Insight Into Karen's Life

Awesome giveaway~

2012-02-04T16:33:00.000-09:00

12 Month Craft Kit Subscription Giveway – 36 Craft Kits for FREE! « Green Kid Crafts: Craft Ideas B
http://greenkidcrafts.com/craftideas/?p=126

My Miss Priss Boutique: 5th giveaway is........

2012-02-04T16:17:00.000-09:00

My Miss Priss Boutique: 5th giveaway is........: My new collecection of headbands!!! You get one of each in your choice of size!!! SO fun! This is a $48 dollar value! All you need to do...

My Miss Priss Boutique: First giveaway is this.......

2012-01-31T19:57:00.000-09:00

My Miss Priss Boutique: First giveaway is this.......: Hot pink lace romper! You also get the matching headband. You can choose the size. I have newborn to 4T. Perfect for photos or dress up. All...

I'm dying to win this!! :o)

Running on no sleep............

2012-01-14T18:17:00.000-09:00

but LOTS of LOVE! And these babies are very loved. I do need some sleep though! ;o)

taken 1/9/12 - Geneva & Mason

taken 1/14/12 - Geneva & Mason, after their bath today and smelling delicious!

Latest pic...

2012-01-03T18:11:00.000-09:00

Wearing outfits from Auntie Lou and Hats from cousin Mary!

Babies came home ~ December 23, 2011

2012-01-02T18:49:00.000-09:00

Geneva & Mason - taken 12/31/11

Big brother, Brighton, holding baby brother, Mason~

Baby sister, Geneva, with big brother, Brighton!

Life's been crazy around here since then! I had two of my sisters here helping us and one of my nieces. My niece is staying with us until February 15th! It is so nice to have an extra pair of hands around, to hold a baby or do the dishes, fix lunch or straighten up the house. Babies are growing so fast. They have their first checkup last Tuesday. They both weighed 6lbs. Mason was 19 1/2 inches long and Geneva was 18 3/4 inches long! They have another weight check appt tomorrow! We love having them home. Even though it means sleepless nights and sometimes fussy babies. They really are good babies, though. When they do get fussy, they are easy to calm! :o) So happy to be together as a "whole" family again and not with Mama in the hospital or the babies in the hospital and Mama at home!

I've been sick! Waaahhh....

2011-12-12T22:59:00.000-09:00

Geneva - Enjoying a moment without her feeding tube in her nose. Smiling with delight at it being gone.

and I haven't gotten to visit and hold my babies for over a week. I'm feeling better now and I'm hoping that I stay better enough to go see them tomorrow night or Wednesday for the day!

They are doing so great. They are taking 6 bottle feedings now out of 8 feedings a day. They are off of caffeine (to help with apnea) and are gaining weight every day! Mason weighs 5lb even now and Geneva weighs 5lb 2oz. :o)

Mason - trying to get his thumb into his mouth!

Their nurses are just amazing and one in particular sends me pictures to help me through having to stay home and not be with my babies. I have posted the two latest pics. I think my babies look amazing!

Mason and Geneva's Birth Story ~may be slightly graphic~

2011-11-25T10:42:00.001-09:00

Some of this you may have heard or read about already but I think it's important to the whole story to include it in this part of the story. Let me say that I had been praying for a natural birth, even knowing that having a C-section was a very real possibility. I even talked about doing it completely natural with no pain meds or epidurals. During all the more painful contractions though, I had started thinking this wouldn't be possible because I couldn't see an end in sight and I wasn't sure how long I could do that without any "help"!

Geneva - 11/24/11

Mason - 11/24/11

I came home from the hospital after 7 weeks on bedrest, Mon, November 7th. I was home for 6 uneventful days, till the evening of Sunday, November 13th. At 31 weeks along and around 8:25pm, contractions just started up out of the blue and they were 5 minutes apart and intense. I timed them for 25 minutes and when I'd had 5 in that time, I called the doctor. He told me to go right to our local Labor and Delivery, which I did, they hooked me up to the Contraction monitor and heartrate monitors for the babies (who were both sounding fabulous) and started me on Magnesium Sulfate right away to stop the contractions, but that didn't help a lot and the contractions were getting quite painful, so they gave me Fentanyl. That didn't work and just made me a little drowsy, so they gave me a double dose of Stadol so I could get through the ambulance ride to transfer me to the big hospital with the NICU an hour away. Funny thing is, it made me hallucinate (LOL, I was seeing all the nurses, Dewayne, my Dr. and the EMT's as cardboard people) but it didn't take away the pain of the contractions. I rode in the ambulance and Dewayne drove home to grab some things for me and met me at the hospital. Once I arrived at the big hospital a little after midnight on Monday, November 14th, there were 2 doctors, 1 nurse and a myriad of machines and monitors waiting for me. Since I was still contracting and they were getting even more painful, my nurse helped me with breathing through them. They upped the Magnesium Sulfate and gave me a 3rd steriod injection (I got the series of 2 the first time I was admitted to the hospital) for the babies lungs. After an ultrasound by the perinatologist to check babies positions, estimate their weights and check my cervical length, the OB doctor on call did a vaginal exam and found softening but no dilation. Contractions petered out around 3:30am and we were able to sleep for awhile. Dewayne left at 6am to head home and sleep a little before he went into work for a bit. Later that day, they moved me out of Labor and Delivery back to the Prenatal Unit, because labor wasn't eminient anymore. I had an uneventful afternoon Monday and the next day, everything was nice and calm! Until around 9pm when I started having contractions again, that is!! They were more intense and painful but they were kind of sporadic and weren't showing up when the nurses did my monitoring that evening and I thought that they weren't too bad, so they just told me to keep track of them. I called them again around 11 and they told me they'd be in to check on me at midnight and I was still contracting. So back on the monitor I went. The contractions still weren't showing up and didn't seem to be getting worse or closer together, so the nurses gave me an Ambien and I slept for a solid 2 1/2 hours. Contractions woke me up around 2:30am and I waited till 3:30 to call my nurses again. They came in and put me back on the monitor (and also listened to the babies heart beats for 5 minutes.) Babies were doing great, tolerating the contractions well. By that time, the contractions were starting to get closer together and more painful again. So they called the on call Dr. and he had them put me on the Magnesium Sulfate again and my IV site started swelling so they had to switch the IV site to the other arm. By now it's around 5:30am and contractions are showing no signs of stopping. I'd been using the bathroom every hour through out the night and the pressure down there was pretty intense. I still didn't think a whole lot was going on....I thought I was just "having contractions" again and that they would stop. I asked one of the nurses call Dewayne to tell him I was having contractions and we'd call if anything really started happening. Remember, we live an hour away from the hospital. It's about 6 now and things are starting to look like they may keep going and the Mag isn't stopping the contractions. Nurses are going in and out of my room at a regular rate. All of this time, I haven't asked for pain meds or even thought that I was going into labor. I am now at 31 weeks and 3 days. At 6:27am, all of the sudden, I felt the need to PUSH and that my water might have broken....I told my nurse frantically that I did and that she needed to call Dewayne NOW!!! Then I got strict orders to puff and not to push.....I still had my cerclage in (the stitch to keep my cervix closed) and if the babies were born with that in, my cervix could be ripped badly. My nurse checked me and felt Mason's head was right there. The next thing I knew, I was being wheeled out of my room on my bed as fast as they could down to the OR, next to the NICU. All the while, when I'd get a contraction, I'd be puffing instead of pushing and then my body would just take over and start to push. This happened three times total, while "flying" through the halls of the hospital and just as I was wheeled into the OR at 6:36am, my body took over and bore down hard and Mason popped out of me onto the bed behind me under the covers. I told the nurses (the dr. wasn't there yet.) "I had a baby, he came out, he was born!" and the OR nurse pulled up the blanket and there he was, crying! She clamped and cut his cord. Then she passed him through the window to the nurse waiting in the NICU. They then transferred me to the OR table and got my feet up in stirrups. The on call Dr. for the Prenatal Unit still hadn't arrived so they called a Dr. who was in the on call room next door to the OR (as it turns out, he was my Dr. for for my whole pg with Brighton but didn't deliver him, he was off the weekend Brighton was born) and he came in just after Mason was born. He slowly broke Geneva's bag of waters and helped her ease down into the birth canal. Then he told me to gently push and out popped my little girl at 6:49am. He held her up so I could see her and then clamped and cut her cord and she was passed through the window to the nurse in the NICU. The rest was easy, placentas came right out with one more push, I was then put on a pictocin drip to help minimize bleeding and shrink my uterus, sedated and given local anaesthetic, so they could check my cervix for tearing (and repair it if it was necessary) from the cerclage (which Mason popped) and stitch up the first degree tear in my perineum. My cervix had no damage at all and they were able to just take the popped cerclage out. :o) Whew!! The nurse popped her head through the window periodically to give me updates on the babies and the NICU dr. came in later to tell me the babies were doing great and breathing on their own. Mason weighed 3lbs 14oz and was 16 1/2 inches long and Geneva weighed 3lbs 11oz and was 17 inches long. They are in the NICU and will most likely be able to come home before the New Year. They are both got their IV's out and they both no longer need the hi-flow air and oxygen tubes in their noses. They are being tube-fed over an ounce of my pumped milk every 3 hours now and we are doing "non-nutritive" sucking so they can "practice" for breastfeeding!! They also get caffeine to help with keeping their breathing steady. I'm so proud of my babies and love them so very much. Brighton is excited his baby brother and baby sister are born but won't be able to meet them till they come home from the NICU! He does get to see pictures though. It was an amazing labor and delivery, considering I only KNEW I was in labor 22 minutes before it was all over!! Now I'd say my active labor was around 3 hours long! :o) I GOT my COMPLETELY natural birth! I am so thankful that my prayers were answered. The doctors and nurses (My nurses were phenomenal. I just LOVE them all, they are amazing and caring women!) took such good care of me while I was there for the first time - 7 weeks - then the second time - 2 days - and now the doctors and nurses in the NICU are taking good care of my babies. Praise the Lord!! God is so Good.....all the time! :o) A couple of my nurses told me that God allowed me to go into labor without me realizing it because if we had "known" sooner, I would have ended up with a C-section because that is what a few of the regular on call doctors prefer! AND I would have told my nurses sooner that I was in labor if I had realized it. I always told them when I felt off or if anything out of the ordinary happened!!

