Our Little Family

Good Bye 2011, you were good to us.

2012-01-04T09:40:00.001-08:00

Scott and Annaleese - December 2011 - I love it.

We found out we were expecting again in February. The U/S is at 8 weeks

Our first family vacation. Disneyland in May.

The morning Peyton was born. October 7, 2011

Spice. Joined our family in June.

Bubba. We found him in our yard. We fostered him for a bit. He now has a forever home.

September: Annaleese turns 3! Tangled Theme party and a Bounce House to celebrate.

Our Annual Easter Egg Coloring Party. April.

October: 4 generations.

December: Annaleese is SO into Christmas. What fun!

October: Pumpkin Patch Fun.

December : Peyton visits Santa, Annaleese refused.

This time last week...

2011-10-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

This time last week, Scott, Joe( my father-in-law), Cortney, and I were sitting around in the Delivery Room of St. Louise Regional Hospital. Waiting. Waiting for labor to progress. Waiting to see what Peyton would look like. Waiting. Waiting to meet her, finally.

I can't believe a week ago I was still pregnant. I can't believe it's been a week. A week ago we were waiting impatiently for our lives to change for the better.

I can't believe tomorrow Peyton will be one week old. It's gone by fast and slow at the same time.

*These are the moments

I know heaven must exist

These are the moments

I know all I need this

I've found all I've waited for

And I could not ask for more*

Peyton's Nursery

2011-10-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Peyton's Nursery so far.

TOMORROW! or Friday

2011-10-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow or Friday could be the day we finally meet Peyton. I had my 39 week prenatal appointment this morning, and we decided tomorrow would be a good day to induce labor. We go in at 11:30 AM tomorrow to get the process started.

I am excited, teary eyed, and feel like I'm going crazy all at once.

Excited - to finally meet little Peyton.

Teary eyed- because today is our last day with Annaleese as an only child, and because some family members who are no longer with us, cannot be here . And some friends are just too far away to be here as well.

Crazy- Because I'm trying to make sure everything is in order. Last minute cleaning. Making sure I have everything packed that I need, that Annaleese needs, and things that probably really don't matter.

We knew this day was coming, and are excited it has finally arrived, I can't help but feel a little anxious that our lives will change forever. Last time it was just Scott and I, now Annaleese is here too, and well, I guess she'll do well with it too.

Funny Story...Scott doesn't think so...

2011-10-04T18:36:00.001-07:00

I guess you'll need a little back story for this... here goes.

In the last couple of weeks, as the due date approaches, Annaleese has started to become increasingly attached to me. Not always a bad thing, but it has definitely started to wear on my nerves. It has not been unnoticed by Scott either. So in an effort to give me some time to my self, he asked Annaleese to go to the mall with him. Which resulted in a little bit of a tantrum. After some coaxing on my part I was able to get her dressed and ready to go. She was under the impression I would be going to. I felt a tiny bit bad about that. So off to the mall they went.

When they returned home, I heard all about the GREAT time she had with her Daddy. Dinner, the Disney store, etc. She and Scott even brought me home some flip flops, since that's all I can get my ginormous feet into.

Annaleese told Scott to give me my gift. I thought nothing of it, and Scott told her that he had already given me the sandals.

The next day Annaleese and I spent the day with some friends at Gilroy Gardens. It was good for her to get out and make her self tired. We get home, get comfy. I start working on some things for Peyton's nursery. Annaleese disappears in my room with Scott and starts to tell him about her day.

A few minutes later she come out to the dining area where I was working. She grabs my hand, and tells me to come with her because Daddy has something for me. She's whispering the whole time. So I get up and go with her. She leads me into the room. I tell Scott that she told me he had something for me. I mistakenly assumed that he had sent her to get me. So he tries to play it off like she doesn't know what she's talking about. Annaleese wont let it go. She puts her finger in front of her mouth, like you would when you are trying to tell someone to be quiet, and say's in a whispering voice ," Remember Daddy the surprise for mommy?" Still whispering, " Remember the pretty thing you bought her?" Still going on she says, " Remember the surprise?"

At this point I'm laughing because she totally just gave Scott's surprise for me up. I know he has something for me, and so does he. But I also knew I wasn't supposed to have it yet.

So he digs out a box with a necklace in it. It's Peyton's birthstone. He had planned to give it to me at the hospital after she was born. It's beautiful and I love it, and the memorable story I get to share when people ask me about it.

