Skyler's 4th Birthday!

Skyler had quite a wish-list this year of what he wanted for his birthday... But a "bow & arrow" seemed to be at the top of that list, so he was excited to actually get one.
I also made him a "Superman Cape" (reversable as a "Batman Cape", which I'd hoped he'd be more excited about...  Nonetheless, it DID turn out pretty cute!

He also got a new bike!  (An old one that MY brother's used to use...)  Then Laron made him a fancy pancake breakfast, complete with candles on top & everything!

Next comes a little story:

Once upon a time my parents went to Alaska. Then one day on the freeway we passed a cool looking place & Skyler wanted to know what it was. We told him it was called "Boondocks" & that they have a lot of fun stuff to do there. He asked us if we'd been there before, to which we responded, "No, but Grandma & Papa have been there." Wide-eyed he asked, "Is that Alaska?!" And so we decided it would be fun to go to "Alaska" for Skyler's birthday (especially since we found out you can get in FREE on your birthday!)...

Skyler did "Bumper Boats" with Laron where they bumped into other boats while squirting each other with water!

Then he did "Kiddie Bowling," Laser Tag, rode around a Race-Car Track with me twice & played on a Kiddie Playground. He said he liked "driving really fast" the best.

All-in-all it was fun, but it just seemed like maybe a little too much for a little kid's birthday (especially with a 1 month old & Kimberly who wasn't old enough to do much of anything yet). On our way home Laron & I decided that maybe next year we'll just go on a hike... Lots less noisy & maybe a little less stressful.

After naps we headed over to Grandma & Papa's house for cake & ice-cream. A big thank-you to my Mom for providing the cake, because I realized at the last minute that that was one detail I had kind-of forgotten about!

Then my Dad popped us some popcorn in his new "Popcorn Machine" he got for school. Pretty cool! We'll definitely have to borrow that for a birthday party sometime!

And then, of course, he was spoiled with more presents!

To top it all off, we then headed over to "Surf 'n Swim" for some free swimming with my family... I think this was definitely my favorite part of the day, maybe because swimming seemed so much more relaxing & fun & simple, or maybe because there were extra hands to help with the kids! Either way, it was a fun ending to a fun day!

I don't think I ever realized as a kid just how much parents really do for their kids... I mean, they just don't see all the other drama in the background of their parent's lives. Juggling around a 1-month-old at a theme park, keeping Kimberly happy while she only gets to watch Skyler having fun, running around from place-to-place all day trying to make his special day just perfect. All I have to say is that I'm glad we didn't attempt to throw him a Birthday Party this year!

And oh yeah, Happy Birthday Skyler!

A Day on the Tramp

We've been seeing Kimberly's "grumpy face" quite frequently this week... A little TOO frequently!  Yes, even on the tramp!  So my goal was to at least get a smile out of her, which I think I eventually accomplished... :)

Brotherly/Sisterly love.

I love it!

6 weeks old

So Miss Bailey is officially 6 weeks old now & I can tell she's getting bigger everyday. She's a great eater, doing a little better with the spitting up problems & officially wearing 0-3 month clothes instead of Newborn. The simple accomplishments in life, huh?

Two things that we've learned that Bailey loves is to be on her tummy & to sit on my lap while I play the piano. She also loves to eat & is not quite sure what to do with herself if she's not eating or sleeping... Nor are we yet either I might add!

So I think these last 2 weeks of having three kids has been the hardest on me. I've heard moms say before that they lost a few brain cells being a Mother, but I have literally felt stupider these last two weeks... I feel like certain days & hours are just blurred all together, that I'm going through the motions of life without the higher level of thinking I used to do & that I'm confused and stressed out about things in life that should be relatively simple (like getting everyone packed up in the van & ready to go somewhere!).

Nevertheless, I DO have adorable children & I was so excited to take my girls to church this week in matching dresses (thanks to my fabulous sister-in-law Kajsa!). I was SO proud to have such a good-looking family to show off! And secretly, I've found that I like my children more (especially on those hard weeks), when I dress them up cute. So thanks Kajsa for helping end our week on a good note!

