Check Tom's Blog & Update

Tom actually posted something new (I know, hard to believe). He has a tribute to our new little one and I wanted to post it on my blog, but since Tom made it and he needed some help in actually getting a new post up on his blog, I let him post it. Check it out here.

Well, Carter and I are home now! We left the hospital today (Friday) around 4:00 pm. We are both doing great!

Here is how the delivery went: We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am & my doctor came and broke my water at around 8:00. We had a little scare when the doctor thought the umbilical cord might come out before the head... causing an emergency C-section. But, they moved the baby around and fixed the problem. Once I started having a few stronger contractions, they gave me my epidural (yeah!) around 9:00 and started pitocin, which helps move labor along. Then we just waited until I was fully dilated and the doctor was ready to deliver. I think I pushed about six times and then Carter arrived!

After delivery, we moved rooms and enjoyed a "Celebration Meal" that Tom also got to eat for free. We could order as much food as we wanted (and we did!) and it also included a bottle of sparkling cider served champagne style. The rooms were complete with a double bed (with vibration and massage features), wireless internet, and even remote control window shades. Today, I also enjoyed a complimentary massage! It was great! I'm so glad I chose to have Carter at this hospital.... they really make their patients feel comfortable.

Last night, Jordyn, Evan, and my mom and dad came to meet the baby. Evan really wanted nothing to do with Carter and kept pushing him away when we'd try to get him to hold him. Jordyn seemed happy to meet her brother. I included a video of what Evan was doing most of the time at the hospital. Be sure to watch it until the very end.... it is really funny!

Now we are home and trying to adjust to our new lives. I'm so glad we have my parents to help us until the first of the year. I think it's going to be quite the transition for us! Evan is warming up to Carter too... he kissed him twice tonight and has been walking around imitating the "coos" and "cries" from Carter. We'll keep you posted on our new little guy!

Announcing...

CARTER JAMES BYBEE

Day: 12.27.07
Time: 12:02 pm
Weight: 8lbs. 0 oz.
Height: 19.75 in.

Mom and baby are doing well! We will post more information and photos tomorrow!

Christmas!

Just a quick note before I write about Christmas. I am being induced tomorrow morning at 7:30am! Yippee! We are very excited & nervous too. I'm sure things will go great though. We will post photos on here as soon as we can!

We had a great Christmas. I actually think it was better to have the baby after Christmas. This way, I could fully enjoy Christmas, get lots of sleep, and spend quality time with family. My dad arrived last Friday. Then my brother Dave and his wife Mel, arrived on Saturday. It was so fun having everyone stay here! It really makes you miss family and wish you all lived in the same town. Sunday night we had a nice dinner with everyone, including Mel's parents and Mel's sister & her family. Christmas Eve we went out to breakfast (see post below) and everyone finished up some last minute shopping. Then we head over to Mel's sister's house for a tasty Turkey dinner. We also had the kids act out The Nativity. It was cute! Christmas Day we opened gifts and had a relaxing day. Thank you everyone for the gifts we received! I have to brag about my favorite gift. Tom got me a Garmin Forerunner! It's a GPS system you wear on your wrist, for running. It has all kinds of crazy features to help you train and improve your running. I can't wait to actually be able to use it!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas too! The next post you see, will FINALLY be pictures of the baby!

Mel's niece, Mia, as Mary & Evan as Joseph

Jordyn as a shepherd. Notice the sheep on her lap!

Evan waking up Christmas day and seeing his presents
and toy piano.

Jordyn with one of her favorite gifts, a scarf she got
from one of her teachers at school.

Video Below: One of Evan's favorite gifts was a little piano. Someone actually gave it to us because their kids had outgrown it. We decided to just give it to him as one of his Christmas presents. Imagine, the one present we didn't buy for him was his favorite!

Happy Birthday Jenny!!!

We all want to wish Jenny a Happy Birthday!!! Here we are after our "Christmas Eve" breakfast, in honor of Jenny. I think this might be one of the best traditions ever! And it was probably one of the best breakfasts we've ever had too. Happy Birthday Jenny! We love you!

(In case you can't tell, the sign says "Happy Birthday Jenny". Dad took the photo too. If you want to play a fun little game, try and find dad in the reflection!)

I should have known!

Bad news everyone... I am not being induced this week! I felt like crying after my appointment! I KNEW my doctor wouldn't remember last week's appt. or that he would change his mind! Why did I get my hopes up?... WHY WHY WHY!? And why do doctor's say one thing and then do another?(sigh) I guess I have to get over it now.... or in a few days.

I am still dilated 4cm. I waited for my doctor to talk about inducing me and when he never did... I brought it up. He said he would induce me next Thursday (however, because of this appt. I am NOT going to take what he said as a fact! And of course he didn't schedule it or even write it down.) He is leaving town this Friday and will be back next Wednesday. I could tell he was extremely busy today in his office, probably getting ready to go out of town. I wonder if that is why his attitude about inducing changed so much from last week. Oh, he also told me that I am going to have a good sized baby! What?! Can you believe we were so worried about this baby coming early and NOW they are saying it could possibly be big!? I think I'm gonna go crazy!

Now we are all convinced I am going to have the baby on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day because of my great luck so far! But, once again, I have to remember that this baby will come when it wants to come and I just have to go with the flow. I can't do anything about it!

My next appt. is on Wednesday and hopefully then I will have better news!

Our First Tree

These pictures are from the first part of December, but I am just getting around to posting them! We got to buy our first Christmas tree this year! For the past 5 years, we've always traveled to Montana and Wyoming and spent at least 2 weeks with family. We would always decide not to get a tree because we wouldn't be around much to enjoy it and because of the lack of money! This year, we had to stay home, due to Tom's new job and having the baby.

We are quite proud of our first tree. We tried to keep it as cheap as possible. We found a great deal and bought our "pre-lit, 6.5 ft." tree on sale for $45! It's almost impossible to find a decent tree for that cheap! We were really surprised at how great it looked after we set it up. I bought just a few decoratons to put on it and then we were lucky enough to recieve some very cute ornaments and decorations from Tom's sister, Linda. Thanks Linda! So, I think we outfitted our entire tree for about $60! Now if I could just find a nice looking tree skirt that didn't cost a fortune!

Jordyn really enjoys looking at the tree. One night she managed to roll and scoot her way over to the tree and was kicking the branches and knocking the ornaments off. Evan even does great with the tree. He went a little crazy when we were setting it up and was throwing ornaments everywhere. But, after a few time-outs, he hasn't removed an ornament since!

The Finished Product



My sister-in-law, Maria, tagged us awhile ago to share stories about our
favorite Christmas tree ornaments. So, here is a picture of the FIVE ornaments
we owned before this year! Unlike many in my family, neither Tom or myself came into this marriage with any ornaments! The bride and groom ornament we recieved from my Aunt and Uncle for our wedding.The "Merry Christmas" ornament was made by an eldery lady in one of our first wards after we got married. The others we recieved from family members through the years. I'm sure we will gain more sentimental ornaments over the years.

Growing up, my favorite ornament was a little beaded angel. I remember fighting with my brothers and sisters over who got to hang that ornament. Anyone else remember that ornament? I also loved the stuffed Santa we had that sat on the fireplace.I am keeping my eye out for a cute stuffed Santa to sit on our fireplace! Isn't it funny how you want to have some of the same things for your kids that you remember having when you grew up? I also loved our tree skirt. I'm not sure if I understood what a "tree skirt" was, because I would always wrap it around my waist and pretend it was a real skirt!

Evan eating the decorations.

Appointment Day

Anyone else tired of these updates? I am!

I had my appt. today and not much has changed (surprise)! I am still dilated 3+ and 80% effaced. The doctor says he doesn't know how I've held on this long because the baby is very low. But, he said I still could go another 1-2 weeks.... or have the baby any day! He also acted as if this baby will come very quickly when I do go into labor. That makes me very nervous!

But now for the good news. He asked if I wanted to have the baby before Christmas and of course I said yes! So, he said we would see where I was next week and possibly induce before Christmas! Yeah! I am trying really hard not to get my hopes up, because you know how doctors are... next week he might say,"I don't remember saying that, I don't want to induce you!" But, we figured that he probably would rather deliver a baby before Christmas than on Christmas!

Ward Christmas Party!

The Past Few Weeks

Jordyn starting riding a cute little red bike at therapy! Last week she tried it for the first time and was grinning from ear to ear. This week I got video of it and even though she isn't smiling, I could tell she enjoyed it again. She also works with the therapy dog every week too and they go on a bike ride and walks together. I know most parents think their kids are the cutest and love every little cute thing they do, but I have to say I think this might be the cutest video ever! I think it is the fact that you know Jordyn can't pedal a bike on her own, so to see her pedaling is so cute! (the bike pedals automatically when it's pushed forward)



Most of you know that my mom was kind enough to come and stay with us while we wait for the baby to come. First of all, I have to mention a few things that I have been LOVING while my mom is here. 1. She does the dishes after EVERY meal! I don't know about you, but our sink is usually overflowing with dishes at the end of the day. I don't think I have washed a single dish in the last 2 weeks. 2. I have hardly cooked a meal in the past 2 weeks. She cooks almost everything 3. I have someone to talk to ALL day long! 4. And of course, I have had a lot of help with Evan and Jordyn! Thanks mom!

So, what have we been doing the past few weeks while my mom is visiting? We spend most of our morning taking care of Jordyn & Evan and then getting ourselves ready for the day. The we get Jordyn off to school and usually go shopping to one or two stores, until I get too tired and my feet are sore! We've been taking Evan to the library story time every Tuesday also. Then my mom and I go check out books and other magazines. We also went to the park last week. It was a little cold, so we didn't stay TOO long. But, the kids really enjoyed it, as usual. Today we are baking cookies to freeze. We already froze a pan of turkey enchiladas and blueberry muffins. Isn't baking so fun? Maybe it's because it always taste so good!

We are looking forward to Grandpa's arrival.... we aren't sure when it will be. I guess the new baby will decide that! We have all kinds of activities planned and places to go, but decided it would be more fun to wait for Grandpa for some of them.

The last photo I included is of Evan "cooking". I am sure other parents do this, but it seems like if Evan shows any interest in something, we think that is what he will grow up to do. Now we think he's going to be a chef. He loves to get the pots and pans out and pretend to cook. He also likes to watch the cooking segments on shows. He will even "cook" something and then pretend to feed it to Jordyn! We also think Evan's favorite animal is a dog, because he barks at every animal he sees and seems to LOVE dogs. But, isn't barking one of the first animal sounds most kids make? It's funny how you can take your kids' actions and interpret them! Evan started imitating me when I put my deodorant on and he "styles" his hair in the mirror, like Tom. Oh, he also loves to dance! I've been trying to get video of it, but it seems like he stops whenever I tape him. Hmmm dancing, cooking, and being vain? Maybe we should be worried about Evan!? :)

ANOTHER Update

Had another doctor's appointment today. Once again, nothing too exciting. I am still dilated to a three, almost a four. The doctor said now it is just a waiting game every week, because we really don't know what will happen. I have to keep reminding myself that making it this far and even farther along, is a good thing! I think I keep forgetting how early it still is. If I make it to next week, I will have made it past the time I had Evan! So, that really is a good thing. Hopefully, this week I will get around to posting something other than appointment updates!

Quick Update

I don't have much to report this week. I had my doctor's appointment this morning and didn't find out much. The doc. decided not to check and see how dilated I was. He said now that I've reached 34 weeks, they are not as concerned and checking to see if you're dilated just irritates and "stirs things up" for the baby. I felt exactly the same as last week, with no new symptoms, so the doctor wasn't concerned. Now just more waiting! Every week I go in, he says it could be a couple more weeks. A few more weeks would be a very good thing, but I also want to have this baby! It always drives me crazy, every pregnancy, that you just don't know when the baby will come! Even the doctor has no real idea when the baby will come. I'll update again next week!

This might be my last "Menu Plan Monday" that I post in awhile. I know everyone will miss it so much! You're Mondays just won't be the same without it. After I have the baby, I am sure I won't be cooking very much. But at some point, I don't know when, I will get back to planning meals and cooking again!

