Adorable Rhyder

I asked Stacie if I could take some photos of Rhyder. As most of you know, I have decided to get into photography and I have an amazing camera to say the least. I don't have photoshop or anything detailing as far as editing goes but I was actually quite happy with the way these turned out.

Here are a just a FEW of my favorite photos of him. I am going to go and do some more on Thursday. I will post those afterwards. I am going to try and get a black background by then so that we can do a lot more with the pictures. When I get photoshop it will be easier to change all of that wonderful stuff. For now, I guess I'm old school but I still love it. I feel that doing it without photoshop makes me have to be more creative and detailed in taking the actual photo. It is easy to make photos look great when you have an adorable baby as your subject.

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Isn't he adorable! Don't forget to vote on the side. Which one is your favorite?

Grandma to the Rescue

Josh went out of town this last week to Ohio for work and just the day before he left, it all went to pot. On Monday, Chloee was just awful and sick and wouldn't sleep and her cough sounded like it was going into her lungs. We took her in, sick she was alright. She had an awful ear infection, running a fever, RSV and treated her for pneumonia. I wanted to die and of course Josh was going out of town for the rest of the week.

Thanks to my loving mother, I went and spent the time Josh was gone with her. I never could have done it without her. She helped feed, bathe and put Chloee to bed and deal with her NEVER ending fits. I was sick too, so not very much sleep was going on there. She got up one night at 3 am and didn't go back to bed!

The picture above is pretty much what my mom was doing the ENTIRE time we were there. All Chloee wanted was for her "Amama" (which is grandma) to hold her. Poor grandma had to do everything, I couldn't do anything right to that little fatty. Oh well, I was grateful for a break but felt bad for my mom. My mom is so great, she is the only reason I made it through the week to see Josh when he got home. Thanks for everything mom!

Gordon B. Hinckley

I just wanted to post a little something in remembrance of our dear, sweet prophet. He was put in to lead our church in 1995 and did an excellent job. As Josh and I were talking and crying about it last night, we commented on how it feels like we lost a grandpa. Even though neither of us had ever met him, he had such a down to earth, human side to him, which made him easy to relate to.

Now he can be with his wife and with so many other people in Heaven. I am sure that it was a glorious and wonderful day for both him and our dear Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. If we could all be a little bit more like President Hinckley.

1910-2008

Only One...

As I reflected back on my New Year's resolutions for 2007, I realized that I had only one that I kept, but hey, I actually kept one through out the whole year of '07. I made a resolution to write a thank you note every time someone did something nice for me or my family, anytime a thank you was needed to be said.

For all of you who know me, know that one of my biggest pet peeves is people that are ungrateful. I CANNOT stand when people can't say a simple thank you for a kind deed or thought that someone else did. It makes it hard to want to do anything for that person because you feel like there was such a lack of appreciation when you put thought and love into something for someone else.

Now, before I make myself sound like some saint, I have on many occasions forgot to say thank you and it is inexcusable but we are all human. I am sorry for anyone that I have hurt or offended by not showing you my appreciation and gratitude.

I read once how much more an actual written thank you note means to people rather than just saying it or dropping an email. Granted they are all great and you are showing that you are appreciative. It is the time that someone took out of their day to actually think of you and take the time to write that note. Then to know your address or find it and get a stamp on it and to take it to the post office (my big problem). It really is a hard process but you feel so great when you are done because people know that you truly do appreciate them. Anytime I get a thank you note in the mail, I really think about how much effort that person put into letting me know that they are grateful.

I'm not saying that I'm some wonderful person who did this. I'm sure I missed many occasions that called for one and many were late. I always tried to write it down and post it on a cabinet so that I would see it every day. It made me feel much better and I want to challenge any one else to do the same. You gain a new appreciation for others because as you are writing it, once again, you are reminded of something sweet or noteworthy that someone else did for you.

I have never kept a resolution and I am glad that this one stuck!

The Mommy Survey

My sister, Amy did one of these mommy surveys that are going around on blogs. I thought I'd pass it along but first, you have to check out my sister on her blog. The picture she posted of herself in the hospital with Kai is just something you can't not laugh at. I can say that, she says that about herself. The web address is: www.allefam.blogspot.com

Here I am on my birthday, just 2 days before I had Chloee and only 1 day before I went into labor. I was huge, to say the least!

After the epidural and a million tubes/wires (or whatever) going into me, a lot of which you can't see! I was still very uncomfortable the entire time, she was posterior the entire time and I felt like my tailbone was sitting on a bowling ball.

After a 30 hour labor, oh the relief!

Ok, I know I can't make too much fun of Amy, look at me. When I was dilated to a 9, I just stopped and they had to put me on the pit, hence all the swelling!


After she finally arrived!

1. Age(s)? Almost 20 months

2. Name(s)? Chloee Renae

3. Birthday(s)? 6/3/06

4. Time(s) of birth? 10:46 am

5. How long did labor last? 30 stinking long hours, my epidural had mostly worn off by the time I actually had her.

6. Who was in the room when baby was born? Josh, my mom, the wonderful, Dr. Horsley and a nurse.

7. How long did you push? 2 1/2 hours and they still had to use the forceps to get her out, she was so big (for me and for a first time baby).

8. Weight? 8 lbs. 4 oz.

9. Length? 20 1/2 inches

10. Any hair? A little bit as you can see from the picture.

11. Who does baby look like? We usually hear that she is a good mix of us both!

12. Be honest...how much weight did you gain while pregnant? 50 pounds and it was (and is) everywhere. My sister-in-law, Stacie, makes me want to barf, she had a big tummy with her 2nd baby but it was all baby, no widening hips, no extra weight ANYWHERE. When I went to her house after the baby was just 2 weeks old, she was wearing her JEANS from before the baby. She's so skinny, it just isn't fair!

