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Soren William Knudsen

2010-01-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

Soren William Knudsen
Born January 14 at 8:37 a.m. He weighed in at 8.0 lbs with an overall length of 19.5 inches. Here are a few photos of the squid.

Quite the Big Girl...

2009-06-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Avery loves to feed herself. Which, we love, too.

Unfortunately, these are often the results.

Goodbye Alvin...

2009-05-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

We found Alvin a new home and although it has been a bit, we thought we'd share the photos of her saying goodbye. He now happily resides with my parents and their cat, (Alvin's brother) Max. From what we hear, Alvin has really come into his own, losing weight, picking fights with Max and jumping over fences (I never thought I'd see that day). Lucky for us, we still get to see him regularly.

Lucky for him, he no longer lives with an 18 month old determined to squish and squeeze and otherwise abuse him.

Yes, that's a black eye... Right before Easter, too. At least it's a pretty color.

New Shoes

2009-05-18T11:45:00.001-07:00

Avery got some new kicks last week which she absolutely LOVES.

Checking them out in the mirror... Note the sweet details.

Although, I'm not sure if she likes the box and tissue paper or the shoes better...

Like the farmer's tan?

Reading her books in the the box Dad brought home from work for her.

My favorite smile.

Allergies

2009-04-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well, Avery's introduced us to a scary new world- that of the allergy-sufferer. Eczema, nuts, dog saliva, and now, cats. Namely, our cat, Alvin. We are bummed to discover this considering we've had him for almost five years and Avery absolutely loves him (note above photo). Which basically sums up the problem. We can't keep her away from him. She loves to sit on, cuddle and try to carry him around. And he puts up with it. But, her skin carries the consequences of all that fun- rashy redness and swollen lips- not so fun after all (and very scary for mom). So, we need to give him away. Does anyone know anyone who would like a fat, mellow, good-natured cat who thinks he's a dog? He'll be five this summer and has been neutered. He's essentially an indoor cat and is litter box trained. And although it is hard to tell from this photo, he's beautiful. He is a great cat and we really don't want to send him to the humane society. If you or someone else you know is interested, please let us know asap!

Bed Time

2009-02-17T21:51:00.001-08:00

A few pics of Avery through the process of getting her in her PJ's.

Avery's crazy eye

Skateboards, Asphalt and Convicts

2009-01-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

I work so close to Torrey Pines State Park, I thought it might be nice to head down there for an early lunch and take a few photos. I also had another brilliant/not so brilliant idea to break out the old skate so I could cruise in style down to the park rather than walking. And this is where things got ugly. I was rolling down the sidewalk, the wind blowing through my hair when I was posed with a dilemma. Do I pick my skate up and walk down the dirt patched and rock strewn road to Torrey Pines or do I man up and try to glide across and maneuver around these troublesome road blocks impeding my safe passage. Unfortunately I chose the latter. No sooner did I start my endeavor to navigate these road blocks did I find myself feeling a sense of weightlessness. This feeling came to an abrupt end facilitated by gravity and the friction between my nimble body and the underlying rock encrusted asphalt. All was quiet. I slowly opened my eyes to rays of light raining down on my humbled form through the nearby trees. As I was slowly scraping myself off the asphalt, I began to hear a low murmur that started to get louder and louder. At further inspection into the source of this commotion, I found myself looking at a fair number of men dressed in orange, button-up jump suits. Apparently I had preformed my little stunt in front of a brigade of convicts and they were not reserved in any way of letting me know it. I received some nice commentary on what had just transpired such as, “Dat white boy got laid out” to “safe,” as though I just slid into second base. I thanked them for their encouraging and kind words by waving to them with my only finger that that wasn’t damaged and went hobbling on my way. After everything was said and done, I was able to clean up at a water fountain and took a few TTV photos on my way back to my work.

A Stroll in the Park

2009-01-26T12:53:00.002-08:00

Here are a few TTV photos we took after going to the farmers market in Poway.

The Two Monkeys

Avery eating the local plant life

Through the Viewfinder (TTV)

2009-01-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

So Mindy picked me up this sweet vintage 50's camera for Christmas. I quickly fabricated a box thingy out of cardboard and tape to block out light from the viewfinder, and to take photos, I stuck my digital camera down the box tube thingy and took shots through the viewfinder. Below are photos of my camera with box thingy attached and a few of the pics I've taken through it.

