Eliza at 1 Month

Here are some new pictures of Eliza Jane at 1 month. She is a great baby and everything we wanted and more. She is almost easy which is a little scary for us because we never have had an easy child. We are waiting for the hammer to come down. Hopefully Heavenly Father knows that we needed a sweet little angel child.

I'm Back and Have A Smaller Stomach

Hey all you strangers,

Well I am back after a much delayed 3 months. Most of you know that I had baby Birman blessing number 4 Eliza on November 15. She is a really great baby which I prayed for since the others were all kinds of trouble. She eats, poops, pees and hardly ever cries. She sleeps most of the time and doesn't demand much attention. I think she is wonderful. However, she didn't want to come out so I had to be induced which I have decided is the way to go. The doctor broke my water, I had contractions right away and only had a few really painful ones before they gave me an epidural. After that I dilated in a couple of hours and was done. We got there at 5:30, filled out paperwork until about 6:30 and I was done at 11:58 p.m. What a good deal. Anyway here are some pictures of the kids and Eliza from Halloween and her birth. Hope you like them. Oh ya, I also graduated from college in November amongst all of this craziness after 14 years. Yeah, what a relief.

Love

Shannon

Big and Beautiful in Gilbert (not really)

Hey All,
Well I have been getting a little grief from the friends about my lack of blogs lately and the truth is that I am just plain out of funny right now. But since I feel a very strong need to please and make my awsome friends and family happy I will appease and squeeze all ounces of funny that are left in this big and beautiful body of mine out so to make you all laugh. I will start by saying that I am big. Big and beautiful this is true but big is outweighing (pardon the pun) the beautiful right now. I am measuring big at the doctors (two weeks too big) and I feel it. But the everything is bigger in Texas rule does not apply to Gilbert. I was at Chick File or however you spell it the other day and you know there are always tons of pregnant women there and I was in awe of their bigness but skininess at the same time approach. They were all thin with great hair and skin and clothes with cute little big bellies. I was sweating as usual like Ruben from American Idol with my cloth to wipe and my red face and crazy eyes. How do you cute bellies throw it all together? By the way, what is it with Chik fil e and all the Mormons? It was like mormons on parade. A little strange. Is it the no open on sundays or what cause the food is good but not that good and it is a wee bit expensive. Anyway I think the problem is that I don't feel very beautiful right now and I can't stop sweating plus I can't sleep because I can't pee in my sleep or Jimmy would get mad. So I will pose a question to you all and you can give me ideas on how to get my funniness back cause all I feel like doing lately is complaining. How do you stay cute and big and beautiful and cheerfull and funny and smart and not absentminded and on top of everything and still live in heat and humidity and a constant state of big belly jiggle? If you know then you should write a book and I will give a testimonial. Love you all and sorry for the delay.
Shannon

First Day of School Beauties

Here are my first day of school beauties. Times are good when the kids go back to school. I sometimes dream about the day when all of the kids are in school all day and I have some free time again then I wake up and realize that we will be having a newborn in November and that dream is then another 5 years away. Oh well the first day of school is still a mixed emotion day for me so I guess I am still not ready for the kids to grow up. Until then I will continue to dream.

Love ya

Shannon

Amelia is ready to go
Gabbi and Amelia already tired of their Mom's pictures

Hayden looks so excited

Livvy is ready a couple of years early

My Graduate

Finally,

The day has come after 14 years of triumphs and trials that my wonderful husband has entered the world of college graduate. With little time off he has moved on to better Masters ambitions but he took a little time off to smell the roses and pose for some graduation pictures. This will likely be the only time you will see me in any pictures until my tummy and boob tuck so savor the moment.

Love ya all

Shannon

What Jane Austen Character Are You?

Here's one for all of you Jane Austen lovers. A quiz that will perportedly tell you which Austen character you most resemble. Mine was wrong as it had me as Jane Bennet inswtead of Elizabeth. Well you shall see. Here is the link. http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=41259 Good luck girls. May the force be with you.

Love

shannon

Gotta Love Summer

For those of you that live in a beautiful Eden where Summer temperatures are such that you can enjoy the long afternoons outside without visiting the hospital for dehydration then 1. don't talk to me anymore and 2. I live vicariously through your blogs. However, I don't live anywhere near that wonderful place and my kids are the color of printer paper so we spend Summer break inside the house. I remember as a child Summer was full of lizard hunts and forts and long bike rides and fourth of July spectaculars but our fourth was full of storms, wind and poppers. All kinds of confetti poppers. Does it sound like I am complaining? Well I am. As school approaches again and the kids are flourishing in the joy of learning I will slowly be recovering from the nervous breakdown and high blood pressure that Summer in the Birman household brings. Let me know how you all cope with having the kids home and indoors all Summer without spending a ton of money going out to eat or driving around just to get out of the house. Until then I will be hanging on for dear life.

Love ya all,

ShannonOlivia wishing that Winter needed snow caps and glasses to dull the snow's bright reflection.

Amelia thrilled with Fourth of July Poppers. Way better than fireworks. Love the confetti cleanup.

Grandmas are very impressed with Fourth of July festivities in Gilbert. Far superior to lake outings with big boomers.
A popper in Hayden's hands can become a deadly weapon.