Pigtails

She is getting SOO big SOO fast....

I love how she loves life, loves to dance and LOVES to sing

Four

I can't belive my baby boy is four months old. He is actually almost 5 months old but I am just now getting around to posting. He has grown so much! At his 4 month appt he weighed, 17 lbs, he was 27 inches long and in the 90th percentile in all of the stats.

I have fallen madly in love with this little guy.

He steals the heart of anyone around him.

He loves watching his big sister.


When you pay him attention he gets extremely excited, and squeals with happiness at the top of his lungs!

I just love to see his big smile



When he sees someone coming his way he starts throwing his fist in the air and kicking his feet as hard as he can, it is like he is trying to run to you.

He is so perfect in every way, and has been the perfect addition to our family. Our family is complete with this special little man.

We made the blog...

So my sweet friend Samantha took family photos of Andy, me, & the kids a few weeks ago and we made it on her blog.... check us out! (click on out, for some reason it is showing up the same color as all the other font.) If you would like to see more then visit her webpage (click on webpage.) click on enter portraits and then go to proofing beside view gallery type in Stewart if you want to see the whole Warren clan. That is right ALL 10 of us. That photo shoot is a story in itself. We had to have the picture taken THAT day because Julia & Ronnie were going back home and Jonathan was leaving in a week. There was a tornado coming literally like 15 minutes away but we HAD to get the shot. My sweet friend Samantha with husband and kids in tow snapped these fantastic shots and some how made us all look like we weren't running around like a bunch of chickens with our heads cut off!!! We will all cherish those pictures forever!! If you want to see the shoot she did a week later of our little family of four then type in Stewart1. I hope you enjoy! While you are there take a look around her site, she is fantastic.

Jen

Is this REALLY my baby girl?!?

I mean could she look anymore like a big girl?

Speechless.....

Three

I can't believe my baby girl is Three! Where does the time go?

I am madly in love with this little girl!

Her love for life and joy is contagious!

I pray that she will grow to be a Godly woman

and that she will always be this full of JOY!

The Singer

Aubrey got "The Jesus Storybook Bible Every Story Whispers His Name." for Christmas. We read one story at bedtime every night. The other night I was reading to her and although I have read about the sparrow in the bible, to read it at this time in our life and on such a simple level it literally brought tears to my eyes. I thought I would share the story with everyone.

The Singer
The Sermon on the Mount, from Matthew 6,9, and Like 12

Wherever Jesus went, lots of people went, too. They loved being near him. Old people. Young people. All kinds of people came to see Jesus. Sick people. Well people. Happy people. Sad people. And worried people. Lots of them. Worrying about lots of things.

What if we don't have enough food? Or clothes? Or supposed we run out of money? What if there isn't enough? And everything goes wrong? And we won't be all right? What then?

When Jesus saw all the people, his heart was filled with love for them. They were like a little flock of sheep that didn't have a shepherd to take care of them. So Jesus sat them all down and he talked to them.

The people sat quietly on the grassy mountainside and listened. From where they sat, they could see the blue lake glittering below them and little fishing boars coming in from a night's catch. The spring air was fresh and clear.

"See those birds over there?" Jesus said. Everyone looked. Little sparrows were pecking at seeds along the stony path.

"Where do they get their food? Perhaps they have pantries all stocked up? Cabinets full of food?"

Everyone laughed - who's ever seen a bird with a bag of groceries?

"No," Jesus said. "They don't need to worry about that . Because God knows what they need and he feeds them."

"And what about these wild flowers?"

Everyone looked. All around them floweres were growing. Anemones, daisies, pure white lilies.

"Where do they get their lovely clothes? Do they make them? Or do they go to work every day so they can buy them? Do they have closets full of clothes?"

Everyone laughed again - who's ever seen a flower putting on a dress?

"No," Jesus said. "They don't need to worry about that because God clothes them in royal robes of splendor! Not even a kind is that well dressed!"

They had never met a king but, as they gazed out over the lake, glittering and sparkling below them, the hillsides dressed in reds, purples, and golds, they felt a great burden lift from their hearts. They could not imagine anything more beautiful.

"Little flock," Jesus said, "you are more important than birds! More important than flowers! The birds and the flowers don't sit and worry about things. And God doesn't want his children to worry either. God loves to look after the birds and the flowers. And he loves to look after you, too."

Jesus knew that God would always love and watch over the world he had made - everything in it - birds, flowers, trees, animals, everything! And, most of all, his children.