I also didn't post our menu last week. We were a little busy the first of the week, with my mom arriving. And then of course it was Thanksgiving and we ate leftovers for the rest of the week. I am already loving the fact that I don't have to cook much while my mom is visiting! I told her the other day that I don't know if I will ever want to go back to cooking all of the time. It's such a nice break!

Monday: Mac & Beef Bake served with green beans

Tuesday: Cooking Class at church (Tom is on his own!)

Wednesday: Angel Chicken w/ leftover rolls

Thursday: Grilled burgers with 5 cup fruit salad

Friday: Out to eat

Saturday: Stir Fry served with egg rolls

Sunday: White Chili served with cornbread

Appointment Update & Happy Thanksgiving!

I made it another week! I had my appointment today and I am now dilated to a three. My doctor said it could be another 1-2 weeks. This is good news! He said if I make it one more week, then they will not try and stop labor. He also said most 34 week babies go home and do not stay in the NICU. The baby is measuring around the size of a 34 or 35 week baby, so that is good too! Once again, I am in the mindset of just making it to my next appointment, on Tuesday. Then we'll take it from there! I can tell the baby is very low and my contractions are getting somewhat stronger. So, keep your fingers crossed that I will at least make it to next week! The pictures above are of me at 27 weeks (left photo) and 33 weeks (right photo - today). I posted them in a little size to create the illusion that I am smaller than I really am!

My mom decided to come and stay with us until the baby comes, which is great! I feel a huge relief that I don't have to worry about calling someone to watch the kids. I worried about what Jordyn would do or having to explain everything we do with Jordyn in an entire day (feeding, naps, meds, behavior problems, etc...it is alot of information to tell someone!). My mom knows most of this stuff already or has been figuring it out quickly the past few days. This way, I can stay off my feet and take it easy while Tom is at work. She got here Monday night and things have been going well. Yesterday, Jordyn had a "Thanksgiving Feast" at school, that all families were invited to. Everyone brought finger food and then we got to stay for an hour and see what goes on during Jordyn's school day. She seemed so happy at school and the teachers thought she was on her best behavior because we were there.

Now we are getting ready for Thanksgiving and starting to bake a few things for tomorrow. We also have a 23 lb. turkey that Tom got from his work. Yes, 3 adults and 2 children are going to eat a 23 lb. turkey! Well, not in one day. We already have many leftovers planned. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Jordyn wearing her Indian hat.

Evan playing at recess with Grandma.

Jordyn playing at recess.

Freakin' Out

Well, I had my doctor's appointment today and got the shock of a lifetime. I am already dilated 2 cm., 50% effaced, & the baby has dropped..... which means I am having this baby a lot sooner than I thought! My doctor said I would be lucky if I make it to 35 weeks and that I might have the baby in the next week or two. AGH! I didn't even know how to react. I had a feeling I might have the baby a little early, but not this early. We are just hoping that the baby will be as big as possible and not have to stay in the NICU for very long or at all. According to my ultrasounds, I could be around 33 weeks instead of 32, so that would help a little I suppose.

I have been really nervous ever since I left my appointment and I am already paranoid about every little contraction (I've had Braxton Hicks contractions for quite awhile now) or feeling I have. I think it will be a LONG week until my next appointment on Wednesday. And sadly, my doc. told us there is no way we can travel anywhere for Thanksgiving. We had planned to go to Wyoming, but that is out of the picture now. We will miss everyone there and hope they don't have too much fun without us!

I feel like I have so much to do to get ready. I had gotten a few of the baby things out of storage, but still need to get many other things ready. I also have so much anxiety all of a sudden! I'm obviously worried that the baby will be too small, will my water break, will I go to the hospital at the right time, will I be able to get an epidural, will the kids be ok while Tom and I are gone, on and on and on. I think most pregnant women worry about these things!

I'll keep you updated!

Monday: Out to eat at Primo's. This is the greatest all you can eat pizza buffet! It's only $5 a person, kids 3 and under are free. It includes pizza, salad, pasta, and dessert. The pizza is good, maybe not as great as the larger franchise's, but really good for $5. We have a coupon for one of us to eat free, so our dinner is costing us only $5! We really love their cookie dough dessert pizza... man it's good!

