My sissy's gettin MAAAAARIED!!!

YES!! My sweet sista Kari got engaged last weekend, very unexpectedly, while her and her fiance Mike were in Washington, DC for the National Prayer Breakfast! (well, WE knew about it but she didn't think it was coming quite yet....) :)

For those of you who know me well, you KNOW i have been waiting for this for my amazing sissy...what a godly and wonderful woman she is, and i have just been in awe that no one had snatched her up...until now! She's officially OFF THE MARKET!

We couldn't be happier...we love Mike and have been praying for a perfect helpmate for Kari!! They have been dating about a year (it'll be a year Superbowl Sunday...they got "set up" sorta at a superbowl party last year) and it's been sooooo neat watching God bring them together over the past 12 months.

Mike was so amazing and thoughtful as he planned out all the specifics for the proposal. There was a scavenger hunt in which she met up with 3 of his best guy friends he flew up there to be a part of it all (which she didn't know about obviously!) she got her coveted iphone...which he told her she'd get when they got engaged and could get on a cell phone plan together, and among other strategically planned things, he ended it all by sneaking up behind her and tapping her on the shoulder in the mall there in DC as the snow was falling down last Saturday!! SOOO intricately thought out and lovingly planned. What a stud he is and we are so blessed to have him be a part of our family.

Someone's assignment was to take pics of the whole thing, but i haven't seen those yet - of course i am DYING to see those. Until then, here are some pics of Kari's gorgeous bling and her JOY and excitement sporting it....(pics taken from her phone, so not the best quality but the ring still looks beauitul!!)

They are currently working out the planning of the date and other specifics, so more details soon.
We are SO pumped for another Dvorak wedding and big bash...Dad - you ready too??? Get out yo' game plan to rob da' bank....ha ha!! (Inside family joke.)

Bottom line - let the fun begin!! Congrats Kari and Mike - we love you and we are ecstatically THRILLED! Jackson is SOOO excited for another "Uncle Mike!!"

Bennett: one month old...already!?!?!

Well, Bennett is officially 1 month old today!

Seriously?!?! I mean, at times it felt super slow snail speed, but in reality, this past month has pretty much flown by.

I have to admit, Bennett doesn't have too many updates to report after this first month of life with us Crosby's.

He eats. Poops. Eats, Sleeps, sleeps and sleeps some more. :)

I tried catching some action from this past month, but this is all i got for now. I should just sit back and enjoy it tho huh? Before i know it he'll be getting into cabinets and walking everywhere. :)






More soon...
Sally

Who Dat Trying to Beat dem Saints??!!

Josh was so excited that he could sit in his recliner Sunday with BOTH his boys on his lap, watching the New Orleans Saints win and head to the super bowl!

Well, here he is with just Bennett before Jackson climbed up there too...

Jackson go so into it and had his Reggie Bush jersey on, and then his "football" helmet. (if you remember, i bought him a baseball helmet for his football halloween costume. seriously, how do you even know the difference?? they look the same to me, however, i am told it's really a baseball helmet.)

Thanks Nina and Papa for our cool Saints jersey!! like the shoe in the pic?? :)

Here he is going to school yesterday...Daddy was just so proud and thought he should represent...so he wore the jersey to school too, but did leave the helmet in the car - ha ha.
The success of the Saints is a big deal for Josh's family with their New Orleans ties...this has been huge for that city and to hear how everyone has gotten into it there has just been so neat!

Geaux Saints! Beat the Colts!

Thank you Columbus Ave youth and families!

So seriously, we have the best youth group and church family in town! :) They so sweetly wanted to throw a little welcoming party for Bennett.

Here is the invite they sent out:
They generously did so much fun stuff and families showered Bennett with diapers, wipes, clothes, towels, toys and lots of Astros gear. (Josh was of course, so pumped with the Astros goodies!)

Here are some pics from the evening:


Playing fun shower games...
Guess the melted candy bar in the diaper...looks so real huh?


He looks so dark skinned here doesn't he?? wonder if that'll stay...
Typical Jackson these days...not cooperating for pictures.
Look at all these fun goodies - couldn't believe it! Wow!

Jackson having a ball with the big kids...as always!
I will say, i was pooped afterwards...and again, sweating like a pig (have i mentioned that before?? hormonal sweats right?? good lord!)
God was so good bc i was nervous about Bennett's feeding schedule for the evening, AND all the kids holding Bennett, i was praying for the germies to stay away! But he ate right before we left and was good until the very end of the shower...we rushed home to feed him, and i had all the kids used Germ-X before holding him, ha ha. Thank you Lord, you worked it all out.

We feel so undeserving of the loved poured out to us, thank you Columbus youth and families for taking such great care of your own.

More soon...
Sal

3 weeks of pictures!

I cannot believe Bennett is 3 weeks old! AHHH! So here is my feeble attempt to catch you up on some fun family moments the last 3 weeks!

Here i am...before things got a lil painful. :)



Josh's parents meeting Bennett...
My mom getting her first look...

So happy!
Getting ready to go home...his first car ride!! Yes, those are socks on his hands...he kept scratchin his face poor thing...
Snoozin in the basinette...this was also MY basinette my mom brought all the way back from Italy after i was born.Jackson FINALLY decides to inch closer to Bennett... he helps him swing.

And then...he wants to meet him!

Bennett made Jackson laugh real hard for some reason...
And then he wanted to hold him...yay!

GREAT big brother!
Sweet friends help decorate Bennett's room!


