The Cute Little Bainbridge Family

Cutie Pie Ollie

2012-01-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE my little Oliver!! He like to play these back and forth games WAY more than the other boys did.

Boys and their Toys

2012-01-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

This is what Philip wanted for Christmas. I so don't get the appeal.

Oliver turns 1

2012-01-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my OLIVER!!

I can't believe that he is a year old already!! It amazes me how fast time flies. I hope he had a good day. He took two naps, and went to bed a little early. But he did get to have a bath. And he got a cool new toy. Our favorite three things about Ollie:

1. He loves to snuggle.

2. He adores his brothers.

3. He is super easy going and always so happy!

I LOVE my little Oliver and am so glad that he joined our family a year ago.

Christmas Happenings

2011-12-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

These pictures have nothing to do with Christmas, but I just LOVE it when my boys are happily doing things together, without any help from mom or dad.

We attempted to make Ginger bread houses. We gave up when we couldn't make them stay up.
We got a new really soft Christmas ornament. It doesn't stay on the tree very well.
We got a new tv for Christmas. This is what we waited in line for four hours on Black Friday to get.

The boys got a play kitchen.
William got a garage.

I got a new computer. And desk. And chair.
Orion got and Angry Birds pig.

Oliver got books. He didn't really want to pose with them. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too.

Don't Judge

2011-12-10T08:24:00.001-08:00

Why yes, William IS eating grapes out of a plunger.

The plunger has never been in a bathroom, and is strictly a toy.

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch Adventures

2011-10-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

We took our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday. The boys had a lot of fun! Orion LOVED the maze. William loved the train house. Overall, a huge success. I love our yearly tradition of going to the pumpkin patch!

Oliver 9 month check up

2011-10-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

My little baby Oliver is TEN MONTHS old already!! I can't believe it!! He had his check up a month ago, but I am a huge slacker, and just reporting it now. Anyway, he is pretty small. He only weighs 20 pounds 10 ounces (47%) and is 29 1/2 inches (83%). He isn't crawling yet. But he is close. And he will clap his hands when you ask him to play patty cake, and he loves to play peek a boo. I love this little guy SOOOO much!! I am so sad that he is getting so big already. I wish they could stay little longer.

Life is tough when your 4.

2011-09-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Orion has had a rough couple of days. Yesterday morning, I took him (and William) to get a flu shot. I went first so that he could see that it wasn't too bad. When the nurse pulled the needle out his face got white and he turned his head away, afraid to watch. When it was his turn he hopped up on the table. The nurse had him lay down, and then had me lay over the top of him so that he had to hold still. She started washing his leg with the alcohol pad, and that is when the screaming started. "OUCH IT HURTS IT HURTS" I replied with "Orion, get a grip, she is just washing your leg." Then she stuck the needle in. I her a big "OW!!!" followed by a "well, that wasn't so bad."

Later, that day he took his balloon outside to play with it. The strong wind promptly blew it away. He cried and cried and cried. " Why won't the wind bring it back. Can't we say a prayer so that Heavenly Father can make the wind bring it back? Can Little Einsteins get in their rocket ship and go get it and bring it back. It just makes me so sad that it is gone and I can't ever play with it again." On and on and on.

Today, we went to McDonalds for lunch. (Right after a play date I might add.) While playing on the outside of the equipment, Orion fell about 10 feet onto the cement floor, on the INSIDE of the netting that you aren't supposed to be able to get into. (Don't ask me how he got in there. None of us could figure it out.) He got a bloody lip and a huge goose egg on the back of his head. After convincing the manager that we didn't need an ambulance, I got to fill out an incident report. Before I was done filling out the paper work, Orion was back inside the play area playing hard. He is totally fine. I just have to convince him of that. I have asked him to do a couple of things this afternoon (like pick up that cracker you dropped or put your plate in the sink), and he replies with "I cant because my head is broken." I make him do it anyway.

Yep, life is hard for a 4 year old.

A family of 6??

2011-09-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yep, I guess it is time to announce this. We are officially a family of six. And I am no longer the only girl in the house. Introducing:

Cricket. She is a good kitty. She hasn't scratched the boys once.

30 Days

2011-08-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, that is how long I was away from Philip. The kids and I went on a trip to Idaho. We left (on July 2nd) about two weeks earlier than originally planned, so that I could swing by Salt Lake and see my best friend be sealed to her husband. It was so wonderful to go to a sealing again!! The last one I went to was 5 years ago when my brother got married. I loved listening to the advice the sealer was giving the beautiful couple. (George, I think you should hurry up and get married, so that Philip and I can go to one together soon. :))

After spending a couple of days in Utah, we headed up to Idaho Falls. My parents didn't know that we were coming. I lied to them, and told them that our family was in Nauvoo for the weekend. Needless to say, they were surprised when I pulled into the drive way and let the boys out of the van.

We did lots of fun things while we were in Idaho. The boys took swim lessons for two weeks

. We went up to Montana to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa.

Orion got to ride a horse.

We played with ducks. We went camping,

and the boys got very dirty.

And many other things. The boys had a great time!

Philip finally got into Idaho Falls on July 31st. It was beyond wonderful to see him!!

Monday morning was the start of our Family Reunion. We started off taking family pictures, in the rain. We were supposed to hit the lake afterwords, but it was raining. So instead we headed to Pizza place that has an indoor play area. The kids had a lot of fun. Monday night, we had a GIANT Family Home Evening.

Tuesday, we went Rigby Lake. Tons of fun was had there as well. Especially in the sand.

Wednesday morning we went to the zoo. And then that afternoon, we had a talent show. I am constantly amazed at how wonderful my family is!! (Not to brag or anything) That night ended with a lot of us gathered around the fire listening to stories of my fathers childhood. It was a great end to a great reunion.

Thursday morning, Philip and I went to the Temple. We did some family baptisms for mom. It was nice to go and do something a little different. Then Thursday night, Phil and I went and saw Harry Potter with my sister Tasha and her husband Chris.

Friday, my nephew Samuel turned 8. We had his baptism that day too, so that everyone could be there.

Saturday morning, we packed up the van and headed down to Salt Lake. We wanted to see Grandpa, but he wasn't home. So instead we hung out with Phils cousin Brittany, and the Philip went to go see his old friend Darren. Sunday morning, we went to the hospital to visit Grandpa. Afterwords, we drove to Colorado to spend a little time with Desi and her family. Monday morning we went swimming, and then went to Jack in the Box for lunch. Then, we headed out for home. We drove all night, and finally pulled into the garage at 7:30 am. It was a great trip, but I was super happy to be home!

Upgrade

2011-07-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

The boys LOVE to play outside in the water. On really hot days, I filled up my two biggest bowls with water and put them out on the deck for the boys to play with. They thought it was great fun and would play with the bowls of water for quite a while.
We decided that perhaps they needed something just a little bigger to play in. They love the pool even more.

Happy Birthdays!!

2011-06-11T15:49:00.001-07:00

We had a couple of wonderful birthdays here this last week. William and I both turned 16 this year! Huh? You say we didn't turn 16? I was under the impression that you only got a car for your birthday when you turned 16. Yep, you read right. William and I both got cars for our birthdays!!

I got a 2008 Grand Caravan, and William got a 2010 Handy Manny Motorcycle.

For my birthday, we had Wanda and Robert over to play games and eat cheesecake. Philip got me a couple of cute new shirts and the boys got me a new pair of flip-flops.

William started his birthday off with a bang. On Friday, I took him to Wal-Mart to pick out a fish from Grandma M. and to spend his birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa B. (He picked out some balls.) This morning after a yummy muffin breakfast we opened presents. He got some new summer pjs and a new Thomas puzzle. And then, he got his cool new car. (I think Orion was super jealous of William this year.) We also all went to go see Rango, and had pizza for dinner. A great day for our wonderful 2 year old!

Compare and Contrast

2011-05-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

Oliver recently had his 4 month check up. The doctor commented on how big he was, just like his brothers. And then she commented on how much they all look alike. And asked if they all looked like "this" at the same age. I told her no, that I thought Orion and Oliver looked more alike, and William less so. I'll let you decide what you think.

Oliver at 4 months

16 lbs.15.8 oz.

26 1/4 inches

William at 4 months

19 lbs. 14 oz.

27 1/2 inches

Orion at 4 months

19 lbs. 13 oz.

26 1/2 inches

Zoo

2011-05-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

We went to the zoo the other day. Orion was our guide. I think he was more interested in the map then in the animals. He was ALWAYS looking at that thing trying to figure out where we were and where we were going next.

Ok, this picture of Oliver is supposed to be at the end. But I can't move pictures around anymore. (And I don't know why.) But isn't he just so cute!!!

Towards the end, the boys were walking rather slowly. William was THRILLED when Daddy picked him and gave him a ride.
So, this picture isn't great. But it was the last thing we did on the way out, and getting William to actually stay in one spot for it was nearly impossible!!

Easter

2011-05-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

We had a fun Easter holiday this year. I'll admit, this year I kinda struggled with if and when we should do Easter Baskets. I really want my kids to know what Easter is all about, and not just that it is one more opportunity for candy and presents. But after much thought, I came to this conclusion. Growing up, we had Easter Egg hunts. We had Easter baskets. And I still have a testimony of the Atonement and Resurrection. I still know what Easter is all about. And my kids will too.

I am Blessed.

2011-05-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

" god didn't give me a map of my life, so i'm a bit lost. he didn't bless me with a set of specific instructions. So im a bit difunctional, and he didn't make me with a manual so im kindof hard to understand. but what he did do is promise me light when im lost, a solution for every mistake, and unconditional love and understanding! GOD IS AWESOME!¡!¡"

One of my friends had the above statement as her FB status. And it just made me think about how blessed I am to have a knowledge of the Gospel in my life. God did give me a map for my life. It is called a Patriarchal Blessing. He did give me a set of specific instructions. They are called the Scriptures. And while He didn't send me with a manual for others to figure me out. He did send me to parents who taught me to be honest in all my dealings. While that doesn't necessarily make me easier to understand, I think it sure does help. (Just ask Philip.) I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and all the "things" has has given me to help make my journey in this life a little easier.

2011-04-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Orion got a hold of the camera the other day. This is a picture he managed to take of himself.

William LOVES playing with trains. Once we build a track for him, he will play happily by himself for quite a while. Trains are the first thing he asks for when he wakes up in the morning, and we usually don't pick up the tracks until right before bedtime prayers.

Oliver is smiling now. And in this particular picture, he looks a lot like Orion.

William has become a master at taking his pjs off without undoing the zipper. This night, he got them off just enough to stick his hand down his diaper. (If anyone has any great ideas on how to break him of the habit, I am open to suggestions.)

2011-03-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

This is Orion saying "CHEESE". Not much has been going on with him lately. Just the usual stuff.
I have been watching my friend Shawnas' kids a lot this last month, and it has been a complete joy. Orion and Molly are great friends, and William and Bella are becoming great friends. They play catch together, and look at books together and are just generally happy together.
Oliver had his two month check up recently. He weighed 13 pound 8 oz. And was24 inches long. Compare that to Orion who was 15 pounds at two months, and William who was 17 pounds at two months (all were about 24 inches) and I think Oliver is our runt. That's ok, he is an awfully cute little runt. At his two month check up, we found out that I have mastitis. So now I am on an anti-biotic for that.
On Philips last flex Friday, it was pretty warm out. (Almost 60!!) So we took a family trip to the park. Orion and William were in heaven. We stayed for a couple of hours, and Orion was still super sad when we had to head home.
William has started taking pretend naps. It is very cute.
Orion just really wanted a picture taken with his brothers. It seems like whenever I have Ollie sitting on the couch both boys go and sit next to him and it is the perfect time to get out the camera.
For FHE treat, we had ice cream sandwhiches. And it is finally warm enough for them to eat their treat outside! (Although, I will admit that it probably isn't warm enough for them to be eating their treats outside with no pants on.)
A couple weeks ago, William started waking up in the middle of the night and was inconsolable. A few days later he developed a diaper rash. My children NEVER get rashes. So after a couple of days with it, I took him into the doctor. It wasn't just a rash, he had a strep infection on his bottom. Poor boy. He is on an anti-biotic now too.

Family Pictures 2011

2011-02-19T05:49:00.000-08:00

We went and got our yearly Family Pictures taken yesterday. And can I just say how much I like the place where we get our pictures taken! I strongly suggest that if you need your pictures taken, to go to Portrait Innovations. They don't have a sitting fee. They do several different poses and backgrounds. And best of all, they are very affordable! Here is a link to visit their website.

http://www.portraitinnovations.com/

And no, they aren't paying me to talk them up. So without further ado, here are some of our favorites. (I say some because they took almost 200 pictures.)

WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO!!!

2011-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

William has been taking his pants off a lot lately. Normally, I wouldn't care, but after he takes his pants off, he takes his diaper off. I have issues with that. So I have resorted to dressing him like this. With a onesie on the OUTSIDE of his pants.

Oliver George Bainbridge

2011-01-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

Here is Olivers birth story.

