Holiday Bowl

Carl was excited ASU made it to a bowl game.

Disneyland: Our 1st trip

Today Carl and I woke up before dawn, shuffled both kids into the car and began driving to Disneyland at 5am.  It was one of the busiest days of the year and we wanted to take advantage of the few minutes of quiet just as the parks open.

Off to the Zoo, Stiehls!

Carl's brothers and their families are in town for a visit.  Yesterday we had a relaxing morning, afternoon of catching up and dinner at Pop and Lorraine's.  Today, we all headed down to the zoo for the day.  The animals were amazing today, probably the best I've ever experienced.

It is rare see the tiger come down from his high ground.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas 2014!

Our Christmas tree

Rolls, Rolls and more Rolls

Look at all these rolls!

Santa 2014

Our adventure today led us to Santa!

Charlie was indifferent to Santa and I was surprised Elena was excited to see Santa this year, a first. 

Sibling Love

Just another morning around the house!

When you have an older sister that loves to build forts...you get a fort built around you!

Thanksgiving in Arizona

 During the course of our visit to Arizona, we took a hike around the beautiful Lynx Lake.

Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma

 We are fortunate to celebrate Grandma Newman's 90th birthday with her.  Elena even offered to help blow out the candles ;)

Double Tubby

 Elena thought it would be fun to take a tubby with Charlie.

Trouble, Trouble

 "Mama, see what I made?"

A Little Yard Repair

 The gophers have and continue to cause destruction in our yard.  He dug under the patio causing the pavers to sink.  While Carl was pulling them up to fix the area, Elena found an earthworm.

Happy Haloween!

 Pretty pumpkins all carved up and ready for Halloween!

 I'm sure this is the first and last costume the kids will be able to share.  Aren't they cute?  Can you tell which two pictures are Elena and which two pictures are Charlie?

Photo Collage

We were in Illinois for almost three weeks with Carl joining us for the last week.  I haven't been good at taking photos but here are a few additional moments from our visit.

Pumpkin Carving

No Halloween is complete without candle lit pumpkins!

Snow!

 Elena's snow for the season.  October and snowing already...

Indiana Family Visit

Charlie's introduction to Rachel's extended family...or at least some of them :)

A Birthday with Cake!

Elena is always excited to see all of her grandparents; she is so lucky to have six!

And We're Off to Illinois!

10 weeks old and Charlie took his first airplane ride.

Zoo with Daddy

Elena had so much fun at the zoo yesterday but was disappointed we didn't make it to the Arctic so we went back today with Daddy!

 Tiger straight ahead!

Zoo with Friends

Today we met up with friends at the zoo!

Galapagos turtles can climb rocks, did you know that?

Trip to Julian

It felt like forever since we did a day trip up to Julian.  This is an old miner's town that has kept it's small town feel and is known for growing delicious apples.  Of course wherever delicious apples are grown, fresh pie is baked!

Birch Aquariam with Lulu

October is San Diego museum month, all kids get in free!  Today we met up with Elena's friend Lulu and her mom Rebecca at the Birch Aquarium.  The Aquarium is small compared to the aquariums Carl and I grew up with but it is geared toward younger kids.  The girls loved it.

The girls checking out the Leopard Sharks.  It was feeding time!

Garden: Roses, Apple Blossoms and Limes

The heat is cooling down just a bit.  Look what I found when I ventured outside my backyard:

Joshua Tree & A Wedding

Our first family road trip!  We are off to Joshua Tree to enjoy the desert, time with family and celebrate a wedding between Carl's cousin Lauren and Micah.

 Our first night, the moon was rising as the sun set.  This is one of the views we have from the house we rented.  So peaceful here.

Elena at the Gym

 Our YMCA offers an open gym hour a few times a week.  Today we headed out to meet up with friends and give Elena some Mommy time.

Charlie is 4 Weeks Old

4 weeks strong and Charlie is doing great!

He still has his blue/gray eyes.  Elena started out with brown and still has brown eyes.  Wonder if his will stay or change.

Daddy Cuddles

 Daddy and Elena loving Charlie!

Splish, Splash...Charlie's 1st Bath

 Charlie's first tubby!  He enjoyed the water, even kicked a bit.

Family Visitors

A new baby brings a slew of visitors.  Here are a few snapshots from Charlie's first couple of weeks at home.

Crafts and fun with Grandma

10 Fingers, 10 Toes

Our first day home, Elena's first time holding Charlie.  I am amazed at the love already radiating out of Elena toward her little brother.  Such a sweet big sister!

Hello, Charlie!

This post is Charlie's birth story.

On August 5th, I laid down to nap at 4pm and woke at 5pm.  Napping for an hour has become a daily necessity for me since starting my maternity leave.  It's hard for me to sleep any longer than hour even at night.  My stomach muscles are easily fatigued and seize up causing tremendous amount of pain (my belly was huge!)

38 Weeks + 2 Days...and counting

Well, I'm still pregnant with a very active boy.  Occasionally I feel like I'm going into labor but then all halts and we find ourselves still playing the waiting game.  I've had a lot of requests to see how big I'm growing--warning, I am big.  It's primarily tummy but a big tummy at that.  I've gone from a cute basketball to an over-sized beach ball.  It's hard to believe but I have put on less weight with this baby than I did with Elena and she was born at an earlier date.

