New Pics

Here are a few updated pictures.  Little Andrew is really coming into his own these last several days.  He is a very smiley baby!  Check out what our new little man is looking like these days - he changes every 48hrs.

Grammie helped the kiddos celebrate the Olympics in style with these cool Team USA outfits.

It is very dangerous to say, "Ben and Anna, can you give Drew a kiss?"  

This puts Drew in a precarious situation!!!

Houston, we have landed!

We've been busy since our last post.  It would be ridiculous to go into much detail, because so much has happened, so here's a quick rundown and some pictures.  It has been quite a ride!!!

Finished a job, sold a house, bought a house, moved during a week-long power outage and record high temps, visited Rachel and Tim et al in Wintergreen, attended cousin Kate's 4th Bday party in NOVA and spent a few days at the farm.  We've also unpacked our house, gotten drivers licenses, tags, registrations, power, cable, internet, trash and on and on and on.  All of this gets kind of hairy when you factor in 3 kids in diapers including a newborn!!  However, we must confess that the Lord has been good to us and we've had some really great times despite the chaos.  We have dwelt often on Lamentations 3...

22 lThe steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;1

lhis mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new mevery morning;

ngreat is your faithfulness.

FIRST BATH...

 AUNT RACHEL AND COUSIN KATE MEET DREW

DREW'S BAPTISM - POP OFFICIATES!

GOODBYE HOMEWOOD HOUSE!

AUNT CAROLINE AND BEN ARE SPECIAL PALS

HELLO VIRGINIA HOUSE!!

FUN AT WINTERGREEN WITH UNCLE TIM, AUNT RACHEL, COUSINS KATE AND MATHEW, GRAN AND POP

HERE'S A GOOD LOOK AT THE KIDDOS...

ANNA, BEN AND DREW AT THE FARM FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! 

ANNA AND BEN CURIOUS ABOUT MR. FISH

BEN WAS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT LEARNING TO FISH.. 

ODDLY, ANNA COULD TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

BEN DID NOT CATCH A FISH AND INSISTS THAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER IF DADDY HAD LET HIM USE A HOOK

BEN ROCKIN HIS SUPERSTAR STYLE..

A&B SAW A HUGE TRACTOR WHILE VISITING GRAN AND POP!

Hope you enjoyed.  I don't have any pictures at all from the nearly two weeks that we spent with Grandmommy and Papa.  We'll add some when we swipe them from Grandmommy.

We must give a big THANK YOU to a few people who have gone to extraordinary lengths to help us during our transition (no particular order :)
Grandmommy and Papa for letting us invade your home for nearly two weeks, Tammy and Caroline for helping out in Homewood before the move, Gran and Pop for keeping A&B for several days while Loren recovered and for spending the first week in VA with us so that we could unpack, and Rachel and Tim for entertaining and encouraging us this month.

Andrew Brashier Gleason

Drew was delivered this morning at 6:35.  He weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces and was 21 inches long.  He was delivered by Dr. Heather Greer at UAB.  Loren and Drew are both doing very well.  We are thrilled to welcome this little guy into our family.

This has been a very special birthday for Jon, Loren and Drew....who were all born on May 23rd!!!

Waiting on a Baby!

It is May 20th, 2012 and we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our third child (due Wednesday)!  We have spent the last few weeks preparing for this wonderful addition to our family and also spending quality time with Anna and Ben.  The next few weeks may get pretty rough for them as they grow accustomed to a whole new world that includes Baby #3.  So, we've been to the zoo (twice), eaten smoothies (a favorite), gone on walks to the park and generally had a big ol' time enjoying our little family of just 4!  Here are some recent pics...this will be the last blog post until the Gleasonites are 5!!! 

EASTER...

Overton Park..

Gymboree..

Zoo train (Ben on full alert!)

Loving summertime!!

Ben is passionate about bubbles..  Can you see the joy in those little eyes!?!

Haircuts

This picture pretty much sums up Anna's opinion of her first haircut.  She was not a fan.

She cried when I put her in the chair, and even the iPhone was not enough distraction...so I held her.

We figured it was time for Anna to get her first haircut since Ben is a pro now.  I think this is #4 for him.  He was thrilled with his sucker and sat still like such a big boy while mommy dealt with Anna.

Here's Ben chillin in his chair after haircut.  Thanks Nicole!

Any Given Sunday

The Gleason house has changed considerably in recent weeks as Anna and Ben have decided that walking is much better than crawling.  The pictures below clearly demonstrate the joy that they share in their new freedom.  

They are also rapidly expanding their vocabulary.  Here are some examples:

Mom: "What does a horse say?"

Ben: "Neeeeaaaaa (smile)!!!"

Mom: "What does a cow/sheep/dog say?"

Ben: "Mooooooo/Baaaaaa/Wooooo (smile)!!!"

Other common words:

Anna: eat, socks, shoes, eyes, ben (pronounced Beeooww), daddy, mommy, Uh-Oh!, cow

Ben: No, Uh-Oh! (constantly), mommy, daddy, eat, please, door, animal sounds (above)

Anna is very silly...

It's good to have a partner...

Baby blue's holding strong...

Daddy is the new favorite playground...

Ben is that hilarious and rare combination of...

loves to be tickled... and is ridiculously ticklish (can't control himself)