I must be . ..

I must be blessed . . ..

Night 1 (Mon 1/19): After getting home at 1:30 on Monday and Zoie and Vance arriving home to hold Arya, life needs to quiet time and they needed to go to bed. By 9pm, we had all 3 asleep in bed. I just thought "This must be a miracle". Arya slept some throughout the night, but not much.

Night 2 (Tues 1/20): By 8pm, Arya was asleep after napping throughout the day. This gave me time to read to both Zoie and Vance and give them my time. On this night all 3 were asleep by 9:30pm. Arya slept longer so I got about 2 hours of sleep in a row.

Night 3 (Wed 1/21): Vance was asleep by 8:15pm. Ty and Zoie were asleep by 8:30pm. And Arya is lying next to me on the couch at 8:40pm.

Her Name . . .

Arya . . . comes from the Eragon book series. It is a Persian name meaning friend and faithful.
Joann . . . is my middle name
Youngren . . . well think about it :)

Welcome Baby Arya!

So 5 days early, the newest addition to our family arrived. She is Arya Joann Youngren. She was born Sunday, January 18 at 12:45. Even though she was early, she tipped the scale at 8 lbs 4 oz. I was expected a 6lb baby since I did not feel as big as I did with Vance, who was 8lb 13 oz.

So here's a recap of what happened . . .

Jan 12 through 16 was my last week of work. I was teaching photography and took my kids on field trips throughout Whatcom Co. and Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo 4 of the 5 work days. Every day I walked at least 1.5 miles. By Friday, I felt great! And I had lost a couple pounds too.

Saturday afternoon we took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. Big mistake! Ten million people. So we played games for a while, then went to dinner at El Gitano. After we got home, I knew something was just not right. I told Ty we would have a baby tomorrow or Monday. And I started to make a plan for an early morning situation, which included a call to the neighbor to see if he could sit with the kids while one of our parents got here.

Starting at 2am, I could not sleep. I was up at least one an hour. Then at 6am, "Oh this is the part the sucks", I thought to myself as the contractions started. Everyone slept in this morning until 8:30am. At 7:45am, I called Ty's parents to come get the kids and said we would probably need to go when they got there. But when they got there, Ty and Bill had bacon and eggs and a nice 30 minute conversation until Ty looked over and saw me in great pain on the couch. Finally we headed out about 9:20. By this time, I looked at the ditigal clock and noticed the contractions were about 3 minutes apart. That's a little too close. Oh well.

In Triage, they checked me and I was already dialated to 5cm. The nurse looked at me and said, " I see you are in a lot of pain. And since we are not sending you home, let's get you moved". Good idea!

By the time I was moved (wheeled) across the hall, I waited and waited for the "pain guy" to give me an epidorual. He took a long time. Now I was dialated to 8cm. They called the doctor again to see if he was on the way. Once the pain guy hooked me up, life was better--my contractions were "gone" and the labor process slowed.

Once I started to push, it was about 7 big pushes and out she came. The nurse says "And it is a . . . . . . (oh she was about to get my foot in her nose) it's a girl". Thank goodness. No one else had said anything about the sex of the baby.

They put Arya under the heat lamp and she just looked around. No cries.

And the 2nd quarter of the NFC championship was still on. I said "it's not even half time" :)

And now we have another baby in our lives. She is wonderful.

Always a first. . .

I was doing laundry today. I put Vance's poopy sweat pants in the washer yesterday. When I was transferring the clothes from washer to dryer, there was a smell. It was "that" smell. I really thought nothing of it and put the clothes to dry. In the end, I found my "clean" clothes to be dirty from "that" smell. There was a nice hard round poop ball couresty of Vance that got washed and dried. So I had to rewash the clothes and scrub out the dryer as it smelled of poop. Ty, someone who can't smell anything, said he could smell the dryer and it's "new" poop smell. Yuck!

15 more days!

I have 15 more days, according to nature's 40 week pregnancy calendar. I can't imagine this baby wants to stay in any longer. She knows there are other kids to play with and that is felt during the nights with me. The baby stretches her legs and arms and body as much as possible. This is not what the other 2 did. I have weekly doctor visits now until we have our new addition.

Vance has found a new love with Gala apples. Better yet, the little boy pushes his red chair up to the fridge, opens the crisper, gets an apples and closes the door. I don't have to help him. He eats around the apple and up from the bottom.

One of my favorite photos. This is Uncle Vince. His brother was Vance, who our son is named after.

As we pulled up to Vince and Noree's for dinner, 2 bald eagles sat in their tree.