Daddy getting some good time....


Trying out some floor time...Jackson also has to be on the mat.
This is what Jackson insisted on wearing this week...uhhh....i seriously didn't have the energy to fight it. The golf club was his guitar and he was running around the house playing it very loudly and it was driving me nuts...think it was magnified by my sleep deprivation!

Bennett at 3 weeks...eating like a champ and filling out!


More soon...got lots of things i wanna blog about, just need more time. :)
Hugs to everyone! And thanks for your thoughts, calls, emails, prayers and texts. We are doing good and feel like each day things get a little easier and more "normal."
:)
Love,
Sal

what was i thinking??

Hello All!!

yes, i am sooo behind. i cannot believe it...Bennett is 2 weeks old already. where has the time gone? i feel like the days just fly by...between keeping up with nursing!! And then besides the nursing...there is the laundry...now for 4 of us, AND dishes, trying to pay attention to Jackson, oh and then more housework...i am pooped by the end of the day on 4-6 hours of broken up sleep. :) AHHH, this too shall pass huh?? it's just hard having another and you can't nap during the day when the baby is sleeping. Except Jackson being back in MDO 2 days a week surely as helped. As well as tons of help and offers from sweet friends to have Jackson over, and from mom and Ben playing with Jackson and entertaining him or playing Wii while i take a shower. thank you all so much!

Another HUGE blessing has been the meals we are getting!! We have been blown away...not only by people cooking skillz, but their generosity and the time and love put into these meals. THANK YOU!! It has been such a treat and we ALL have been enjoying it....Josh is getting spoiled since i haven't cooked, NOT gone to the grocery store in forever. :)
(Extra shout out: Thanks mom and dad for picking stuff up for me here and there! that has been HUGE!)

Although we did run to Target this week...my friend Jana called it my "maiden voyage" out with two. Ha ha, and that is truly what it was. I was pooped after that short trip, and am not brave enough to try HEB or Wal-Mart with both just yet. We ended up with a bribery toy for Jackson that he did NOT need, and mom caved and had to get a very unhealthy "treat" to get me through the excursion. ahhhh...oh well.

So yesterday, we ventured out to Dr. Nesmith for Bennett's 2 week checkup. Jackson was also due for his 4 year old check up...which i tried to do BEFORE baby came, but it hadn't been a full year yet, and insurance wasn't going to cover the 3 big shots he was getting. yikes. so we had to wait till after Jan. 5th for that to be covered, so off we all 4 go to the doctor. :) Oh, well Josh had to meet us there, and it was such an icky rainy day, and getting 2 kids in the car is tougher than i thought. ha ha...

So...needless to say, it was an interesting visit. BOTH kids were screaming at one point...and i was tearing up watching my sweet 4 year old agonizing in pain over these mean shots....(which i know i know, are indeed, for the best. I don't wanna get into the immunization controversy!!) and then it was time to eat and Bennett was screaming, Josh was having a crazy day and had to bring in his lunch to the room (???) and then i felt like it was so hot in there, i was sweating like a pig. either it was hot, or i was having one of those hormonal hot sweat thingees. :) And to top it all off, the nurse warns me that Jackson WILL most likely run a high fever for the next 48 hours AND be very cranky. lovely.

i know i know, many of you are like, what were you thinking doing both of those in the same day?? Overall tho, we made it out of there alive!
Bennett is not only back up to his birth weight of 8, 12, but has surpassed it! That chunk weighs 9 lbs 6 oz!!! i will say, it makes the nursing every 1 and 1/2 - 2 hours very worth it. :) thankfully, he didn't need shots...and will at our next visit at 2 months.

Jackson made it through those icky shots (after we promised a DQ dip cone, a lollipop or a choc chip cookie. To our shock, he chose the cookie, which thankfully Josh had leftover from the dang lunch he brought into the room, good lawd. Guess it was a good thing he stunk up the room with his greasy spoon take out.), AND Jackson is in the 75%-tile for height and weight. Nesmith estimated him being about 6 feet, 185 lbs eventually. I must admit, i think it's hard to predict that, but josh was excited. ha ha.

SO...we made it home!!! we relaxed the rest of the day and watched 2 movies, and i gotta say, Jackson hasn't really missed a bit. He did have an upset stomach and hasn't had much of an appetite, but overall, he is doing ok so far. maybe it's bc we've kept the motrin in him.
Here is a pic of him seeming totally fine last night, playing the wii, which has been a HUGE help for mommy to keep him busy. It's uncle Ben's wii, but he's letting us borrow for a few weeks, thanks Big B!
I have lots of sweet pics to post, I'll save those for the next time I get 30 minutes or so of solitude in front of the computer.

hugs!!!
Sal

Whaddya think, will these brothers look alike?

Here is Jackson a day old in the hospital....(not such a lovely pic of me, but oh well.)

And then here is a similar pic of Bennett a day old in the hospital...

What do ya think? do they look alike? Bennett is definitely "fuller" in the face huh? and of course, has more hair. Jackson looked more "bird like." ha ha...

ahhh, it's going to be so fun to see how alike or different my boys will look like. :)

more coming soon...i want to give more details about everything, but my internet time is limited. Josh has been hounding me to take advantage of him being home and that i need to sleep when he is home and babe is sleeping...i know i know. :) i just can't "disconnect" that easily!

Regardless...a more quality post is coming soon, i promise! Until then, i shall try to catch some zzzz's.
Sal