Those First Smiles

For me those first couple weeks of a new baby is all work. You're getting up in the night, trying to work around a feeding schedule, added laundry, lots of diaper changes... and for what? They don't really give you anything in return. Well, not until those first smiles start breaking through and you know that they can see you, recognize you and are content. I love that feeling that my little baby is happy enough with what's going on in her life that she can gives me one of those beautiful smiles. We finally had these smiles start breaking through last week and I've since been meaning to catch them on camera but they seemed so irregular I wasn't sure I'd be able to. Today Madison has been in the best mood and smiling like crazy so the kids and I crowded around her with the camera and took turns making her smile at us! I got a bunch of pictures but she seemed more interested in what Brayden and Sydney were doing then looking at the camera so unfortunately she's not looking into the camera at my pictures but it is nice to know that she already is enjoying her big brother and sister!

Easter

I don't think that there are too many holidays that are better then Easter. In the morning we got to hear the Easter story about Jesus, his last days and the resurection and discuss it a bit with our primary class and then in the afternoon we got to watch a gang of crazy kids run around wild outside looking for all the treats hidden outside at Ryan's parents place. The only downside is that I have been trying my hardest to cut chocolate out of my diet since it seems to cause Madison to stay awake for hours and hours until she is so overtired she just absolutely looses it and freaks out in exhausted dispair. It is quite the temptation to have a bag full of chocolate that I don't let my kids eat (well... in moderation) and that I can't eat.

Ryan's brother Derek was supposed to be returning home from his semester at BYU Hawaii but unfortunately missed his flight in Honolulu and didn't get to join us for our yummy BBQ feast. Thankfully he arrived safely only 1 day late with that reliable Southern Alberta wind to welcome him home.

And she's 3

I can't believe how quickly time flies by. Some days seem to take forever while living through them but looking back it always seems to have gone by in a blink.
Sydney turns 3 today and supposedly we should be out of those "terrible 2's" and onto the wonderful 3's. Wishful thinking? I can't really complain because she has been a blast so far with her crazy personality, facial expressions and imagination. She has defiantly kept my life extremely interesting day to day.
Saturday we had a party in celebration of Sydney's upcoming birthday. We played, painted and ate cake in the Allan Watson School gym with the 11 kids and 3 babies releasing energy running around with the balls and gym equipment. We had some yummy cake with ice cream and then ran around some more.
It was pretty relaxed and I think the kids enjoyed themselves, I know mine did anyway.

oh yeah... so I had a baby

The Beattie family would like to welcome Madison Moffat Beattie into our family! She joined us at 9:34pm on March 3/09. She came healthy at 7lbs 5oz and 2 wks before her due date. It's been a month already, I can't believe it. We have all survived so far and she seems to be doing great. Getting bigger and putting up with her two older siblings who can't seem to kiss her enough.
Although it's been kind of difficult for me to get used to having a baby in the house again (changing diapers and interrupted sleep) we can't wait to see what type of personality she is going to have and what she brings to the family.

Here are a couple pictures of Madison: