"My Papa"..."No! MY Papa!"

We had a wonderful visit from Danny's Dad this last week.  Grandpa (who the girls affectionately refer to as "Papa") needed to bring a bed to the newlyweds in LA (and a guest bed for us), and since he's retired now, he had the time to spend a few days with the grandkids while he was here!

The girls waited patiently ALL day on Monday, while Papa drove patiently ALL day.  Finally, at long last, Papa was here!  Sophie was already in bed,  but Claire took off at a dead run through the dark of night to meet Papa at the car.  She was so excited!  We stayed up talking for a while that night, and then everyone went to bed.

At some point on Tuesday morning, Claire woke up and went right into Papa's room and cuddled with him until Sophie woke up.  Papa and Sophie had an excited reunion, and then the three of them continued to play while I slept in a little bit.  (Thanks, Papa!)  After playing for most of the morning, Papa treated the girls to a Happy Meal at McDonalds!  I'm ashamed to say it, but despite my best blogging intentions, I forgot to take my camera!  Trust me though, we all had a blast!  The girls then came home and took naps...and of course Claire napped with Papa.  We grilled some fantastic burgers that evening, and then Papa, the girls, and I enjoyed a quiet evening at home reading stories while Danny went on splits with the missionaries.  Seriously, I think Papa read at least half of "Where The Sidewalk Ends"!  Once the girls went to bed and Danny got home, the adults stayed up WAY too late talking.  That's my favorite part!

Now that Robbie and Kris are in the area, we have to share our time when family comes to visit!  Papa headed to San Pedro Wednesday morning to take Robbie and Kris their bed and spend the day with them.  From what I understand, they worked hard getting their new home unpacked and enjoyed a nice dinner at PF Changs.  I think the best part of the day for Robbie and Kris was returning our air mattress and sleeping on an actual bed!

That brings us to Thursday, which was our last day with Papa here.  The girls were very excited to have Papa here when they woke up again!  We decided to go up to base and meet Danny for lunch and then have a personally guided tour of some of the cooler parts of the base.  I think Papa and Danny enjoyed the time together!  I did remember the camera this time, but could only use it at lunch.  Sorry, no pics Papa checking out the B-1 Bomber or the B-52 Bomber.  Or the girls running around the F-16.  It's a secured area, you know.  :)  But...here we are enjoying a yummy pizza at Anthony's!

After our lunch with Danny, we all came home for naps again.  Once again, Claire got her beloved nap with Papa!  After naps, Papa shampooed the carpets for me (thank you, thank you!) and told me that he was going to cook dinner for us.  When Danny got home we piled in the car and headed to Johnny Carino's!  This is one of Danny's favorite restaurants, but Papa and I had never been there.  It was DELICIOUS!  Thanks for dinner, Papa!

Sophie really didn't want to sit with boring ol' Mom when Daddy and Papa were there!  Can I blame her?  I just had to document on picture that I was there too... :)

After dinner, Danny, Papa, and I were up way too late, again, talking.  Seriously, I had so much fun just talking with Dad.  Danny and I were commenting to each other how hard it is to be so far away from family.  But I have to admit, it's kind of cool in that when they come to visit, you really get to spend 100% of your time with them.  You take the time to stay up late as opposed to getting the kids home and into bed.  It's really a unique time, and we're so glad we got all that time with Papa.  We're looking forward to when Grandma can come too!  :)

Week 25

I have to say, I feel like the weeks are actually moving along quite quickly this pregnancy!  I feel like I'm forgetting to take my picture and write these weekly posts more and more often!  It always feels like I just did it...

This has been a pretty good week.  I had a pretty hard time with the pain that seemed to start in my pubic bone at the end of last week and migrated to my pelvis and hips.  But finally on Wednesday, I woke up to no pain and have been feeling MUCH better and have been significantly more mobile.  I've felt pretty lazy, since I have been waiting to resume walks until I could walk again (go figure!).  But even more than that, I'm totally scared to go walking now!  I've been talking to some neighbors, and apparently the snakes are out in full force and I have been strongly advised to not walk in the field around the house.  But there isn't anywhere else to walk!  I've procrastinated figuring out a solution to that problem, since I was in too much pain to walk anyway.  But I have until Monday to solve that problem, cause I HAVE to get the exercise I need!

