Welcome Blake Maddox

On Wednesday November 23, 2011 we welcomed Blake Maddox into our lives at 3:17pm. He was 8 lbs 6 ozs and was 20.5 inches. I was unable to have an epidural because I had low platelets, however, it was my easiest delivery and recovery!!!





You can check out more Photo's from our Newborn/Family Photo Shoot Here:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.281921331854365.65460.230100377036461&type=3

Mom Mom and Pop Pop's Visit

Mom Mom and Pop Pop came to visit the week of Thanksgiving. They were such a huge help - cooking, helping us with the kids, decorating for Christmas, and preparing Thanksgiving dinner! Whew!!

We also celebrated Christmas with them (a little bit) while they were here.

Maternity Photo Shoot

We had a Maternity Photo Shoot the first weekend in November. I was just shy of 38 weeks. Here are a few of our favorites...







You should be able to view them all here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111662754776540049769/MaternityPhotoShoot?authkey=Gv1sRgCJDg_ZXA6_TF8AE#

Happy Halloween

The Gerwings went as the cast of The Wizard of Oz this year for Halloween! Hayley was Glinda the Good Witch, Alyssa was Dorothy, Cole was the Lion, Jeff was the Tin Man and I was Scarecrow.

Cole didn't want to put his costume on at first, but finally he did. He was then scared of Daddy when Jeff put on his Tin Man mask. However, once it came time to do some Trick Or Treating, he knew exactly what to do!! He was so cute!! The girls had a great time too and enjoyed Trick or Treating. They practiced saying it all day today.






Now time to think of what we can be for next year...

Fall Fun

On October 7th, we took a Family "Field Trip" to the Cider Mill. When I told the girls we were going on a field trip, Hayley asked, "What will with field look like?" Just precious!!!

We love Three Cedars Cider Mill... it has a lot of fun things for the kids to do, as well as some good cider and yummy donuts!

School Starts

After we returned home from vacation, it was time to get in school mode. We started our first day of homeschooling for the 2011 - 2012 school year on the Tuesday after Labor Day.

Hayley started Kindergarten and Alyssa started Preschool!!





You can read all about our School Days on http://gerwingology.blogspot.com/

Family Vacation

At the end of August we went to Ocean City, NJ for our Family Vacation (The whole Cossaboon Clan). It was August 27 - September 3, however, it was delayed two days by Hurricane Irene. The East Coast got hit with a Hurricane, and thankfully it was not as bad at expected, but OC was due to get hit Saturday evening into Sunday morning and they had evacuated the city.

Even though we lost two days, the rest of our time there was perfect. We had the best weather we could have hoped for the whole time. Sunny and 80 everyday. The kids really enjoyed themselves and loved playing on the beach and in the water.

We flied kites, rode rides on the boardwalk, had ice cream, ate crabs, and had a wonderful time just relaxing at our beachfront house.

Jeff and I even went on a date and went to the restaurant (The Tuckahoe Inn) where we went to dinner the night he proposed and where we had our wedding reception.

MOPS Convention

At the beginning of July, I had the opportunity to go to the MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) Convention in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

I went with 11 other girls from our MOPS group at church. It was a great time of fun, fellowship, worship, and learning how to be better MOPS leaders.

San Fransisco

At the end of July, Jeff and I had the opportunity to go to San Fransisco on a business trip for lighting designers. It was the whole wine and dine thing. It was a nice time away, but we had very little time to ourselves.

We took a dinner cruise on the SF Bay, and cruised right by Alcatraz. We also ate at a little restaurant in Berkley, that now has me on the hunt for fried olives - SO good! We also took a wine tour in Napa Valley.

I also was able to do a little shopping in downtown while Jeff was in a meeting. I went to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, and most importantly The Container Store.

Like I said, it was a nice time away, and they planned really nice things for us to do, we were just always with other people and didn't have time to do anything just ourselves.

Happy 5th Birthday Hayley ~ July 5th, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYLEY!!!!!

I can not believe my baby turned 5! She is growing up so fast and becoming such a little girl! For her 5th Birthday she had an "just friend" Birthday Party with her closest friends. We had a Tea Party Theme and all the girls wore their pretty dresses.

During the Party they participated in a few games; a sugar cube race, and pin the butterfly on the flower. They danced, made tea party hats and also fans.

They enjoyed tea, which was actually strawberry lemonade, cupcakes, and a wide variety of candies that were on the table.

Hayley had a great time and really enjoyed it. Now it is time for her to stop growing!! : )

And the baby is...

