Climate change anyone??

Anyone who knows my husband Brandon knows that the perfect career path for him would have something to do with vehicles! So, no surprise here, the offer he just received to work for Mercedes Benz Financial was eagerly accepted!:) And although just the sound of "Michigan" sends chills down my spine (whether in fear, or anticipation of the negative temperatures, I don't know...) I am very excited that Brandon's "work" will for him be borderline "play"!:)

Brandon will graduate with his MBA in International Business Management from Thunderbird on December 12th of this year. He will be headed out to Michigan sometime in January, and the kids and I will join him after preschool graduation on May 18th, since I previously committed to finishing off the school year. The move will be a bitter sweet as we have many good friends and memories in Arizona.. but we are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family in the cold zone!:)

The Three Musketeers

What a blessing it has been having Landon join our family! Bailey absolutely ADORES him and would be happy to hold him all day if we let her! We have had to teach her that she isn't allowed to pick him up by herself, or kiss him for so long that he can't breathe, etc. :) Hunter is so happy to be alive that he hasn't had one moment of jealousy. He kisses with his tongue now (lol), so hopefully he won't get sick in the near future, since he'll pass it to the rest of us via slobber! Landon is doing wonderfully! He wakes up once a night to eat, which is fine by me. He's already on a perfect napping schedule for preschool (I'll go back to teaching this Thursday) so that's been a HUGE blessing as well. :)

All the kids (and mom and dad too) have enjoyed Grandma's help here! My mom has been teacher, "mom", housekeeper and cook for the past week and a half and I truly don't know what I would have done without her help!!! All in all, we are all adjusting VERY well - it's only been 1 1/2 weeks, but already we couldn't imagine life without our baby Landon! Thank you to everyone for your good wishes, prayers, and all forms of generous service you have shown to our family throughout. We love you all!!! :) *Enjoy the slideshow... they grow up SO fast! :(

Hallows Eve

Well, this past week and a half have been fun-filled and busy to say the least!:) I figured I had better post our Halloween pictures before Thanksgiving, so.. here they are! Landon and I stayed home and passed out candy while the "zookeepers" (dad & grandma) took our crazy little animals trick or treating! Although I was sad to miss it, they took some GREAT pictures so I can't complain. At least I was able to carve pumkins with the kids before the big day! ENJOY!!!:)

Landon Norris Hooley

Great news from Arizona... Landon Norris arrived at 10:51am this morning after a very short labor totalling a whopping 2.5 hrs (no complaints here!) 3 pushes and he was out! The only negative was that the epidural couldn't keep up, so I felt a bit more than I wanted to... but it was all worth it when I saw his sweet face - he looks SO much like Bailey!

He was born on my dads birthday, hence the middle name change from 'Steel' to 'Norris' which is my fathers middle name.:) He weighs 8lbs and is 20 1/4 inches long.. not bad for an early delivery, he's VERY happy and healthy! Bailey is SO proud and Hunter is an excited bundle of energy and destruction!!!:) Both Landon and I are doing very well and are excited to go home tomorrow afternoon!

Time??

YES!!! It's time... it's taken me by surprise I'll admit, but it is time! I am writing from my hospital bed. Today when I went in for my doctors appointment, Landon's heart rate dropped slightly. The biophysical ultrasound that followed came back normal, and the non-stress test was "neither good nor bad" (whatever that means).

So, long story short, since it wasn't as "good" as it could have been, my doctor has suggested that I deliver first thing in the morning! He said he would rather be safe than sorry, and get the baby out just in case. My mom is on her way and I am excited to have Landon share a birthday with my dad!:)

More news (and pictures) will come shortly, I just wanted to let you know that Landon is on his way!!! (As of this afternoon, I am 80% effaced and 3cm dialated). Well, I hope everyone has enough sleep tonight for the both of us, as I'll be monitored all night.. WOO HOO!!!:)

Dress Up

Hunter discovered my preschool dress-up chest this morning for the first time with real interest! He asked Brandon to help him get dressed by handing him the costume pieces and excitedly bouncing up and down.:) Our little policeman/firefighter, and SO proud of it too!:) I guess we won't have any trouble getting him into his Halloween costume this year!:)

Milestone

Last Christmas, my mom gave Bailey a Disney Princess bike... tried as we might, Bailey would ride with her legs hanging straight, not even touching the pedals, with us "pushing" her around. I got a little nervous, thinking that she would never learn to ride if she thought that being pushed was the way a bike was supposed to work! Well, today my fears have been put to rest! With the BEAUTIFUL Arizona weather we've been having lately, Brandon and I decided to get the bike out again and see if Bailey would at least try to pedal... and vwalla... SUCCESS!!! It was a bitter-sweet I'll admit, seeing my little girl grow up!:( She rode around the neighborhood for a good 30 minutes and wasn't too happy when we told her we had to go inside to eat dinner! All in all, a VERY proud day for mom and dad!:) GOOD JOB BAILEY!!!

How could I not?

Every once in a while, a child who doesn't particularly "enjoy" being in front of the camera actually gives you a REAL smile at the precise moment you need it!:) Today, we had one of those rare moments.. and of COURSE I had to share it!!!

Oh, and yes Bailey's hair is naturally curly.. just not THAT naturally curly! She asked me to put foam rollers in her hair last night.:)