Happy Birthday to Oh So Many!

So in Darin's family, there are quite a few April birthday's. So in honor of everyone, we all met at a park and had a birthday bash. I didn't get many pictures, but they had a pinata and I got a few of my boys batting away. They had a blast. Camden already has requested one for his birthday. Other than that we just ate some yummy food, did a lot of talking, had a birthday cake and all the kids and dads played ball. It was a fun outing...Myah's first...but she slept through it all! It is so much fun spending time with family. Next month I am sure we will have to do it again since there are about six more birthday's in May.

Looking back at Easter

So I am finally going to try and get caught up...Life has been kind of crazy if you can imagine. Anyway here our a few Easter pictures. We just kind of hung out at home this year. We had stake conference on Easter Sunday (kind of weird!) so we went to Darin's mom's ward and listened to her speak in sacrament meeting and then we came home and dyed eggs and had a little Easter egg hunt. Later in the afternoon we went out to my parents house for dinner. It was a beautiful day, which surprised me for how early in the year Easter fell this year. We were glad for sunshine. I was just a few days from having Myah so I was just trying to be a good sport and not think about how uncomfortable I was. Overall it was a fun day!

Yeah the Easter bunny came! Camden was pretty excited about all of the things left for him in his basket!

Carter was ecstatic!

Good morning....this is after the kids had already loaded up on a good portion of their treats. We did our best to control the sugar intake, but what the heck....it was Easter. I guess I must have been having a brain fart that day or the pregnancy had really got the best of me, because I totally spaced taking a picture of the boys in their Sunday attire. I did however catch a picture of Carter sporting a bunny hat Camden had made in preschool the Fri. before. They looked really cute...I guess I will have to dress them up again and take their picture again!
Here we are dying Easter eggs. It was fun, but I have to admit I am somewhat of a control freak, I find myself trying to help them more than they would like....I did my best to just let them make a mess.....Aughhhh!
Carter loved the stickers. He covered his little egg with his entire sheet of stickers. He was pretty proud of his work!
Camden loved the stickers as well. They got bored with the dye quickly-I don't think they wanted to wait that long!

As you can see, Darin was pretty proud with his work as well!And here are the final products! It was fun and Carter, who is the pickiest eater this planet has ever known, was so excited about it that when we came inside from our easter egg hunt ate an entire "Easter Egg" sandwhich (aka egg salad). We were all very impressed!I loved this picture of Camden holding Carter's hand as they started out looking for their eggs. It's fun to see that with all the fighting they do, they really love each other after all! Yeah for springtime and Easter! What a great holiday. It is such a great opportunity to think about the Savior and his atoning sacrifice he made for us so I can be with my cute little family forever! I sure love them all to pieces!

Look-a-Like

I was just thinking that the first picture of Myah sure looks a lot like Camden as a baby.....What do you think? It could just be a mom thing.

Myah's first photo shoot!

So I guess I am a little overboard with taking pictures of Myah, but I always am with a new baby---they are just too cute to not get on film. Anyway I would love to take her to get newborn pictures, but she is still so little and there is still so much flu going around so I decided to take a crack at the pictures myself. It was fun and she was a good sport!

