Ella turns 8!!!

Ella turned 8 on the 24th! She is so excited to be 8! Next Saturday (the 5th) she gets baptized. :) We had a wonderful day, and I hope she knows how much we all love and adore her. She got a wiggle cart! Now she can zoom around with her brothers.

Cousin Callie got to come, and we had chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting, with chocolate ice cream and strawberries on top. Definitely my girl!

Wearing new clothes and opening presents!

Poor poor Aaron......he is always messing up his handsome face!! He heard Ella was going to be opening her presents and came running (he says leaping) up the stairs and bashed into the post at the top. Luckily no stitches this time, just a monstrous black eye!

And then he crashed for the rest of the evening.. (don't worry, I did make sure he didn't have a concussion or anything)- it was just tired time!

22 weeks!

Isn't he adorable?! Week 22- and the clot is still getting smaller. It is now 5 1/2 cm.....it is just taking it's time. The doctor said maybe 5 or 6 more weeks. Which of course I'm not holding my breath on that one since he originally told us probably only 3 or 4 weeks. :) 3 months later and..... Oh well- the baby is doing great, and I'm feeling really good.

The GOOD NEWS-----he said I could start doing some things. He said to add one thing new every day. So where do I start?! Any suggestions? Mostly, I've just been on my feet a little more. I would LOVE to go for a walk, but that one might have to wait. He said I could go to church though! So I am looking forward to Sunday. And I don't have to go back to the doctor for another 2 weeks, so that should cut down on some of those bills! Horray!

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible

I really have incredible parents. Not only have they both sacrificed so much to help our family these last 3 months, they also helped make sure I took it easy on the cruise. They are the most amazing people you could ever hope to meet, and they have taught me the meaning of a Christ like love. Thank you mom and dad for everything-I love you. This is mom and dad on top of the double- decker bus in Victoria.

Alaska!!

Adam and I had such a wonderful 2nd honeymoon!! (and we were celebrating our 10th anniversary a little early). It was such a relaxing, breathtaking, and unforgettable vacation. We spent 7 days aboard the "Golden Princess" going up the Inside Passage of Alaska. Here are a handful of photos- enjoy!

We spent a day and a half in Seattle before our ship left. It was a busy city! It was fun to go to Pikes Market though and see all the fish and other things people try to sell you. :)

After a full day at sea (during which we saw sooo many whales) we arrived at Juneau. This is a view from the top of a tram ride I took with my parents while Adam was zip lining. Beautiful!

Juneau- it was such a beautiful day- it ended up being T-shirt weather!

The next day was Skagway. We walked around town, and then took the "White Pass" train ride. It was just gorgeous.....and we saw a bear!

This is downtown Skagway. A tourist trap!

Beautiful mountains on our way to Glacier Bay.

Glacier Bay was one of our favorites. Huge chunks of ice "calve" off the side of the glacier and make an unbelievable sound- the natives call it "white thunder". We watched the glaciers for hours. This glacier moves 7 feet a day, so there is lots of activity.

In Ketchikan we went to a lumber jack show! It was a riot! Adam won a piece of wood! hehehe. We left it there!

This was the lumber jack show. Complete with log rolling, and ax throwing. FUN!

Victoria, British Columbia was absolutely stunning. Adam and I want to go back there just to visit. It has AMAZING buildings, and gardens and museums. This is the beautiful Empress hotel where the queen stays when she comes. You can kind of see the balcony she steps out and waves from.

Another view of Victoria and the Empress hotel- from across the bay.

It was chilly that night in Victoria! You can kind of get a glimpse of my 5 month belly. :) People on the ship could not believe we were pregnant with our 5th. :) Me neither! We seriously had the time of our lives. And thankfully, no problems taking it easy (my doctor will be happy to know). I still feel great, and can feel this little guy moving all the time- which is such a blessing.

It was such a nice vacation and I loved spending time alone with Adam, and it was nice that my parent's could come. I love Adam more every day, and it's always wonderful to have some good memories!

He was glad :)

At our 20 week visit today our doctor said he was glad he didn't tell us to cancel the cruise!! (Which is good, because we leave tomorrow) :) Things are looking pretty good, and he even said I am "almost out of the woods". But he said I still need to obviously take it easy on the cruise and continue to be a couch potato. However, I am even on 2 week visits now instead of 1 week visits. So hooray!
The clot is roughly the same size as last week, but it is completely separated from the placenta. I guess they were either attached or touching before--but now they are not. So the doctor said that was REALLY good. And the ultra sound tech lady- who we really like- said the baby is obviously not affected at all by the clot. He's growing and developing really well. We are so blessed in so many ways. This has been an answer to many prayers.

Mother's Day

This was inside a Mother's Day card Ella gave me today....I love it! Getting cards like these make me really sit back and appreciate what is most important in my life---and the laughs I get.

Week 19

I think this is week 19. I've actually lost track- they all kind of run together!! Today the news at the doctor was better again! Horray! The blood clot is 2cm thinner but still about the same length. But it is definitely thinning out! They did a thorough check of the baby this week. Everything checks out great, so that is such wonderful news to us! He was moving around like crazy- which is a good thing. :) We are so blessed. Cute profile for this week. :)

He cannot keep his hands away from his face. I love it! I wonder if he'll be a thumb sucker. The due date was moved up a couple of days- which is fine by me! The doctor says to still lay low, but that's ok- we'll get this blood clot kicked soon!