3 Years Old

2011-09-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

Today, at 5:43 a.m. Annaleese turned 3 years old. I can hardly believe it's been that long already. It went by so quickly. She is such a fun little girl. So smart, funny, and many other things. I look at pictures and realize how much she has grown. It's funny how pictures are the only way you see the growth, day to day you don't really see it.

I look forward to this new year, and am excited to see her grow, learn and play. I am excited to see how she takes to her fast approaching role as a big sister as well.

Happy Birthday, Annaleese!!

We love you so much!

'Tangled' up in Birthday Fun

2011-09-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we celebrated Annaleese's 3rd birthday, with family and friends. The kids jumped in the bounce house, and even spent some time in the pool. The party went off with out a hitch and was a complete success.

Annaleese's favorites was the bounce house, her special Rapunzel cake, and of course opening presents. Watching and listening to her react to the gifts was the best part for me. She has so much personality. I just love it.

Hospital Tour

2011-09-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, Scott and I took a tour of the Maternal Child Unit at St. Louise Regional Hospital. Located here in Gilroy, it is about a 10 minute drive from our home, is where we will be delivering our newest Edition.

The hospital is small, compared to Kaiser, where we had Annaleese, but seems very nice. Scott and I have heard nothing but good things about it. Since we've only ever visited the emergency room, we thought it might be nice to see the maternity ward. I'm glad we did. They have 4 delivery rooms, two smaller rooms, and two larger rooms. We were only able to see one of the smaller rooms, which we were told may or may not be where we deliver. Usually the smaller rooms are where you are kept while they check you out and see if you are ready to stay or not. If they are not busy and a larger room is available we will be moved and that is where we will deliver.

We were not able to see a postpartum room, because they were occupied. Apparently they had a busy week. Unfortunately we may not have a private room. Each room has to beds, and if they are at capacity I will have to share. However, the nurse told us, they will usually pair us up with someone who is likely to be discharged soon.

After the tour we were able to pre-register, so we are pretty much ready to go. We just have to wait it out now.

Today I am officially 36 weeks, and next week will be considered full term!

Our House Guest

2011-08-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

This passed Saturday night, just before mid night, Scott and I were talking in the living room when we heard a whimpering cry. We looked at each other, I told him that it wasn't from our dogs. So we went out front and at the edge of the grass we found a little puppy. We gathered him up and brought him inside.

Unsure of his exact breed we held him and soon discovered he was flea infested and dirty. It was apparent he had been mistreated or wondering for quite some time. We bathed him, and treated him for the fleas.

The next day we took him to the local pet shop and were told he's mostly likely a Chihuahua-terrier mixed, most likely a Jack Russell. He's anywhere from 8-12 weeks old.

We're going to keep a look out for missing pup posters, etc. And then we'll either give him to a family who has the time and energy for him, or take him to a no- kill shelter while he's still cute and adoptable.

Meet Spice

2011-08-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Better late then never, right? Meet Spice, our newest pet family member. Scott and Annaleese picked her up at an animal shelter in Monterey , Ca on June 25th. She's a 9 year old chihuahua. She's actually got some teeth! Apparently Scott had been searching the internet for a , dare I say, "replacement" for Chewy. I had taken the loss hard, and coupled with all the pregnancy hormones was still missing him.

Update...9 weeks until the due date!

2011-08-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

31 weeks along today. I Had an prenatal check up yesterday. Baby Payton is doing well, she's caught up and is measuring normal size. 31 cm on the dot. Lately she had been measuring about 3 centimeters big. Heartbeat was normal. I'm keeping track of her kicks on my Kick Count Card every night. So all is well.

About 2 or so weeks ago I began experiencing numbness in my right arm/ hand. Sometimes the pain resembles the feeling of a limb falling asleep. You know that tingling sensation. Other times its numb. And is sometimes accompanied by weakness in my hand. It sometimes feels arthritic. It makes it hard to hold a pencil to write, etc. I talked to my doctor about this, she said it's completely normal. And it should disappear by delivery or shortly there after.

My back pain has finally subsided, and only acts up if I've been too active. But the sciatica has begun to flare up. So I'll be seeing my chiropractor shortly to see if there is anything she can do to alleviate the symptoms.

We've made progress in the nursery, though not as much as I would like. The walls are painted, and need a couple touch ups. The painters tape peeled some paint of the walls in a couple spots. Scott and I painted the window mouldings, yes it was a joint effort. My hand went numb, so he finished. I moved the dresser out of Annaleese's room into Payton's this week. I started hanging an putting away some of the baby clothes that have been in boxes for a while. I'm trying to organize the closet. I need more hangers for that to happen though. Most of the items in the closet are boxes of clothes.

