Eleven years...

Happy hearts all around! To everyone! Mwaah!!

Today is our anniversary. Eleven WHOLE years since we were married.

Five babies.

Thirteen house moves.

Fortunes won and lost.

A few fights. Some tears.

And a million happy moments.

Love him.

Since it is IMPOSSIBLE to go out to dinner on our actual anniversary (and because we have a 11 day old baby) we just have to make the day special ourselves.

This year, I did a "11 Reasons for 11 Years" activity for Tony. I have a special favorite or sentimental item, one for each hour, for him to open while he is at work, along with a little love note telling him a reason I STILL love him. (Cuz we're all old now, and he needs to be reminded.) I'm starting at 8 a.m. and ending around 6 with his "big" gift, which hopefully he will be home to open.

I am hoping that he will like this, or at least like all the little treats; we will see if it was a hit or miss!

(If he likes it, maybe we can snuggle up and watch the new Twilight movie, because I'm lame and still haven't seen it yet. I'm anticipating some unexpected humor and bad acting.)

One of my favorite moments of Boone's first week...

The big kids get on the bus early.

I gave Boone a bath. Lauren and Krew are quietly watching cartoons.

The sun comes up. In the (relative) stillness, I have one of those beautiful, tender moments where I feel like me and my baby are the only two people in the world.

Baby fog...

I think all moms who have more than one child know how completely impossible it is to "sleep when baby sleeps."

When I had my first baby, everyone told me to take advantage of nap times. So I would squeeze in laundry or bills, little projects and cleaning so that when Gage was awake I could hold him all the time.

Now I wish I would have stocked up on enough sleep to last me through this one:

I find him so scrumptious, I'm afraid I had to bug him today. Alot.

I don't care if you change my hat. I am NOT moving my head.

You seriously need to reconsider your priorities, mom.

(Click and see if you can see the fun reflection in his eyes.)

Love him.

I made our date...

I went in to the hospital on Thursday morning after all.

And I am so glad I did! Look what I got to bring home with me last night!

Boone Rees Jenks

7 lbs. 12 ounces

20 inches

Brown eyes and looks just like his daddy!

His delivery was so fast, I feel like I had a freebie! Seriously, less than 3 hours. Less than HALF of any of my others.

I am in love!

So I just waddled home from the OBs office...

Waddle, waddle. I am officially the size of a hippo.
Not even exaggerating.
Not even in labor, either.
But the nice Dr. has invited me to join him tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. for an induction. I have cordially accepted his invitation. Only to be polite, of course.

And I am rudely considering cancelling our date. Cheeky.
He mentioned that the baby was still "really high." And that his head was measuring about 41.5 weeks. Goodie.
Oh, and I'm not dialated. These are all similar circumstances to Gage's delivery, and frankly, I don't really want to relive that particular experience.
So now I'm not sure what to do... Do I wait another week and wait for my dear little body to realize what it's supposed to do? Or induce before he gets even bigger? So torn...

Budding Violinist...

Just quickly wanted to share this one... Not sure when else I was going to have time. ; ) This is one sweet little girl. Unless you're her daddy, the only person in THE WORLD who she's sassy with.

Setting up pre-concert.Incredibly artistic and expressive version of "Mary had a Little Lamb" played on the tiniest little violin I ever saw!

Warms my little heart!

He's still cooking!

Little man is still in there! No medium rare babies here! I only make 'em well done!

I feel like I should be doing about a thousand things today: I'm still battling the laundry, getting the bills paid, February birthday cards ready to send out, get stuff ready for the kids for when I'm gone, prepping taxes, bathrooms, sheets, making sure I have my back issues of House Beautiful and the Pottery Barn catalogue to read at the hospital, so... you know, the usual.
(Why does it seem like you finish the laundry, then night comes and everyone puts on their jim-jams and the basket is full again? It's a little disheartening. Me no likey.)

I have what I hope will be my last OB appointment tomorrow afternoon! Oh, little baby, please stay in there for at least another day. My to-do list is so long... and I have to decide if it would be shameful if I take another bag and bring all the Ballard Designs catalogues too... Probably, right?