Happy Fall

I know, I totally suck! I haven't blogged in FOREVER and should be shot. But here is a totally cute pick of Gwen that I grabbed the other day as she was playing in some decor. How precious is she! Stay tuned for pics from Halloween!

I can't believe how time flies...

I still can't believe how quickly time has passed us by. Gwen is 4 months old already. She is turning over and loves to stand up tall. She is a super happy kid that laughs and smiles all the time. She is such a busy body. She will go all day with only little cat naps when we are out because she doesn't want to miss anything. She is slowly but surely growing bigger everyday. Here are few of her pics over the last few months.

Gwen's Blessing

On sunday we blessed Gwen. I still can't get over that she is almost 7 weeks old. It seems like just yesterday that we were heading to the hospital. I always wanted to make the blessing outfits for my children and I finally got the chance. I had thought that it would be a nice sentiment to use the same fabric as my wedding dress to make the baby's dress. I decided that I wasn't going to use my dress for anything so I decided to make her dress out of my actual dress would be a special thing for me to pass to each of my children as their days come along. Gwen posed like a little china doll in her dress with her pretty white blanket that Grandma made for this day. It was great to have nearly all of our family and several important friends come out to spend this special day with us.

Bigger Everyday but still my Little Girl

I just can't get over how fast she is growing! Everyday seems to add a new feature or expression. She changes with every nap and we fall more in love with her with each passing hour. But she is still such a little squirt. She doesn't quite fit into some clothes yet. This pair of bloomers barely stayed up on her little bum.

My First Real Mother's Day

It's a little late but this year was my 1st real Mother's day. I still remember years when I was so sad about not having a family and wondering if it would ever come around. The last 3 years that we have been married, Lyneal has given me flowers and always a great card that makes me all teary and helps remind me that he already considers me the mother of his children. He really is great about the mushy things. So Mother's day came and Lyneal stood strong to his past. I love the Willow Creek collection and I got to add the Mother with her new infant to my collection. He also got me a charm bracelet with Gwen's name and birthdate on a little heart. I recently read "Motherhood is like having your heart outside of your body". I think that holds true as she sleeps next to me. I couldn't ask for anything better. Motherhood has tested my mind and expanded my heart more than I ever thought possible.

A Footprint Lasts Forever

We headed over to Mind Over Splatter, a little make-your-own-ceramics place, to make a tile with Gwen's footprint on it. She did great! She has feet like her mommy, long and skinny with toes that stretch out in every direction. Here she is in all her glory. I am sure that her feet have already grown since everyday she's seems bigger and longer but it was a fun little adventure.

Time just flies...

We waited so long for Gwen to get here and now time is just flying. She has already grown and changed so much! She is getting such an awesome littler person. Check out these great pictures of her emerging personality. It has been so much fun already. Lyneal and I are just loving parenthood, even the not so great moments. A few things that we have come to identify as "ours" on her: She has mom's pointy elbows, long toes and skinny feet. She has dad's little bum, lots of dark hair and deep brown eyes. She is also missing a nose bridge which is mostly like her Aunt Elena but she seems to be looking more like mom than dad. Thanks again for all the well wishes and prayers. We are all doing really well.

She is finally here...

Well, she has finally made it! GWEN ABIGAIL joined us on Thursday, April 16th at 2:13pm. It is a great story! We were scheduled to start induction at 230 on wednesday afternoon, but as hospitals go, it was 530 before we got in and were able to start the process. It was a long night. I was having minor contractions until the dr came in at about 9am on thursday and broke my water. That threw us into full blown contractions and I just have to give us a little credit because Lyneal and I were able to make it through the next 4 hours of hard contractions, 1-4 minutes apart, with no epidural. Yippee to me! Most of you have commented on the craziness but I am glad that I was very present. At 1230p, the dr came to give me the very bad news that we were still only dialated 1cm and if there hadnt been any progress in the last few hours, it probably wasnt going to happen. We decided that the best thing to do would be to go with a C section as the baby was still extremely healthy and doing great, before things got complicated. Things went really fast at that point. I was prepped for surgery and wheeled to the OR in about 45 minutes. In about another 15 minutes, there was a little girl. She has made the last couple of days entertaining and challenging. We are both looking forward to experiencing this together. Keep an out eye for many amazing moments and updates. Thanks to everyone for all your love and support and well wishes.

Still waiting...

Well, as anyone can see the timer for our countdown has come and gone! And YES, we are still waiting. This little stinker is making it well known that she will come when she is good and ready. We thought we would share some pics of her room, that is also ready and waiting. Enjoy! We will be sure to let everyone know as soon as she arrives all about her.

Dad, Marlena and Elena's Rides

We Love the Snow!!

Saturday we head out before dawn to hit Flagstaff. Elena is looking into NAU and so we took a little day trip to check out the campus and have a tour. Freezing was what we were hit with. Snow and ice all over the place had us walking carefully and laughing as we each took a turn to slip and squeal as we tried to catch ourselves. After the tour, we hit a local diner and had yummy burgers and fries. I got a much deserved and craved after "Red Cow" (Dr. Pepper float) and it was so yummy. We headed out to find a great place to play in the snow and have a snowball fight. It was tons of fun! We had some great runs with out makeshift sleigh. Check out the videos and pics!!

Childhood Reflections

Being pregnant, of course, has brought so many things right to the surface in ways that I hope to raise our kids to be decent, respectful, productive members of this world. I just hope that the answers come when they are needed and that I am brave enough to share them. Here are few thoughts by Paul Harvey that I got in an email from my grandpa today. It reminded me of some things from my own childhood and I just wanted to share.

"I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let her.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask to be dropped two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
If a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.”

I have officially crossed over

Well, I have never been a girlie girl and will admit that the idea of a daughter kind of freaks me out. I don’t get the frill and lace. The pinks and pastels all sort of make me nauseous. But I think it is starting to grow on me. This has been hanging in the closet in the baby’s room for just over a month now. I grabbed it shopping on Black Friday. It was on clearance and she wont be able to wear it for probably a year but when I saw it I just couldn’t help but imagine my little brown eyed babe (I am assuming since the philippino genes are pretty strong), twirling in the tutu and posing for some of the cutest pics ever. So check back, at least some time next year, and see those shots. I just can’t wait. I guess I needed to talk about her a little bit tonight since Lyneal felt her moving for the first time tonight. I have had him put his hand on my little belly several times but this is the first time that she has kept on kicking. I think it sort of freaked him out but it was really exciting as well. It crazy how much more real she becomes every day as we get closer and closer to due date. Here are pics a few other things that we have picked up and are too excited to have her squeeze into. Seriously, can I really be about to become a MOM??

Happy New Year!

Well, the new year has started out with a bang! We had a Beach party out at our house. The boys went shooting and all us girls oohed and ahhed over the Twilight movie guide that I got for Christmas and watched a premier on Twilight that had been waiting patiently on the DVR. When everyone had arrived, BBQ began and the so did the noise! Rock Bank and Guitar Hero were both received for Christmas and it became the focus of the evening. We all rocked out! Good times were had and the new year started out with lots of laughs.