The things they say...

I wanted to get these two down so I don't forget them later.  A couple of days ago on the way to school Cadence and Rory had the following argument. 


Cadence found a dandelion to blow on. 

Cady: Rory here you can blow it with me and we can make a wish. (they blow annoying weed seeds into one of my neighbors yards)


Rory: What did you wish for?
Cady: A unicorn. What did you wish for?
Rory: A purple unicorn.
Cady: Unicorns can't be purple.
Rory: Yes they can.
Cady: No. They are white and sparkly with pink horns!
Rory: Mine is purple.
Cady: Mom! Tell Rory that unicorns CAN'T be purple.
Me: Unicorns aren't real so they can be any color you want them to be.
********silence*********
Cady: You're not being helpful mom. I know they aren't real. Rory you have to face it. Unicorns CAN'T be purple.
Rory: Yes they can. Mine can. She's magic. 


This went on until we got to school. 




Tonight at dinner we were talking about dreams.


Rory: Mom, I dreamed about a rainbow dinosaur and I had to kill him dead with my crayon sword in my pocket. 


Cadence: Mom, she's just faking that up.  It totally wasn't rainbow. 






They are totally a riot. 

Precious Moments

Sometimes as a photographer you catch very special moments.  Honestly they are always things that happen all the time, but we forget to stop and really appreciate them and how truly special they are. 

While taking pictures of my amazingly beautiful sister-in-law (not brown-nosing, honest!) her youngest son made his way over to his favorite person in the universe and planted a sweet, and very wet, kiss on her lips.  

He just loves her.

I love moments like this.  I love it even more when I catch them on camera because all to soon he will be grown up. 

Beckah's is six months old!

It's hard to believe that 6 months ago she was brand new and tiny.  

Now she is 16 pounds 10 ounces and 24 inches long. 

She laughs, squeals, babbles.  She can sit all on her own now and has started scooting (backwards) on her belly.  

She is just amazing.   

Happy Birthday Rory

Three years ago today I had a baby girl.


My pregnancy with her was my easiest.  I was sick in the beginning, because I always am, but the rest of the time went by way to fast.  Then, during the last month I started having really bad pain in my hips when I walked.  It got worse before to long and I was so ready for the baby to come.


My Doctor, God bless his soul, could tell and offered to induce me.  He explained that I was favorable (already at a 3 and about 75%) and he was sure that I would take well to the medicine and things would go perfectly.  He was a good doctor and I trusted him.  So I asked when we could schedule.  His only opening that week that worked with the hospital was September 2nd.


I did try to get things going on my own the weekend before my induction.  Caster Oil got some contractions started, but nothing that was lasting.  So at 11:45pm on the 1st of September, 2008, Brady and I left a sleeping Cadence in the care of my wonderful mother and headed to the hospital to have a baby.


We were excited to meet her.  The excitement didn't have the biting edge to it that we experienced when we had Cadence.  This time we had a pretty good idea of what to expect and so this ride to the hospital was much calmer than our first. 


We got into a room by 12:15am and the paperwork insanity began.  So much to sign, read, understand, and sign again.  The nurse who placed my IV took several tries.  I hate that part the most.  She finally listened to me and place it in the back of my hand.  It's where it always ends up, but everyone always thinks they are the IV placing wonders of the universe and will get it in my arm.  Sigh. 


Finally, at around 2am they started me on the meds.  Mountain View isn't a bad hospital, but they do things "by the books" unless you force them not to.  I didn't know at the time that most hospitals start you on way to high of a dosage. Instead of starting at a low dose and working their way up to good contractions, they start at a ridiculously high dose and constantly have to turn it up and down, which can cause all kinds of baby and mommy issues and why a good number of babies go into distress and have to be removed via c-section.  I didn't know any of this until much later.


I was at a four quickly and they broke my water.  Shortly after I was begging for an epidural.  The contractions were insane.  The hospital was busy so I had to wait.  I finally got it and had some peace while my body did it's thing.


Then the nurse, wanting to hurry things along, upped the pit a bit.  Jerk move. I had already gone from a 4 to a 6 in two hours which was VERY good time.  My body was already hurrying.  After about 30 minutes on the increased pit my epidural couldn't keep up and I was feeling a LOT of pressure and a LOT of pain again.  By then I was at a 7.  The nurse promised that she would send in someone to fix my epidural, but he didn't get there very fast.  I was pissed.  All I wanted to do was MOVE to get in a better position but my legs were useless.  He gave me a boost and that helped, but not much.