I woke up to my alarm going off at 5:30 am on Thursday December 30, 2010. I showered, and then called the hospital to see if they had a room available for me to be induced. They did!! We got to the hospital shortly after 7:00 am. I was in my room and changed by 7:15. Then we waited. And waited. My nurse came in and said that they called my OB, and the one on call didn't know that I was being induced today. But to go ahead and start me on a petocin drip, and she would be in shortly. So the nurse started asking me a gazillion questions. Finally at about 8:30, my OB showed up. She came in to check on me, and asked the nurse if I had been checked. Nope. So she checked me and determined that I was dilated to a 2, that Oliver was at -2 position. After she left, the nurse finally started prepping me for my IV. While trying to insert the needle, which took 3 tries, my blood pressure dropped to 60/29. So then we had to wait for my blood pressure to stabilize before we could start the petocin. Finally at about 9:30, petocin drip was started. Then, more waiting. And waiting. At noon, my OB came in again and asked if I had been checked recently. Nope, not since she did it that morning. So she checked me. I was dilated to a 4, and the head was still at a -2 position. At that point they broke my water with the understanding that the anesthesiologist would be right in to give me an epidural. The anesthesiologist comes in, gives me the low down on all the risks and everything, then gets a call and there is an emergency he has to go help with. He says he will be right back. Mean while the contractions start to get a lot worse, longer in length and are about 2 minutes apart. An hour and half later, at about 1:30, I finally get my epidural. 15 minutes later, the contractions are hurting through the epidural. About then my OB comes to check on me. Once again she asks if I have been checked recently. Nope, not since she did it at noon. So she checks me. I am dilated to 10, and ready to push. So they bring in all the equipment and at 2:05 pm, I start to push. And at 2:14 pm, my beautiful little Oliver was born. He weighed 9 pounds 11 ounces and was 21 inches long. A perfect little boy to add to my perfect little family.

Happy Birthday to Orion

2011-01-31T07:57:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my little boy turned 4 years old on Saturday!! It has been such a wonderful 4 years with him. Here are four of my favorite things about him.

1. He loves to say the prayers around here. And he has started thinking about what he wants and what he is thankful for. I love listening to him pray.

2. He is a GREAT big brother!!

3. He lives for making his mommy and daddy happy. He is always asking "That makes you so happy?" after he does something.

4. He still loves to snuggle.

For his birthday, we had the McGuires over for dinner and cake. Orion requested pancakes for his birthday dinner and a train cake. Again.

The Curse of an I-Pod

2011-01-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

Philip and I recently got I-Pods. And we love them! It is really nice to be able to go from checking my e-mail, to reading my scriptures, to playing a game, to watching a movie, all while I am sitting on the couch nursing Oliver. I can look up a recipe online, and take my ipod into the kitchen to make what ever it is I am making. However, there is a downside to having an ipod. I hardly ever get on the computer any more. Which means I am not updating the blog like I should, or looking at other peoples updates as much. I can do both on my ipod, but for some reason, I just don't. Well updating, I don't want to write a whole big thing on the little keyboard that I can only use one finger to type with. So, now that I am actually sitting down at a computer, I will give a brief update of the last month.

My parents came to visit for Christmas, with the hopes that Oliver would be born while they were here, and that we would be able to bless him. This was a little risky since their plan was to leave for home a week before my due date. We really enjoyed having them here!! It was so nice not having to cook or do a lot of cleaning those last days of my pregnancy. And it was great to have someone else to play with the kids. It was also great to have someone else to play some games with.

The pictures are not where they are supposed to be because I can't figure out how to move them. Maybe when Phil gets home . . .

We had a wonderful Christmas where we all were sufficiently spoiled. I got a beautiful new coat. (The last new coat I got was when I entered the 4th grade. )

Philip got a sweater and the music book for Wicked.

And the boys got a ton of new toys.

And of course, we got our Christmas pjs.

On the morning of Dec. 30th, I was induced. And later that afternoon, Oliver was born. (All the gory details deserve a post of it's own, don't you think?) I came home the evening of the the 31st. New Years Eve was kinda anti-climatic for us. We played a game of Sequence, Philip set off some fireworks with Orion, and then I went to bed. I think my parents, Chris and Max, watched a movie or something, but I don't know for sure. We were able to bless Oliver on Jan. 2. It was so nice to have my parents there for that special event. They took off right after sacrament meeting. I took William to nursery, and Orion to PRIMARY, (Yes, Orion is now a SUNBEAM!!) and then Oliver and I went home to sleep. Later that afternoon, we went over to Wandas to spend time with Philips parents who were in town just for the weekend.

It was a wonderful Christmas season, and I am so glad that my parents were able to come out for it and to be here for Oliver. Philip started school tonight, and starts going back to work tomorrow. I am looking forward to life getting back to normal. What ever that is.

My 3 Sons

2011-01-10T16:40:00.000-08:00

I am such a lucky mom to have such three handsome boys.

2010-12-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

Here are finally some pictures of Oliver George and his beautiful mom. He was born 2:14 pm on Thursday December 30th. He was 9 lbs 11 oz and 21 inches long.

Winter Wonder-FREEZING-land

2010-12-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well, after weeks of waiting for the "snow clouds" to come, Orion finally got up one morning to find them. Dumping snow on us. He was THRILLED, and very disappointed when at 7:00 am, I told him no, he couldn't go outside yet. At about 9:30, we all finally got all our snow gear on and went outside. William was so excited too. Until he got out there. He walked out into the snow and turned around and went back into the garage. Orion just loved being out there I think. He goes out every afternoon now, and is getting better and better about putting on his own snow gear, and taking it off and putting it away. William, is happy to stay inside and play with me.

Today, we made some Christmas sugar cookies. Holy Cow, it takes a TON of red food coloring to make dark pink frosting! The kids had a lot of fun helping, but I got to say, it was a lot more work with their help!! William kept cutting different designs over the ones we already cut, and Orion insisted on doing several of the snowflakes. (The hardest shape to get out of the cutter.) But they had a good time, and that was pretty much the point, so I guess it was a success.

In other news, Philip has finals next week. WOOHOO!! And then he has the last two weeks of December off of work and school. My parents and brother are planning on coming out for Christmas and should be here on the 20th or 21st. AND lastly- I have an ultra-sound on Monday the 13th to decide if we will induce this baby early or not. If I have my way, I will go in early Monday the 27th and be induced. But, I only want that if the baby will be strong and healthy enough to enter this world. If not, he should stay in a few more days.

And one quick funny story. (Or conversation.)

Orion: Mommy, you please play tag with me.

Me: Sweetie, it's to hard for mommy to run.

Orion: It's not hard! See? (As he is demonstrating how to run.)

Me: Yeah, but my big belly makes it really hard to run.

Orion: Oh . . . (big sigh). But your bum is so little.

Who needs Toys?

2010-11-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

The other day, we played in the leaves. The kids had a blast!!

And their favorite toy of late- is a box. A regular cardboard box that doesn't have a top or flaps.

October stuff

2010-11-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Monday night before Halloween, we carved pumpkins. Orion did NOT like that he had to touch the "gross stuff" inside the pumpkin. And then, he didn't like the roasted pumpkin seeds. Silly boy.

On the Friday before Halloween, we went to the Pumpkin Patch. Orion really liked feeding the goats, and William really liked everything. I am a little bummed that we didn't get a family photo there this year.

Friday night, we went to the ward Trunk or Treat. Orion has been looking forward to this for a while. He dressed up as a dinosaur. William was supposed to be a clown, but the costume so did not fit. It was labeled 2T, but I think it is more like 12 month. So he went in jammies. I went as a mom. And Philip went as Dr. Horrible. Lest you think I am just an amazing seamstress, I just want you to know that I did not make Philips costume this year. My friend Ann, designed the pattern, and then sewed the whole thing for us!! She is amazing!! (And somehow I didn't get any pictures of the kids.)

On Halloween night, we stayed home and played games and watched movies.

Overall, I am happy that October is over with and that November is upon us. I am hoping that with the Bainbridge Family reunion coming up, and Thanksgiving, and then all the excitement of Christmas, that the next two months will go quickly and before I know it, my hips and back won't hurt anymore and I will be holding my new little baby boy.

A Regular Piccasso

2010-10-28T13:26:00.001-07:00

We got out the play dough today, and this is what Orion spent 30 minutes making. In case you can't tell what it is, this is a jack-o-lantern. Complete with green hair, orange ears, and a chin & cheeks. Really, I should have had him make it on paper. Then we could have let it dry and sold it for thousands to some museum.

Halloween House

2010-10-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

Philip drives by this house on his way home from school three nights a week. He thought it was pretty fun, and so we took the kids to go see it Saturday night. Orion was facinated by some things, and scared of others. They had their whole huge yard just covered with inflatable decorations.

GOOD NEWS!!

2010-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

So, I had another OB appointment today. It was a really long one again, because I got to do the three hour glucose test, again. But the good news: if my numbers come back normal I DON"T HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN!!!! (I will find out the results tomorrow.) In between waiting, I also got to have an ultra-sound. Good news: this baby is only measuring in the 70th percentile. Right now he weighs about 3 pounds 2 oz. Most babies at this point weigh about 2 pounds 8 oz. He is also still head up (I guess they are usually head down by now, but they will give him until 35 weeks before they start to worry.) and his feet are also up where his head is. That has got to be uncomfortable. Then again, I can't imagine hanging upside down for three months would be very comfortable either.I have another ultra sound in a month to continue to monitor his growth. I did get some semi-bad news at my appointment today though. I have to start going in every two weeks already. They really just want to monitor babies growth, but still. It's not like they are going to induce this early, even if he was really big.

UNATTENDED

2010-10-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you leave William unattended for just a short 7 and a half minutes. (I say William, because I am pretty sure that he started it, and then Orion joined in.)

I'ts Harder than You Think

2010-10-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

Like most three year olds, Orion loves to help. It doesn't matter what I am doing, he wants to help. At least he thinks he does, until he starts really helping. For example, I am picking up the house, and Orion asks to help. " Sure, can you take all your toys to your room?" A few minutes later, he comes to me and says, " Mommy, this is harder than I thought." Or when I am putting sheets on the bed and he asks to help, I hand him a pillow case and ask him to try to put it on. He enthusiastically starts trying. After a few minutes, he brings me the pillow and case, and says " Mommy, this is harder than I thought." I hear this many times a day. And I usually reply with "Well, it's a good thing you can do hard things."

Recently in Institute we were discussing repentance. At the end of class, we watched a short seminary video about how repentance is A LOT more than just quiting what you are doing. At the end of the video, the teenager tells his uncle " I guess repentance is a lot harder than I thought."

Well Orion, I want you to know ahead of time that repenting is going to be a lot harder than you think it will be. And it is probably (ok, not probably but really) better if you just avoid doing the things that require repentance. But, I know that you will be like the rest of us and make some mistakes that require repenting. Luckily, I know you can do hard things, and even though repenting is harder than you might think, it is well worth it.

2010-09-21T15:47:00.001-07:00

I've decided we live very boring lives around here. In the last month these are the "not as boring" things we have done.

Right after we got home from our long trip, William ended up with an eye infection and an ear infection. This is a picture of him about 5 minutes AFTER I cleaned his eyes up.

We are planning a Bainbridge family reunion this Thanksgiving to the Wisconsin Dells. I was looking at their site, and Orion saw and asked if he could play that game. When I told him it wasn't a game, that we were going to go there, he said with much enthusiasm "Ok, let me go get my shoes on." He was very sad when I told him we weren't going for a while. He then looked at the clock and told me we were going when the big hand reached the 4. Again, he was disappointed when I told him no, we weren't going then either. I tried showing him on the calendar all the days we had to wait before we could go, but he just didn't get it. So finally, we made a chain. Each morning he gets to take one link off, and he knows that when the chain is gone, we will go to the water park. We have roughly 63 more days to go.

William and Orion love to play outside. One day, I showed Orion that I could cross the swing set, without touching the ground. Orion has been practicing and practicing, and now look what he can do.

And lastly, the other night, Philip wanted to make pretzels. So after we put William to bed, we made pretzels. Orion was kinda sad that he couldn't make the "pretzel" shape all by himself, but was very pleased when he discovered he could make a circle all by himself.

Oh, and just a funny little story. (Again, about Orion.) On Sunday in church, Orions friend Molly was crying. He pointed to her and said " Look, Molly is so sad. I will go tell her she is beautiful, that will make her feel better."

Other than that, life is pretty normal. William is busy busy busy getting into everything! Orion has started speech therapy again. Philip is taking four classes this semester, so we don't get to see him much. And I am trying to be a patient mother to my wonderful little boys.

Our Trip to Another World

2010-08-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of cute pictures that don't really have a place in this post. Orion is playing "Hide and Seek" with me, and that is where he chose to hide.
Ok, so we didn't really go to another world, but it sure felt like it at times. On Tuesday July 27th, I loaded up the car and the kids, and headed out west. We drove all the way to Kearny Nebraska before I decided I was too tired to drive. We stayed the night in a hotel, where both kids slept great! On Wednesday the 28th we drove to Rawlins, Wyoming. We visited my brother Stuart and his wonderful family.

