Some Maui pix

Here are some random pictures from our fabulous spring break in Maui!!!
The trip really helped get the girls over the funk they had been in since Layla's birth. It was very relaxing, like always. Make sure you get to the end of this post and watch a little video clip Mark made!

I love this girl! She is so cuddly, my most cuddly baby by far.

Rare photo of her awake

My MIL would sit with her on the lanai and watch for whales.

Ava on the beach

Layla's blessing day--random placement I know. She wore my blessing dress as the other girls did. I went on eBay and was able to find two other identical dresses so each girl can have their own. Can you believe that? The original dress is 30 years old!

Mia on Ka'anapali Beach

Layla in the cabana on Ka'anapali beach. I believe I am chatting with Leslie on my cell phone while I take this picture.

Photographic proof that Layla went to the beach

After Ava nearly drowned in a "washing machine" wipeout, we enrolled her in a private lesson with a local named Kekoa. Check out his prodigy!

BTW, I have LOVED everyone's comments about Twilight. I plan on reading book number 4. It is my BYU alumni/Mormon mom duty.

Alicia Lindsay asked what was on my bedside table:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

(They are making a movie of this starring Rachel McAdams (The Notebook))

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

(Starts extremely slow, but picks up.)

Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carroll. This is DaVinci Code a la Shakespeare.

You are all going to hate me...

..but...

I really did not like the Twilight series. Okay, I did like the first book, and I thought Jacob was the best part of the second book. I felt obligated (I also felt obligated to see all three Star Wars prequels, and the LOTR trilogy) to read the third book and was so relieved when it was OVER!

This is why I did not like it: I thought Bella was WAY too dramatic. Puh-lease, the atrial fibrillation with every kiss, and the clumsiness, and the drama. I guess I was like that at 16, but at 30 I want common sense and a good sense of gravity in a main character.

Now that you have all started mentally composing your comments and prepared to remove me from your links list, just know that I will probably see the movie and read any sequels or her new "adult" series. Just know that the universal love being proclaimed across the blog world really doesn't extend to here. Anybody with me on the drama part?!?

Just Another Day in Paradise

I took Ava snorkeling off the beach yesterday. It is a spot we have gone to for years, with a million of the indigenous fish and sea turtles. I have snorkeled this spot at least 2o times plus two scuba dives so I really know the ropes. Ava and I entered the water and got comfortable. We saw lots of Moorish Idols and Humuhumus. Then we ventured around the wall to really see some amazing fish. However, I began to really look at the sea floor, about 35 feet down and started to think about sharks, eagle rays, and even humpback whales. I really started to panic, envisioning one of these creatures making a one in a million chance of visiting this location. I did not want to worry Ava so I casually suggested we return back to shore. She agreed and I think I broke swimming world records swimming back to the beach. I must be getting old.

Layla made her first poolside appearance at the Marriott pool. We sat on a lawn chair next to some 15 year old "prostitots". I must be getting really old. I wanted to tell them to put more clothes on.

Denial, Grief, Anger, Acceptance

I am a horrible blogger. Granted, I have been a little busy the past 41 days. I have a digital camera full of pictures of my gorgeous Layla and lots of other fun things, but I can't seem to get to posting them. I can't even post pictures now because we are in MAUI and I don't have my downloading cord thingy.

We blessed Layla on March 9th. It was a double-dip weekend with our niece, Laura Merrill, being baptized, so we were joined by Mark's mom, brother Scott and family from Lehi, my dad (Mom was with her ailing mother in IL) and the Merrills in Chandler and Mesa. It was a great blessing with Mark getting choked up. He is usually pretty stoic so it was touching to see him show emotion.

Poor Layla has a scorching case of baby acne and I was kinda wary of her for a few days. It is slowly clearing up. She is getting so fat too. I wish it was in proportion to me getting skinny, but it is going to take some gym time.

Since we could not go to Maui at Christmas, we had to reschedule before April 15th. I was nervous to bring a 5 week old on vacation but it has been great. Layla mainly hangs around the house sleeping and Mark and I take turns going on adventures with the girls in 3 hour increments. The whales are here in abundance and we have seen many breaches, spouts, and whale tails.

Ava and Mark went surfing yesterday. We put a life jacket on her and Mark pushed her into a wave. She was doing great until a second wave came from the side and knocked her off the board, and flipped the board over on top of her head!

It rained like crazy today so we have been homebound.

I will add pictures when we return on Sunday. Hello to all my friends out there!

Good Guesses!

It is funny that they look so much alike now, but look how different Ava and Mimi turned out!

They are actually:
Ava
Layla
Mia
Ava

Name That Baby

Here are pictures of each girl as a newborn. See if you can figure out who is Ava, Mia, and Layla!

I'm Alive!

We have survived our first 10 days!!! Layla is such a good baby. She hardly cries and eats like a champ. She slept 5 hours in a row last night and I feel amazing! I love her. My mom has been here the past week and I don't think I would have survived without her!

Ava and Mia love their sister and are trying to be gentle and I am trying to give everyone attention.

The 30th birthday was fun too. I only cried once that day! We also have been out twice, with Layla in tow of course.

I am flying solo as of 2:oo pm this afternoon.