I'm hoping that Scott can get the ceiling fan installed soon. We have very little access to the room from above, so it makes it hard to run the wiring. More than likely he will only be able to mount it , and then plug it in to the wall. I was hoping we would be able to hide any wiring, but I don't think we have much of an option.

Not much else going on here.

24 weeks

2011-06-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my 24 week appointment. All is well. Normal heart rate. Normal size although on the high side of normal. Instead of measuring 24 cm I'm measuring 27cm. Doctor said 3 cm on either side of 24cm is normal. It is the second time that I've measured big. Maybe this little one will be a couple weeks early. I'd prefer that over having a HUGE kid.

BIg Girl Bed

2011-05-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight we made our first step in getting ready for the new baby. We got Annaleese her new "Big Girl Bed". She wasn't to thrilled of the idea while we were at the store checking things out. But as soon as Scott got the crib moved out and the new bed set up, and we put the new bedding on she's on cloud nine. Along with the Bed she got a little night stand. She's pretty happy with it all now. She's been calling Scott and I in her room all night long. Asking us to come in a read a story in her bed, or just wanting us to be there to show us her in her bed. And asI write this she is jumping up and down singing " I get to sleep in my new bed". It's pretty cool that she's so excited, we will see how the first night in her new bed actually goes.

Movement

2011-05-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Monday May 9, I started feeling the first little flutters of the baby move. I wasn't certain that's what I was feeling, but by Wednesday night I decided that that is for sure what it is. It's exciting to be able to feel her tiny kicks and punches.

It's a Baby Sister for Annaleese!

2011-05-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Well Monday my intuition was once again proven right! I knew from the beginning, as I did with Annaleese, that we were going to have another girl.

Now we get to begin getting the new nursery ready for her. Just some minor stuff. The ceiling in the back room needs to be textured, something the previous owner never did after they scraped the popcorn off. We also need to get a light wired in the room. Both of which are pretty easy to do, or at least looks that way. Then it's on to painting and installing base board. I can't wait.

Nana is going to make new crib bedding for this little girl too. I love this idea. Now each girl will have a piece of their infancy to keep and pass on to their children. (Crazy thought!)

Other than that we have pretty much everything else we need. Just a few odds and ends.

Annaleese is getting excited about getting a new big girl bed and room. We've been checking out bedding at Target and Walmart, and she's pretty much set on getting a princess comforter.

And just in case you are curious about what we are going to name this little one, well ...there's nothing to tell. We haven't really even talked about it yet.

Progress

2011-05-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple ultrasounds from 16 weeks ( last week) in 3D. And a belly photo at 17 weeks and a couple days.

Play Our Game

2011-04-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

May 9,2011 we find out the sex of baby Alarid. Click on the link below to enter a guess of what the sex, weight, length and birthday will be.

http://www.expectnet.com/games/AnAlaridBaby

We look forward to your guesses.

Easter Party Fun

2011-04-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well today we held Annaleese's Second Easter Party. Complete with egg coloring and a hunt. Her guests brought yummy food to share. And she even made two new friends in the process.

This year, things seemed to flow a little more smoothly. The egg coloring wasn't choatic, like it was last year. I loved watching the kids hunt for eggs this year. All the kids got the concept and needed little or no help from all of the adults.

Dad brought a delicous turkey he smoked yesterday. We made sandwiches with it. YUM. Nana outdid herself. She made a great Japanese style salad, an oyster dip, and a triple layer chocolate mousse thing with Raspberries in it.

Grandma brought a bunny themed cupcake cake for the kids.

News Flash!

2011-03-14T17:00:00.001-07:00

Our Family Is Growing.

Our Newest Member is due to arrive 10/12/11

Air Pane

2010-12-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

Annaleese was able to take a ride on an airplane, or as she says "air pane" , to go visit Grammie, and Jessica. She did pretty well. She just had a mini melt down at the last leg of the flight. She didn't want to wear her seat belt, cried and threw a small fit about it. She enjoyed looking out the window, eating her pretzels and apple juice though. All in all it was pretty much what I expected, after all she is just two.

Find a Moon, Daddy.