Then of course the baby's heart rate started to drop with each contraction.  It was terrifying hearing her little heart beat all but stop.  The nurse turned the pit off completely and that solved that problem.  She warned me that my labor would stall and things could get ugly.  Good thing my body new what it was doing.  It kept right on going, and very soon it was time to push.  I knew it was time.  My body was pushing all on it's own with out any say from me.


Nurse kept telling me to stop pushing.  I told her I was trying but the Doctor had better hurry.


Then the Doctor was there.


Brady was holding my leg and telling me how awesome I was doing.  Bless the man, he is such a comfort to me.  Just having him there in the room makes things better.  Six quick pushes and at 10:14am out she came, screaming her pretty little head off!  The Doctor put her up on my chest and I remember how amazing that moment felt.  She took a piece of my heart that day and will have it forever.


One look at this baby and I knew the name her father had picked was perfect.


She was Rory.  My beautiful, spunky, LOUD Rory.


I was much bossier with the nurses this time and she stayed with me and was nursed right away.  She was a greedy eater.  She needed to be since she was small.  Healthy but small.


She is still small.  Her personality more than makes up for that though.


I looked at her this morning and I felt myself tear up, remembering that moment the Doctor placed her in my arms and I looked into her dark eyes for the first time.


She has grown so much, and we see glimpses of the amazing woman she will be. Fearless, gentle and kind. Amazing, beautiful and confident.  My goofy Rory.  My sweet Rory.

Happy 3rd Birthday Rory-Girl!

First day of school...

It's hard for me to believe that she is old enough for this.

She was so ready.  And her first day was awesome.

It's the little things.

There is so much joy in our house these days.  How could there not be with three such beautiful girls!

Rory is having a hard time with the idea of Cadence going to school.  She loves her Cady so much and doesn't want her to be gone all day. 

But she LOVES her Beckah.  She is always trying to help me care for her, despite the fact that Beckah is almost as big as she is...well weight wise anyway. 

Cadence and Beckah are like twins separated by 5 years...it's a little weird sometimes. 

My Beckah.  I know I say this often, but she is such an easy baby.  I feel like the Lord sent her just for me.  I know that sounds silly, but she is just what I needed at this time in my life.  I love how she kicks her legs in unison whenever she is excited.  I love how she sucks her thumb until she is almost asleep and then pops it out and lets out a huge sigh and just falls asleep.  I love how she wakes me up every morning by grabbing my face and when I finally look down at her she gives me a HUGE grin and starts chatting at the top of her lungs.  I love her huge eyes and big drooly smiles.  I love that she still really only laughs for me.  I love her sad pouty face.  I think it is safe to say that I am her favorite person in the world right now.  I know it won't last so I am soaking up every minute.  

One thing that has made Beckah awesome is that she is happy to be with daddy too (so long as mommy isn't in sight).  Both Cady and Rory would cry their guts out almost the entire time I was gone when I had to leave them or needed time to myself.  I know that was hard on Brady and so I am so glad for a baby that is happy with her Daddy. 

She is almost sitting up on her own now and rolls all over to try and get to things she likes.  She still loves her jumperoo.  Girl can bounce!  She is also starting to get into a nap schedule, though it is still a bit hit and miss. 

Rory is going to always be my "hard" child I think.  She isn't really hard, but of my three she has always been the one to really push my parenting limits.  She is spunky, crazy and just plain silly.  She loves Barbies and airplanes.  I'm pretty sure that I have a full fledged tomboy on my hands.  I worry that she will have a very hard time when Cady goes to school.  They are two peas in a pod and where Cady goes Rory can't be far behind.  I am looking forward to seeing her blossom into her own version of the big sister though.  She loves Beckah so much and is always laying with her and telling her silly things and showing her all her toys.  Rory is also my little helper. Doesn't matter what it is, she wants to be right there in the thick of it with me.  She is awesome at unloading the dishes.  

She is also a big sweetheart.  She is always telling random strangers how beautiful they are and she is quick with the please and thank yous.  She is so brave and likes to do things all on her own.  She has started dragging out her "colors" all on her own and doodling away.  Her pictures are actually starting to look like real things now and I find that exciting.  She is also super excited to turn three.  She has her party all planned and has for over a month now.  I guess we will see if I can meet her expectations!

