Wildflowers

We have had so much rain this winter, that these yellow wildflowers have been popping up everywhere... we have really been enjoying their beauty.

The Pony Confessions

A few weeks ago, Tatum had her "My Little Ponies" out and arranged them in a nice line, and then proceeded to tell me that sometimes her ponies make bad choices. She went on to inform me what each pony did that was naughty. The first pony sometimes would have accidents, so she would change her pants and put the wet ones out on the swing set to dry and then put them away in her drawer. The next pony would get up from her nap and if her mom was asleep, she would take the box of Pop-Tarts and go behind the couch and eat them all. Another pony would sneak into her mom's make-up, play with it and then hide it under her bed. The pony confessions continued for some time. I was very inquisitive and got candid answers from Tatum about what "The Ponies" did. I even discovered where one of Tatum's missing outfits was hiding, behind the TV of course... that was where the Pony hid clothes she didn't like but her mom made her wear. I am guessing Tatum had been feeling a little guilty and needed to get it all off her chest in this weird therapy session she invented.

Cousins

Lyric (3 weeks) and her cousin Aspyn (6 months).And of course, our other extra large baby, Davis. I think he was feeling a little left out.

10 days old!

Lyric is ten days old... I cannot believe how fast that went by. She is still completely charming her family. Tatum loves taking care of her: picking out her outfits, feeding her a bottle, helping give her a bath. Davis is surprisingly gentle with her and is very concerned when she cries. She is quite the sleeper. I am having a hard time getting her to stay awake long enough to eat... she was down to 7lbs. 8oz. at the doctor on Monday, down 2 oz. from when we left the hospital. She is also recovering from a minor bout of jaundice, and has lovely, yellow-colored eyes. I picked up a cold/ cough from the hospital and now Davis is sick, hopefully we can keep Lyric from getting it. Otherwise things are great. Lyric has picked up an interesting nickname from Tatum; she always greets her with "hello yellow Jello." Hopefully that one won't stick.

Another Princess added to our family!

We are excited to announce that our little baby has finally decided to come out and join our family. A little girl!! After much speculation and indecision, we decided to call her Lyric Avery Nelson. After going to the doctor on Monday, he noticed I was in the early stages of labor, and sent me to the hospital (he was a little concerned about the heartbeat and fetal movement). We arrived at the hospital around 6:30pm- I was 6cm and having contractions every 2-4 minutes. I was curious about natural childbirth and thought I would give it a go. Not something I would recommend.... epidurals are our friend. Lyric made her entrance at 11:46pm that night and completely melted our hearts. She is a happy, healthy little girl, weighing 8 lbs. 2 oz. Her siblings can't get enough of her and are constantly by her side. Tatum has taken on the role of little mommy and tries to help the baby and myself any way that she can. Davis loves to hold his little sister (for about 15 seconds, hands her back, then comes back for more 2 minutes later). Although her daddy was fully expecting a boy, she already has him wrapped around his finger in adoration. We look forward to getting to know are sweet little girl. Love you all!

Valentine's Blog

So, I just noticed, that I was tagged by my friend Susie, but am on my way out on a date (yes, a real-life, actual date), so I am going to keep the answers super short. By the way, thanks Kyra for giving up your night to watch everyone's kids- you are brave and a great friend!

Where did you meet your husband?
I met him during sacrament at my singles ward. He came to hear another girl sing, sat in the back next to me, and left with my number. Love at first sight.

What was the first thing he said to you?
I think he said he liked my dress... is it bad that I don't remember. I do remember he smelled delicious... he was wearing Aqua de Gio.

When was your first date?
That is up for debate. I say it was a Phunk Junkies concert, that he invited me to come to with all his buddies. (Neither of us like the Phunk Junkies.) I ended up paying for myself and his friend opened the car door for me. He claims that it WAS NOT a date. We had a blast sitting in the back talking together, though and from then on I knew he was a keeper.

When was your first kiss?
A few weeks after our first so called date. Very sweet.

Long/Short courtship/engagement?
We dated for about 8 months and then were engaged for 4 months, typical Mormon scenario.

When did you get married?
May 29, 2001

Where was your honeymoon?
Catalina Island, very beautiful and green. We had so much fun together, we even went on a cheesy sunset love cruise.

Happy Valentine's Day Ryan! I love you so much and fell in love all over again when you became a daddy. You are so wonderful with our kids and I am so happy to always be by your side.

I am tagging Kate, Shelley, Niki, and Alisha.

Still Waiting...

I have had a few inquiries about the baby status. Pretty much, the baby is nice and comfortable and has no immediate plans to come out. I went to the doctor today and she said I was 4-5 cm dilated and offered to set a date next week to induce. I initially said no... I love the element of surprise. But after reconsidering how much easier it would make things... I called her back and left a message saying next Thursday would be great... so we will see what happens. I would be 39 weeks along- which is the most pregnant I have ever been, so maybe I won't make it that far. I am not completely losing the element of surprise.