Tuesday: Chinese Pork Chops w/ mini egg rolls.

Wednesday: Meatball Subs w/ fruit

Thursday: Baked Potato Bar w/ vegetable soup.

Friday: Chicken Quesadillas w/ pressure cooker Pinto Beans

Saturday: Herbed Beef w/ noodles and cooked carrots

Sunday: Chili and Corn Bread

I'm so disappointed in everyone. Well, except for one person... whoever you are. I guess I need to explain why I polled everyone on whether they wear socks to bed or not. Every night when Tom and I get into bed, he tries to rub his cold feet against my warm feet and legs. It drives me CRAZY and he knows it. I tell him to knock it off & of course he thinks it's hilarious and continues. I'll tell him that I am really mad and not joking around.... I'll say, "Get your cold feet off me and put some socks on if you want to warm them up!" He always tells me that no one wears socks to bed and he doesn't like to either.

So, according to my poll, not many other people wear their socks to bed on a regular basis. But, I am still going to wear my socks to bed and Tom can be jealous that my feet are warm and his aren't!

School Photo

Here is Jordyn's school photo. Good enough for me! It obviously could be better, but I never expect them to be too great. You just never know what Jordyn's mood will be for those 2 min. out of the whole day. I wish I would have picked a different shirt though, it looks too big or something. But, I was just happy she wasn't crying like her spring photo!
We also had Jordyn's parent/teacher conference yesterday. They said she is doing great, etc. They also said she has a great set of lungs & that some of the kids always plug their ears when she cries. I just laughed!
PS: Check out the poll on the left side of my blog. Just thought I would try out the new "poll" feature.

I feel like I need to explain our Monday meal. Do you go through phases where you just can't think of something to eat for dinner? I had one meal left to think of for the week and Mac & Cheese with Corn Dogs is what I came up with! I have never seen Evan eat so fast and Tom acted like it was the best dinner he'd ever had. Crazy boys. Corn dogs are really good though!

Another topic: I think the #1 hardest thing when I plan my menus is thinking up side dishes. I tend to use the same ones over and over. What do you use on a regular basis for side dishes? I need some new ideas.

Monday: Homemade Mac & Cheese with Corn Dogs
Tuesday: Chicken Chilaquiles served with green salad
Wednesday: Griller Hamburgers with 5 Cup Fruit Salad
Thursday: Veggie Ravioli served with crescent rolls
Friday: Pumpkin Muffins served with scrambled eggs
(I have to re-make the muffin recipe from last week because I accidentally left out the baking soda! Oops.)
Saturday: Pork Chops served with rice and green beans
Sunday: Country Chicken and Two Cheese Ziti

I've been tagged by my friend Wendy. I am supposed to list seven interesting things about myself. Tom tried to help me and we had fun laughing at all of the weird ideas we came up with. Some of them I refused to mention on here! So here goes: 7 interesting things about myself:

1. One of my biggest pet peeves (among many) is when my socks get wet. If there is a drop of water on the floor and I step in it, I have to go change my socks or it will drive me crazy. The WORST is when there is a wet spot on the carpet, that you can't see, and I step in it.... I will scream and then go change my socks.

2. In high school, I worked at Champs Sports. If anyone knows me, I am not really into any sports... except running. I had NO IDEA who any of the sports teams were or really what I was doing at all. I got the job through a friend and worked there for over a year, I think. Next time you are in the mall and walk by a Champs store, look at the employees and imagine me working there. Pretty hilarious. Now I would love to work there and get a discount on running shoes!

3. I used to have a mole on my neck/shoulder area that I named "Chip", because it looked like a chocolate chip. Luckily, I got it removed before our wedding.

4. I have always wanted to learn to play the harp.

5. Ever since being pregnant, I keep having dreams that I am running races while I am pregnant. Surprisingly, I keep up with everyone and run fast!

6. I had a belly button piercing for a year during my senior year in high school. Have I told my parents this yet? I can't remember.

