Carli's first bottle from mom

Carli finally got to try and eat from a bottle today. She is using a haberman nipple and so far so good. 

Here is her first bottle from me.  

Daddy holding carli for the first time

Welcome Carli Grace Fors

 Eric and I drove up to Grand Rapids on March 29th early in the morning. I was suppose to be at the hospital at 6:00am. We were a little late, but they didn't seem to upset. In fact I felt like we sat around and waited for a long time. It took until around 8am for them to get me all hooked up and ready to go. I was already 4 cm, so I thought it would be a faster induction that either Gretta or Eliza, but her head was way high and they couldn't break my water until around 2:30pm. She had a short cord that was causing her to have a difficulty to descend. I think that was a blessing because I made it to 4 cm with her head sky high. If she had been right on my cervix I think I would have had her early and had to deliver her at the small hospital here in town. So I think it was a huge blessing. That was my biggest worry.  I got my epidural right before they broke my water and once they did that it didn't take too long. Carli was born at 5:22pm.
She weighted 8 lbs 10 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long.
She looked so big! Eliza was only 7 lbs and Gretta was 5 lbs 15 oz.
It is always so amazing to realize that tiny human was really living inside of you. They put her on my chest and it was love at first site. After a few pictures they whisked her away to check on her and found that she did have a cleft palate and was having a little trouble breathing. Eric went with her to the NICU. It is always sad to see your baby taken away to the NICU. I was so glad we went through with the plan to have her born in Grand Rapids even though it wasn't the easiest plan. I am so grateful that Nana Carolyn arrived the same day to help take care of Gretta & Eliza while we were in Grand Rapids.
I am also grateful the labor and delivery went smoothly. 

Carli day 1

Weight 3920 grams 90% percentile

50 cm 73% percentile 

37 cm 90% percentile

Welcome to the world Carli Grace Fors

We love you so much already!!!

Maple syrup

We went with the Moms Club to the Sarrett and learned about how they get Maple Syrup from maple trees. It was so interesting. I couldn't believe how many gallons of maple sap it takes to make one quart of maple syrup. I now know why it is so expensive. I also learned that the temperature has to be just right too. This year the season was really short because the 80 deg weather in February caused the maple trees to bloom early and once the leaves come out the sap turns a funny taste and it is no longer good for maple syrup.  

Carli's room

Carli's room is all ready for her arrival. I am so proud of myself. I just love the red wall and think the quilt and pillows turned out great!

Church Plate

Gretta has a great Primary teacher this year. She has done a lot of fun stuff with the kids. They spent three weeks making these plates. Every week Gretta was so excited to show me her progress. She painted the two of us on the plate. 

Me and My Guy

Friday Eric took Gretta to a Girl Scout  "Me and My Guy" Dance. The theme was Summer Fun, which is very fitting since it has been 80 degrees all week. 

Gretta was so excited. I picked her up from school on Friday and took her to get her hair cut and then Eric met us at home. They had a great time!!!

Eliza and I went on a mommy daughter date too. 

Carli's baby quilt

I had a little bit of fabric left over from making Carli's big quilt and bedding, so I decided to make her a little baby quilt. I used Millicent's pattern. 

Eliza's Hair cut

On my list to do before the baby comes was to have everyone get a hair cut. I have struggled finding anyone here who I have liked. The first time I took Eliza to get her hair cut after a lady at church asked me if she cut it herself it was so uneven. 

I think today's turned out better. 

Dentist

The girls had dental check ups today. Eliza was very brave. She was also excited to report to the dentist that she stopped using her Binkie. He was very excited and told her what a big girl she is now and how much it is going to help her teeth. 

No cavities for both girls. I guess Eliza has a few spots he is watching and has been since her last visit, but they haven't gotten any bigger.

Gretta's big news is that she is missing 4 permanent teeth. They took a panoramic x-ray today and it shows that they are missing. The good news is that her mouth is small, so she would have had to have some teeth pulled anyway. Once her 6 year molers come in she is going to have to have some expansion done which will just be the beginning of a large orthodontic bill to follow. 

New and improved Eric

Eric's New Year's Resolution was to lose 31 lbs in his 31th year. 

He started a program called Isagenix just after his 31st birthday in January and with a lot of determination, work and will power he has lost 35 lbs already. 

Here are some before and after pictures.

December 2011

March 20, 2012

I was his personal shopper last week during Kohl's big men's sale and bought him 3 new pairs of pants, and 6 shirts that fit. He sure looks handsome in his new clothes!!!

I am so proud of him and his hard work. He has been a good example and hopefully after this baby comes I can get back to my pre baby weight too. 

The Girls

We went and took pictures for Eliza's 4th birthday. I could only get one on the CD with the deal we bought, so I chose the one of all of us. I hope she doesn't mind. 

I did buy some cute solo shots of her, so don't worry she still has some individual pictures too. 

I can't believe how grown up the girls are. 

37 weeks and 5 days

The count down begins... 

I went to the OB last Thursday and was 3 cm 70 % effaced. 

I want this baby girl to stay in until her induction date of March 28th because my mom will be here to help on the 29th, but I am not sure if she is going to corporate. 

My feet and hands are really swollen, so if my blood pressure goes up then she might have to come sooner too. 

For the first time I have actually packed a bag for the hospital and bags for the girls to stay over at a friends house just in case we need them. 

Eric and I had the funniest conversation last night about her coming. I was trying to explain that I think she might come sooner and that they might decided on Thursday to induce me sooner if my blood pressure gets to high. Then Eric said, "I don't care when she comes as long as it is planned." What??? Most babies don't come as planned. I think we have been lucky that the last two times everything went just as planned, but I am not sure that we can get so lucky 3 times. 

So wish us luck that she sticks to the PLAN. 

The girls had to get in on the action. 

Gretta's picture

Gretta painted this picture using an app on my iphone. She wanted me to share it!

Lucky Nana

It says ," I feel lucky when my Nana buys me clothes."

Gretta is so excited for Nana to come this week to buy her clothes. Glad Nana likes to buy Gretta clothes too:)

Happy St Patrick's Day

Eliza's crafts from school. They had such a fun party. She was so excited to tell me all about it. 

This was Gretta's craft. 

Eric made us special pancakes to celebrate the day!

Build a bear Daisy Scout Activity

Gretta's Daisy Scout Troop went to Build a Bear to get the "Special Edition 100 anniversary Girl Scout Bear" along with Daisy Scout uniform with their cookie money. She was so excited for the activity. 

Stuffing her bear

Gretta named her Rainbow which was fitting for St. Patrick's Day. I was leaning toward Daisy or Juliette (for the founder of Girl Scouts), but she wanted Rainbow. 

The whole troop! It was a really fun day!

Afterwards we went and got ice cream too.

Great Weather

Eliza and I have been taking advantage of the great weather while Gretta has been at school. Don't tell Gretta. On Friday we went downtown for a St Patrick's Day Scavenger hunt with the MOMS Club and afterwards got ice cream at South Bend Chocolate Cafe. 

Doesn't this look like a cute bunch of 4 year olds!!!

Then we went to the beach to play. To bad Eliza wouldn't look at the camera. 

It was a beautiful 72 deg day in March at Lake Michigan. 

Fun at the Beach

The weather is very spring like. I think the high today was around 70. Eric took the girls down to the beach for a few hours so I could rest. They had a great time. 

The play structures are at least 3 feet under sand.