Still alive

So I am a pile of crap. I am. I have yet to blog about our newest family member (who is now 3.5 months) or our trip to Disneyland. I promise I will catch up.... as soon as I finish my latest project.

See this "baby ticker" to the side?

If you look to the side of this post (atleast while this post is first). You will see a baby floating in a bubble with the countdown at the bottom.
It is so deceiving. They should show a picture of a baby totally cramped into a ball and kicking and spasming every so often. That would me much more accurate - and more interesting to watch.
I haven't really done a good job about recording my thoughts and feelings about this pregnancy and baby.
I am excited to meet this little guy. I already have hopes and dreams of what he will be like and what he can become. I also worry about him and his health. Not that there are any indicators - but I am just that way. I pray every night that he will be born strong and healthy. (Here's hoping that the fact that he likes to re-arrange my innards daily as he is still quite active - is a good sign that he is healthy and alert in there.
He is also measuring 3 weeks bigger then average. This is why I have c-sections. Big babies and surprisingly small birth canal. (I always thought I was blessed with great "birthing hips" but apparently the outward appearance is not a determining factor. Go figure.) Atleast this pregnancy - nobody has asked me if I am having twins. I guess there is still time left.....

As much as I love my little newborns - I really do NOT enjoy pregnancy. If I were to allow a picture to be posted of me here - you would see why. I don't really wear it well. I get big - everywhere. I waddle. I breathe heavy because my lungs have no room left to expand. I also feel very guilty for being neglectful of my responsibilities at home - such as food prep, cleaning, laundry etc. I am so blessed to have a husband who is willing to pick up so much slack. I love him so much. Not only does pick up the slack - but he quietly listens to my complaints and whining. Thanks sweetheart. :)

I try to remind myself of the miracle of life. It truly is. Somehow my body is sustaining TWO people right now. How does it just know how to do that? How can anyone who has ever carried a child or held a newborn question if there is a God? It really is an amazing thing.

Sometimes I wish that I could share this experience with Ryan. I know you are probably laughing right now - and for good reason. Yes, it would be interesting to see how he would handle pregnancy. However, I feel like I have already formed a bond with this little guy as I have become familiar with his movements (and bouts of hiccups every hour or so) - and so it seems more familiar with him and his personality. Every time I try to "introduce" him to somoneone but letting them feel him kick - he gets shy and hides. Infact, both ultrasounds I have had - he has been hiding with his face towards my back. How long do you think will last once he is taught by his older siblings?

Two weeks from today is his scheduled entry into the world. While I have plenty of items on my "To Do" list - I would be just fine if he decided to come earlier. ...... please?! Maybe later I will post some pictures of my swollen legs and feet. For posterity's sake. I know this is a rambling post... probably as good as it's going to get for a while. :) Thanks for letting me ramble. Can't wait to meet you baby Tanner #4!!!

It was finally warm enough to play in the snow!

This past weekend the temps were finally out of the negative and single digits. Infact they were in the high 30's! In celebration we decided to have a picnic!
Ok not really - but the difference in temp was enough to motivate Ryan and the kids to go out and build a snowman! (Complete with a hotdog nose!)

I being slightly immobile and not fitting into any of my winter snow clothes took pictures - from INSIDE. :)

Ryan is such a good dad - and the kids and dog had a blast!!


p.s. The snowman was a 5 ball snow man. :) ;) :)

Bedtime for Bozo's

Cardon will probably hate me for making this public knowledge. Really I should probably be ashamed of myself for making this public knowledge. However, if you don't cry for poor Cardon you will for sure be laughing.

As you know - we have a new one on the way. His arrival will be here in a couple of months. We have been meaning to get Luke a real bed for many months now but it has been put off for other things here and there.

One night Luke had a nightmare and from that point on he refused to sleep in the crib. Instead, he preferred to sleep with Cardon in his twin bed. Poor Cardon - he and Maddy shared a queen bed for a couple years when Luke was born. It was just this past summer that he finally got a bed to himself again.

Then a couple of weeks ago - Luke woke up with croup. I had never heard a sound like that before. I didn't want him and Cardon sleeping in the same bed while he was sick. So I got the idea to take the front part off the crib. The part that slides up and down. Hoping that would make his bed look like a "real" bed. He would still have nothing to do with it.

I got the great idea to ask Cardon to pretend he was going to sleep in Lukes bed. Luke didn't fall for it. So I told Cardon - why don't you just fall asleep in his bed and we will move you back into your bed. (One thing I failed to mention is that they kept each other up another hour after we tucked them just dinking around.) So atleast they would get some decent sleep.

