It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Whew! The last several weeks have been a blur of too much food going in, too much money going out, and too much "stuff" on the calendar! But now....the decorations are all up, all the presents have been bought and (almost) all wrapped, the cookies are made, and here I sit.....

WITH A SICK BABY! ahhhh! Ryan can't keep anything down. We're in regular contact with the nurse at our pedi's office updating them on his pooping and puking. If he can't keep anything down this evening, we go in tomorrow at 9:00 to decide if he should be admitted to the hospital. Poor little guy is so hungry, but everything we try to feed him comes back up immediately. We're pushing Pedialyte, which goes instantly out the other way. He's sleeping now, and Mommy's praying that we'll see big improvement when he gets up.

The big boys have gone to Mimi's for a few days mainly because Matthew's out of school and I'm supposed to be working, but it's also most helpful to have a few days to make sure we have all the details worked out with Santa for the big night. I forget how easy life is with only one baby...even when that one is sick!

Anyway...

I just wanted to hop online and wish anyone who may have found a spare minute to check our little blog, a very Merry Christmas and a "fabulous" 2009.

I promise I'll update soon with lots of Christmas pictures!

Isabella Grace

Yes, I'm more than a week late with the official announcement, but here it is:

Isabella Grace
November 13, 2008
6:17 p.m.
8 lbs 5 oz
20 inches

...and absolutely PERFECT!!

Pictures from my 1st meeting with Isabella....

Can you say....SPOILED ROTTEN!

Izzie and Mommy getting ready to go home

...after a few pictures, of course.

The Duncan girls....Look out mall...here we come!

Amy, Trey and Isabella are on their own now after a week of being cared for by the world's best Mom (aka Mimi). I was beginning to worry that she wasn't coming back and I think Trey and Amy tried to bribe her to stay longer, but apparently she still has to work (especially now that she has a granddaughter to spoil!).

They seem to be doing well. Amy was excited yesterday when I talked to her because she got three straight hours of sleep...I do not miss those days! Several have asked me if this makes me want a girl and just to clear up any questions, the answer is officially, definitely, without a doubt...NO! I am perfectly content being the only princess in my house!

Isabella's first big car ride will be this weekend, when they come to Mom and Dad's. There are three little boys I know that are very excited to meet their cousin, and I'm doing everything I can to make sure our snotty noises are clear by then. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Did anyone see where October went?

Once again, it's been over a month since my last post. From time to time my sister-in-law does a "From my camera this week" post on her blog, so here's what's on my camera this month:


Ryan "slid" into October as a big boy instead of a baby.

4 Hale men in a tee pee:

Here's an attempt at a picture of my three little "angels". Ryan does NOT like to share his wagon!Fall Festival at Mimi's school. "Colby...I said GET OUT!"

Matthew and Colby-Colb on the train ride.

Pop doing what he does best.

It was bound to happen sooner or later.....Colby fell in the pond.

Trunk or Treat 2008 at church:

Captain Jack Sparrow with his buddy, Colton.

You will never believe who made a surprise stop on the campaign trail......

Pumpkin Patch Parade at the boys' preschool.

My brave little soldier had a major meltdown!

Pumpkin carving at the Hale's.

All I can say about this picture is..notice the TWO lovely new crowns!

Typical Matthew and Colby....seconds before this picture was snapped Colby was having a meltdown and refused to look at the camera. Matthew was hollering, "COLBY LOOK AT MOM!!!" Miraculously, the instant I took the picture, Colby flashed his angelic little smile.

Halloween 2008: Mommy's little goblins

November....here we come! Stay tuned for news of Isabella's arrival...it could be any day now.

Tomorrow is election day........VOTE!!!

Is Anybody Out There?

Several of my most loyal followers have asked where I've been and I'm sure several have given up on me, but I'm back in blogworld. It's been a month since my last post, so here's a few pics of what we've been up to.

Matthew is now a month into 1st grade. It's been an adjustment getting into the swing of homework every night, spelling tests every Friday and REAL grades, but his three week progress report was AWESOME, so I guess he's got it figured out. I'm praying that the rest of the year goes as well as this first few weeks have. He's not playing any sports right now, but he signed up to be a "Bleacher Creature", which means he has a "big brother" on the varsity football team and he gets to run out in front of the team at home games....very exciting.
Here are some pictures of a fishing trip we took a couple of weekends ago. Matthew caught three catfish (two were big ones!)...more than anyone else caught. He was very proud, and we're all looking forward to a big fish fry at Mimi and Pop's.

Colby wasn't so interested in fishing. He spent much of the evening throwing the bait into the tank. This picture cracks me up...typical Colby! His face is healing up well. The pathology results came back fine as was expected.