Shall we see where Johnny's development is?  According to babycenter.com, at 25 weeks my baby boy is about a pound and a half, with 13 1/2 inches to his name!  He's starting to get some more fat under that developing skin, so I'm sure we'll see some significant increases in size from week to week for the next while. Go Johnny!  He's still very active, which is always comforting to me.  As long as he's kicking around, he's okay.

I also have dedicated some more time this week to the homework that Ali gave me at our last visit.  I've read and signed all the paperwork that I need to have ready for her, except for writing my informed consent essay.  I also watched some of the birthing DVDs that Ali lent me; particularly the water births.  Claire got up from her nap a little early and finished watching them with me.  She LOVED it!  She has talked about nothing else for days.  In fact, she even "helped" Sophie have a baby while they were in the bathtub!  She was very encouraging, telling Sophie that she was doing such a good job, and "Oh!  Look!  Now the head is coming out!"  Do we have a midwife or doula in the making?  :)  I'm really glad that Claire is seeing birth as such a natural phenomenon, and that we will always be able to talk about exactly how babies come out of their mommies' tummies.  Danny and I are thinking that we'll play it by ear, but we are considering letting Claire be around for my birth.  We'll have to see how she does...

Danny and I also watched the same DVD together, and Danny was pleasantly surprised by how NOT horrible it was to watch! ;)  It's so different to watch these births compared to what we are exposed to in the media and in those terrifying health videos we all watch in high school.  There isn't any of the screaming or fear that is usually so prevalent when witnessing birth, especially the "natural" (unmedicated) sort taking place in a hospital.  It's so peaceful and quiet, and while the mother is obviously working very hard, she also seems totally capable and powerful.  It always leaves me with the feeling of "I can do that too!"

I suppose another picture and weekly post are just around the corner!  Considering it's already Friday again... ;)  Until next time...  

Week 24

This has been an interesting week, in good and not so good ways!  First, let's see how big Johnny is getting...approximately anyway.  At 24 weeks gestation, Johnny should be just over a pound and just over a foot long!  We're both just getting bigger at this point... :)

For the good news, we had our first appointment with Ali this week.  It was wonderful!  Seriously, I can't tell you how wonderful it was to spend right around 2 hours talking about the baby, pregnancy, and birth as opposed to spending that time in a waiting room wrestling the girls for three minutes with the doctor!  Ali did perform a prenatal exam, including a urine strip, pulse rate, blood pressure, weight, and measurements.  I'm very healthy right now, with the results of all the exams being good.  The result of the measurement had me "measuring big", closer to 25 weeks.  SO...according to the first ultrasound, I should be due August 19th, according to the second ultrasound August 11th, and according to my most recent measurements, August 4th!  Bottom line: we're doing this old school...sometime in the month of August we should see our son!  I'm actually liking the lack of a due date.  Hopefully it'll make mid-August a little less discouraging!

At any rate, Danny and I are still feeling very confident about our decision to birth at home.  I'm really so very excited!  I really think this is going to be a life-changing experience for me.  My testimony has already been bolstered by this whole experience, so I can't imagine how I'm going to feel when I hold my son for the first time, in the peaceful surroundings of our home.  Makes me smile just thinking about it!

The hard part of this week has come in the form of some pretty debilitating pubic and pelvic pain.  It's left me barely able to walk at times, and has kept me from doing anything that requires bending over or getting on the floor.  Needless to say, my house has been a disaster zone!  I talked to Ali about it yesterday (it was SO nice to just be able to discuss my concerns with her and not feel like I was bothering her!), and we both think I must have strained all those lower muscles, resulting in the painful muscle inflammation.  She recommended that I take it easy for a couple of days, and eat some anti-inflammatory foods including spinach, blueberries, pineapple, and papaya.  I'm still hurting today, but not as bad as yesterday.  Let's hope the trend continues!