2010-11-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Annaleese is fascinated by the moon, the stars, and the air. It's really cute, and her new nightly routine is to ask Scott to take her to find the moon. She says to him, " Find a mooooooon, Daddy." He'll pick her up, take her out side and they'll look for the moon. And before she comes back in she'll make sure to say " Goodnight moon, goodnight stars, goodnight air."If other people are around she'll try and get them to take her out too. One night she got Scott, Grandpa, Grandma to take her out to find it.

If we're in the car and she spots it, she'll tell us repeatedly " There it is. There's the moon."

It's a pretty fun little phase she's in. Makes me smile thinking about it.

She's TWO!!!

2010-10-21T17:38:00.001-07:00

Well She's finally two years old. I love the little person she is becoming everyday. She has such personality, and is , or wants to be, fiercely independent.

We celebrated her birthday twice. On her actual birthday , September 29th, we had our friends over for dinner. Annaleese blew the candles out on the brownies I baked, and it was a pretty mellow night. Earlier that day Cortney stopped by with a gift for Annaleese, and Scott and I gave her the trike we picked out for her.

On October 2nd, we had a family party for her. My parents, Scott's Mom, Brother and his family came and a few other family friends showed up for the occasion. Annaleese's favorite part of the day was opening the gifts.

Almost 2

2010-09-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that Annaleese will be two years old at the end of the month? I'm happy, sad and every other emotion all in one.

The last few months Scott and I have watched her blossom into a toddler. She is able to communicate with us so well. She speaks to us in simple sentences or phrases now.It's nice that she can tell us what she wants, or needs from us.

For the last 2 months or so she's been taking swim lessons through the Little Honu Swim School here in Gilroy. She's making a lot of progress, but is still leery about submerging her face under water. All In time I suppose.

We've been telling her that her birthday is coming up and that she will be turning two. We hold up two fingers when we tell her. She holds up her hands and trys so hard to hold up two fingers and tell us, but she doesn't have the skills to pull that one off quite yet.

As always she is the reason for the smiles that grace our faces when she's around.

Piggy

2010-05-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just thought that I would share these photos. Annaleese loves her piggy bank. If I ask her if she wants to feed her piggy, she runs to her room and reaches for it. She'll drop coins in the slot and then usually hug it, but this time she kissed it.

Pretty Piggy

2010-05-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well I finally Did it, for months now I have been seeing the most adorable piggy banks at Target. Thinking to my self that would be so cute for Annaleese. Finally, I broke down and bought one for her. Sometimes she wakes up and wants to pet the "Pretty Piggy" in the morning.

Easter Party

2010-04-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Annaleese, with help from Scott and I, hosted her first Easter party. It was really a good time, and the most fun I've had coloring eggs and hunting them in a long time.

Five of Annaleese's friends and their parents , and grandparents showed up to celebrate with her! After appitizers and pizza, we hunted for Eggs, Spent some time in the grass checking out what was inside them.

Next it was time to Color the eggs, which turned out to be a little bit of a mess. Annaleese dumped two cups of Dye, and successfully turned her hand green.

The artistry didn't end there, we brought out some sidewalk chalk and now we have some beautiful pictures, and scribbles out on the drive way.

About an hour after everyone left, Annaleese and Scott crashed out on the sofa.

What a Great Day. Happy Easter Everyone, we hope you enjoy the day with family and good friends.

Click the link to check out more photos,

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/EasterParty2010#

Easter Bunny

2010-03-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today, Annaleese, Cheryl, and I visited the Easter Bunny. At first Annaleese walked right up to him , held his hands, and was all smiles. As soon as I put her up on his lap, she wasn't too sure about the whole thing. She didn't cry though!

Exciting Family News!!

2010-03-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

Annaleese has a new baby cousin! Paige Marie Alarid was born 3/13/10 ! We are so happy for Ryan, Aimee and Grady, and cannot wait to meet their newest addition!

Not a baby Anymore

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

Well It's finally dawned on me that my precious baby girl is not a baby anymore, she has become a full fledge toddler. She walks, runs, dances, talks a little, and much more. It amazes me how smart she is. She can now show you where her head, nose, ears and fingers are when you ask her. She also lifts up her shirt, and sometimes mine or scotts, shirt to show off her belly button.

She still loves books over most other toys. She plays tea party with her tea set. She often brings scott or myself a cup and pretends to drink out of it. When ready the "Very Hungry Caterpillar", she will pretend to eat all of the yummy treats the catepillar eats on Saturday's page.

She dances, and shakes her butt. She still LOVES bathtime, and enjoys trying to brush her teeth.

