to tell you the honest truth

easter

Sorry I am being super lazy on editing and posting pictures from Easter.  I think this one of all the cousins is cute enough though!  This year we celebrated on Saturday and that worked great because we got to spend more time together.  We had a fabulous day with very delicious food and lots of eastery fun.  The kids did an egg hunt outside and because of the money hid inside just a few, the older kids were really motivated.  Caleb actually helped do the hiding this year which I thought was great.  They hid the money eggs in high places so that the little ones would never find them and the older kids were not allowed to pick up any of the totally obvious eggs laying in the grass.  It worked out great and the kids all loved it.  Then we did some cookie decorating and cookie eating!  Okay, okay.... here's a couple more pictures....

I love this one of Caleb and Savannah.

 

These 3 lingered for awhile after the others were done....they were totally into this!

I really am not super fond of posting pictures of myself, but I only have a few of me and Ava together since she has been born...remember I am normally the one taking the picture.  This time my brother Jeff noticed my camera was just hanging over my shoulder while the kids were hunting for eggs and I couldn't take any pictures because I was holding Ava.  He offered to take some pictures for me so it was the perfect chance to request a photo.  This one of me didn't turn out so bad and I thought her little face was so cute peeking out of the blanket.  You can tell she thought is was just a little cool out.  I kinda thought so too, so I didn't stay out long.  (Maybe this is why she has a cough now.)   

We actually missed church on Sunday because Austin had thrown up that morning.  Most of the family had been taking their turn being sick over the past couple weeks with colds and fevers, so we thought we better play it safe and just stay home.  It was a bummer though with it being Easter and all.  We definitley were not feeling the spiritual nature of the holiday, so we had an Easter Family Home Evening on Monday where we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  After that, our holiday felt complete. 

Ava's fussing so I'm off!

it's a miracle!

So I'm actually doing extra curricular activities now!  As much as I love holding and snuggling my sweet little Ava, I also love being able to have some time for other things.  Sometimes it's even nice just to get some cleaning done.  Ava seems to be working into some nice long morning and afternoon naps and also has been hanging out happily in her swing more often.  I have taken these new opportunities to get some old projects off the shelf and hopefully start some new ones brewing in my head.  We'll see how that goes, but for now I am just so excited to finally get my red and aqua quilt top finished!  YAY!

 

I'm also excited to pull this other quilt top out of the woodwork.  I actually made this quilt top when I first found out I was pregnant and didn't know what I was having yet.  I had wanted to make something for the baby and thought I would attempt the gender neutral thing.  Oh dear me.  So, what happened was a very strange thing....the colors actually made me feel nauseated!  Literally sick to my stomach, and I just didn't like it anymore, so I hid this thing away!  Now looking at it, I think it is cute and I really don't have a good reason not to finish it.  So it will just be a hang around the house quilt I guess.

 

  

I can't wait to see these all quilted up!  :) 

cousins at the beach

We were so happy to see some sunshine finally, so we didn't let it go by without a pleasant outing to a nearby beach with the cousins.  I didn't get pictures of everyone and I really didn't plan on taking anything more than simple snapshots, but some of them ended up turning out super cute.  Mostly they are of Kerri's kids, my big kids weren't as cooperative for pictures.  Here are my favorites!

Savannah, Caleb, Maya, Taylor

Which one do you you like best out of these above?  Color?  Fade?  Black and White?

Ethan

Xander

Austin

Jacob and Isaac

Maya

....and of course I couldn't resist putting in a picture of Ava even though this is just at home in her swing.  I love her new little spring outfit from Gymboree!  And she is giving us some cutie little smiles lately!  :)

Enjoy the sunshine!  :)

a picture overload for your viewing pleasure

I THINK maybe, just a little bit, my life is slowly getting a tad back to some sort of a small smidgin of normality.  That could definitly be considered an overstatement, but at least I was able to do a little photo shoot with Ava yesterday.  YAY!  And I did have lunch with a couple friends a few days ago, so that was really great, however....The house is still a bomb and I still don't shower much and my kids generally watch movies, play video games and eat cereal and sandwiches.  Thankfully I have a husband that cooks so we all get saved by him as far as our stomaches are concerned.  All the while, I am bouncing and holding and feeding and more holding and walking and pacing and bouncing and holding.  Ava likes to be held.  Yes, one of those.  Taylor did this to me too.  She also likes to eat....a lot!  Every 2 hours like clockwork (or sooner).  Another footstep she is following of Taylor's.  Gee, I wonder if she'll throw those oh so lovely tantrums like Taylor too!  I DO hope she gets his long skinny legs!  :)  At this point, she is just totally chubbing out on us.  In a month the girl put on 2 1/2 lbs.!  At just 5 weeks, she weighed in at 11 lbs. and up in the 75% and 95% for her height and weight.  Happy and healthy....what more could I ask for???  Well, okay, more sleep, a shower and some more hands free time, but that will come all too soon.  For now.....just more of THIS:

