All for an Exquisite Baby!

Just suppose you like gleaning ideas off pinterest to create...someday. And just suppose you usually need a good excuse (Baby Solibel) and a deadline (silent auction this Friday) in order to get your crafting butt going. What would happen? Well, if you are moi...you might find your inner craftiness that has been hiding out in the closet for awhile.

So here are the results of a good couple days of crafting this week:

a ruffled tote bag adorned with shabby rosettes

Kai chose the pearly centers on the rosettes--they are his favorite part

a French memo board, oui, oui

ink art tile coaster & trivet set

vintage fabric apron & accessories
(the floral fabric probably hung in my grandmother's home for 50+ years)

These are a few of my contributions to the Arts & Eats Silent Auction for the Weddles that is going to happen this Friday evening, March 30, 2012. If you're a KC local, please come out to support this fabulous family! Thanks for the inspiration Baby Solibel...many prayers were whispered for you as these were being made with love!

Stroller Shopping

I need help! It's been almost 8 years since I've shopped for a stroller and I need a new one! Okay, really I just want a new-to-me-not-been-through-two & a half-kiddos-one.

Requirements:
1. The seat must sit upright fully! No recline. Zip. If it does, Z Baby pulls himself up which just can't be comfy or ergonomic.
2. Decent sized basket...I carry around a lot of stuff.
3. One-handed open/close.

If you have suggestions, I thank you in advance; please post them in the comments (on the blog, not on facebook :) ... I don't go there much anymore). I may just have to break down and go to BabiesRUs and shop (ugh!).

The Cloth Adventure Continues

Almost 15 months in to the cloth diapering adventure around here and we're going strong. The stinkies have yet to come back...still being a rebel and washing in Tide and using a touch of bleach. Here are some pictures of my current favorite system: A super-soft LoveyBums jersey knit wool cover over a Mother-Ease one-size (MEOS in diaper lingo) diaper with snap in doubler.

He sure has a nice bubble but, but it's cool, soft and looks comfy (the tears are just the "but I want the camera mama" version)! I've finally found the wool love with these lightweight covers...before I was trying to use their snap-in diaper (they call that a LIO or LoveyBum-In-One) but it was not absorbent enough for Z-man. Having a nice thick fitted under it has done the trick!

At night I opt for a completely natural fiber dipe under a heavier wool cover or occasionally a PUL Mother-Ease Air-Flow cover. The MEOS occasionally get a faint ooky smell with the all night #1...maybe the touch of poly in them? Not sure, so I go for my bamboozle or a LoveyBums organic cotton fitted with doubler.

Since I don't stick to one system continuously, prefolds with Thirstie covers are always on hand. They work really well for Daddy, who can't handle all the snaps on the fitteds! I stack up a few covers with the dipes tri-folded inside and reassure him it will be just as easy as a sposie. He only freaks out now when #2 shows up and he gets to test out the diaper sprayer. One day he left the soaked (but thankfully completely sprayed off) dipe in the bathtub as he didn't know if he should put it in the pail. Oh dear!

All-in-all, thumbs up for not dropping the $$ for disposables! I've sold almost every diaper or cover that he's outgrown so I'm planning on breaking even and diapering this final bambino for almost free! Wheee!

Talking Babies!

I love babies who talk before they talk!

Zane signing "fish" (smacking his lips) at the Deanna Rose goldfish pond.

During the last week or so Zane's "baby signs" have really taken off...it's "clicked" in his head and he is so excited to tell us whatever is on his mind! Today we went into Elena's piano teacher's home (Kai always has to use the bathroom...every week...may have something to do with her candy dish)...anyway, she has kitties and so the first thing Zane did when we walked in was to sign "kitty" while he was looking around. They were hiding though. He also learned "Daddy" today...yay!

Now, you've probably heard of teaching little ones to sign "more" "please" "all done" etc. But, of course, I have to go overboard and teach

Elena signing "juice" while I was trying to take some portraits of her.

my babies all kinds of help words plus many animal signs. I kept track and I think Elena knew close to 50 before her words spilled...I'll have to find my list. It's so fun!

Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo & Susan Goodwyn was the first book I read on the subject back in '02 or so when I was expecting Elena. Since then books, videos, classes, and even flashcards have flooded the market. Man, should have got in on that. Anyway, it's actually very simple to teach babies to sign since there are probably lots they do anyway...ya know, bye-bye, phone, pointing. Here is Zane signing "phone" while holding a walkie-talkie.