Camera with box tube thingy

Looking down the tube at the viewfinder

One of the first photos taken of a flower in our backyard

Mindy and I stopped off the side of the road and got a few pics with the new camera. These photos were taken before I took the camera apart and cleaned off the viewfinder lenses.

One of Avery's Christmas gifts from Pop-Pop and Gaingy Knudsen, a Domo plush toy

And, of course, Avery Pics

ert

Daredevil

2009-01-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

Avery helping Dad bring down stuff from the attic.

Grahams crackers are a new favorite around our house. A word to the wise, avoiding coming between Avery and her Honeymaid...

Showing her support.

Following in the family's footsteps...

2008-12-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

We've been told many stories by grandmas and great-grandmas of our heritage of climbing babies. Whether it is the time Nick climbed in the sink full of dish water fully clothed or when Grandpa Erickson climbed the ladder onto the roof, apparently Avery comes by it naturally. Unfortunately this time it was at her cousin Elsa's expense...

Happy Belated Birthday Baby...

2008-12-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

Avery's first birthday has come and gone and here are the photos to prove it. Cake was tasty, but not messy enough for Dad, hence the additional squirt of whipped cream on her forehead.

Lots of family and friends came to share our joy with burritos and pie at Grandma & Grandpa Knudsen's.

And an oh-so-fun surprise visit from Aunt Heidi!

A ride on the fire truck with Cousin Marcus.

Puffs with Grandpa are the best finish to a fun birthday!

Remembering Andrew

2008-11-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

Our little nephew was born two years ago on November 18, 2006. Although his time was short, he will never be forgotten. Andrew is a constant reminder of how short life really is, how we should value the time allotted to us and pursue the good life.

Avery's First Halloween

2008-11-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

So given that is was Avery's first Halloween and all, Mindy decided to put a little extra effort into Avery's get up and made it herself. Mindy was going for a little woodland character/sprite and ended up with a quasi martian/pixie/ballerina. Pretty cool!

Dad's Halloween get up for his work party. It's nice! It also made us $50 bucks richer after winning for the scariest costume. He's got legs and he knows how to use them.

Pictures from the Patch

2008-10-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the photo, the kids were loving picture time

Ten Months!

2008-09-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Playing with paper- a new, particularly tasty hobby

Finally, jeans look cute:)

Great Grandma Erickson

Great Grandpa Erickson

Beanie, courtesy of Aunt Heidi

Herold cousins (from l-r): Isaac (13 mos), Avery, Michael (12 mos), Rhiannon (3 years), Addie (3 mos)

My how everyone has grown, check out the first photos of Isaac and Avery here.

Smells like Fish

2008-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

One of my latest paintings. And if you were wondering, it's a goldfish. acrylic and ink on wood (12"x15")

How Cute is She!!!

2008-09-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

I think were going with super cute!

I know this blog isn't about politics...

2008-08-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

But, I couldn't resist a word or two on Sarah Palin. Although I understand voter hesitation when it comes to experience, here are a few reasons/rumors/facts why I'm excited about her, whether the McCain-Palin ticket wins or not:
1. One of her first acts as governor of Alaska was to sell the governor's jet on Ebay. I heard it sold for $2.5 million.
2. She's suing whoever put the polar bears on the endangered species list because there are so many up there they actually are bad for business.
3. She's the one who put an end to "The Bridge to Nowhere".
4. She is pro-life. Not just in word, but in deed. Her youngest has Down's Syndrome and was diagnosed before birth. As a young mother, the push for aborting babies with congenital diseases is a big concern for me. It has become so prevalent I worry about the problems we'd face as parents who'd choose to keep such a child. I hope her choice will radically impact our culture. Please read Andy Crouch's The best thing about Sarah Palin for a brief, but insightful look at what her family may do to shift thinking in this area of life.

Rockstar Avery

2008-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Nine Months!

2008-08-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Quality time with Great Grandpa Herold

One of Avery's new tricks... standing and screaming during nap time.

Ivy & Avery munching on farm animals

Climbing on chairs...
Avery & Sequoia

Painting Again

2008-07-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

One of my latest paintings as I try to get back into painting and learn new techniques.
"Koi" Acrylic and Ink on Canvas

A Few More TtV's

2008-07-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

She doesn't know how to crawl yet, but she sure knows how to sing.

