The Foster Parents Visit...

My Mom and Dad came to visit baby Noah over the weekend, and we had a lot of fun while they visited. Me, Mae, and Ian picked up my parents at the Oklahoma City Airport and went straight to Chucky Cheese (My parents were dying for some really cruddy pizza after their long flight). The first thing Ian saw was a big monster truck "ride"--and he couldn't get enough of it. He did take a little break for pizza, and then it was straight back to the monster truck--he even learned a new phrase: "More money, please!" Here is a quick video of he and Mae in the truck--note that Mae looks a little nervous (because it was her first time), but Ian, a veteran of the monster truck ride, is kicked back and cool.




After Chucky Cheese we headed off for the Hotel and a nice swim at the pool. We had previously decided to stay the night and keep the kids out of Lindsay's hair for a couple of days just to allow her some quality time alone with Noah. The hotel was nice and the kids loved swimming. The next morning we got up early so that we could visit the memorial for the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. It was really cool--definately something to visit if any of you ever make it out to OKC. The grounds were very nice--until they were overrun with two bus loads of students on a field trip. Here are a few pictures:



After visiting the memorial we went to a huge science center/children's museum so that the kids weren't bored all day (Mae called the Federal building memorial the dead person museum--lots of pictures and sad stories). The kids loved it, but it wore me, my Dad, and my Mom right out--we thought that two bus loads of kids on a field trip was bad, but at the children's museum there were about seventeen bus loads--the place was absolutely CRAZY!

Like I said, the kids had a great time there, and would love to go back some time. Ian spent the bulk of his time in the cab of a John Deer tractor (even though there were many other kids who were in and out while he played). Mae and Ian loved the rock wall, the gymnastics center, the trains, the clubhouse, and teeter-totter--they even got to sit in the cockpit of a jet (just TRY to get Ian out of the cockpit of a jet--I dare you)!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to everyone.

We are very greatful for all of our wonderful mothers who love us, love our kids, and teach us all how to love and respect each other!

Many thanks to Grandma Terri!

Thank you sooooo much for coming to stay with us, Terri! While I was off to school 24/7 after Noah was born, Terri held down the fort for us--taking Mae to school, cleaning the kitchen, changing the boys' diapers, picking Mae up from school, cleaning the kitchen, cooking us dinner, etc... It was a HUGE help and I really do not know what we would have done without her.



Thanks again, Terri--come back ANY time!

No, he isn't being abducted...

...it is a baby tanning bed. Seriously. We thought that he was a little pasty when we brought him home so we decided to add a little color to him. We had to put the little baby goggles on him so that he wouldn't get UV rays in his little baby corneas. Okay, okay...it is actually a bili-light bed. Noah was a little jaundice-ridden and we had to bake him for most of every day--poor kid. However....


We think he looks pretty good now.


Here is a quick video of some Ian/Noah interaction. We are pretty impressed with how Ian has taken to baby Noah. He is always asking to hold him and makes SURE to give him a kiss when he is ready to go to bed.

I guess Ian has felt a little neglected these past few days...

...what with a new baby in the home and all. The other day he had to strip down naked and play outside just to get our attention.



Poor kid.

Mom and baby continue to do well. I will try to get Lindsay to post her natural childbirth story before too long. Here are a few more pictures:

Say hello to Noah Paul Foster!

(I know, he seems a little dramatic)

He arrived at 4:14 am Sunday Morning, April 20th.

Lindsay had been feeling pretty painful contractions for two days prior every 10-20 minutes or so (after having given birth she mentioned to me that some of those contractions were more painful than some during her labor). Anyway, on Saturday night the contractions started getting closer together. After they had been roughly 2-3 minutes apart for an hour we headed off for the hospital (where Lindsay had pre-arranged for the room of her choice).


Lindsay had decided to do this one natural and she made it! I was so impressed with her ability to think through the pain and birth our biggest child yet--7 lbs, 9oz! Noah is 20 inches long and, as you can see, has jet black hair like Mae did when she was born.


Because Noah came out so quickly (only TWO pushes for Lindsay before Noah had arrived) his face was pretty badly bruised. Some of these pictures are just after his birth and show how swollen and purple his face is. However, Mae, Ian and I just got back from the Hospital for our second visit today and Noah is already looking better--more pictures to come, of course, so feel free to check back every couple of days.

By the way... Mother and baby are doing just fine. The video below shows his swollen, purple face--and the temperament to match it!

I'm officially a Soccer Mom!

Let me first start out by saying that Mae insisted that her shin guards show, so since it was cold we got this cool fashion statement above...

Today was Mae's first soccer game, and it was a lot of fun watching the complete chaos. Kids were picking the ball up and rolling it down the field, and Mae spent most of the first half watching the game; she did take a moment to do some twirling in the exact opposite corner of the field where the play was going on. Brad worked with her a little at half time, and her playing improved immensely...so much in fact that she scored a goal!!!! I actually go it on video below. A quick disclaimer about the video--it was my first time using our camera as a video and I didn't know that you couldn't turn it sideways like I do when I am taking pictures with it...so sorry, but it does turn right side up for the most important part.

It was driving Ian crazy to have to sit and watch the game, so at half time we let him out of his stroller to play with the ball(strapped in the stroller is the only way we can get him to sit anywhere and not run off or get into things) . We were completely impressed when he ran up the the ball dribbled it almost the entire length of the field and kicked it in the goal...all without any encouragement from us. He picked all this up by watching the first half; we have never played soccer with him before. Just when you think your child doesn't absorb anything you say....Well at least now I know that he does pick up on things quite easily, he just chooses to ignore ME 99% of time. Well anyway...we may have a soccer star in our family. We will definitely start him in soccer next summer.