Announcing the birth..................

2011-11-21T23:13:00.000-09:00

of Mason NormanRoy and Geneva MaryRuth Kern! They arrived into this world on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 6:36am and 6:49am. Mason weighed 3lb 14oz and was 16 1/2 inches long. Geneva weighed 3lb 11oz and was 17 inches long. They are both in the NICU but are breathing on their own and are doing great. They just need to grow and grow so they can come home before the New Year. Thank you, Jesus, for these two new, beautiful blessings!

Back in the hospital..................

2011-11-15T17:57:00.000-09:00

So, my brief respite from hospital life only lasted 6 days! Ah, well, I did get those 6 days and I am thankful for that. I am back in the hospital on bedrest. Contractions started up out of the blue, 5 minutes apart and painful. Called the Dr. almost right away and he sent me directly to the local L&D. They then transferred me to the hospital with the "big guns" by ambulance, after they got me started on Mag, Terbutaline and painkillers! LOL!! They gave me Fentanol and that made me dizzy but didn't help too much with the pain, so then they gave me a double dose of Stadol and that made me hallucinate (everything and everyone was cardboard and I was seeing things that weren't there) and I could still feel the pain from the contractions!! Crazy!

So, at 31 weeks and 2 days along, I'm back in the hospital. The dr. says I need to stay here till 36 weeks now but that doesn't seem too long (after putting in a 7 week stint already)! It's only 4 weeks and 6 days..till the Monday after the Sunday that I will 36 weeks along on!

Latest belly pic........AND the latest news..............

2011-11-08T10:48:00.000-09:00

Dewayne has faithfully been taking my picture every Sunday when he and Brighton have been visiting me.

Here is the 30 weeks with Twins shot from Sunday, November 6th.

The latest news is that after 7 weeks of bedrest in the hospital, I am now at HOME!! Still on bedrest, but so thankful to be home!! PRAISE THE LORD! I have numerous Dr. appts in the next few weeks, but it's so wonderful to be home again, that I'm just not thinking about that right now. I am savoring the feel of laying in my own bed, hearing my son playing out in the livingroom, tolerating the dog wanting to spend every second laying at my feet or on my legs on the bed. I would normally just kick the dog off the bed and tell her to go somewhere else! Ha ha. I'm just so happy to be home. :o)

Bedrest @ 22 weeks~

2011-09-12T09:57:00.001-08:00

Took a trip into the L&D OB Triage on Saturday for contractions. I got shots to stop them & sent home to RELAX! I am now on strict bed rest. I have to stay down & can only get up for very short (time & distance) bathroom trips. Prayers are appreciated. I am 22 weeks along. Brighton, 2 1/2 yrs old, is with Grandma right now. I have a niece flying up to help out on Tuesday evening! YAY, so thankful for that!

21 weeks with twins........

2011-09-05T19:27:00.003-08:00

Time is flying by and I am already 21 weeks along. I am having contractions if I indulge in any physical activity. So, I am being very careful to rest regularly and I am trying to eat well and drink alot of water. At my last Dr.'s appt, I had gained 12 1/2 pounds. A little scary but I'm eating so much that I don't think I can possibly eat any more!

Twins are exciting and we had an ultrasound on Aug. 22nd. It was a Level II and very detailed. They did measurements of everything they can see in there. I was 19 weeks 3 days along and the babies were measuring 19 weeks 6 days. They weighed approx. 10 oz. each and we all look good! We are having a boy AND a girl!! So excited!

Baby Boy

Baby Girl

Me.....21 weeks!

Belly and Ultrasound pics.

2011-06-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Ultrasound taken June 16, 2011

Today - 10 weeks

Wednesday, June 14 - 9 weeks 5 days

The latest news!!

2011-06-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Still no pictures, since I haven't gotten a photobucket or flickr account yet. :o) However, to let you know what has been going on lately, here are some news tidbits!

On May 4th, I got a positive pregnancy test!! YAY!! So exciting. I had been having symptoms of pregnancy for over a week and knew it was still too early to test, but then I decided to just go ahead with it.

On May 5th, I went into the dr. to get an official confirmation. That test was also positive. We figured that my due date was Jan. 16, 2012.

On May 19th, I had my first prenatal appt. We then changed my due date to Jan. 15th.

On May 20th, I volunteered to help with training for an ultrasound tech for a local pregnancy center. I was 6 weeks along that day. I was seeing two sacs but thought I was seeing mirror till the end and the two techs asked me if I knew what I was seeing and then I knew I had really been seeing two. :o) Wow!! But we weren't able to see heartbeats and they told me to call my dr. on Monday!!

On May 23rd, I talked to my dr.'s office and they said to go in for a regular ultrasound.

On May 25th, I went in for the "real" ultrasound and we got to see the two gestational sacs with the yolk sacs and inside two little heartbeats!

Tomorrow, June 10th, I will be 9 weeks along. My next prenatal appt is in a couple weeks! Can't wait to discuss TWINS with my doctor!

Technical difficulties...

2011-04-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I haven't been posting. I was going to try to catch up on my posts and tell you all about what has been happening since October 2010~ However, I love posting pictures to illustrate my posts and because they are all just on my computer and not on a web album, Blogger won't let me upload them here. So, when I get that all figured out, then I can start posting again!! LOL!! See you around!

18 month pics....October 2010

2011-01-18T07:35:00.003-09:00

Brighton was 18 months old in October. I gave him a haircut and did a photo shoot to mark the occasion.

Well, I tried to upload some pics but they never showed up. I'll try again soon!

*added photos - 1/24/11

Time.....

2011-01-18T07:32:00.002-09:00

sometimes it just gets away from you and before you know it, it is next year and wow.......

Hellooo~

2010-08-27T21:42:00.003-08:00

Yes, we are still alive over here. You'd think that now that I'm not working I'd have more time to come on here and blog, but alas, I just don't do it!! :o) Here are a few recent pics of the little man~

TOP to BOTTOM:

Standing on the gravel at the playground and eating goldfish.

Daddy sharing his cereal with Brighton~This is a morning routine that happens if Brighton is awake before Daddy leaves for work. Now that Brighton is a little bigger, he gets to drink the milk out of the bowl when Daddy is done eating!

Picking strawberries with Grandma!! He LOVES berries! Strawberries, Raspberries (from Grandma's garden) & Blueberries (from the store). He can even say "Blue......Berries"!

Wearing the NEW "long john" pajamas we found at a garage sale and Grandma bought for him, because Mama just loved them! Aren't they adorable???!!!!

Riding the awesome, old-fashioned, homemade rocking horse that we found at a garage sale and Grandma couldn't resist buying it for him!! He walked into that garage sale and made a beeline for it!! :o)

Grandma spoils him rotten...........................can you tell??

My "Big Boy".....

2010-06-26T21:39:00.003-08:00

Driving in the little car with cousin Nali.

Mama and Brighton

Brighton and Kohl on the rock.

One sunny day.......shorts and flipflops.

Trying to sweep our parking lot.

I know I promised pictures............Here are a few.

2010-06-03T07:38:00.007-08:00

Evan, Dewayne & Brighton at Giant's Causeway

Brighton at Evan & Jemma's Reception

Dunluce Castle......... 3 photos.

Giant's Causeway

The Church Evan & Jemma got married in, in Portrush

Personal Merry-go-round at Portstewart.

Our first morning in Belfast. We ate a traditional Irish Fry breakfast.

Drogheda, Ireland. We were walking and came upon this cool arch over the road.

We are back home....

