Video for Angie Lopez

I hope this option works so that you can view the video of Gabbie's episode. Thanks. Amy

All I want for Christmas....

Kiera lost her two front teeth this month! She is excited to have a quarter from the Tooth Fairy for each one ;)


Adelynn thought she looked like a reindeer using the leaves as antlers - so cute!


Gabbie loves getting up to look out the window to see the lights on the front porch. Love those sweet hand prints!

Merry Christmas to all!

Ummm....its April!

At Nana and Papa's - smiles and naps!


At the Children's musuem in San Antonio


Enjoying the sunshine - Kiera couldn't get the wind to stop and Adelynn wanted to wear the winter items one more time :)

Today was a fun day - okay so we did not really meet our goal of getting out of our pajamas today, but we did have a fun day at home!

Gabbie really enjoyed the peas she had today - liked it so much that there was not too much on her mouth or bib! She took one short nap in the morning and a long one in the afternoon - still working really hard on sitting up by herself.


Kiera and Adelynn did lots of coloring today and of course eating! Kiera tried to play chess -- I have forgotten most of the rules...I guess I should brush up on the game. They enjoyed the Kids In Action CD again - that always wears them out :) And we talked to Memaw and Papaw via Skype - and the girls were all awake and talking!

We had spaghetti and meatballs for supper with sweet potato fries - yes, an odd mix but it was delicious. We cant wait to hear updates from Poland :)

I thought I would add a few photos from our trip last week: San Antonio and then Seguin!
This one is from Nash Farm on Sat

Oh, that Chefs Point (gas station restaurant) was on Diners Diners and Dives tonight - we need to check it out as soon as possible!

Shepperds News

On Friday after Thanksgiving, Chris decided that setting up the tree was a good job for a 2 yr old, a 4 yr old and one adult...maybe it will be a bit easier next year. Kiera obviously wants to give directions and instructions.

They did a great job - the tree is beautiful! We put it up on a coffee table and that space gap has discouraged them touching it too often...and of course we put more of the fragile ones up higher.

Cheryl hosted Thanksgiving at her new home in Princeton TX. Of course we forgot the camera (but did drag along puzzles, books, snacks, cars, games, nap blankets, dolls, pack & play, blankets, bottles, bouncer and a pecan pie).

On Saturday after the Shepperds did some more shopping and then they came over for most of the day - so we grabbed the camera.



Ronnie seems stronger everyday. He has clearance to drive and is enjoying that privilege. Charlotte is looking forward to retirement :).

Kiera and Ad enjoyed several games with them -- they shared the rules of Chinese checkers and another marble game the Shepperds learned from some family/friends. Kiera's beginners luck is starting to wear down as she understands the games now :). Adelynn interest wears off after about 20 minutes, but she enjoys the time with MeMaw and Papaw and Aunt Cheryl.

I'm off to do some prepping for tomorrow.

So where have we been?

I did not think it would take so long for us to update everyone via the blog, but it did. The girls are growing so fast - everyday they are bigger and stronger than the day before! It is a blessing to be a part of their lives!!

(isn't that the coolest bouncer chair ever?!?! thanks felicia :)

In October when Naomi and her boyfriend Marcellus came to town to visit, we took a trip to the zoo. It was nice to spend some time with them. We wish they lived closer but they enjoy living in Oregon. Mom also came up the visit and stayed for a few more days to visit and love on us for a bit :) (especially cuddle with Gabbie).



Felicia came to visit this November and Nana and Papa came up to visit too. Felicia enjoyed playing and cooking with the girls (but was a little gun-shy with Gabbie - and we didnt even ask her to change an icky diaper :). We wish she lived closer too (NY is so far too).


The girls have been blessed with visits from grandparents this month. Adelynn still yells "Nana" when the doorbell rings - hoping all our visitors are Nana!


I'll update on the Shepperd side of the family later this week :)

And here comes Gabriella!

