"150% Pure Boy"

UPDATED 7/29/09 (daily grats added in at the bottom)

Those were almost the exact words of the ultrasound technician today when she confirmed that we are indeed having our 4th boy, due Jan. 4th, 2010!

I had what's called a routine "first screening" at 12 weeks with a high-tech ultrasound machine to look for the possibility of a down-syndrome baby, and that's when the technician said she was 75% sure it was a boy.

So...there was that 25% hope...even among all my boys (who all want a sister), but today we now know for sure we have another little boy joining our family. : ) Look out world! It looks like we're working on a basketball team!*

*If you say baseball team I may clobber you--I don't intend on having 9 children!

Daily Grats:

1. Bella bands. Best invention ever for pregnant ladies. I've never had one before (they didn't exist when I was pregnant w/ Nathan). It's really helping for the in-between period where you just look fatter but pregnancy clothes would drown you, while your own jeans don't fit if you try to zip or button them.

2. Looking pregnant. Because of my bella band, I can wear my normal jeans and I look pregnant. A vanity, I know, but I have always looooooooved looking pregnant, seeing my little baby bump grow, knowing there's a little life growing in there!

3. Nathan's swimming teacher. After two years of fruitless lessons, I paid more for a private teacher that I was told was strict and very effective. And he is. Today is Nathan's 4th lesson, and he's swimming at least a yard, even though he's still crying about it. A week ago, he wouldn't even put his head under water.

4. Going to my ultrasound yesterday with my best friend, Tami. The best girlfriend outing ever, to look at a precious little baby moving around on the monitor and ooh and aaah like little girls.

5. My husband. How did I get him? And how cool is it that he gets better over time? I mean, he doesn't have to impress me anymore. He caught me. But he just keeps proving his worth, often without even complaining about all my weaknesses.

Nathan's take on bedtime cuddling

Nathan's perspective is, should I say, most interesting?

Last night reminded me of one of his strong opinions that he has voiced for several months now.

Occasionally I lie down with Nathan at bedtime to help settle him down. He consistently cries with great concern:

"Mommy, if you stay here, in the morning we will be sad. Because you'll break the bed!"

So much for tired little cuddling kiddos pleading, "Don't go yet, mommy!"

The Wilsons and the Angels

(I am in no way saying the Wilsons are angels. Believe me.)

I don't know if you can tell from this pic, but we had GREAT seats.

We were in section 106, row H. Seriously, we were only 7 rows back, right behind 3rd base.

And could the pic be any better? If you look closely, the pitcher had just thrown the ball, which happened to be right over home base as I snapped the pic, and the Angels batter was in mid-swing. If only Nathan wasn't standing right in front of me as I took the pic, you wouldn't see the back of the top of his hat.

Too bad Rob had to work. : (

The Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 14 to 10.

The Angels got 9 of their 11 runs in the 4th inning!

For some reason we lucked out today, as it was the first time ever that California Pizza Kitchen gave away free ceramic "Rally" coin banks to all the kids who attended the game. So all three boys got one, and they've already added some coins once we got home.

If the free Angels "piggy" banks weren't enough, the Angels scored at least 10 runs, which means the entire stadium 'earned' their wings--buffalo wings, that is. We picked Rob up and brought him to Claim Jumper. With our four tickets, we shared four dishes of buffalo wings for FREE! So we bought a HUGE eclair for dessert that our family could hardly finish!

And do you think the boys didn't have enough fun with the Angels game, the free piggy banks, AND the free buffalo wings at Claim Jumper?

Of course they didn't! At home they're doing what boys do best--wrestling.

Jivin' July Grats

1. Feeling the baby move. Sometimes every other day, but lately 2-3 times a day. One of the most tender parts of being a mama-to-be. To feel life inside you is indescribable, but we still try because it is so special.

2. Bryce totally getting into being a Wolf Cub Scout, skimming his scout book and then reading and doing portions of it. He is so self-motivated!

3. Jeffrey making the best breakfasts--smoothies are his new passion, and they're pretty yummy.

4. Nathan: "Mommy, the water sounds crooked." Random!

Or, one of his prayers: "Thank Thee for our stuff, and for the things we have, and for more stuff."

Or, a conversation of ours:

Me, at the grocery store, getting out of the van: Come on, Nathan, hurry up!
Nathan: I just want to stay in here. You just go quick.
Me: No. You'd melt! (And by the way, for the record, I don't let him stay while I go in, though he does continue to ask, especially at boring stores like Home Depot or Joanns)
Nathan: What?
Me: You'd melt! It's hot! Come ON!
Nathan: How would I melt?
Me: (Now pulling him out of the van) You would get tired and not have enough water in your body, honey. It's hot!
Nathan: (After a thoughtful pause) Oh, is it a figure of speech?

Too smart, that one. : ) He took me literally at first though. I saw those gears turning at the possibility of humans melting like a crayon on hot pavement.

5. My boys. Did I mention my boys? I love them so much, and thoroughly enjoyed playing "It Came to Pass" with them this evening and reading the scriptures with them. We even enjoy calling Rob on the phone at work and putting him on speaker phone for family prayer since he's often at work when it's bedtime (though of course we would rather he were home.

Anyway, I love my boys' quirky personalities.

Bryce with his go-get-'em attitude (even though the downside of his 100%-involved nature is that when he's mad or upset, he fumes or wails like nothing else for a few minutes), Nathan being sharp as a tack and using his inquisitiveness to figure things out all the time, and Jeffrey's laugh when he finds things funny--he loves a good funny bit, whether it be a joke or a youtube video, a pun, or a family goof, like me (or him!) putting the milk in the cupboard because we're not paying attention.

Lazy Way to Post Pics

Bryce's baptism was wonderful, as were all the friends who came to support him. Of course I haven't even downloaded any pics off my camera yet.

But, never fear!

My mama, who came out 2 weeks early and helped me LIKE CRAZY to get ready, wrote about the weekend and posted great pics already!

http://croppertunities.blogspot.com/2009/07/california-there-i-went.html

Why write a great blog post when you can steal one that's already been done? ; )

Bryce is 8!

Bryce turned 8 on Thursday, and has chosen to be baptised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


I'm so excited for and proud of him!


Here is his invite. You can click on it to see his cutie pics more closely: