud when she wants something. She is the baby and we all know it. :)

Happy Birthday Honey!!!!

33 years ago today Cody was born on the same day that A&M was born (just read that it was A&M's birthday today on facebook). After 33 years he is still playing tough guy... ...and there are moments of sweet guy...

...rough guy...

...and family guy...

...and then there are moments where he is just still a kid. I thought that this picture would not get me in trouble like the one of him playing dress up with Lizzie or the one of him riding a stick horse around the house. :)

Either way...he is MY guy. Happy Birthday Cody. I pray that you have a wonderful day and that it is full of joy. We love you!!

Sunny days and lots of fun

In the Riedel home we have been very busy as usual, but outside of the Riedel home we have been able to enjoy some of this nice weather lately. Cody and I have been taking the kids for rides on the bicycle in the evenings when given the chance and the last few days I have been able to take the kids outside to play while Maddie takes her morning nap. Today we had snack outside. This was their beautiful faces right after everyone had a full belly. I love pics in pj's.

Maddie spends the day getting kisses from her siblings. Poor thing is soaked with slobber by the time Lizzie and Wesley are done with her.

Madelyn really loves to have her big sister talk to her. Something about her voice just lights up Maddie's face. She does love her big sis.

I took this picture earlier in the week. Wesley loves to walk around with his lips puckered up.

Lizzie just loves to pose for the camera...if she is in the mood.

Wesley has an obsession with shoes and feet. I am constantly taking shoes away from him because lately he wants to put them in his mouth. I just thought that this picture was funny since my shoe is as long as his whole body.

Yesterday I had to give Lizzie a spanking for hitting her brother. She proceeded to go to time out...on her own. I never told her to go. Well...Wesley followed her and he too went to time out. The boy is one year old and has never been made to go there, but he loves to follow Lizzie. So, here they are both crying and in time out when I never put either of them there. It made for a great picture at least.

Over the weekend we celebrated 3 family birthdays. My mom turned 51, Dad turned 52, and my baby brother turned 15. Wow, how time flies. It was great getting to spend some time with them this weekend to celebrate many years of life.

Updates on all...

So...today was a big day in our house. It was Lizzie's 3 year old check up, or in her words, it was her "doctors perpointment." I originally just made Madelyn's for today, but since Lizzie was due for one as well and didn't need shots I thought that I would get both of the girls over with today. Lizzie is healthy and is 31 pounds. She is not due again to see the doctor for a year. Yeah!!! Wesley had to go just to watch, but did make his mark. I don't know how many people know this, but he is obsessed with shoes and feet. Our new doctor walked in with some cute heels on and pretty painted toes. Wesley had to go touch her feet and when he did...she jumped. It was kinda funny. It made Cody and I laugh. I did have them weigh him because I was curious. He is 24 pounds and is working on getting 2 new teeth right now. Both on the bottom. They broke through this morning.

Wesley can now crawl up into the recliner, and what has always been Lizzie's chair, is now being fought over. They did manage to stop fighting to take a picture. :) I really do think that they love each other.

Now it is Madelyn's turn... She had her 2 month appointment today and is 11 pounds and 21 1/2 inches long, what ironically, was the length of Lizzie when she was born. She is a very happy baby and has been getting more alert each day. She is doing pretty good on her schedule except when we have tummy issues. She is sleeping through the night and I am having to wake her up at 7:30am for her feeding.

Cody and I are truely blessed to have 3 beautiful children. I am very excited to be home and to be able to watch them do new things and even to be there when they cry.

Cody is finally done with his 'busy season' at work. Thank God! I am excited to have him in town. He has been 30 minutes away at the most for the last few weeks. I couldn't stand him being in Texarkana. Anyway, in the last month he has fixed a boat, broke a truck, fixed a truck, and fixed another boat...that sums up his update. He would be proud. :)

I have, as always, found ways to keep myself busy. As if staying home with three children isn't enough. I joined two groups at church for bible study and fellowship. One is the St. Anne's Society and the other is La Familia. The kids go to the day care at church when I go to my meetings. Lizzie doesn't want to leave the playroom, and Wesley is just the opposite. At the first site of mommy, he is ready to go home. I am also trying to stay busy with my jewelry business. All of this on top of many diaper changes a day! Life is good.

Happy Birthday Lizzie!!!

On Saturday we celebrated Lizzie's third birthday. Here are a few of the pics... Wesley looking like a little man!
Lizzie looking like a little supermodel!!!

...and a princess!!!

Madelyn just looking cute as can be!!!

Liz looking at her new book!

Mom and Liz

And the five of us!!!

Our morning

Madelyn is six weeks old now.
Wesley is a ham...
And Liz is a princess.

2 weeks old today