I just can't help myself...

I know that I've already posted quite a few pictures of my girls from the wedding, but I really can't help myself.  What can I say?  I have the cutest girls, and the most handsome husband, in the entire world.  'Nough said.

I'm not crazy about how big I look in this picture, but the bottom line is I am pregnant so it really can't be helped!  It's crazy to think it wasn't even four years ago that Danny and I were standing here taking our own wedding photos.  The time surely flies when you're having fun!

My girls absolutely LOVE their grandparents.  These pictures are just precious!

It's so fun to spend time with family!  I'm so glad my children have the opportunity to foster such good relationships with their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.  It's such a blessing.

Potty Party!

Alas, I cannot procrastinate any longer.  The time has come to be at least a little more serious about potty training Claire!  I realized that my "I'm pregnant and tired" excuse didn't cut it anymore when I was putting laundry away in my closet (which is located in the master bathroom), and Claire came in and said "Ok, Mom, I've got to go to the bathroom."  She proceeded to shut the door, climb on top of the closed toilet, make pee-pee sounds, wipe, and flush the toilet!  How much more ready to you get?

So, off we went to Wal-mart to pick out new big girl panties (Dora and Tinkerbell, of course), along with potty treats to reward success and a LOT of Hi-C to increase our chances of success!  We hyped Claire up and by the time the morning came around, she was totally ready for her potty party!

She was ready.  I was not!  I have dreaded this part of my job as a Mom for a LONG time!  And it was a discouraging start to the morning.  After cleaning up two accidents that always occurred right after or right before our scheduled 10 minute check-in at the toilet, I was fed up and ready to give up.  I called my Mom as a last ditch effort, and after potty training 7 she had some useful tips.  Go figure!  She let me know that Claire ought to be the one picking up her accidents, since they were her responsibility.  I was already trying to not be negative when that happened, but it was easier to not be upset when I didn't have to get my pregnant self down and pick up her urine!  After Claire cleaned up another accident or two, she looked at me panicky and said "Oh no, Momma!  I don't want to have an accident!"  We ran to the big potty and...SUCCESS!  Claire finally got a potty treat!

That's my big girl!  I think she earned 4 or 5 treats during the course of the day, which I think is a pretty good start!  We're still working up to losing the diapers at nap time and bed time.  And that's more me than her.  I'm not ready to fight the "No Bottle" fight.  I really am pregnant and tired!

I'm so proud of you, Claire!  You're growing up way to fast, but I suppose that's inevitable.  I'm just happy you'll grow up with bladder control...

Week 23

I know we skipped Week 22, but that was right in the middle of our trip to Utah, and with everything that was going on, I didn't remember to take a picture!  Trust me, not a terrible amount has changed, so I don't think anyone missed anything. ;)

So, Week 23 is upon us, and I'm still feeling really good!  But let's start out with Johnny's "stats": he's right around 11 inches long, and weighs in at just over a pound.  I know he's still liking to stretch out, as I've started to feel those cute little feet under my ribs.  He's quite the acrobat, actually.  I feel him moving all the time, and sometimes with quite a bit of force for one so small!

Again, I'm still feeling pretty good...at the height of the most comfortable trimester of the three!  I'm definitely no longer sick, and I still have quite a bit of mobility.  I have learned something though: that prenatal yoga makes all the difference in how I feel!  I'm trying to be more diligent about getting a walk and 25 minutes of yoga in a day.  Not that it makes a difference in my weight gain or anything.  I did the same thing I did during my last two pregnancies, and made a pretty significant jump in the last couple of weeks.  SO...to that end, I'm done weighing myself!  Obviously I need to eat right and exercise, but this idea that it will keep me from gaining 50 pounds just may be erroneous.  I guess we'll find out at the end how much I gain!