2010-05-17T18:14:00.002-08:00

after being gone for 3 1/2 weeks. It felt like forever. But it was fun. :o) We took a trip to Ireland by way of Montana....(actually, Spokane). On the morning we were supposed to leave for Ireland we got a call that our flight from Chicago to Dublin had been cancelled, so we went into the airport and asked them if they could send us to Spokane while we were waiting for our rescheduled flight. They did it for a fee of $5 and off we went. So, we got to visit Dewayne's dad and then take our dream vacation to Ireland. We spent almost a week in Northern Ireland for a wedding and a little sightseeing then took a ferry over from Dun Laoghaire (it's said Dun Leary) to Wales and spent the night in a Castle!! We then went to Stonehenge and Brighton (for our Brighton). We walked down to the waterfront from a parking garage uptown.......quite a walk and took some pictures of Brighton with some Brighton signs. We then headed north. We spent the next night in Nottingham and tried to drive through Sherwood Forest but the road was closed. We spent our last night in Scotland, tried to find a castle and couldn't find it, then took the ferry back over to Belfast from Stranraer. We then proceeded to head south. After spending the night in Athlone, we popped in to visit Dewayne's nephew Branden who lives in Limerick and he and his beautiful girlfriend Mary-Rose feed us some delicious chowder and sent us on our way with lovely sandwiches and fruit. :o) We spent the next night in Cork and then headed north to Dublin. We stayed in a Travelodge just a few minutes from the airport that night. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:35am the next morning, but it ended up being delayed. We did fly out and that 8 hour and 45 minute flight was the longest I'd ever been on. Through this all our little trooper was fabulous. He did great on most of our flights and even though he got tired of riding in the car and had his fussy moments, the good moments and behaviour far outweighed the bad! I will try to post some of the best pics soon!

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

2010-03-23T11:39:00.002-08:00

Can't believe it!! My baby boy is ONE!!!

Handsome little man~

2010-02-28T09:58:00.002-09:00

Delighted that he got to the top of the stairs!

Hanging out in the car, waiting for Sears to open!

Dressed up in his outfit that I got for his 1 year pics, but the shirt is too small and the pants are WAY too big. He actually lost the pants!

On his feet.............

2010-02-24T21:23:00.003-09:00

He was having a little fit because he wanted something that I didn't think he should play with!!

Happily trucking across our livingroom!

Here are a couple of pics of my little man. Mobile! On his feet. It's so cute to see him toddling around at home or the office. Ahhhh, so sweet.

Some new pics......

2010-02-09T17:14:00.003-09:00

Playing peekaboo with Mama at the office!

Sharing the iPod!

Check out my mohawk!!

Keeping the teeth all pearly white!! He loves to brush his teeth!

He's WALKING!!!!

2010-02-09T17:10:00.002-09:00

Yep, it's true. I even have witnesses!! He's been taking a few steps here and there but today, February 9th, while we were at a friend's house on a "play date", he just took off and walked a ways and then kept doing it off and on (usually while he was carrying something in one hand)!! I don't have any pictures of it but some day soon I will take some pictures of him walking!!

Showing off his teeth!!

2010-01-27T16:55:00.002-09:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-17T16:24:00.001-09:00

Hope everyone's New Year got off to a good start. It's been busy around here. :o)

All I Want for Christmas......

2009-12-26T10:17:00.001-09:00

is my two front teeth!! Well, that wish came half true for my little man. His upper right central incisor came through yesterday! One down, one more to go!

Father and Son Activities.................

2009-12-24T08:12:00.002-09:00

Brighton loves his little animals that go into a "puzzle" board. Dewayne was playing with them and stacking them up and then Brighton came along and knocked his "tower" of animals down.

Merry Christmas~

2009-12-24T08:05:00.003-09:00

Here is our tree with all the presents for our little family and for the rest of the family up here!!

Oh, BOY!! .......Off on a New Adventure

2009-12-24T07:54:00.003-09:00

Almost to the top!

At the top!!

Yes, we have a new adventure in our house. It is called climbing the stairs. He's tried a few times, but usually didn't get above the second stair. Here I was, sitting on the couch, transferring things from Brighton's old "diaper bag" (a GAC bag that I got free at the orthodontic conference I went to a couple of years ago) to his nice new one, Dewayne walked by Brighton and I and went upstairs. The next thing I know, Brighton was on his way up the stairs, too and at the second step. No hesitation, just trucking up the stairs. He got all the way to the top without a slip or fall. He went so fast, too! You wouldn't have thought it was the first time he'd climbed the stairs all by himself. It was incredible!! :o) But from now on, if we are downstairs I will have to watch him like a hawk or put up gates.

Baby is learning new things......

2009-12-23T06:22:00.002-09:00

.....and starting to talk.

On Saturday morning, he woke up and we could hear him chattering on the monitor. Just random chatter, then all of the sudden we hear, "Dada..............Dada." Ah, he knows Daddy usually comes and gets him up on the weekends. So, Daddy went and got him. :o)

Then on Monday morning, I was listening to him as he woke up, chattering again, quite happily for a while. Finally, I went down to get him. I walked into his room and asked him, "Are you ready to get up?" and he very clearly answered me, "Up." I was delighted and said to him, "You are ready to get up! You said 'up'!!" Then when I took him out of the crib I repeated "Up" again. :o) It's exciting and sad all at once.

I am trying to teach him a few hand signs, such as please, thank you, more, etc. So, he can tell me nicely that he wants more instead of just squawking or yelling when he wants something. He's getting so big now and he knows now when he wants something and "asks" for it by "squawking"!!

Well, my sweet little boy is needing my attention and we need to leave for work soon. I should grab a bite to eat and he needs a chill pill. He's a little fussy. I had to fight him all the way from changing his diaper to getting his clothes and shoes on this morning!!

What do babies do when Mommy is sick?

2009-12-15T07:16:00.002-09:00

That was my question this morning. When I went to sleep last night, I felt a little off but didn't really think much of it. I pretty much just thought it was because I was tired. I fell asleep without brushing my teeth or taking my medicine, so I got up around 10:30 to do so. Then went back to sleep. The next time I woke up was at 1 to go give Brighton his binky so he could go back to sleep, which he did promptly. I went back to bed but couldn't get comfy....then it hit me at about 1:20......I told Dewayne I wasn't feeling that good and he went downstairs to get me Pepto-Bismal, but while he was down there I had to run down to use the bathroom. It was awful.....I hate throwing up. I was going to go back to bed but wasn't comfortable lying down, so I moved my "barf bucket", water bottle, blankets and laptop down to the recliner and sat in that for an hour and a half, then laid down on the couch and tried to sleep. Which I did sporadically. Brighton woke up to nurse at 4 (it hurt to hold him) and then went right back to sleep. I tried to sleep more but my whole body, my head and stomach hurt. I haven't been this sick in ages and I definitely haven't thrown up like this since I was in labor with Brighton.

My sweet husband is taking part of the morning off to take care of Brighton for me. Isn't he just the best??!! He already fed him breakfast and now he is changing his diaper and will most likely get him dressed!

Brighton is 'squawking' now......he has a new way of expressing himself and he can be quite loud, but it's not an upset sound, it's a happy sound. I love it. He has learned how to clap now and how to wave bye!

Our little Christmas elf!

2009-12-14T17:11:00.003-09:00

Happy Thanksgiving ~

2009-11-26T09:45:00.001-09:00

I hope everyone has a very blessed and wonderful day. However you spend it. With family & friends, eating good food, reflecting on all the blessings we have received and being thankful for the gifts God has given to us!!

Little Friends.....Wednesday, November 11, 2009

2009-11-21T09:24:00.003-09:00

Landon sharing his "baby" goldfish with Brighton.

More sharing!

Happy Boys!

Landon is the grandson of one of Dewayne's friends, he'll be a year old the beginning of December. He's so cute and so much bigger than Brighton. He was so sweet, sharing his little fishies with Brighton. It was fun to watch them interact. They did start shoving each other a little after these pictures were taken!! :o)

Snowsuit & First Snow......Monday, November 9, 2009

2009-11-21T09:15:00.003-09:00

Trying on his snowsuit for the first time. It's a little big and I think he was a little scared of it!

Sitting out in the snow for the first time. He didn't quite know what to think of it and didn't know if he could move in his big snowsuit!

Talking to the camera!

Halloween Pics.....

2009-11-07T14:12:00.002-09:00

The handsome safari man found a cute little monkey in the jungle!

Even monkeys have to ride in carseats!! ;o)

Monkeying around!

The whole family!

Eating his first lollipop! A sour green apple dumdum. My favorite!

Sorry.....

2009-11-07T06:38:00.001-09:00

no pics still!