Orion and his cousin Phillip had a good time playing together,and so did Majia and William. We stayed until Friday (30th) morning, then took off to Idaho Falls, Idaho. What should have been a quick 6 hour drive ended up taking 8 long hours. Construction was awful!! We finally got to my parents home, and had a couple of hours to relax and play before we headed out again for a short trip to Rexburg, to play at a splash park with all the cousins. Saturday was spent playing with more cousins, and we had a special birthday party for Samuel. On Sunday (August 1st) after church my parents, brother Chris, my kiddos and I loaded up the cars and headed north to Hall, Montana to visit my grandparents. Uncle Shawn and his family were also there. It was so nice to be up at The Ranch. I always just take a deep breath and feel like I am home. We stayed up and visited until Tuesday (3rd) night, then headed back down to IDF. On Thursday (5th) afternoon my mom, the kids and I once again loaded up the car and headed to Salt Lake City, Utah to visit some friends. I dropped mom off with Starla, and went to go visit my best friend (next to Philip) Tiffany. I don't know how I didn't get any pictures of that visit though. Very Sad. On Friday Tiffany and I took the kids to lunch and to a fabulous park. Then we went back to Tiffanys house and while the kids played, Tiffany gave me my first ever set of Glitter Toes. After a wonderful dinner, and the kids were in bed, Tiffany was given free reign over my hair. Looks good huh. Yeah, shes great.

Saturday morning, while Tiffany was at work, I went and hung out with Starla and my mom. Then we met Tiffany and Travis for lunch before we headed to Ogden for our good friend Kyles' wedding reception. Afterward, I said goodbye to Tiffany, and my mom and the kids and I headed back up to IDF.
Monday (9th), was my daddys 56th birthday. We had a surprise birthday party for him with all the "in town" grandkids.
It was a lot of fun. This is the super cute farm cake we made for it.

Things were a little less eventful after that. My Aunt Sherry and Uncle Berry and a few of their kids came up over the 14th and 15th. It was great to see them all. I did get to go have dinner with William and Kylie and see their new home. And I drug Alice and Rachel out to lunch and to get pedicures. We went to the zoo with Alice and her family.
I got to go to the Temple.
I took Orion and William out to Reeds Dairy for ice cream.
On the last day I spent at my parents, James and his family came into town. After I got the car all packed and ready to leave a whole bunch of us went out to dinner at Bar Jay. I had a lot of fun talking with Julie on the way up. (It took two hours to get there.) It was nice to get to know her a little better. We had a lot of fun at dinner. And the show that followed was great. We got home just after midnight, and I went straight to bed. Friday (August 20th) I drove down to Aurora, Colorado to visit my sister Tasha and her family. Saturday (21st) Tasha made us breakfast, and then we went to the Splash Pad. Afterwards we met Aunt Janice and Uncle George at Casa Bonita for lunch. I remember going there whenever my cousins were in town way back when. It brought back a lot of memories. After lunch we went back to Tashas and let the kids play while we visited. It was great to get to meet Max and Chris. Eventually I packed up our stuff and the boys and we drove to Westminster, CO and stayed the night with Desi and Mike. Sunday (22nd) morning I got the crazy idea to leave earlier then planned and surprise Philip. The boys and I packed up the car and headed out around noon. My goal was to get to Lincoln, Nebraska, but we didn't quite make it that far. We got to a hotel about 8:00. We pulled out our bathing suits and enjoyed a nice cool dip in the swimming pool. I wanted to put the kids down early so that I could get up early and leave, but William had other ideas. He didn't fall asleep until almost 11:00. Neither he nor Orion slept great that night. I had a hard time waking them up at 7. We were fed, and on the road again by 8 am. William fell asleep about 20 minutes later, and Orion fell asleep a little after that. They both slept soundly until 12:30, when I woke them up for lunch. By the time we ate lunch, went to the bathroom and filled up with gas it was 1:30. The Garmin had our ETA for 4:30. We had to stop in Debuque for gas. But then we headed straight home. We finally pulled into the drive way at 5:05 pm.

This is my hand compared to my brother Williams hand. I don't have small hands, but they sure do look little compared to his.

Aren't they Perfect?

2010-07-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

My two wonderful little boys having their after dinner treat. And I think they look perfect! Just like little boys should.

In case you didn't already know . . .

2010-06-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

I'm having another baby!!!

I am due on January 8th. Which puts me at just over 12 weeks. Philip is REALLY hoping that this baby comes early at least nine days early so that we get the tax refund. Orion would prefer I not have another baby, and William is indifferent. I am just ready to say goodbye to the morning sickness and nausea. I keep telling myself it will all be worth it in the end.

I had my 12 week ultra-sound today. Everything looks good so far. Baby has two hands and two feet and a good strong steady 176 BPM heat beat.

William had his one year check up last week. He weighs 26 lbs 15 oz, and is 31 1/2 inches tall. Thats only in the 90th percentile for those of you who track it that way. And he is finally walking!! He still can't just stand on his own though, so once he falls, he has to crawl to the closest wall or couch or chair or person and pull himself up.

Orion is busy busy busy busy. The child never holds still. Except for when he is eating, but that is only because I won't let him walk around and eat. Last night, while he was supposed to be going to sleep, he was busy doing head stands up against the wall. Currently his favorite game is tag. And it doesn't matter if you want to play or not, he will tag you and tag you and tag you. Oh . . . I love being a mom.

Firsts

2010-06-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

William finally got a much needed first hair cut. I was a little sad to cut off all of his nice soft hair. I remember when Orions hair was nice and soft, and it just isn't anymore. I think part of me was hoping that if I just didn't cut Williams hair, it would stay soft. But, it was getting long enough to braid, so I decided it was time. Here is a before picture.

And an after.

And today, we celebrated Williams First Birthday!! I can't believe my baby is one year old today! William got to lick his first cake batter spatula.

To celebrate we went to lunch at Red Robin. (Really, we went because we had a free meal for my birthday and a free kids meal coupon that expire tomorrow.) Then we had some errands to run at Costco. We came home for naps (for William and I) and then went to the library. We opened presents.

And had left over Red Robin for dinner, before having cake. It was a good day, and I think both boys enjoyed it.
And just for fun. I picture of Orion and Philip. This was taken after they got home from the Summer Frolic. It started pouring while they were there, and they got SOAKED there and on the walk home.

My Big Helper

2010-06-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Fridays is trash day around here. Orion really likes to help take the trash can out to the curb. One day, after watching all morning for the trash man to come, he ran outside. I didn't know what he was doing, so I followed him out. By the time I got there, he was half way up the drive way with the trash can in tow. I was so proud of him!! Now, he does it every week.

Peek-a-Boo

2010-05-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

I love this little man!!

Busy busy busy . . .

2010-04-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking that one of these nights, when I am looking for something productive to do, I will sit down and update the blog. Well, my nights have been full, along with my days. Even now, as I sit, I am risking going to a baptism with my hair wet and stringy, and a shirt covered in peanut butter. But while time is slipping by, there are more and more things that I need to blog about. And if I don't start now, I may never "pick up the pen" again.

So life around here is great!! Some of Philips family were able to come for Easter. Orion had a lot of fun playing with all of his cousins, and it was so nice to spend time with other adults!

This week in particular has been really great!

On Thursday I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Madison Tea Party. It was fun to be around so many other people who think the same way I do! But I have to admit, it did feel a little weird to clap during someones "talk".

Thursday night was WONDERFUL!!!! After many many months of searching, I found a free piano. And then after many weeks of waiting for a time to be able to pick up said piano- we finally were able to get it on Thursday night!! She isn't very pretty (someone painted her gold), and she needs a lot of work if she will ever sound very nice- but she is all mine!! Well, she is all ours. Orion and William and Philip are enjoying her too.

On Friday- we went to the zoo. Orion was so excited to see all the animals and Philip was super excited to show them to him. After the zoo- we went to Sonic for their Happy Hour drinks and some ice cream. Friday night, after the kids were in bed I did some serious cleaning. It amazes me how quickly the house can go from "beautiful" to "a tornado just went through here."

Saturday- I decided to take apart our piano bench and strip it down. It looks a thousand percent better without the ugly gold and green padding. I also was able to attend a baptism in the evening. I love going to convert baptisms!! Their spirits are so sweet, and I love the excitement in them!

Well- I know that I have left a lot of wonderful details out, but I have William on my lap reaching for the keys, and Orion at my side begging me to play a game with him. The dishes are piled in the sink, the floor needs swept and the laundry needs to be switched. Life doesn't seem to slow down at all, but I am loving it. I am so thankful for my wonderful little family.

Life is Good.

2010-03-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

We finally went to the park the other day. It was super crowded! But Orion was so excited to go down the slide and be able to jump and run and play. William was content to just sit and watch everyone play. I did put him in a swing for a little bit though- and he didn't seem to mind. Orion HATED swings at nine months!!

On days when we couldn't get to the park, Orion has enjoyed playing outside in the rocks. Even though it is warm enough to go outside without bundling up, Orion still likes to do it sometimes.

William is doing great!!!! He had his nine month check up last week. He weighed 24 pounds and was 30 inches tall. We also decided to start him on some reflux medicine to see if it helps with the not sleeping and the stuffy nose. His doctor said that it could take up to two weeks to work. The night we started him on the reflux medicine, he sleept through the night. Now he is sleeping very well @ night and taking decent naps. (Ok, he isn't sleeping through the night, but he is only waking up once.)

The other night Orion started crying out. I ran in there to quiet him, before he woke William. No luck, William started crying too. I comforted Orion for a minute and then told him that William would cry for a little bit, but if he was super quiet, William would go to sleep. Orion said ok, he could do that. I held William for a few minutes and then put him back in bed. He started to cry, but I left anyway. He only cried for a few minutes, and then he started talking. Then Orion would talk back. I fell asleep listening to them "talk" to eachother. They both eventually fell asleep with out crying, but I don't know how long they were awake in the middle of the night.

I have been really busy lately too. It seems I have spent more evenings away from home, then here. Philip has put William to bed more times in the last two weeks then I have. But hopefully things will start to slow down a little.

This is a pretty cute video. And yes, I am the one making funny noises trying not to laugh.

A Bad Case of the Normals

2010-03-11T05:25:00.001-08:00

It has been a not so fun week around here. The day after my last post, Orion decided that using the potty, was not so important and fun. He had 5 accidents the next day. And it hasn't really gotten better. We (and I mean HE) are back to running around naked most of the time. Orion also had all of his books taken away this week. I feel like an awful mother for taking away his books. I mean really, who does that? But I told him that if he threw one more book at the window, I was going to take them. Well, he did. Orion has also taken to emptying Williams dresser and throwing the clothes everywhere, climbing in Williams crib and using it as a trampoline, and various other activities that I do not approve of. It used to be that a couple of times in timeout would cure him of whatever he was doing, but not this week . . .

Also, William isn't sleeping great again. He is up about every two hours, and because he will wake Orion if I let him cry, I have been getting up with him. Not that I would be able to sleep through the crying either though. William has also taken up biting. I am pretty sure it is just because he is teething, but I don't want this to turn into a life long habit. Any suggestions on how to stop him from biting?

Philip has a cold. Need I say more?

And me? Well, when I am not cleaning up an "accident" , picking up clothes, putting Orion in time out, doing the dishes, making dinner, vacuuming up the spilled cheerios, feeding William, or playing with my boys, I am- hey wait, there isn't really time for anything else.

Like the title says: A Bad Case of the Normals.

2010-03-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

Life has been pretty mundane around here lately. I can't wait for the weather to get just a little warmer so that we can start spending more time outside! Anyway, we have had a couple of funnies this last week. This is the one I can share.

Orion was playing in the bathroom, and I went to go see what he was up to. This is what I found.

This is a whole bottle of Bubble Bath.

When I exclaimed "CHILD!" He replied

"Don't worry mom, I'll add water."

Also, it has been warm enough for Orion to go for a while and play, but not really warm enough to take William out for more then a few minutes. (He refuses to wear a hat for more then a few minutes.) Anyway, once William and I come inside, William then spends his time looking out the window trying to get to Orion.

William LOVES bath time. He is CONSTANTLY making his way to the bathroom to play on the bathtub. And when I get him out of the bath he tries his hardest to get back in. Sometime it can take me 15 minutes to get him dressed afterwards because he is sooo squirmy.

Orion is doing WONDERFUL at using the potty. I no longer have to tell him to go. (Although I do on occasion ask if he needs to go, but he always tells me no.) But here is the great part. He has only had 1 accident in the last week. WOOHOO!!

I have been scrapbooking like crazy this last week. I am almost done with Orions 2008 book, but I ran out of adhesive. William is still waking up about three times a night, and that is a bit wearing. We (Orion, Andy, and I) moved the crib into Orions room. I think he is excited to have William in there. When I went to go get William last night at about 2, Orion was awake and we had the following conversation.

