Yummy Cupcakes....

Aren't blogs great, it is like a scrapbook, journal, family history all rolled into one, without the mess! So I wanted to write a little about my sweet newborn because I seriously forgot how it was to have a newborn even though it was just 2 short years ago! I forgot all about the nursing high, Carinn and I used to say it made us have giggle fits. Mike likes to watch me when I first start nursing because he says he loves when I smile all goofy and get giddy. You know why God gave us that feeling, otherwise instead of wanting to kiss your baby and think how lucky you are to have such a little angel, you would be wondering why you haven't slept or showered in 3 days and why you are sitting there in the middle of the night watching Gilmore Girls for the 5th time on TIVO since you have already watched all the other shows. Creed has gained weight and was up to 6 lb 12 oz last Friday. That was an ounce a day weight gain since leaving the hospital so I am stoked. Hopefully I can get some rolls on him soon!! Speaking of extra rolls, I know I am totally out of it, but I have never tried Sprinkles cupcakes, and Sara being AWESOME brought us sprinkles with our dinner tonight, and they are seriously worth blogging about. Also worth all the hype so if you haven't tried them and get a chance DO!! How else can we be just like tomkat and victoria beckham? Live vicariously through cupcakes. Seriously super yummy.........dreaming about my next strawberry one............I looked up the recipe I guess they gave the strawberry one to Oprah, I am going to try it sometime and if it turns out good I will post for any interested. They also have mixes at Williams Sonoma but I haven't tried them. Well Savannah is asleep and Cole is at a basketball game with Mike so I am enjoying alone time (besides the little guy sleeping/snacking who is attached to me) and just got great news that our house in Lancaster got an offer today, yea!! Hopefully it will go through and we can get on with everything else in our lives!!!!!!!!!!!!

9 days old at the beach!!

Mike convinced me to go on a little outing to the beach on Friday. It was super nice weather and I am pretty sick of being couped up so I agreed. Baby Creed was nice and cozy in his infant car seat while Savvy and Mike played in the water and Cole and I played in the sand. I am feeling much better after this delivery way faster than with Cole. Hopefully I will be able to start walking tomorrow........I totally forgot how fast staying at home gets old. stupid RSV and cold / flu season. If we have any more kids it will be in the summer then you don't have to keep them inside as long. It has been SO nice to have Mike home though, he took off 3 weeks so he has been doing everything around the house and taking the kids on outings so they won't go crazy. Gotta love the LAPD, they actually will let them take like 8 weeks off if they want pretty nice.

A day at the zoo

Savannah is begining to learn how to pose like a girl! We were walking through the creepy crawly exhibit filled with millipedes, giant hissing cockroaches, and snakes and the like, when Savannah stops suddenly to tell me, "Daddy, this is where you take pictures of me!"
This little critter, the meerkat, was the highlight of the day. I should just buy a couple and throw them in our back yard. They actually look a little like our little mutt Ruby. The little guy just sat there in front of the glass partition staring at the kids with their uncrustable sandwiches.
This is just to show how close the gorillas are at the zoo. Usually I can't even see them. Today both gorillas were out right in front of the glass. There was a woman with her little daughter standing just to my left. The gorilla I think, sensed her weekness and so honed in on her! He was totally giving her the stink eye!
I decided that if I get reincarnated (is that the correct spelling?) I hope to come back as this bird. I have no idea what it is called, but thought it's a pretty cool looking animal.
Savannah and Cole in front of the serpent.

Baby daze............

here's some new pics of Creed he likes to:
eat and sleep around the clock!!
I am like a 24 hour all you can eat buffet.............

Creed William Strong, 6 lbs 11 ounces

Savannah holding her new baby brother Creed William Strong
Nana Donna with her newest grandson.
Savannah, Cole, Daddy and Creed!
Beautiful Mommy and Daddy with baby Creed.
All the kids with mom!! Nana Donna got the kids dressed up so nice for their first meeting with Creed.
Mommy with Creed. 5 minutes after popping out!
Look how beautiful Nicole is.
Close up of Creed!