The Time of Zwischen

Yesterday marked my 37th week, a significant day as this is the point where babies are now considered full term and should be born between now and 42 weeks.  This was also they day in my pregnancy with Elena in which my water broke and less than 12 hours later I birthed our sweet bundle of light.

Some call this time zwischen, German for between.  "The last days of pregnancy— sometimes stretching to agonizing weeks—are a distinct place, time, event, stage. It is a time of in between. Neither here nor there. Your old self and your new self, balanced on the edge of a pregnancy. One foot in your old world, one foot in a new world"  Jana Studelska CPM/LM, www.mothering.com.  This aptly describes my emotional and physical state right now.  I've never been good with transitions especially once I have come to accept what will happen but have to wait.  So between physically aching, feeling motion sick, constant bathroom breaks, acid reflux, unable to sleep, constantly hungry, fluctuating hormones and being stuck in between--as one could imagine, I'm mentally a roller coaster.  This is a place I never visited while pregnant with Elena, she just came too early.

We are ready for our next bundle, this one seems to have energy, strength and endurance based on his acrobatics in my belly.  While everything isn't perfect around the house, it is functional.  The crib has been reassembled, this time we have a sheet--washed and on the crib.  We have clothes washed and ready to be worn.  My bag is packed, car seat ready to go.  All things that weren't ready when Elena arrived.  Plans for what to do with Elena when the time comes are in place.  And fortunately I've been lucky enough to have started my maternity leave.  I've enjoyed a week of bonding with Elena, relaxing (including a massage), napping, cleaning up our home and finishing a quilt for our new addition.

As a side note/update: at 35 weeks 4 days, we had our 3rd ultrasound to measure this boy's growth.  He has consistently measured big with his tummy greater than 97%.  His body was measuring the average size at 37 weeks, his tummy was at 41.5 weeks for a whopping weight of 8lbs 3oz at the time of the ultrasound.  Of course these measurements are estimates and it seems the weight can be off by 2lbs in either direction.  Either way, if you consider he should put on 1/2 pound a week for the last few weeks, his estimated weight comes in at 8lbs 3oz to 10lbs 3 oz (I can't even think about the possibility that he's measuring smaller than he actually is).  I've put on 10 pounds less with this pregnancy than with Elena, yet it appears he'll be at least a pound heavier, most likely more.  This boy loves food just like the rest of us :)  

Elena's Self Entertainment

This is my first week of maternity leave.  I took Elena out of day care for the week so we could have some Elena Mommy bonding time before the baby is born.  We have had a great week so far--full of board games, books, crafts and a morning with Chris and Lorraine while I went off for a pregnancy massage.

Elena had asked if she could get the finger paints out but we were scheduled to go to the beach soon so I told her not today.  Unfortunately I wasn't feeling so well so I laid down for a bit and fell asleep.  Well, Elena decided to make her own paints with chalk and water.  This is what I awoke to...chalk paint covering both the cement and paver patios....

...and of course Elena.  She even stripped herself down to her underwear to keep her jammies clean.

She had so much fun.  When she was done, we filled up the little pool and she washed it all off.  She was so cute, she insisted in wearing her floaty.   

Swim Fun

Today we went to Chris and Lorraine's for some swim time.  Elena was a bit unsure of the pool at first but quickly warmed up.  As you can see, she had a blast with Carl and posing fun for the camera.

Yes, we are in the tongue phase...how long does this last??

Grandma Lorraine showing Elena how to use her arms when she swims.  Later this fall, after baby is born and we are in a routine, I hope to enroll Elena in swim lessons.  She loves being in the water just like her parents.

Baby Shower

My co-workers threw me the sweetest baby shower today and everyone was happy that I made it to this shower.  I missed the shower they threw when I was pregnant with Elena because we were in the hospital recovering from an early delivery.

I have been overwhelmed with the emotional support I have received during this pregnancy from my co-workers (as it hasn't been an easy pregnancy) and their generosity for this bundle in my belly.

We received a little bit of everything...a few sets of clothes, a vibrating rocker chair, a teddy, a lion rattle, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, changing pad with cover, a sheet, swaddle and receiving blankets and a couple of gift cards.  All more than a girl could have asked for.  I am so lucky to work with such a wonderful group of people.

Happy Birthday to Me

 This year we mixed things up and had a watermelon cake instead of a sugar cake.  I'm just not craving or enjoying refined sugar nearly as much as I used to.  I'm sure this has helped in maintaining my pregnancy weight gain in the normal range.  Watermelon, on the other hand, I just can't get enough.

 Elena and Carl loading up the cake with candles.

 Just a little taste.  Doesn't everyone need a taste after the candles are in place?

 "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Candle blowout!

Please pay no attention to my sewing machine set up on the table, I'm in mid-project.  And forgive the messy looking living room.  It's hard to tell but those are games on the coffee table and art supplies across the rest of the table.  And a bag quasi-packed on the chair, ready to go just in case.  No chances on this baby--hospital scrubs are no fun to lounge in.