Ryann's Ride

I am feeling kind of like a guilty mommy.

Basically since I have Wednesdays off I am trying to cram every minute of fun into the day that I can. Last week Ryann convinced me to ride with her to school. I think the ride is 1 mile up hill and 1 mile downhill.  We had fun, it was a blast and we almost didn't make it in time. 

I hope that we can keep doing this, the only problem is that it is still too hot when it is time to pick her up!

This week I can't do it though because I am teaching in her class at 8am for "Art Masterpiece"

We are learning about Paul Cezanne and still life paintings. 

Wish me luck. 

1 hour in front of 20 first graders. 

Yikes!

(I don't know how you do it Aunt Judy!)

Crazy Hair Day take 3

The real crazy hair day finally happened. 

Unfortunately I was called away for a delivery so I wasn't able to do Ryann's hair. 

Fortunately I made Rich pick up some colored hair spray the night before.

Ryann came home saying her hair was the "craziest!" 

Thanks Daddy for being awesome. 

Operation

I forgot to post yesterday what is a favorite game of Cara and I.

Operation.

It is so much easier now that I am an adult. Or maybe because I have such awesome surgical skills now... what with delivering babies and all.

Probably just because I am an adult.

Day Off

Since I work every saturday and am on call like 1 billion hours a month, my office so graciously gave me Wednesdays off.  Actually it is really nice because I am off from call and from the office. I also don't take call on Tuesday nights so that I can be rested on my day off. 

The days are usually jammed packed with stuff, but I always try to make time for the important things. 

 Like making silly faces with Cara.

Oh yeah, this happens. 

Wait, you are impressed with the playroom being clean? Yeah, so am I. Rich made a new rule that the girls can't watch any TV unless the playroom is clean. You would be surprised how fast it stays clean. You would also be surprised how they play with toys outside of the playroom because then it doesn't get messy but the rest of the house does. 

We are working on that part.

These girls are smarter than we give them credit for. 

Kind of like that year I was away at college and Zach slept in my bed every night because I told him when I was a senior that if he made my bed each day I would give him a dollar. So then when I left I never told him the deal was off... so he slept in the bed each night and then every morning would make the bed. I owed him quite a pretty penny when I came home for Christmas break. 

Zach was and is definitely smarter than we gave him credit for too.

:)

Happy Birthday Auntie Devyn and Auntie Erin

I have some of the best sisters in the world. 

These sisters just happen to have birthdays about a week apart.

These sisters are some of the hardest working people I know (along with my other sisters!)

They make me laugh.

They make me cry.

(in good ways!)

The love me and my family unconditionally.

They are gorgeous.

They are one year older.

Happy Birthday to my younger sisters!

Crazy Hair Day Part 2

Last week on Monday Ryann told me that it was crazy hair day. 

I did her hair in 12 different braids and then she put hair clips in all those braids. 

She came home from school and told me that it wasn't crazy hair day. Crazy hair day was on FRIDAY!

Of course I had to top crazy hair day with an even crazier hair day.

 She loved loved loved it. It bobbed around and she wouldn't hold her head still. 

Then I get a text from Rich after he dropped her off at the bus stop. No one else had crazy hair.  I emailed her teacher right away and found out that crazy hair day is the next Friday. OOOPS. 

However, her teacher is so sweet and made Ryann feel adorable and special instead of silly and crazy.

Somehow I need to top this crazier hair day with the craziest hair day on Friday.

Suggestions?

Cheerleading

A couple weeks ago I signed the girls up for a cheerleading clinic at the local high school. We have a friend who is a varsity cheerleader and it was a fundraiser for her. 

So then I forgot about the clinic. 

However, this girl was so sweet that she had our girls over to her house one night this past week to teach them the cheer. 

Then Rich and I got to go to the varsity football game and the girls got to cheer at half time. Not quite sure if our girls are cut out to be cheerleaders, but they sure had a fun time. 

 Okay so fun is an understatement.

This was one of the best 30 minutes of their life.

Homework

At our elementary school the kindergartners didn't have homework. Well, they were supposed to read 15 minutes a day with their parents. 

This year we have homework. It is sent home on monday and it is supposed to be turned in on Friday. They have math and spelling words and reading assignments and even computer time!  Ryann loves the computer time of course, so she spends some time each day on her teacher's chosen website doing "homework" if you can even call it that. 

The good news is that Cara spends time with her and I hope she is picking up some of it too.

this will make your head spin

I  missed blogging for the past week or so and since this blog is pretty much my journal I figured I should write about it. I am blogging from my phone and for some reason  it won't capitalize letters.

 my plate is overflowing.  it isn't just full,  it is overflowing.  most days I feel like I am barely taking one step at a time.  this past week I finally figured out that something had to give.   for the past 3 years I have been the ACNM ( or American college of nurse midwives)  chapter president in Phoenix.  it basically means I have to plan and prepare organizational meetings  every other month.  find speakers,  help spread the word about midwife jobs  or new information. I told them before Mac  was born that I would be taking a break,  but now that it is time to start up again I finally decided that this was the first thing that had to go.  my family  and time is too important.