She loves her reflection. Many times Scott and I find her in our room in front of the closet mirrors, making faces, posing, dancing. talking, or pointing to her self. When we put a hat on her she runs to anywhere she can see herself, it's very cute.

She shakes her head "no", although she doesn't really know what it means to do that. Thanks Papa for teaching her, it's cute for now. LOL

At the park she climbs on the toys geared for the smaller kids, she'll go down the slides on her own, and crawl through the tubes also! At the big kids playground, we climb the stairs together, walk over the bridge back and forth and eventually go down the big slides together.

She's learned how to climb on to the sofa's and can usually get off without incidents.

She's still not big into TV - which personally I am proud that she doesn't. I'd rather her read or play with toys, or friends. I've made it a point to watch less TV myself.

So as you can see, she's growing up. Showing us more of her personality and intelligence, and making us smile all the time!

Another First

2010-01-19T11:47:00.000-08:00

Last night was truly a long night, a little scary, but in the end all for the best. We had to take Annaleese to the emergency room at 3 am this morning.

The last couple days Annaleese had had a fever, and I just thought it was another cold coming on. Except that yesterday her fever peaked at 102* and stayed there, dispite the tylenol she had been given. She developed an innocent little cough during the day, which would later prove to be more than just a "little cough". She woke up coughing at 11pm and never went back to sleep. The cough started to sound worse and she began having some trouble with her breathing.

I stayed out in the living room with her and with each little coughing spell, the look on her face became more and more worrisome. I was starting to not only feel badly for her, but also a bit scared to leave her. I called the nurse and was eventually told to take her in to emergency.

Within minutes of being in the room the Doctor came in, said she had Croup, and sent a nurse in to give her a nebulizer treatment. Within minutes of breathing in the mist you could hear the difference.

Annaleese hated it. Scott and I took turns holding her still so we could make sure that the vapor was inhaled by her. That was hard. She was crying like i'd never heard her cry before. I heald back my tears, as well as her little arms and legs.

She's doing well now, very tired, and a little cranky. She sounds so much better. It will take about a week for the virus to run its course and she should be back to her normal sweet funny self. She has a follow up appointment with her doctor tomorrow.

So this was her first trip to the ER, and while I know it wont be the last, I hope that it doesn't happen anytime soon.

Christmas Time!

2009-12-27T12:56:00.001-08:00

I can hardly believe that this is Annaleese's second Christmas, but the first she actually got in to. I think she made Christmas for us this year, it was mostly centered around her, at least at our house anyway.

My mom and I took her to sit on Santa's lap. She was less than thrilled to meet him. At first I thought she would be okay with him, she was touching his hand, and smiling at him, but as soon as I started to set her down in his lap, she curled up her bottom lip and as it started to quiver a tear fell from her eye. We managed to get a decent photo, but it's a very serious look on her face.

Grammie and Papa Joe were here to spend Christmas Eve and morning with us. Grammie and I took Annaleese to see a couple houses with Lights, and she loved them both.

Christmas Morning, she ran straight to the table and chairs Grammie and Papa Joe got for her. She played with the tea sets she got, her new dolly and stroller, and climbed inside the tent she got as well.

Later we all went to my family's home for Christmas dinner, and more gifts. Annaleese recieved the most gifts there as well. She got a couple puppets, a dolly, a table and chairs set especially for Grandma and Grandpa's house. But my personal favorite gift she recieved was the handmade stocking that Nana cross stiched for her. It's beautiful. I cried. Nana made me one many years ago - and it is one of my prized Christmas decorations. I know that one day Annaleese will appreciate the love that went in to the creation of that Stocking and treasure it forever.

Christmas was a good one this year. I am glad Annaleese was able to be surrounded by all the family that loves her so much.

We hope all of you enjoyed Christmas as much as we did.

A bit over due/

2009-12-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hi All-

So sorry this is a bit over due. I've been told I haven't been updating this thing often enough.

Annaleese is now about 15 months old, and weighs in at just shy of 23 pounds. She is beginning to talk a whole lot more. Mostly mumbles, but she actually says : Jackson, doggie, dadda, mama, me me, mine, bad, nana, and papa.

She is so fun to be around, and can make you smile even when you are sick or just grumpy.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Halloween with some friends of the family as they celebrated their daughter Madison's First Birthday. The lucky little lady was born on Halloween. Costumes and little kids are the best! It's seems that Lady Bugs were pretty popular, three little girls at the party had them. We saw Aidan and Drew as the Mario Bros., Little Madison as Tinker Bell and Her Mom as Peter Pan.

