Love the Honesty

My hair is naturally curly and it's way past time to have it cut. At some point or another each of my kids has commented on my hair. Alexia, before she learned tact, would tell me that my hair looked a little "scuzzy" - (one of those words that belong to our family). Parker generally took the gentler approach telling me after a shower that I looked so pretty and should do my hair all the time.

So while I do leave my hair curly a lot, I do like to wear it straight more often now. When I do that I generally wash it the night before, leaving it in a towel for a while, then just before bed I brush it out, put some goo in it to help it through the trauma of the straightening iron, and go to sleep with wet hair. Needless to say, it is a bit wild until it meets the iron the next day. Yesterday morning when nursing Spencer I took the pony tail holder out of my hair and set it on the arm of my rocking chair. Pretty soon Elijah came over to see what was going on. He's very curious about the whole nursing thing.

Elijah: Momma, what happeneda your hair?

Me: (giggling) What babe, you don't like mom's hair?

Elijah: (after picking up the hair tie and holding it out to me) Here mom, use dis.

...sigh...

I am sooooo in love...

More of Spencer

I'm sure some of you will be tired of pictures of Spencer soon, but I don't have any family here in AZ and so this is the easiest way for me to make sure they get to see him. Here is another slide show. Enjoy!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Grrr to Swine Flu!

Because of the swine flu the hospitals in AZ have restricted visitors to allow only people 12 and over. That means my three sweety pies don't get to come into the hospital to visit me or their little brother. That also means that the "family" picture with Spencer only includes mom and dad so far. Darren did bring them to the outdoor Healing Garden tonight and I walked down, after putting Spencer into the nursery, to spend thirty minutes with them. After I got back up to my room, I opened the blinds and held him up to the window for them to see him. When I talked to Darren on the phone later he told me that they could actually see him pretty well.

Swine flu - what a dirty trick!

Spencer is Here!!!

Here is the short of it, after a long day, Spencer Chase Stewart was born at 5:52 pm yesterday (9-21-2009). He was born 9lbs 9oz and 21". Here is are some pictures.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And a short video clip.



We are excited to have him here finally. I'll share more later.

Dear Ant Kade

On Sundays while Elijah (and sometimes mom and dad) takes a nap, the older two kids get quiet time. Last Sunday I asked them to write letters to Aunt Becca, Melissa or Rachelle. Not sure Parker got the memo. He did write a letter - to Aunt Kade (Katie). He asked me to send it to her on Monday, but I really want to keep it and so I think I'll send her a copy. A little background info first. Katie is pregnant and has to have daily injections in order to thin out her blood. I'm sure that there is a more medical explanation I could give, but that is the information that the kids got from me. Here is Parker's letter to her:
(Click on the letter to view it larger).

I'm still here...

playing the waiting game...and nesting like crazy.

I'm 38 weeks pregnant now. I had an appointment yesterday and baby love is at a -2 position, I'm 2 cm dilated and effaced 50%. I'm also measuring at 40 weeks instead of 38. Yikes! Look, I know I've given birth to a 10lb 13oz child before so I know it can be done. I would just prefer not to do it again. The midwife stripped my membranes while I was there, but obviously I'm still here.

Here's something to look at while you are waiting with me. Darren took these next two pictures for me.
This one of Elijah was taken a few Saturday's ago. We love a good rain storm around here. Playing in it beats watching Saturday morning cartoons anyday.

I just had to post these pictures

Mostly because they are just so stinking cute.
If you noticed the rash under Elijah's mouth, please ignore it. That's that I'm trying to do. Because a rash around here usually means one thing - food allergy. And dang it, I just can't deal with another kid in our family having a food allergy. And if my suspicions are correct it's to that yogurt that is on the spoon he's eating off of. I told you I was trying to ignore it. "What did you say? Rash? Food allergy? Who me?"

In other news, Parker wanted to take my picture the other day. And since I had clothes on, my hair done, and makeup to boot I said he could. But the shots he took of my belly are off limits.

The Countdown is On

I really want to put a ticker on my blog showing how much longer I have until number four gets here, but they are all so cheesy. I've looked at several and even put in my information, but just can't commit to the cheesy-ness. Anyway after entering my info I found out that I have only 41 days left to my due date. I knew it was sneaking up on me but wow seeing that number sort of freaked me out a little. I have a big list of things that I want to get done before this little one gets here. That being said a huge project is now crossed off my list. The office has now been converted. Gone are the peachy colored walls that I never liked and in their place are guacamole green and white wainscoting covered walls. We trimmed out the window and I'm in love. It reminds me so much of my house in Utah. Thank you Darren for doing this for me. All of those rounded corners and recessed rounded angles in the walls made this project seem like it was going to go on forever. But now I go in there and sit during the afternoons. It makes me happy to be in there. I still need to touch up the green paint above the chair rail where I caulked but I think it turned out great.
The kids helped me put the baby's crib up on Tuesday. Elijah asked if he could sleep in it. It's a little beat up from the three older ones but is still beautiful and putting it up brought back so many memories of setting it up for each little one we have. I still need to get the dresser/changing table out of the garage and into the room, then move the furniture around to see where everything fits best.I've been trying to stock up on baby supplies as the sales have been around. The baby's side of the closet (the other side still has all of the office stuff in it on shelves that Darren put in for me) is full of what I've gathered so far. I counted up and there are 18 packages of diapers and 7 cans of baby formula in there, all bought on sale with major coupons. Just typing that gives me warm fuzzies. ;)Now I'm trying to get some fast and easy meals into my freezer for after he gets here. I have a few ideas, but would love some more if any of you have them. Parker's allergies make meals tricky around here so pick out your best non-dairy meal and tell me if it can be frozen. I'd love your help with this.

