Babies Galore!

Jackson Rife, 7 months

Tyson Kemp, 8 weeks

Alyssa Read, 10 weeks

The babies above are the 3 of the newest members of our family (we've gained 4 new babies in the past 7 months and in the next 4 months we'll be gaining 2 more - including Sawyer!). This past weekend we were fortunate to go to Oregon and spend some time with family from near and far, who all gathered to attend the blessing of baby Tyson.

My brother David, his wife Kelli, & their new little son Tyson - what a beautiful family!

It was so fun to spend time with family that we haven't seen for quite some time (some that Jacob hadn't even met yet!). We played games and held babies and ate good food.

Great-grandpa Millard & Great-grandma Iris were just thrilled to see so many new little ones!

And baby Jack stole Jacob's heart - he had so much fun playing with him and watching his happy smiles as he jumped and jumped (new nickname: jumpin' jackson!) Jacob had much to say about all the fun he had with Jackson and admitted that he is really excited to become a daddy (maybe Sawyer will also enjoy jumping?) It was fun to watch them! It was just plain fun to be with our family. And here's one last photo that I couldn't resist showing off, of little Jack. Doesn't he just make you drool? Yeah for family and lots of adorable babies!

Tysha's Working on a Soccer Ball

As Tysha was preparing for a night out yesterday she said to me, "So, do you think it looks like a soccer ball yet?"

Well, she's definitely showing now. And the comments have begun but nope, she has not yet reached soccer ball status. Curiously, Tysha has had to have many reassurances from me that yes the baby is growing and yes, the doctor said everything looks great. A word to the wise, never tell a woman who is pregnant, "My you're small, are you sure the baby is growing?"


Not a good thing to say. I know for a fact that Tysha has spent a few nights staring wide eyed at the ceiling with both hands on her belly, probably mentally coaxing Sawyer to put on some poundage! I was grateful to a doctor who said on our last visit that Sawyer was the perfect size for perfectly cute, small Tysha. We definitely don't want Sawyer to be jumbo size. Ugh! I shudder to imagine.

So I'll take my cute wife with half a soccer ball rather than the whole thing. At least for now. I'm sure she's got some more soccer ball growing to come in these last 12 weeks.

No Sweet Dreams...But Very Sweet Jacob

Throughout my pregnancy, I have suffered occasionally from spells of insomnia. Last night was "one of those nights." Having done work as a therapist, I have tried everything I prescribed for patients to try (besides melatonin and other meds, of course). Nothing seems to work. So last night I was in bed between 9:30-10pm and up bright-eyed just before 2am. Oh Joy! I got out of bed so I wouldn't drive myself insane tossing and turning, made some warm milk - did everything except scrub the bathroom floor with a toothbrush, and still I couldn't sleep. I am positive the nights I can't sleep, Jacob notices. He wakes up, notices I'm gone, and meanders, almost comatose, into the living room where he usually sees me on the couch drinking tea or warm milk, or just sitting there, both hands on my belly trying to figure out which way Sawyer is doing his gymnastics (great entertainment between the hours of 2-4am!) Maybe this is all just nature's way of preparing me for being sleep deprived after Sawyer arrives and gets 2am and 2pm all mixed up? Luckily, it hasn't been as bad as the first trimester - but I am starting to worry it might only get worse during this last trimester!?!

So the sweetest thing is that when Jacob got back from working out at the gym this morning (he leaves at 5:55am 3Xweek to swim or workout) he brought me a surprise...a yummy sweet cinnamon roll. He said he knew I had a hard night so he wanted to at least make sure my day started out with a smile. How could it not get off to a good start with a cinnamon roll? Jacob and I vowed before we even got married not to call each other things related to food (ie. honey, sweetie, cupcake, sugar etc.) But I have to break the rule: Jacob is the sweetest guy I know, he's always doing things to make me happy - and that can be a challenge sometimes with a pregnant wife. I sure do love my man! Thanks Sweetie!!!