This is not a baby shower!

About 30 seconds after I told my dear friend Kim that I was expecting, she said: "We HAVE to throw you a shower! Especially if it's a girl!!" I fought it because I felt like I had a really big shower when I was pregnant with J and people were so generous and I didn't want anyone to think that I was asking for more gifts. Eventually, though, Kim talked me into it but I was very specific that I didn't want a huge thing, just a few friends and some food and maybe some (non-alcoholic) drinks.

Last night was my 'not a shower' night out and it was just lovely. We had it at Amano Bistro, a place Shawn and I love to visit when we have date nights. It's small, owned by locals, and the food is good!

Here's the gang!


Erin, Brittany and I


Jenn and Kim toasting


Me, my Aunt Cher and my Mom


Shanna, Suzy and I


There were beautiful and sweet decorations..


and gifts...


And TWO cakes! A diaper cake that Shanna made (it is so cute in person, I swear I don't want to take it apart to use the diapers!)


And an absolutely gorgeous and delicious cake made by Candi. It was so pretty it hurt to even think about cutting it. But then it was so yummy...


And, for the highlight of the night, my Mom and Cher wrote and sang a song. For those of you who may not know, this is what my family does - they write songs for things. If there's a party, birthday, marriage, etc...they do this. In the middle you can hear the restaurant get quiet - I think everyone was wondering what was going on! I loved every moment of it, though. Thanks Mom and Cher!

A time to laugh...

Today at Bible study we discussed Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and tried to pick three of the 'times' that applied to our lives right now. One that I chose was 'A time to laugh.' Why? Well, on Friday night (2 days after getting our car back), Shawn and I were in another accident. This one was even less minor than the last one (on New Years Eve). I can't help but wonder if God is trying to tell us, specifically me because I was involved in both of them, something. He's got my attention and I'm certainly listening now!

I'm so thankful that, though both accidents, everyone - J, Shawn, me and Sweet Pea, are all okay.

This is a blog of randomness

I feel like I've fallen so far behind in my blogging - I used to do it during J's naps and then I got into the habit of laying around during the aforementioned naps and that's kind of got me stuck. So here's a post of randomness for you, hopefully to catch me up to 'real time' and when we start doing things again...I'll be blogging them quickly!

We bought this keyboard @ KB Toys for $6. (They are going out of business and everything must go!) It came with a microphone and J loves it. This video is funny because 1) Our dog Prince is clearly distressed and 2) Our dog Patches somehow turns off the light while I'm filming.


Just thought this was cute - J for some reason was unclothed and resting his feet on my belly. I can't remember if Sweet Pea was kicking or not.


A great pic of Shawn and J @ Tumbleweed Park.


J being a goof


Yesterday we were at my aunt's house dropping off my brother who's in town from FREEZING COLD Wisconsin. I have to laugh at everything they managed to either put on J or put in his hands. And there's Steve's arm in the background! Hi Steve! (of course I didn't take any pics of them together...duhhhhh)


And another (sort of longish - sorry) video of J today at lunch. I ask him for a strawberry to which he replies "Da" - that is yes for him. (Apparently he's Russian) He then yanks the strawberry away at the last moment and puts it in his mouth. :-( How mean!

This is a long post!

I'll try to catch up to present-day. On 12-31, the day of the accident, Shawn's mom and our nephew, Caleb, came into town. They got to join in the chaos that was that day, but it turned out great. J didn't have much of a nap, and he wasn't in bed til 8pm, but he slept well and slept in til 8am! Nice.

Day 1 - the zoo! Since we missed it the day before, we decided to head back there. We discovered a whole part of the zoo I'd never seen before - the petting zoo and childrens play area. Nice!

The family


J on his leash.


J & Bubba (that's what he called her, so cute!)


Caleb driving his tractor.


Playing in the nice little fenced in play area - sweet!


Before bed, a little milk, Bee Movie, and the Spiderman couch.


Friday - Tumbleweed Park. Caleb loved it!


J did too, of course!




Caleb did a lot of climbing and running!


Saturday we did dinner out at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Caleb thought this was Santa's sled and hid in the back, insisting he was a present.



"Playing" Packman


Sunday - Lily's 2nd birthday party! Who are these two staring at?


Holden! He went a little crazy with the shaving cream and required a bath and new clothes.


Look at those adorable cupcakes!


J loved the pictures of Lily.


Her special 2 cupcake!


J really loved the cupcakes, especially the marshmellow ears and snout.


Good friends!


On Monday morning, Bubba and Caleb left to go home to snowy Seattle. We miss them!


This is long enough for now...I'm exhausted!

2008 went out with a BANG!!

Or, maybe a jolt?

J and I were headed over to the zoo for the 'snow' on New Years Eve when I stopped behind a few other cars waiting for a bus. I heard a noise behind me that I didn't immediately recognize. Less than a second later, I realize that it was an accident and as I was having the thought "I might get hit," BAM!!! I was slammed into from behind and the root beer (thank God it wasn't coffee) I was holding exploded all over me, the windshield, and the dashboard. J started screaming and I felt so helpless. I called 911 and the police showed up. The guy who hit me didn't have a license (but the truck was insured, I at least got that information) so he actually left the scene before the police arrived.

The fire department came to check on J - I was too paranoid to take him out of his seat after the accident (after the initial shock he was totally fine, his normal happy smiling self). They said he was ok and recommended (if just for my piece of mind) to go to the hospital to get checked out for the baby.

After dropping Shawn's car off at home, we headed to Banner Desert. Shawn took J over to the collision center and picked up a rental car, then headed home so J could take a short nap. Short because Bubbie (AKA Shawn's mom, Anita) and our nephew, Caleb, were arriving at the airport at 315pm.

I was at the hospital from about 1130am til 5pm, they had to run a bunch of tests to make sure there wasn't any damage to the placenta, the sac, and of course, our baby girl. One of those tests involved an ultrasound. It was great to see our little girl wiggling around in there, but then the tech moved over her face and, well, I was a little scared.

Now, be honest. That picture looks like something out of a freaky Japanese horror movie, am I right? I told the tech: "Wow, that sure is scary looking." I think to make me feel bad or to show me my baby wasn't going to eat my soul, she flipped over to the 3D view.



Oh.....

My.....

Goodness!!!


She is gorgeous!!! I did feel bad for calling her scary, but now I know better. I think she looks like J - they definitely have the same nose. And maybe the same lips. Either way, she's beautiful and she's healthy and she's fine after our excitement yesterday. Thank God!!