A year ago today....

I was calmly awaiting the arrival of our sweet number 3. I was determined not to be pregnant another day (as most women feel toward the end) and I knew the hospital would be full on the morning of my inducement. So I got some things done that I couldn't get around to...like mopping the floor. I kept calling the hospital to see if there was a room open and finally late that afternoon, they told me to come in. Unfortunately, my doctor was sick, so she waited until I the baby was practically pushing her own way out (my water hadn't even broken yet), to come finish the 15 minute job of catching Kaitlyn as she came out in half a push! Kaitlyn has by far the most personality as a baby than either of the other kids. She gets a kick out of the funniest things...and the not so funny. Some things I LOVE to see her do: climb in and out of a bucket or the cooshie seat on the ground (she thinks she's so cool when she does that), tackle Cole (there's something about Cole that makes her squeal with delight), put on necklaces....poor thing always gets one side caught on that darned ear, and watching her run away from anyone chasing her....she has a look of terror and sheer thrill all at the same time, all the while, letting out bursts of laughter and shooting her arms out every which way in an effort to escape without falling....oh, and my latest favorite is when Dan blows on her face and she blinks back at him purposefully over and over just because she knows he loves it.
I see now why parents say time flies so fast with your kids...the more you add, I think the faster time goes. I definitely feel like I'm struggling to keep up on the house...especially the mopping and annoying things like cleaning the fan blades, but Kaitlyn for the most part just jumped right in to our family without a hitch! I see the importance more so each day of setting patterns in our family for our kids. We are raising our kids in a very challenging world. I'm sometimes overwhelmed with thoughts of how to help my kids develop a healthy self-esteem and good work ethic. I want them to make good choices not just because I'm watching, but because they are the right choices. I see more now how things HAVE to be black or white because if I give just a little on some things, the message is clear that we can pick and choose what we want to follow. Mostly I think about how much joy the Gospel has brought to my life and I want the same for my kids and their own families.
With that, here are some pictures from our celebration of having Kaitlyn in our lives for the past year!

(The camera was sneekily removed from my diaper bag and wasn't there to document our annual excursion to the Del Mar Fair (it will never be the San Diego County Fair to us.) So, Dan was sweet enough to capture some moments from the day on his phone!!!) <<<>>>


I think this picture describes perfectly the life of a baby with older siblings.
Daddy's favorite duty....helping unwrap the presents!

My attempt at a cool birthday cake for my baby....




Ain't no party like a family party...these guys are such great friends...I feel so blessed to have them live close to each other.