Our last outing as a family of 4!

I guess when your baby come a little early, unexpectedly, you tend to get behind on this kind of thing... A week before Zac made his appearance we had one last big family day as just the 4 of us. Andy and I took the kids to a place called Makutu's Island, it is basically a huge indoor playground that looks like a giant tree. There are probably 8-10 huge different twisty slides, rope ladders, bridges, tunnels, zip lines, etc. We had been there one time before and Hayden was always asking to go back so it seemed like the perfect outing! Both of the kids had a blast, Hayden was so sweaty and worn out by the time we were done, I don't think he knew what to do with himself! We then had lunch at Jason's Deli, yum!

Hayden and Brynley coming down two different slides

Hayden was actually kind of stuck up in this crevice so I had to take a picture before getting him down!

Brynley really wanted to go down this huge twisty slide, I took her down it when I was barely pregnant but there was no way I could do it this time! So, Andy had to climb through tunnels wither her to the top and take her down, it was pretty amusing!

As we were waiting for Hayden I really wanted to get a picture of Brynley and Andy but she didn't want anything to do with it. This was the best out of about 10 we tried to take, she is a stubborn little thing!

Easter Party at the Park

This is a little old, I will probably be posting some other old posts over the next few days... The week before Easter we found a fun neighborhood picnic in the neighboring town. The kids had a blast on all of the bouncies, even Brynley wasn't too scared to go down one of the blow up slides. Here are just a few pictures of the kids.

Funny Girl!

I just had to post this becuase I got such a kick out of it. I was sitting at the computer when Brynley walked in and said, "Look I have pretty lips like Mommy!" This is what I saw when I turned around:

Let me just clarify that is not my lipstick, she used a marker!

Our baby boy is here!!!

Zachary Stone Ashton made his appearance at about noon today, April 15th - our tax baby! He weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. Initially they told us he weighed 7 lbs., we were all shocked, I don't make babies that small! It took a few hours for a nurse to realize that the scale was not working correctly and they re weighed him, so we went from thinking he was our smallest baby to being our biggest baby! I'm just glad he arrived 2 weeks early... Labor and delivery were relatively good, this was the first time I actually went into labor and dilated on my own so I was pretty proud of myself! I only had to push through two contractions which was my fastest yet!

He had a little bit of a rough start, as the cord was around his neck two times, he spent a few hours looking completely blue. The above picture shows his color coming back a little bit. So far Zac has been a dream, he is nursing well and sleeping a ton, when he's awake he just looks around. We were pretty surprised when he came out with almost black, wavy hair! Each of our kids now has had totally different hair which is kind of interesting. The first thing Hayden said when he saw him was, "Wow, cool hair, it's black like daddy's!" Hayden and Brynley both seem to love Zac, we were worried about Bryn but she seems excited and they looks forward to taking him home to play!
Brynley meeting Zac for the first time

Brynley kissing her little brother

Hayden being a goofball while meeting Zac

A baby is coming...sometime today!!! (It is now 1am)

I am helping Molly to get this updated for anyone who may check in...she went to the hospital about 11:30 or so and called me at around 12:45 to tell me they were admitting her - she came in with very regular contractions 1-2 minute apart and is 3cm dilated. They told her she would be going fast and wanted to give her the epidural to slow her down. Well, Molly is not known for super fast labor progression, or labor progression at all for that matter, so she is not holding her breath for it to go super fast!! But, we shall see! At her last check up last week, Molly was trying to convince her doctor she would have the baby this week. He laughed and said no way was that going to happen! But, she had Hayden at 37 weeks and Bryn at 38 weeks plus a day or two. She is 38 weeks today (well, Monday.)

Watch for updates from her later on during the day of the 15th as it is 1:00am right now!

See ya!

Meredith

Happy Easter!

We had a great Easter this year. It began on Friday with our Playgroup's annual Easter Egg hunt. I forgot my camera (and Maddy reminded me that I forgot it last year too!) so I don't have any pictures. The kids had a great time though, especially Brynley. She was a girl on a mission, picking up every egg she could see, then she shook one an realized there was something inside. She opened it and looked at me and said CANDY!!! She then continued to pick up the eggs at a faster pace. She finally sat down and opened every egg and started devouring the candy, it was the cutest thing!

On Saturday, Andy took the kids to the annual Power Ranch Spring Carnival where the kids had a great time playing on the bouncy house and slide, playing at the park, and eating lunch. Meredith and I had a booth at the event so the dads were in charge of the kids.

On Sunday morning Hayden woke up and came into our room and asked if he could put on a movie. We said sure and then he asked if the Easter Bunny had come, we said, I don't know.... thinking for sure that he would notice his basket on the floor in front of the TV. Next thing we hear is the movie starting, it took Hayden a good few minutes to notice the baskets. He came running into our room going crazy about what the Easter Bunny had brought him, he was so excited. We all got Brynley up and she too was thrilled about her basket contents.

After church on Sunday we headed over to Grandpa and Debbie's house for a fun Easter Egg hunt and dinner. We all had a great weekend and we hope you did too!

And just for fun, Meredith and I got our picture taken with our big bellies. I look horrid and I can't believe I am actually posting this picture, so here's a good laugh for you all!

My Sweet Brynley

Forgive me, I started this post on her birthday and then had a crazy week so I am finally finishing it... (Sorry, it is very picture heavy!)

Minutes after birth..

Wow, it's hard to believe that two years have passed since our sweet girl entered this world. We were so surprised when you came to us with strawberry blond hair and the sweetest, quietest cry in the world! A few scary weeks of jaundice and a bili-blanket and many, many heal pricks, followed by the scare that you might have Spina Bifida, you really kept us on our toes! After a few weeks you spent the first year of your life pretty laid back and content, I remember your stubbornness started to show a little when it came to sleeping. After sleeping through the night for a number of months, you decided to start waking up again until you were 10 months old... I can hardly remember those days now.

First Birthday

Easter 2007

I was shocked at 11 months when you couldn't walk yet but figured out how to climb on top of the kitchen table! That was only the beginning... you figured things out on your own so early, I guess you really wanted to keep up with Hayden! At 16 months you started getting so mad at me when I tried to buckle your car seat because you wanted to do it on your own, along with wanting to get dressed, change your own diaper, and many other things...

Now it is hard to believe you are two! Even though you are determined, headstrong, and stubborn, I wouldn't want you any other way (you remind me of myself at times). Daddy and I are so smitten with your sweet kisses and hugs and the way you say I love you, we are amazed at the new things you do everyday! At two, you can already count to 10 and even higher, you can mostly say your ABC's, you know all your colors and animals, and you love to sing, especially "I am a Child of God." You are getting so good at coloring and I love watching you try to ride bikes with all of the big kids, pretty soon you really will be a big kid with the rest of them!

Our big two-year old!

I love you my sweet Bryn, I can't wait to see you take on the roll of big sister in a few more weeks!