Zoie starts school

On Tuesday, Zoie, Vance and I visited an "integrated" preschool program in town for her to be enrolled in. Today she went by herself and had lots to talk about on the ride to Nana's to spend the night. During our Tuesday visit, she shared snack time, music time, story time, and free play. Vance even played with 2 other boys, whose language skills are about the same as his. It was fun to watch him interact with other kids cause that is not something he does often or willingly. (Zoie loves to play at the kids center at Fred Meyer, but not Vance)

At the end of our Tuesday visit, we walked out with the other students, who all have special needs, as they were headed to the "short" bus. A 1000 questions came up about why she could not ride the bus home. Then, with huge tears rolling down her cheeks, she says "Mom, how could you do this to me" (referring to not letting her ride the bus). How do you explain to a "smart" 4 year old that "special" kids get to ride the bus without telling her she is not special? So I tried other explanations. No good. Today on the way to school, she talked about how close her school was to our house. Bingo!!! I told her that kids who live far from school get to ride the bus. That must have been OK cause there were no tears upon Wednesdays pickup.

At this time, Kindergarten will be an easy transition for her in the fall and for me. I was fine with taking her and leaving her with another teacher. And surprisingly, Vance was cool with leave her at school. He does OK with dropping her off at dance too, but he loves to run around with all the girls.

Vance's Christmas Day surgery

This could have been much worse . . . .

Ty, Paul, Zoie and I were watching The Chronicles of Narnia -- Prince Caspian while Vance was running around playing, mostly with the cash register in the other room. After dozing off, I got up and went into the kitchen. When I came out, Vance is picking his nose. Zoie does this all the time, but not Vance. So I took him in the bathroom and told him to blow. Nothing, but I had seen a big white booger in there. So I looked in his nose to try to get it out. And much to my surprise -- something was in there. "Ty, Vance has something up his nose" I shout. Ty calmly lays Vance on the floor and needs tweezers. So begins the operation on Vance. Vance laid there calm and quiet. Paul held his hand and I hid in the hall. No cries. He would just breathe in as Ty would also get the mystery item out. Soon enough, out came a large white bead . . . Where did it come from? It looked like it had come from a necklace of Zoie's. Nope. It was the end of a beaded headband that Zoie had been wearing and Paul had put on the back of the couch. No one knows how Vance got it or how it got up his nose or why. Oh well, he is fine and now it is just a good laugh.

Christmas Day

Zoie woke up on Christmas Day at 8:30am and we woke up Vance so they could see the tree and gifts before Ty left to get his gramma for breakfast. It was a great morning with our parents, my brother, and our family friend Dave. Santa used photo name tags so the kids could easily determine which present belonged to whom. It worked great. Vance loved opening the presents.

Playing with the Playmobil Horse arena.
Thomas the Train table and too many trains. (Notice the open computer as I have been working and working to get ready for my sub and the rest of the school year, should something bad happen and I need to stay home)

Ty had to only assemble one toy -- Handy Manny's Fix It tool truck.

Paul spent all of Christmas day with us -- opening gifts, playing the Wii, watching movie and doing surgery on Vance. Vance loves to call Paul, as he language is finally developing!!!!

My mom made this great Hockey quilt for Paul. She started it in March.

Vance and the trains.

Zoie looks in her own arts and crafts Hannah Montana box.

Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve, my family gathers at my mom's house in Burlington. Despite being home all day, we did not arrive for dinner until 5:30pm and we were the first ones. We enjoyed lasagna and homemade french bread, presents, and a game of Cranium -- boys vs. girls. Despite the late night (11pm), the kids were great.

Vance sits with me during game time.
My brother Paul and my cousin's husband David use the scuplting clay to create a dimple.

My Mom :)

Paul and Vance play a mini game of air hockey. Vance is indicating that he scored.

My cousin Amy won the rigged game of guess the number of jelly beans in the jar to win a pair of maxi pad slippers. She was so excited so had to call her friend afterwards.

The official "how big is Carrie" photo. I am talking to my cousin James.

Zoie plays with a wooden doll set with magnetic clothes.

I wanted to take the kids pictures before we went to my mom's and before they were dirty. After Vance made his funny face, I told him to put his hands in his pockets. Only one had found the pocket.

Zoie -- my mom made the beautiful Christmas dress.

Snow

I have had no interest in bundling up to go out in the snow (since I don't really know what I could put on to bundle up). So the kids have enjoyed playing outside with Ty, Nana, and Oma and Papa. These are taken from Nana at her house.

Change your vote!

I am now at the point in my pregnancy that I go every 2 weeks to see the doctor. Well, much to my surprise, I gained 5 lbs in those 2 weeks!!!! I about freaked! So now I have 6 more weeks and am nearing Vance's end weight already. At this rate, I will blow past it! Maybe we are having a baby whale, instead of a baby human. And I think I will definitely need to take off the rest of March and return to school after spring break so I can play with the kids more and loose a few extra pounds.

Gotta love growing a little person inside of you and all the wonder things it does to your body.

Celebration ... . . and just the beginning

To celebrate Vance's binkie separation, we went to Big Scoop. Vance had blue bubblegum ice cream and Zoie had cotton candy. I could just smell the sugar from the cotton candy ice cream as she eat it next to me. Ty got the giant banana split, in which he insisted I help finish eating even though I ate my own cone.