Old London Photo

Avery being Avery

So far, so good

2008-07-24T16:22:00.001-07:00

Praise God- it looks like Jackson's surgery went well! He's been moved to ICU and the doctors are well pleased with how things went. Please continue to pray with us for a speedy recovery without complication.

Some Sweet Photos

2008-07-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

Playin' with her new toys

swimming

Avery's little cousin ElsaLittle birdies

Hitting Up Hodges with the Larsen's

2008-07-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

So this last Saturday we headed out to Lake Hodges for a little fishing session in the morning and met up a little later for lunch with the girls at the lake. Also, the Bryan was kind enough to give Avery here first boat ride.

Bryan, Alice and Ellie.

One of the slimy beasts that succumbed to my fishing rod of terror.

Boy with a Big Heart

2008-07-17T19:47:00.001-07:00

Our friends, Jed and January Paschall have a little boy, Jackson, who was born three months after Avery. Jackson was born with a congenital heart disorder known as Tetralogy of Fallot. He must have open heart surgery this coming Thursday, August 24th. Please hold this little boy up in prayer with us whenever you remember and particularly on Thursday. To read his story check out his blog: Baby's Jackson's Heart.

For the love of Avery

2008-06-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

So we just found out that there is someone else that loves Avery just as much as we do-Avery!

After about a hour of watching her display these signs of affection for herself, we painted on a thin layer of tabasco sauce on the mirror, which brought a quick end to the mirror make out session followed by a steady stream of tears.

Happy Birthday Girl!!!

2008-06-22T16:47:00.001-07:00

So it's Mindy's 28th birthday today and I was feeling a little creative this last week, so I made this little painting for Mindy as part of here birthday present.

2' x 4' mixed media on wood

Avery + Dad + Blended Carrots = ...

2008-06-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's kind of nice when Mindy heads out for the evening. It's gives Avery and I some real quality time together. By the time the evening is over, Avery has usually had here fill of "quality time" and is ready for Mindy to be home. Check out these photo's of last Mondays "quality time."

We were going for the Van Gogh look here

Here's the I've had enough look after eating a small portion of carrots through my nose.

Pouting Faces & New Teeth

2008-06-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Avery is Seven Months today and each month brings new things. Some of the latest are tears if scary men make mean faces and a tooth! Can barely see it, so there are no pictures- but it can be felt!

She's down with Derek, though.

Avery Loves Books

2008-06-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Devil with the Red Dress On

2008-04-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Latest Edition to the Knudsen Clan

2008-04-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Elsa Jane Mace
Born 04.29.08 weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 diddly dings. We're all excited that Avery's little cousin is finally here!

Gettin' My Grub On

2008-03-30T20:36:00.001-07:00

Avery getting a little test drive in her new grub station.

Since she's not eating solids yet, instead of food, we gave her spare change and small marbles to play with on her new high chair.

This photo gives a little glimpse into how Avery will look when her two front teeth come in. I bet she'd be able to carry her lunch sack in that tooth gap.

Being a Parent is Hard Work!

2008-03-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

I'm sure all of you who are parents could have told me that (and probably did!), but one never expects their own child to be challenging. In fact, I'm not sure anyone could have prepared me for how emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing having a baby can be... So, the other day I made a list of some of the positives to remind myself of when Avery won't take a nap, but is a total crankpot, or is up for the fourth time during the night. I thought I'd share them with you, faithful reader.
1. I'm not alone. I have an amazing, loving and involved husband who isn't too afraid of breastmilk poo, who is willing to take a turn at night, and who sends me out of the house while he watches her when I've had a tough day. Avery has two sets of grandparents close by who have yet to turn down a babysitting opportunity. And I have friends who are right there in the baby trenches with me.
2. I don't have to work (although many days I long for it...). Nick works hard to support us and God continues to bless us in unexpected ways.
3. Avery is relatively healthy. The things she suffers from are irritating, but that is all they are: inconvenient and annoying.
4. She is developing normally. She's rolling over, playing with toys and tries so hard to sit and stand!
5. Breastfeeding has not been a problem.
6. Avery smiles, coos, and tries to sing with us. And she has already developed a love of books (Hoorah! No denying she's our kid!)
7. She can go to sleep on her own (staying asleep- another issue- we're being positive here:)
8. She came from Nick & I- our flesh and blood- how amazing is that?
9. Avery loves and needs me.
10. I have a child.