Annaleese was Pebbles Flintstone. I was quite proud of my self for making her very first Halloween Costume, and she got many complaments about how adorable or cute she was. She even had a real bone in her hair. I saved a chicken wing bone, baked it, sanded it, and painted it.

After the party Scott and I headed to my parents house so they could see her, and mom and I took her Trick or Treating around their court. It was fun seeing Annaleese Try to climb the steps to each house, and invited her self into their homes. It was more fun for mom and I to show her off to the neighbors than the actual receiving of candy ( YUM).

One Year Photos

2009-10-21T14:36:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

I wanted to share the photos we had taken on Annaleese's 1st birthday. Denise and I took her in right before she had to fly back home. I was anxious to see how they would turn out, because Annaleese was being "shy", and didn't want to smile for us. Hope you enjoy.

Thank You Everyone!

2009-10-20T15:27:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Patch!

2009-10-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Scott, My Mom, and my self took Annaleese to the pumpkin patch to get her first pumpkin! She really didn't know what to think of the whole thing. Hopefully next year she has a lot more fun with it.

For some reason I can load a picture on here, go to :http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/PumpkinPatch#
to view the photos

One Year Old

2009-10-03T09:30:00.001-07:00

Well it finally happened. Our little princess turned one year old on September 29th. It's hard to believe that it's even been a whole year since she came into our lives. She brings a joy to our lives that we never knew was possible. Being around her truly makes my heart smile.

We celebrated the big event on Saturday, the 26th, with family members, and close family friends. Annaleese did well with the craziness that was happening all around her, as she was passed from person to person.

She helped open her presents and then dug into her very own princess cake!

The celebration continued on Tuesday, with our good friends, finishing up some extra burgers, hot dogs and other goodies.

Thanks to everyone who was here to celebrate this special day with us.

Look what she can do!!!

2009-08-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

On Friday, August 21,2009 Annaleese decided to stand up and walk. She takes anywhere from 5 to 10 steps at a time now. Catching it on camera is the tricky part! She's everywhere now!!!

Her first Oreo

2009-08-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard Annaleese loves to eat on her own, and pretty much wants what ever Scott and I are eating. One day last week I was snacking on some Oreos(yum) and of course there was my pretty pretty princess reaching for one. So I picked her up, put her in her high chair, and gave her an Oreo of her own. First she just looked at it for a minute, then she ate most of the cream off of it. Then decided to try eating it. It was pretty cute.

Yum....DOUBLE STUF!!!

Her favorite place...

2009-08-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

So sometimes I shut all the doors in the house, except the one to her room, and just let her roam freely. When I'm in the kitchen I can usually see in her room to make sure she's not getting into trouble. Well one day, I looked down the hall and couldn't see her, so I went into the room to check on her, couldn't see her still. So I just happened to look in the closet, and there she was, sitting in the laundry basket just as comfy as could be. Her little head poking through the clothes hanging above her with a giant smile on her face. She had to have fallen in, but it made for a great photo op. For some reason she loves the closet, she'll tug on her clothes and go through them. It makes me wonder if I've got a fashion savy kid on my hands.

10 Months Old!!!

2009-07-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

YUP, you read that correctly. Annaleese is 10 months old today. Over the past month she's let more of her personality show.

She loves to feed her self, everything from her bottles, sippy cups, and finger foods. She eats some baby foods, though she's not a big fan of them anymore. She prefers to eat what ever Scott and I eat. She'll crawl over to us when we're snacking and pretty much demand you share it with her. With any luck she'll pick up Scott's eating habits, he's more of an adventurous eater than I am.

In the last week or so she's started to stand freely. She's doesn't really know that she's doing it, and when she does she quickly reaches for something to hold on to. Her balance is not completely there yet, but we'll see what this month brings.

She Stands Hands Free

2009-07-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so yesterday(7/20/09) she stood up hands free for a couple seconds, twice yesterday. She doesn't realize that she's doing it, but I'm sure it wont take too long before she 's doing it all the time.

For your viewing pleasure!

2009-07-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

She Can Clap!!!

2009-07-11T16:11:00.001-07:00

It's just about the cutest thing I have ever seen her do. She can CLAP on her own. After weeks of Grandma and I playing patty cake with her she's finally figured out how to clap on her own. She did it for the first time on thursday night. I was making her clap to the music at the beach party, and then she just started doing it all on her own.

