Summer Fun

I can't believe we are almost in July! The past few weeks in North Carolina have been so hot.  We have spent a lot of time at the pool! Max and Claire had their first tennis lesson of the summer last Friday.  It is so cute to see all those little people playing tennis! We are hoping to keep the lessons going so they actually get something out of them!  Last year the coach gave them popsicles after.  This lesson, the first thing Claire asked me when they finished was why they didn't get popsicles this time!  Haha! Girlfriend has a good memory!

We got a visit from Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt Darcy this weekend.  They love their grandparents so much and wished they lived closer.  It was a short trip, but enough time to ride in Grandma's convertible!

Today was a beautiful day so we showed them the pool we belong to.  Kate sported a new bathing suit!

Tomorrow the big kids start Vacation Bible School.  I'm hoping to finish unpacking - we have most of it finished, just a few small baskets/boxes need to be put away.

Life Lately

This past week has been crazy busy for the Fredrick family.  We finally got an offer on our house and accepted!  We don't close until July 30th, so hopefully everything will go smoothly. My cousin, mom and I have been moving things by carloads over to the rental.  I have almost emptied the kitchen, linen closets, most of our closets, playroom, and pictures/frames.  We mostly have big items and things in the attic.  Originally we were going to hire movers to help, but somehow that has turned into Justin taking off work and renting a U-haul.  Hmmm.. that means just the two of us moving our house.  He has promised not to cuss and stay happy while moving big items -- we will see!

We have had record high temps this week and have tried to stay cool at the pool!  Even Miss Kate wore her bikini to stay cool!

Max and Claire have turned into big fish!  Their swimming skills have really improved.  Max has even started doing back flips in the water!

There have been a lot of snuggles with baby Kate!

Oh! How can I forget Claire's first dance recital?! She rocked her ballet and tap dances! We were so proud of her!

Her biggest fan brought her flowers!

Donor milk

Since day one with Kate, I have made a lot of milk... which was quite the opposite with Max and Claire.  I had to supplement with them the whole ten months I pumped.  Especially in the first two weeks with Kate, my let down was so strong I found myself feeding and pumping almost every two hours.  I quickly accumulated a nice stash for the freezer.  

Milk has taken over our freezer!

I probably have 80 freezer bags of milk - so much that I had to take most of it to the rental house freezer.  

Last Friday I got a call from a nurse that I had been talking to.  She had a new patient that had been panicking because she was already having to give her newborn daughter formula and was unable to find a local donor milk bank.  The nurse had remembered how much milk I had and called to see if I would be interested in donating my milk.  I have always thought milk sharing was weird and I personally wouldn't want to feed my baby someone else's milk. (just my opinion).  This patient is a pediatrician along with her husband so she knew the risks of donor milk.  I thought about this overnight and decided I would donate 20 bags of milk. (I still have around 60 bags).  The other patient called me and we set up a time the next day to meet.  She brought me a new box of freezer bags and I handed over my hard earned milk!  Although I do not plan on donating anymore of my milk, I am glad I could help another mom.

Really hoping it is good karma ;)

Kate ~ 1 Month

Our little #3, Kate, is one month!  It feels like just yesterday we were leaving the hospital!
This first month has flown by.  She is the sweetest baby and really only cries when she is hungry.

Girlfriend likes to sleep!  She sleeps most of the day and not too bad at night.  Just this week, she has started to be more alert and having longer awake times,  She is, for the most part, on a three hour eating schedule.  We struggled the first two weeks with breastfeeding.  But, coming into the fourth week, we are figuring it out.  She normally nurses during the day and gets bottles in the middle of the night - still exclusively breast milk.

cute little piggies!

8lbs 11.5oz - 35%

21in - 44%

You have had a very busy first month... you have gone strawberry picking, to the pool, your first plane ride to NJ (post to come), first wedding, birthday parties.... basically you go with the flow and usually sleep right through it!
We have been extremely blessed with you and are loving each and every minute of watching you grow!

{still working on photo shoots ;) }

Schools out..... for the summer!

Well, last Thursday was Max and Claire's last day of their 3's preschool.  They had a wonderful year and had a great end of year "report card".  Each year I love their teachers more and more.  I can't believe they only have one more year before they go to kindergarten!

First day of school 

Max: last day of school
My picture of them together and Claire by herself is floating around somewhere... it's MIA?

Claire with two amazing teachers: Ms. Leslie and Ms. Debbie

Max and Ms. Debbie

We have almost finished our first week of summer.  It's been rainy so we haven't really done much.  Next week they start swim camp -- we are all excited about that.  They have picked right back up from where they were last year, and I know this swim camp will not disappoint!  Plus, Kate and I will have some quiet time!!

They swim well without their puddle jumpers,but I still can't get in the pool bc of csection.