Some Recent Photos of our Little Squirt

2008-03-10T17:48:00.001-07:00

Blue Eyes. We've been feeding her the Dune spice.

Avery chillin' in her crib givin' a little waz up to all the brothers in the house.

A new computer and a sick kid gets you a really long overdue post...

2008-03-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

I've been racked with guilt for not posting in so long... Not to mention that the last two posts haven't even been about Avery... The truth is, we have a new computer and new way of storing photos (that I've just figured out) and a sick kid who has taken it out of me over the last few weeks. (I'm afraid I can't account for the few weeks before that...) So, let me catch you up on the last few months with our baby girl. Lots of births, lots of birthdays, lots of smiles, squeals and giggles, lots of coos, attempts to sing along with Mom and Dad, lots of family here to visit, eczema, diarrhea, fever, suspected UTI, antibiotics, allergic reaction to antibiotics, keeping Mom & Dad up all night, laryngitis, runny nose, cough, more loss of sleep for Mom & Dad, rolling around (almost over, but not quite), loads of love and fun.

Grandma Erickson bought me this cozy bear outfit, unfortunately it didn't really ever get that cold- Mom and Dad did a little photo shoot with me in it, though.

Chillin' in my Bumbo and Boston gear. Go Red Sox! (My Aunt Heidi is a fan and bought me this outfit for Christmas so I could represent).

Tummy Time is getting better and better- I can almost roll over now!

Sleep is getting better and better, too! Slowly but surely. My mom is holding out hope for the night she gets eight hours straight:)

Dad likes to squeeze my cheeks!

Superbowl Sunday my girlfriends and I tried to round up all the little ones for some photos. As the pictures prove, it was a bit chaotic...

Manoah Paschall (he'll be one year in a week!)

Avery & Ivy Cross

Penelope Verdugo (just turned one!)

From l-r: Avery, Ivy Cross, Kaden Ryska, Manoah Paschall, Charlotte Jeldy, Penelope Verdugo

Moms & Babes

Another girl!

2008-02-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Macy Kate Brooks is here! She was born Friday, February 1st, and weighed 6 lbs, 4 oz. Avery and I had a chance to meet her this week and she is so precious! She makes Avery look like a giant! Can't wait till she's big enough to play!

Welcome!

2008-01-28T09:15:00.001-08:00

Another new friend! Silas Ryder Meuli is here! Even though he lives in Colorado with his family, our moms are determined to get us together someday!

Making New Friends

2008-01-18T14:30:00.001-08:00

So, I got to hang out with lots of cool new friends the other night at a shower for my Mom's friend, Kelley. I guess she's about to pop with another new friend for me. Here's some photos of me hanging out with Ivy, we're only three days apart!

Forgotten Photos

2008-01-18T10:20:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos I rediscovered on our other camera- enjoy!

Napping with Dad at the hospital.

Hanging out with Aunt Heidi and Uncle Jacob.

Snuggled up.

I love Mom and Dad's bed- so much roomier than mine.

How many aunts does it take to give Avery a bottle?

2008-01-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

There is a bag of Kona coffee someone brought back from the islands for us sitting on our kitchen counter. It is old- it has been in the freezer for months. Needless to say, it doesn't taste very good- but, I was desperate for a cup the other day and now I feel guilty throwing it away. So, it sits on our counter. Every time I see it there, it reminds me of Kauai and I long for my honeymoon. Not that life was perfect then, but those times are gone, I can only return to them by way of memories. The smell, the heavy air, roosters crowing, the grove of trees we drove through to get to Poipu, the pace, the hippies, the seclusion, the sense of having disappeared, the water.
The point is, sometime I'll long for these days again. Days when this tiny girl depends on us for her every need. Whose life and personality are just beginning to be seen and known. The quiet moments nursing her, the irritating moments nursing her, the 3am wailing sessions for no apparent reason. All these will pass. She's starting to get chunky, her face is filling out, her bald spot is growing back in and she smiles and coos. She's almost too big for the Baby Bjorn. I find myself already a bit nostalgic for those first days, standing watch over every breath this brand new baby took, feeling so vulnerable myself, even as I took care of the utmost of fragile beings. Although you couldn't pay me enough to go back, now I understand why people have second children.
Even though I look forward with anticipation to the days when she sleeps through the night, when she can talk, when we can teach her things other than how to sleep and how to nurse, the challenge is to be right here, right now- and to treasure it. Because some day, not too far from now, something like a bag of coffee on the counter will make me long for it. And instead of holding my breath that the doorbell that just rang won't wake her up, I'll be holding my breath that school or work or a boy won't take her far away from me.

