1 day old!

So---- we had a BABY!!!!  His name is Ezra David and he is absolutely the sweetest baby on the whole planet.  He was born on August 3rd, and shares a birthday with his uncle!  My labor was induced, which ironically I'd rather do it all natural again.  But no worries, all went well.  The doctor was able to get his head turned the right way.  What is it with my boys trying to come face up?!?!?  As you may know, babies are supposed to be born with facing their mom's back.  This enables the back of their head to crown first, as it is supposed to be.  Occipital-posterior/op/sunny-side-up babies try to come out facing their mom's tummy, with their forehead crowning first.  Not so smooth.  I did it with my first after a very long labor and a poor pointy head on baby.  This guy, since the dr. got his head turned, did not labor quite so long nor end up so pointy.

Anyways here are some newborn and current pics!

Baby's first smile!

A Day to Remember

Whew!  It has been a long time since we've posted.  Long enough to have a baby.  Which, in fact, we DID.  Little Ezra David is now almost 8 weeks old!  The time has literally flown by.  I've been stewing about a "welcome baby" post, but figured I would break the thick ice (from not posting) with these little anecdotes.

The day could be primarily summarized in one sentence, It Was A Monday.  Not the worst of Mondays, but one of those where you're still waking up from the weekend all day long and its hard to get anything done.  I managed to get dinner cooked before we left for soccer practice.  I gave myself a nice pat on the back for that. {couldn't handle another pizza night after soccer practice}  Anyways we rushed out the door to soccer and when we finally get home, all THREE kids were screaming and crying.  The baby because I woke him up to change his diaper, Mira because her toe hurt (I think) and I'm not sure why Calvin was crying.  So Sean and I chimed in with our fake crying, interspersed with chuckles.  It was LOUD!  Man, oh man.

Then after dinner (roast beef, cabbage and potatoes thank you very much- we were channeling our inner Irishness), I gave the kids goodnight kisses as Sean was telling them a story and Calvin whispers loudly, "Mom, your breath is stinky!"  Sean and I just busted up laughing.  That was the onions and cabbage talking, son.  

  

 Other things I want to remember about today:  I read my scriptures.  Calvin practiced using the phone to call me.  I read to the kids a lot.  They played Star Wars a lot and read books alone.  We cleaned the house together before they got to watch a cartoon.  We stayed home all day.  Ezra slept in the sling a lot.  The kids gave a million kisses and love to Ezra every chance they got.  They love this baby.  Ezra was big enough to prop up on the couch and stay sitting for the first time.

Happy 5th Birthday Calvin!

My big boy turned FIVE this year!!!  It was his golden birthday.  Since we knew we were having a baby right around his birthday, we decided to do a birthday party a few weeks early.  We went all out this year- giant Costco cake (that we munched on for days) and a play place/pizza party.  It actually was really nice because he had an awesome party and it didn't take a lot of work for an almost 9 month pregnant mom.  

Here are some current Cal-isms:

1. He loves to role play.  He is often a superhero or Star wars character---- ready to fight the bad guys in all cases.  I like to ask him to protect me on the way to the mailbox and he will jump into full character.  The other day he was being Superman and lasering all the bad guys (passing cars) with his eyes.  He is my hero.
2. Calvin loves to know how the world works.  He is very curious and likes to understand things thoroughly.  We have a lot of honest discussions about death, why people do bad things, why the sun doesn't burn us, why the teenage mutant ninja turtles are teenagers, what's the strongest thing in the world (diamond), what can cut metal and MANY more.  I love how his mind never stops.
3. Calvin is an early bird.  He is almost always the first one awake,  ready to start the day!
4. He is a great big brother.  He and Mira play together a lot and he often shows a lot of kindness and patience with her.  Tonight she wanted someone to come to the bathroom with her and Sean and I were both busy, Calvin piped up, "Mira you haven't asked me!" and then as he walked her to the bathroom we overheard him saying, "yeah the bathroom can be kind of scary sometimes..."  So Sweet.  Plus he absolutely adores little Ezra.  He gives him kisses all day long and plays games with Ezra that he can super ninja kick Calvin.  He is very sweet and playful at the same time.
5. Calvin has always been a hard worker.  We have pictures of him helping daddy with yardwork since he could walk.  Mowing the lawn side by side with his toy mower, hoeing the weeds, washing the car.  When it is time to really work, Calvin is always the best at getting the job done.
6. Calvin makes friends easily and is very social.  He often is fearless to new situations and people.  His preschool teacher commented that we should have him in commercials- he has a cute husky voice and bright blue eyes that get very big when he is excited.  One of my favorite things about him is when he is telling us something and gets super animated with his hands and whole body and voice.  Its like he is almost ready to jump out of his skin.  I can't help but smile and get excited with him- its contagious.
7. Calvin is really happy at church.  We struggled with this earlier over the last year.  He had a phase where he would be very disruptive in Primary and struggle to obey.  We worked with him a lot, including a church chart where he earned a light saber over the course of 5 or so weeks.  It helped him turn a corner and now he participates and has a much better attitude.
8. Favorite foods: bacon & shrimp, cheese and- potatoes/pasta/rice/bread, pears, apples, bananas, smarties and chocolate ice cream
9. Favorite colors:  previously blue and yellow, now red and black
10. Can write his name, count to 10 in sign language, knows how to call my cell from our home phone, starting to make his own sandwiches, opened a pull tab can, learning how to start the microwave, knows how to start the washing machine and dryer

We love our Cal-Cal!

A Story in Photos

Alternate Titles: "I Hope You Dance" and "I Think I'm Turning Japanese"

The kids got Japanese clothes for Christmas from their cousins who moved there last summer.

Anyone who knows our kids, knows they rarely miss an opportunity to dance their little hearts out. We immediately started blasting "I think I'm turning Japanese" for them to rock out to.

I love this shot because it is such a true dancer form.

The dance embrace.

Finally, some after-dance cuddling and playing.

I love how Mira is wearing her fabric birthday crown upside-down.

(Mysteriously Calvin's birthday crown went missing- good thing I made 2 for Mira's)

And we're done.

But didn't that story brighten your day a little?

Apple Slices of Love

Look! what my husband made me after I came home from a long night at school and told him I was hungry for apple & peanut butter--

and sweetly begged him to make it for me.

It made me fall in love with him all over again.

Winter Holidays 2010

Thanksgiving:

So much snow in Boise!


A shot down my parents' (and childhood home) street

A zooming cousin- plastic box and skateboard style. Shoom!

Christmas:

A new little lamb for our ward nativity.

A father and daughter (with daughter holding the Nativity baby)

A mother and son (showing his doggy reindeer vest)

The Nativity Layout in all its costume cuteness.