Discovery Park with the kiddles!

Today after Scott got off work we went to Discovery Park in Pleasant Grove... I had never been there before, but it was really pretty awesome! Lots of things for the Kiddlin's, (Scott's nick name for them) to do! Next time we want to take kites too!

Here are pics from the day:

(the first two are just pictures of the park it's self so you can see how big it is)

Now to the FUN pictures of the kids...

Just the kids... sitting on-top their favorite slide!

"CHEESE Memmee! CHEESE!"

Mia and her little pal on the twisty slide!

They have these beehive-fort things that the kids can climb into and hangout in!

I think this is one of the most darling pictures of Miss Mia Kate!

Mia watchin' for Rachel to come down the tube!

"WEE!!!!"

This thing would jiggle when you stepped on it.

It was supposed to simulate what an earth quake would feel like while you're walking!

Sissies hangin' on the Monkey-Bars havin' so much fun together!

They played so nicely today! No fights!

Need I say more? Blake would follow Scott around EVERYWHERE if he could!

Scott just adores his lil' buddy Blake.

This was one of the girls FAVORITE things...

which they had to wait forever to do cause ALL the kids wanted to go on the tire swing!

I think the people of Provo could probably hear them Shrieking with Joy,

while Scott was pushing them...

All in all it was a REALLY fun time! The kiddlins had SO much fun and didn't want to go when we had too. There was SO much to do and learn! They had little places all over the giant park where you could talk to each other on different sides of the park. The girls really liked playing on the Monkey Bars and showed us lots of fun tricks!

Blakey LOVED the swings and slides!

We will definitely be going back...but maybe not on a Saturday cause it was JAM-PACKED!

Next time we want to take kites to fly in the big field that they have there too!

We wouldn't have been able to go without Scott there to help keep track of all the kids!

EM

Wow a new found-much greater-appreciation for my Mom.

Over the course of the last nine months I have gained a deeper and a much greater appreciation for my Mom! (and I'm sure that appreciation will continue to grow as Violet does)

I don't think that anyone can have a true understanding of what sacrifices and the kind of love that a mother has until you are one... (sorry boys but you just won't ever FULLY grasp it...until your body can be pregnant and have a baby)

My full appreciation came this last week... I'm two weeks from my due date and I was baby sitting my brother's wonderful kids, whom I love so much! When I put them down for a nap the second day I just sat and watched them and started to cry...(only just out of pure tiredness... my nephew (2) didn't sleep at all during the night so I was up with him)

I sent my mom a text that just said, "Mom...how did you do it? How were you pregnant, and still caring 24/7 for four other kids?"

She replied, "Lol, you're welcome"

Really though, Motherhood is really hard work...doubly, (yes Cort I did use "doubly") hard when you're pregnant and caring for more kids! But...if mothers didn't do what they do, who else would? I then text my mom again and said, "well, thank you for loving us enough to do all that you did." she simply said, "I love you more than that Em." Which I know she does...and always has.

I truly have an amazing mother! She worked every day of my life and took care of our home, and all five of us crazy kids. I really wonder how she didn't go absolutely nuts and leave at times. I know we weren't always the best kids...and still aren't. But she loves each of us so much. You can see it in her eyes when she talks about us... or when we're all together and she's watching us interact with each other. I know she would give her life for any and all of her kids. Her whole world revolves around us. It feels so great to know that you are loved so deeply and so intensely! There is nothing that compares to that of a mothers love for her children.

So...I guess I just want to thank you mom for everything that you've done for me...especially being the youngest. I'm sure it must not have been easy for you to raise five kids and work full time. But I know you did it because you love us...Thank you for always making us aware of the love you have for us. Thank you for being so supportive of me in all that I've done. Thank you for loving me, and for helping carry me through life for so long. Thank you for the time you've given to me!

I love you so much!

what an amazing husband I have!

So, basically I'm not, nor have I ever been real great at being complimentary...or appreciative to my absolutely- most incredibly-radamafreakin'awesome- AMAZING husband.... But he deserves so much praise and thanks, and compliments! I sometimes wish I could get up on a big building with a megaphone and shout to the world how much I love him!

Scott has been so patient and understanding of my mood swings and discomfort throughout this pregnancy! He's really been so great the whole time! He's constantly doing things to help me!

*He will jump right up from dinner and do dishes and put everything away...which means so much to me...so sweet!

* sometimes he will do some laundry...just to help me out, even though he works 40 hrs a week to provide for our family!

*He also cooks a lot for me since I have a hard time with raw meat, and most the time just feel poopy...and he's an AMAZING cook!

Scott just does the sweetest things for me.

*Sometimes he will come into the bathroom and wash my hair for me cause I'm too tired, and don't have the energy to do it myself...

*When I'm done in the shower he will lotion my legs and feet...since my baby-belly gets in the way.

*The day Tracy gave me a baby-shower afterwards I laid down and crashed...and while I was asleep he went out and bought a set of storage drawer things to put violets diapers and toys and clothes in....he set it all up and everything. It was so sweet!

*The other day Scott brought me home the hostess raspberry filled doughnuts and orange juice! YUM! When I asked why he got them he answered simply, "Just because I love you...and I know you really like them."