Well, the Shepperd household has had a whirlwind of a month since Kiera's birthday…

October 2nd, Thursday night we found out that Chris’ dad had elevated cardiac enzymes and chest pains (a minor heart attack). As Chris was driving to Tyler to see him, Chris found out that his dad was heading into double bypass heart surgery. Surgery was over at 230am on Friday morning. I called Chris around 330am and told him I did not feel good (some contractions that were so unfamiliarly painful to me and I was having to go to the bathroom a lot) and could not sleep. And since I was not ready to head to the hospital, I thought I should pack my bag and took a shower – so I did that in between contractions. The contractions were not real regular or getting stronger or getting closer….so I kept praying that ‘false labor’ phase would pass…but in a few hours I called a friend and asked if I could drop the girls off at her house. I had an OB appt at 8am on Friday morning October 3rd so I kept that time and dropped the girls off and headed to the office. Praise God that there were less contractions while I was driving!

Chris called around 745am and I was still working to get to the Allisons' house to drop off the girls because I was so uncomfortable. (They were excited to have a playdate - and they were basically unaware that Chris was in Tyler and did not understand why I kept heaving over in pain and tears.) Anyway, he was planning on coming back to DFW after he saw his dad. I called Ms Bobbie from church and gave her the heads up that I might need a hospital buddy if Chris could not make it back. She was excited!!

While I was in the OB's office, my water broke. And the contractions were still going strong. Dr Cope said that we should just head to the hospital. Her nurse took me across the street to Baylor and we would try to get in the OR and try to wait for Chris (my previous deliveries were c-sections too). I called Chris and he was heading back to DFW. God carried him safely to Grapevine and he got there by 1030am.

Gabriella Grace Shepperd was born on Friday morning at 1111am. She weighed 6lb and 12ounces. Oddly my body must have an occupancy/weight and height limit…or is at least one for consistency!

• Kiera was 6lb 13oz and 19.75 inches long
• Adelynn was 6lb 11 oz and 19.5 inches long
• Gabriella was 6lb 12 oz and 19.25 inches long

With the three girls’ births, I think I’ve covered most things:

• Kiera – 15 hours of labor, water breaking while laying in bed, epidural and spinal block, she was over a week late
• Adelynn – no labor, scheduled c-section, no water breaking, spinal block, she was a week early/right on c-section schedule timeline
• Gabriella – 5 hours of labor, water broke/leaked while walking in office, spinal block, she was 12 days early from due date, 5 days early before scheduled c-section

Chris’ dad got out of ICU the next week and was home in Palestine TX by Saturday October 11^th. Continue to pray for his recovery from the surgery. They have seen the girls via Skype but I’m sure are itching to see Gabbie in person! Gabbie and I had our 2 week follow up appts today with great reports. She is up to 6lb and 14 oz and my incision seems to be healing very well and I've gotten clearance to drive again.

Kiera's birthday and Amy's birthday

Kiera's birthday was a week-long celebration of sorts. We enjoyed a fun family dinner on her actual birthday and she was able to pick some of the food for dinner -- she picked green bean casserole! And then there was ice cream!! She decorated her own birthday party hat and wore it to school.
She got to take a birthday snack for her preschool class on the previous Thursday - which of course was a sugary snack. Then there was her birthday party. Aunt Cheryl decorated the cake for the SILLY MONKEY! Kiera has a list of cakes for her birthdays for the next 14 years - and Aunt Cheryl is excited :)


Kiera's class has a pet fish - it is really a stuffed animal, but a great project for the class. Kiera got to bring the home and immediately realized the fish needed to have a snack too. So she decorated a small box for food and a cup for water and then found a napkin to wipe off her face!


Adelynn has grown quite attached to her Minnie Mouse. She pushes her around the living room in the shopping cart, reading Disney's version of Mother Goose. She loves giving Minnie kisses and snuggles.


Birthday cuddles for the girls after the ice cream on Kiera's birthday!!


My birthday was about a week after Kiera's birthday, but we had more cake! The girls helped Chris make the cake (and lick the beaters) and decorate the cake. It was a wonderful treat!


Next post will be about Gabbie's birthday (and another cake!!)