7. I don't really like pie crust. I love the pie filling though. But, I think I am slowly coming around to eating the whole piece of pie. I think one of my next baking projects will be making my first pie from scratch... we'll see how I like the crust. Oh, I also won't eat store bought Chicken Pot Pie because I don't like that crust either.

The people I am tagging next are, guess who.... my family!

• Tom
• Jenny
• Chris
• Susan
• Maria
• Dave (who are we kidding?)

Jordyn's Physical Therapy

Therapy

Just a note: Check Tom's Blog to see Tom, Jordyn, & Evan in their Halloween costumes.

Here's a quick look at what Jordyn has been working on in physical therapy. She does physical, speech, and occupational at school. We also go to a private physical therapist once a week and are on a waiting list for private speech and occupational therapy. The photos are from yesterday and the week before. Yesterday was fun because she got her first chance to work with a therapy dog. She fussed a little bit at the beginning, but then got used to it and seemed to like it. She threw a ball for the dog to fetch, petted him a lot, snuggled with him on the ground, and the dog ate snacks off her stomach and out of her hand. She has really been making great progress in therapy. She sits unassisted more and more everyday. She is getting good at correcting herself too... if she starts to lean to the side, she will straighten back up and not fall over. But, the best progress of all, she started taking steps! If you've been around her a lot, you might know that when you stood her up she would NOT move her legs. She kept her legs stiff as a board and just never would move them. Now when you stand her up, she almost immediately takes a step. The video is a small look at her "walking". Tom is not helping her move her legs, only leaning her side to side. It takes her a minute to get started, but then she does pretty good! Enjoy!

Monday: Southwest Turkey Melts served with Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Curry Chicken over rice served with Egg Rolls

Wednesday: Pumpkin Muffins with Sausage Egg Squares

Thursday: Pork Chops served with Veggies & Creamy Cranberry Salad

Friday: Tom gone for dinner-eat whatever

Saturday: Order Pizza (I'm so excited!)

Sunday: Broccoli Wild Rice Soup served with Homemade Bread

New Glasses!

Here is a picture of Jordyn's new glasses. I think they look pretty cute on her. Some day I am going to get her a pair of really wild/stylish glasses... I think it would be so funny! I also included pictures of Jordyn, through the years, wearing glasses.

Monday: Blackened Chicken & Beans served with Jasmine Rice (recipe from last week, but never got around to using it)
Tuesday: Eating at my Cooking Skills Class (family eating leftovers)
Wednesday: Girls Night Out
Thursday: Southwest Pasta Bake served with green salad
Friday: Pumpkin Pancakes served with scrambled eggs
Saturday: Church Halloween Party & Potluck (We're taking Chocolate Caramel Bars)
Sunday: Saucy Tarragon Chicken served with green beans

Bored

These photos don't really have anything to do with my post. I feel like I have to include some kind of photo to make my post a little more interesting. I took these photos of the kids recently and thought they were cute. I think Evan looks so grown up in his photo. And Jordyn wanted to show everyone her new trick, biting her shirt. I will walk into the room and find her just sitting like this now!

We are all sick and staying home from church today. I think we are all getting a little bored too, from sitting around for two days. Jordyn has had a "flu bug" since Wednesday and the rest of us have sore throats and colds. I decided the #1 most annoying thing about being a parent is having to clean up vomit. I hate it! I hate that you never know when or where your child is going to throw up. Every little sound or movement Jordyn makes, we're saying,"Agh! I think Jordyn is going to throw up!" You just never know. Jordyn was sad because she had to miss her first primary program today at church and at school she missed seeing a visit from the firefighters. Tom said to Jordyn," I think mommy is the one who is really sad about not seeing the firefighters at school." Maybe he's right, maybe he's not.

Last night we watched Evan Almighty and today we watched the second disc from the Planet Earth Series. If you haven't heard of this DVD you should watch it. We even used it as our Family Home Evening lesson last week and talked about the beautiful world God created. It just makes you realize all of the amazing places and animals that are on this planet. We are always in awe of the animals it shows you from far away countries that you have never even heard of or seen. I wonder if people from other countries see animals from our country and think they are so strange? When we started watching the first disc, we were a little worried because it started out talking about Emperor Penguins! Please, I don't want to watch anymore movies or shows about penguins! Luckily it didn't talk about them too long. Anyways, Planet Earth is a 5 disc set, and we are getting it from our Blockbuster Online membership. It will take us 5 weeks to watch all of the series and we plan to try and watch them on Sundays for something to do.