Now, she does it and sometimes says " YAY". But I think the funiest thing is that she'll be cranky, whinning or crying and start clapping. It's hard to take her serious when she does that. I'm hoping to get some video of it soon.

Thursday was also the first time she'd been to the beach, we sat her in the sand and let her play with it. She was a little unsure, and kept running her toes and hands through it. Next time we'll take her down by the water.

9 Months Today!!!

2009-06-29T07:18:00.001-07:00

Well Annaleese is 9 MONTHS OLD today!! I can't believe it! She's 19 pounds and 8 ounces. She's climbing up and down everything. The fireplace is my new enemy. I'm so affraid she's gonna smack her head on the bricks, or hurt her self on the handles of the insert. I have it all decked out with pillows and blankets to soften any spill she might take.

The last couple days here have been super hot. AFRICA hot really. And none of us, especially Annaleese are fans. It makes for cranky parents and an equally cranky baby.

And the Growing up Continues.

2009-06-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, sometimes it feels like I haven't even caught my breath before she does something else that takes my breath away.

She's already pulling her self up into a standing position! Scott and I were able to witness this the first time she did, as did my mom. She was climbing on Quincy, found the door and used that to help her stand.

Then when I was keeping watch on her, I see the cute little face staring at me from the other side of the Coffee table. Then the next day, she pulled her self to standing position with the help of the safety gate. Then we go to get her from her nap , and she greets us standing at the rail of the crib. She's a pro! And she's not even nine months yet.

Enjoy a couple pictures we've snapped.

She's growing, growing, gone!

2009-06-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

Okay Guys, first I'll give my many, many apologies for LAGGING on keeping the posts on this thing current. I must admit, though, life has certainly been keeping the Alarid Family very busy.

The month of May flew right by, it feels it came and went with a simple blink of the eye. We celebrated mothers day, Denise's birthday, my parents moved in for a short stay, we celebrated my mom's birthday, and finally, Scott, Joe, and Dad installed our beautiful new windows.

Annaleese took to crawling, and now she is EVERYWHERE,and getting into EVERYTHING. As much as I hate that she's growing up so fast, I do cherish the fact that I am able to witness each new thing she accomplishes.

And once crawling was perfected, she learned how to set up. I didn't get to see her do it on her own the first time, mom sort of just noticed that she was sitting. And wouldn't you know that the very next morning, I found her sitting happily with a smile on her face in her crib.

And now that she's crawling and sitting, she's trying to pull her self up on furniture and toys!!! What happened to my little baby? I say that with a big smile, though. She amazes both Scott and I every day.

Oh- and her two top teeth appeared sometime during may. I believe they made their debut around memorial day weekend.

Just some Pictures

2009-06-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

A piece of the letter...

2009-05-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

So for mother's day, instead of getting my mom a gift, I wrote her a letter. In it I wrote many things, mostly about how I never really understood what it meant to celebrate mothers day, or really how important mothers are. In it, I also answered a question that she had asked me. She wanted to know what I wanted Annaleese to be when she grows up. I immediately answered her with an I don't know, and left it at that. I thought about it some more, and this is how I answered it:

I want her to be healthy and happy. I want her to be intelligent and successful. I want her to be adventurous and explore everything she wants to know more about or experience in life. I want her to have many friends. I want everyone who knows her to love her as much as her family does. I want her to leave the same impression on the people she meets, as Papa left on all he knew. I want her to make a difference in the world. I want her to be kind hearted, caring and sympathetic. I want her to be sensitive, but strong. Most of all I want her to be herself, and know that she will be loved no matter what she does, who she is, or where she goes in life.

The first and Only Dip in Grandma and Grampa's pool

2009-05-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while moving out and cleaning up the last bit of mom and dads things from the house, Annaleese took her first and last dip in my parent's pool. She loved it!

I'm a little sad that she wont get to grow up with that house as Grandma and Grampa's house, only because it holds many great memories for the family. She will get to hear stories though, and that's just fine.

When we got back to my house after running errands and finishing up with the Ayrshire house, we got Annaleese slathered in sunscreen and took her into our pool. She was having such a great time, kicking her feet, and splashing the water with her hands.

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-05-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend full of FAMILY! Denise flew in Thursday night to spend the weekend with us, Joe drove in from Sacramento on Friday, Ryan, Aimee, and Grady drove down from Chico on Friday as well. It was great fun!

Friday , Joe and Scott cleaned up the garage. It looks fantastic! Denise and I cleaned out the back room. We took a few things off to Good Will. It feels good to have gotten things done. Now everything is ready for my parents stay with us while they transition into a new home.