Layla Merrill

Layla Merrill arrived on Tuesday, February 5th at 1:02 pm. She was 8-2, 20.5 inches and a spitting image of her sisters. Eyebrows say another blondie. No hair. Very quick and easy delivery. No stitches for Mom. Good baby! More details to come. We are very happy!

She was a whopping 11 days early (I guess my OB was using 16th as due date so already scored major points with me!) Doc stripped my membranes on Monday afternoon and contractions started Tuesday at 3 am!

I Can't Make This Stuff Up!

I was walking with Mia this morning and a woman stopped traffic and unrolled her window and told me, "You look like you're about to pop!".... I hate her...

20 days and counting!

No, not the countdown for the baby.. I actually have another big even coming up on February 13th! I am turning the big 3-0! I am actually excited for it. It really sets off another era in my life. As most of you know, my birthday sets off "Lovefest" for Mark and I. Birthday, V-Day, and anniversary in a 4 day span. We're hoping not to throw another birthday in the midst!

Here are some shots from my early years!!!!

My fourth birthday

My dad with me the day they brought me home!

Pictures

Check this out. It has its own zip code

My girls were playing Sacrament meeting in the driveway yesterday. Ava is leading the music and Mia is playing the violin. THey are singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."

Some people are idiots!

I have forgotten about all the obnoxious comments I get near the end of my pregnancies. A lady at the ballfield actually had the nerve to touch my stomach. She said she had twins and looked just like me! Can you believe that? I think I know what it is like to be a celebrity. I half expect someone to take a picture of me with their camera phone!

Anyway, 3-4 weeks left. She is so dang low though, I have to hope that is counting for something!

Thanks for the comments on the baby names. So fun to hear what people think.

Baby names!!

So here's the list of names for el baby. Some of you know what we are leaning towards, but tell me what you like.

Kate
Tatum
Layla
Zoe


and Mia's contributions:


Linga
Laka
Zoe Pumpkin

So Sorry!

I have gotten a few complaints about my lazy blogging (Crystal). It's just that when I sit down at the computer I usually am looking for something, or totally engrossed in my new passion, digiscrapping (thank you Amanda).
I have about 4 weeks left and my OB said this baby might break the 9 lb mark.... Please pray for early for me.
Christmas was fun. The best part was Mia's bike, a beach cruiser similar to Ava's. She is so into it. We didn't think she'd be big enough for it, but she can cruise.

Mia said the funniest thing the other night. We were talking about family prayer and I asked her why we kneel together. She replied, "So we can see the future." I wish she'd tell me some stock tips or when the baby is coming while she is down there on those knees....


Here are some photos...

Ava doing tricks on Mia's new bike.

Mia's new wheels

This was a month ago!!! (31 weeks) Can you believe how low she is. I can actually breathe.

Mia's bike

Ava and her Maria Sharapova racquet.

Neighbor gifts...

Mia helped me do our neighbor gifts this year. We were trying to figure out what to send and since I am trying to avoid sweets, I wanted to do the same for my neighbors. I asked Mia what we should give and she said, "Bandaids." So that is what we did. I found cute first aid kits and mini hand sanitizer at the dollar store and attached half of the following tag to them. It was fun.



Some of the fun things we got:

An umbrella (we have needed it so badly here!!! Seriously!)

Dish towels

Lots of gum and mints from a family named Wrigley

Pancake mix

Hot cocoa mix



And my favorite....

A CD of a neighbor girl singing Christmas carols....

It's BAAAAAAACK and Sea World Pix

The camera is back, in time for our trip to San Diego for the BYU game. However, after Sea World, the USS Midway and torrential rain....we didn't actually make it to the BYU game, though that was the sole purpose of the trip!! The weather was threatening, and we were exhausted so we just headed up the coast to Balboa Island!!!

BTW: To my Grandview friends---Ashley Lueck had her second baby, a boy named Colton, on Nov 25th. She had another C-section but without the drama of hypertension.

Out of Order

After one too many tumbles, my digital camera is en route to a week long spa treatment at Olympus camera repair. Therefore, this post will be photoless. You won't get to see the Thanksgiving banner I copied and made from potterybarnkids.com, nor will you get to admire the poster Ava and I making for her week as VIP at kindergarten.

Congrats to all the babies! All boys, nonetheless too...Crystal and Fin, Mary and Isaac, Katie and Ben!

Next up, Ashley Lueck and her boy!

Halloween

Here are my ferocious pirates on Halloween night! They even have the rotten teeth to match now, I am sure...

10K race

On Saturday, Mark, his brother Spence, nephews Dan and Stephen, and niece Rachel ran in a 5K/10K race in Chandler. The girls and I hung by the course (correction: Ava and I hung by the course, Mia hung by the bagel table and filled with bottom of my stroller with about 6 bagels with 1 bite taken out of them!) Mark and Dan finished in about 47 minutes (a 7:47 mile pace) while Rachel won her age division in the 5K and Stephen finished second (5K also)!

Good job dudes.

There were some pregnant ladies stretching before the race and I started to feel a little guilty and inadequate until I saw that they were only walking at a snail's pace.

Me at 24 weeks!!

This is for you Leslie. I know you are envious...

By the way, as a math-minded person. I am 60% of the way there!