Underoos

I am super happy to announce that potty training is FINALLY happening. Max is super stubborn and has just fought us every step of the way. Finally, I took the advice of my visiting teacher (thanks Caryn) and tried something new. I told Max that we are out of all diapers except his night time pull-ups. He didn't like that. When we were at the store he saw diapers and asked to buy them. The up side? He has not had an accident for 3 straight days! I have had to be the one asking, but tonight he finally told me once! We rewarded him by taking him to the store to get him some new underwear. He was sooooo excited. He really wanted "Incredible Hulk" and "Spiderman", but their pickings weren't so good. He opted for the "Cars" and "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" varieties. I hope this keeps going!

Pregnancy Update

Thank you to everyone for all your prayers, concern, comments and love. We have felt it! I thought I would give you all a small update, even if there isn't much to tell. I am now between 13-14 weeks depending on who is counting. My "morning" sickness is definately getting better, but I still am finding it hard to get all the calories in. With Max I had no problem eating. This time, whether from aversion, or lack of energy, or whatever it may be, I just have a hard time getting enough food down. I definately need to up my caloric intake. So if you see me, tell me to eat! I can definately feel a difference in my size and see the difference. Others may not be so lucky. I am in the kind of fat stage where you are like, are they pregnant or is she getting fat? I had to pull out some maternity clothes because I just don't fit in most of my jeans. I am definately thicker starting out this time from Max because I fit in the further along pants. That's ok though. Because of being sick and my surplus of fat this time I really haven't gained weight yet. The baby is growing fine though, so all is well. I am sure I will gain plenty of weight! My next appointment is September 8th, so please keep praying for us. I feel like I can't relax until that next appointment when I can hear the heartbeat and just know the baby is ok. At the next appointment we will also find out when we can have our ultrasound to learn the sex of the baby. I'll keep you posted!

Just a Thought

I heard a quote today from the movie "Evan Almighty". I have heard it from it before, but I really liked it then and I like it now. I just wanted to write it down so I could remember it.

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

I love that! I hope you enjoy it too.

Last Swim of the Summer

On Saturday we went to the outdoor pool for our last swim of the summer. We would go next weekend, but we have the big BYU Game, first of the season that we must attend! Here are a couple cute pics. Aidan and Andrew weren't with us and neither were Uncle Jake, Aunt Julie, Uncle Dan or Aunt McKell, but for the most part everyone was there.

Cousin Millie and Max. So sweet!


Max trying to climb the pole.


Max posing for the camera. A few seconds earlier he was just smiling at the camera. I counted, 1, 2, 3. On three, this is what he did.


Cousin Millie. posing for me next to the pole of the canopy. Uncle Dan, you may want to watch out...look at her work that pole!

Kickin' Butt and Takin' Names

So Max likes to take the game Risk and he has me put out some guys and he gets guys and then they have a little "war". He took a cannon and just went over most of my guys, tipping them over. Suddenly he says, "They're kickin' your butt!" Where in the world does he get this stuff! I don't think we have ever said anything like that. So strange and yet funny!

Owlz Game

We were able to go to the Owlz game with Grandma Mortimer, Grandpa Mortimer, Uncle Joseph, Aunt Sarah, Cousin Isaac, and Cousin Millie. It was a lot of fun. It went REALLY fast. Max and Cousin Millie kept sharing ice cream. They would take a spoonful for themselves, then feed the other one. It was so cute. Here are some pictures.

Max with the GIANT shirt he was given because his birthday was just 2 days away

Max and Cousin Millie modeling the little hats after eating the ice cream out of them (and washing them of course)

Cousin Millie feeding Max ice cream

Max feeding ice cream to Cousin Millie


Kwana at an American Baseball game

Max with the ball the usher gave him. He was all ready with a baseball mitt so the usher wanted to make sure he didn't go home empty handed.

Max with Hoot

Max's Birthday Cake

I got my camera back, so some of these posts are from a little while ago. For Max's birthday he wanted a pirate cake. Kwana helped me frost it. It was pretty cute. Here are some pictures of it as well as of Max about to blow out the candles.

Do you like how the side rolo is missing before the candles are out

Me Through the Ages

I saw this through a friend's site. It was too funny. On a couple it kind of wharped my face, but it was still funny.

1956 (The year my Mom was born) and 1974 (The year after Shane was born, but it was funnier than 1973)

1978 (The year I was born) and 1986 (The year I was baptized, and I just couldn't pass up this hairstyle)

1990 (I did this one because it reminded me of the hair of all the girls in Shane's yearbook. Too funny!

What Happens When Kids Are Alone

So Sunday night we had a family dinner at my parent's house for Max's b-day. Max and his little cousin, Millie, wanted to watch Lady and the Tramp downstairs. So, we put the movie on and Uncle Joseph as well as Cousin Isaac were down there with them. All the adults were chatting and we could hear the movie and thought everything was just fine. Uncle Joseph usually can keep the kids from danger. Suddenly, Uncle Joseph and Cousin Isaac walked in from playing outside. None of us had seen them slip out, which then made us all realize Max and his little cousin were downstairs alone. Shane ran downstairs to check on them and this is what he found:


There was acrylic paint on the rugs (luckily they are old), the concrete floor (thankfully easier to clean the carpet, and a few other things about the room. The funniest was the paint all over the kids. Max's paint was mostly limited to his arms and hands. Cousin Millie, on the other hand, had it all over her face. The thing you'll notice in the pictures is that Cousin Millie has pink and red all over her hands and Max has blues and greens on his hands. Now, look at Cousin Millie's face. I don't see any pink on her face, just blue. And Max's pants, splattered in Red and Pink. I think they enjoyed making art out of each other as much as they did about the room. Cousin Millie decorated the carpet and couch slip cover. Max was more interested in the concrete and Cousin Millie's face. You couldn't help but laugh. They learned their lesson though, when they had to help clean up. (Luckily my parent's basement is unfinished and basically for crafts, etc. None of the pictures that are being sorted were harmed by the paint...how in the world!?)

