Surprise?! IT was to us too...

So three and a half weeks to go til baby's due. 7:15 wake Cami up for school choir. Sit on her bed and have a little cough-dang flu or whatever....Bend down to help her get her clothes off the floor and on her body. What the...that cannot be my water breaking....I totally just peed my pants. Brent enters - what are you doing...Either I just peed my pants or my water broke...Silence....I go to the bathroom and change...Still shloshing...Hmm...740 Brent drives Cami to school and suggests I call the Dr...no contractions so maybe I am just making this up....8:00 call Grandma so she can watch Taryn just in case...830 go pick up Cami from choir and get her to her classroom....and the Dr office calls and says quit messing around, you were dilated to a 4 yesterday when the contractions start you'd better be at the hospital unless Brent wants to deliver in the car...Get home and try to pack but really just wander around wondering is this really happening? I'm not packed or ready...I was really counting on having Halloween fun with the girls THEN doing baby prep. So we don't even have a name chosen out...930 get to the hospital and start feeling things....1030 they tell us people with the flu don't get to hold or see their babies for 48 hours...Amy starts to panic, Brent hacks up a lung....Amy crumbles and despite two previous unmedicated beautiful birth experiences begs for an epidural...they check me...I'm 7 cm and they call the anesthesiologist. 1130 ish? I say my back really hurts...They check me and say oh she's here...they scramble to get the Dr in the room...three contractions later 11:37 out pops the baby...Cami's not even home from school...wow that was fast. not really how I had planned to spend my morning...but they let us hold her and room with her...she just wasn't allowed in the regular nursery and we had to wear gowns and masks...a much better compromise.

What the crap is going on???

What the crap is going on???

Earlier than Taryn by a week but bigger than Taryn weight wise....But an inch and a half shorter... Pretty bald...Brent's big mother big toes and Amy's freaky long tongue...what a good mix.

After staying the full 48 hours (pediatricians request for being preterm) we get to go HOME!!!

My sister's LOVE me! Yes we are all still coughing and wearing masks and lathering up in hand sanitizer.

Time for a nap after such a busy few days!

Announcing Jocelyn Faye Weight

Born October 28, 2009

We couldn't possibly love her more or be more thankful for a healthy beautiful baby!

This is what the flu looks like at our house

So the last few weeks have been a little crazy at our house. Usually everyone is healthier than a horse but somehow Taryn and Cami got the flu then both Brent and I. So this is what we have been doing lately. Hanging out on our bed and watching recorded Disney channel and DVDs....Cami told me the only good thing about being sick is that she gets to watch as much TV as she wants (as opposed to me automatically saying no lets go....fill in the blank) So here's to good TV and movies....may we not entertain you again for a very looooong time!

Belly update again

No it is not just you. These pictures are really funny because of how wide my stomach looks from side to side. Apparently this is what a stomach with a transverse baby looks like. She likes to stretch out really far from one side to the other. This picture was taken last Monday (35+ weeks) by Taryn so it is pretty recent. We are hoping that the baby gets her head down and stays really soon so we don't have any unfortunate external versions....(bad memories of Taryn). I now can say my stomach is really stretched in a well rounded way. I carried Cami insanely low (nice head down falling out baby), Taryn really high (totally breech the whole time until we had to flip her so she could be born hence the bad memory), and now this one transverse (very wide mid section). My stomach is going to be nicely evenly all stretched out...good times.

Last Tuesday when I went to the Dr I was 90% effaced and dilated 2-3 cm so I am glad to be making some kind of progress. My blood pressure was a little high so I guess we'll have to watch that but hopefully before too long we will be snuggling up with this little princess and smooching her and deciding what to call her for reals...Our list is down from 47 to 20 something.... Anyway, just thought you all might enjoy a good laugh at the belly.

Wise words...

Taryn in a very sincere sympathetic voice as I am putting on make up for the day:"Mommy I'm sorry about all those spots on your face."
Mommy in a trying not to laugh voice: "You mean my freckles?"
Taryn grimly nods.
Mommy to Taryn still trying not to laugh: "I'm sorry about them too. I got them because I didn't wear enough sunscreen. Do you think it is important to wear sunscreen?"
Taryn very seriously and concerned: "YES MOMMY! I ALWAYS gonna wear sunscreen!"

Apple Orchard and outdoor fall fun

Last Saturday, after being sequestered with the flue all week, we NEEDED to get outside. Luckily my uncle has a beautiful apple orchard and cabin about 45 minutes away in the mountains (Pine Valley) and he had invited us to come and pick apples.

We stopped at McDonald's on the way (a treat for the girls since we NEVER stop there if we can help it) and ate on the way. When we got there we picked apples and played on the swing set and the trampoline and looked for deer.