Halloween

2009-11-06T16:54:00.003-09:00

..............I was just planning to ignore it. I didn't think my husband would want to do anything. We discussed getting Brighton a costume.......just 'cause they are so cute. Then we were invited to a party at Grandma's house, put on by my sister-in-law. Her husband just moved up to Alaska and they have a little two year old girl, so it was a Welcome to Alaska/Halloween Party! So, then we had to get Brighton a costume. I found him a cute Monkey outfit at Target and when I got it home.......my husband.......who doesn't even like to dress up to go out on a date had a wonderful idea that he should be a safari guy to match Brighton!! As I was looking for the pieces to Dewayne's costume I kept an eye out for a costume for myself and ending up going as an angel! It was fun to see all the little kids in their costumes and their excitement over the candy and activities the hostess had planned!! Thanks, Krista!

I will post pics later, this site won't let me now!! AND I have a little boy over here, exercising his lungs and screaming quite loudly!!

7 months

2009-10-29T17:52:00.005-08:00

My baby was 7 months old on October 23rd. I can't believe how fast the time is going.

The most common site that greets me...................

2009-10-26T16:58:00.004-08:00

Sidling along the couch because I'm sitting at the other end!

Using his clothes hamper as a standing help.

Using the chair next to the island.

Mom, I don't really need a nap!

Looking out the door window!

using the chair by the island again!

Look at me, Mom!!

Thursday ~ Baking day

2009-10-23T19:58:00.005-08:00

Yep, I baked on this Thursday. Cookies. I don't like to bake. At least that's what I've always said, thought, felt. I enjoyed making cookies.....two whole batches. One Chocolate Chip and one Oatmeal Scotchies. Yummm. The chocolate chip were too cakey and thick.....Dewayne likes them thinner and crisper and they were made just for him. He took them to share with the guys at work. The oatmeal scotchies were just the right thinness and crispiness. I shared with some friends. My sweet baby spent time crawling around the floor, sitting in his eating chair snacking on Cheerios and Puffs, and bouncing in his Jumperoo.........near the end of my cookie baking saga he was getting a little whiny, but I just talked to him a bit and after a while he got very quiet. He had fallen asleep in his Jumperoo. Aaahhhh. A quiet house, delicious smells wafting through the house and waiting for my honey to come home so I could surprise him with freshly baked cookies. And it was a big surprise, because his wife NEVER bakes!! :o) Well, I can't say never anymore.....I did bakes COOKIES!!

Trying new foods.....

2009-10-22T10:21:00.003-08:00

is a great adventure for our little man. So far no allergies, thanks to God!! He has liked everything thing we have tried.......the baby foods - Rice and Oatmeal Cereals, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, Green Beans, Squash, Applesauce, Peaches, Bananas, Prunes, Pears, Chicken w/ Gravy, Veal w/ Gravy (he has Turkey and Beef left to try) - real food, such as, the hamburger and whole wheat spaghetti without the sauce ground up and eaten while we were having spaghetti for supper, the homegrown carrots (from Grandma) cooked and ground up, (DELICIOUS), at Grandma's when we had Oven Fried Chicken, he had it too, ground up with mixed veggies and with mashed potatoes on the side!! He loves Cheerios and has warmed up to the Gerber Puffs.....the texture was a little strange to him at first! He loves to drink out of our water bottles or glasses of juice, water or cups of decaf coffee. He just thinks it is so neat. He has his own sippy cup already and is getting quite talented at using it. :o) He decided a while back that if he isn't nursing and he needs to drink something he doesn't want it to be from a bottle. Though his Daddy did get him to drink out of a bottle the other day when he watched him while I was at work.

Happiness and Joy................

2009-10-22T10:12:00.002-08:00

shows on the face of my little darling as he crawls around, discovering things! A book....Ten Little Ladybugs, the one that Auntie Louise gave him when he was born. A basket of clothes....a wondrous thing, so many colors and textures to see and explore, uh oh, that basket isn't sturdy enough to use to stand up. Let's look over here, his boppy pillow....oh, so soft and comfy...I can just see him thinking, "I'll pause here for a second", then on to the next thing. Into the corner where his crib used to be, before we moved him downstairs. We have a comforter and a ring of pillows in there, because he was using the basket to stand up and it's a safer place to fall than most around here. There are toys in the corner, too. Maybe a book. He's so busy and delighted as he roams around. Sometimes chattering quietly to himself, sometimes just taking everything in. What a little sweetheart. :o)

Standing....

2009-10-18T19:19:00.002-08:00

it's crazy. Every day he learns a new thing. Today, it is pulling himself up to standing by a laundry basket. He fell and conked his head twice, so I put pillows on the floor around it. He fell twice more and was just mad because he fell, not because he got hurt. I am not ready for him to be so big, and doing so much stuff. He has climbed me before and stood up that way, but this is different, more independent!! He likes to crawl to the bedroom door, that we have ajar so Kohl can get out if she needs to, and open it or close it. But it's dangerous, because the stairs are right there.

Crawling!

2009-10-17T17:30:00.002-08:00

Yep, he finally started crawling. On October 15th, at Grandma's house, he got his hands and knees to work together for the first time. :o) Yea!! It's so cute, now he follows me around the house, slowly, yes, but following me nonetheless.

My baby is 6 months old..................

2009-09-23T21:43:00.003-08:00

today! It almost makes me want to cry. He is growing so fast and learning so many new things.

TEETH!!

2009-09-20T10:17:00.004-08:00

Here they are!

pl/[;'?]lko,,,, k 8 uuynnm,nnnnnnnnnnnnjunj m9 htvgh u i 8 u uuuuuun77777 lop\

Brighton says, "I'm glad my two bottom teeth are in and can't wait till the two top ones are in, too!"

Photo Shoot.....

2009-09-17T18:28:00.003-08:00

I have a little ham, who already knows when I get out the camera that it's time for smiles, etc!

He also tries to grab the camera now....I think he thinks it'd make a good chew toy!!

FIRST TOOTH....

2009-09-17T18:23:00.004-08:00

wow.....after 3 months of strenuous teething, his FIRST TOOTH finally popped through the gum on Labor Day, September 7, 2009! It is the lower right central incisor and it is VERY SHARP. So far he has only bitten my fingers.....but OUCH, that hurts. :o) Not looking forward to being bitten while nursing him. His second tooth showed up two days ago, Tuesday, September 15, 2009, the lower left central incisor. But because they are lower teeth, I am thinking if he does try to bite me while nursing, he will bite his tongue first. OUCH!! I tried to take pics but the little, sharp toofie wasn't up enough to show up well. Now that he has two maybe it will work better. When I finally get pics of his little teefers, I will post them!!!

Ready to crawl......

2009-09-17T18:19:00.003-08:00

but he hasn't figured out how to move his hands yet. He has actually gotten up on his hands and feet........not just knees....I have a photo of he doing a nose dive from that position, but he didn't hit his face on the floor.

His first meal.........

2009-09-17T18:04:00.005-08:00

1. He HAD to hold the spoon.

2. Daddy with his son. Aww, how sweet.

3. Just look at that messy, but oh, so adorable face.

His first meal.........

of baby cereal, that is.......Not the earth shattering moment it could have been. I fed him rice cereal while Daddy held him, then we took a couple of pics after the feeding to commemorate it. He now gets cereal usually rice but he has tried oatmeal and really enjoys eating them both. He says.....mmmmm and opens his mouth wide!! :o)

Our trip to Washington & Oregon...

2009-09-17T17:10:00.007-08:00

Papa & Mama's Gravestone with the little Kleenex that Ben left for us because he knew we'd be stopping a little while after his family did.

Me holding Brighton & Desi

Floor baby...in the kitchen at Lou's.

Brighton sitting in the little rocker at his Auntie Lou & Uncle Andy's (His Godparents) house.

Me w/ Brighton & Joy w/ Desiree

Joy at Burgerville, she was on the other side of the table and Desi was sleeping in her carseat.

Rhoda, Brighton and I at Burgerville........Joy and I had lunch with her. :o)

Cousins ~ Brighton & Desi

At the Ilwaco Park

At the cemetary.

On the lawn in front of the "Home Place"

Hanging out with Mom on in front of the house she grew up in.

Discovering his toes......YUM

Airport Baby

was a lot of fun. I left Alaska with Brighton in tow on the 14th of August & returned on the 22nd! I got to see all of my siblings & most of their families who live in the area. AND my sister from Minnesota flew out and we overlapped for 3 & 1/2 days. I hadn't seen her baby yet and she hadn't seen mine. So, our babies got to see their closest cousin in age!! Joy's Desi was born in Feb. and Brighton was born in March......just under a month apart. I was a little apprehensive, flying for the first time with a baby. But he did so awesome. We got through the checkpoint just great (thanks to the TSA people who helped get my bags, baby and shoes sorted out) He fussed only minutely and slept most of the flight. He only slept a little on the flight from Seattle to Portland but he was fascinated by the two male flight attendants and that kept him happy.

It was good to see the homeplace again and say goodbye to the house and visit the cemetary and see Papa and Mama's gravestone since they carved the date of Papa's death into it. I took a pic of Brighton next to it. That is how he will know my parents, his Pappa & Mummo! By pictures and stories that I tell him, from when I was growing up.