An Amazing Big Brother

Skyler has been an AMAZING big brother lately, to both of his sisters... Ever since we had Bailey, he has really gone out of his way to watch after Kimberly. He holds her hand & leads her around, and he protects her & gives her hugs whenever she needs it. And she's needed it a LOT lately with all the changes, so thanks Skyler for being sensitive to her needs & taking good care of her! You're the kind of big brother I always wished I'd had!

He's also been super sweet with Bailey. He's always asking to hold her & cuddle her & loves to help me burp her. His Grandma also recently gave him this little rocking chair from when she was a kid & somehow he just knows that rocking chairs are for rocking babies in... And let me tell you, he's a natural!

He even gave me a hug the other day just when I needed it. So thanks again Skyler for watching out for us girls! We know we're in good hands when you're around!

Relationships

So I've been thinking tonight about relationships... There are SO many people in our lives with whom we interact & they ALL influence us in some form or another. I've been more specifically thinking about all the relationships in my life that have influenced my life for good. My husband, my mother, my father, my neighbors, my children, my sister, my high-school friends, my grandparents... the list goes on & on. But what's been interesting to me lately is that these relationships can still impact your life once they are over. Even after a grandparent has passed away, or after high-school is over, or after you move far away from a close friend, they still have an impact & influence on your life. Their memories, things that you learned from them, & how they made you feel all seem to stick with you over the years. That being said, while realizing how grateful I am for so many of the relationships in my life, I am also extremely grateful that relationships can continue beyond the grave. What a sad existence it would be without all the people we know & the memories we've shared with them!

Another thought that's been on my mind today is from an article I recently read from an LDS mother who was trying to enjoy being a mother more, instead of just viewing it as a chore. One thing that helped change her point-of-view was realizing what a blessing it was to spend every day with some of her most FAVORITE people in the world! And with the craziness in our lives lately of learning to adjust to having 3 kids, it has really helped me the last couple of days to step back at those hectic times in the day & look at my kids and think, "Wow, these ARE some of my very favorite people in the world... Aren't I lucky to get to spend so much time with them?!" And at those times when I am able to pause for a moment & really see the dimpled grin on Kimberly's face or the way Skyler holds Kimberly's hand to lead her to another room or to sit & listen to Skyler's sound effects as he plays, I wonder how I could ever be happy doing anything else! How lucky I am for these precious little relationships in my life... my favorite little people in the whole wide world!

My Little Brother "Timmy"

Well, last week my little brother Timmy (sorry Tim, you'll always be "Timmy" to me!) went to the MTC. After a few weeks, he'll be off to the mission-field in Conception, Chile. They certainly are lucky people to have him coming to serve them! I know he'll make a fabulous missionary, and yet we'll miss you while you're gone. Skyler especially! But good luck anyway & we'll see you in 2 years!

And luckily Bailey was born when she was, because then you at least got to meet her before you left! She'll be all grown up though in 2 years! Good luck again!

Perfect Timing, Perfect Baby

As you know, we were scheduled to be induced Thursday morning. But Miss Bailey had a different birthday picked out of her own, & we couldn't have been more thrilled! I guess she just wanted a cool birthday date like her siblings: 06/06/11... (Kimberly's birthday was 12/09/09 & Skyler's was 07/07/07!)

So without further ado, here's the story:

Monday morning I just felt icky... Cramps, contractions, but nothing too labor-like. So we decided to go on a little walk & see what happened (I had heard that sometimes that helped get things going). Sure enough, my contractions started getting more regular & more painful. So we went home, put the kids down for naps, & started getting ready for what I hoped would be a hospital trip. After an hour of timing contractions & doing the last minute packing & cleaning (I was determined to come home to a clean house!), I'd decided that this was indeed "the real thing". Just as I was about to go wake up Laron (he works nights), the contractions STOPPED. I was SO disappointed! Suddenly having a baby on Thursday seemed an eternity away & I found myself super antsy to be on our way NOW! So after my little moment of panic, magically the contractions started up again, but not quite as close together. By this time Skyler had woken up from his nap & was asking what all the packed bags were for. After a particularly painful contraction, I announced to Skyler that we needed to wake up Daddy. He was more than happy to help & ran into Dad's room announcing, "Dad! Mom's going to have her baby right now!" Laron quickly hopped out of bed, suddenly wide awake, asking, "Really?!" I then came in, explaining the events of the morning, telling him I thought maybe this was "it", but that I wasn't quite sure because of that gap of time recently where I didn't have any contractions at all. But after timing the contractions for another 1/2 hour or so & consulting with Laron, we decided we'd better head to the hospital. A few phone calls later & we were on our way!