My big girl.  My Cadybug.  She is so grown up!  School is going to be so wonderful for her.  Her open house was awesome.  She got to meet her teacher (who seems wonderful), found her desk and cubby, and knows where to hang her coat.  She has her new student number memorized already so she can get hot lunches every now and then.  She picked out her first day outfit all on her own and is prepared to get up early so I can do her hair curly.  She starts Monday and she is more than ready.  I'm not so sure I am ready.   

Cady never went to preschool.  It's not that I don't think she would have benefited from it.  I think she would have done very well and quite possibly been bored since she has always been ahead of all the other kids her age.  I just wanted her with me.  Sometimes I felt that it was selfish of me to keep her home with me, but now that she is headed into this new phase of life I am glad that I had her home for the first five years.  

Cadence is so close to reading.  I really can't wait for that world to open up to her.  I was always a reader and I love books of just about any kind.  I really hope that Cady will find she loves books too.  She is already really good with her numbers.  I am impressed by her math skills.  She gets that from her Daddy.  I am excited for her to make new friends and learn so many new things.  I am also super glad that we live in an awesome school district!  I know that Cadence is in good hands.

Things have been busy getting ready for Cady to start school.  The weather here is already cooling off (which will be nice for a bit since we will be walking to and from the school which is only a few blocks from our house). We are looking forward to a visit from Grandma Vivian and Aunt Whitney in September.  I am hoping that Aunt Megan might come too, but I know the two day drive is daunting with two little kids.  I really can't wait to have them come!  

My girls...

Are growing up to fast.  Cadence starts school in 13 days.  13 DAYS PEOPLE!! She is totally ready too.  She breezed through her physical, eye check up, and the dentist.  She picked out a folder for her back pack today and is stoked for Open House so she can meet her teacher.  She has already colored a picture for her new teacher.  Today we picked out a new outfit for her first day of school and she was telling me, in detail, how she wanted her hair done.  She is already anticipating all the new friends she will have.  She even told me that she would probably have some boy friends too since they aren't all bad.  "Don't worry mom. There will be NO kissing.  That's just...(shudder) icky."


My favorite quote from Cady today has to be: Mom. Rory keeps trying to destroy me with her powers but she can't. I'm bigger and stronger. And I have, like, 20 lives I think.


Girl watches way to many X-Men cartoon re-runs on Netflix.


Rory.  Oh, dear, sweet, insane, lovely Rory.  I wanna be like her when I grow up.  She totally doesn't care what her hair looks like, if her clothes match, and has no trouble telling people exactly what she thinks...all the time.  She is one pint-sized firecraker.  And I love every skinny little inch of her.  Today, while at the dentist for Cady, anytime a woman or girl came into the room she would gasp (no really she would for real gasp) and say in a reverent voice, "Mom isn't she just so pretty?" So many people smiled or laughed because of her today.  I'm pretty sure that she made quite of few women's day today.


My favorite Rory quote to day?  
Rory: "Ring around the rosy. Papa-cola-cozy. Ashlet. Ashlet. We all fall down!
Me: "Rory, it's Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!" 
Rory: "Mommy, no. That makes nonsense!"


And Beckah.  Sweet, round, drooly Beckah.  She is sooo LOUD these days.  You know all those cute little baby babbles and coos?  Yeah...she yells them at the top of her lungs most of the day.  It really is very funny.  Less funny at 6 am when she wakes up for a quick snack before going back to sleep.  Believe me, by the time she gets through it I am WIDE awake.  lol  She also LOVES to bounce in her jumparoo. Here is video evidence...

She will be 5 months old soon.  She is almost half a year old.  She is just shy of 16lbs now.  She has almost tripled her birth weight.  What the heck?!?!  I am loving her new stage though.  She is almost sitting up and grabbing at everything.  If it makes noise and lights up, she loves it.  Good thing I kept a bunch of toys from when Cady and Rory were tiny.  She also LOVES her sisters.  If she can hear them she will squawk at us until someone makes sure she can see them.  Today, on our way home from Target, Cadence was making silly noises to her and she was just back there belly laughing which led to everyone in the car laughing.  It was awesome. 

I'm really loving life right now.  I have such awesome girls.  I have one amazing husband.  What could be better?  

Look for some pictures of all the girls soon.  :o)