And to me, the best thing it the 'uh-uh-uh' and other whining is kept minimal by giving them a tool to communicate before they are physiologically capable of forming words. Here is Zane's list at 13 months: kitty, pig, fish, frog, doggie, duck, birdie, phone, flower, more, cheerios, all done, milk, please, Daddy, and his favorite: EAT!


Okay, so I couldn't quickly find a photo of little Kai signing...but here he is showing me all the mud he got into while I was on the phone with my Aunt Cle. Little stinker.

Bye, bye baby!

Tomorrow our little baby Zane turns one! It's been quite the year...he's added so much fun to our family and I'm not sure how many times I've got to exclaim "Yes, he was born in the car!" to someone with their jaw hanging open! Good thing I don't mind being the center of attention ...ha! (You can read that adventure HERE.)

Right now he is dumping the trash can (it's empty) in between attempts to walk, well, more like run across the office to knock over Elena and Kai's building block masterpieces. We are going to celebrate his birthday this weekend with cupcakes and some Grandma & Grandpa's...should be a fun day!

Here's a few pictures of our sweet guy.

Yes! I made it to the top of the stairs!

Kai made me this cool pillow.

I really like Sissy's markers!

Mommy said I could play in here to keep me busy!

Hee-hee...heading up the stairs again.

Hi from my playpen! It keeps me out of trouble.

Plus it's fun to smoosh my face up against the side.

Hmmmm...what's wrong with this picture?

I found a cookie on the floor, YUM!

Mean ol' Mamma took the cookie away! Poor baby!

Friday's Top 10

10. It's pizza night!
9. Mostly rain instead of snow.
8. Kai played in the basement alone for awhile (a fear perhaps forcefully conquered?)!
7. Reading library books with my kiddos.
6. Sewing projects are about to wrap up.
5. New office couch/bench thingie is almost done!
4. Figuring out I'm allergic to the new dryer sheets instead of who-knows-what else.
3. Nothing on the calendar.

2. Our baby sea monkeys are growing! (What? Can't you see them?)

1. Got to see our new baby niece, Mia! Soooo sweet! Congrats to Chrissy & Robert!

Cloth Diaper Chaos!

Aaack! Cloth diapering is a great thing for so many reasons. It's also a not-so-great-thing for many other reasons!

Here's my current not-so-great-reason: S.T.I.N.K. We're talking, eye-watering, knock-you-over, gotta-be-bad-for-the-baby ammonia stink! Evidently this is not an unusual phenomenon in the cloth diaper jungle. It only occurs when baby has had a wet diaper on for a long time i.e. overnight...but just the thought that that nasty chemical reekiness is lurking in each and every dipe just waiting to release it's nastiness makes me cringe!

So, like any good CD mama, I went to the message boards and blogs to figure out a solution. Oh, and also consulted my chemistry guru hubby. And that began the experimentation phase: soaks, washes, extra rinses, vinegar, oxyclean, special CD detergent, Dawn dish soap, wool covers, stripping, more soaks, more rinses....double aaaack! Some of it worked. For about a week.

Now baby boy is wearing Luvs at night and I re-researched today. Here's the result: I am going to be a CD-washing rebel! I am going to bleach my diapers. I am going to purchase regular ol' Tide powder to wash them in. I am going to cross my fingers. I am not going to let the S.T.I.N.K. win. HA! Take THAT you nasty stuff!!!

Wool Longies

It's snowing. Again. So I decided to get a little crafty today and made our bouncing baby boy some wool longies! For those of you not "in" to the cloth diapering thing...wool is the most awesome fabric for making breathable, yet absorbent covers. But commercial or even WAHM-made wool covers can break the bank!

So I've taken the plunge into recycling wool sweaters...but as that I'm a, you guessed it, WOMAN...my wool sweaters all seem to have some version of PINK or embroidered FLOWERS on them. Poor baby boy. At least I'm not planning on taking him out in these for now...just good jammie bottoms or play pants. Smile.

This is with the long waistband turned down.

Big ol' bubble butt...he has a prefold AND a Thirsties cover on under this as it hasn't been prepped to wear yet.

Check out the rolled cuffs...so he can wear them as his legs get longer!

Zane is quite the cute baby model, don't you think?