Even though people had forgotten, the birds and the flowers hadn't forgotten - they still knew their song. It was the song all of God's creation had sung to him from the very beginning. It was the song people's hearts were made to sing: "God made us. He loves us. He is very pleased with us." It was why Jesus had come into the world: to sing them that wonderful song; to sing it not only with his voice, but with his whole life - so that God's children could remember it and join in and sing it, too.

Two

Our little guy is two months old!
I love watching him laugh,

at times I will turn upside down on my head

to convince that little mouth to smile at me.

He has everyone around him wrapped around his finger,
including his big sister!
He loves to lay in Aubrey's bed after nap time and "talk" to us.

I can't believe how time is flying and as much as I

want to see him grow up I also want time to stand still!

Things seem to be moving entirely to fast

but we will enjoy every minute of it together,

as a family of four.

My beautiful family

The first picture of the four of us together that

I will allow to be on my blog. :)

I couldn't believe that Aubrey was actually looking at the camera,

half smiling, I don't look like I have been wrestling with her,

and we all look half way put together.

I am learning the more I take pictures of her

the harder it is to take pictures of her.

She HATES to have her picture made and

most of the time will not acknowledge me

when I have a camera.

Today she allowed us a few pictures before falling apart.

I just love my sweet little family!

In a few weeks my sweet friend Samantha from His Hands Photographs is going to photograph my whole side of the family. Jonathan is leaving for Afghanistan in a few months so Julia & Ronnie are coming in town for a weekend to spend with him before he leaves. I contacted Samantha and she agreed to a session with Mom & Dad, Julia & Ronnie, Jonathan & Brantley, Me and Andy, Aubrey &Barrett. Whew! That makes me tired just thinking about that. Did I mention the only time that worked out for us is on a Saturday morning at 8:00am AND the same day as Aubrey's birthday party? Samantha, you will never know what a blessing you are for providing my family with your beautiful photographs!

Kris Allen TOP9 "Ain't No Sunshine" [iTunes downloads week night] - American Idol 2009 March 31

Kris rocked last night!!!!

T-Ball and a TuTu

Just in case you weren't quite sure if Aubrey was mine.....

She may be all girl but she can swing a bat

The TuTu doesn't even get in the way

She sure knows how to make her mom proud :)

So excited about her accomplishment!

One Month Old

So our little man is now one month old!!

Can you believe it!?!?
He has changed so much and we love him more today than we did yesterday!

Kris Allen - How Sweet It Is

I am still a Kris Allen fan but Matt Giraud did a great job tonight! Who do you think did better??

Matt Giraud - Let's Get It On

So who did better Matt or Kris?

In Love

We are alittle over three weeks into pure chaos and I have never been more in love than I am right now! My wonderful husband helps me on a daily basis with things that I KNOW alot of husbands just think it is the wife's responsibility. He gets up in the middle of the night and feeds Barrett he plays with Aubrey and keeps her occupied when I have a million things to get accomplished. Today is one of those days. I am working on laundry, trying to get caught up on the million bottles that need to be washed and sterilized, trying to clean this house, although I have come to the conclusion that it many never actually be clean!

While I am cleaning I opened up the blinds to let some beautiful sunshine in and I looked out over my back yard and what I see is absolutly beautiful! A fantastic husband playing with my beautiful baby girl in her play house. A few minutes later I look out again and Andy is cutting the grass while Aubrey is harrassing the dogs (they love her!) Then a few minutes later I look out again and Aubrey is once again playing with her daddy. I just love my little family!!

Let's not forget about Barrett who we like to call our little "grunter", I can hear him from his room laying in his bed sound asleep but making the most awful grunting noise! He has not slept one night in our bedroom because no one can sleep with the loud little boy! He slept in his cradle in the living room with my mom a few nights and then he was put in his own bed! We made it to week three with no colic so the Dr. says we are home free! He is really the best baby, laid back, calm, hardly ever cries! He LOVES to eat and is already getting pretty fat! Have I mentioned that I just LOVE fat, chubby, babies!! He sleeps really well, most nights he takes his last bottle around 9:30-10:00 and will wake up anywhere from 2:30-4:00 take another bottle then go back to sleep until around 8:00.

Although we are exhausted, we are making it one day at a time! If you drop by we may still be in our pajamas and the house most likely will not be clean but I have learned that all of that is ok! I may not be considered the best cook, I may not have the cleanist house on the block, but I have a beautiful family and that is all that matters!!!!

Time to get back to the family!!!!

Just in case you were wondering...

I hope Kris wins it all!! I know there are some other amazing singers but I am voting for Kris!

Finally!

So I dusted off my camera and took some pictures of Barrett today! I haven't really gotten it out in months and I am not real sure why. Today Aubrey went to the park and to story time with Andy's mom so I figured it was a perfect time to see if I could get some pictures. It took me an hour and a bottle to get what I wanted but I am happy with my results. I am now working on the Birth Announcement but I will give everyone a sneak peek of my photos.