Orion: Oh, Hi Mom

Me: (whispered) Hi Orion.

Orion: Mom you *kiss sound* Wills head?

Me (whispered.) Why?

Orion: He hit his head on his bed.

What a sweet boy to be concerned about his brother.

Ensign

2010-02-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

I got my Ensign (ok so the link is for February, but I got March) in the mail today, and was pretty excited. I also got a letter from Family Fun telling me that if I wanted to renew my subscription I could do it for just 10 dollars. (I didn't re-new it this year to save money. I decided that it was a want and not a need.) I sighed and put the letter aside to think about it some before I throw it away. I sat and thought about how I used to devour my Family Fun as soon as it came in the mail. I love all the different craft ideas and recipes and so on. And then I thought how sad it is that I don't show the same enthusiasm in the Ensign. I always enjoy reading it and I usually get it read cover to cover, but not always.

Also today I was finding some fun ideas to do for Activity Days, and I came across a "Friend" Bowl. The girls will read a Friend Magazine from cover to cover one month, and then the leaders (who also read the Friend cover to cover) will ask questions about it. Could be a lot of fun and it will motivate the girls to read it.

Then I was thinking, it's really too bad that my sisters don't live closer so that I could get together with them and have an Ensign Bowl. So Mom, Alice, Rachel, Kylie, Julie, just know that when I move closer, Family Dinner will also include a rousing game of Ensign Bowl. I personally

am looking forward to this.

Other things that have been going on around here- not much really. I am concerned that even though William is done with his anti-biotic, that he still has an ear infection. But he is sleeping a ton better and is finally starting to take a regular morning and afternoon nap. He also loves to follow is big brother around. Sometimes he gets a little upset when he is halfway down the hall, then Orion turns around to go back into the family room, so he turns around and is almost to the family room when Orion again returns to his room. It's a vicious cycle. Orion has started asking "why"& "but why", which is getting old quick. And he's only been doing it a couple of days. I don't mind so much when I have a good answer but when he asks why there is electricity in the outlet, I have no idea. He also has quite the imagination. "The big purple dinosaur in the window" is apparently very scary.

Bad Mom of the Year Award

2010-02-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

goes to me. Sad, I know, but probably true. Here's why:

1. After two weeks of William not sleeping well, and pulling at his ears and being cranky, I finally took him to the doctor. He has a double ear infection. He has been on the anti-biotics now for 4 days, and he is still pulling on his ears. But he is sleeping MUCH better. He only woke up three times last night, and slept in his crib the whole night.

2. I put William down for a nap yesterday. He usually will cry for about 7-10 minutes before deciding that I am not going to come rescue him, and he should just give up and go to sleep. Well, yesterday he cried for almost 20 minutes before settling down. I felt awful when I went to go check on him an hour later, and his legs were stuck in between the crib slats. I had to work pretty hard to get his one leg out . . . But not before I grabbed the camera.

3. Orion has had an ice cream cone for breakfast twice this week. If he goes poo on the toilet, he gets an ice cream cone. Well, when he gets up and that is the first thing he does, and then is so excited that he did that and that he gets an ice cream cone. . . . I just can't tell him no.

In other news, we finally got a new vacuum. I have been waiting, and deliberating and researching for a while now. But when our old one finally quit picking anything up, I decided it was time. So yesterday, I broke down and bought an Oreck. It is a very low end one, but it works wonderfully, and Orion LOVES using the small hand held one to help. Although I am still tempted to return it and get a cheaper one. Also, my gross toe, is doing great! It blistered up and then popped on Sunday. While draining it, a couple of lumps came out. (Yes, very disgusting I know.) But, the swelling is gone and the soreness is gone. It is still a little red, but I am hoping that that will go away with a little more time. And lastly- I am loving William being able to crawl. He loves to go down to Orions room and play in there. The only bad thing is when he comes out, and Orion is then sad because he wants William in there to play with.

Gross Toes

2010-02-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Ok- so this isn't really something that I am dying to post about-but I am going to do it anyway. Mostly because my toe is killing me. About a week ago I noticed that my big toe was a little sore right under the toe nail bed and to the side. Well- as the days went on- it has just gotten more and more sore, and puffy and swollen. It hurts to walk, wear shoes or even just move my foot. So now we come to the reason I am blogging about my gross toe. Should I go to the doctor? I don't remember dropping anything on it, and it isn't the whole toe, just that one little spot. But it HURTS!!! (Even just sitting here I can feel it throbbing) Please- share your knowledge on how to fix it.

Also- aren't my boys just cute!!!!!!

I Wonder

2010-02-07T04:47:00.000-08:00

I have been up for the last couple of nights walking William so that he will sleep. After he has been asleep for a little bit (20 minutes) I very carefully sit down in the rocker, and he wakes up. I stand again and continue the walking/bouncing. After he is asleep again, and stays asleep for a good 45 minutes, I very carefully sit in bed and lean against the wall. I can get away with this for about 15-20 minutes before he is awake again. It is making for some really long nights and some long tired days. But last night as I was walking him, trying to keep him quiet, I started thinking about the pioneer mothers, and what they did. Were they so bone tired at the end of the day from pulling and pushing and walking that they slept through the crying? Or did they too walk their babies night after night trying to keep them quiet so that others could sleep soundly? Or did Heavenly Father know of their need to sleep and comforted those babies so that their mothers could get the rest that they needed?

Life here has been pretty boring the last week. Orion had his 3 year check up. I think he enjoyed going to the doctors office and for once- he was the center of attention. He is also doing GREAT at potty training. On average he has about one accident a day. Sometimes it is two and some days- the is accident free. WOOHOO!!!!

William is officially crawling. sometimes. He is really slow at doing it the "right" way, so he still prefers to drop to his tummy and throw his arms forward to get to where he wants to be.

We all still have colds here, so I am staying home again from church with the little ones. I think I will put on some General Conference talks and do some puzzles with Orion. Not as good as getting to take the Sacrament, but it will have to do.

A Wonderful 3 Years

2010-01-29T14:36:00.001-08:00

It is hard to believe that my little man is three years old today. It amazes me just how fast the time really does go. The days are long but the years are super fast!

To celebrate Orions birthday we did a couple of fun different things. I took Orion and Moroni to McDonalds this morning so that they could play, but it wasn't super crowded. They played for about an hour and a half, then we took Mo home. Orion was pretty sad that he couldn't go inside with Mo. After lunch (we had pancakes because that is what he wanted!) we went to the store to get candy to decorate his cake. As of Wednesday Orion wanted a train cake. Then yesterday he really wanted an airplane cake. I borrowed a book from Wanda that has instructions on how to make said airplane cake, and Orion saw a picture of a truck cake and decided that he REALLY REALLY wanted a truck cake. So we made a truck cake. Next year- I am not giving him a choice.Later in the afternoon our friends Andy and Adeline came over to play. They had a lot of fun playing on the giant bean bags and playing the Wii. Philip came home from work and we opened presents. Orion had been looking at his presents on the table all day and was so excited to open them that we just couldn't make him wait. We had pizza and breadsticks for dinner- once again, what Orion wanted. After we had cake, we broke out the new game he got (Hullabaloo) and played until bedtime. Overall I think he had a good.

Here is the sad part. I have been taking pictures all day so that I could document this special day for him, and when I went to go download them on to the computer, I found out that the sd card isn't working anymore, and we lost ALL the pictures on it. I am SUPER SAD!! Also William has been running a pretty high fever the last couple of nights, and has not been sleeping well unless I am holding him and walking the floors. Needless to say, I am a tired mama.

Almost there!!

2010-01-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

For those of you keeping track- this is my 100th post! I kinda feel like there should be streamers and balloons attached.

In a lot of ways- we are almost there!! 1st with the almost is Orions numbers quilt. I ended up having to construct a back for it.
And I didn't use a neutral color because the red was cheaper. All I need to do now is decide if I am going quilt it or tie it, and then bind it up.

2nd on the almost list- William is almost crawling! He has been so close for almost a month now, and everyday he gets a little closer. He has gotten to the point where he gets up on all fours and then kinda throws himself forward. I just love my cute little guy!!

3rd- Orion knows most of his letters! He can do the puzzle just fine without any help, but he still calls the "U" umbrella.

4th- Philip is just about ready to start his new school. We still have to wait and see if we will get enough in financial aid for him to go, but hopefully we will know in a few days. School starts on Tuesday!!!

And lastly, Orion is almost done with diapers!! I still have to remind him to go potty every couple of hours- but yesterday he only had two accidents and they were within a 20 minute period just after dad got home from work.

HOOORAY!!!! for all of the things we have ALMOST accomplished.

Family Pictures 2010!

2010-01-08T16:57:00.001-08:00

We had our family pictures taken today. Here is just a sampling of the pictures.

I cry the day I take the tree down . . .

2010-01-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

Well- we have had an eventful Christmas season- and it was wonderful!! On Friday the 18th- after Philip got home from work, we packed up the car and headed to Joeys (Phils brother) in Ohio. We got in about 4 am and crashed. Because we were in a new place, Orion needed my hair to fall asleep, and William needed to nurse, so the first "night" this is how we slept. Imagine me in the spot next to the wall.

Saturday night we accompanied Joey and Carley (& kids) to their ward Christmas Party. It was one of the BEST Christmas parties we have ever been too, and that is saying a lot since we only knew our family.

On Monday all the boys and I went to an airplane museum. It was a lot of fun. We got to tour some of the old Air Force One planes that different presidents used. Talk about first class!! Orion and Levi had a lot of fun. We also got to see several different planes used in different wars and such. It really was very interesting. At one point Orion had the opportunity to go into the cockpit, but I guess was to scared. ( I was off in an indiscreet area feeding William so I missed the tantrum. )

For lunch, we went to Chick-Fil-A. Orion was less then impressed with the food but loved the play place.

This picture has no real place in this post- I just thought it was super cute!

Bright and early Tuesday morning- we packed up the car again and headed down to Tennessee, to see Philips parents. We got in at about 2, unloaded some of the car and then headed to the closest Chick-Fil-A for lunch. We stayed there for almost two hours while Orion played.

Wednesday, we spent the day doing last minute shopping and setting up the Christmas tree and decorating. Grandpa got out the train that goes around the tree and Orion had a ton of fun with that.
Philip had to climb up into the attic to get the tree down, and Orion LOVED going up with him. He called it the cave.

It was fun going through all the ornaments and looking at all the old things that Philip made as a kid.

Christmas Eve brought more shopping. Philip and Mom were gone most of the morning while George and I baked some Christmas goodies. After dinner we opened our Christmas jammies. Somehow we only got the one picture of the Christmas Eve festivities.

After opening our Christmas pjs we watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. Then we read the Christmas Story. Reading the recollection of Christs birth is always my FAVORITE part of Christmas Eve. After we said night prayers Orion went to give Grandma a hug and the following conversation took place.

Grandma: Orion do you know who is coming tonight?

Orion: Uh . . . no?

Grandma: Yes you do. Who's coming down the chimney?

Orion : Uh . .. Oh!!! The Big Bad Wolf!!!!

You can tell which stories we read to him!!!

Christmas morning brought lots of new toys, clothes, and fun. We were all sufficiently spoiled!! It was a great day!!

On Saturday we took the two hour drive to Nashville to visit the Children's Science museum. About half way there, we stopped for lunch at . . . Jack in the Box.

The museum was a lot of fun! George, Philip and I were able to try out a contraption that simulates weightlessness. It was pretty fun, but kinda painful.

I am not really fond of these pictures because I totally look pregnant in them.

Orion really enjoyed the musical portion.

I think my favorite part with the part all about the body. There was a slide that every boy would love. It represented the small intestines- and made noises all the way down.!! The very last think we did was see the Holiday Lights show in the planetarium. It was a little long- but both the boys enjoyed it.

Monday we took the tree down and put away the Christmas decorations. We also went to several different stores to exchange different things for different sizes. We had Chick-Fil-A for lunch.

One of the things that I loved about Tennessee was that it was warm enough for Orion to play outside.And Orion found out one of the many joys of watching TV with Grandpa.Tuesday we packed up the car in the morning. And then Philip and I left the kids with Grandma and George and went on a date, out to lunch at Chick-Fil-A. When we got home we squeezed into what little space was left in the car and drove back to Joeys place. We crashed there and left Wednesday morning to go home. For lunch we stopped in Indianapolis and had Chick-Fil-A one last time. We got home at about 8pm, and unloaded the car.

Yesterday we stayed home and played with all of our new toys and relaxed and just had a nice day with our own cute little family. I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to visit family for Christmas, but it is nice to be home again.

I didn't know Phil was behind us taking pictures and videos, or I would have been singing softer so you could hear Orion singing too.

Merry Christmas to ME

2009-12-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

So, William had his allergy appointment today- and all went well. The doctor didn't seem to think that William had a food allergy, so we tested dust, cat, dog, & feathers. All of which came back negative. On Monday William goes in for his 6 month check up, and I think at that point we will try a reflux medicine.

On to more exciting things!!!

We finally set up the Christmas tree this last week. Orion had a lot of putting all the decorations on. He seemed to think that they all looked best on the same three branches though. He was quite sad when we were all out of things for him to hang.
But he does have a lot of fun turning on the lights and looking at the "really tall Christmas Tree." William keeps getting himself stuck under there too and then Orion goes and tries to help him out. Every time I go and rescue them both I think to myself "What a wonderful present!!" I am so grateful for my two beautiful wonderful boys!!!!!

Orion and I made some Christmas cookies the other day too. I frosted the tree he was decorating and then gave him the candy to do it. We were at the table together and he was putting his candy on the cookie like he was supposed to. I walked away for a minute and when I came back, Orion was eating the candy off of his cookie. I told him that he was supposed to use the candy to decorate his cookie. He smiled at me and said that he was decorating his tongue. Silly Boy!!
And lastly, we had our first big snow storm of the season this week. And I thought it was hilarious that the tractor plowing - got stuck and had to call for backup!

2009-12-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

Here are just a bunch of little things not worthy of their own post- so I am packing them all into this one.

First off: doesn't Orion just look so dang cute in these glasses?

Sadly- William started leaning forward in the swing. He never fell out- but I didn't want to risk it. So- no more swing. We also had to put the bouncer away about two months ago- because he could roll out of it.

We got out the Christmas decorations the other day. William loved the lights!! We could not keep him away from them!
It finally snowed here in Wisconsin yesterday- and Orion REALLY wanted to go outside and play in it. So I put him in a coat and let him go out. He stayed curled up in a ball on the porch the entire time. I asked him several times if he wanted to come inside- but he kept insisting that he wanted to play in the snow. Finally he opted to come inside.
On the 11th we finally get to take William to see the allergist. He recently had another sinus infection and was put on another round of antibiotics. He still has a stuffy nose and bad cough- but at least that is all. So unless something fabulous happens between now and next Friday- plan on hearing from us then.

2009-12-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

So a while back I decided that I wanted to make Orion a "numbers" blanket this year for Christmas. My initial plan was to do numbers on one side and letters on the other side. That is so not happening though. So instead I am working on just a numbers blanket. Orion has been watching me cut out the pieces and gets very excited when he sees one he recognizes. Anyway- I know that my mother would love to see what I am creating so I am posting pictures of the quilt thus far.

This was me laying it out before numbers were appliqued and borders put on.

The completed blocks.

Now all I have to do is get some neutral (I'm thinking white) material and bring them all together and the top of my quilt will be done. Very basic- I know, but since this is my first- I am ok with that.

William-Go-Round

2009-11-16T19:09:00.000-08:00

I know that I am long over due for another post- but really, life has been pretty boring around here lately. Orion has been finding new ways to play with William though- and this is how I found him this morning.

Paranoia

2009-11-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

This has been quite a month for my poor little William. About a week before Williams 4 month check up- I took him into the doctor for croup. My doctor will give us a prescription for it- so that I only have to do one sleepless night of croup, and not 3 sleepless nights. A week later he had his 4 month well baby check up. He weighed 19 pounds 14 ounces and was 27 1/2 inches long. Unfortunately we found out that William probably had a sinus infection and was prescribed amoxacillin for that. He has had a constant runny stuffy nose and a nasty cough for over two months.

A week later- William starts breaking out into hives.
(You have to click on the picture to see it bigger to see the hives really well.)

At first I thought it was just a a bug bite reaction or something irritating his skin since it was only on his face. But after about 12 hours- they started popping up all over the place.
So it was back into the doctor. Prognosis. He is allergic to amoxacillin. Since the amoxacillin didn't clear up Williams nose and cough, which it should have done even if he is allergic to it, we have to take him to see an allergist. That happens in December.

Then yesterday morning- while I was nursing him and putting him down for a nap- he started shaking. His whole upper body was violently shaking and his eyes were rolling all over the place. This only lasted for a couple of seconds though. After that he just closed his eyes nursed for a couple more minutes then went to sleep. I called the doctor to find out if maybe he had just had a seizure, but she didn't think so because he was able to nurse afterwards. She said to just keep an eye on him and if it happens again- to bring him in. Nothing else happened all day. Then this morning I was nursing him and getting ready to put him down for a nap. Well- this time just his head started shaking- his eyes were closed- and it lasted for over 30 seconds. (Which seemed like a much longer time.) After he was done shaking- he nursed for a couple minutes longer- then went to sleep. I called the doctor again- and this time she wanted me to bring him in. After examining him- and looking a couple of things up- she ended up calling a pediatric neurologist to see what he thought. The neurologist thinks that William is just having sleeping tremors since they only happen when he is on the brink of sleep. But if he should have another "episode" while he is wide awake- we are supposed to just take him straight to the ER.
What does all this say about me? That I am a paranoid mother who takes her baby to the doctor a lot.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

Well- it is that time of year again. Yesterday we all ventured out to the Pumpkin Patch place. First we took a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch. Orion loves this part! He is so enthralled with the tractor, and really just wants to ride on the tractor pulling us. I wonder when that dream to be a tractor driver dies in little boys . . .

We picked out a couple of pumpkins then took a ride back.

Next we fed the goats. Orion wasn't sure he like them this year.

Then we hit the race track. Orion is big enough to reach all the peddles, but just won't do it. I don't know if he just doesn't understand the concept or if it is just easier for dad to push him.

This is one of my favorite pictures! :)

After the tricycles Orion climbed the mountain of hay.

He was on top of the world!!

He also enjoyed going under the hay.

And the last thing we did was go to the train house.

One of the best things about going there- is that the whole trip was only $10.00. That includes the price of the pumpkins. It could have been only $6.00- but I picked out a big pumpkin.

On to other news. William loves chewing on his fingers.

And I can't get Orion to quit hanging on things. I took this picture and then he got into trouble for it. I tried to be sneaky and take the picture when he wasn't looking- but he dropped his head at just the right time.Orion has really enjoyed playing Battleship too.

Also this last week we have had the car into the mechanic TWICE!!! The first time we took it in because it has been really loud lately. Turns out it was a bearing in the wheel. That trip cost just over $200. That was our "emergency" allotment in the budget this month. But then the next day- it started over heating. When I found out that we had to take it in again- I was seriously thinking " I am so glad that I have been building up our food storage slowly so that I don't HAVE to go grocery shopping." Turns out that the second trip in- a belt on the water pump was no longer a belt. More like threads. That bill- only $28.00!!!!! HOORAY!!! I am so grateful for answered prayers!! Heavenly Father truly is mindful of us.
And just because this post is a little heavy on Orion pictures I figured we needed another cute one of William.

Picture Overload

2009-10-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

There are so many things that I have meant to post- and just haven't had the time. Even right now- there are an hundred other things that I should be doing. But I am letting everything else pile farther up while I sit and catch up.

Orion is such a great big brother!! He is always taking books over to William to tell him all about them. I am often surprised about how well he knows the stories. He really is listening and taking it in!William has had a nasty cough for the last two weeks- and it isn't really getting any better. I am glad that we have a well baby check up next week so that I can know that it is just a cough and will eventually clear up. He isn't running a fever or anything else- just a nasty cough. On the upside- he did roll over for the first time the other day. He also has started putting himself to sleep sometimes. He finds his thumb and sucks away until next thing I know- he is sleeping peacefully on the floor.
The other day I wanted to do something fun for lunch. So Orion and I made "Cheesy Feet". I got the idea from a book- lest you think I am naturally this creative. We traced around Orions feet- then cut them out.
I made pie crust, and used Orions foot prints to make pie crust feet.
Then we sprinkled cheese on them and baked them.
Orion LOVED eating his feet!! We were supposed to put cherry tomatoes on for toe nails- but I opted not to do that.
Just the last couple of days William has started drooling. A TON!! He also is chewing on my fingers like they are the tastiest things on earth. Conclusion- I am a little worried that he has started teething.For a couple of months now- every time I take the kids to the park Orion wants to climb the tree. So finally the other day with Daddy close by- we put him up in the tree. He was in heaven!!

Philip was scared to death that Orion would fall, and really wanted someone up there with him. Guess who drew the short straw!

I see a pattern developing.

2009-09-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Speech Therapy Fun

2009-09-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

About 6 months ago Orion started speech therapy. He LOVES his therapist Stephanie!! All I have to do is tell him that Stephanie is coming and he is very quick to pick up the family room. Well, every week Stephanie leaves us with some "homework". Just little activities to do to help reinforce the language development. This week we put some chocolate syrup on the mirror for him to lick off. This is supposed to help strengthen his mouth muscles to decrees his drooling. Anyway- we had a lot of fun with that!

Also this last week Orion has been asking to hold William a lot. It is kinda funny to see because even though Orion is really big- so is William. And Orion isn't quite strong enough to hold him up. But I think that it is cute that he wants to try.

3 Months & Labor Day

2009-09-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day- we decided to go to Stewart park and roast hot dogs. It was a lot of fun. Philip scavenged for wood to build the fire, while I nursed William and Orion played. He finally found enough wood but then it took a while to actually get the fire started.
But he did it!! I think next time I will bring lighter fluid. Orion really didn't like the fire. We tried to get him to help us roast a hot dog for him- and he stood as far away from the fire as he could get.
He also didn't want anything to do with the marshmallows we roasted. I put them in the fire- therefore they were no good.

Yesterday I decided that we would walk to the library for story time, which starts at 10:35. I packed a lunch and got water bottles ready, and we left the house at about 9:45. The library is only about a mile away- so I figured on it taking us about 45- 50 minutes to get there. The walk to the library is so pretty too! This is what it looks like for 80% of the walk.

Well, we finally walked in the doors of the library at 11:00!!! Story time was just ending, but we stayed and played at the train table for a few minutes to rest. When we started to go back Orion just sat down in the middle of the sidewalk and asked if he could ride in the car. I told him we didn't have a car to go in and that he needed to walk. So he got up and walked about 10 more steps- then sat down and again said he wanted the car. I told him that if he could walk to the park, we would have lunch and he could sit there. So he got up and walked with me to the little park that was on our way home. It only should have taken a few minutes but took almost 10 to get there. We sat and had lunch and I let Orion go down the slide a few times. When it was time to go, I bribed him with left over cookies to sit in the stroller. I carried William and pushed Orion for 10 minutes. By then my arms were tired and I made Orion get out and walk. After 5 minutes of walking Orion asked if he could "sit" again. So I held William and pushed Orion again for about 10 minutes. With Orion in the stroller we made much better time- but it was still taking a long time. Finally when we only had a couple of blocks left to go, Orion sat down in the dirt and refused to get up.

By then, William was screaming too.

We FINALLY got home just after 1:00! I guess that for now if I want to walk to the library, I better take the double stroller.
Also yesterday William turned 3 months old!

I can't believe that time has gone by so quickly. William is is such a good baby. He loves to snuggle and be talked to. Just yesterday he started laughing. It is so much fun to make him laugh. I love this little guy and am so excited to watch him grow and learn. I just wish he could stay little a little while longer.

Just Life

2009-09-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know that this is probably very irreverent and my mother is probably appalled at me for doing this, but I recorded one of Orions prayers. Just so that I could share it with the grandmas. He has been really good about saying his own prayers, and for the most part- without any help. I did have to remind him to bless the food in this particular prayer, but I didn't want to record too many prayers waiting for him to do one completely by himself. And just in case you can't understand what he is saying- here is a translation.

Heavenly Father, thankful day, bless grandma, name Jesus , bless food, name Jesus Christ, amen.
He has also been sharing his food with whichever favorite toy he has at the time. Sometimes it takes 2 hours to get through lunch because he takes a bite- and then the train takes a bite- and then Samuel the Lamenite takes a bite. He also makes piles of his "side" to share. Orion, mommy, daddy, William, Dora, Boots, & the favorite toy all get a pile of food. The problem with this is that it only leaves Orion 3 pretzels (or raisins or whatever) and then he wants some more. But I am happy that he wants to share and is so willing too. I hope this behavior continues for many many years.

William is doing really well! He is sleeping GREAT at night. Most of the time he sleeps through the night. Unfortunately he doesn't nap great. He will only nap if I am right next to him- or bouncing him. He has recently discovered his finger. He really likes to gnaw on it- and then eventually he starts sucking on it and goes to sleep. I think it is rather cute. But then again- I just think HE is cute.

Philip is taking a couple of classes this semester. They are online classes, so he will be able to be home every night and I won't ever have to worry about him driving home late at night in the snow. He is such a wonderful husband and father and I am so grateful for the sacrifices he makes for his family. I couldn't ask for a better man!!
I am doing well. I am trying to get back into the habit of exercising daily. But it is slow going. Even though William is sleeping great, Orion isn't always. So a lot of mornings I think to myself, I should go exercise, and then Satan steps in and says "No- your too tired, go back to sleep"! I hate to admit it- but I listen to him far more in the mornings then I should. I'll work on that!!
I guess what I am trying to get at is this. Life is going very well for us here in the Bainbridge household. We are all happy and healthy. And what more could we ask for?