Ryan turned 1 on the 14th. We had a big football party planned for the 13th, but Hurricane Ike changed our plans. We were unsure of how bad the weather was going to be, so we ended up cancelling his big party. Since Uncle Trey and Aunt Amy were down anyway (for Amy's shower....wow! baby girl stuff is fun...but that's a whole other post!) and I had already bought cake, we didn't let Ry's big day go un-celebrated. HE LOVED CAKE!! I think he would have eaten the entire thing if I would have let him. He screamed and through a huge fit when we took it away.

So...what's our little 1 year old up to? He's very close to walking, but isn't quite brave enough to take a step. He is into everything...dog food, the toilet, any little crumb or dirt on the floor, every drawer or cabinet he can reach, etc. He says Bubba, Momma, Dadda (but Matt is usually Momma), and Pop (although I think Pop means "I want to go outside"...imagine that!). He says ball and loves to play catch with his brothers. He is very curious about everything they do...which is VERY DANGEROUS! :) He started out a terrible eater... but now...he loves to eat....he would eat until he got sick if I let him. He ends every meal crying because he wants more. All my kids have been good eaters, but he has both of his brothers beat. I think spaghetti is his favorite. He also really likes mashed potatoes. And.... he has a bad temper! He gets so mad when things don't go his way (definitely a "baby of the family" trait, right Matt, Pop and Amy?)

As I always say, I'll try to update more often, but who knows with this crazy, wonderful life!

Stay tuned!

Holy Mole-y Part 2

Well...Helllloooooo!

I've been soooo busy relaxing on my two week vacation from the bank, that I haven't even been able to find the time to blog ;)

Actually, my little vacation has been quite productive. We've visited various doctors and dentists and all had haircuts (including Ryan...I finally gave in!) I've done some much needed work around the house including major cleaning...blinds, baseboards, ceiling fans and some serious closet organizing. Having three kids of the same gender is a huge blessing for the clothing budget, but it's a lot of work keeping up with all those sizes and seasons. As I was surrounded by mountains of winter clothes, I realized that it would be easier and MUCH more fun to go out and buy new clothes for everyone. Needless to say, Matt does not agree. I worked on getting the clothes Ryan has outgrown ready for the Just Between Friends consignment sale coming up next month. (If you haven't ever heard of this, check it out http://www.jbfsale.com/ They do consignment sales all over the state twice a year). From Ryan alone (because I keep all the clothes the other boys outgrow for "hand-me-downs") I have over 100 items...and that's winter clothes only...sizes newborn to 18 months.

I did squeeze in some fun.....a trip to Six Flags for Matthew and I, the new Star Wars animated movie, a little shopping, lots of playing, and many nights staying up WAY too late watching the Olympics...GO USA!

So....Monday it's back to work for me and back to school for Matthew....1st GRADE...HERE HE COMES!

Today, however, was Colby's big surgery day. We woke up bright and early and got to the Surgery Center at 6:45. (A big thank you to Mimi for coming this morning to get Ryan up, dressed and to daycare before she and Matthew came to wait with us...as always, I had to twist her arm :) )

Everything this morning went really fast. He sat on the bed with the Hulk and some legos while he waited to go back for his procedure.

When it was his turn, he hopped on the anesthesiologists back and off he went...such a big boy!

So, Matt and I headed to the waiting room and were soon joined by Pop and then Mimi and Matthew arrived. It was only about 30 minutes before Matt and I were called back to the consultation room to see the doctor. After a short report about the surgery...which went very well, they had us return to the waiting room while they moved Colby to recovery.

That was a short wait and as they walked us back to the recovery room, I heard the screaming. Colby was awake (sort of) and he was not happy. In fact, he was hysterical for about half an hour crying, trying to pull out his i.v., and making no sense. They tried some medication through the i.v., but I don't think it worked at all. We finally got him calmed down enough to drink some juice and eat a Popsicle, so they took the i.v. out.

We thought this would keep him calm, but the hysteria started again shortly. They discharged us with our screaming 3 year old and off we went.

He wouldn't stay buckled in his car seat, so I held him most of the way home, while he screamed and cried and struggled to get away from me. (It was about this time that I began to think we had made a terrible mistake!) We got inside and he continued to scream and hit Matt and I. He wanted us to leave him alone, which we gladly did.

After probably another half hour or so of crying, he laid on the floor and zoned out for a long time. Then, as if none of this had happened, he hopped up with a huge smile and said he was hungry. And he's been eating ever since.