And just for fun....this is what Barrett looks like when he no longer wants his picture taken :)

One week old

Sorry That I have not updated my blog and added new pictures of our sweet little guy! To be honest I have not taken that many pictures. I remember bringing Aubrey home from the hospital and wearing out the batteries on my digital camera. This time it is different, maybe it is because I am playing with play-doh, painting with water colors, coloring Dora coloring books, and putting together puzzels with Aubrey in between, feeding, burping, changing, and rocking barrett. There is as much time to sit around and stare at a sweet baby. When he is sleeping that means I have a few hours to keep Aubrey entertained and get ready for the next round.

Thank goodness for an amazing sunday school class who has put together 10 meals over the course of 20 days. Thank goodness for my mom who is spending the night with me and getting up with Barrett for his middle of the night feedings. Thank goodness for Julia & Ronnie who took Aubrey out all day to let her play and give me a break from a talkative two year old. :) Thank goodness for a husband who doesn't mind doing the laundry, putting it up where it goes, cleaning the kitchen up or just doing different things around the house to help out. He is also such a big help with Aubrey & Barrett! I don't know how people do it when they do not have much help from their husband.


One little story from this week and then I need to get off the computer and back to the chaos. :)
Last night Aubrey was bathed and ready for bed and we were in the process of bathing Barrett. He of course does not like this process because he gets cold so he cries ALOT. Aubrey came running in the kitchen and literally freaked out! She was SCREAMING, "Don't hurt my Barrett Momma!!!!" Andy took her into our bedroom to explain to her that Barrett wasn't hurt but she would have none of it and came running back in the kitchen totally traumatized thinking Mom and I were hurting her baby barrett. Let's just say although she is acting more and more jealous of him she is also quite protective of the little guy.


Here is a picture we took today for his 1 week birthday.

Alittle Disappointment

I checked into the hospital this morning to being the induction, Dr. Hancock was going to be there around 8:00 to break my water and soon I should have been having a baby! Well, we had a change of plans..... when she came in to break my water she said it felt like Barrett's hands were above his head so she wanted to do an ultrasound. I immediatly start asking a million questions, all of my questions were answered when they wheeled in the ultrasound and said that sometime between last tuesday and today he had totally flipped himself around and he was now feet first. Instead of my "simple" delivery that Dr. Hancock and been promising me since 35 weeks I would be going in for a C-Section. I was ok, alittle worried just because no one really wants to be cut on but still I was ready to meet my little guy. After about half an hour passed the nurse came back in and said Dr. Hancock was not feeling well and she didn't want to be in the Operating Room while sick and take the chances of getting me or the baby sick. Since she was sick all the other Dr's were having to take on her clinic pt's so they would not be able to come over and do the C-section. I pretty much begged to just stay in the hospital over night but because of insurance I was sent home and told to return in the morning at 5:30 for a scheduled C-section at 7:30. So they removed the GIGANTIC IV that is probably more painful than labor itself "which my sweet nurse actually asked if she could leave in the port that way they only had to hook me back up in the morning, she was turned down by her boss". But really have you had that IV!?!?! Out of everything that happened with my labor with Aubrey the one thing that stuck out the most was the IV and now I get to have it twice with Barrett.... thanks buddy! So, we will start all over in the morning, sticking me, taking blood, listening to heart beats and then wheeling me to the OR. Barrett will have to be in the NICU for a few hours and I will stay in the hospital an extra day for healing time. I had plans to try and make it to the Moms of Mulitples sale this friday but now I am afraid my plans have changed since I will be checking out of the hospital. Which means, mom, andy's mom, and my sweet friends will have to go for me and fight the crazy woman at the consignment sale :) Hopefully I will be updating with some pictures of our little guy tomorrow sometime..... I can't make any promises because now I will be hooked up to a Morphine pump!!

Please pray that everything goes smoothly tomorrow and also pray for my sweet Aubrey, it will now be 5 days before she comes back home.....I want this to be a smooth transition for her and this just sordof changed all of our plans!

Update

I just thought I would update everyone....I really need to upload some recent pictures of Aubrey but honestly I just don't feel like it! :)

I have started having this pretty constant pain, I am VERY tired all the time and pretty much mad at the world. :) (Poor Andy & Aubrey) I thought about going to the hospital yesterday because I think I was having contractions. Honestly I am not sure what they feel like since I was enduced with Aubrey. From what everyone tells me it is unbearable and I will definatly know when they are happening. Yesterday it was just an aggravating pain but not unbearable pretty much all day. The last thing I want is to be sent home from the hospital and feel silly. So, I did what any other person would have done I went out with some girl friends to see a movie....who knows it could be my last hoorah for alittle while.