1st Day of School

I can't believe it is the first day of school! Where did the summer go. Here is a pic of each of the kids on the day they started school. They all said they had a good day. Kwana is nervous about meeting friends, but I know she will make some. It should be an exciting year with a high schooler in the house! Kwana just started 10th grade. Aidan just started 6th grade. Andrew just started 4th grade. As a side note, Kwana had just half her classes today. She said, "All the teachers are the same. They are all old men and are kind of fat." We couldn't help but laugh. (Please excuse the poor quality, it is from the phone)

Going Crazy

I have been a slacker with my blog lately. This is only because I left my camera at my in-law's house and so I am missing pictures from some major events. As soon as I get those there are sure to be several posts. Wish me luck!

Max's Birthday

Max had his birthday this week. I would have posted sooner, but we have been out late every night and this has been my first chance. I can't believe it has been 3 years since Max was born. He has been such an amazing blessing to our family. He not only was my first baby, but he brought a special bond to Shane and me. Max also cemented our family. The boys love him so much and have such a sweet bond with him. They and me also feel a greater bond to each other since the birth of Max. I would like to share some photos of Max through the years.

This is our first shot of Max close up. It is a great shot of his hand at 20 weeks. I had mixed feelings up until this point about what I was having, but going in I just knew that I was having a boy and I was right.

Max was due at the end of September, so you can imagine our surprise, after returning from vacation, when my water broke on August 5th. I was babysitting my little brother and sister and had Aidan and Andrew. I was a little panicked. I went to the nearest hospital where I was supposed to deliver, but I was too early. They wouldn't let me leave, they transferred me by ambulance to a nearby hospital that could take babies at an earlier time. I was in the hospital for a week and then they decided it was time. They started me on Pitocin, but after 17 hours and a sleepless night, nothing had happened. I went in for a C-Section. This ended up being a huge blessing. There was a complication that if I'd delivered any other way could have killed me. The first comment about Max from the doctor was, "You are a little guy!" He was born at 9:07 a.m. on August 13th, weighing in at 3lbs. 9oz. They had oxygen ready, but he did great. He scored a 9 on both Apgars and then after a quick look at Mommy, was headed to the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit). Above you can see us with Max the night he was born. You can see the no sleep and recent C-Section in how I look.

He was so tiny and even his preemie diapers seemed to dwarf him. He was quite long, but no fat at all. You can see his skinny legs and his ribs through his skin. He had long feet. He had a feeding tube in the beginning for part of his feedings and lots of monitors. For a short time he was also on a bili light.

Aidan and Andrew were able to see him the day he was born. After that they could only come on weekends. These pictures are of the first time they held him. Look how small he is compared to them and they are kids! Andrew was worried that when I had the baby it would be a normal size baby. He said he would get tired holding babies. Max was not an issue for him. Andrew said he didn't weigh anything and was just right.

Max has been and still is a stubborn little guy. I think that is what he had to be when he was born. He was determined to go home soon. He took to nursing on the first try, which they said was extremely rare with preemies. I would go down 3-4 times a day just to nurse. He also tried to gain weight fast so he could maintain his body temperature. Just 2 weeks after being born he was a little over 4 lbs. and could maintain his temperature. The above picture is of him after the first bath they let us give him in the hospital. The other is of him just after he could maintain his temperature. I was staying at the hospital in a parent room so he could try to nurse every time he was hungry. After he knew I was there (2 times), he ripped out his feeding tube and so they just let him keep nursing. They then tested him in his car seat to see if he could breathe in it. Look how small he is. This is just a standard infant seat. The night before we took him home they decided to send us with an Apnea monitor and a small dose of oxygen for the first week just to be on the safe side. I don't think they were used to sending babies home so early. He was 4lbs. 5oz. on the day we left the hospital.

It was such a relief to not have to go back and forth to the hospital and to be able to just cuddle with him all day. He was such a cuddler. Here he is at home with Daddy and Mommy.

Our first visitors when we got home were Aunt S. and Uncle J. The only kids allowed in the NICU were siblings of the baby. This was the first chance they had to see their little nephew. They loved him. Here they are holding the little guy.

After he got home he just loved to eat and he finally started to fill out. He never had a ton of rolls like some babies, but he did get a little rounder and hand some cutie pie cheeks. He has the cutest smile in the world. And look at how cute in his little hat.

3 months after he was born we were able to bless him. He fit in the newborn blessing outfits just fine then, so that worked out great.

Here he is with Daddy after the blessing.

Here he is after the blessing in a 4 generation shot. It is my Mom, Max, me, and my maternal grandma. A little while later we were able to do the same thing with the other side. It is my paternal grandma, my Dad, Max, and me.

Here he is at 9 months. He is in a sports shirt, which is so fitting because he is a HUGE sports fan!

1 year old pictures in 2006


2 year old pictures in 2007

Max today. We haven't done the 3 year old pictures yet, but look how much he has changed. He is so big!

He has been a true miracle and blessing in our family. I honestly have no idea what my life would be like without him. I'm so glad God blessed us with him.