Sunday, November 1, 2009

Trick or Treat




at least by 15 and 17, you can get them to pose and smile



the loot!
Thanks for the AWESOME costumes Grannie Annie!

A Happy Apple Halloween

Watch out Edward Cullen!

his victim doesn't look too scared

trading secrets with Carson

H gets a swing at the pinata


Thursday, October 29, 2009

30 Weeks

Here we are at just over 30 weeks. I had a midwife appointment last week. I about cried when I got on the scale. I have put on about 30 pounds! It doesn't make sense (as I explained to my midwife). I eat healthy and exercise, a lot. She didn't give me a hard time for gaining too much, all she said was, "Well, as we get older our metabolism does slow down." So, I have been trying to eat a little less and cut out some of the junk, not easy to do around my family and with the holidays. And it's one thing to be hungry when you aren't pregnant, but you just can't be when you are because along with hunger comes no energy and nausea (at least for me).
I really want to do a natural childbirth. And the more I read (I highly recommend "The Thinking Women's Guide to a Better Birth"), the more convinced I become that it's really the way to go (and the way nature intended). But when I think about how much pain you're in and for how long, I have my doubts that I can/want to do it. Plus, I'm planning on a big baby (which is actually better to have without an epidural so you can get in a better position). And although, I don't think the size of the baby really matters if you have an epidural, I'm sure it does if you don't. I just had a friend, who also really wanted a natural childbirth, have an 11lb 7oz baby eventually via c-section, my worst nightmare. So, could I please have a short labor and a small baby!
And the comments keep coming. Still more of the "you're so huge", "are you sure you're just having one" etc. I just respond with a "yes, so I've been told many times." But soon, they might get a punch in the face! A couple weeks ago, I was walking into teach my yoga class. I had had a good run, taken a shower, had make-up on, got the kids there relatively easy and was feeling pretty good. And I was greeted with, "Oh, Rebekah, are you all right?" As if I looked like I was about to die! As her friend is trying to help her get her foot out of her mouth, she said "It's just the mother in me". And I say, "Well, the mother in you should know that that's not what a pregnant women wants to hear." I'm sure I was putting out a lot of negative energy in that class. Perfect for yoga!

The Weekend

Last weekend, we took a short trip to Farmington, NM to see my family (grandparents, parents, Camera, Jonathan, Kami and kids). We were only there Sat. and Sun., but we had a good time and the kids really enjoyed being together.
Here is H trying to fit into a cradle that my grandfather made. Notice all the bears around. My mom makes those and has scores of them around the house. She eventutally donates them the Humanitarian Aid.

Ellie and H


Darien, C, and Annie (it's impossible to get kids to pose)

While we were in Farmington, Lily and Emma had the Homecoming Dance.




Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Update on the kids...