We got to go to one of my niece's 30th birthday party!!! It was a gorgeous day, but a little windy. I got to see my newest great-nephew....he was brand new, only a few days old. I got to go to Clatskanie for church on Sunday, always a treat. And everyone got to see my baby!! :o) I just loved showing him off. I got to spend time "at the beach" (not really, but close to it), see an old friend (she worked at the Chinook cannery with us girls) who is so sweet and recently lost her husband, show off my baby to one of the girls I used to baby sit years ago....she's in college now (that makes me feel so old)!

We did lots of other stuff, too. It was awesome seeing everyone, having lunches with sisters, sisters-in-laws, brothers families, etc. Big THANK YOU's to my sisters who let me sleep at their houses, my niece and her husband who let me use their extra car for my wheels while I was down there and my niece who let me borrow her pink, yes, I said pink, carseat for my son to use (it wasn't blatantly pink.....but it was pink nonetheless.....but it was a pink and gray plaid and I don't think he will be scarred by the experience.....I didn't even get any pics of him in it).

Hello......

2009-09-16T05:36:00.003-08:00

and yes, we are still here, but we have been incredibly busy. Lots of things have happened since I last posted, and I mean to post pictures and stories to go with them. Sometime soon! :o)

Creeping, rolling and laughing.....

2009-08-08T09:34:00.002-08:00

I wish I could get a video of him doing all of his new actions. It is so cute and sweet. He is hanging out on the bed with me right now. AND he has skooched almost down to the end of it.

He just starting doing that and yesterday he starting rolling over. From his belly to his back, it's more of a flop, and it startles him! The first two times he did it I didn't even get to see it. Once during the night, and when he woke me up because he was hungry, I reached into the crib where I had put him the night before and found his feet not his head. He had turned completely around and rolled over. Then at work, while he was doing his "tummy time", he was fussing a bit but I was ignoring him, then he started crying harder and I turned around to look at him and he had rolled over into his swing bottom and had his face on the floor!!

The laughing is just delightful!! It is so awesome. If I blow on his neck and make razzing sounds, he will start giggling, then if I just tickle him a bit and make little tsking noises, he goes off in paroxysms of laughter. It makes me laugh so hard that my eyes start watering. :o)

Another Beautiful Homemade Blanket......

2009-08-08T08:45:00.003-08:00

spoiled or what?? Wow, he has so many wonderful blankets made lovingly by our wonderful friends. This newest addition to his "heirloom" set is a wonderful red and white blanket. Red fleece with white stars on one side, red cotton with white dots on the other side. Brighton was trying to figure out how to pick up the stars!! It was so cute. He likes to spend his tummy time at the office on it.

not much sleep and a grumpy baby......

2009-08-04T20:51:00.002-08:00

Hi, everyone. Thought I'd do a quick post before I drift off into sleep. I have been extremely tired lately. Part of it is due to Brighton's teething.....he has been waking up 2-3 times a night this past week or so. After getting into a routine of only once a night. It's been a little hard to take. He's been extra fussy and was pulling at his ears along with some heavy duty screaming. I took him in to see his dr. and it's not an ear infection......he is trying to get his lower two teeth still. She said it will still be a while..........oh, boy!! Well, good night. I'm praying we get a little more sleep tonight.....he was exhausted and fell asleep before 8. I was falling asleep but had to wake myself up to go brush my teeth, put my retainer in and take out my contact.

Blast from the past!

2009-07-30T09:35:00.004-08:00

This picture arrived in the mail one day last year. A certain young nephew of mine, who shall remain nameless, was going through his mother's old pictures and came across some old pics of me. He took them somewhere and got copies of them and then sent them to me. I had never seen these pictures before, but this one was my favorite. I don't remember the occasion but I just like the wind blowing in my hair, my little green sweater and my bare feet.

4 month pics!

2009-07-29T16:57:00.001-08:00

4 month checkup

2009-07-29T16:47:00.002-08:00

Little B had his 4 month checkup last week. He weighed 15lb 5oz & was 25 3/4 inches long. His doc said he looks very healthy and happy. He likes to "tell" her stories when he sees her! He is in the 70th percentile for weight and the 80th percentile for height! She saw a tooth trying to pop thru on the lower gums.....I've known he's been teething for the last two months! I hope it comes thru soon!

Grumpy Garage Sale Baby.....

2009-07-29T12:27:00.003-08:00

You would think he'd enjoy managing a garage sale.....that means lots of people stopping by to admire him. Which they did, profusely.....but this was his expression for the day!

First fever.....

2009-07-19T11:21:00.002-08:00

Okay...this is definitely not something I was prepared for mentally. I was feeling a little icky this morning. Brighton was doing just fine when he woke up.........he showered with me. I handed him out to Daddy to diaper and he brought him upstairs to hang out while I finished my shower. When I got out, I heard my little fussy-pants. I came upstairs and Daddy was sitting on the bed with our little man laying beside him. I threw on some clothes and then I came over and leaned over to kiss him (the little one)......and wow....he felt hot. So, I grabbed the thermometer and checked his temp under his arm. It read 96.5, so I was thinking it couldn't be right. I ran downstairs and got the "binky" thermometer. It read 99.5. He's been sleeping a bit and been fussy but he doesn't feel like he's getting hotter. He is scheduled for his 4 month well baby check on Tuesday. But if he's still feverish or worse I'll call his dr. tomorrow or sooner! He is definitely teething and he has been grabbing his ears.......but I don't know if he's been grabbing his ears because they hurt or because they are protruding from his head and his hands just run into them!!

Who does he look like??

2009-07-13T20:08:00.008-08:00

Who do I look like?

My Mommy when she was 4 months old???

Maybe My Mommy when she was almost 1 year old??

Or My Daddy when he was 5 months old??

Or Maybe when he was 8 months old??

Bath time pics......

2009-07-13T20:02:00.001-08:00

Bath time.............

2009-07-12T08:32:00.003-08:00

is a fun time......He worries about getting water in his face so he holds his breath and turns a little blue around the mouth. But he really likes the water now. He hasn't starting splashing yet, but he smiles as I wash him up and tell him that we are scrubbing him clean. He likes to hold him washcloth or his little blue duck! I tried to put pics on here with this post but kept getting error messages!!

My two kids!!

2009-07-04T16:54:00.002-08:00

Here's a pic of my two little ones!

Fussing little boy.......

2009-06-24T19:56:00.003-08:00

A couple of days ago, I was trying to fold and put away Brighton's clothes. He was laying on his boppy pillow and wouldn't stop fussing. So, I being the inventive mother that I am, I was trying to come up with some way to keep him happy till I could get his laundry done. Just his binky wasn't working, so in a sudden burst of inspiration, I grabbed his burp diaper and blanket and put them on either side of his head for him to hold........here are the photos.

He stayed happy till just a couple things were left to put away. :o)

3 months old...............

2009-06-24T19:48:00.002-08:00

Yesterday! I can't believe it has been 3 whole months since I gave birth to my "little" Brighton Theodore. He seems so "big" already. He is such a blessing (a fussy blessing, sometimes, but a blessing nonetheless). ;o) We did a little photo shoot today, to commerate him being 3 months old. Here are three of my favorite photos.

Teething............

2009-06-24T19:39:00.003-08:00

AAHHH, the joys of being a mother. My little man is starting to teethe.....he is drooling, all over the place....soaking through a fairly thick bib in no time flat, chews frantically on his fingers, fist or my fingers, my arm....whatever he can get to his mouth. This has been going on for a couple of weeks already. So far, no sign of a tooth.....I have been feeling his gums, searching for that telltale white mark, as the tooth painfully pushes it's way to the surface. My poor munchkin! Fussy little boy........most of the time now. He does smile now and then, though, and he coos and "talks" to me. He likes me to walk around with him......he protests mightily when I sit down. I was singing to him earlier and he likes that, too. He's a sweet boy!!

Father - Son Bonding Time.........................

2009-06-14T22:08:00.003-08:00

That's what it's called when you go fishing with your dad, right? I sent the camera with Dewayne to take pictures when they caught "THE BIG ONE", but so far, even after two trips, no luck in catching that big King salmon (or Chinook, for those of you who aren't in AK). I know it took me awhile to figure out the different names for salmon up here. King (Chinook), Red (Sockeye), Silver (Coho), etc. All I got out of the trip were a couple of pics.....no fish......but then I wasn't the one doing all the work. I stayed home with the munchkin.......I had a headache yesterday AND it was raining.....I didn't think it'd be too fun to go fishing in the rain with a 2 1/2 month old baby Brighton, who just might be cranky and inconsolable.

Brighton meets Grandpa

2009-06-14T21:57:00.003-08:00

Brighton got to meet his Grandpa early Saturday morning around 2:30 or so. That's when Dewayne and his dad got back to the house from the airport. Dewayne's dad is here for about a week, to meet his newest grandson, see his son and me, see his daughter, her husband and 3 kids and to do some King Salmon fishing. Here's a pic of Brighton with his only living grandpa!

My Little Man................

