Latest

I seem to only post stats on Colten lately. I am usually on my iPad and not on my computer to add photos and get more detailed! We have had a fun summer so far! We have played with friends, been swimming, done a cake decorating class, visited Nana and Papa, experimented in the kitchen, sent off 2 missionaries, eaten lots of good food, watched movies, played games, gone bowling a bunch, went to the drive in movies, slept in....library.... Hmmm.. I think that's most of what we have done.......? All Re doing well. Chandler is about 2 inches taller than me now and most definitely perfected the art of being a ornery teenager..Addie's feet are the same size as mine, she is learning all kinds of new songs on the piano just for fun...Brinley is working hard on reading and perfecting her flips on the tramp....Colten is rolling everywhere! He is 16 lbs and 26 and a half inches tall! He got his first shot yesterday because I am paranoid and like to take it slow with my kiddos being so small and early and a winter baby! He has almost mastered sitting up. Most recently he likes to " talk" and I pat his mouth to make Indian sounds. Sorry for not being pc.....not sure how else to describe it. Oh yes, he is eating a few foods too...squash, prunes, rice cereal, oatmeal and puffs! Derek is having knee surgery in a week.....old man! Hopefully he can bounce back quickly since he has scout camp the end of July....should make things interesting. I guess it's my turn to wait on him for a change....after the past year of taking care of me!

Updates

Well, Colten of course is growing like crazy! At 4 months he is 13 pounds 9 ounces and 24 1/2 inches tall! He started rolling over on April 25th. I had my blood pressure meds cut in half again, so hopefully in another week or two I will be off of them! On another note, Derek and I celebrated 15 year anniversary this week! Woohoo! Here is to 15 more! Love ya, Derek!

more firsts

Guess who started laughing this week? On April 2nd, Colten did his first little laugh! Oh so cute! On another note, he screamed all the way home from Target today. He made himself turn purple according to Addie and Brinley who were crying in the back with him. Unfortunately there was a wreck on the freeway and it took 15 minutes to get to the next exit before we could get off and zig zag our way on the back roads home, by that time he had screamed himself to sleep. So, our usual ten minute drive home ended up being about 30... His paniced sister's were sure glad when we got home! And so was I.....although it didn't phase Chandler much... He was too busy texting all his "girl friends"....hmmmm:-O

firsts

This morning while we were getting the kids ready for school, Colten smiled for the first time for Addie and Daddy! What a sweetheart!

Not Fair!

Look at that face! I could just eat him up! What a sweetie! This is Colten most of the time...unless it's dinner time and then he's fussy, fussy, fussy!

Not happy! I love the crying pictures! He looks so darn cute!

This is cousin Emma and Colten. Emma is Kenny and Andrea's cute baby who is only 3 weeks older than him! He's catching up!!

My sweet little man!

Here's Colten on Valentines Day!

It's Brinley and Colten at Daniel's Baptism.
Isn't he cute in his little church clothes?

It's not fair how fast our kids grow and how stinkin' long it takes to get them here! My little Colten is 2 months old today! We had his well baby check and he weighed in at 10 pounds 9 ounces and just a hair under 22 inches! He's more than doubled his birth weight! He is starting to smile, and coo and is just so much fun! We waited an awfully long time for him to join our family and he's growing like a weed! We love you little guy! Slow down so we can enjoy you even more! XOXO Mom

Already?

Today was Colten's one month check-up. I can't hardly believe he is a month old already! Last Friday was his due date and Sunday he was a month old. My how time flies! He now weighs 7 lbs 12 oz and is 20 1\2 inches tall! He has grown 2 1/2 inches and has gained 2 lbs 10 oz since he was born.

I had a Dr appt last week and my blood pressure has gone down by 10 percent. My Dr cut my meds in half and hopefully in the next month I will be off of my blood pressure medication. It is now 133 over 88. Sooooo much better than it was! I am feeling better each day, my family is enjoying that I am making dinner,starting to clean and can participate in our family again. Derek deserves the husband and father of the year award. He has endured a lot! Our little man was worth it, but it wasn't easy!;-)

Colten is very sweet content little baby. He however, is sooooo noisy! He grunts all of the time! Kenny (my brother) has started calling him goat boy because that is what he sounds like. He is very loved by all of his siblings. Once they get home from school Derek and I have to fight to get a turn holding him. Lucky for me, I am his only food source.:-) It will be fun to see how long Colten will allow them to smother him.

It has been fun starting over, I feel blessed to have 4 wonderful children. I wish I could just stop time and enjoy them all before they grow up even bigger than they already are.

I think I'll keep 'em! (all of 'em:)

finally!

Colten Derek Russell arrived December 29, 2011 at 2:07 P.M. 2 days short of one month early. He weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds 2 ounces and 18 inches long. He is healthy and doing well. We came home on January 2,2012. Its been quite an ordeal for me with my high blood pressure and all, but well worth it for him! I will blog more about it later. Just wanted to let you know that he's here! Thank goodness I am not pregnant anymore!