A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff's Hiking Trip

Jeff and three other buddies when hiking last weekend in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate NY. It was a great, but very wet, time! Thankfully, they did not encounter any bears!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the BEST Daddy in the World!!! Need to make room on that lap for one more kid next year!!!

Cole's First Haircut

On June 11, 2011 we took Cole to Snip-It's for his First Haircut! He basically had a baby mullet and it was time to say "Bye Bye" to the little curls in the back! He looks so much older and his face looks fuller now!!

Trip to NJ

The girls and I traveled to NJ the first week in June for a fun filled weekend! We enjoyed some crabs cooked by my brother, the sprinkler, my cousin's pool and the girls got to go to a Circus. We had a great time and all the kids did great traveling.

Carnival

There was a carnival right down the rode from us, that the kids had to painfully ride past every time we left the house for four days! Mother's Day we actually didn't have anything planned and it was a gorgeous day so we spent the afternoon there. The kids had a blast!

Happy Mother's Day 2011

It was a fabulous Mother's Day! We went to church, lunch at On the Border, spent the afternoon at a carnival that was down the street, skyped with our families and then ended the evening with a quiet dinner with Jeff after the kids went to bed! It was perfect! Happy Mother's Day!!

We Keep GROWING...

We are happy to announce that "Growing Gerwings" will be growing some more!!! We are expecting Baby Gerwing #4!!! I am currently 12 weeks! We found out the end of March and we had our first appointment on April 8th. We were able to see the beating heartbeat and the size of the baby was right on schedule according to the calendar date of November 21st! I had another appointment on April 25th and again was able to see the baby. It was crazy how much the baby had grown in just over 2 weeks! I am feeling good (now) and hoping to continue to feel good the rest of the pregnancy!!

Baby at 7 weeks 5 days - the baby is the thing inside the black oval. Kinda looks like a piece of rice



Baby at 10 weeks - you can see the head and an arm!

Easter

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!!!



Happy Easter!!
Love, The Gerwings

Soccer

The girls have started "playing" soccer. They joined the Livonia City Soccer Club Pee Wee League. They have only had one day of play and it was a cold and rainy day! Hoping for some better weather the next time!!

Bathtime

Here are a few cute ones from Cole's Bathtime. He Loves taking a bath and usually cries when it is time to get out...

Visit

Well, Last weekend we had a visit from Mom Mom and Pop Pop Cossaboon... however, we also had a visit from the stomach bug! Boo Hoo! So, I actually do not have ANY pictures! They got here on Thursday and we had a good time on Thursday but then Friday morning Hayley woke with a fever and then Friday evening the yuckies started. Even though it wasn't a great visit, it was great to see them! : )

Family Fun Day

Today, after gymnastics, we took the girls (and Cole too) to the pool at the rec center. The girls have been wanting to go swimming for awhile there since they see the pool every time we go to gymnastics!

Gerwing Gymnastic Girls...

The girls are loving gymnastics! Hayley is now in an "invitation only" class that is mainly for 5 and 6 year olds and is doing great! We frequently "watch me" do bridges, headstands and handstands and anything else she comes up with. She is practicing her headstands against the wall and Jeff is pretty sure we will end up with a hole at some point. Alyssa is doing great too. They start their classes at 4 years old, so they gave us a pass and let her try it out. She has a hard time staying focused some b/c Hayley's class is going on at the same time and she tends to watch her, but other than that she is doing great! We are thinking the Summer Olympics are in our future!

God gives you snow... Make a snowman...

Well, all the snow had melted... and we saw grass for about 2 days and then it happened again... more snow! At least it was on a Sunday and Daddy was able to take the girls out and build a snowman! Hurry up Spring!

What happened to February...

Well, I know... it has been awhile. So to catch up here is what went on in February...

We took an unexpected trip to PA at the beginning of the month. Jeff's Grandma passed away, but thankfully we know she is with Jesus! Although the trip was under sad circumstances, it was good to see family that we don't get to see all the time. We also stayed in a hotel room for the first time as a whole family and the kids did great!


Happy Valentines Day!!! My 3 Special Valentines...


Cole Faces Forward! We turned Cole's seat around and now he sits in the middle and can see out the front window. Although he enjoys the views... he still enjoys getting a little shut eye!


Happy Birthday Daddy! We celebrated Jeff's Birthday with the kids with cake and then we went out to a nice dinner!


That about wraps it up!

Daddy and Daughter(s) Date Day!!

On Sunday Jeff took both Hayley and Alyssa to see a play of Snow White. It was at the Northville Marquis Theatre. The girls really enjoyed it and are still talking about it and asking to go again! What a great Daddy!!!!