If you want to make some for yourself there are a gazillion tutorials online...I'm not into reinventing the wheel of late, so go to google and have fun! I did run into some questions and here's what I decided to do:

Q: Do you felt your recycled wool first?
A: Depends, but if you like it soft and stretchy, you're better off leaving it unfelted, or just felt it a little in the washer, not dryer. I chose to leave all the wool unfelted. Either way, you still must lanolize by hand.

Q: What kind of thread?
A: 100% polyester (any cotton will wick)

Q: Do you have to finish your edges by zig-zagging or serging?
A: Nope, just double straight stitch. I even just single stitched since this is an experiment.

Cuteness.

Need I say more?

The Fog...

...is clearing. That is, the newborn-baby-in-the-house-fog. I can make it through a day w/o a nap and the dishes get done almost every day. I've started cooking meals and grocery shopping and even vacuumed the living room yesterday...which reminds me, I sadly need to cancel my Merry Maids bi-weekly floor cleaning. Anyhoo...here are some recent pictures of our family fun! Enjoy...Resa

Easter Sunday at Chuck & Cheri's. Isn't it funny how the family pictures never quite come out how you imagine? Gotta love it!

"Can I see Zane? Can I see Zane? Can I see Zane?" E & K repeat this over and over, many times a day. "He hasn't changed since the last time you saw him, dears!"

This is all of us at Elena's Birthday party!

Momma and Zane!

Yup, all of us again. This is a Sat. morning after soccer and b-ball games.

Facebook Pictures

Man, if this works, I'm going to be so happy! Here is the link to some new pictures I posted over on Facebook: CLICK HERE.

Quite a Ride...and Baby Makes Five!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Hi Friends! Here is the story you've been waiting to hear (as posted over on facebook)...WARNING: This IS a birth story, so if you are sensitive to the knitty-gritty of birth, you'll need to prepare yourself for details or just not read it.

"The cops delivered my 3rd baby in my bedroom!" "Some third babies are just sooo laid back." "My friend's 3rd baby came so fast they had to pull over on the highway!" "Third babies can be stubborn and take forever to come!" ---these are all stories I heard at some point over the last three weeks or so as I clenched my teeth in discomfort and continued to walk around with our 3rd baby all nice and cozy in my tummy.

Then yesterday became reality...9:30 a.m. I had my first-one-day-over-due-date appointment with my (way cool) midwife, Crystal. The kids and I got to see our healthy baby on the sonogram screen yet again, and all was well. After waffling back and forth, I decided to let Crystal strip my membranes to see if that would jumpstart labor for me...I'd never had that done before, and it really sounds much worse than it was...just a little uncomfortable exam and done. I thought that it was supposed to be a full moon (Eric must have found the wrong online calendar...it was actually the night before) and this would just add to my list of probabilities of having the baby in the next 24 hours!

So home we went, after a fun stop for storytime/Mommy-chat-with-friends-time at the library. By 2 p.m. I was feeling a bit funny, but that's not unusual, so I went down for my nap, giving the kids their rest-time instructions before shutting the bedroom door (this would prevent me from seeing them goofing off instead of "resting", HA). I started having contractions, but irregular, again not unusual for me late in pregnancy, so jotted the times down here and there and just tried to rest.

By 3:30ish I was up, uncomfortable and decided to call my sister, Jodi. She said I should get off my butt and walk around to see if the contractions would pick up and get stronger. So, that's what I did and that's what happened! Between 4 and 4:30 the contractions started to get uncomfortable enough for me to have to stop whatever I was doing and they were 3-4 minutes apart. Seriously though, I wasn't sure if it was the real thing! I knew the whole "stripping" thing could cause some cramping, plus when Kai was born, his 3 hour labor just started with me hitting the wall with 2 minute apart pains...I wasn't so sure about the whole "gradual" thing.

Anyway, I called Crystal, Maria (who was to watch my kids) and Eric (to get home)...since I was still a bit wishy-washy, Crystal recommended a warm bath to see if they would slow down or speed up...then I was to call in 1/2 an hour. (This is the beginning of a substory!)

