Our LIFESAVER!

This is Taun's sister, JeriDawn. We LOVE JeriDawn! She is our LIFESAVER! She has been the one who we call when we need to take Alex to the hospital or when I have needed to go there myself. We have called her in the afternoon, evening, or in the middle of the night. Her response has always been something like, "Sure, bring them over anytime." She watched Benjamin when we had to go to the hospital both times for Alex's seisure episodes and when I went to the ER for the first kidney infection attack. She has 4 (beautiful) children of her own and has never complained about "having" to help with ours. My children LOVE JeriDawn and often ask if they can go play at her house. I mention that we are going to play with Sierra, Mialee, and Nikell and Benjamin always asks if JeriDawn will be there too.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to go get my blood pressure checked at the Dr.'s office (I had had a headache all day and was pretty swollen.) The first time it was checked it was 161/58 so the nurse checked it again with another machiene and it was 152/54. Both high! Protein level was negative but the dr. wanted me to go have the contractions monitored at Labor and Delivery. Taun dropped me off at the hospital and went to let the kids play at JeriDawn's house. I realized I would be there for awhile so I called him to come sit with me incase anything happened. The kids stayed at JeriDawn's house.

After 4 hours at the hospital my blood pressure dropped and protein level was still negative. The blood work came back normal and the headache had gotten better. The dr. did a strep B test and checked for dialation and effacement. I was dialated to a 1 and 50% effaced (normal for someone with 35 weeks and previous pregnancies.) The dr. said to treat the headache with lortab or foricet and he put me on BED REST. I go in Monday or Tuesday to check up and will probably have to go in twice a week untill I deliver.

We went to JeriDawn's to get the kids and she was out walking with Alex and her 2 year old. Benjamin and Mialee (5 yr. old) were in the house painting and JeriDawn was doing grape juice. She has so much on her plate already and she is willing to help me with my children. I am so grateful for her and her ability to love my children as if they were her own. She is great and I don't know what we would do without her.

Thank you JeriDawn!

While we were gone...

Two weeks ago Taun and I went to Portland for a work conference he had. We were able to go for a whole week and while we were there we had a great time.

Taun designed this poster and had it printed for the conference. (It cost $120 to print) He then presented on his poster and another 30 minute power point. He did a great job and it will help him in his job.

When we got to the car rental place they said that they had reserved a 2010 Mustang for us to drive. Taun was all excited and I was not that thrilled.

We rented it anyway and it was fun for the first drive and then we both decided that it was not all it's cracked up to be.

It did feel like driving a race car and we felt pretty cool but we will never be spending our own money to buy one.

Taun skipped the last day of his conference so that we could go spend some time sight seeing together. We went to The Japaneese Botanical Gardens in Portland and to The Grotto.

This statue was at the JBG right after the entrance. It was pretty amazing!

The JBG was breathtaking with all of the beauty.

They have raked the sand around the rocks to make it look like ripples in the water.

At one point we were able to look out over the city of Portland. It was a very overcast day so it is hard to see but in real life it was beautiful!

Again, they have raked the sand to make it look like this... I would hate that job.

This is at The Grotto. It was beautiful as well.

While we were gone my parents watched this little munchkin and...

this little munchkin. We are so grateful to my parents for offering to watch them and spend some time at our house so that Benjamin did not miss a day of school. While we were gone my parents did some projects around our house.

My mom made cutrains for the boys room and for the new babies room. She also painted in the babies room and made some basket covers, carseat cover, nursing coverup, and carseat blanket. (Pictures to come) My dad replaced the brick in the back of the house, fixed the fence gate, and filled in some holes in the garden.

We moved Alexander's bed into Benjamin's room and put his new bedspread on it. (When Benjamin started sleeping in a "big boy bed" I had my mom make him a bedspread and then I found the same fabric and had her make one for Alex.)

We had to move the dresser into the closet so that both beds would fit. (I figured that they are not big enough to need the full length of the closet.) The boys love being in the same room and it is so much easier to put them to bed.

32 weeks!

I am officially 32 weeks along today. Just 2 more months to continue getting bigger and more uncomfortable. I am starting to get anxious about labor since I have always been induced and have no idea what it is like to go into labor by myself. I am also very excited about the new baby! Thanks to neighbors and sisters in law, she has more clothes than I ever expected...and I have not spent one penny. We love hand me downs!

Randomness

The following pictures are not in any order. They are just a glimpse into what has been keeping us so busy for the last couple weeks. Please look at the next post for pictures of Benjamin's 4th Birthday.

We went up Logan Canyon with Taun's sister just for a hotdog roast and s'mores. YUM!

Aiddie JoMichael McKellar...1 1/2 months old. She is so cute!

Benjamin was really enjoying his s'mores. I could not get him to sit still and that is why the picture is so blurry. The van in the back is our new van. I LOVE IT!

I went to the Jon Schmidt concert at Thanksgiving Point with a friend who has been in Virginia for 3 months and is moving to California in a month. It was so much fun and it was great to hang out with Amber.

My dad gave the boys several rides on the 4 wheeler. Every time we go down that is the first thing Benjamin asks for.

Grandpas are the Best!

Benjamin made a card for his preschool teacher. He insisted on making it a circus theme because that is what his preschool is decorated like. (Puddle Jumpers Preschool)

The inside of the card. (No laughing at my artistic abilities!)

Benjamin wrote his name on the back. Needless to say we didn't practice much during the summer...all the letters are there though.

Benjamin's 1st day of preschool under the Big Top at Puddle Jumpers Preschool.

trying to show off his new backpack.

Here he is at his desk. This is just before he told me to leave. He said he was really nervous and he wanted me to stay with him for awhile and then when we got there he was totally fine and told me to leave. He LOVES preschool!

Benjamin and Ms. Kris (his preschool teacher)

Benjamin has ben learning how to pump on the swing set...now if he could only get started all by himself.

Alex decided to go down the slide upside down and by the look on his face you can tell he loved it.

There is nothing like chocolate pudding to make one happy!

We finished our patio in the spring and this is a before shot. It was a complete mess!

Here are the stairs.

This is what all the hardwork looks like. It is awesome! Thanks to my parents for helping with the wall and to Taun's dad for replacing the roof. We now have a great patio that keeps me out of the sun while the boys are outside playing.

Taun took the boys on a walk to the grocery store and apparently he bought licorice for the ride home. Have you seen anyone happier than that?!

Benjamin's Birthday

Benjamin turned 4 on September 1st. He was so excited that we had a party at Grandma Davis' house with his cousin-friends. (please remember while you look at the pics that I am 7 months pregnant!)

He got a new backpack from Grandpa and Grandma Davis. He was so excited! It's Spiderman!
He got a helmet and pads from Mommy and Daddy.

This is what his face looked like when we brought in the bike. (my parents found it at DI for $5...looks brand new thanks to Grandpa Davis and WD-40)

Here he is riding his new BIKE! He does so well and he rides it all the time. We could not even get him to get off it for cake and ice cream.