Well, one night we forgot to move him and what do you know! They weren't up at 6:15 am!! We actually had to wakt them up at 7:30. And well... we just kept asking Cardon to sleep in Luke's bed! :(
It was time to quit putting it off - we HAD to get these guys bunk beds.

So..... after searching on ksl.com for a deal - we made the purchase and promptly put them together. Cardon gets the top bunk - and we left the ladder off. Neither Maddy or Luke can climb up there and poor sweet Cardon who NEVER complained about his sleeping arrangements FINALLY has a space/sanctuary of his own!

Cardon's Special Day

This weekend I re-learned some important things:
- I am getting old and rounder by the day. :)
- I am blessed beyond what I will ever deserve.
- I have an awesome husband who respects the priesthood he holds.
- I have an amazing son who is an example of faith and goodness to his mother.
- Our family is loved and supported by wonderful and caring family and friends.

Thank you to all of our family and friends who came to support Cardon as he was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Thank you to those of you who sent your love through phone calls and emails and letters.
Here are some pictures (I wish I would have taken more).

Cardon's baptism was a special time. Maddy opened the meeting by singing a solo "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I have to say - she did a great job singing by herself infront of 30+ people.

Cardon's two Grandma's gave talks about Baptism and the Holy Ghost. Cardon was baptized and confirmed by Ryan with uncles, Grandpa McEwen and friends standing in the circle.

Cardon had two GREAT Grandmother's present as well. I am still kicking myself for not getting a 4 generation picture. Cardon also had cousins and aunts and uncles who had made the 5 + hour drive from Colorado and Boise. Good friends from the neighborhood were also there.
'
After the baptism we had a birthday luncheon afterwards with cinnamon rolls instead of birthday cake. MMMMM Aunt Rachel makes a mean cinnamon roll! Cardon's cousin Jaydn was thoughtful enough to bring a pinata full of candy and toys. It was a little nerve wracking trying to keep the kids away from a swinging metal bat but we all came out unscathed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARDON and congrats on your decision to be baptized. We love you!

Halloweenies

This year I had my fill of Halloween.
According to my mom and dad it used to be one of my favorite holidays. Um, that couldn't have been true past the age of 8. Even in college I think I dressed up once - and I was a farmer with a flannel shirt and braids.
Well, this year was filled with THREE days of costumes and the gathering of more and more sweets. Thursday at school (because they had Friday out of school - joy of joys). Friday was the Omniture Halloween party complete with candy and real midgets dressed up as Smurfs. (I was a little nervous to take pics - is that politically correct to as a smurf midget for their picture?) Then on to the ward "Trunk or Treat". I personally think trunk or treat is a fabulous idea. You hit a bunch of people with in 50 yards and you are done. However, if not done on Halloween creates 2 dilemmas. Apparently for my kids - it didn't count as trick or treating because it WASNT on Halloween - and the second issue ofcourse - is all the kids that went around trunk or treat 2 or 3 times come to your door on Halloween too.
To remedy these 2 issues we went to Grandma's house and let the kids go around her neighborhood. Leaving our house dark and candyless - and luckily no tricks.
Here are some pics from our adventurous weekend! Bah Humbat!! ;)
Oh and incase you need descriptions:
Cardon age 7 (almost 8) as Anakin Skywalker
Maddy age 5 as Violet (NOT Elasti Girl)
Luke age 2 elephant with a big bum
"T" age 2 (cousin) Rudolph.

The Settlement

This was forwarded to me...
Whether or not the author is real - the content is what rings true to me.
I don't apologize for these thoughts - while some of them are filled with sarcasm.
It made me smile and maybe it will make you smile too.

American liberals, leftists, social progressives,
socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the
results of this latest election process has made me realize
that I want a divorce... I know we tolerated each other for
many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly,
this relationship has run its course.

Our two ideological
sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on
what is right so let's just end it on friendly
terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable
differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:
Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by
landmass each taking a portion. That will be the
difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly
agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy!
Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets
since both sides have such distinct and disparate
tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep
them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.
Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our
firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

You can keep Oprah,
Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (You
are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel
vehicle big enough to move all three of them).

We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations,
pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can
have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal
aliens. We'll keep the hot
Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.
We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and
Hollywood ..

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll
retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten
us.. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our
allies or our way of life are
under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome
to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can
also have the U.N.. but we will no longer be paying the
bill.

We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury
cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can
find.

You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any
practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare
is a luxury and not a
right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and
the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to
substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing,
Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give
trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends
you, we'll keep our history, our name and our
flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to
other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and
if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of
friendly parting, I'll bet you Answer which one of us
will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,
John J. Wall
Law Student and an American