On the way home, Zoie and Vance are wacking each other in the back. Then I heard, the MOST famous line of them all,

"Mom, he started it."

I just looked at Ty and laughed. I said to him, "Do you think this will be the only time we ever hear that line?"

And so the adventure of "Who started it?" begins.

A second chance

On Monday, my mom "lost" Vance's binkie. They looked everywhere but nothing. Sad Vance just put his head down and with a very sad face said "B all gone" with his arms out, as if to motion "I don't know where it is". So I took them home and figured it would be a difficult night going to sleep and there would need to be an emergency trip to the store to buy a binkie. Well, it was TOO easy. He fused for a while about going to sleep, but I don't think he was ready for bed. He slept all night in his own bed. And didn't even wake up requesting that I help find the lost binkie. Tuesday night he came into our room about 2am. I just scooped him up and he went right back to sleep on my pillow. Big me was smashed between Vance and Ty. (How many kids do you need for a king or Cal. King ? :) ) Wednesday and Thursday nights he fused but went to sleep without it.

This is the 2nd removal of the annoying binkie. I am just tired of trying to find it in the house or car when we do something. But it's gone. Now, he just carries his blanket around everywhere, even on the bus this morning and to the freshman girls basketball game at the high school. At least it's easier to find the blanket.

Poop Strike

Vance is starting to recognize when he has to pee (not potty) and poop. For the past 3 days, I have heard "poop, poop". Usually the poop is getting ready to exit. Well, I have dealt with so much poop since Wednesday that I am going crazy. I had to change him & the poop twice after coming home from Bill & Jean's for dinner, within an hour. Then I went shopping with my mom and was gone about an 1 1/2 hours. When I get home, I walk in their room & STINKY!
I ask Ty when Vance went to bed and said that he smelled like poop. He just looked at me like "Oh poop, too bad for you" and keep playing his video games. Of course Vance had on footed zip up pj's which are the WORST to change diapers. He was all snuggled. I had wipes out, clean diaper and even a change of pj's if I had a hard time changing him. Got all the poop cleaned up once again, the boy never woke up, got the pj's back on, zipped up, rolled him over and he continued to sleep.
No more poop. Please. Hey Vance, Mom is on a poop strike. (And I don't like washing the cloth diapers every day due to poop. My plan is every other day.)

Bowling Videos

Bowling

What else do you do on a rainy Saturday morning with 2 little ones than go bowling. I had them ready by 8:30am to go, but Ty says the lanes don't open till 10am. Of course I had my doubts but kept quiet. We get there and had to wait for 1 of 4 open laps because Sat. morning is kids league. After patiently waiting 45 minutes, we got an end lane. Zoie was so excited for bowling shoes, Vance did not want them on. But they enjoyed bowling the 2 games. Vance knew you got 2 turns so he would say 2 and turn to show 2 with his fingers. Ty helped both of the get the idea of swinging the ball, but Zoie quickly said she did not need help. Vance, like Zoie, wanted to do it himself. But he resorted to drop kicking the ball. Thus his ball got stuck on the lane twice cause it was going sooooooooooooooooooo slow. Zoie had to go up to the worker, who happened to be former student, and say "my brother's ball is stuck". He was very kind to help. With the help of bumpers, Zoie and Vance scored more than 70 points in each game. I just sat back and held kids when it was not there turn. I am not sure if bowling is on the "do not do" list at 8 months in a pregnancy. I'll stick to bowling on the Wii.

Zoie's pants were too loose. After every throw she had to pull them up. Here, you can kinda see her butt. We just laughed.

Thanksgiving Lunch at my school

The day before Thanksgiving, we had a half day of school. We received 3 full turkey dinners from Fred Meyer's to serve to our students. So we cooked a few other things and had a "family" lunch. There are about 40 kids that attend my school, so it was not a huge inconvience. I also took the kids cause I wasn't doing any teaching and figured it would be huge. Zoie was disappointed that she didn't get to teach the school kids, but she helped set the tables and, as always, makes new friends. Vance, on the other hand, was more difficult to deal with. I thought him getting water from the water cooler was a good distraction until there was water everywhere. Then they colored until he put marker on the wall. He enjoyed running down the ramp in the cold weather as we read our thankful notes and ate. He only ate a multi-grain roll, which at first he spit out at me. But then we went back to get a roll and did not want the plain buttermilk one. Weirdo!

Vance and the train

Ready to Fly

I bought this slide at a yard sale for $2 when Zoie was about 1. She just slide down it. Vance, on the other hand, decide it needed to be flipped over to be played with. And the 2 of them together like to think it is a launch pad. While these pictures only capture them jumping individually, earlier she was jumping over him as he lay at the end of the slide. Then dad came into the room and said it wasn't safe and someone was going to get hurt. Nice jinx. Then there were a few tears and it was over for that night. I am sure more will come later.