I can't even explain the excitement & nervousness I felt on that 25 minute trip to the hospital... I was thrilled that my body was going into labor on it's own, I was uncertain & nervous about how all the details would work out, I was surprised how fine I felt between contractions & certainly glad to still be having a good 6 minutes between them, & suddenly for some reason, I voiced my concern to Laron about getting an epidural this time (the unknown).

And then we were there, standing at the check-in counter. "Can I help you?" said the lady at the counter, as if we were there to visit someone or something. I looked up at Laron as he boldly declared, "We're here to have a baby!" The lady raised an eyebrow & looked at me, obviously waiting for a punch line to our joke or something. She obviously didn't quite believe us, and I admit to being a little in denial myself, but after a 1/2 hour of waiting, then them taking only me back (I guess to see if I was really in labor!), they decided that indeed I was (really?!).

From there things went quickly... They checked me back at about 5:30 pm, announced I was dilated to a 5-6 & 100% ephased. Let Laron come back with me. Switched me to an official labor & delivery room. Got my IV going so I could hopefully get an epidural this time (it suddenly sounded like a really great idea again!). The anesthesiologist showed up. Laron asked them to "check" me one more time first. Dilated to an 8-9. Too late for an epidural. My doctor showed up. Dilated to a 9 1/2+. Gave me some quick local anesthetic (shots) to take the edge off the pain. Broke my water. One push... And she was here! 7 pounds even. 20 inches long. Born at 6:33 pm. (So much for not being in labor!)

Looking back, although I wasn't able to have an epidural again, I think that this was my best labor experience so far. Not that it didn't hurt & that I wasn't panicking when I realized that I was again doing this all natural, but something about not getting induced & not having the contractions coming as quickly & intensely made things a little more bareable. I felt like I wasn't quite as worn out by the time it came to pushing, physically AND emotionally, & somehow I was able to have a little bit of a better attitude through the whole experience (maybe partially because of the excitement of going into labor on my own this time). Immediantly afterward Laron told me energetically, "Wow Hun, you did AMAZING!" And this time for some reason, I felt like I did amazing. But I sure was glad to have Laron there beside me helping me through it all. And what a great feeling it was to have labor & delivery behind me!

So without further ado,

let me introduce the newest member of our family:

Bailey Ann Pace!

We sure love you Bailey & are excited to get to know you even better!

Welcome Home Bailey!

Well, the last week has been an adjustment for all of us, but mostly for Kimberly. She's not quite sure about her spot as #1 in the family being taken over, but she's slowly getting used to it! As long as I let her help me take care of the baby, instead of me just doing it myself, she seems to like her a little better. But I still feel like I have to PROTECT the baby from her sometimes or somehow she ends up right on top of her, poking at her eyes & forcing the pacifier into her mouth, whether she's awake or not! Otherwise though, life around her has been very simple & family-centered lately... Mainly because I don't have energy for anything else! And maybe that's how it should be.

A few things we've learned about Bailey this week: She is a terrible spitter-upper, she has a funny, swirly calic right above her forehead (that I hope doesn't give us too much trouble over the years!), & she seems to sleep better the noisier the kids are! She also has such beautiful, dark eyes & of course the baby-soft hair that I just can't help but stroke when I'm holding her. We love her lots & are excited to get to know her better!

Let the Countdown Begin!

Well, we're down to the final week before my due-date & I admit that I'm getting a little anxious. Because of Laron's work schedule (7 days on, 7 days off) & the convenience it would be to have a baby on his already OFF week, I finally talked him into scheduling to be induced on this next Thursday, June 9th (only 2 days before my due-date) if we haven't had the baby yet on our own. I'm dilated to a 4 1/2 now & still 70% effaced, so I keep thinking it could be any time, but my body's always needed a little push in the past to get going, so we'll see.

That being said, Skyler & I made a paper-chain countdown the other day, making us both realize how soon our new little baby could actually be here... As I see him rip off another chain every day, it's kind-of making ME nervous about how soon our lives are going to be changing. Maybe I'm okay waiting a little longer. Or maybe those baby clothes in the closet are anxious to be tried on. Either way, the countdown is on! So ready or not, here she comes!

Personality Differences

So last Saturday, Laron had a work party at Lagoon... All expenses paid (except parking) & it even included a free barbeque held at one of the pavillions! My first thought when I heard that that's where his work party was this year was, "Man, too bad our kids aren't older so they could enjoy it more!", but as I remembered about the Carousel & the Wild Kingdom Train & the area of kiddie rides, I realized that maybe this would be a fantastic weekend of family fun! The most fascinating thing about our day at Lagoon was how differently our children reacted to things... Waiting in lines for the rides, Skyler was jumping up & down, grinning from ear to ear about what we were about to do. Kimberly on the other hand, was SO impatient! She would point to the ride over & over again, like we must not know that she wanted to ride it & whine & complain until it was her turn.

Once they were RIDING the ride, Kimberly was all smiles & loved every minute of it! She especially loved the ones that went fast & up high! Quite the dare-devil that one... But Skyler on the other hand, while he enjoyed most of the rides, if they went up in the air too high or bounced around too much, he would desperately cling to the side of the ride until it was over! On one particular ride, we were afraid he was going to be sick afterward!

As soon as the ride was OVER with, Kimberly would start crying, not happy at all that it was over (she's crying in this picture, if you can't tell). Skyler however would hop right out & jump up and down while he told us how much fun the ride was! It was pretty interesting to me to see just how different our children were from each other! Wow!

Skyler's favorite ride was driving around in this car... It was the only ride he actually rode twice (besides the Carousel).

My favorite thing of the day to watch was when Skyler would take Kimberly by the hand & lead her around to the next ride... So cute! He sure has been a good big brother lately!

So thanks Laron for working for us & taking care of our family's needs... But we're also pretty glad that your work puts on some AWESOME work parties! You're the best!

One Final Project

So after living in our house for just over a year, I'm finally figuring out what to do with certain spaces... Some areas were obvious to me as to how to decorate, but other areas I've just had to brainstorm about for a year to get it just right. This certain blank wall in the kitchen was one of those areas... After seeing my neighbor put together a similar picture collage in her master bedroom (Thanks Rachel!), I decided that that was just what our blank space needed. But it sure was easier thought-about than done!

The hardest part probably was picking out what picture frames to put together & how to arrange them all. After setting up many a display in the aisles of craft stores, this is what I came up with. THEN I had to pick what pictures I wanted to put in them (I ended up printing them all in black & white), which took quite awhile too, especially since I ended up with 10 horizontal pictures & only 4 vertical ones...

Then it was onto nailing up my formation onto the wall... But luckily my neighbor had given me the tip of taping up wallpaper onto the wall in the shape of all the picture frames, so I could just move those around until they were all in just the right place. What a lifesaving tip that was! It sure made me a lot less nervous to start nailing all those holes in place!

And finally, my project was complete & I think it turned out DARLING! It was just what our wall needed & I've found myself thoroughly enjoying it over the last couple of days... I feel like it's almost like a scrapbook wall of some of my favorite pictures of my family, & where we spend SO much time in the kitchen lately feeding this growing family of mine, I find myself looking at the pictures often, admiring these precious memories. I just wish you could see all the pictures up close in the picture here, but you'll just have to take my word that they're super cute! So thanks Rachel for the idea & thanks to our precious baby who's almost here in motivating me to hurry up & do one final project before your arrival!