So at 4:35 p.m., into the tub I went...remember those 3 min. apart contractions? 2,3,4,5...well, aren't I glad we didn't get into the car and start trying to get to the hospital during rush hour and then have to drive all the way back home and find something to fix for dinner and when ARE you going to come little one you are a stinker...AND THEN SIX MINUTES and HOLY COW...OOOOWWWWWWW! THAT was a contraction. Okay...?! Hmmmmm. 2, 3, 4, 5 minutes and yup, SIX...YOWZERS again. Oh, thank you Lord for warm baths to sooth those pains, but I've got some calls to make and we better boogie.

(Enter Elena with the phone): It's Grandma J...okay Mom, I have 1 minute to talk to you then I can't as another contraction is going to hit and okay, love you, bye. Calling Crystal back...what? she thinks you're already on your way to the hospital...(ME) no, I was supposed to call her back at 5...no, no, she knows your going, just go on and she'll meet you there....(ME) okaaay. I have this conversation with two gals during the same phone call.

So out of the tub to get back in my clothes...holler at the kids to get their loveys to take to the Jones' and get in the van...contraction...excessive jubilation from the kids: "WE'RE HAVING A BABY! I'M SO EXCITED! WHOOOOOOOT! I'VE NEVER YELLED THIS MUCH WHEN I'VE HAD A COUGH BEFORE! A BABY! WE GET CHEETOS AND ICE CREAM!" Kai comes into me as I'm folded up on the bathroom floor and says quietly, "Oh Mommy, I hope we have a baby sister!". Once I'm out of the tub the six minute thing is out the window and every two minutes I have a "dive into the pile of pillows instead of trying to stand" kind of pain. Needless to say it took a while to get down the stairs.

Eric gets home (obviously finds some time to update my status on facebook...no friends, that was not me!) and we both drive the kids over to drop them off...I was in the van and we were to take the Buick with us. (By the way, don't try to drive while in labor.)

By 5:15 we are on the road, destination, 123rd between Metcalf and Blue Valley Parkway. Then we stop. Almost 10 minutes at the light waiting to get on 71 Highway. Faster to have gone across and taken the next exit in the middle of construction and rush hour? Maybe, maybe not. We're on the way again, opt for 150 across to Kansas, then 143rd over to Metcalf...I make him run the red left turn light at 150 & 143rd and am starting to get a little nervous as it sounds like I'm either REALLY getting close or having REALLY good sex. The speed limit is 35. Eric got a ticket on this road two weeks ago. We drive 35ish.

At 135th and Metcalf we decide the freeway is the way to go up to 123rd, turning left, changing lanes...oh....dear...I think, yup, my water just broke. Eric steps on the gas as we merge on the freeway and I can tell he's thinking of going around all the accelerating cars on the shoulder...but refrains, probably out of safety. (We're amazingly calm at this point). I seriously can sense that the baby is ready to come (i.e. 10 centimeters & ready to push) but am holding baby in with all my might. No! No! No! Baby...just wait a few more minutes!!! (It's not listening)! Eric says, "Can you just relax hon?!" I say "There's nothing I can do!" 5:48 p.m.

As we are merging off the freeway, I throw off my seatbelt, turn onto 123rd (hospital in plain sight) I'm wriggling out of my pants and panties as fast as one can and reach down just in time to feel baby's head, then practically climb the seat backwards to ease out the body...ohps! cord around the neck, let's unloop that, pat, pat, pat, are you crying baby? Oh, honey, it's a boy! 5:50 p.m. And out come his little feet. (Pulling into the parking lot...Where do we go? To the ER!) Man this is going to get on my favorite shirt. What did I just think? Put that baby on your chest silly woman. (that was me to self).

We park under the ER overhang (5:52 p.m.) and Eric goes to the counter and says "My wife just had a baby in the car". They look at him with wide eyes and say "Really?!" He says, "No." They come out with hot blankets and a guerney (sp?) and then peer in the car from the cold outside like, hmmmm...what do we do now?

So I get my naked butt out of the car (baby still attached and held tight to my tummy), they wrap me up in the towels and up I go to the Birthing Center where all the nurses EXCEPT my midwife (who never got the message that my labor did indeed kick in) are waiting for me. One gal takes off my sunglasses, another holds the scrunchie that was in my hair, they lift me and baby over to the real bed to finish taking care of business. I ask them is someone is please, taking care of my poor husband? I thought he was in shock...actually, as he came around the corner, he was just cool...what a guy!

30 minutes later, my midwife comes in with a big smile on her face. One healthy baby, one healthy momma...I'm guessing that's all in a days work for her. Zane Charles Eastwood's birth certificate lists the birth attendent: Resa R Eastwood, mother, en route to St. xxx Hospital. And we'll let him know who was driving!