 after I decided this and emailed the appropriate people I got slammed at work. I had an 8 hour day at the office,  delivered 2 babies that night.  slept for a couple hours,  went back to the office for 4 hours, delivered 6 more babies,  came home and slept for an hour,  went to sacrament meeting then delivered 4 more babies  after that. then woke up after another couple hours of interrupted sleep, worked 8 hours  in the  office and delivered 1 more baby.  since then I have been recovering.

 not totally recovering though,  because this week I have been blessed with an abcessed  tooth.  it got so bad that it infected the tooth next to it.  ouch.  after 2 different dentists I am on antibiotics,  around the clock ibuprofen,  and an scheduled for my first root canal on Tuesday and then my second root canal the next week.  my lymph nodes are swollen,  my jaw hurts,  and I would rather be in labor again than have this sort of pain constantly.  in my mind,  tooth pain is worse than labor.  no joke.

 however,  during all of this time I have been blessed. I have been happy.  my husband is so patient and kind.  my girls still love me.  baby Mac some nights only wakes up one or twice!  nursing is going well and every night we go to  bed with full bellies and a roof over our head.  but I really am ready for a break.

2 Months Old

Hi Baby Mac. 

You are 2 months old. 

You weigh 12lbs 10oz.

You still haven't had a babysitter besides family.

You are sleeping better. Usually 3-4 hours at night instead of 2-3.

 I am turning in the 3 month clothes and switching you to 3-6 month clothes. 

You give the best smiles in the world.

You coo at us. 

You love your daddy almost as much as your mommy. You still sleep way better for mom than for dad though. 

 You are always bright eyed and you love holding your head up.

I haven't made your two month doctors appointment yet. 

Sorry, you are the third child. Some things kind of slip my mind. :)

You have been to work with me at least once or twice a week since I have been back. Dad has only had to feed you one time in the middle of the night because I was gone delivering a baby. 

This week I am going to plan our first airplane flights. We have Nebraska and Napa on the list.

Family Blessing Picture

 Here is the best shot at a family picture on "Blessing Day" for baby Mac. Love my girls, but Cara, where are your shoes??

Hair Cuts by Dev

I keep thinking in my mind, "glamour shots by deb" but it is really cute hair cuts by Devyn. Both girls wanted their hair cut this time Devyn was in town. Ryann also needed her hair thinned because it is getting so thick like her mommy's hair!  I knew it had gotten a lot thicker and harder to manage, but thanks to Devyn it is a lot less hassle in the mornings. 

 Despite me wanting Cara to keep her hair long, she wanted it cut short. So of course we let her cut it... that is one of those things that I don't really worry too much about. If they want it short, cut it short. If they want it long, let them grow it. It is just hair and not worth me fighting over. If it were up to Dad we would all probably look like him!

After we finished the girls asked if I could cut my hair just like them... ummm, not this time, maybe when I loose the baby weight, but until then I am keeping it. 

8 Weeks

SuperMac, you are 8 weeks old. You are 12lbs 4oz of pure sweetness. You love to smile and have even given me those amazing smiles when you are nursing which are the sweetest ones to get. You smile for your daddy and sisters too. You are starting to really love your daddy and are much more patient with him.

Your sisters still love you and are constantly helping us clean up your spit up. You are still spitting up a lot, but you are gaining weight and you are happy so we will just deal with it for now. I heard an old wives tale recently that all first boys spit up a lot.  :) I will believe it for now. 

You have slept 5 hours straight twice now. Not enough for mommy to feel rested, but enough to let me know that you can do it! Your favorite interval of sleep is still 2-3 hours, but it is really all a blur still so I am not too worried about it. 

You sleep well in your crib, your rocker, and with mommy during the night. During the day it is hit or miss with how well you will nap. No schedule here. Sometimes you will only fall asleep in daddy's arms, but sometimes you will sleep in the crib. Naps range anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours.  The 3 hour time stretch is usually only when mom is around. You have a sense about you. I swear you know when mom is home and that helps you relax. Once you relax you sleep better. But, if it is dad you really like to give him a run for his money and you make him hold you a lot more than you make mommy hold you. 

This week we have decided that it might be time for you to start going to a sitter so dad can actually get work done during the day. We are thinking about twice a week for half days or so... we shall see how this plays out and nothing is set in stone yet. 

We went swimming this week and you loved it. You are also loving bath time and even showers don't seem to bother you. You still are using your cloth diapers and you are always wide eyed and looking around. You like your pacifier and aren't sucking your thumb yet. Your hair is still falling out but I think when it comes back in it will be a light brown. 

We love you more than words. 

more party pictures

I was sent these two beauties as well.  Ryann seems extra excited with all the candy that was there!

Cara

 we went to a birthday party a couple weeks ago and they had a photographer who snapped the cutest pictures of the kids. I loved these two of Cara Kay.

Blessing Day

I haven't downloaded  the pictures from my camera yet,  but my mom took this one of Mac  and I on Sunday when he was blessed.

 rich  gave him such an amazing blessing. It was sweet to hear.

 It was also fun that we had so many people come to see and hear it.  Friends and family came which made it all the more special.