Last time...when Jakey was born

Katie called today and said she thinks Claire looks a lot like Jake from the ultrasound picture. She got me wanting to look back on when Jake arrived four years ago, and it is fun to see how our family has changed since the last time we had a new baby at our house: August 2006 - I was 26, Ty was 28, Luke was almost 4 and Ashley was almost 3!




After looking at the pictures I expect the baby to look more like Ashley than Jake(they look identical sleeping). But I don't have a picture of newborn Ash to post since those were the pre-digital days unfortunately - and I am too lazy right now to scan. Fun though.

Endurance

This week will go down in our memories as one testing our endurance. It's been a week since Luke's surgery and he has dealt with his recovery amazingly well. Not until this morning did he finally break down and cry - tired of feeling yucky, having such a sore throat and being so hungry! Tonight is the ward trunk-or-treat and he's had that in mind all week as a good time to be feeling better. I know he's frustrated at still feeling so gross. Poor kid.

I have been doing everything I can to comfort him and help the long days go by. We've been practicing magic tricks, playing cards, getting Sonic slushies and watching movies. However, I feel like I have my own can of worms I am trying to be patient with as I am SO uncomfortable. Everything I do - sitting, standing, doing dishes, reading a book, pushing a grocery cart, trying to hold one of the kids on my lap, bathing them, sleeping, getting up out of bed, keeping the house tidy - there's a big boulder in my belly and I am just not myself.

As I was waddling back from the school after picking Ashley up the cross walk lady said, "you look so tired!" I am. I am hot and tired and I want my sweet little boy to feel better for Halloween.

So it's a lesson in endurance. By this time next week - well. Luke will be feeling better and putting the weight back on with a pumpkin full of candy. And I should be days away from DELIVERANCE! A big deep breath! We can make it.

Another little hello

We got to see little Claire's face again today at my appointment. They wanted to make sure she is in the ready position for delivery - and she is! Good girl.

Everything looks wonderful with her. And other than feeling very large and uncomfortable I can't complain about how things are going. We've got about two weeks to go. I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Won't it be great to see this little face in person and kiss on those chubby cheeks?!

THEY'RE IN!

Can I get a BOO-YA?!!

Ali and Blake called with the news this morning that Blake got into Mesa's A.T. Still's Orthodontics program! Which means that when he graduates from UW dental school in June they are moving HERE!!!!!

Can we be more excited?! It looks like family is making an exodus back to the desert! Drew came last year, mom and shelly this year, Ali and Blake next year. Maddie... we're ready for you! ;) It will be so much fun to have Ali and Blake (my sister, Ty's brother) living close. And raising the cousins together - a dream come true! If only we had a jet and could get to Utah and back in a day to see the rest of the family more often ... then that'd be perfect!

Luke and Ashley are thrilled to know that Uncle Blake "won" his interview from a few weeks ago when he visited with us. They were very interested in how things went for him and it felt like a long time waiting to hear. Blake - you are the BOMB.

XO XO

Luke's Tonsillectomy

Luke had his tonsils and adnoids removed this morning. His whole life he's had recurrent fevers and his doctors now feel confident that taking the tonsils out will solve the problem. Tyler and I had put it off this summer, but finally decided to have it done before the baby comes, so today was the day. I never expected to have time to be working on the computer today - but he has been doing amazing! My mom took Jake and Ashley over night last night and has them today, and so Luke and I have been napping and hanging around sipping drinks and having popsicles. No trauma at all! I just hope things keep going so well for him with his recovery. He is such a sweet boy.

This morning at 6am - ready to go
Carefully picking out the smell he wanted in his gas mask. Cool - they just rub lipsmakers in there!
Sleepy, sleepy boy. I knew he would be slow to wake up because that's just his personality. Chill!
Heading home
Working on a little lego set that his friend Cooper brought by last night. So nice.

Now I'm off to finish my 2009 blog book. It's one of the last to-do's I'd like to get done before Claire's arrival... and I'm to October. Another hour should do the trick! :)

Busy, fun Saturday

We have a way of packing our Saturdays. This last week was no exception and I happened to have my camera on hand a lot! First, we took the kids to the hospital where Claire is going to be born for a big brother/big sister's class. It was darling. They talked to the kids about baby safety, what to expect when mommy goes to the hospital, took us on a tour of the labor and delivery areas and then taught the kids how to diaper and wrap a baby in a blanket. I know I am a hormonal pregnant woman these days because I started crying during the short Sesame Street video they showed about baby bear getting a new little sister! I am so excited for her to arrive! :)




After the hospital we went to find Halloween costumes. I was about to drop too much money at the party store on packaged costumes but decided to try the Goodwill first. We found tons of options there and had a little party in the dressing rooms trying things on. I was happy to teach the kids about the joys of a bargain and got them all dressed up cute for very little $$. Everyone is happy.

Daddy made a rare trip to the hobby store with all of us and splurged on himself (which is very, very rare!). He got a remote control car for he and the boys to play around with and take to neighborhood races, and a couple rockets. They had a fun afternoon putting everything together and then we all set out for a big field to launch Jake's first rocket! Later we rented the movie, October Sky and watched that on Sunday. The kids are big into rocketeering now! :)




Finally, I was able to continue chugging along and keeping up with the family. Luke took this lovely shot for me of my belly.... and then I had to try taking one myself in the mirror. Both ought to be entered into a photo contest of some sort.