He really DOES do other things

2009-08-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I commented to Philip that the garbage disposal wasn't working and would he please take a look. He looked under the sink to make sure that it was still plugged in (I could have told him that) and then stuck his hand down there to make sure that something like a rag wasn't in the way. He then announced that it was beyond him to fix and I needed to call the landlord. I was not to that point however. I stuck my hand down the drain and fiddled around with the blades and stuff until I found it. A piece of plastic was wedged underneath the blade and up against the side. When I told Philip this- he decided that maybe he really could fix it. He started taking out screws and such trying to get the disposal off. After a phone call to my dad and a phone call to the home teachers he got it off. I quickly called our home teacher back to tell him we figured it out, and that he didn't need to come rescue us. After tugging and prying and grunting he finally got the plastic unstuck. It was a piece of measuring cup. And yes, it was my fault it was down there. I thought I got all the pieces out. Unfortunately we didn't have all the right stuff to put it all back together last night. So this morning Philip ran to the hardware store and got the needed materials to finish the job. I am happy to report that my garbage disposal works good as new!!!

This afternoon we went to Stewart park for a picnic and to find some rocks.
Philip is in charge of Sharing Time tomorrow, and wants the kids to make "rock families". We washed them all, and then drew smiley faces on them. The primary kids will then glue eyes, hair and a nose on them. Should be pretty fun.
Here is Phil with his example rock family.

Also today, I got my first picture with William smiling. He has smiled at me lots, but this is the first one caught on camera.

2009-08-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I should have posted a week ago- but I didn't. So last Tuesday William had his 2 month check up. He weighs 16 pounds 12 ounces and is 26 inches tall. I am so sad that he is growing so fast. It is hard to believe that he is already 2 months old! I feel like in no time at all he is going to be sleeping in the crib- in Orions room. I have to admit, I am not ready for this at all! But he is almost too tall for the bassinet so crib- here we come. While we were at the doctors office, Dr. Egglash (our wonderful pediatrician and family doctor) looked at Orion. Turns out that Orion has a strep infection on his bottom. She was so mad that the other doctor we saw didn't even look at Orions bottom. Anyway, we started the antibiotics and Orion is improving daily. The blisters are finally gone, and he is sleeping through the night again. Hooray!!
Lately Orion has been playing a lot with a red block that has a face on it. He calls it "mommy". There are lots of time when he will come up to me and ask "Mommy- wheres my mommy?" It can get quite confusing sometimes. Especially when he does it with the daddy block. It always takes me a couple of seconds to figure out if he is talking about his daddy or the toy. Anyway, the other day he dropped "mommy" down the laundry shoot and this is him trying to reach it.

And here is William. He has learned how to bounce himself in the bouncer, and I just think it is adorable. I love my boys!!!

Blue Bananas

2009-08-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

This has been a pretty busy yet pretty relaxed week for us. About a week ago- we discovered Orion has pin worms. NASTY little things. I won't go into detail about them- because I am kind and don't want all of you to be sick after reading this. But because of these little worms, Orion has not been sleeping well, which translates into Mom and Dad not sleeping well. William on the other hand has been sleeping GREAT!

The last few days, Orion has been asking for a "blue banana". I keep telling him I don't have any blue bananas. Today he asked for a blue sandwich. So I called Alice and asked her how to make my sons normal everyday food blue. She suggested I make "An octopus in seaweed". I made blue seaweed.

William is doing well. He sleeps great at night and is pretty happy most of the time during the day. He likes to snuggle and look at people. He has also started batting at toys if Orion will leave them alone long enough for him to bat at.

My garden is doing great. Well, kinda. The bunnies won't leave my green bean be- so I am not getting any of those, but I have squash and zucchini galore! I would have a lot more but for some reason about half of what should turn into beautiful produce, starts rotting on the vine. I haven't quite figured out why yet.

WIlliams Blessing

2009-07-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we blessed William. To celebrate this wonderful occasion, we had some family come and visit. My sister Rachel and Mom & Dad Bainbridge came out. It was so wonderful to see them all! (Especially Rachel whom I don't get to see very often.) Rachel came into town on Friday afternoon. We just stayed at home and visited Friday night, and it was wonderful. Saturday afternoon we went swimming. This could have been a lot more fun for Rachel and Lida if we had warned them we might be going, and then the could have brought suits. But I think they had a good time anyway.

Orion LOVED going down the slide.
Saturday night, Rachel and I made a couple of cheesecakes. (Which were absolutely FANTASTIC LY YUMMY!) Sunday- the big day. William looked so handsome in his blessing outfit. And miracles of miracles, we were on time to church. William didn't cry through the blessing, which was fabulous! He was blessed with a myriad of things, but one that sticks out in my mind the most is that he was blessed with " the strength and courage to live and withstand trials."

After church we all congregated over at Wanda and Roberts home. Once again, it was wonderful to spend time with family. Monday morning, I said goodbye to Rachel and Lida, and dropped them off at the airport. And yes, I cried in the car after words. That afternoon, Mom and Dad took us all (all being my family and Wandas family) out to lunch at Red Robin. Then we said goodbye to them too.
It was a wonderful weekend, and I am so grateful for the family that was able to come out for Williams blessing. And we missed everyone that wanted to be here, but couldn't make it.

Orions Milk

2009-07-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

Orion has noticed that when William eats, he does it a bit differently then the rest of us. He asked me about this, and I told him that William eats "mama's milk". Orion then counted, and I have 2 "mama milks"! He was very excited about this, and asked if he could have a bite. I told him no, that it was only for babies. Well today Orion brought me his baby nurse. I preteneded to nurse his baby without pulling anything out. Orion watched this with a confused look on his face. He then announced that he would give his baby Orion Milk. And proceeded to lift up his shirt and nurse his baby.

Orion has also been changing diapers and putting the baby down for naps. What a good big brother/father he is to his doll.

William is finally starting to sleep for a decent chunk at night. I can put him to bed at about 10:00, and he doesn't wake up to eat until about 6! And then he goes back to sleep until I go wake him up at 8:30. It has been really nice! He also has been going cross eyed a lot when he is looking at me. And then his eyes get stuck and he starts wiggling his head around trying to fix it. Eventually he screws up his face and blinks his eyes, and they are back to normal. But it is kinda fun to watch him get his eyes uncrossed. I wonder if that is normal . . .

While my sister Rachel was here, she taught me how to make pancakes the easy way. So, I have been eating lots of pancakes the last couple of weeks, and I bought some blueberries to go in them. Orion helped one morning put the blueberries in the pancakes. He went a little over board with one.

Fire Trucks

2009-07-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am kicking myself for not always having a camera on me!

Yesterday the kids and I walked to the post office. To get there, we pass the fire house. On the way home, Orion wanted to stop and just look at them. Well, a very nice firefighter noticed us standing on the trail looking at the trucks, and invited us up to see them. Orion was THRILLED to be able to go up close to them. He got to go inside the Pumper, and the Ladder and another one with a fancy name. He even got a hat. What a nice experience it was. Especially having a private tour. Orion got to spend ample time in each truck and the very nice fire fighter (I didn't catch his name) was very willing to climb up in there with him and play and show him all the different things. I love this town!

Also, over this last weekend, we blessed William. As soon as I get the pictures from my sister, I will post more on that. We neglected to take any pictures with our camera.

He's my FAVORITE

2009-07-08T17:15:00.001-07:00

4th Festivities

2009-07-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ok everyone, be prepared to be shocked. This year to celebrate Independence Day, we went to a B-B-Q at the Richards. I say be shocked because, I can never talk Philip into going to events like this unless it is a ward activity or held at his sisters house. (And even then, it takes a lot of talking.) But we went to the Richards and had a good time. A lot of our friends were there and it was nice to sit and chat with them while Orion played. A good time was had by all. We left that at about 8:30, and went home to do our own fireworks. Orion had a lot of fun with the sparklers.

For "scriptures" that night, we read in 1 Nephi, where it talks about the gentiles who came to this land to escape captivity. We tried to explain to Orion that Heavenly Father was preparing a way for the Gospel to be put back on this earth. I am so grateful to those men and women who sacrificed and died so that we can live in this free nation. It is a HUGE blessing in our lives to be Americans.

Brotherly Love

2009-06-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Things have been going pretty good lately. My parents were in town for the last two weeks, and it was wonderful to have them here to help. We didn't do a whole lot while they were here. Mostly becuase I had just had a baby, and was taking it easy. However, we did do a couple of things. One day we visited the Mustard Museum. I think mom really enjoyed it. For anyone who likes mustard, it is definately worth the trip. Even those of us who don't like mustard find it entertaining. We also went on a short hike at the Blue Mounds state park, and went to the zoo. Mostly though, we just enjoyed eachothers company.

One of the pictures I am posting with this was taken this morning. I was busy unloading the dishwasher, and William was screaming in his bouncer. Orion came over and was trying to comfort him. He kept putting his arm around him and telling him " its ok". Also this morning, Philip asked Orion to go get some socks to put on. Orion came back with two pairs of socks. A white pair for himself, and his favorite blue pair which he put next to William for him to wear. I thought it was very sweet that not only would he think to grab a pair of socks for William, but that he gave him the prefered pair of socks. What a sweet boy I have!!

The other pictures are just for fun.

2009-06-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we are home today. I could have stayed another night in the hospital, but I decided that I would sleep better in my own bed. For anyone who wants more details about Williams birth, continue reading, if you don't and just want to look at the pictures, that's fine too. If you don't want to do either, why are you looking at my blog?

I was having contractions sporadically all day on Wednesday. As night drew closer, they got worse, but still were very unpredictable. I could have 3 in a row 5 minutes apart, and then only have one in the next 2 hours. At about 10:30, I went downstairs to tell Philip to be prepared to take me to the hospital that night, because I was spotting. 12:00 am on Thursday, contractions started coming 7 - 10 minutes apart, and were getting more and more painful. At about 12:45, I went down and told Philip that it was time to go. We called Wanda and Robert to see if one of them could come and stay with Orion. We left for the hospital at 1:00. Contractions were still 7- 10 minutes apart. By the time we reached the hospital at 1:40, they were less then 2 minutes apart. In triage, we found out that I was dilated to a 6. I was admitted and in my room by 2:00. By 2:45 a very wonderful man put a very wonderfully large needle in my back, and all the pain stopped. It was heaven! Unfortunately, this made labor slow down considerably. At about 5:00 they gave me some pitocin to start things back up. At about 5:30, I could start to feel the contractions, and some of them were even painful through the epidural. At 6:42 the doctor broke my water. By 7:oo the new doctor came in, checked me, and announced that we were going to start pushing soon. I woke Philip up, while they brought in all the various large pieces of equipment they would need. At 7:20, I started pushing. 7:41, little William born. This delivery hurt a lot worse then Orions did. But, I didn't tear at all, and even better, I feel great now. (Well as great as can be expected.) After Orion was born and the epidural wore off I was sore for weeks. We are so grateful that William is healthy, and that there were no complications with the delivery.
Orion came to visit us for little bit that afternoon. I don't think he really like William that first time. But today, he loves him. If William cries, Orion is right there telling him "it's ok". He offers him drinks and food and toys and wants to give him lots of loves. I hope this continues.

Now I am headed off to wake William up and keep him awake for a couple of hours. He has been sleeping all day, and I would really really like him to sleep for at least a couple of hours tonight.(cross fingers!)

It's a boy.

2009-06-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

William Everton Bainbridge was born today, 6/11/2009, at 7:41am. Both mom and William are well. William weighs 11lbs 2oz and is 21.5 inches long. His head is 37 cm (14.56 inches).

just random stuff

2009-06-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there are a few little things that I was going to blog about, and never did. SO now you get them all wrapped up in one nice little post.

Every Sunday instead of dinner, we have a late lunch, and then at about six or seven we pop popcorn. Orion LOVES doing this. Phil and I love watching him sing the popcorn song while waiting.

Orion has been really into babies lately. He has asked me countless times for help putting diapers on his babies. He gives them loves, puts them down for naps and helps them eat lunch. The other day, he decided to share his trains with his baby. He was a little upset that the bear kept falling down.

Also, Orion has been mocking his mother a lot lately. Every time he stands up from the kitchen table he says "ouch ouch ouch" while holding his back. Ha ha, very funny Orion. He also thinks he needs help standing up, and is scratching his belly a lot.