24th of July Celebration - Kirtland, NM Style

The 24th of July celebration was always a fun day growing up. Our parents have been telling us to bring the kids back to it for a while now. Since they usually start school right after that weekend we haven't gone. But we hadn't done anything at all during the month of July and we headed out of town on Friday even though we had to be back for the first day of school Monday morning. It was a quick trip but I'm so glad we did it.There is always a play put on at the community center. Here is Grandma Stewart hanging out with the little ones while Darren and I were at the play. Cousin Olivia's mom and dad were busy with the barbeque that their ward was in charge of this year so she and the boys watched movies with Grandma. Lexi went with us to the play.

The next morning (after going to the garden and being late to pick green beans with Grandma and Grandpa Wells) was the parade. Grandpa Stewart was pulling a float this year and Parker was his right-hand-candy-throwing man, so it was just these two on the sidelines. They waited not so patiently for it to start.They both thought the sirens were a little loud. They always are. But that is the start of any good parade.Here they are waiting on the other side of the road for Parker to throw candy to them.Here Grandpa is throwing candy and Parker is throwing me a kiss. That's my sweet boy you know. There was so much candy thrown out that the kids filled a gallon ziplock bag to bring home. I'm not sure my kids had been to a parade that they remembered so it was a lot of new fun for them.

And They're Off!The foot races are always fun. They have each age and gender race together and it was fun to watch the kids take their turn. (Lijah with Daddy above, Parker lined up below)Alexia won her race. No surprise with those legs that go to her armpits.Really though this was the favorite activity of the kids. The dunking booth was a huge hit! They each got the chance to dunk each other. Lexi was up first. Parker cracks me up! He actually hit the target on his second try but not hard enough to release the seat. So after the third try he ran up and hit it himself sending his big sister into the water.
Pretty soon it was Parker's turn up on the hot seat and it turned out to be a repeat of his performance for his sister.
Love that blue snow cone smile ! ;)So she ended up doing the same thing to bring him down.After a miniature train ride, trading in tickets for snow cones for everyone and a yummy lunch of navajo tacos and hamburgers for the kids (thanks Grandpa Stewart) we headed home to change and then went to my mom's house to can green beans with her. We ended up with 17 quarts of green beans that day. We've opened a few of them since being home. I totally forgot how much better they taste than those in a can. Yum! My kids love them too. Thanks for your help mom. And thanks Jerry and Teressa for letting us stay with you. While it was a quick trip we had such a good time.

Following Up

Parker: Mom, how do you know if you are pregnant or just {whispered as he spelled it} F - A - T?

I should have known it was coming...

A conversation with Parker yesterday...

Parker: Mom how does the baby get out? Does it come out of your bum?

Me: Well kind of Parker, but not exactly.

Parker: Does it squeeze out of your little pee hole?

Me: No.

Parker: Then does it come out of your poop hole?

Me: No sweetheart. Girls have three holes and one of them is connected to the place where the baby is living right now.

Parker: Do I have three holes mom?

Me: No Parker, only girls have three. That's why mom's have the babies. Do that make sense?

Parker: No not really.

So I looked up pregnancy stages on the internet, found a diagram of what our baby looks like right now inside me and showed Parker how each hole had different tubes to different places in my body. He got a good laugh at how the baby was squishing the bladder in the picture and why that would make me have to go to the bathroom all of the time.

Fast forward to the dinner table...

Parker: (to Darren and Alexia) Did you know that mom has a pee tube, a poop tube and a baby tube?

We seriously need to work on our table manners around here.

First Day of School

Here are a few pictures of my two kiddos on their first day of school this year. Parker is starting 1st grade this year and Alexia is in 3rd grade.

Sunday Wrestling Session

Sunday afternoons can get a little long around here with the no tv rule and 115 degree weather. I had to finally put my foot down with Parker and declare it unsafe for him to be outside in this hot of weather. Now in my family, wrestling was inevitable on a Sunday afternoon. I love wrestling with my kids. It involves mostly tickling, squashing, pinching little buns, and lots of raspberries on necks, arms, cheeks and tummies. But right now I'm in no condition to get down on the ground with kids.