The best update of all is that Danny and I have finally come to a decision on how to bring this baby boy into the world.  After months of thought and prayer, and a trip to the temple to finalize the decision, we've decided that we're going to have Johnny at home, with a wonderful midwife named Ali (AH-LEE)!  I really couldn't be more excited!  I have a healthy anxiety about the birth itself, since I still haven't done the whole deed, but I feel confident that we're doing the right thing by choosing to stay at home.  I have my first appointment with Ali here, at my house, next Wednesday!  I'll never have to sit in the doctor's office for three hours again!  Ali will come to me for everything.  Ah...I've found bliss!

I don't know if it's obvious in the picture, but I also cut 10 inches off my hair while we were in Utah, and I love it!  I figured all that hair would be a little warm during the summer, and I kind of wanted to look like the mother of three children as opposed to the high school junior in a ponytail all the time!  Anyway...I believe that's all...until next week...

Robbie and Kris ~ April 8, 2010

Well, after long last, the day finally arrived!  Robbie and Kris were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on April 8, 2010.  They were able to have Elder L. Tom Perry do their sealing, and it was SO cool to see him again!  Elder Perry married Danny and I, as well as David and Camillia.  More importantly, he started everything off by marrying Roger and Lori!  The sealing was beautiful, and the couple was so happy!  I love it when eternal families are created.  It really is the most important thing we do here in mortality.

While Robbie and Kris were getting changed and preparing to make their big debut as husband and wife, Danny and I (with the help of Grandma Call, Aunt Julie, and Aunt Katie) went and got Claire and Sophie ready for pictures.  Be prepared for an overexposure of pure cuteness...

I thought for sure Sophie would buck like a bronco in that dress, and that the crown of flower would last a grand total of three seconds.  But she proved me wrong again!  She couldn't be more pleased with her beautiful self, and the reactions she got from family and strangers alike!

Claire was also pretty pleased with herself...but not as pleased as Grandma!  That is one proud Grandma!

I had to include this picture, since it showed off those flower crowns so well!  Grandma Call made those herself, amidst everything else she was working on, and I think they turned out amazing!

Speaking of flowers, the girls were amazed by all the beautiful flowers (and grass!) on Temple Square.  Poor girls don't get much of that kind of nature out in the desert.

Now, I know I've mentioned the girls' attachment to their Dad and Grandpa.  Here's the evidence in picture:

Introducing...Robbie and Kris Call!  They are so perfect for each other...

                            

Claire was making it clear that her dress was just as pretty as Aunt Kris'!  The bride was a good sport. :)

I love that my girls were so interested in getting inside the temple.  You'll get there girls...

                                         

And the couple that started it all!  We love you, Mom and Dad!

                                        
And I've saved the best for last.  I wish I could take credit for this picture, but this is all Camillia!  I know she has some other great pics on her camera that I'll post when she sends them my way.  You know, cause there aren't enough pictures of my girls in their dresses on this post already!  You might want to get a tissue before viewing this picture.  I tear up every time...

                                                                                                                                                                                         

"Call" it a Good Time!

After Easter weekend was in the books, we switched gears and headed to Grandma and Grandpa Call's for wedding preparations.  It was so fun to see Danny's family again, and the girls couldn't have been more excited to see Grandma and Grandpa (though it was pretty obvious that both girls have a preference for their Grandpa!).

While the adults were busy running errands and getting haircuts before the big day, the children were left to their own devices...

The game of the day was "Princesses", and luckily for everyone involved, Claire and Sophie have some second cousins that own every princess dress imaginable!  Thanks Mikayla and Colby!

Mikayla and Claire are just about six months apart, with Mikayla being the older of the two.  She was very good at instructing Claire how to appropriately play "Princesses"!

Colby, who was born just the day before Sophie, was feeling a little left out.  Good thing there was a dress that perfectly matched the color of his eyes! :)  Colby, you can bet your life these pictures will make it into your wedding video!