All in all we are keeping busy... and having fun!

Fall Break

This is a special Fall break because we are anticipating the baby within the next few weeks. I know that life will be much different with a little one in tow again, so I wanted to make this week really fun going and doing with the kids. No stroller, no diaper bag, no even buckling kids into their seatbelts (they do that on their own...) life is very easy right now.

So the kids and I made a plan a few weeks ahead of all the places they'd like to go and we budgeted how much money we needed to set aside for it (teaching them about money and coupons, etc). I have been happy to tote them around and read my book while they play and play.

MONDAY - Chuck E Cheese's and Toy Story 3 - which I hadn't seen yet - cute.



TUESDAY - BounceU



and playing with Uncle Blake who came to town for a couple days to be interviewed for an ortho school here. Everyone is giving their thumbs up meaning good-luck, we hope Blake gets accepted so Blake and Ali and Paigey can move HERE in May!! (update: he's since heard back from them and is the first alternate! If one of the first three guys doesn't accept their offer, he's IN!!)



I then lost my camera in a stack of laundry on my bathroom counter until just now so I have no more pictures of the week, but for memory's sake:

WEDNESDAY - Went to IKEA (put all the kids in the kids club and did some shopping) and Makutu's Island.

THURSDAY - Played with friends then met up with daddy to go to the Phoenix Science Center. Ended up buying a membership because it was so fun (and what's another $40 when you've paid $40 to get in once?!) Then we went to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Maybe my fav day so far.

FRIDAY - Mom's treat. Got a sitter from 10-2, went to the OB (36 weeks now, making no progress toward delivery which is typical for me, but all is well!), took myself to lunch and for a pedicure. Delightful. Then took the kids swimming at the neighborhood pool. Can it really be fall?!

Tomorrow we have a tour at the hospital where Claire will be born. The kids get to go to a siblings class to learn about the baby, how to change diapers and wrap her up and then get a little certificate about being a big bro/sis. They are excited about that.

Life is good. It's been a nice break.

Jake

I haven't had much to say about Jake lately, so I thought I'd give a little update. He is doing so great this Fall in preschool. He has begun to read! Simple word chains like, "pot", "hot", "lot", "dot". He loves it and loves his teacher Ms. Rosie. Also, his five little buddies whom he attends school with and then playgroup everyday afterward. He is so easy to have around now, and very eager to help around the house. He often rubs my back and says, "I will do whatever you want me to do mom" when it comes to clean up time. I love him so much.

Daddy and I made carmel apples with him last weekend. He loved the alone time, getting to push the sticks in by himself and roll the apples in different toppings.


Auntie Shelly took this picture of Jake I think at Pack Meeting. If you've seen the Michael Jackson "This is It" cover you'll recognize this pose. Jake is a full-blown MJ fan, and somehow picked up this and many of his other moves and poses. It is amazing. Whenever it is our turn to have playgroup at our house Jake asks his buddies if they want to dance to Michael Jackson. They all looked at him blankly the first few times, but he would take his shirt off and let it rip - and slowly the others joined him! Ashley finally got so tired of hearing the MJ disk that she threw it in the garbage last week unbeknownst to me and it is long gone now. Poor Jakey. Although I think we all did need a break from the music - and I only want my kids to like Michael Jackson to a point. Funny.

Luke earns his Bobcat!

On Wednesday Luke had his first pack meeting since becoming a scout and earned his bobcat award and also his swimming, kickball, chess and basketball beltloops! He is loving scouts and has taken off with earning awards! We loved watching him bob for an apple, which is tradition for the boys earning their bobcats. I know he is going to do and learn great things as a cubscout.

New Couches!

After six weeks of waiting our new couches have arrived! I have envisioned what I wanted my livingroom couches to look like for years and when we moved the old navy sectional down to the basement a few months ago (I did that myself one day, never underestimate a nesting woman) it was time to do something with the livingroom. So we found just what we wanted a had them made. I am a happy mommy. And informed the boys that if I see them jumping on my new couches with their shoes on (or off) their feet will be removed. Sounds fair, doesn't it?

Fall

The weather has at last cooled down! We survived another Arizona summer!! Saturday took us to the Home Depot for soil and seeds to get our winter garden started. We are hoping for the same success we had in our last house although that was crazy. We planted carrots, onions, lettuce and broccoli and some wild flowers. The kids loved it - and I even participated a little bit dispite the basketball under my shirt. Oh, the air smells so nice when it is cool outside. Yay for FALL!!

More from Ashley's birthday

Just uploaded a few more shots. These were taken when daddy and I took Ashley on her birthday date to the Olive Garden and Target to pick out her presents. She ended up deciding on some baby stuff and it worked out so well for her. She and Jakey were busy the whole night when we got home setting up their "daycare/homeschool" it was darling. And the fun continued throughout conference weekend, the kids played dolls in the livingroom while we listened. She is a precious little seven year old girl.