This past week, before Jordyn got sick, she had a few doctors appointments. First she went to the eye doctor and got some new glasses. The eye doctor said that because Jordyn's eyes aren't crossed permanently, there is nothing they can do. Surgery can actually make it worse in some cases. So, glasses may help and she needs them for farsightedness. I will pick the new pair up this week and will take some pictures of her.

She also went to the Developmental Pediatrician. He specializes in kids behaviors and also finding a diagnosis for their developmental delays. He told us that when he walked in the room, the first thing he thought of when he saw Jordyn was Rett Syndrome! What is it with this disease? It won't leave us alone. He said he does not have any new tests or ideas because she has already had such extensive testing. Then we talked a lot about her "bad" behaviors: hair pulling, kicking herself, not sleeping well at night, irritability, these strange "episodes" she has (they are too hard to describe). After talking to me for awhile, he thought most of her behaviors might be stemming from her not-so-consistent sleeping habits. So, we have one month to try and get her on a strict sleeping schedule. If she starts sleeping well and none of these behaviors are improved, he said we could talk about medication. Now I am pretty dedicated to following our new sleep schedule so that she doesn't have to start on some new medication! Our plan to get her sleeping better is not really new information. We should have been doing this all along. We are supposed to start her bedtime rituals one hour before bedtime (snack - including an over the counter sleep aid called Melatonin, bath, quiet playing/reading) and anything we come up with to help relax her and calm her down before bed. Then, put her to bed at the same time every night, in a very dark room with relaxing music or something that she likes. Wake her up at the same time every morning and have her take a 3o min. - 1 hr. nap at the same time every day. We have been doing these things for one week now and it is going pretty well. We'll see how she does this week when she isn't sick anymore. I actually really like the "hour" of getting the kids calmed and ready for bed. We turn off the TV and play quiet music like Michael Buble, Chris Botti, Enya, or others. It's a great time to relax and just spend quality time with the kids.

The three recipes that I provided links to are all from Light and Tasty... my favorite cooking magazine. I have already made them all several times and we really like them!

Monday: Turkey Tetrazzini served with Salad

Tuesday: Out to dinner.

Wednesday: Lasagna & Steamed Broccoli

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Tom gone for dinner... eat whatever I can find.

Saturday: Hearty Beef Barley Soup served with homemade bread

Sunday: Blackened Chicken & Beans served with rice

Baby Bybee Boy!

I finally got to have my ultrasound this morning and we are having a boy! Of course, we are very excited and are happy that Evan will have a little brother to play with. And Jordyn will have two brothers to protect her! Everything looked great on the ultrasound & I even got to see an "up close" shot of the baby open his mouth and stick out his tongue. It was probably the coolest thing I have seen on any of my ultrasounds because it was so clear and up close. Now we just have to come up with boy names.... I think we will leave the name a surprise, but would love suggestions. Now that we know we are having a boy, I feel like I need to get ready! It is also starting to feel like I don't have too much farther to go, which is always great!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Yesterday we went on a field trip with Jordyn's preschool class to a pumkpin patch. Jordyn got to ride the school bus with her classmates and Evan and I met them there. They did a hay ride, picked pumpkins, walked through a maze, colored & ate snacks. By the time Jordyn got back to school, she was asleep in her wheelchair. It was a fun field trip except it was extremely windy and dirt was flying everywhere! We still had fun!

Below: Jordyn getting pushed through the maze by her teacher & her friend.
The little boy pushing her is also in our ward and is so sweet to Jordyn, as
are many of the kids in her class.

I LOVE this picture... it makes me laugh. Jordyn is taking her
coloring VERY seriously. She's probably thinking,"Leave me alone! I'm coloring!"
Also notice that she is holding onto the crayon all by herself!

Family photo. We are holding the pumpkin that Jordyn picked.