2009-06-14T21:50:00.004-08:00

fell asleep nicely this evening and was put into his crib to sleep........both my hubby and I were on our own computers, (him on his PC on his desk and me on my laptop on the bed) and Little B woke up. Dewayne brought him to me on the bed and I laid him down beside me. I was still online and not paying much attention to him, when I heard his breathing change and realized he had fallen back to sleep. I looked down at him and this is what I saw!! I guess the light from my laptop was too bright for him!! What a little sweetheart ~ well, he's awake again so I have to go so I can get him settled back down and put him back to sleep!!

Alaskan Flowers

2009-06-14T04:40:00.003-08:00

We went for a walk the other day and these are a few of the flowers we saw along the way. I just LOVE flowers.....I think I appreciate them more up here because they bloom later than they do down in the lower 48. So, here they are......hearty flowers, maybe they are just weeds but I think they are pretty and also, here is a pic of my husband pushing our son in his cool jogging stroller!! :o)

Hallelujah!!!

2009-06-03T05:44:00.003-08:00

Praise be to God!!! My baby slept through the night.

He was so grumpy and crabby all afternoon yesterday. He was so tired and would fall asleep but wake right back up, so needless to say, by around 7pm he was exhausted. Dewayne was packing him around while I finished supper and just as it was done his eyes started to close. I took him and tried to nurse him, because he hadn't eaten in a while, but he just wanted to fall asleep. Well, I figured if he was going to go to sleep, he needed to be in his night-time ensemble.....long sleeve onesie and his sleep sack w/ a clean diaper........so, I changed him and dressed him for bed. Then he was just awake enough to realize he really was hungry, so I nursed him and before too long, he fell asleep nursing. I went to put him into his crib and he started crying and I wanted to take him out again but decided maybe he should try to fall asleep. After he cried for what seemed like an eternity but was only a couple of minutes, I couldn't stand it anymore, so I went and gave him his pacifier and flipped him over on his belly (I know....a cardinal sin!! - but almost every time I put him down in the crib on his back when he is asleep he wakes up and fusses AND he sleeps so much better and more comfortably on his belly. I do always try to get him to sleep on his back first!) and he quieted right down and fell asleep within a couple of minutes....and this was all before 8 pm. I woke up at 3 am and he was still sleeping quite soundly and then again at 5. I pumped, (I want to build up a supply in the freezer for emergencies AND date nights!!) and crawled back in bed for a few minutes. At 5:30am, my beloved son was ready to get up and eat. Wow....what an incredible night!

My Haircut ~

2009-05-31T04:22:00.004-08:00

Before..........

After.............

These aren't the best pictures.....try as I might I couldn't keep from blinking. I had a week and a half long migraine heahache and yesterday was the first day I really was without it and I could still feel that I had had one. Hence, the haircut...............every hair on my head weighed about 40 pounds each and was quite painful. Sometimes I just want to shave ALL my hair off of my head. LOL.....who would imagine. Thanks to God, the headache is gone now.

Our FAMILY~

2009-05-31T04:17:00.002-08:00

Here we are......a family photo! Daddy, Mommy, Brighton and Kohl!

My baby is two months old!!

2009-05-31T04:13:00.002-08:00

Two months old plus six days. Makes me happy and sad! Love him so much.....even while he's squirming in my arms not wanting to fall back to sleep at 4:17am.

He's so precious.

My sweet son!!

2009-05-26T21:53:00.003-08:00

Looking delighted by the prospect of getting his picture taken!

Then fussing because I dressed him up and was taking pictures of him. Check out the cool shoes Daddy picked out for him.

Last night, after he was ready for bed, I sat him in the corner of the couch and took some pictures......here he is trying not to smile at me!!

Back to work......

2009-05-16T01:27:00.002-08:00

This week, Brighton and I went back to work. Monday was the start of our week. We were trying to do full-time but it's a little less than that. We were there for 8 hours Monday, 7 hours
Tuesday, 4 1/2 Wednesday, 5 1/2 Thursday and 6 1/2 Friday. Monday.......we got there at 8 am and had a busy, but fussy (Brighton did) day......he was melting down around 3 and we finally got things wrapped up and got home at 4. So, Tuesday we went in at 9 and worked till 4. He did better in the morning and early pm. (he actually fell asleep by himself in his bassinet and slept for a couple of hours)......but had a meltdown again around 3. Wednesday, the awesome lady who does our payroll came in, so I did errands for the office and myself and was out of the office around 3pm. Thursday, Brighton was awake early....around 6, so we got to work around 7:45, which worked great, because then I didn't feel so bad to take off and go to Mom Connections (mom's group at Crossroads, wonderful Godly mothers share wisdom, fun and fellowship, prayer and praise) for the "end of the school year" brunch. We did some shopping for the office and got the mail after group. We left work around 3:30 and he was very fussy again. Friday went fairly well....he had a few fussy moments, but now I have a swing for him set up and a "sleep 'n play" for sleepytimes. I think once he gets used to being there and settles into a routine, he will do better. I am enjoying being back at work but feel torn because he needs me to comfort him and keep him entertained. It almost feels like I am starting a new job and not going back to the one I've been doing for the last year and 9 months! All this is new territory for Brighton and me......we were used to hanging out at home and relaxing all day!! Now we have to get up and go to work, spend the whole day at the computer and don't have as much one on one time as we used to. :o( But we will survive and get a groove. We will be doing a flexible 9 to 3 schedule for a while. I thank God for my wonderful boss who is quite nice let me bring my baby to work with me. But it is a plus both ways, I guess!! I don't have to put my baby in day care and he doesn't have to train someone new to take my place!! :o)

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-09T20:21:00.003-08:00

To all the mothers that I know and those of you I don't know, also!! Being a mother is so special. This is my first Mother's Day that I get to celebrate. My son is so special and I love him so much. This is definitely a Happy day for me!! :o) It does have a bittersweet tinge, though. This is the second Mother's day without my mother. And now that I am a mother, it makes me miss her more on those days when I used to remember her, call her, send her flowers, go spend the day with her (when I still lived close enough to)!

Being thankful.................

2009-05-03T21:41:00.003-08:00

is a good thing. I have so much to be thankful for. My wonderful husband, my darling, sweet, and amazing son, the beautiful weather we've been having, my mother-in-law (my baby's wonderful Grandma!), oh, so many things. Every new day is a blessing, a gift from God above. Even when I'm tired or happy or sad. It's a new adventure, challenge or journey to embark on. New things to be learned, discovered and enjoyed. :0) Especially now, with my little one, he'll be six weeks tomorrow and he's learning how to smile at us and "talk" to us. It is just so sweet.

Late nights and no sleep...................

2009-04-28T02:22:00.005-08:00

...........make for one drowsy Mama. :o) But I sure am one HAPPY MAMA!! I love this little, ahem, er...maybe not so little, bundle. I understand now fully why we call them "bundles of joy"! My bundle of joy wakes up fussing........just a few minutes ago....It has been a whole hour and 43 minutes since his last feeding. He is starving. he says with his complaining grunts, whines and fusses. Suddenly, there is a loud blast as he fills his diaper. I laugh a little as I drag myself out of bed...thinking that needs to be changed before I feed him. As I lay him down on the bed to change him, he has his eyes closed, still fussing, (he looks so cute with his double chin and pudgy cheeks, nice and well fed) and he's thinking he's close to eating again. But no, mama is changing his diaper, yikes and..........waaaaahhhh. Once he's clean, we sit down in the chair so he can nurse. Which he does for about 10 minutes and then he's off to sleep again....should I wake him up and try to feed him some more or let him sleep? If I let him sleep, then he'll be awake for sure in the next hour to hour and a half........if I wake him up and feed him more now, maybe he'll sleep for the next three hours....what a quandary!! He does need to burp so maybe that will wake him up enough that he'll want to eat a little more. But either tway, the love that fills my heart at this moment is like none other that I have experienced. It really makes it all worthwhile and makes my heart glow!!

My baby is one month old!!!

2009-04-24T19:59:00.002-08:00

April 23rd......he was one month old. We took some pics to commemorate the occasion!!

No sleep.......

2009-04-15T08:08:00.004-08:00

Okay...just a quick post to let you all know that I am still alive. But, I am seriously sleep deprived!! Just how long can a person survive on little or no sleep? LoL....it's not quite that bad, but I am very tired. My little munchkin, however, is thriving and getting heavier....from all the eating he is doing....every day. He is getting little dimples on his hands because they are getting chubby. I weighed him with me on the scale and then weighed myself and he is getting very near to weighing 10 pounds already. Scary. I love him so much, though. The blessing of having him is enough to keep me going, even with almost no sleep. That's all for now, folks....I'll try to have pictures to go with my next post. :o)

My son is getting bigger...........

2009-04-11T16:04:00.004-08:00

He likes to scowl and look worried.....he already has creases on his forehead from it!!

I think he looks so much like his oldest cousin Bruce when he was a baby!!

I know it's fuzzy but look at that expression!!