Here is the baby at 28 weeks. Sometimes I feel huge and others not. I think it largely depends on what I am wearing. I am not anxious to have a newborn at all, but I am anxious to not be pregnant anymore. This time has been much more uncomfortable because C and H are literally climbing me at all times. And because of that, I think my uterus is in protection mode all the time, which means it feels like it is always contracted/tight. Plus I really don't like to be fat!
Hannah is still a pretty good little girl, but she is starting to pick up on C's bad habits/traits. She is becoming quite demanding and always wants her way. AND she grabbed my hand the other day and said, "Mom, play with me." She finally went down the slide for the first time by herself last week. I didn't really realize what she had done at first because I was too concerned with the poop in her diaper getting smashed (obviously she isn't potty trained). But when I realized she had gone down the slide, I was so happy. That means I don't have to go down with her anymore, which was getting pretty uncomfortable. She is apparently seeing monsters. She doesn't seem to be scared, but she will say, "Mommy, mon-her over there." I just tell her to tell the monster to go away. It is too cute when she says, "Bo-way mon-her. ROAR." When I put her down for naps or bed, I can hear her telling the monsters to go away. And this morning, Chuck told me she climbed in her crib to get some toys and climbed back out. Just last night we were talking about sleeping arrangements for after the baby is born. It looks like H might be into a regular bed before we had planned.
Cameron is still Cameron. Although, yesterday as I was watching Y&R (I know I know) and folding laundry (no, I don't just sit and eat bon-bons as I watch) he did play by himself for about 45 minutes. I was in shock. He rarely cries anymore when I leave or am gone when he gets up. I've been rewarding him for getting himself dressed in the morning, so that is rarely a fight anymore. And he is finally sleeping thru the night (knock on wood). I'm not sure how it happened. He was and is getting rewarded for it, however I don't think that's it. But over the last two months or so, he's only gotten up about 2 or 3 times. He still demands me around and when I don't do what he wants, he will threaten me, like "If you don't get over here by the time I count to 5, I am not going to play with you." He doesn't seem to get that it's not me that is wanting to play, but him.
Unfortuntaley, I don't have much I can report on Lily and Emma. We haven't seen much of them lately. But Lily did tear her ACL playing football, so I guess her football days are over. Other than that, they seem to be good.
Okay, here is an explanation on the pictures below. It is mid-October. It was probably about 65 degrees this morning. C got it in his head yesterday that he wanted to get the slip-n-slide out. I told him that we would get the hose out and get wet, then if he still wanted to get the slip-n-slide out, we would. Well, my plan backfired, 1 that he would forget about it and 2 he would decide it was too cold outside. First thing this morning, he asked to do it. When I got home from my run, he had his swimsuit on. So, after getting wet, we dragged the slip-n-slide out from the shed where it has been for 3+years, not being used. It worked great for a couple minutes, but then sprung a leak, so water wouldn't spray out. I offered to hold the hose and spray it over them (Hannah had decided to she wanted in on the fun by now), but they didn't want that. So, they just played on top of the wet slip-n-slide for 20 minutes or so. Crazy kids!




Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Sneakers: Listeners' Stories Laced with Love

Last week, All Things Considered reported about the 60-year-old feud between sporting giants Adidas and Puma being put on hold for a day for a soccer match to celebrate International Peace Day.
Adidas and Puma make some of the most iconic shoes. And people are passionate about their sneakers, running shoes, tennis shoes — whatever you want to call them. So, NPR asked listeners to share their favorite sneaker stories and photographs of their shoes.
Here is my story (the full version):
My sneakers are neither Puma nor Adidas, but Asics; the 2130's to be exact. At the time I discovered they were my "shoe"mate, it was the year of the 2050's. We have run together for many consecutive years, without a break and without any serious injuries. We've run numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and marathons. As well as several triathlons and a 195 mile relay race. We run on the canal banks, the trails, the road and occasionally the treadmill. We run in the dark, the light, the rain and the hot hot Arizona summers. We have run through 2 pregnancies and are currently running through a third. We run with my husband, sisters, brothers, friends, and kids. Our favorite distance is the half-marathon. We love to run at dawn and especially in the rain. Our next event: the Turkey Trot 2-mile family fun run with my 4-year old and baby in utero!
Although my story didn't make it on the air, it was featured on their website. If you like to check it out, go to
It is the 13th story.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Seattle and Zion National Park

The weekend before last, I was invited to go with Charity and Camera to Seattle. We left on Friday and come home Monday. We stayed downtown and did all the tourist things; the space needle, harbor tour, Pike's Market Place, the Glass and Flight Museums etc. We also did some hiking outside of Seattle. To my dismay, we did not get any rain and barely even any clouds. Since Chuck was going to have to take a couple days off anyway, he decided to take the kids on an "adventure". So, they went to Zion's National Park to camp. They had a great time and Chuck said the kids were perfect! They left on Thursday and come back Monday, leaving me with some alone time, in which I was very productive. Chuck took the camera, so here are some pictures from their trip. We took pictures in Seattle with Camera's camera, so I'm not sure I'll ever see those. If I do, I'll post them.