Update

Well - in my sleep deprived state, I hope this post makes sense.  Chloe is 100% backwards with her days and nights.  She usually has 3 hours of awake time from about 1 am to 4 am.  The exact time I like to be awake as well (sarcasm).  With waking up for feedings every few hours and the mid-night awake time, sleep is minimal around here.  It is kind of killing me.  I have seen a little improvement in the last two nights.  I really hope we are turning a slight corner.

The other night Karl and Carson both passed out watching some special on planets.  Chloe was asleep in her chair.  I had to take a picture.  I couldn't help but think "Um...aren't I the one staying up all night?"

Chloe is already changing.  It's happening too fast.  She's putting on weight and getting chunky.  She had an appointment at 6 days old.  She was 9 lbs 14 oz...4 oz over her birth weight.  I wish she would slow down a little bit.  I know how fast the changes are going to come.  Some of her 3 month size clothing is now not long enough...crazy!  I'm going to go buy my 2 1/2 week old 6 month size sleepers this week.

She spits up a ton...at every feeding.  She is also the poopiest little girl.  She has already pooped on the couch, Carson's bed, her Aunt Kim, a towel, the couch again...etc.  (don't worry, we scrubbed all surfaces).  It took me a few times to realize that you ALWAYS have to have a diaper under this girl. I guess she just likes to be a free pooper.  She also is notorious for pooping right after I've changed her diaper.

Carson is still a little hot and cold on the baby situation.  He mentions that he loves Chloe in his prayers and he likes to kiss her goodnight.  Today I caught him reading her a book.  Yesterday he was in a bad mood and he told me he didn't like being a big brother and that he doesn't like when people call him that.  Sigh...it kind of broke my heart but I get that he probably doesn't like being called that all the time.  He probably wishes people would just talk to him and not talk to him in reference to his little sister.  Noted.  Here is just a pic of him being super handsome.

We blessed her on Sunday.  Here she is in her little blessing outfit.

I am also trying to step into the "stay at home mom" role.  Planning meals, cooking dinners, laundry, dishes, etc.  It's a stretch giving the sleep problem...but it's coming along nicely.

Chloe Taylor

Well our baby is finally here!  I started having contractions on Wednesday the 3rd and she arrived on the 4th at 8:38 am.  Everything went great and we came home Friday afternoon.  She is a really relaxed baby.  Hardly cries at all.  Carson is taking a little bit to warm up to her, but he is already very sweet to her and thinks about her through out the day.  I am making this short because who knows how much longer she'll nap.  here are some pics.

She was 9 lbs 10 oz and 23 inches long. Such a beautiful baby girl.

This is a newborn sized outfit.  I could barely get the onesie snaps closed.  This is probably the only time she'll wear a newborn outfit.  None of her other newborn outfits are big enough.  I've already packed them away.

Carson screamed when we put him in his car seat.  Chloe was totally calm.  She is a really chill baby.

Carson got Chloe this little monkey.  He sets it on her whenever she starts to cry.

He hasn't wanted to hold her and I didn't push it.  He finally asked to hold her the other day.  He is so cute.  The little strawberry is pretty cute too!

Karl was multi-tasking last night.  Playing XBox and holding the baby.  I love her little foot sticking out.

She got her first at home bath today.  I was prepared for a lot of screaming (since that is what Carson did).  She not only didn't cry, she fell asleep during it.

Still Pregnant

We are at -1 days now.  I'm still pregnant.  I had a doctor's appointment today and there is absolutely NOTHING going on.  So...this is fun.

Good Riddance!

I bought a car the summer of 2002.  I worked all summer to save up and my dad helped me too.  I bought a 1995 Hyundai Accent with 80k miles for $3,300 two days before I left to go back to BYU.  It was a stick shift and I had never driven one before (driving it to BYU was quite the adventure).  This was the summer before I met Karl and we got married in 2003.  This little Accent has been one of our cars until last month...when it finally died.  It had 195k miles on it.  Did I also mention that it didn't have AC?  I had no clue I'd be moving to AZ when I bought it.  Karl has suffered through 5 summers with that car.  So we got a new car last month and traded in the Accent.  They gave us $500 for it (they originally offered $300 but we negotiated to the real worth of the car).  I took some pictures of it so we will never forget that wonderful car. Isn't she a beauty?

Our Garden

Well I think we got our garden in late.  We also didn't have auto sprinklers till half way through the growing season (and Karl and I were not the best about watering).  So behold the entire fruits of our labors...(ahhhhh)

Carson Turned 4!

We just did a small family get together.  I think I'll finally break into the "friend" birthday party next year.  It seems like a lot more pressure.  Probably just cause it is new to me.  Carson told me he wanted an astronaut birthday.  He was very interested in the space section of the flight museum in Seattle.  I actually had a really hard time finding him astronaut anything.  I had to order plates/cups online.  There were very few real looking space toys at the store.  I just kept thinking that 40 years ago, I could have probably found space/astronaut toys everywhere.  Anyway, I made a rocket cake and a moon cake.  I think they are my best yet.

We got Carson a table and chairs (boring, but nice to have) and a bike (not boring).

Carson shares his birthday with his great grandmother so we celebrated hers as well.

The "kids" all had a blast in the little swimming pool and we all ended up wet since there were lots of water balloons around.

We did a search for "moon rocks" (rocks that I painted silver).

Carson had fun and that's what matters.  I'd say it was a pretty good bash.

Carson Update

Carson did a summer session of preschool. He loved it (thank goodness)! Karl dropped him off the first day and Carson just ran right in without saying goodbye. Karl said it kind of hurt to see his little baby act so grown up and independent. He couldn't believe Carson didn't need him. Just you wait Karl...you'll have a baby that needs you all too much in a few weeks. Anyway, Carson made cute things each day and walked out with a big smile. I'm so glad he'd liked it.  He'll start for fall in just a few days as well.  Here is a pic of him coming home from preschool.

We also did swimming lessons. If you read my blog, you know this is a sensitive subject. Carson has been terrified of the water for the last two years. So I was nervous about this one. Well, I made it worse by accidentally signing him up for the baby class. I didn't realize until we were there. I went to switch him to the preschool class, but it was already full. Awesome mom award. The manager suggested putting Carson in the level above preschool, "level 1". She said they do basically the same things but it's for more comfortable swimmers. Ummmmmm....comfortable swimmers....right. She assured me the teacher could just help Carson a little more and that he would be fine. So it was either that or donate money to the city of Glendale since they don't do refunds. So Level 1 it was. I was just feeling awful about it and trying to act like Level 1 was the right class for him so he didn't get freaked out. He spent the first 5 minutes glued to the edge crying for me. I just kept smiling and waving and giving him thumbs up (probably looking ridiculous). When general crying for me didn't work, he switched to actual reasons..."Mom, I'm thirsty...I need a drink." Again, I didn't move. Eventually he gave it up and began participating. He would hesitantly do each move the teacher asked...always preceded by an "I don't wanna." BUT...I am proud to say that after a few days, he did just fine. He still didn't love it, but he stopped fighting it and there was no more crying. I'm just happy he's getting over his fear. I am so proud of him.  He's even gotten a little more comfortable when we go as a family now.  I stick by my method to not "push" him.  While I worried about his fear, I knew he would get over it and not be 15 and still scared of the water.  I did the same thing as a child and I got over it just fine.