Smiles

2008-01-01T20:00:00.001-08:00

So our little squirt is starting to give us the occasional smile. It's fairly exciting as these photos give us the faintest hope that our kid might eventually turn out to be a happy baby.

More Christmas Pics

2008-01-01T19:24:00.001-08:00

Christmas at the Erickson's

Avery giving her illusive happy moments with her grandma Annette

Supporting her December 1st dress from the Erickson's.

As to date, we've had a difficult time in determining who exactly Avery looks like. Today I'm excited to inform you that this search is now over. Hands down she takes after her grandfather Ken Erickson. We'll leave it up to you to see if you come up with the same conclusion we have.

Dining with the Miller's

2008-01-01T17:47:00.001-08:00

The Miller family came over this weekend for a fun filled evening of fine wine, good food and a little reminiscing of the good old days. Also, for providing dinner, we received a complimentary lactation training and tips session courtesy of Ryan

Crystal

Ryan teaching our daughter bad habits. Apparently he was teaching her where she can get a quick bite to eat when mom is being a little stingy with the boob.

Ryan Gosling (aka Garrett Miller) and Ryan Miller

Ryan giving us a quick lesson in lactation and bottle feeding. Apparently Ryan gained his parental know how after fathering several kids during his stay with natives in the heart of the Amazons.

Christmas Pics

2007-12-28T16:08:00.000-08:00

The Knudsen clan chillin' after some exhausting present opening. If you haven't seen or been told, Avery has been losing a significant portion of her hair on the top of her head. So we were slightly mortified when we took the sticky bow off her head to find a thick carpeting of hair on the bow which use to be on our kids head.

Avery and Isaac (Avery's cousin) hanging out at the Montgomery's. Isaac's giving Avery a judo chop to the chin.

Making pretty for Nick's company party

My Grandma

2007-12-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

My Grandma, Wanda Lee Herold, passed away Tuesday, December 18, 2007. She battled Parkinson's Disease for many years and I'm thankful for the comforting knowledge that she is healthy and restored in Heaven with our Loving Father.
I guess it speaks to the so-called "Circle of Life" to be writing this so shortly after my own daughter was born. One of my great desires throughout my pregnancy was that the two of them would be able to meet- that my Grandma would see Avery and catch a tiny glimpse of the impact of her life. My hope became reality a few weeks ago when I brought Avery over for a visit. My grandparents gushed with praise, talking about how cute and perfect she is, commenting on her hair and her size. As usual, I began nervously bantering about some difficult aspect of parenting, and in true grandma wisdom, she told me that "sometimes you've just got to go with the flow."
We shared a lot of loves, her and I: family, books, shopping, crafting, parties, jewelry, new furniture, a clean house. She taught me random things, like how to embroider (we practiced on paper napkins), how to knit, a way to make cool jewelry out of rolled up magazine pages. Every year she helped me plan my birthday party (themed, with coordinating home made invitations, of course), shop for my "back to school" outfit (we always found the coolest stores:), decide on my Halloween costume (which usually consisted of some aspect of her square dancing wardrobe), and create something new for my Mom's Christmas tree. She was an amazing woman who took what life had dealt her and turned out a large, loving family of healthy, capable, and truly happy people.
Sometimes, it is hard for me to hear her voice now. But, I have flashes of her- the clothes she wore, the way she walked, the way she wore her lipstick, her expressions. Mostly, I have the things she did, the way she loved, and the family she helped shape. And that, I think, is the best legacy of all.

2007-12-12T17:38:00.000-08:00

Our little Who. At least that's what I think of when I look at this photo.

Toes

Nick with his little lady. If you look close, you can see that Nick's sprouting a little chest hair. So there's still hope that he may grow up to be a man.

Ninja Babe. Nick still hasn't got the whole swaddling thing down. You really don't know what your going to get when he wraps her up.

Chilling after a suckling session

Avery raising the roof.

The Knudsen Clan

2007-11-24T15:54:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving at the Knudsen's

You guys make me tired

Avery leaving a present in her pants as Stan laughs away.

Why are all these people taking pictures of me?

Marcus hanging out with his new little cousin.

Rocket Poo!