I can't believe how fast my little Brighton is growing. He will be three weeks old on Monday and it still feels like it was just yesterday when he was born. I didn't know I could love anyone the way I love him. I love my husband so much and I love my family and friends but the love I have for my son, my child, the fruit of my womb is truly a new kind of love for me!! God has blessed my life in ways I never imagined.....well, maybe I did imagine it, but could never have fathomed it, till now. :o) I love to sit and watch him......holding him propped up on my legs in front of me. The expressions on his face are priceless.....his eyes trying to focus on me, on the things around the house, listening to my voice as I talk to him, listening to Kohl barking (bad girl) and him smiling just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. I know his smiles are involuntary right now but it makes me look forward to when he can smile at me and laugh and coo when I talk to him. He actually "talked" once already. It was just one coo but it was so sweet.

My Hungry Little Tiger......

2009-04-02T00:47:00.004-08:00

All Dressed Up - Showing off his beautiful eyes!

Family Hands - Family Feet

With Daddy at the Hospital - With Mommy at the Hospital

Little Brighton seems to be eating all the time. He has gained a pound over his coming home from the hospital weight of 6 lb 11.4 oz. He now weighs 7 lb 11.5 oz. He had grown a 1/4 of an inch in length at his last Dr. appt also. And his arms are getting too long for his gown sleeves. He is so sweet, though. I just love being his mother. His daddy is so proud of his little man!

BABY IS HERE!!

2009-03-30T05:43:00.001-08:00

After baby got cleaned up.

Showing off Brighton's hair - Proud daddy

Grandma, Grandpa Roy - Daddy, Mommy, Brighton & Grandma

Announcing the arrival of our son: Brighton Theodore - Monday, March 23, 2009 - 12:27 am - Weight: 7 lb 2 oz Length: 21 inches

The day finally arrived when the baby was ready to be born. As you know, I was scheduled to be induced at 6:30am on Monday, March 23, 2009. Well, lo and behold, on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at around 3 pm, I started having contractions that were pretty intense and starting to get painful. So, we headed into the hospital. We got there around 4:30-5 pm. They monitored me for awhile, then checked me. I wasn't "progressed" far enough to be "in labor" yet, so they sent me out to walk the halls for an hour. When we got back from our "walk", I had progressed a little more, enough so they decided to check me into Labor and Delivery. I checked into my room officially at 8 pm and at that time was dilated to 1.5 cm and 90% effaced. The nurse, thinking it was going to be a while before anything happened was, ready to give me IV pain meds to help me sleep but she wanted me to try to shower first to help me relax and work through contractions. I sat and rocked side to side on a "birthing" ball in the shower for a little over an hour and when I got out, I had dilated to 8 cm. My water broke around 9:30 pm on it's own, and I had the Baby at 12:27 am. All in all, it was a very good labor and birth. It wasn't as hard as I thought it could be, but it wasn't as easy as I was hoping either. It is definitely hard work but so worth it. I ended up using an IV pain medication and was considering an Epidural. But it went so fast, once it got started, that I didn't need it. We didn't even have time to get our "labor" bag, that I had packed, from the car. The labor bag had snacks for my husband and his mother (my very fabulous support team), comfort items for me, pillow and blanket from home, a book of Sudoku puzzles for my hubby and a handheld Tetris game for me. So, the next time around, the labor bag is coming in with me, no matter what, when I go into OB Triage.....even if I think they may be sending me home!!!

another trip to the hospital.....

2009-03-21T11:45:00.002-08:00

Okay...I'm going to be infamous for all the trips to the hospital before I really go into labor. Yesterday morning I was having contractions all morning. Kind of sporadic and not too hard. Then around 1, they started coming closer together and settled into a 4-5 minute pattern. So, I called Dewayne around 1:38 and told him what they were doing. He was on his lunch break so he said he'd run back to work and let them know he was taking off for the day/weekend. He got home around 2. He showered and ate his lunch and then we headed into town. We stopped in Peters Creek, so I could use the bathroom and we could see his mom on the way in. We visited for a little while and because the contractions were still regular and coming strong, we continued into the hospital. I called on the way to let them know we were on our way in, so they could have the paperwork ready. When we got there, Dewayne dropped me at the door and went to park the car. Then, when he got in, I opted to just walk into the Maternity Center (it's not far from the parking garage) instead of riding in the wheelchair. We got signed in, which went fast because they had my chart pulled and ready up at the desk. Then, as we were walking back, a very strong contraction hit........I had to stop walking and hold onto the desk. Well, then once I got hooked up to the monitors, I stopped having contractions except for 2-3 small ones, but baby's heart rate was really high and causing a bit of concern. My BP wasn't too bad, 143/84, is one reading I remember. I am now, for sure, 1 cm dilated and almost fully effaced on one side of my cervix, don't know why the other side isn't effaced. We stayed for a while to see if baby's HR would go down and it finally evened out and came into the "normal" range. By that time, they had decided they wanted an ultrasound to look at the baby and make sure the fluid levels, placenta were good. It was so cool to see the baby's head down low (baby has dropped).....we couldn't even see it's forehead and we could see a little fringe of hair waving in the amniotic fluid and his or her little hands and lips, chin and the bottom of his or her nose. We then got "discharged" and we discussed going to the mall to walk around, so maybe I'd start having contractions again but we just drove through Wendy's to grab a bite to eat (a ceasar salad w/ no dressing for me, and a combo meal for Dewayne) and then came to Mom and Roy's and spent the night here. This morning, I was still having contractions but they aren't getting too close together. But Dewayne ran home to get some stuff, because Mom convinced him that it'll be safer if we stay here till I go into labor or we go in on Monday to be induced. So, we'll be "camping" out here till baby is ready to come!! :-)

I am scheduled..................

2009-03-17T16:28:00.002-08:00

Okay, everyone........the news you've all been waiting.....well, maybe not THE NEWS you've been waiting for but the next best thing. If you don't hear before Monday that I have had this baby, we will be going into the hospital to be induced. Monday, March 23rd at 6:30am. Since my due date is Saturday and "that doesn't work well for the Dr.". But if I do go into labor naturally it's okay, it's just not a good time to induce. So, this baby has a chance to be born before then if he or she would like to be. I'm hoping baby wants to meet us before then. :-)

Due Date.......5 days and counting....

2009-03-16T18:54:00.002-08:00

Yep...it's coming up fast. I am so antsy and so ready to go into labor, it isn't even funny. LoL...yes, it is. With being on bedrest for the last few weeks, it makes me even look forward to labor. I am praying that all will go well and it won't be as hard as it sounds from some people's stories. I have read the book....or most of it, anyway, Childbirth Without Fear and it makes it sound possible to have a bearable labor without too much pain.....just a lot of hard work and concentration. So, we will see what these next five days bring. I have my regular doctor appointment tomorrow morning and we will be discussing when this baby will be coming.....if he (my Dr.) will plan to induce me and what day, if I don't go into labor naturally by Saturday. :-)

A trip to the hospital.......

2009-03-15T13:27:00.003-08:00

Yeah, I know....it sounds promising but it sure wasn't. My BP starting going up yesterday, even with me laying down and I got a headache. So, I called the OB Triage line at Providence around 6 pm and told them what was going on. They said I should come in. I didn't like that very much so I called my doctor to see if he thought I should go in, too. Well, I got another Dr. who was taking his calls this weekend and he said I should go in. So, in we decided to go. But we had to take the labor bag, the coming home bag and the infant car seat, along with a couple of pillows and blankets for me, just in case we ended up staying in the hospital. We finally left the house around 9 pm and drove in. Now, all this time I was also having contractions, nothing really regular but I could kind tell that I had a few here and there. When we got to the hospital, they hooked me up to the FHR monitor (fetal heart rate), a monitor to check my contractions and a BP cuff. Watching the contractions on the monitor was fun. Sometimes I couldn't even tell that I was having them, but they would show up on the monitor and actually make quite a peak. They took blood and made me give a urine sample to test for protein and dehydration (which were all negative, yippee!). Then after about 1 hour and 45 minutes of monitoring they sent me home. To lay down, behave myself and keep an eye on my BP and contractions and do "kick counts". Fun, fun!! And here I was hoping for a baby. But we came home empty-handed and tired and crawled into bed around 1 am. :-) But now the car is all packed with the essential things we need to head into the hospital, so we are one step closer to being ready to head to the hospital in LABOR!!

Baby Fever!!

2009-03-12T13:24:00.002-08:00

So, I had a Doctor's appointment on Tuesday morning. And at that appointment, my doctor said that I will have this baby by my due date......one way or another. I am still having the high blood pressure and the lower number has been creeping up over 100. The doctor doesn't want to rush things, if I'm not ready to have the baby, but because of the bp he will induce me if I don't go into labor by my due date. So, in nine days or less.......we will be parents of a new baby boy or girl!! And I had just decided that I was going to be pregnant forever!! :-)

Wedding pictures

2009-03-09T13:23:00.005-08:00

I love these pictures of us. So, I thought I'd share them with you.