Birthday Festivities

2009-06-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning at about 6:30, Orion came and crawled in bed with Philip and I. He fell back asleep, and Philip tried to take him back to his bed, but Orion woke up, and was then wide awake. And I could not fall back asleep, even though Phil volunteered to be up with Orion and let me sleep in. So at 7:30, we went out to breakfast at McDonalds. Not really my first choice of places to go for breakfast, but I love watching Orion and Philip play on the play set. We came home, and I re-potted my bell pepper plant. I got one of those Topsy Turvey planters for my b-day, and so in went the pepper. At about 9:30 I started having pretty painful contractions. So we all went downstairs and while Orion watched a movie, Philip and I did our own things on the computer. I was still having contractions after lunch, but they went away when Orion and I layed down to take a nap. Orion napped for almost 3 hours! It was very nice! Unfortunately when I got up from my nap, contractions started again. (Here's the problem - I only have contractions when I am sitting down, but I can only stand or walk around for about 10 minutes before my back hurts so bad I have to sit back down.) At about 4:00 Phil and I took Orion to the babysitters, and went out for an early dinner at Red Robin. Because it was my birthday I got my meal for free, plus a free hot fudge sunday with sprinkles on top. Oh it was all so yummy!! We got home at about 6:30. The summer frolic is going on here, so we decided to take Orion. I am so sad that I wasn't able to go on any of the rides with Orion!! Apparently I look pregnant, and pregnant ladies aren't allowed to go on the rides. I think Orions favorite ride was the cars. He got to sit in his own car and drive. He really didn't want to get out, but thankfully, didn't throw a fit when we told him he had to. He also did the Merry-go-Round, and a giant slide. At the very end we got some cotton candy (I have been craving it for some reason), and walked home. Orion was in bed by 8:00, and Philip and I curled up to watch a movie. It was a good day. (Despite being in intense pain for most of the day.)

This morning, I woke up at about 7:30, and was suprised that Orion was still sound asleep. I enjoyed a nice quite morning reading my scriptures and just relaxing. After Orion woke up, I cranked some music, and started cleaning like a mad women. I cleaned out all the kitchen cupboards, swept and mopped, vacuumed, scrubbed the bathroom, and washed walls. Philip got up at about 10:00 and said that he would clean the basement. Well, it is now 1:30, and I don't think the basement has been touched. But I refuse to do it. He said he was going to, I expect that it will get done, and look as beautiful as the upstairs. After lunch, Orion and I made some Cheesecake Ice cream. It tastes pretty good, but I don't think I beat the cream cheese smooth enough because there are chunks in it. I plan on making brownies tomorrow to go with my ice cream. Mmmm.

He's How Big?

2009-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

I had another ultra-sound today. I feel like I have had a lot with this pregnancy, but really, I am not complaining. I could sit and look at my little guy all day long on the monitor. But todays ultra-sound was to determine if an induction is going to be necessary. Well, after all the measurements were taken they announced that little William weighs 9 pounds 12 ounces, right now. Since I am only 37 weeks along, this is cause for a little bit of alarm I guess. If they let me go clear to my due date (the 23rd) it is likely that he will be 11 pounds. So, I have an induction scheduled for the 15th. Just one week one day early. My doctor said that they would like to take him earlier, but they aren't convinced that his lungs are fully mature at this point. I guess I should go and start washing all of my 3-6 month clothes, since I doubt that William will be wearing the 0-3 for more then an hour or two.

Big Boy Bed

2009-05-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Look, I made an alliteration!! (Even better, I know what an alliteration is.)

This morning, Philip surprised me by willingly getting out of bed at 8:30. He and all his masculine muscles brought up the spare dresser we had laying around in the storage room. This dresser has officially become Williams. I am feeling a little guilty however, because it is a much nicer dresser and a lot bigger then Orion's. Think he will mind? Or notice? After words, we took on the task of setting up Orions new bed. Ok, so the bed isn't really new. One of Philips co-workers was selling it, and the two practically new mattresses for a really good price. So instead of building our own, which we decided would be the cheapest, we bought the used one. Moving on. We set up the bed, and moved things around so that the bunk bed, crib, two dressers, and multiple crates of toys all fit in the room. Orion had a blast going from the top bunk, to the bottom.

For lunch, we went on a picnic. We drove around Mount Horeb, looking for a park that didn't have other people. Not that we mind other people, but I don't have to watch Orion as closely when it is just us. I am not worried that he is playing at the top of the slide, when there are 6 other kids wanting to go down. We found one, and had a very enjoyable time. I love swinging with Orion. It's a time when he looks over at me grinning ear to ear, thrilled that I am sitting in the swing next to him. He then proceeds to tell me all kinds of things, that I don't understand, but pretend to so that he keeps talking. I love my little man!!

Blame it on hormones!

2009-05-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

As I approach the end of my pregnancy (only 6 weeks left!!!) I find myself breaking down and crying over very little things. Things like Orion doesn't like dinner, or I can't get the lid off the pickle jar, Philip isn't home to do it and I am craving a pickle, or a no name character dies in the first 3 minutes of a tv show. Yesterday I had a pretty big breakdown though.
I have been checking Craigs list faithfully everyday for over a month hoping to find a piano within our price range (aka. FREE). I have responded to several, but haven't heard back from any until yesterday morning. (I was getting on the computer to write about mothers day when the e-mail popped up.) The e-mail said that we could go and pick it up any weekday after 6. I instantly replied back that we could come and get it tonight (which was yesterday, Monday) Tuesday, or Friday. I checked my e-mail every 30 minutes or so all day waiting for them to tell me which day worked best. I was so excited all day long. Finally at 5:26, they sent me an e-mail saying that tonight (last night) would work great, and to call if we were going to show up to get it. I quickly started making phone calls to see if we could get a couple more people to help move it, and called u-haul to see if they had a trailer available for us to use. I had all the details worked out by 5:50! I called the nice people to say that yes we would come and get it that day. That's when they told me that in the last 20 minutes, they decided they would just give it to a charity.
I was crushed!!! Still am a little bit. I hung up the phone and just broke down. I cried and cried on Phils shoulder. Then got myself together enough to call the people I had asked to help, to tell them never mind, and fell apart talking to most of them. I'm sure some of the men thought I was just crazy! To help me feel better, for FHE treat, Phil took us out for ice cream. (Which wasn't free, but at least they didn't take it away from me after offering it!!!)

Stewart Park

2009-05-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Orion and I spent a couple hours at Stewart Park. I really like this park becuase it is big and open, and not busy! The only bad part is, it is far enough away that we have to drive to it. But we had a lot of fun. Orion has learned to love the swings. He calls them chairs, and he always wants me to sit in the chair next to him. It is very sweet. We also saw a helicopter go by yesterday. I think that was the first time Orion saw one, when he actually knew what it was. He was so sad that it didn't stop to pick him up and take him into the sky. He tried to chase it down, but it was a lot quicker then he is.

Little William

2009-05-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

So, I had another ultra-sound today. William is looking very healthy. All organs are functioning properly (as far as they can tell), and all body parts are there. The technician tried really hard to get a picture of him without his hands in his face, but we couldn't get him to move them. When we tried to just get the one hand to move, he ended up putting both hands in front of his face. Right now he weighs a whopping 6 pounds 12oz. Give or take a pound. I hope it is "take a pound" and not the giving part. If he continues to grow like expected he will be just under 10 pounds at birth. They also commented on how big his head is . . . But none of that matters. He is healthy, and I can't wait to meet him in just 7 long weeks. (At least I know that they won't let me go past my due date because of his size!!!)

33 Weeks

2009-05-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the pictures of me aren't great. I have a funny look on my face in one, and the other my eyes are closed, but for everyone who lives super far away from me, this gives you the general idea of how I am looking now days. I really don't feel huge, but I keep getting told that I am really big.

2009-05-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

I finally did it! Yesterday morning I finished these stupid burp rags I have been working on for forever. I really thought that this would be a simple 2 hour project. It turned into a week long project. Apparently you have to be able to sew a straight line to make these, and I spent a lot of time picking out stitches, because I can only sew a straight line about 8% of the time. But they are done, and I am really pleased with how some of them turned out. Also yesterday after dinner, we all pitched in and cleaned the house in preparation for Sunday. Orion insisted that he be the one to vacuum.

Croquette

2009-05-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

After spending the morning working hard outside, we decided to play this afternoon. It was a lot of fun.

Zoo

2009-04-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

Today, Orion and I went to the zoo with Wanda and some of her kids. I was excited to show Orion some of the real live animals that he knows now. He loved the giraffes, and the fish and the birds. The zoo doesn't have zebras or elephants, which was a little disappointing, but oh well. Hopefully we will get out there again this summer. I will have to find some books with some of the other animals, so that he can learn those and be excited to them too.

I was so hoping that Orion would go down for a good nap this afternoon, (Walking around the zoo really wore ME out!) but no luck. I finally told him that he didn't have to sleep, but he couldn't come out of his room until I said so. He played right in the doorway. He did that this morning too, when I told him he couldn't come out until his jammies were off. What a mean mom I am!

As a side note, the last couple of weeks I have found myself saying things that my mom used to always say. Like " quite hanging on the door, your going to break it off its hinges!" or "you write on that wall I am going to cut your fingers off!". I clearly remember thinking when I was much younger that I would never say such things.

Minnisota Fun

2009-04-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

These last couple of days have been a lot of fun. Yesterday and this morning, I was able to spend time with my grandparents who live in Montana. Only, I didn't have to drive 27 hours to go see them. Only 6!

Thursday night, after Philip got home from work, Orion and I drove to Eau Claire, WI. It was about a 3 hour drive. We stayed in a hotel there, where I foolishly made reservations a couple days before. I say foolishly, becuase I didn't really know where the place was located. We got there, and it was right smack in the middle of down town Eau Claire. And, the hotel shared a parking lot with 3 different bars. There was not only one, but two other locks on the inside of the hotel room door, and every sound carried through the walls. Not only that, but when we walked into the room, there were no pillows!! I had to call the front desk and have some brought. The beds were terribly uncomfortable, which I guess could have been a good thing. I didn't ever fall asleep for more then 45 minutes, which gave me another opportunity to pray that Orion and I would be protected, and that no one would break into the car. That is the last time I make a reservation at a place that I don't know where it is, just becuase it is the cheapest I could find.

We left for Two Harbors, MN at about 8:oo, Friday morning. I wanted to be out by 6 or 7, but Orion actually slept in until 7:30, when I finally woke him up. At least he didn't have any problems sleeping. We arrived at our destination shortly before 11. My grandparents were visistng my grandpa's brother. So not only did I get to see my grandparents, but for the first time I got to meet my great uncle Obern and aunt Lois. We spent the day just chatting and playing with Orion. Orion was so well behaved! He only had to sit in time out 3 times the whole time we were there. But he had a lot of fun playing with "grugru and gragra". Although he called uncle Obern and aunt Lois "grugru & gragra" too. After I put Orion to bed that night, I got to play dominoes with grandma and grandpa. Every time I ever go up to visit them, from the time I was old enough to stay up and play, we play dominoes before we go to bed. It was really nice to be able to play with them again. I slept MUCH better friday night, even though Orion and I both were on a twin bed, and Orion takes up more space then his father!!!

This morning, after breakfast dishes were done, Orion and I packed up and headed home. We got out the door about 9, and would have been hom by 3, but I missed an exit, and had to take a little detour. We didn't make it home until 3:30. Orion did REALLY well in the car. It was kinda fun to just sit and listen to him play, and read his books. It cracks me up that he knows the stories well enough to just look at the picture and know what to say. It kinda makes me wonder why I have to read them to him still. He has some of them memorized!

I took the camera on my trip, and left it in the car the entire time! I am actually pretty dissapointed about this. There were some great opportunities to get some pictures of Orion playing with his great grandparents. I don't know when we will be able to see them again, and truthfully, I may not get the chance to take pictures of them together again. This is me kicking myself. But, my sweet grandma gave me a gift while I was there. She made a baby quilt for William (my baby). It is really cute, AND hand quilted. I am so touched that she goes through the effort to still make quiltes for ALL of her great grand children. And she has a lot, so I know that this is no small task. And, I have tried hand quilting, I know that is no small taks either! Anyway, I did take a picture of the quilt when I got home, so that I could share it with all of you.

2009-04-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

After a really long day yesterday, I was so hoping Orion would sleep well last night, and wake up in a nice happy wonderful mood. No such luck. He woke up at about 3:45, and didn't go back to sleep until about 5!! At one point, when I was putting him back in the crib (AGAIN) he asked for mango. I figured maybe he was hungry and just gave him some milk. I'm sorry, I was not about to peel and cut up a mango at 4:30 in the morning. Call me picky. Then, Orion got up at 6. Oh, I was so not ready to face the day! But, I decided to make today all about Orion. We played with balls outside for almost two hours. I was so done by then. At about 10, we walked to the store to buy some upholstery cleaner. I was going to stop at the gas station nest door and let him pick out a small treat, but the nice lady at the "Do It Best", gave him a dumdum on the way out. She also asked me when I was due, and when she found out that it wasn't until the end of June, asked me if I was going to have twins. I am beginning to find that annoying. Yes, I know I am big, you do not need to comment on it. Moving on. We go home shortly before 11, and I sent Orion outside to play with his truck, while I made lunch. We had kinda an early lunch today, so that I could put Orion down for an early nap. He was yawning all morning. By noon, we were both conked out on my bed. I woke up at about 1:30, and quietly slipped away to read my scriptures. Orion finally came toddling out at about 2:30. We read some books for a little bit, and then made brownies. I thought maybe I should take some to my visiting teacher, and assure her that I really was ok, despite my crying yesterday when she came over. Orion had fun helping, but didn't like that he had to wait for them to come out of the oven to eat. He kept asking if they were done yet. At about 4 we walked over to Janice house, to deliver the brownies. On the way home, we stopped at the park. We got home in time for me to make some dinner (with the help of Orion) and now that the dishes are done, Orion is watching Cars, and I am posting this blog. Philip is on his way home from school, and bed time is in a wonderful 35 minutes!! Life is grand! Oh, the picture is of Orion getting a drink. Yet another bad habit that we are working on.