2007-11-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

It was a normal evening when out of nowhere our ears were defiled by a rumbling echo of no small accord. We found ourselves awaking to a vile stench that seemed to be localized to the depths of our little girl’s loin cloth. We quickly sprang into action to remedy the untimely situation by tag teaming the little rascal and her soiled pampers. I assumed the position of handling the legs, which gave Mindy the opportunity to freely mop up the hazardous waste. And then a most surprising thing happened. Our little girl gave a subtle smirk, crunched her belly and released. With that release came a little tiny mortar of liquid poo that went sailing through the air. We made a desperate attempt to flee the little daisy cutter, but to no avail. The damage was done with several casualties. The major areas impacted were Mindy’s pants and our bed. There was a clean up attempt of the aftermath and we believe that the bed may make a full recovery, but it’s looking rather grim for Mindy’s chinos. You may be asking, “what might I do to help this unfortunate Mindy and her pants?” Well I’m glad you asked. We are setting up a nonprofit fund in honor of Mindy’s slacks and others that have suffered from random rocket poo occurrences. Our goal is to bring about healing for these individuals by fostering a loving safe environment, providing funding for the rebuilding of house and home after disastrous rocket poo occurrences, and education and awareness about this increasingly common episode. Please consider donating to our wonderful cause because only you, through education and awareness, can prevent future incidences of this ever so growing epidemic.

Scene 1: Avery assumes the position for commencing burping

Scene 2: BELCH!!!!!!!

Scene 3: Aftermath

Avery Paige Knudsen

2007-11-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

Avery Paige Knudsen

Our little girl decided to come a little early. Around 5:45 in the morning, as Nick was getting himself pretty for work, Avery gave a little Kung Fu chop to my amniotic sac and got the ball rolling.

Next thing I know, Nick, being the crazy man that he is, went running around the house trying to pack everything that may be of possible use during labor, which included tooth picks, beef jerky and my sewing kit in case his expertise was need for sewing up my incision. After slapping some sense into him, we rounded up the troops (Nick and I) and headed off to the baby mill to pick up ours.

We arrived at the Hospital shortly before 7:00 a.m. and were briskly taken in and shown to our room (pain and delivery suite 512) . I quickly pointed out many of the interior design flaws of our accommodations and was seriously considering vacating our room for greener pastures at another hospital when Nick talked some sense into me and I reluctantly decided to stay. We settled into our room and the next thing I know, I'm being gaffed by 10 gauge needles and hooked up to several black boxes that monitored the baby's heart rate and my contractions.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I was about 2cm dilated. Shortly after, I was hooked up to Pitocin and that's when the fun started. I would liken the experience to being shanked in the belly or listening to Nick sing in the shower-both are not what you would call a pleasant experience. After a few hours of these little unpleasantries, reaching 5cm and Nick being unable to handle my verbal abuse, an epidural was ordered which changed my life. Having the epidural inserted in to my back was less than uneventful. I believe they used a power drill to put that thing in, but after it was in, I was singing the praises of pain meds. and Nick started talking to me again.

Around 1:00 p.m., Dr. Maresh came in and checked me out at 8cm. Not more than 30 minutes later I was at 10cm and started pushing. Avery was born at 2:22 p.m., tipping the scales at 7lbs 1oz.

For the Record...

2007-11-11T12:11:00.001-08:00

Probably not my most photogenic moment (my favorite part is the wreath behind my head), but in case I haven't seen you in a while, here are some photos of my belly at 37 1/2 weeks!

So Close!

2007-11-09T08:07:00.001-08:00

I guess this phrase applies to several aspects of our lives right now! October's fires came so close to our home and burned so many in our neighborhood. We are so thankful to have been protected from them. Here are some photos of our evacuation. The winds were so intense, it is no wonder the fire spread so rapidly and haphazardly.

Returning home four days later. Difficult to tell from these photos, but those hillsides are all burned.

The view from our bedroom window. The fire came right up through the canyon behind our home. Many of you watched the apartment complex right across from our backyard burn on television. Thank goodness for the HOA maintained iceplant and the unknown heroes (cops, we believe) who used all of the neighborhood garden hoses to keep the flames away from our homes.

But, looking forward, we are so close to having this baby!!!! We can't believe that in a few short days the wait will be over and we'll be holding our precious daughter in our arms. We saw the doctor yesterday and according to him, she's dropping and I'm dilating- so we are on our way! Please pray for a smooth delivery without complication according to His perfect timing.
We see the doctor again Monday so we'll keep you posted!

