WELCOME BABY #4

Our family has grown with our new baby girl!! Baby Cromwell #4 was due on July 4th, but she decided to come a week early (of course, in the middle of the night) but we are SO EXCITED to have her here - happy and healthy!!

Here I am getting ready to get things going and anxiously awaiting my epidural!! When I was in labor, Dr. Leavitt came in and asked Adam to "scrub in"; he was able to assist in the delivery (I wish I would've had my camera in hand to take a picture of him in the scrubs, but I was a little busy...

So, here SHE is - happy as a clam to be here:

A few weeks before Addison was born, I was talking with McKenna and Harrison about the birth of babies and we got on the subject of the baby crying when they are born. I told them how doctors use to spank the baby's bum to make them cry; that was one of the first questions asked by McKenna after Addison was born, "Mom, did the doctor have to spank her bum?!?" As you can see by the pictures above, she didn't need any help with learning how to use her lungs.

I have been lucky to have an epidural every time I have given birth, but for both Kenna and now Addison, the epidural has caused a peculiar side effect on me - "saggy eye" - I call it...so annoying while in labor because I feel like a pirate with one eye - I guess I should've gotten me an eye patch just in case:

Oh, how great to be a mother!!

LUCKY #7

Our sweet little McKenna is now 7!! I cannot believe how quickly she is growing up! She was the first granddaughter on both sides of our family and our first child!! I had her name picked out when I was 16 years old (from the movie "Somewhere In Time") She is such an awesome girl!!

Some cute pics from her last 7 years:

Birthday "loot"

McKenna is an avid reader; she'll be reading 2-3 books at a time! She also loves to go swimming and has really enjoyed learning to snorkel with her dad at grandma and grandpa's pool. Kenna is ALL GIRL and loves fake nails ("glue nails" as she calls them), earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc. We also had to include some candy in there - she is the epitome of the saying "SUGAR and spice and everthing nice, that's what girls are made of"!!

Kenna decided on a salon birthday party this year - we had mani/pedis, facials, hair and make-up. All the girls loved getting done-up!! I think the favorite was the cucumbers with the facial; they all giggled and had to see each other during their facials!

I decided to make the cake this year (staying with the theme...fingernail polish) and thought it turned out great!! Adam even got involved and frosted the cake - great job huh?!?

the "little ladies"

DANCE RECITAL 2010

I cannot believe this is McKenna's 4th year in dance!! She really is enjoying it and loved that they started jazz this year as well. She is growing up way to fast for me!

Her goal is to make it to the 5 year award, which will be this next year. The only thing I'm not sure of is if there actually IS a 5 year trophy or medal that her instructor gives them. See, a few years back (as a motivational tactic) I told Kenna about the award...not necessarily thinking there may not be an actual award just a posterboard with the names on it...so, I may be buying her a 5 year trophy come next spring!

Either way, she deserves it for sticking with it and she is a great dancer!

HERE'S #2

Harrison, within one week, noticed his next tooth was loose. Our kids definitely have Adam's teeth - I didn't even lose my first tooth until I was in 1st grade! Our kids get their teeth early and start to lose their teeth early as well:

Looks like we need a visit from the Tooth Fairy:

1..2..3!

Harrison is our brave little boy - he has his first loose tooth and can't wait to pull it out!! In fact this was our 3rd day trying to pull it out!

READY...

SET....

PULL.... SUCCESS!!

Way to go Harrison!!

(Don't mind the road rash on his face...that's a whole other story!)