Family update

After 3 weeks as a family of four, we are doing good. My mom was here for two weeks so last week was our first week of normalcy or insanity...take your pick, it switched about every hour. Caden had his 15 month checkup and Samantha had her 2 week checkup. Samantha had gained one pound and about 1/4" in length. She was 8lbs (40%) and 20 3/4" (50%), Caden is about 23lbs (25%) and 32" tall (75%).

Here is the little girl napping, she just loves to kick the blankets off of her.

Grandma Ginny loving on her first granddaughter

The Reed's stopped over for a visit and I just couldn't get a good pic of Caden and Addyson. They are 6 months apart.

Great Grandmother Viola and Samantha

4 Generations

Mark's family comes to meet Samantha

Dad and Samantha

Caden going for a ride!

"This is what cute looks like"

Caden helping Dad fix the toy boxes. Mark made two of these beautiful toy boxes for the kids and all their toys. At first Caden wasn't too sure about having his toys inside them...I quickly put a stop to that. Now he likes opening them up and closing them. Thanks Mark, they are great and all your hard work really paid off.

Caden found this empty bottle of Canadian Club and he has been carrying it around and biting on the lid. The poor kid has about 8 teeth coming in and has been biting on everything! I thought we went through this when Nia was a puppy and that would be it! Apparently our little boy will chew on anything to find some relief from his tooth pain!

This past weekend Mark and I took Caden on an outing (without Sam) to see some xmas lights down in Kettering at the Sugarplum Festival of Trees. He saw a lifesize Santa and about 50 trees, even sampled some chocolate buckeyes. It has been fun watching him enjoy the lights and holiday music so far.

The bath that turned into two baths one after another...a little poop blowout while drying her off called for another bath.

Caden and his best buddy, Nia. He just loves to give her hugs and he also trys to use her as a big pillow...she puts up with it about half the time.

My Aunt Martha/Uncle Lou sent Caden a "big brother" gift and he carried this matchbox car around for a few days straight.

Don't think that I have forgotten about the 52 week pictures for little Samantha...just running a little behind on posting them. Here are the first 3 weeks.

October update, a little late...

Well, due to Samantha's early arrival I did not get any of the Halloween and end of October pictures up on the blog. I know you all probably would rather see new photos of our little one, but what the hey...there are some really cute pics of Caden.

For those of you that didn't know...we were hosting a dinner party at our house the night before Samantha was born. My old college roommates, Amy & Tricia, and their families came over to our house for a turkey dinner and to let the rugrats run around together. Luckily for Mark they were over, because as the party was ending and we just finished dessert...you guessed it (or you already knew the story)...my water broke! Yep, talk about uncomfortable and not too much fun. At least my girls were around to help me out and to help Mark because I think he was as shocked as I was! Anyways, here are some pics of the kids prior to the "craziness"!

Nia and Caden playing catch or tug

Our neighborhood just added an entrance to a nature preserve and Caden, Nia and I went to check it out one day. Here is little buster, it was hard to get past the entrance because there was a bike rack and rocks...all things that Caden wanted to check out.

He started walking the trail on his own, but I soon became tired from bending down to keep him moving on the trail. He loved the sticks and watching all the grasshoppers.

Helping rake the leaves

Giving Nia a hug.

Mom and Caden carving pumpkins. Caden helped me empy the seeds and goop.

pre-samantha on 10/28/09 (a little late, I know)

Caden loved this big bowl! He quickly realized that he could fit in there and then I would spin him in circles.

Caden playing with nia

Checking out the jack-o-lantern

Checking to see if the seeds and goop are still in there

Success! Finally got the ball away from Nia.

Tigger, Fred Flinstone and Nia

Tigger enjoying his Tootsie-Pop.

We made it out trick or treating for about 1 hour, but once Caden had his tootsie pop he didn't really care about going to anymore houses. He had fun seeing the other kids and checking out the decorations.

This is back at our house in the front yard. Caden was on a bit of a sugar high!

Caden saw his first earthworm the other day and I just had to put this video on, it cracks me up every time! (Warning to all you animal lovers...it is not a happy ending for the earthworm.)

Pics of Samantha

This picture cracks me up!

hospital room shot

Dad putting lotion on Sam

all wired up in the special care unit

Samantha Rose Francis

Dad and Samantha spending time together in the hospital room

Caden absolutely loved exploring the hospital room, he found this cabinet that was the perfect size for him.

Going home from the hospital in all my pink gear.

Welcome Samantha Rose Francis!

I know it has been awhile since I updated the blog, I will get to it eventually. I have some pics of Caden that need to go up and also some of our new addition! Samantha Rose Francis was born Sunday, Nov 1st at 11:34pm and weighed in at 6lbs 15oz and was 20.5inches long. Due to the fact that she was born rather quick... I didn't have enough time to get all my antibiotics for Group Strep B to protect her. One bag of antibiotics made it into my system, but needed 3 bags. She was also a little in shock because she came out so fast, we were all a little surprised! She spent some time in the Special Care Unit at the hospital and was moved into my hospital room on Tuesday morning. We were finally able to come home Wed night at 10:30pm after her blood cultures turned up negative to any infections. She is doing great and left the hospital weighing 7lbs even...clearly she has grasped the eating concept! She is so cute and already a little spitfire! It is amazing how different her and Caden look and sound. To check out pictures go to www.bellababyphotography.com and View photos, password: 1101samanthaf

I will get some photos up when I get a chance, but for now we are settling in at the house. My mom is staying with us for a bit which has been a huge help already! We are so fortunate that she was able to come down on Monday morning and help out with Caden and everything really. Caden is very interested in his baby sister and keeps peeking into the pack n' play to check her out. Nia has also approved and likes that there is one more girl in the household.

Hope you all are doign well! Thank you for all the congrats emails/texts/phone calls, we are very exciting for our new addition and cannot wait for you all to meet her!