Part of a balanced breakfast.

  I can't believe it is September already.  Where did summer go? 

I am really excited for fall time.  I love everything about fall.  The cooler temps, sweaters and Preschool.

It makes me happy that Claire loves preschool.  She has been asking all summer when she will get to go back to school.  I hope she will always love school.  

It was fun to take her shopping for school.  We went on a mommy and Claire date to pick out school clothes.  We now shop in the girls clothes.  I just have to say I am not thrilled with the styles right now.    Most of them are way to grown up, and/or sexy for my 4 year old.  I wish she was still in the toddler section.  Maybe I am weird, but I want my little girl to stay little. 

While we were shopping for socks and undies for Claire, she noticed the bras.  She says "Come on mom.  I'll pick you out some Playtex."  Now I know why they show bra commercial on the kids channels.  Kids turn into walking commercials, and they want everything they see on tv.

Ella was so mad that she didn't get to go to school.  Ella insisted on wearing a back pack and walking Claire up to the door.  She tried to go in with Claire.  Mark had to carry her back to the car kicking and screaming.  She got a well placed kick to Mark's crotch in the process.  OUCH!

Ella wants to do everything that Claire does.  She follows Claire around.  Claire does not love this.  She has started calling Ella a copycat.  This infuriates Ella.  She grits her teeth and starts shaking then will yell at the top of her lungs "COPYCAT!!! COPYCAT!!!"  She will then launch an all out attack on Claire.  Hitting and kicking all while repeating "COPYCAT!" over and over again.  I find this hard not to laugh at.  This girl has some fire in her.  

We celebrated Mark's birthday.  I took the girls to the store and told them they could pick out whatever they wanted to give daddy for his birthday.  They picked out the avengers masks.  I asked them if that is what daddy would want or what they want.  They said it was what daddy wanted for his birthday.  Now when we tell Claire to pick up toys, she says those are daddy's toys.

Alice has started laughing.  I love making her laugh.  She gets especially giggly after eating.   She laughs so hard, that she pukes all over the place.  You would think I would stop making her laugh, but I just can't resist.  I mean look at the chunky baby, just waiting to have her belly eaten.  

Little Miss Alice

Alice's Blessing

Mark blessed Alice today.  She wore the same dress that Claire and Ella wore.  I think great grandma Dye was inspired to make a dress for Mark's girls to wear someday. 

I saw a picture of these shoes on the internet.  I knew they would be perfect for her blessing day. 

It took me a while to find a pattern for them, then even longer to learn to crochet them.  I think they turned out good considering they are the first thing I've ever crocheted.  Believe it or not the hardest part was the green leaf.  I some how made the right shoe bigger then the left, it is constantly falling off.   I tried to blame her feet, saying her right foot is smaller then the left, but no one believed me.

Mark gave her a nice blessing.  Blessing her with a love of learning and a desire to get an education.  An understanding of the gospel and a desire to receive all the priesthood ordinances.  A love for her two older sisters, that they will be good friends and support for each other. Lots of patience for her new family.  

I feel very blessed to have this little one complete our family.  It amazes me how well she fits into our family.       Claire and Ella love her to pieces.  They are always right in her face.   I get worried that they will smother her.  But she loves it.  She has started smiling when you talk to her.  I usually have to make a fool of myself to get a smile,  but Claire and Ella just has to look at her and she grins from ear to ear.  I have a feeling these girls are going to be good friends growing up.  Although with 3 girls the teenage years might get a bit dicey.

1 month

Today was Alice's 1 month appointment.  In the last 2 weeks she has grown 2 inches and gained 2 lbs.  Her head grew by 1 inch. She is growing like crazy.  She weighs 9 lbs 15oz  and is 22in long.  She jumped  from 75th percentile for her age to 95th.  


No wonder all I do is nurse that baby.  She is now fitting into 3 month size clothes.  STOP growing so fast little Alice.

With a house already over flowing in pink and girlie things, I didn't think adding a 3rd girl to the mix would be all that difficult.  I mean we've done this twice already, how hard can a third be?   

 Well with piles of laundry taking over the basement, toys covering the girls room,  and general messiness over taking the house.  I may have over estimated my mothering skills, or under estimated how much more work a third little girl would be.

Mark works nights, so he sleeps until around 1:30ish every day.  He awakes to find us girls still in jammies.  Breakfast and lunch dishes piled in the sink, and a completely overwhelmed wife. 

 I would like to blame having a c-section and a slow recovery from it.   I'll just start feeling better when something will happen.  Ella tried to run away from me, and without thinking a I reached and picked her up.  I then promptly dropped her and fell down crying.  Then a few days later Ella climbed in bed with us one morning then, jumped on me.  Needless to say more crying ensued.  But the c-section can't take all the blame.

Because of complications that happened during the c-section.  This is our last baby.  It would be unsafe and unwise for us to go through another pregnancy.  I have mixed feelings on the subject.  I am a little sad that this part of our lives are over, but at the same time excited to know our family is complete and to move forward.  I find myself holding Alice more, kissing her more and just enjoying this newborn phase.

This affects the choices I make every day.  Choices such as, do I scrub the toilets and mop the floors or do I take my girls outside to run through the sprinklers with their umbrellas?   I choose the girls.  They are only little once.   I don't want to miss out on the important things.  I will always choose my girls.  The mess can wait.  Its a good thing Mark is patient.

Alice Bree

Alice Bree Hansen

June 10, 2012

7 lbs 15 oz

20.5 in

Her birth didn't go according to plan.  After 10 hours of labor, she turned face up, causing her to become wedged between my pelvic bone and ribs.  I pushed for 3 hours with no luck.  We ended up having a c-section.  4 days in the hospital caused me to go a little crazy.  I think Mark may have lost it as well

I never want to spend that long in a hospital again.  

 Mark spent the week balancing visiting Alice and Me, and taking care of Claire and Ella.  I think he did amazing.  The girls were happy, fed, dressed and well loved.

Claire loves Alice.  Ella is a little more aloof, but is warming up.  Alice spends her day sleeping, eating and pooping.  Sometimes all at once.  

Welcome to the family little Alice.