7 pounds, 14 ounces, 19 inches long. Zane is our smallest and latest newborn, who came with the biggest story! God has been ever-so good to us and continues to pile on the smiles and laughter around here!

Bump, bump, ba-dump

Okay, so I'm a major blog slacker now that most of my online peeps are on facebook (you need to get over there if you're not). But since I keep having these "free" days pop up I'm slowly checking things to do off the floating list in my head. I really expected this baby to be born a couple weeks ago, so each day it keeps cooking is another blank slate!

Here are my baby bump pictures from this time around...don't ask me why, but this one is SO much smaller than my others...with Elena I gained almost 20 MORE pounds, even though I started out the same. Go figure! Must be that I was walking regularly in the first part of pregnancy and then have been chasing two munchkins the rest of the time.

8 months along with my fav Target non-maternity shirt. Eric took this picture and several others where he was making me laugh and look like a goof.

37 weeks (taken by Elena)...here would be what I hoped my last picture...HA!

38 weeks after being up for a few hours in the night with a sick Elena. One of those days spent in a fog. Kai was the photographer!

And finally 39 weeks and counting!!

That was Tuesday and this is Friday. My midwife says I'm progressing right along...already almost a 3 and 90% on Wednesday and yet we wait for our new little blessing to make an appearance. Hopefully my next day of posts will have pictures of a cute baby Lia or Zane!

Baby Mayla!

Baby Mayla Leigh! She is our newest niece...bringing the total to 6 nieces, 1 nephew and one surprise due in January!

Baby Name Poll

Okay, this is cheesy and I don't think I can get it to show up right here, but here's a link to a poll I made up: GIRL BABY NAME POLL

More than ordinary...

Today in essence was very ordinary. But sometimes on ordinary days, things more than ordinary occur.

First, my honey stayed home sick from work...very un-ordinary! He slept or rested most of the day and I think was still partially in his jammies at 9 o'clock tonight. As much as anyone likes being home for the day to laul around on the couch...the "not-feeling-so-hot" feeling kinda takes away from the novelty.

Next, we had another new niece born early this morning! Yay! Travis & Kim Eastwood are now parents to three little girls ages 3, 1 & brand new. Cheers to them! Cheri was unsure on the name...Travis called her this morning and he was a understandably a little fuzzy on the phone after a long night. It might be Mayla Lee? But I'll get back to that after I know for sure. (UPDATE: Yes, her name is Mayla Leigh, she was 6# 11 oz. & 19" long...just bright eyed and sweet as can be!)

The kids and I stayed home all day today doing school, playing & housework. Naps were lovely & we went up to church for Bible study tonight. As I think about it, I don't think the kids were at each other's throats with constant bickering...perhaps that's part of the peaceful feeling I have as the day closes.

Oh, oh! And one last thing...I got my new book in the mail that is for the Jane book club at our library that I just discovered started meeting in the evenings rather than the afternoons...I can go now! It's titled "An Assembly Such As This" and is P&P from Darcy's point of view.

What a good day.

Baby Stories I

Just having a quiet breakfast this morning (kiddos are eating in the living room watching TV) so thought I'd give a baby update!

Baby E #3 is now 21 weeks along. According to my BabyCenter weekly email, that means he is as long as a carrot?! I think that's funny...are we talking a baby carrot, short and stubby carrot, long Bugs Bunny carrot? Anyway, about 10+" long and weighs almost a pound. She's flipping around and starting to get some good punches and kicks in...Eric and the kids haven't been patient enough to feel her yet, but soon it will probably be a regular occurrence.

We've had a sonogram and just like with the other two, chose not to find out the gender...so I'll flip back and forth with the he/she thing.

The name game is fun...we've decided on Zane for a boy and are still up in the air on a girl name. Violet? Amaia? Isabel? I still like unique, but not weird names...and really like definite "girly" names...ya know, nothing that could possibly be a boy name. Any suggestions?

Last week I got the nursery bedding set...using a cute Little Suzy's Zoo theme to redo Kai's Finding Nemo room. The kiddos are moving into Elena's room together after Christmas! I think all we need now are a new crib mattress, window shade & curtains and maybe some Suzy's Zoo things painted or hung on the wall.