San Diego Zoo

Ryan's sister, Angela, came to visit for a few days and we ventured down to San Diego. The kids loved seeing all of the animals at the zoo. I only lasted for about three hours and then my ankles started resembling tree trunks... so it was a quick trip. We got an awesome deal on season passes and hope to do a lot more exploring there. The miercats were a big hit. My kids are familar with them from the show Miercat Manor. Davis loved watching them "play pee-a-boo" as they went in and out of tunnels.

Kung-Fu Kicks and a Bad Chipmunk

Davis never fails to make me laugh, something funny is always coming out of his mouth. The other day, we were relaxing in our backyard, and the baby was kicking like crazy. Davis had never really felt the baby move and has shown very little interest in the baby. I asked him if he wanted to come feel the baby kick. His eyes completely lit up and he excitedly replied, "I kick da baby???" He then came at me with his little kung-fu kick. Needless to say, I am slightly worried about the safety of this little baby.
I have been called many things, but today, I was called a "bad chipmunk." It stung pretty deep, especially when issued by my red-faced, 4-year-old, Tatum. She was unhappy with the way she was being reprimanded and out came the horrific insult, "You are a bad, bad chipmunk." I had to leave the room with a smile, but have to admit, she really can dish it out.

A New Discovery

Thanks to my friend, Heather, we discovered this fun little spot near our house... so beautiful and the kids had a lot of fun with the waterfalls. Definite photo opps- I am sure you will see it again.

Personality Color Test

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Brown

You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy. Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart. With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver. And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision. Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music. Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/rd/50651/color/index.jsp?testname=colorogt&resultid=F

Tatum turns 4!

Our little girl is four! I can't beleive how fast she has grown. She is not my little baby girl anymore, as she constantly reminds me. It has been a wonderful four years watching her grow into her little self. She is so imaginative and always cracks us up... and she is still as fiesty as ever. She is such a good big sister and is so excited to get another baby in our family. Happy Birthday Tatum! We love you!

Memoirs of a Beached Whale

Okay... so the end is near. Thirty-four and a half weeks of pregnancy bliss (hah) and a little over five more weeks to go. And, I am large- really large, I have to compare my existence to that of a beached whale. My husband has lovingly rolled me out of bed on more than one morning. I wanted to journal the journey of my gestation and recap on all the highs and lows of pregnancy.First Trimester...

I found out I was pregnant June 22nd, which was a total surprise. I had to hold the secret in for almost two weeks, waiting for just the right moment to break the news to Ryan. Finally, at the top of the Eiffel Tower, I sent Ryan into momentary shock, followed by complete elation. An official due date of Feb. 29th, 2008 was given, followed by a comparatively easy first trimester (meaning I didn't spend ten weeks puking my guts out, as I did with Davis).

Second Trimester...

It was so exciting to see the baby's little heartbeat for the first time! It is overwhelmingly joyful knowing what is to come of this little peanut in my belly. When I broke the news to Tatum, she was confused at first, but quickly took to the idea of becoming a big sister again... and possibly getting a little sister (but a brother would be ok too, she assures me). I felt the baby move at about 16 weeks... such a wonderful feeling! It makes everything seem so real and makes up for the last 16 weeks of queasiness, headaches, backaches, insomnia, and never-ending heartburn.

Third Trimester...

Even though I am getting enormous, I am happy knowing that this little baby inside me is growing and I will soon get to meet him or her. It is so exciting not knowing the baby's gender. I have agreed to let Ryan have complete naming rights over the baby if it is a boy and I get to name the baby if it is a girl. I know that the sleepless nights and the tribulations of nursing are around the corner... but I can't wait to meet the little one who has been elbowing me in the ribs, and finally hold the baby and smell his/ her sweet baby smell. Our family is so thrilled to grow in numbers and in love and we anxiously await for d-day.

Place your bets on the on the walking time bomb...

We are approaching the final stretch and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new little addition. We thought we would have a little fun and take on pool on some of the unknown baby variables... gender, birth date, and weight. Leave a comment to enter your guess (the baby's due date is Feb. 29th).

Christmas 2007

Davis caught red-handed tampering with the tree (yet again).

Davis' first sledding experience

Tatum, playing in the snow... our neighborhood brings it in every year for sledding.

Davis and Ryan enjoying the lights at the Mesa temple.

Davis has had some difficulties distinguishing between Santa and pirates... he likes to wear his Santa hat and eye patch and run around the house yelling "yo,ho, ho!"

Tatum showing off her Christmas dress... it was my first attempt at making her a dress... luckily, it doesn't take much to impress a 3 year-old.

The Nelson crew at the temple on Christmas Eve.

Davis, unwrapped his undies, happily yelled "Spiderman!" and then tried them on his head. (I don't see us potty training any time soon).

Tatum loved all of the beautiful ornaments and Christmas decorations.

Tatum, informing Santa of her Christmas list.

Tatum and her little cousin Aspyn.