More of Myah

Well I thought that I would write a little bit about the day Myah came. More for my personal record since this is somewhat my journal, so don't feel inclined to read. I was scheduled for an induction on Fri. I had been dialated to a 3 for two weeks and was having a lot of contractions. Just nothing serious. The week before I had her I had called my sister to come sleep over 3 times just incase I went into labor during the night---I was sure she was coming soon! On Wed. night I had contractions every 5 min. for three hours and finally called Labor and Delivery. They said that the contractions needed to be 2-3 min. apart before I could come in. Well the contractions continued about every 5-10 min. The next morning I called to make an appointment with my midwife just to see if anything was going on. They fit me in, in the afternoon and low and behold all of those contractions hadn't done anything. I was still a 3+ and 70% effaced. My midwife told me I might go into labor that night but she would just plan on seeing me in the morning for my induction (this is a key part to the story!). Well that night we took the kids to my moms and Darin and I went to the movie and out to dinner. The next morning I started calling the hospital at 7:30 a.m. My friend had been induced earlier in the week and had to wait all day so I was expecting the same. They told me it would be around noon. Well at 10:00 I called again and they said around 2:00. Well at 1:30 I called and they said "Great news, three women just delivered and we are ready for you." Yeah----I thought. Only to have them ask me who my doctor was. When I told them my midwife's name they said "Oh no, didn't they call you?" I was thinking---"oh great!". Well come to find out, my midwife could only deliver me in the morning because she was going out of town for the weekend. Since the hospital was to busy, she had to give me over to the doctor on call and he was too busy to induce me that day!!!! My midwife had never mentioned any of this to me, so I was frustrated to say the least! Anyway we ended up spending a childless afternoon together. The boys wanted to stay at my mom's house so I just had a day to sit and wait! Well the next morning it started all over again. By the time the hospital was ready for me it was around noon. They got me hooked up on Pit around 1:00 and the doctor broke my water around 2:00. I soon got my epidural and by 6:00 I was ready to push. The doctor was at home so we waited about a half of an hour for him to come and then 15 min. of pushing later, little Myah was born. Everything went well and the doctor that ended up being on call was the same doctor that delivered Camden so it wasn't that big of a deal. He is a really good doctor. Myah had the cord wrapped around her neck so I was glad that he knew what he was doing. I was really looking forward to delivering with a midwife---I've heard they are great, but maybe I will just stick with the doctor since I seem to end up with them anyway. We were able to come home on Mon. morning and life has been crazy ever since. Myah has such a sweet spirit though and I just look at her and I'm amazed that she just came from Heavenly Father. If only I knew what she knew inside of that tiny little head of hers. I always have thought it would be amazing if babies could talk---oh the things that they could tell us! The boys are loving her and constantly just want to sit by her side and watch her. The other day I asked Camden what he wanted to do and he just smiled and said "I think I will just watch Myah". As crazy as a new baby is, I am so thankful to have such a special little person at our home. I love all of my kids and am just so grateful to have them in my life!

Little Miss Myah

Myah was born at 6:42 pm. on Sat. March 29 (yes sat. not fri.---my induction was cancelled and I had to wait an extra day!) The labor and delivery went reletively fast and thanks to modern medicine as pain free as a birth can be. She weighed in at 8 lbs. even and was 20 in. long. To our suprise she has tons of DARK not blonde hair (as expected) that goes pretty curly when wet. She is a bundle of joy and we all just love her so much! We had a hard time with the name--mostly because Myah wasn't a front runner, but when she came out that is just what she looked like! We just love her to pieces and are sooooo glad she is finally here!



She is a pretty good mix of the boys as babies. From the nose up she looks a lot like Camden and from the nose down a lot like Carter.
She already has her daddy wrapped around her finger! And look at all of that hair!

Here we go!

So I haven't posted my easter pictures yet, but promise to do so soon. We had a really fun Easter and the boys loved all of the festivities. The past couple of weeks have been a waiting game for me. I thought for sure about 3 nights that I was going into labor---but no such luck. In fact I went to the doctor yesterday and was still at a 3+, all of those contractions for nothing--oh well that is typical for me I guess. However today is the day. I am scheduled for an induction but have to wait for the hospital to call me back. I guess a few women were lucky enough to go into labor on their own so I have to wait for a spot. My parents have the boys so Darin and I are just hanging out. We were able to go to dinner and a movie (Vantage Point---review: pretty intense, lots of shooting and killing, but overall I give it a 7). It is a tradition we have started since I have had to be induced with all of my babies. So now if I can handle the waiting today hopefully we will have a beautiful baby girl in our arms by tonight! We will post pictures soon!

I think I'm ready!!!

So I am ready to have a baby! Now if only someone could let her know that and we could get this show on the road. I am just about 38 weeks. Last week I was dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced. I have never been that ready so early---I actually have been induced with both my boys so the thought of going on my own would be great! Especially if that meant I would go early. I will however have the opportunity to be induced at 39 weeks if I would like so that means by the end of next week I should have a baby! Anyway I have been working hard to get the nursery ready and give our house a touch of pink. My mom convinced me to make my own bedding--which I am happy with, but was WAY more work than I had hoped for!!! In fact I hadn't even pulled out my sewing machine since before Camden was born and that was the days of teaching junior high life skills "otherwise known as Home Ec". Anyway it is done so I thought I would post a few pictures. The first are my before pictures when my nursery was all boy---afterwards is the updated girl version!











And here is the pink stuff!


The Diaper stacker.




I found these cute vinyl like flowers on the Internet and thought it would be an easy way to spiff up the room. You just rubbed them on and voila! (you can't see from the pictures but they go all the way around the top of the room) If you are interested check out instant murals .com or prestoroomchange.com. They had some really cute stuff! Also the curtains---of everything they were by far the easiest to make--I highly recommend trying it if you are in need of a new valance.






