oh baby!

we welcomed baby sal to our family last week...i now know what it's like to actually go into labor without being induced...i also know that labor progresses pretty quickly when it's your third time around and i was almost the idiot who didn't make it to the hospital on time with her third baby because she wasn't sure at first it was labor! i was sure by the time we left the house and ralph couln't drive fast enough! so...long story short: we got the hosptial around 7:00 am and sal robert was born at 8:02 am...

sal is wonderful...he weighed 9 pounds 11 ounces and has only put on weight since then...he reminds us sometimes of elli as a newborn, but more often of ralphy...it will be interesting to see how his looks change and how his personality develops...elli and ralphy love their new little buddy...elli holds him and sings to him all the time and ralphy uses a sweet little voice and asks to pet his hair and touch his hands...

life is beautiful and we are so thankful to be blessed with another sweet baby...

spring

since the last post, ralph had spring break, we got ralphy's "big boy" room finished, the kids' new furniture arrived and we had a special weekend with ralph's uncle larry, cousin chrissy and cousin jen and her two girls, madeline and hannah...elli and ralphy loved spending time with their cousins...madeline even got to sleepover one night! we all had a great time and we were sad to see them go at the end of the weekend...the kids also took part in a couple of easter egg hunts, but we didn't get any still pictures of them (only video)...we've been busy getting things ready for the new baby (who will hopefully arrive anytime!) this may be the last post before number 3 arrives!

we're having fun!

another month has passed...and we're still having fun...

we've been trying to get outside as much as possible to play...this past weekend we had some t-shirt & shorts weather, so it was great...but now we're back in the 40's for highs this week...

inside we've been trying to get things ready for the new baby (i can't believe it's getting so close!)...ralph has been working on turning our former office into ralphy's "big boy room" so all of the baby stuff can go into the nursery...we have ordered bunk beds for both kids' rooms (we can't wait till they get here!)...

the kids have been spending lots of weekend nights sleeping in the shark tent in the family room...

and we had to say good-bye to kaa, the snake (there just wasn't enough room for him...so ralph reluctantly agreed to let him go back to our friend's pet store...the aunts will be so disappointed, i know!)

elli had her last party of the school year for valentine's day...she started swimming lessons at the Y a few weeks ago and is doing a great job!

ralphy is talking up a storm and still being fearless...and every time i sit down on the couch he gets the doctor kit to "check me out"!

Snow Angels

i let the whole month of january pass without a single blog update! oh well...

we finally got some snow to play in! and ralph got a couple of snow days... the snow never sticks around too long, though...so we're already ready for another big storm!

and here are a few of the kids goofing around:

merry christmas!

and a good time was had by all...

busy elves

we've been busy with "pizza with santa" (ralphy would have no part of the lap-sitting this year...maybe next year), christmas parties, birthday parties, a cookie decorating party, shopping and playing at home...we've been counting down the days and trying to be good...we're so excited!

'tis the season...

just like everyone else, we have been rushing to get things in order for the holidays...i realized that i haven't posted any thansgiving pictures, so before i start in with the christmas pictures, here are a few from the last couple of weeks...

elli on stage at her pre-school thanksgiving program

sack races at aunt kate's on thanksgiving

showing off their new flannel pajamas gram made
(headband and gloves are not part of the outfits, but are also courtesy of gram!)

ralphy & gram

having a late-night snack on the couch