Oh, yes, and I'm trying the cloth diapering thing this time around. And, NO, I'm not crazy! I have several friends who do it now and am actually excited about it. I already have some different kinds and am expecting a big package of newborn "fluffy mail" on my doorstep any day now! Here's a picture of the little Kissaluvs that will be on baby's bum. Isn't it so cute? I've ordered a variety of different covers to try...some plain, some with extra cute patterns. I also bought a bunch of what they call "all-in-ones" for my dear husband, (who, by the way, thinks I'm insane) they work just like a disposable...no covers or stuffing inserts or anything...just velcro them on and go. To top all of this off, there is a huge market for cloth diaper resale...so since this is probably the last baby to join our clan, I'll sell these puppies and end up only spending pennies on diapering this time around!

Okay, if I haven't bored you to death with all this baby talk, check back another time and I'm sure I'll have more to chat about!

Me & My Midwives

So this post is a short break on Kori's updates, though I did see she is on the plane to Utah tonight and her family is feeling very discouraged after today. Your prayers are appreciated!

I have a predicament...first of all, being the natural gal that I am, I have been under the care of just the BEST group of midwives for the last six years. They practice with a group of physicians in Kansas City so I really get the best of both worlds. Eric appreciates that our babies have been born in hospitals (for backup emergency care) and I love their natural approach to pregnancy and childbirth.


The problem is, this time around, the midwives at this practice are no longer attending births or providing pre-natal care. Super bummer! Basically it boils down to the fact that I really, really, really like my midwife and the philosophies of midwifery and don't like the office telling me I have to see a MD instead (can you visualize the stomping of my feet?!). I actually have my second visit tomorrow (and first sono) and am deep in debate whether to stay at this practice or switch to somewhere else where I can be under the care of a CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife).

Okay, now that I type all that out, it seems obvious that I just need to put some effort into finding a new midwife (sob...I want Jeane!). The doctor they assigned me to is great and all...and probably more granola than most, but it's just not the same. I keep thinking about labor & birth and imagine having one of the other dr's that I know nothing about being on call and there for only the 5 minutes it takes...bright lights, no soft music, bossing me around. With as fast as I had Kai, they probably won't even make it to the hospital in time anyway...I'm hoping WE make it!

Okay, see...blogging is just good therapy...now I know I need to start a new search for a midwife (like I really have time for all of that), but I think I'll feel much better about everything. BTW, baby is 16 weeks now...according to babycenter he/she is about the size of an avocado and I should be able to feel the flutterings anytime...I'm excited--but not about the fact that I can barely squeeze into my "big" jeans!

Boy or Girl?

That would now be the argument for the next 7 months around here. We will be awaiting the arrival of Baby #3! Of course, Elena votes "girl" and Kai votes "boy" although they both say that one of each as twins would be the best----aaaahhhhhh!

I'm just past 12 weeks give or take a couple days and just had my first doctor's appointment yesterday. We brought the kids into the room to hear the heartbeat and asked them to guess why there would be a heart beating in Mommy's tummy. They had no clue until Daddy gave them the hint. Kai promptly told the doctor that God makes hearts and is IN our hearts and He makes babies too! Elena just grinned really big.

This summer I've been hibernating in the air conditioning and sleeping away most of the afternoons. Add to that the lovely gift of 6 weeks of constant nausea and no one has seen much of me for awhile. Now I hope to slowly come back to the land of the living until they flop me on bed rest (pray that doesn't actually happen this time!).

If you are a good friend of mine thinking, why didn't she call me?...don't worry as I didn't call much of anyone past our parents and siblings! A post on facebook and now this & I'll let good ol' word of mouth work its magic!

Auntie again...and again!

Okay, lame blog post today (but only because I haven't uploaded any pictures yet).

I'm excited because my sis-in-law, Chrissy, had her first bambino this week! His name is William Allen (Will for short) and weighed in at 7# 3oz. and is just a cute little bundle. He has lots of dark hair and just a sweet, sweet face. Chrissy had a good birth experience which is always a blessing, especially the first time around! Anyway, I'll get their pix up soon. Will is our first nephew to be born and I'm excited for my Kai about that! He was having to hold his own in a sea of girlies until now!

Second herald of good news came from my sis, Jodi. Their third one is due in January! With Travis and Kim's baby due in November, that will make for 8 nieces and nephews in our family...all under 5 years old! Wheeee!