So I loved this big flower and bought it on a splurge but didn't really now what to do with it. So for now it will sit in the garbage and look as though it is potted!
This is the quilt and some random decorations. Don't mind the baby picture of Carter---It just was cuter to leave him in the frame than to leave it blank.

Here are the basket liners---what can I say--I'm having a girl, I had to go all out with the flowers!





And here is all of the bedding put together. My mom actually did the dust ruffle for me. You can't really tell from the picture, but she lined it with tulle (spelling?). It turned out pretty cute.
Overall I am pretty happy with it, but before you decide to go gun-ho and try this yourself--know this. All of the fabric cost about the same as a four piece bedding set from pottery barn---and you have to do all the work. Granted I got a diaper stacker, basket liners and curtains out of it and have enough left over to do a few more things like cork boards. But you have to decide if it is worth the time. In the end I guess it was for me! I still need to do a little more decorating, but until I have pictures of her or a name so I can get letters for her wall this will just have to do!


As for me I am also feeling very ready! Here is the belly shot that was requested---feel grateful, I am not one of those "embrace the belly" people and really don't like looking at myself this pregnant but for the record this is what I currently look like! I have had my hair done, my toenails done ( really who wants to look at ugly feet when they are pushing) and my house is about halfway through my crazy rush to have it sanitized and spotless before the baby comes. So all that is left is to have this little bundle in my arms! Hopefully she will make her entrance soon! I am getting a little anxious!

GO AGGIES!

So those of you who know my family, know that we are big Utah State Aggie fans! My parents have season tickets so we get to take the kids to most of the home games. My boys have become huge fans of Jaycee Carroll. For those of you who don't follow Aggie basketball he is a senior this year and has become the all-time scorer in Utah State history. I think he is only about 70 pts. from becoming the all-time scorer for the entire state of Utah. Anyway he has been fun to watch and my kids idolize him. It is so funny to watch them run around the house trying to make baskets pretending to be Jaycee Carroll. In fact that is the best way to get them to clean up. They throw their toys into the baskets while pretending to be him. Even Carter being only 3 knows his number and can pick him out of the crowd. He likes pretending to be him even more than Camden. Anyway last week my dad arranged to have their picture taken with him after the game. Carter was so excited---Camden was a little nervous but you wouldn't think that by looking at the pictures. Here is my niece and nephew along with Carter. Camden was too nervous and wouldn't be in the picture. Carter hardly showed the excitement he was feeling. He looks kind of afraid but I think he was in total shock that Jaycee Carroll was holding him!
After the other kids had their picture taken Camden felt bad and had my dad take him down to get his picture taken. He was pretty excited. They both keep talking about it and are pretty excited about it. Now the Aggies need to go to the WAC championship and bring home a trophy. They are going in as the #1 seed so we will keep our fingers crossed! Darin was going to go and cheer them on, but decided to not leave his wife only weeks from delivery! What a man---now I just need to go into labor this weekend to really make it worth his while for staying home! (wishful thinking on my part!)

Random fun!

Well we haven't had anything really fun to post about, but the kids were having fun on Sunday making some macaroni and cheese before church. We have church at 1:00 now (ughhh) so we have lots of time to waste in the morning. It's funny how often we are still late to church even though we have so much time. Our ward is HUGE so unless you are at least 15 min. early you will be sitting in the gym on hard folding chairs. Camden is in CTR 5 and is loving it. However he still hasn't got a ring and he is pretty bummed about that. Hopefully he will get one soon! Carter is still in nursery and loves playing basketball with all of his little buddies. Darin and I are also in nursery---hopefully for only a few more weeks! It has been fun though. We are really hoping Carter will survive without us in there! Our ward is bursting at the seams with little kids. In Dec. we had over 60 kids in nursery. About 36 of them went to Sunbeams so we are back down to a little under 30 but should be back up to 60 by the end of the year. Primary is huge as well. Last time I heard I think there were about 180 kids in there. They just had to graduate from the primary room to the chapel---to many kids to fit in that room. I think we will be spliting some time this year. It is a fun ward though! There are about 7 of us all having a baby together, at least we are all due within a couple weeks of each other. We have really loved living here!

Carter the Artist!

Carter got some new paints for his birthday and he loves them. We have to strip him down to his diaper (which actually the last week has been underwear YEAH!!!!) before he can begin and he still hasn't quite caught on to the fact that his body is not a canvas!