Friends

2007-11-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

A few work friends planned a little baby shower get together for me at Extraordinary Desserts in Little Italy. It was a great time and the desserts (mmmm) and the company were really extraordinary! Thanks Lyn, Kelley, Liana, Jess and Megan!

My Bruin Bro

2007-09-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

So, my baby bro isn't a baby anymore, in fact, he's a Bruin:) He starts at UCLA this week. He has surpassed us all on the prestigious school scale. My parents moved him up last weekend- here's a picture of him and my dad chilling in the family minivan on campus. I'm bursting with pride- you'll do awesome Jacob!

I love this kid...

2007-09-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Who can resist this face? Marcus's Second Day of Preschool.

Colorado

2007-09-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend we found ourselves in Colorado Springs for Nick's Uncle Kerry's 40th birthday party. We had a great time catching up with friends and family and enjoying our last trip without a baby:)

Garden of the Gods

Visiting with the Meuli's

The Kramer's generously threw us a surprise baby shower- check out all her new clothes! Notice her first pair of Crocs (courtesy of the Meulis) and her very first purse (cause she's totally going to need one when she's two...). I don't think she'll ever lack for anything pink or embroidered denim:)

Meet my cousin, Isaac

2007-08-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, August 14th, my cousin Isaac Alfred Montgomery was born. He weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and measured 19" long. Mamma stole these pictures from his blog- check out lots more here. Basically, I can't wait to be here to play with him- we're going to have so much fun! I'm pretty jealous of his cool name, I wish I had one...

Her First Swimsuit!

2007-07-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

Check out her adorable new swimsuit from Aunt Barb! Notice the cute hula dancers and skirt that goes over the bottoms! I about died... Growing up, Barb would always give me a swimsuit for my birthday. It became quite the special tradition to shop for it every June. So, being the thoughtful and generous aunt that she is, Barb bought one for our baby girl! She'll be quite the happening kid at the beach next year! Thanks Barb!

Our Little Girl

2007-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Surprise! It's a Girl?

2007-06-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

It looks like we assumed wrong in referring to our baby as "he"... Dr. Maresh performed an ultrasound Friday and it looks like it's a GIRL!!! It's still unofficial, we have our detailed ultrasound Monday, June 2nd, but we're pretty sure we have a daughter on the way:)

We are really enjoying this stage- feeling good, knowing that she's a she, beginning to make plans. I feel her punch and kick and move around all day long and Nick can actually feel her move too! She kicked him right in the ear as he tried to listen to her through my belly recently!

The image on the left is her head and spine and the indeterminate one on the right is supposedly her leg. Observing the hazy ultrasound imagery the other day, a friend described it aptly as looking at "the surface of Mars". But, the doctor says everything looks good- so I'll trust his wisdom and experience!

2007-06-06T13:42:00.001-07:00

Sorry it has been so long... Our doc refused to spoil us with another ultrasound the last time we were in, so I'm afraid you'll have to settle for an image of what our kid probably looks like right now. We did hear the heartbeat for the first time, which was amazing! According to the doctor, so far, so good! We are progressing as we ought and get to find out if it is a boy or girl in just a few weeks! It seemed like that time would never come, and now it is almost here. Is that an indication of how fast he (or she) will grow up and we'll grow old? I hope not... I'm excited to find out the sex for many reasons, but one in particular is to get going on the important things- the nursery, birth announcements and baby clothes!

The latest...

2007-05-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest ultrasound image from 4.27.07. Our doctor says everything is looking good! We actually got to see him squirming around. Obviously, (at least to me) it looks more like a baby this time around. He's hanging out upside down and you can see arms and feet pretty distinctly in the image on the right. Kind of crazy to think he's fully formed now, just chilling in my belly!

Our First Sonogram (04.12.07)

2007-04-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

So the little tike got his first picture. The detail is amazing! You can pretty much see all his little features like fingers and toes. I think he looks a little more like me than Mindy, but I'll leave that up to you to decide. More photos from the uterus to come.

Nick

It's true!

2007-03-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

We're having a baby! We estimate our due date to be 11/24, so come Thanksgiving we'll have something huge (with small hands and small feet) to be thankful for! For now, please pray for healthy growth and development, and for our preparedness. Check back frequently, we'll post pictures and updates as we progress!