Yesterday they got a little bored and needed to expend some physical energy. So since I couldn't do it with them, I enlisted the next best thing. Now you need to know that Darren's family didn't wrestle. He cringes when my family does it. It is usually a loud obnoxious activity and he isn't crazy about it. But he was a trooper that day and took one for the team.
The kids had so much fun! Daddy does it so different than mom! They can play a whole lot tougher and there isn't any pinching or tickling going on - Darren HATES to be tickled. Just a ton of running and jumping on dad. Getting squished by siblings and daddy-o, and throw downs, lots of throw downs.
Parker ended up with a huge bruise on his knee, a small one under his eye and a hickey looking thing on his arm. Lexi banged her head hard and had to sit out for a minute or two, but the fun being had by her little brothers soon lured her back in.
Look at the fun these kids are having. I may seriously be out of a job.

Potty Talk

So July around here is crazy hot. And with our time of use program with the electric company I make my house a cave from the hours of 1-8pm. The kids are home, there isn't much to do, and so we hibernate and watch movies all day long. It isn't a very fun month in Arizona. I decided that since we weren't going anywhere all month and it was too hot to get in the car and play around town, it was time to potty train Elijah. For three weeks we didn't go anywhere. After the first week I thought of giving up. He would go into the bathroom if I told him to, earn a sticker, and then leave a puddle on his sister's bed five minutes later. But seriously we had nothing better to do so we kept at it. By week two I was able to take the kids out for about an hour and he could stay dry. Somewhere in the middle of week three he started telling me himself that he had to go to the bathroom. We've been all over town and frequented many public restrooms but by golly, I think he's got it. Nights and naps are still done in a diaper - changing sheets just isn't worth it for me right now. But no more stinky diapers (for two months at least ;p ). It's a beautiful thing.

Now with all of these bathroom visits for Lije and being 8 months pregnant I told Darren the other day that I had to be in the bathroom all day long. Good thing mine are pretty colors. ;) I actually counted one day and just me - no potty training trips included - I was in there myself 9 times! Add in Elijah's trips every hour and I am sure I was in the bathroom over 20 times that day.

With all of those trips to the bathroom, and two different kinds of toilet paper in the two bathrooms - I buy what is on sale with a coupon - we have come to a monumental conclusion. Despite what the bears say, the little quilting ladies win out. The voting is unanimous here. Our family prefers Quilted Northern over Charmin. My mother is probably reading this saying, "Duh honey, I could have told you that." Long live the quilting ladies!

4th of July

Around here the 4th of July stinks. Seriously. Fireworks are not for sale and it is blazin' hot outside even after the sun goes down. A thirty minute firework show used to be the best and now it seems like it goes on and on while we swelter in the heat. So most of our holiday revolves around the food. And oh the food was soooo good this year. Darren was on a diet at the time, trying to win the Biggest Loser jackpot at work, (Which he did, by the way, losing 30 lbs in 10 weeks!) and so our menu consisted of lean proteins, and lots of veggies and fruit and grilled on the bbq - love grilled pineapple! We threw together our red, white and blue jello as well -sugar free this year. There was so much good stuff to eat. I'll forever be grateful that our kids aren't picky eaters. It allows us to ALL enjoy a great meal.
Later that evening we busted out the contraband sparklers that Grandpa Wells gave us. Elijah wasn't too sure about them though.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Ten Years

Wow it's been ten years today that Darren and I were married. We had a lot of history then, or so I thought. We started out our marriage with $400 from his last check in Ogden and the first month's rent already paid on an apartment in Orem. We were living on love and a prayer that things would work out. Hey...we are still doing that. Darren and I were married at 21 and now as I write this I realize that I have been in love with this guy for half of my life. I realize that we could have easily become a statistic, but it wouldn't have happened. I had seen that picture of the Manti Temple on my parents wall for years and knew what it would take to get there. Plus I was bound and determined to marry a returned missionary and we knew what it would take to get him there too. It helped a ton that Darren was a good guy and felt no shame in being good. It is one of the reasons I was drawn to him.Ten Random Things About Darren & I Together:

1. The first time I cut Darren's hair was in highschool. It took me three hours. He looked like I gave him a buzz cut in the end. He never complained once about it. I still cut his hair all these years later. He still never complains.
2. I barely talked to Darren for two months after he bought my engagement ring. Talk about cold feet!
3. The first time I saw Darren after his mission the gap in his teeth took me by surprise. I had forgotten he had it.
4. Burger King holds a special place in my heart because we always went there after his baseball games and he would eat the other half of my whopper.
5. Our first fight after being married was about how to arrange the books on the bookshelf. We both wrote about it in our journals.
6. Darren and I generally like the same books. He finished all of the ones we were supposed to in highschool for our English class and then told me the endings if I didn't get it done.
7. Darren once cut a slice off of a stump, carved our initials into it, and sent it to me while I was away at college.
8. I still have tapes that Darren made for me just talking to me. I WILL NOT let him throw them away...ever!
9. Aerola, Colorado...nuf said.
10. When we were 18 I was on a cheerleading trip and shopping with some of the other girls. We must have been in Hallmark because there was a machine that you could make and print your own custom card. I made a card for Darren that day. The message inside said... "Even after all of these years together, you are still the one I run away with in my dreams." ...that message still applies.