13. Was baby early or late? 6 days early and I was so glad, my doctor was going out of town over my due date. He was already gone on his vacation before I left the hospital, hence, I think I had so many problems after. Should have had that transfusion.

14. Who drove you home from the hospital? Josh

15. How many baby showers did you have? 2

16. When did baby start sleeping through the night? At 4 months, literally, the night I stopped breast feeding.

17. Did you breastfeed? Only for 4 months. After 3 breast infections, my doctor made me stop, I was happy, never really liked it. I guess it is just for some people and not for others. It didn't help that I had no energy to feed her considering that my hematocryte was so low when I came home from the hospital. When I stopped breast feeding, I finally felt like I had energy to actually get dressed in the morning.

18. Who takes care of your baby/kids the most? Me!

19. When do you want to have another one? Not any time soon!

20. How did you pick the name(s)? We were really into watching Smallville when I was pregnant and we loved the character Chloe. She was so feisty and opinionated (much like ours) so we went with the name but a different spelling. Chloee with the 2 e's is after me like the Kimberlee spelling and her middle name is after my dear, sweet mother, whom I love very much!

21. How did you know when it was time to go to the hospital? Lost my mucus plug at 5 am and on came the contractions!

22. Anyone spend the night with you the first night home? Josh, obviously and my mom. In fact, my mom stayed with me every night for the first 2 weeks. I was so weak and could hardly even feed her myself and then she stayed during the week (Josh had to commute to work the next day) for probably 2 months. She honestly saved me, she was a saint. She would go home when Josh got home and work her job for 3 hours and come back and stay with me. Don't worry, it wasn't bad for Josh, he adores my mom so it wasn't an inconvenience for him. We had a lot of fun nights together. She helped both Josh and I make a smooth(er) transition into parenting with her help. We both are so grateful for all she did and sacrificed for us! Love you mom!

23. Did you cry the first time you held your baby? No, but Josh did, which was neat. As bad as this sounds, I just didn't care, I was so happy to have her finally be out. I was delirious.

24. Where was the baby born? Logan, UT

25. Did you video tape the birth? No, I didn't even use the mirror, I don't want to see that. I do know lots of people that have and love it though, just personal preference.

My little brother, Jordan, left for his mission just 3 days before she was born. That was sad for me but come June, he will get to see a mischievous 2 year old that he's never seen before.

Feel free all you mommies to fill out the survey if you like, it's really fun to reminisce and realize all you did to bring your little one or ones into the world!

A Fun Visit

Josh's mom and the two little squirts (as Josh calls them) came to visit last week. Ty and Rachael were off track for school and Gary was on a business trip so they came to visit us.

Chandler came with grandma. His mom, Stacie, just had a baby. You can see the little cutie in an older post. We have an old swing set that the previous owners left in the backyard.

Even though these threes relationship are uncle, aunt and nephew, I think they play together as brothers and sister. Ty is 9, Rachael is 7 and Channy will turn 4 in April.

When Josh comes home and goes outside to play is when the REAL fun starts. Tyler taunts Josh, Josh tackles Tyler and Chandler tackles Josh.

She wanted to be pulled and pulled and pulled in the sled. Of course, she threw a fit when she had to come in. It is really hard to distract her from ANYTHING that she has her mind set to doing.

Grandma's babies, well, I guess now there is Rhyder, so this picture isn't complete. Notice their rosey cheeks from being outside when it was FREEZING!!

Grandma and her girls. Granted one is her actual daughter and one her grand-daughter but it's all the same right? Rachael got hurt outside and cut her lip open.

We took a bunch of fun pictures of the little girls together. Rachael picked out Chloee's clothes so that they could look a like.

"Here Rach, eat this snow that I found for you and you will like it." That doesn't sound like the Chlo does it now?

Now they eat the snow together. I think they sat out there for a good, at least, half an hour just eating snow. I was sick with the flu while they were here and Kathy took care of Chloee, fed, bathed, put her down for naps, EVERYTHING for me. She saved me, I never could have done it without her. Ty and Rachael also helped lots by playing and loving Chloee. We had a fun few days but then they went home and Chloee cried for her grandma. It was very cute!

Snow Day

On December 30th, we all slept over at my mom's house to celebrate the new year. I know we did it a day early because Annie and Marcus were going back to California on the 31st. We played outside in the snow, it was Chloee's first time with "Noooow" as she calls it. That is snow for anyone who didn't understand that.

She loved to lay in the sled on her tummy!

Do you like how she is using Kai as her own personal cushion? Kai and Chloee had fun being pulled in the sled together.

She looks so comfortable laying down and giving Kai absolutely NO room for himself.

Cute... what else to say?

Kai and Kennet together. Their mom was taking them down a hill and as you can see, Kai, did not want to go. He was screaming, "Noooo, STOP!!" Notice Kennet isn't even phased.

I loved this picture of Kennet. It is one of those glimpses into his sweet side that he doesn't want you to even know he has.

Chloee actually fell asleep in the sled. Her head was down and she was positively ASLEEP. When the sled would stop moving she would mumble in sleep-talking voice, "More", it was all faint and adorable. Yeah, needless to say, she had a cow when we took her in, screaming the entire time until she zonked out on the bed.

These last two of my sister are so cute. Amy and Kennet cheesing it in the above picture. Here Amy is with her husband, whom we all terribly miss. Micheal joined the Army and left for basic training a week ago tomorrow. This goes out to my sister who is going to be a single mom for the next 4 months. You are amazing, you have shown strength, love, dedication and compassion in the choice you made to support Micheal in his decision to join the Army. I love you to pieces and I will be here for you all the time. You are such a great example of selflessness. Love You!