*I've been wanting to get my hair recolored for quite sometime now...it's the one thing I do to pamper myself, but you're not supposed to in the beginning of pregnancy, and we just haven't had the money to do it.... but the other day Scott let me...and was so great about it...cause the color didn't take all the way the first time so we had to do more to it...we ended up being there for four hours...but he was so sweet and didn't complain at all...He just kept telling me that he loves me. He's so thoughtful and loving...

*We were supposed to go for sushi tonight (St. Patty's day)... but when My brother and his wife needed help watching their kids while they moved...Scott was just fine with changing our plans! Which was really awesome of him, because he's really been looking forward to going for sushi...it's his favorite! When he got home from work he was so adorable with the kids, and so helpful!

*Scott's been playing this new game that he got for the Wii... and he's so sweet to me...during the middle of playing (you can't pause this game...) he will get me a drink or just make sure I'm taken care of...and most of the time when he does so, he dies... But it's just nice to know that I come before his game and he is willing to take the time to help me out!

*One of my VERY MOST FAVORITE things about Scott is that he constantly tells me that he loves me...even when I sometimes don't deserve it...I love the constant reminder that he does feel that way towards me.

All in all.... I really have the most fantastically wonderful husband in the entire world, whom I love with all of my heart...plus some! My love for him grows more deeply and more intensely with each and everyday!

Love you Baby-Daddy!

pictures from the baby shower that Tracy gave Em!

Baby Shower time! Oh how fun! I'm not typically one that likes showers...just for the fact that I don't really love being the center of attention! But this one was really fun, I do admit! PLUS...I was hopped up on Morphine! I hope everyone knows how much I appreciated their gifts and the support they've given...I don't think I was in the right mind to really convey that appreciation! I mostly just laughed at everything that was said and said, "uh-huh, yeah, okay" a lot. ha ha. But thanks to Tracy who threw the shower! It was great!

Scott's grandma Wood made this darling quilt for us! It has little animals hand sewn on it. It's so cute! She also made these cute sleepers with lace on the bums, and burp cloths that will be SO amazing! They're extra thick so that it doesn't soak through and get mom or dad all yucky! She also did these two cute recieving blankets! Thanks Grandma Wood!
This is one of the many outfits that we got! This one is from Aunt Chelsie! :) So cute! Love it!

This is the baby bump at 8 months and one week! pretty much I felt...and still feel like a ginormical beached whale!

Don't know if you can tell...but I was HIGH as a KITE when we had the shower...because this was the same day we made the early morning *4am* trip to the hospital where they shot me up with Morphine...that kicked my butt for four days straight!

OMG! My cute step-sis-in-law, (what a mouthful) Claudia made this adorable diaper cake!

It seriously is the cutest thing ever! It had a ton of goodies on the inside too!

Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!

First Year for the Birds

Scott and I just celebrated our first anniversary on February 20, 2010! We've had a wonderful whirl wind of a year!

Scott joined the Navy...it took them until October to get him a job, and then he left for boot camp on December 14...right before Christmas, which was extremely hard on both of us. . .However only a few days in Scott slept walked once and was given an honorable discharge. The Navy doesn't allow sleep walking because they worry about the sailors sleep walking off the aircraft carrier.

In August we found out I was expecting...what a miracle and a blessing! We weren't sure what to think at first but we're VERY VERY excited! In November we found out our little baby was a girl. She'll be named Violet Mae Bird. Her due date is April 12.

November we moved into my Dad's so that I wouldn't be alone...which was a blessing while Scott was gone. Scott's parents gave us a night at the Anniversary Inn for Christmas (which we celebrated early since Scott left a week before) It was AMAZING! We stayed in the "Swiss Family Robinson room. Our bed was up in a tree, and our shower was a water fall! We had such a fantastic time!

Christmas wasn't much of Christmas because we were apart. But we're really looking forward to having a wonderful one this year with out little girl!

January we were able to be reunited after 5 loooooong weeks apart!

February was an exciting time for us. Mom moved back home from Az, and we got to celebrate her birthday with her. Then Scott and I celebrated our Anniversary by going to Carrabba's Italian Grill (BEST Calamari EVER)! We had a nice evening together....

We're looking forward to many more happy years together!

Ready Or Not Here I Come!

On Monday March 1, 2010 Violet decided that she was going tease us and make us think she was coming...

Thursday March 4, she decided she WAS COMING...but slowly. Pre-labor has begun. Contractions are pretty crappy. 5-6 minutes apart...but lots of erratic little ones in-between so the Dr. sent me home until they are more regular. I was dilated to 1.5 cm the same day, and Violets head is right there and touchable! The nurse said not to expect going more than a couple more days!

Saturday EARLY (4AM...I'm sure Scott was displeased with this) I began having TERRIBLE contractions that were only 3 minutes apart. . .so it was off to the hospital again! Well...Obviously we still don't have Violet here. She's being a stubborn booger! When we went in they checked me twice and wasn't dilating anymore...so in much pain I was sent home once again to wait some more. The nurse jammed a needle in my hip with Morphine... which I don't ever want again. Man did that hurt...and still does.

Now we're just playing the waiting game! Crossing our fingers that she doesn't decide to wait much longer cause Mom can't take much more of this!

We can't wait to meet our little Violet Mae!