Grandma Helper

My mom came and stayed with us the week after Ty was born. Thanks for coming, Mom and thanks for all your help! My dad, Steven and Emmalee drove down on the 24th and stayed for a few days. Somehow I didn't take any pictures, oops! We went to Bandelier and went hiking, then went to the pool later. Thanks everyone for coming to visit!

Ty 2 Weeks Old

Kate and Ty

Kate loves to hold Ty and always wants me to take their picture. She's a great helper.

July 17 -- Ty 8 days old

July 22 - 13 days old

Bandelier w/Geoff & Annelisa

Geoff & Annelisa came and stayed with us for a few days. It was fun to have them visit -- it's been a long time since they've been to our house. One day Dave took Kate and Jack and went with Geoff & Annelisa to Bandelier. Dave & Geoff took the kids on a side hike that goes up really steep ladders up a rock face. They each went behind a kid and helped them on the ladders.

Jack is pouting in this picture because Dave told him to wait. He had no fear on the ladders and Dave kept having to tell him to slow down.

Craft Time

Okay, so I have some catching up to do posting pictures. Not really sure how to organize it, so I guess I'll work backwards from when Ty was born.

The kids, Marianne and I did a craft from the Family Fun magazine one afternoon in the backyard. It involved shaving cream, food coloring and paper.

First we spread shaving cream on a cookie sheet. The kids loved "smoothing" it.

Then we sprinkled food coloring on it and swirled it around with toothpicks and popsicle sticks.

Then Jack started swirling it with his hands.

Kate was a much cleaner swirler.

After the kids finished swirling then they laid paper on top of their design and it transferred onto their paper. I was going to take pictures of the finished product, but didn't. They kids had fun, but we had to throw the papers away because the food coloring got everywhere.

Baby Brother is Here!

Ty David Judi was born Thursday, July 9th at 8:46 pm. He was 7 lbs, 7 oz, and 19 inches long.
I went in for my doctor appointment on Thursday afternoon at 3:10 hoping that maybe my doctor would induce me the next day before she went on vacation for two weeks. I was a little skeptical whether she'd do it or not since I was almost 38 weeks.

Anyway...I ended up being dilated to a 3 or a 4 so my doctor had me check in to labor & delivery. Everything went really fast, but turned out well. Dave took care of the kids and made it to the hospital before anything happened. I got an epidural and it worked! My doctor made it to the hospital before Ty was born.

Ty is a perfect, healthy baby and I am feeling pretty good too. We came home on Saturday. I enjoyed my two day vacation in the hospital. :)

Here are some pics to enjoy:

Me and Ty a few hours after he was born (it was late -- I know I look lovely)

The next morning when the kids came to see the baby

Saturday morning with Grandma -- waiting for the doctor to show up to discharge us so we could go home

Marianne drove down by herself on Friday and is helping Dave with the kids. Sweet lady!

Ty -- 4 days old

Thanks everyone for the well wishes! We are doing great and enjoying little brother!

More Bike Riding Fun...

The other day Dave took the training wheels off of Jack's bike and this is what happened...

Swimming

We've been going to the pool pretty much every day. It's been amazing to see the kids' improvement.

Jack went from not wanting to get in the water to swimming around in the deep end and "bumping " off the side (sliding into the water with his tube on).

Kate went from barely putting her head under the water to this...

I didn't want to get in the deep end (I did last week and it was really uncomfortable since the water was so deep), so I sat on the edge and held onto the noodle so Kate could grab onto it if she couldn't make it to the edge. She's quite the little swimmer now!

Oops, sorry Jack!

I was just viewing old posts with Jack and realized that I never posted pictures of his actual birthday this year. I got overwhelmed with our vacation pictures from right after his birthday and never posted them. You can click here to see them.

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July! We had a great day yesterday. The kids rode their bikes in a little children's parade, I got to work on my bike decorating skills, the kids went to a little carnival, then we came home and it rained and made everything nice and cool. Here are some pictures.

Jack on his big boy bike -- his helmet fits better if he wears a hat too, otherwise he can't see. (It kind of looks like I'm holding a blue balloon in front of my stomach, but unfortunately it really is just my stomach.)

Kate did great riding her bike amidst all the people. I think she was a little annoyed that Dave and I walked in the parade too. She wanted us to watch.

The kids participated in a three-legged race. They did a great job! Jack only fell down a few times and they actually finished.

After the parade we came home and put together the bunk beds. I think they look great and I love that the kids' room isn't so crammed with stuff now.

And the kids wanted a picture of them in their new beds.