Kohl......our Toy Poodle

2009-03-08T12:05:00.007-08:00

Her first bath at "home"!
A little itty bitty puppy came to live with us on March 21, 2008. She was a gift to Dewayne from his mother, Ruth, for his birthday last year. She was only a month old on March 7th, the day after his birthday, so we didn't get her then. We knew what Mom was planning but we didn't know what kind of puppy or when we would get it. After much discussion and deliberation, we finally named her Kohl.......because she is black, we were tossing around names that meant "black" for a few days. When we got her, she weighed about two pounds and was six weeks old. She seems so tiny and fragile. She couldn't climb the stairs and she would cry because they scared her. Her breeder said she was a full blood toy poodle and she'd get to be about 6 pounds when full grown. She slept in the bathtub to start with. She had a little bed in there, a potty training pad and some toys, along with her food and water dish. Soon, she was too big for the bathtub and figured out how to jump out. She moved into the bathroom. We soon figured out that the toilet paper wasn't safe on the roller. We'd come home and all the toilet paper that was on the roller would be shredded all over bathroom.

But it didn't take her long to grow. She grew and grew and learned how to go up and down the stairs. Pretty soon, she learned how to jump up onto the couch, then up onto the bed. When she was 9 weeks old, we met with her breeder and she showed up how to give Kohl her shots. She had her first one at 6 weeks, the next one at 9 weeks and the last one at 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, when she was due, Heidi (my niece, who lives in NC) was here and with her help, we managed to give her her shot. It was quite an ordeal.....I don't like needles used on me, but I really don't like using a needle on a dog. She will then need booster shots every year.

As she learned how to use her "potty pad" instead of the carpet or the rug by the door, her area expanded. As her bedroom or confinement area (or "jail"), she now has the bathroom and the hall and sometimes the back room. If I accidently don't get the computer room (or spare room) door latched, she expands her area a little bit. When one or both of us are home, she is usually free to run amok about the house. Unless we are eating something tasty and she is hard to fend off because we aren't at the table, then she goes to "jail".

With her "mommy" & "daddy"!

Showing off her "show dog" haircut!!

She is a good dog. She is trained completely to use her "pad" in the bathroom for going potty. She will go outside but we haven't trained her to tell us when. Which is lucky for me, because I am confined right now and she goes on her own into the bathroom whenever she needs to relieve herself. We make sure she comes into the bathroom with us if we are showering or the door is going to be closed, because that is her "potty" area and it wouldn't be kind to block her path and then punish her if there was an accident due to our negligence. We can now have the toilet paper roll on the roller by the toilet. AND we are planning to train her to go potty outside when the weather warms up! :-) As a big dog person (we always had big dogs when I was growing up), I must say that this little dog has made me love her like no other dog has. Since Kohl has been our "baby" for a year now, I hope when our baby arrives she will be able to adjust to having a new kid on the block!!

Two Weeks Left.......maybe!!

2009-03-07T09:25:00.003-09:00

Well, I am now at the 38 weeks of gestation mark. Can you believe it? It seems like just yesterday, we were telling everyone that we were expecting in March and here we are.....counting down the last few days. Of course, the first three months just dragged by. Then the next five and a half months just flew by. Now that I am on complete bedrest the days are going slower again but still 14 days till that magical date that is sitting on the calendar waiting. The baby may decide he or she would like to come earlier.......or that staying in my tummy longer might be a better option......but still it's nearing the time when we get to meet our little blessing and give this baby his or her name. I folded all the Newborn and 0-3 month onesies, sleep & plays, socks, mittens, towels and washcloths, receiving blankets, hats and the fleece blanket, that were washed in preparation. Now they are ready to go into the baby's little "dresser", which will most likely be one of those plastic tote drawer things. It just needs to be brought in from the garage and wiped down. Do you think I'm ready? I don't know. I am starting to feel more prepared for the impending arrival of our little "monster"!! Kohl* doesn't know what to think about all the little baby stuff that has been hanging around the house lately. She thinks it may be toys for her to play with but she gets in trouble when she does try to get into it. Poor little poodle......I am sure it's confusing her. She is such a sweet dog and I hope she will adjust well to having the new baby in the house......she has been our "baby" for a year now, so it will definitely be an adjustment for her.

*I will try to post a blog on the arrival of Kohl into our life with pictures, etc., at a later date. I don't have any of my Kohl pictures on my laptop yet!!

First night downstairs........

2009-03-04T08:27:00.003-09:00

Well, I didn't have to sleep downstairs all by myself. :-) My husband joined me in the spare room on a twin bed.......LOL, Kohl wanted to sleep in here with us, too, but she had to stay in her area. Whenever I got up to use the bathroom, you could hear her try the door to see if I didn't latch it completely when I came back to bed. It was a little tight, but I slept better than I have been sleeping lately....mostly because Dewayne was beside me all night, I am sure. When I asked him how he slept, he said he slept okay for the first part of the night.......so, we will see if he decides sleeping upstairs tonight might be a better choice for him. :-) I love him so much. He is so thoughtful and sweet. He gave me breakfast this morning, made sure I had clothes for the day (since they are all upstairs), moved the phone downstairs to be by my resting place, moved things for my entertainment close to me and off to work he went. :-)

Complete Bedrest but with a stricter Regime

2009-03-03T18:11:00.002-09:00

Okay....I do understand that complete bedrest means you are supposed to be down and only be up to go to the bathroom. Well, now I have been smudging that line just a little. I was hanging out upstairs in our bedroom, which means that to use the bathroom, get snacks, etc., I had to come downstairs, then head back up the stairs when I was done. :-) I also was okayed to go to the chiropractor for adjustments and get a massage. But no more. I must stay horizontal ALL THE TIME. Except for short, fast bathroom breaks and NO MORE STAIRS. WAAAHHHH. It means I have to be downstairs, which means it will be easier to grab a yogurt from the fridge on my way back from the bathroom. It also means that my husband will be sleeping upstairs alone and I will be sleeping downstairs ALONE on the couch, in the spare room on the twin bed or on the futon in the back room. Unless, he wanted to set up the futon close to whatever "bed" I end up on, so he could be nearby at least. But, really now maybe he will actually get some real sleep without me tossing and turning and groaning beside him. Since Friday night, my discomfort has increased (I think it's due to the size of my belly) and my ability to actually sleep well has decreased. I had some pretty strong contractions yesterday and they even started getting regular, almost down to the every ten minutes that the Dr. said would be our sign to head into Anchorage to Providence Hospital. But then they tapered off and we tried to sleep. :-) Baby hasn't dropped or "lightened" yet, and the Dr. says that usually happens sooner when it's your first. And because I'm carrying so high, that it should be very obvious when it does happen. I am starting to get to the place where I just want to have this baby, so I don't feel big and ungainly anymore and I get to meet this new person who will be changing our life, so much!!!

Insight Into Karen's Life

Awesome giveaway~

My Miss Priss Boutique: 5th giveaway is........

My Miss Priss Boutique: First giveaway is this.......

Running on no sleep............

Latest pic...

Babies came home ~ December 23, 2011

I've been sick! Waaahhh....

*Mason and Geneva's Birth Story* ~may be slightly graphic~

Announcing the birth..................

Back in the hospital..................

Latest belly pic........AND the latest news..............

Bedrest @ 22 weeks~

21 weeks with twins........

Belly and Ultrasound pics.

The latest news!!

Technical difficulties...

18 month pics....October 2010

Time.....

Hellooo~

My "Big Boy".....

I know I promised pictures............Here are a few.

We are back home....

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

Handsome little man~

On his feet.............

Some new pics......

He's WALKING!!!!

Showing off his teeth!!

Happy New Year!

All I Want for Christmas......

Father and Son Activities.................

Merry Christmas~

Oh, BOY!! .......Off on a New Adventure

Baby is learning new things......

What do babies do when Mommy is sick?

Our little Christmas elf!

Happy Thanksgiving ~

Little Friends.....Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Snowsuit & First Snow......Monday, November 9, 2009

Halloween Pics.....

Sorry.....

Halloween

7 months

The most common site that greets me...................

Thursday ~ Baking day

Trying new foods.....

Happiness and Joy................

Standing....

Crawling!

My baby is 6 months old..................

TEETH!!

Photo Shoot.....

FIRST TOOTH....

Ready to crawl......

His first meal.........

Our trip to Washington & Oregon...

Hello......

Creeping, rolling and laughing.....

Another Beautiful Homemade Blanket......

not much sleep and a grumpy baby......

Blast from the past!

4 month pics!

4 month checkup

Grumpy Garage Sale Baby.....

First fever.....

Who does he look like??

Bath time pics......

Bath time.............

My two kids!!

Fussing little boy.......

3 months old...............

Teething............

Father - Son Bonding Time.........................

Brighton meets Grandpa

My Little Man................

Alaskan Flowers

Hallelujah!!!

My Haircut ~

Our FAMILY~

Mason and Geneva's Birth Story ~may be slightly graphic~