The End!

i know my life is not that exciting lately

basically, i take care of a new baby around here.  the house is a mess.  i wear sweats, i hardly shower.  i am not making cute crafts or sewing anything amazing.  just making bottles, changing diapers and going to doctor appointments.  but, it's worth the effort. especially for all the cuteness that comes along with it!  so, here's some snapshots for those who are curious!  :) 

oh!  P.S.    AVA'S ONE MONTH!!!  can you believe it!? 

have a great day!

more of ava.....(surprise, surprise!)

ava was making her cute little "ooh face", as we call it around here...

and more sleeping pictures....

snug as a bug.

well, off i go to stare at my baby.  :)

c-ya!

just a sweet sleeping baby

love her.

moving slowly

So, it's the joys of recovery now.  I am slowly doing better each day and Ava is doing just fine.  She is a sweet little baby and isn't giving us any trouble.  (I know I know, knock on wood.)  She sleeps alot during the day, of course, and likes her bottles and paci.  Sleeping decent at night too, as long as she is snuggled up with me.  Today I am engorged since I won't be breastfeeding, so that's always a lovely feeling to have.  Hopefully that will start going away in the next couple days.  I'm so lucky to have Pete around to be of help, something we haven't been able to do in the past.

We totally enjoyed having my parents here for a couple days to visit with us and help around the house!  They also picked up some food for us, made meals and took the boys to the movie.  We also appreciated so much Paul and Kerri staying with the boys while we went to the hospital.  Kerri had her 6 kids here, along with our 4 kids, ALL day long on Tuesday about 13 hours!? while Paul went to work, so we are surely feeling indebted to her.  We are grateful for the ladies at church who are also helping by bringing us dinners and I have appreciated all the sweet comments and phone calls, congratulating us on our new little Ava.  THANK YOU ALL! 

I can't wait to feel back to normal so I can really start enjoying all this girly fun. 

Love at first sight. 

 

It's that 'looking for food ' face.

 

 

Grandpa Carlsen and Ava

Grandma Carlsen and Ava

I don't have any hats or bows yet (I know, it's shameful!) so I have been using the ribbon I have to tie into her hospital hats.

Isaac and Ava

C-ya!

welcome baby ava!

Ava Noel was born at 5:41pm Febuary 16th 2009   8 lbs. 4.oz.  20 1/2"

All is well, will do more updates when we get home!  The laptop is kind of annoying to use, especially for the pictures, so I only did a couple.  We plan to go home tomorrow evening!  YAY!

  

sympathy o.k.

Would have liked to have made this, but not really happening these days.  From nanaCompany.  Love her things!

I cannot believe I am this close to my due date!  We are hoping it is because she is a super laid back spirit and is busy daydreaming and not noticing the date.  Anyway, your sympathies ARE allowed at this point!

Earlier today I was thinking, hmmm...which is worse, me not in labor yet (or cuddling a newborn already) or Natalie not knowing the gender of her baby!??!  I cannot decide, but both are worth your sympathetic thoughts.  I seriously feel for ya Natalie!   

SO..........what happens from here?  My doc gets back into town today at some point, but I can't get into the office for a visit until TUESDAY (remember it's president's day on Monday, so he is not in!), MY DUE DATE.....the girls at the front desk told me to be there at 9 am on Tuesday and I will pretty much be pleading my doctor for a delivery that day.  I have no doubt that he will get this baby show on the road, so...........I'm pretty much hanging in there until then. 

My ultra sound was interesting on Wednesday because the pictures were less clear, kinda blurry.  She said it was because the bones have calcified now so it is harder to see things.  It was amazing the difference from just last weeks ultrasound.  The baby is DONE! 

My "substitute" doctor predicted around 7-ish lbs., so we'll see.  My doctor hasn't ever given me this kind of prediction, so I was interesting to hear a guesstimate.  I am measuring between a 34-35.  I think that is the only reason why I have been mentally able to handle going FUUUULLLL term, because I figured maybe she just has needed the time to grow more and that is the most important, that she is ready and healthy, not that I do what I can have the baby just because I want to be done.  I mean it's not like I will be pregnant forever or something.  HOWEVER, at this point, she will be fine so I know it's okay to ask the doctor for some help!  :)

Hope you are all having a Happy Valentine's Day!  Pete brought me some red roses and some See's chocolates.  Perfect.  I also tried making some cookies from the Bakerella blog, but they weren't so great, but the kids ate them anyway.  That's about it around here!