I really thought he would be here by now! If what I am experiencing is contractions then maybe I just have a high tolerance for pain. My next appt. is Tuesday at 8:00am maybe then she will tell me I have made some more progress. Until then I may just only get out of bed when Aubrey insist! For the last two days Aubrey and I have both layed in my bed till 10:00am watching her movies. Although it is not the most healthy thing for a 2 year old I have enjoyed just spending time with her.

I totally forgot to get Aubrey anything for Valentines day, so today while Andy was at Upward I took her to the Dollar Store and told her she could pick out anything she wanted!! Talk about a happy little girl. Isn't it amazing that we think we need to spend all this money on our children, when in all honesty I probably had the happiest two year old in the neighborhood today because she picked out hershey's kisses and curly straws! We finger painted her daddy a card and she was SOOO excited about that! As soon as he walked in the door she screamed "I made you a card today daddy!!" I am pretty sure he loved it as well :)

As much as I talk about being ready for Barrett to be here I am alittle bit terrified! We have gotten in such a good routine around here I know throwing a newborn in the mix is going to shake things up quite abit! So, I am going to try and enjoy this next week, the sleep, the quietness, the simpleness, because on Feb. 23rd. I will check into the hospital in the morning and come home two days later with a new little blessing!

This blog was totally scattered but I am watching a movie and trying to blog and well the two don't mix really well.

Maybe the next time I am updating will be from the hospital, we will see!!!

Update on Barrett

I went for my 35 week check up today and the Dr. told me that I am 2 cent. dilated and totally ready to have a baby! I KNEW I wasn't crazy and I had been having contractions. I do not think anyone believed me but now I have the proof. :) Dr. Hancock said that I will definatly be able to pick my due date in my 39th week but it was good chance Barrett would be here before then. With Aubrey I was .5 cent. at 35 weeks so obviously things are moving along alittle faster. Now we will just wait and see it is pretty much up to Barrett now....he can pick his birthday!

I will keep everyone posted!

Jen

One year

A year ago today I lost one of my best-friends, Jason Hall. I wasn't sure I was going to blog about it but as the day has gone on he has been on my mind and in my heart. I couldn't let the day go by without sharing my thoughts. I have wanted so many times to go to his graveside, I have wanted to take some flowers and sit and talk. I know to some that sounds CRAZY, but for me there have just been times I needed to talk. But, at the same time I have not been able to go, I really don't feel like I am ready yet. I know it has been a year.....it seems like just yesterday and everytime I think I am almost there, I have almost accepted it, I start planning a trip to the graveside (it is kindof far away) and then I pretty much freak out and change my mind. Hopefully one day soon I will work up the courage but for now I will just remember the good times and not focus on the fact that he is gone.

I miss him, I miss his smile, his laugh, his care free spirit!

Jason Lee Hall I miss you!!!! I am so honored to have been able to call him a brother!

I couldn't wait any longer

About half way through the day today I began to sordof panic about everything that needed to be purchased before Barrett arrived. I realize I still have about 6 weeks but that is if everything is on schedule. Let's face it, he is pretty much in control of when he comes at this point and just in case he gets in a hurry I want to be prepared! With the first child people give you showers and everything is pretty much purchased for you. With the second, well unless you are having the same sex and you already have everything, you are pretty much on your own! Although I have registered for family and close friends, I know there are TONS of things that need to be bought! Everything I have is pink! Towels, wash cloths, blankets, burp cloths, bibs, onesies..... I could go ON AND ON! So although Barrett doesn't care what color towel I dry him off with, I do!

This afternoon I sat down beside Andy and sweetly said, "I would be a much more pleasant person if I could just go and buy what I feel like needs to be bought and get it over with!" I was waiting for the "HECK NO!" response but I actually received the "whatever you need to go get just get it!" I am sure he is tired of me walking around stressing out over NOTHING! So now, I will spend the rest of the evening taking tags off of my purchases, getting it all washed with my Dreft detergent, and putting it all up where it belongs! There is still plenty more that could have been bought but I refrained to only the necessities tonight.

Just in case you were wondering how it was going with the potty training.... Aubrey is doing FANTASTIC! She tells me pretty much everytime she needs to tee-tee even when we are out shopping or out to eat. She is still not totally convensed that poo-poo needs to be put in the potty but we are getting there. Most of the time she wakes up in the morning with a dry
pull-up! I would say after 2 weeks she is doing great and I am very proud of her!