Easter at Grandma Candy's

Easter was extra special this year.  We were able to go to Utah for Easter and General Conference at my Mom's before we started the wedding week for Robbie and Kris.  It also just so happened that Jeff and Jami and the kids were planning to be at Grandma Candy's too, so we had almost everyone there!  (We missed you, Heather and Jessie!)

We started the morning out with Easter baskets and an egg hunt with the cousins.  We had just gotten into town really late the night before after a LONG road trip, which took over 11 hours and included too much traffic and vomiting.  But the girls had a blast!

Sophie's a little skeptical about the socks...

Claire is a little more into the sock action!

Claire was really more into things overall.  "Daddy Look!  A Pony!" :)

And the hunt begins...  Claire really enjoyed the finding part.  Sophie, however, quickly figured out that the eggs were filled with assorted goodies, at which point she would hunker down with each egg as she found it to partake of its Easter goodness...

Happy Easter, Uncle Jeff!

My girls seriously love their cousins.  The problem is, they are always playing and it's hard to get a good picture of them when they're so busy!  This is Tali with Sophie, who no doubt sees another egg to potentially add to her sugar high!

Easter is the time that we all reflect on the wonderful gift of the Atonement, and the miracle of the Resurrection.  Never has this holiday meant more to me and my family than this year, as we were missing our dear Rachel so much.  In so many ways, it was difficult to be back at Mom's and all together again, as it reminded us all of December.  After dinner on Easter Sunday, we all dyed eggs.  We assembled a little tree and went again, as a family, to my little sister's grave.  Oh, it hurts so much to even write that!

We miss you Rachel!  I am so grateful for my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know where my sister is and what she is doing.  And more than that, I know that she too will live again, with all of us, and our family will have the privilege of being together for eternity.  It is in that testimony that all my comfort lies.  It is that faith that keeps us all going.  I know my Savior lives!

Week 21

It's been a good week!  I'm starting to feel pretty good most of the time, though I seem to have gotten a mite more emotional lately.  At least that's what Danny says.  I feel like everything I say and do is completely rational, so I don't know what his problem is. ;)

Johnny is growing pretty rapidly now, and I can feel it!  He now weighs about three-quarters of a pound (12 oz.) and is about 10 1/2 inches long.  He's gotten quite acrobatic lately, and I think he fancies himself some kind of karate kid!  He is WAY more active than either of his sisters were, especially at night when I would like to be sleeping.  But for the time being, I'm still enjoying his movements more than they inconvenience me.  

Speaking of my little man, I do believe he's ready for his blog photo debut!  I have to apologize for the less than stellar resolution on these pics.  My doctor only gives us a paper printout of the pictures (not a digital one), and we don't have a scanner.  I had to take a picture of the pictures with my camera!  But you get the point...

Yes, that's what you think it is!  Show it off, Johnny! :)  He is still most definitely a boy.  For those of you that have a hard time telling the difference between an ultrasound picture and an inkblot test, you're looking up at his butt from underneath.  The two..uh...biggest protrusions are his femurs (thigh bones).  You can deduce what the other smaller one is... ;)

This is such an awesome profile picture!  You can see his cute little face, but my favorite part are those long legs sticking straight up!  Seriously, this kid spends most his time stretching out, trust me!  Look at those cute little feet!

We did finally hear back from the benefits department, and they aren't going to switch our insurances early, so we won't be delivering the baby in Utah.  I'm kind of relieved, actually, as I've been feeling more and more peaceful and excited about having him at home.  We're still working out the details, but I think Danny and I have all but decided on a homebirth with a midwife.  I'm so excited!  It's going to be amazing...

We leave for Utah tomorrow morning for Easter with my family and Robbie's wedding next week.  The girls are SO excited to see their grandparents and cousins, and Danny and I are anxious to be with our family as well.  This will be our last trip there until Christmas!  I'm sure we'll see some family here when Johnny is born and/or blessed, but it still feels like a long time to be away from home.