The weather was perfect meaning it actually felt a little cool like fall time. It was a wonderful break for all of us. By the time we got home Taryn had a fever again but we all coped a little better.

Yesterday we made 48 pint jars of applesauce from the pickings and the girls had a fun time helping with that part too. We ate some for dinner tonight and it was really good (to Cami's surprise "Hey this IS really good"). While up there I got Brent to take fun pictures of the girls and although they look a little glassy eyed I think they turned out great.

Cami with the apple picker. The trees were planted in 1890 something and are huge so you really do need this contraption to get the ones in the tops.

This swing is the first thing they go for every time.

Taryn looking cute.

Cami looking cute.

I love that my girls are buddies.

Cami pulling her Air Jordan look.

Soccer so far this year

Soccer this fall time has been so so fun, for us and for Cami. Last year Cami was a little hesitant and didn't want to get nailed or nail anyone. She was just a little sensitive when it came to taking the ball away from other people too. It is amazing what a difference a year has made. She is a serious go getter.
In the first game she scored twice and jumped up and down cheering for herself. It was so fun to watch her find her confidence and aggression. I truly feel like she is my daughter now. Every game she tells us how she is going to score and how she'll stop them from scoring and how she's going to win. I love it! She has a great team-everyone seems to have about the same level of skill so everyone gets equal opportunity. They have only lost one game so far but only because they scored two goals for the other team right after half time when they hadn't quite figured out which goal they should be shooting in. This year with the baby due in the middle of soccer season I decided not to coach but to offer to help whenever the coach needed it. I have run a couple practices and one game and I still love it. Next year I am so in again.

Taryn really wishes she was playing...She occasionally rushes onto the field during the exciting parts and wants to help out...next year baby, next year. :)

Cami winding up for a super soccer kick.

Cami catching actual air.
Mommy coaching and telling Cami just where to kick it.

Taryn's birthday

I cannot believe how time flies. Taryn celebrated her fourth birthday last Sunday the 11th. Since it fell on a Sunday we played on Saturday and she begged to go to Sandhallow, a swimming pool with a huge water slide. She loves going down that thing but the water was super cold so it didn't last too long. We went to Wed Wobin (red robin) for dinner because they have crayons and balloons and she loved getting all the waiters to sing to her. Sunday we had the local family over for cake and ice cream. She was pretty wired all day having to wait to open presents.

She is such a joyful happy passionate child and we are so lucky to have her. Other than that first year (colic and constant screaming and no sleep) she is so fun and just a really nice kid to have around. She has so much energy for life and she sparkles when she smiles. She is a very accommodating sister and gets to be the kitty or puppy a lot when they play-and does so happily. She also is a phenomenal independent player. Just give her some books or puzzles or polly pockets and she can entertain herself for hours. She is still pint sized (27 pounds now I think if she has just eaten and is fully clothed) but when she is hungry she can out eat anyone. She is so excited for her baby sister and sings to her and reads to hear and smooches her constantly. She is really brave and will try anything and I love that I don't have to talk her into swimming lessons or talking in church. She just gets up and goes for it and is a good example to Cami. She is also feisty when the need arises and no one is ever going to make her do anything she doesn't want to. She has the cutest, high pitched, fast voice I have ever heard. Half the time we have no idea what she is saying but the way she talks and sings just cracks us up-loud and proud baby! (We are getting her into some speech therapy to help with her actually being able to make consonant sounds.)

Anyway we just really love her so much and we feel so blessed to be her parents. Our family would not have half the happiness or the laughs without her. She can always be counted on to light up the room and for that I will love her forever.

Brent videoed instead of taking actual pictures so we only have about two but here she is opening presents....Amazing how many times a kid can say "WOW!!!" in ten minutes. Her big gift was a two wheeler. She is so coordinated. She just hopped on and took off...we're hoping with Taryn riding it that Cami will get brave and let us take off the training wheels someday.

From Exported Videos

Happy Birthday to the Best Woman I Know

I just wanted to wish Amy a Happy Birthday today. She is by far the Best Woman I Know.

There are 10 reasons I love her so much:

10. She has a beautiful smile
9. For moments like "ambulation increases bowel motility"
8. Her awesome rendition of "Happy Birthday to You"
7. Time Expansion
6. She keeps my ears clean
5. She puts up with my job.....for now
4. She laughs at my jokes even if no one else does (Either she is kind or we have the same sense of humor :)
3. She is 100 times more Christlike than me (There is hope for me as long as I stick close to her)
2. She is the best mother ever
1. She loves me despite my shortcomings


Amy, I will love you for ever. Thanks for letting me trick you into marrying me :)