Nicole and I arrived at the hospital around 7:30 this morning. We were anxious about the days events. After all, we've been waiting for this day for the last 9 months. Nicole was induced at 9:00 am, and got her epidural at 11:00 am. Things progressed slowly at first, but at 4:00, her nurse checked her and told us she was dilated to a 4. Shortly after, she was a 6, then an 8, and within 45 minutes, she was fully dilated and 100% Effaced. It took Nicole two contractions with three 10 second pushes during each contraction. Creed popped out and Nicole's doctor and staff immediately took him to the fry warmer and cleaned him off and got him looking good for his mom. The pictures of Creed are literally 5 minutes after he was born. Nicole did such a wonderful job with the whole thing. Such a trooper!
Cole, Savannah, Nicole and I are pleased to present Creed William Strong. Welcome to the family little guy!

Big day tomorrow!

So tomorrow is the big day, I am super excited and ready. Mike's mom Donna flew out on Monday and ever since she's been here I am like thinking alright any time now! So they are inducing me tomorrow morning (my due date). Hopefully I am more prepared than last week, at my check-up I was barely a 1 and SUPER thick (Dr Field's words not mine) Thanks. Everyone likes to be called super thick :) And the baby was super high, just floating around like he's in a hot tub. Today I went with my personal trainer aka Sara who yelled nasty names at me like fatty and made me run up and down bleachers while shouting out my weight :) Totally joking, but we went walking and I tried to run up a few flights of stairs and I think it worked! So thanks Sara!! I could feel a few contractions and the baby coming down after, so I am pretty sure it was successful. He is getting ready for tomorrow although it might be a little let down for him when he gets here, he might not get the response he deserves from his siblings. Last week my dr asked Cole if he was excited for the baby to come and he said " I no like baby Creed, I hate babies!!" If you have heard Cole talk picture it in his super deep voice, it was so hilarious. Then a few days ago when we went to visit Amelia, Savannah was trying to barter our baby boy for her baby girl. There was no agreement as Amelia apparently is not willing to give up her new sister (Savannah even offered to throw in Cole). Bummer. But mom and dad are excited so we'll cross our fingers for a fast and easy delivery!!

Things to do when it rains.............

Ok so I uploaded backwards, so start at the bottom and work your way up...This ingenious edge brownie pan was something new I just got in the mail today! What perfect timing too, right after the tax fiasco, when I'm feeling blue brownies are always a good pick me up. And I am pleased to say it was all that the reviews stated and more!! I can't wait to make bannana bread in it.
The blank canvas before a beautiful piece of art.

During the kids nap we decided to try and do our taxes online ourselves. We have an appointment set up with a new accountant for next month but our friends told us about this website that is great and only costs 16 bucks for both state and federal. So we really want to buy a tent trailer and decided just to do it online to get our refund faster. It turns out we won't be buying a tent trailer this year, instead we will be writing a check to the federal government for $5200. Nice huh. I can't express through words how surprised and upset I am. The picture above describes it nicely.

We got him new bear sheets and it was all very highly anticipated. Thanks for the bed Grandma Lorraine and the bedding Aunt Jan!! We put him in the bed with his silkie, milk, and train. After an hour of him screaming no big boy bed!! I went in, put in back into the pack and play (set up just in case) and he went right to sleep. Ok so maybe tomorrow??
Then we put up the rails for Cole's new big boy bed!!



Savannah loved being able to use her princess umbrella. That was probably the highlight of the whole trip for her!!
Making them sit in the old chapel
Look, that's Mary's mom!! Savannah said about the statue.
This morning was supposed to a zoo day since its Mike's only day off this week, but since it was pouring so hard we decided to go to Mission Santa Barbara instead. It was a cool field trip..