Baby Sister is Here!

Ruby McKelle Cowley

October 24, 2012

6 lbs. 8 oz.
17 1/2 in.

Jenna turns 3!

Jenna turned 3 on Oct. 2nd.  The Sunday before we had a family birthday party.  Jenna wanted a Halloween party.  It is an understatement to say that Jenna LOVES Halloween.  We did our best to not disappoint!

Jenna taking a turn playing "Feed the Ghost"

How to play: 

Standing over the ghost bag, hold a clothes pin up to your nose
and try to drop it into the bag. 

See how many you can get in! 

Abby LOVED this game.  

She would say "my turn" after each person who went so she could go again.

Shannon even took a turn!

Next game was Pumpkin Bowling!

I took Jenna's bowling game and covered the pins with paper towels and tied them with black yarn so they looked like ghosts.  Got some foam pumpkins from the dollar store and Voila!

So simple and so fun!

Jenna retrieving the pumpkin for a second try.

Claire throwing a pumpkin at the ghosts.

Claire and Jenna

Cousins and Best Friends

Jenna opening her gifts!

A book from Grandma and Papa

Clothes from Mama and Daddy

Blocks from Aunt Whitney

New boots!

An apron made by Mama and Grandma.

Waiting at the top of the stairs for the last gift.

A BIG smile for what she saw coming up the stairs!

A new Kitchen!

Jenna's reaction was priceless!

She saw what Austin was bringing up the stairs, started jumping up and down and yelling "Wahoo! Wahoo!"

Unfortunately I didn't get it recorded because I was trying to take still photos.

It was the hit of the night!

All the cousins had fun playing together!

Notice Jenna is already on the phone in the background. :)

Happy Birthday to You Dear Jenna!

Decorating cupcakes

Mallory

Smile Jenna!

Jenna's decorated cupcake

Oct. 2, 2012

Being grumpy and not let Daddy take her picture.

A happier birthday girl at preschool!

What a pretty 3 year old!

A final present

Jenna was thrilled to get a shopping cart to go with her kitchen!

For a 3 year old, she got a haul!

Jenna at 3:

Jenna loves to dance and sing.

Any song she knows and hears she says "It's my song!"

Her favorite night time song is Twinkle, Twinkle.

Curious George is her favorite TV show.

She loves Disney movies and music.

Swan Princess is her favorite movie right now.

The ipod is her life line! She knows how to use it better than mama and daddy!

Her favorite color is purple.

She sleeps in a big girl bed now.

She loves treats!

Her favorite food is bananas.

She loves to go to preschool and play with her friends.

She loves to talk on the phone and mimic what she hears mom and dad say.

She is excited to be a big sister.

She keeps us laughing all the time!

We love our Jenna!

Happy Birthday Baby!

August and September

August and September came and went with many comings and goings!

Jenna and I taking a Sunday afternoon nap.

My belly has gotten too big for her to cuddle up to the front of me,

so she used my thigh for a pillow.

Wearing Eliza's socks and cowboy boot slippers at the cabin.

She is such a silly girl always looking for the reaction she'll get for doing things!

Playing her plastic spoon violin.

I don't know where she comes up with these things!

One of her many days waking up with "crazy hair".

We spent some time with Grandma and Grandpa Cowley at Aunt Whitney's house.

Jenna had a fun time helping to rake their millions of leaves!

Wanted to have a go with the shovel.

 

My 32 week belly.

Jenna had a rough day.

She had fallen at preschool and scrapped up her elbow and

when she got home she turned right into the cutting board.

She ended up with a bump on her head.

Poor thing!

Showing off her owwie.

School started and we have been running ever since!

Austin is at a new school this year and working toward his Master's degree in Administration.

We're just biding our time till baby sister arrives!

Family Pictures

Due to my brother Patrick and his family moving out of state this summer, my family had pictures done.  Didn't want to be pregnant in them, but not much I could do. :)

My siblings and spouses

(Love how my belly is hidden!)

Siblings and spouses with my parents

My immediate family

Alyson, Eliza, Josh, Dad, Patrick, Mom, Robert, Shannon, Caleb, Meghan, Marianne

Group candid shot

Grandkids and Grandma

I love the light shining through Jenna's hair!

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

The most requested activity by any of the grandkids is to have Grandma or Grandpa read to them.

My mom and dad sure love their grandkids!

The whole gang

Love Jenna's face in this one!

24 and counting!

It was definitely a challenge to get this many people looking and somewhat smiling.

I love my family and am grateful to have them all in my life!

Some Summer Fun

We have had a fun summer together.  Here are some of the things we've been doing!

Jenna has enjoyed helping Daddy wash the cars in the driveway.

Playing in the soap!

My sister Eliza had her final ballet show with the
company she's danced for for the past 6 years.

Jenna and I went on a date to the show.

All dolled up and ready to head to the show!

My 20 week belly.

Mama and Jenna

We spent some time at Grandma and Papa's house digging up the rocks in their garden.

Claire and Jenna helping with the digging.

Best friends and cousins!

Jenna is now in a BIG GIRL BED!

We took off the front of her crib and turned it into a toddler bed.

The transition has been awesome.
I was worried about her being up and down
all the time in the night, but she stays in bed until morning.

She loves the freedom of getting up on her own.

Showing off her bed!

Such a big girl!

Playing with Play-Doh has been one of Jenna's favorite summertime activities.

The teacher in me loves how this is helping her fine motor skills!

Rolling a snake.

Using a cookie cutter to make a cat.

POTTY TRAINED!!

This summer we tackled the task of potty training.  

It has been frustrating because Jenna is the one who totally calls the shots.

However, she's done really well.  We've been lucky to have very few accidents.

She asked to have a magazine to look at while she went.

She is so a "monkey see, monkey do" girl!

Having some fun at Pottery Barn!

We spent an afternoon with Grandma Summerhays,
aunts, uncles and cousins at the Living Planet Aquarium.

It was a lot of fun!

The highlights were the otters (we saw one eat a fish right in front of us),
the penguins, and the sting rays.

Jenna kept going over to the sting rays to watch them.
She thought it was neat to be able to be so close to them.

Measuring up to an Emperor Penguin.

(She's taking a picture of me with her fingers. Little goof!)