2009-04-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had an OB appointment. I am at the point where I have to go in every two weeks. Anyway, I decided to just drag Orion along. The nurse checked my blood pressure and listened to the babys heart beat. After she left, Orion climbed up on the table and lifted his shirt up. He wanted to listen to "his baby" too. When I told him we couldn't, because the nurse took the listener, he was not discouraged. He pointed to the arm casty thingy, and lifted his shirt sleeve up, and said "arm." He was still up on the table when the doctor walked in. I made him get down, and I hopped up so that the doc could measure me. Orion then climbed up, so that he could be measured. The doctor was very nice and measured his tummy too.

On the way out to the car, Orion tripped and chipped a tooth. I felt so bad. In the car he kept saying "tongue, teeth, lips." I don't know if he was saying that to express that they hurt, to to let me know that they all felt a little funny. I tried to get a decent picture of his tooth, but he didn't want to smile. I am sure that at some future date, there will be a toothy picture of him, and you all can see the chip then.

Today, was kinda a rough day. It started out good. I did my visiting teaching first thing this morning, which was nice. Although, I must admit that after reading the message, I didn't really feel qualified to teach on it. I am lucky to skim through my scriptures everyday. To actually study them and take something away, is a rare occurrence. (Mostly because when I am awake enough to study, Orion is awake too.) After lunch, it was supposed to be nap time. The key words there are supposed to be. Since Orion has been able to climb out of his crib, I have been giving him the choice to either lay in his bed, or to lay on mommys bed. He has been choosing my bed for the last little while. Which hasn't been to bad. He lays down, and snuggles up next to me, holds my hand, and goes to sleep. After he is asleep, I drift off myself and take a nap. Today however . . . After an hour of him playing on my bed and threatening him with his bed, I finally had enough and just picked him up and took him to his room. On the way in, I tripped on a toy and fell on my knees. Luckily, I didn't drop Orion or fall on him or my stomach (the baby). But WOW do my knees hurt now. The right is even a little swollen and bruised. When I could, I stood up and put Orion in his crib, and walked out and shut the door. He cried and cried and cried and cried for about an hour. By this time, I was sure that if he just came and lay with me for a few minutes, he would be out. No luck, he played on my bed for another 20 minutes. By this time, I was way tired, and had no patience. I took him back to his crib, and shut the door again. He cried for a little bit, and then just played in his room until I told him he could come out. But neither one of us got a nap today. At about 3pm I decided to be productive and while Orion played outside, I swept, mopped, vacuumed, did the dishes, started dinner, and then cleaned the bathroom. By this time though, Orion was clingy and whinny and just being difficult. I was so glad that Phil came home from work early. After dinner, Orion went down with Philip to watch Cars, while I did dinner dishes. I went down shortly after to find Orion playing with my Stampin Up Chalk. He was covered in green, along with our chair. That was the last straw for me. I took him upstairs for a bath, crying the whole time. After his bath, I sent him back down, but was still weepy. I thought I would just sit and read the Ensign for a few minutes, to help me calm down, and get a grip on my emotions. Wouldn't you know it, but my wonderful visiting teacher showed up with a homemade loaf of bread right then. Unfortunately I didn't have it together enough at that point to not just cry. I'm sure she thought things were a lot worse then it really was. I was just so moved that she was thinking of me. Anyway, Orion is now in bed, asleep, and it was fairly painless to get him there. I am curled up in bed watching Dancing with the Stars, and writing an insanely long blog post. I can't decide if I should just turn in after my show is over with, or if a nice warm long bath is in order. I have been cramping a lot since I fell, but the baby has been super active, so I am assuming that all is well.

Here's to hoping that tomorrow is better! And a HUGE thanks to Janice. The bread was delicious.

And then there are the not so good habits

2009-04-18T15:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know when Orion decided that the best place to brush his teeth was in the sink, but I can't convince him that really, we don't want to sit in the sink when we brush our teeth. Especially when he then tries to spit in the sink while he is sitting in it.

Building Good Habits

2009-04-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Like every mother out there, I want my children to develop good habits, and hopefully keep them through out their lives. Well, I am pleased to announce that Orion has developed a few good habits, about which I am bragging today.

1st- He almost always takes his plate to the sink when he is done eating. Sometimes I still have to ask him to do it, and depending on his mood, it can sometimes be a fight, but for the most part, he just does it.

2nd- He is doing GREAT at eating his sandwich before the crackers (or cheetos or whatever else we might have with it.) And, usually, he is asking for more fruit over the "junk food" we had with lunch. I love that he loves oranges and mangos and kiwis and strawberries. It is sad when I have to limit how many he can have a day.

3rd- He is learning to love reading. I am willing to admit that at this point it is probably just an age thing and he just likes to sit on my lap and be read to. But he could bring me book after book after book for hours. I sometimes feel like a bad mom when I finally tell him, no I am not going to read to you anymore. Mommy wants to do something else. He is even falling asleep reading books on his own. Hence the picture.

And 4th- and this I feel is the most important one. Orion is in the very wonder habit of praying. Before he starts eating any meal, he has his arms folded and head bowed, and sometimes is praying before I can sit down too. Before bed, he always wants to pray. There are some nights when it is a fight to get him into jammies, and to get him to sit for scriptures, because he knows what is coming- bed time. So on nights like that, I think to myself, I am tired of fighting him, we are skipping prayers and just putting him to bed. But Orion won't have that! He kneels down and folds his arms, and is very good through out the prayer. I am so pleased with him. I don't know if he completely understands who we are praying to, or why we are doing it, but for right now, I am ok with that. If he never remembers a time when he didn't pray to Heavenly Father, perhaps he will never doubt that He is there. I don't know if that will be the case or not, but I can hope.

Easter Adventures

2009-04-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, I took Orion to an Easter Egg hunt. He had a good time I think. Although he was more interested in playing on the play ground then finding eggs. He kept bringing me his basket to hold so that he could go play. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera, so no pictures of that. After lunch we dyed eggs. Last year I boiled 2 dozen, and by the time we were done, I was so tired of dying eggs! So this year, I only did a dozen. Well, the egg dying kit I bought (The cheap 99 cent one) had nine different colors! So it went really quickly this year. Orion loved putting stickers on the eggs.
Saturday night Philip and I went to the adult session of Stake Conference. It was really nice. Not only did we get to go out on a date just the two of us, but we were spiritually uplifted as well.
Sunday morning, Orion woke up to find an Easter basket full of his favorite things. There was an orange, a new hat, and candy. (I really wanted to get him a new tie, but couldn't find one that would fit him in our price range.) What more could a boy ask for. Really, he put the hat on, and then handed me the orange to peel. I got a new dress (thanks to my wonderful mommy for sewing it for me!!) and a chocolate bunny. Phil, just got candy.
We had Stake Conference for church. And what a treat we had. We heard from Elder Snow, Elder Dallen H. Oaks, and my favorite speaker was President Thomas S. Monson. (It was one of those broadcast conferences.) Orion did pretty good for having to sit for 2 hours. While Orion napped, Philip and I played a rousing game of Scrabble. We really need to play that more often. I am awful at it!! I ended up with 199 points, while Phil had somthing like 350. After Orion woke up, we all worked on dinner, and then we all went down stairs to watch a movie. It was just a really nice day. Tonight for Family Home Evening, we are going to have another lesson on why we celebrate Easter. I really want Orion to understand that it isn't about getting presents or candy, but about our Savior.

Easter Cookies

2009-04-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty good. Orion spent the morning playing outside in his new truck. He just loves it!!

While he was outside, I cleaned and made cookie dough. Right before lunch, Orion came inside, and we cut out some Easter shapes. I know that a star isn't really an Easter realated shape, but it is Orions favorite shpae, and therefore, I let him cut out a few. He had a lot of fun doing that.

After lunch at 12:30, Orion and I went down for a nap. Oh it was wonderful! I finally pulled myself out of bed at 2:30, but Orion stayed asleep until 4:00!!! After he got up, we decorated the cookies. Really, I did most of the work with the frosting. Orion just kept licking the frosting off of the one cookie he was supposed to be spreading the frosting around on. Oh well, he had fun putting some sprinkles on.

But this only lasted for about 3 minutes, then he wanted to go back outside and play in his truck. He stayed outside until dinner time.

Every Boys Dream

2009-04-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe it isn't every boys dream to have his own truck, but I am sure it was Orions. Philip and I were talking about getting him a "Little Tykes" car for Christmas or his birthday, but they are so expensive! So I decided that I would check out the garage sales this spring and summer, and see if I couldn't find one for ten bucks. Well, I was talking about this at my wonderful water aerobics class, and my friend Julie, mentioned that she thought she had a black truck in her garage that hasn't been used in 15 years. So, she cleaned it up, and brought it over this evening. A HUGE THANK YOU TO JULIE!! I think. We made the mistake of letting Orion try it out before dinner. It was awful trying to get him to come in for dinner. He was a pill for the rest of the night because all he wanted to do was go outside and play in his truck. Thankfully tomorrow is supposed to be in 50s, so he can spend all day out there with it.

Family song

2009-03-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

Because Orion has ben so sick, I have let him watch an insane amount of tv this last week. His favorite movie to watch right now is an Elmos World dvd we have checked out. I can always tell when the medicine is wearing off, becuase Orion won't sing along with the songs.

2009-03-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy around here this last week. Philips mom and sister have been in town so we have spent a lot of time over at Wandas spending time with them. On the 17th, Orion had a hearing test. His pediatrician said that it would take 1 -2 hours. It took all of 10 minutes. Orions hearing is perfect, and his ears look really good. YEA!! On Wed (18th), I finally got the results from Orions speech evaluation in the mail. He is right wear he should be, or ahead in every area, except speech. There is a 28% delay there, so we will be starting speech therapy sometime next month. I am very hopeful that it will help with our communication.

Wednesday night I had activity days. I am finding that it is taking a lot more patience then I think I have. There were several times during the night when I just had to take a deep breath to keep from yelling. Oh, I need to work on that. Also on Wednesday night, Phil came down with a fever.

Thursday, Philip was still not feeling well, but had a ton to do at work, so went anyway. Orion and I spent the day at Wandas.

Friday morning, we had family pictures taken. Orion did great. He was so well behaved!! We got a lot of great pictures. The ones posted here are just some of our favorites. At one point the photographer wanted a full body shot of Orion standing. She thought it would be really cute for him to have his thumbs in his pockets. Orion just wouldn't stand in one place. Finally I got out a tube of chapstick and told him to put it in his pocket. He held still, but then was so focused on putting the chapstick in his pocket, that he wouldn't do anything else. Afterwords we ran some errands then went to spend the afternoon at Wandas.

Saturday, Phil stayed home, and Orion and I went to Wandas again. I think we have spent more time over there then at our own home!

Sunday morning, Orion woke up with a fever, and Philips fever was pretty high. So, We all stayed home from church. So very very sad. I was so looking forward to going!

Monday morning Orions fever was super high (102.8), so I called the doctor. Normally, I would not have, but knowing how many days Phil was running a fever, I knew pattern, and didn't know if there was something they could do sooner to help it go away quicker. The nurse I talked to I think is new. She told me that unless Orion has been running a fever for at least 3 days, they didn't want to see me. I was kinda annoyed, but only because I felt like she wasn't even listening to what I was telling her. I don't call the doctor for every little sneeze, and the regular nurse knows that, and therefor takes me seriously. By 3:00, I was ready to take him to urgent care. I couldn't get him to drink anything, he only had had one kinda wet diaper, just was not doing well at all. Instead, we went to Wandas, so that Robert and Phil could give Orion a blessing. We went home and put him to bed at 7:30. He didn't sleep well, and at 10:30, woke up crying. I was relieved to see him sweating, and took his temp. It was a beautiful 97.9!! It took a while for him to go back down, but he finally did, and then this morning, still no fever. In fact it is a little low! I have also been able to get him to drink some, and for the first time since Saturday, he is eating a little!! Who needs doctors? ( I don't really mean that, but I am so grateful for the Priesthood!)

Today, mom and Cherstin are heading back to Tennessee, so I am planning a day catching up on everything I have been neglecting for the last week and a half. Philip isn't feeling great still, but he did go to work today. Hopefully, in the next couple of days everyone will be back to their wonderful healthy happy selves. And cross your fingers, I hope I don't get whatever it is!!