He's also been talking nonstop and playing normally despite my subtle encouragement to lay down and take a nap. He's gotten really still on the couch a few times, but can't manage to close those eyes.

So, we can resume "normal" activity tomorrow and go back to the doctor on Wednesday for follow-up.

More later...

HOLY MOLE-Y! Part 1

This mole popped up on Colb when he was about a year old. It was a normal looking, flat brown mole. Over time, it began to grow and change color. I was always concerned about it, but our pediatrician kept saying it was something to watch, but not something to worry about. Until recently, it hasn't seemed to bother Colby too much, but the past couple of months it has become irritating and has bled numerous times.

At Colby's three year check-up last week, the doctor referred us to a plastic surgeon to have it removed. He has no reason to believe that its cancerous or anything, but the fact that it bleeds frequently and is growing is reason enough to have it removed AND for it to be covered by our insurance (answered prayer!)

We met with the plastic surgeon Wednesday afternoon. Now, to most people, having a mole removed is a simple in-office thing. BUT if you're 3 and can't sit still on your own, it becomes surgery.

So....Colby will have his mole removed on the 22nd in the same surgi-center where he had his last "little" procedure.

This will be the 4th Hale surgery in 2 1/2 years....hypospadios correction (Colby), appendectomy (Matt), ear tubes in / adenoids out (Matthew) and now a little plastic surgery. Add a pregnancy in there and it gets a little expensive! We thought that 2008 would be the year with no major medical expenses, but apparently not.

We are very thankful that we have good insurance and that all of our issues have been relatively minor (with the exception of Matt's ruptured appendix). We know that Colby will get through this just fine.

Stay tuned...

I'll be in trouble for this one!

As part of the growing basket of "girl stuff" I'm collecting for Isabella, I ordered this bow with her initial on it (yes, my sister reads my blog, so SURPRISE!). I bribed Ryan with a graham cracker and he proudly modeled it for me.

I ordered it from sweetdaisybowtique.com. They are so great! (and, I think, inexpensive although I'm not an expert on hairbows.) If you go to the website, Ryan is wearing the "baby large" size.

Happy Monday....This is my last week at work before two weeks of vacation....ahhhhhhhh!

Cousins, Cousins and more Cousins (and some other random stuff)

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I typed this post on Monday, but didn't have time to add the video. I saved it intending to finish it Tuesday morning. WELL, here it is, Friday afternoon and I'm just getting it done...SHEESH!
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The past two weekends have been busy. We've loved spending time with family on both sides that we don't see often enough.

Two weekends ago, Matt's aunt, uncle and cousins from Fargo came down. They stayed until Wednesday, and we had so much fun hanging out with them at Nana's. I'm surprised all of our kids didn't grow fins, as much time as they spent in Nana's pool. I had my camera with me the entire time, but didn't manage to take any pictures. (If someone has some, e-mail them to me and I'll post them.)

This past weekend we headed to Denton with Mimi and Pop for the 2nd Annual Duncan Cousins Camp. Of course, my kids spent most of the day in the pool. I've posted video of Matthew & Colb jumping off the diving board. Later in the day, they started jumping off the lifeguard stand (obviously, there was no life guard on duty). Colby, my little 3 year-old dare devil, launched himself off of a 6 ft. wooden platform, but was terrified to watch "Hook" (you know the one with Robin Williams as Peter Pan) on t.v. last night. Matthew is really a great swimmer, but for some reason was afraid to jump off the diving board without his life jacket.

(Dang it...I can't get my video to post...here's some pictures instead)

One more thing....

After the boys were all dressed this morning, I noticed a funny coincidence......read their shirts.

I promise I didn't have time to plan this out today, but they all three say "HOOPS".

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Many of you know that I am anti-scrapbooking. I love to take pictures of my kids and I enjoy looking through my photo albums, but I refuse to spend the time and money on scrapbooking. Well, my friend Amy (this is where I should link you to her blog, but I can't remember the address and I can't look it up from work....I'll try later), who is Supermom to three adorable girls was childless and husbandless this week and asked if I'd like to come scrapbook with her. She was just a little behind (actually she was about four years and two kids behind) and planned to get caught up during her alone time (she also had some dental surgery on Wednesday and didn't think she'd feel much like leaving the house.) I explained my whole anti-scrapbooking thing and she said..."Well, come anyway!" So I did and guess what....it was great!

These are two of the six I worked on for her. Although, I still have NO desire to do my own pictures, I now totally understand the addiction that some of you have. So...if anyone needs a scrapbooking assistant.... I can always use an excuse to get out of the house.

My goal for the next week is to blog more often, so my posts aren't so long and random.

Happy Weekend!

10 months old on 7/14!