Saturday we spent some time playing out in the pool. Grady seemed to have a great time, and I took Annaleese in on the raft! She seemed to like it.

Sunday - MOTHER'S DAY - was celebrated with a BBQ. We all exchanged cards and Gifts, and maybe even a tear or two.

I think it will be pretty memorable!

Oh - guess what? Annaleese is trying to crawl!!!

She had a check last Monday, and weighed in at 17 pounds 14 ounces and 27.75 inches tall!

She's 6 months Old...ALREADY!!!

2009-03-31T11:03:00.001-07:00

She was a little tired this day, and wasn't up for much smiling. I think they came out with an Anne Geddes feel. I love them!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2009-03-31T11:01:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

Annaleese saw the Easter Bunny last Friday. Enjoy!

2009-03-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a couple photos of Annaleese , from this morning. She's wearing the dress that Grandma gave her, and some bunny ears I picked up a little while ago.

An un-LUCKY Day

2009-03-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day- I know it's a day late. The lucky day was a little un-lucky for little Annaleese. The night before yesterday, we put her down to bed with a little fever, and she had been a little cranky. Well yesterday I found out why. She is cutting TWO teeth. Poor thing. She was pretty happy for the most part yesterday , with a couple of times with a little screaming.

After her nap I thought she might be happy enough to snap some photos of her in her cute St. Patty's day out fit Grammie got her. She wasn't interested. I ended up getting a couple angry faces, guess that will do.

Later that night we went to Adam and Norma's to celebrate, and Annaleese played with Ben and Cristal's daughter Madison. It was cute to see them interact with each other.

In her Crib

2009-03-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well at 3:30 this morning I was awaken by the cute sounds of her jibberish, which by the way arent as cute as you would think at that hour in the morning. I figured she was in no trouble and she sounded happy so I tried to get back to sleep. Well she only got louder and louder. So I got up and made her a small bottle, went in to change her and she was sideways in the crib, just having a ball. I laughed, changed and fed her, put her back to bed, and woke up at 8 to the same thing. This time though she had somehow wiggled her way out the blanket I wrapped around her pretty well- I thought. She had pulled off her socks, had her head under her fish toy, one foot on the mirror, the other in her mouth...what a sight. It was funny. She didn't see me yet, so I ran for the camera, and her is what I managed to get. Enjoy. Mornings with Annaleese are my favorites.

It's been a rough day...

2009-03-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

Today was well baby check up number two! This meant that we would go get the newest stats on Annaleese's growth and other development, and the dread second round of shots.

She weighs a whopping 15 lbs 8 ounces, is 27 inches long, and her head circumference is 43 cm! She's in the 75th percentile for her age. The Doc said she's actually a pretty thin baby compared to most, and nicely pointed out that it is the size of the head that makes her appear so much bigger.

Doc said we can start her on cereal and slowly start to introduce baby food, starting with the yellow and orange veggies!

She got her second round of shots, I think she's almost done, next time is a flu shot and maybe a couple more.

SO too recap, the doc said she was looking great and healthy for her age, she can start to eat baby food, she has a large head, and she got her shots.

She's finally down for the night and I'm about to do the same...night all!

Scrapbook Layouts

2009-02-18T12:40:00.001-08:00

Well I've finally started to scrap again. Here are a couple layouts I made for Annaleese. They are not "complete" yet. I need to add titles and journaling to them, but I couldn't wait to share them.

My First Valentine

2009-02-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

Grammie sent Annaleese her first Valentine. Thanks for thinking of her! The shirts are all so darling...

She's Got the Giggles!

2009-02-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

While in Alamor Scott got Annaleese to laugh a lot! It was so cute I just had to share it with all of you! Take a look, I will warn you I'm not a professional with the video camera yet, so bare with me!

Lake Almanor

2009-02-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

We packed up and headed toward the snow for a nice mini family vacation to Lake Almanor. We stayed in a cozy cabin owned by friends of Scott's family, it was absolute heaven.

It had been four years since Scott and I stayed there last. This time with my family and a couple of Cortney's friends, we spent the long weekend playing board and card games, playing in the snow, eating really good food and just enjoying time to relax.

We arrived Friday afternoon and settled in quickly, started a fire and watched the snow fall, and fall, and fall. It seemed as though it snowed the whole time we were there, if it stopped it wasn't very long before the snow started up.

Saturday morning we exchanged cards and chocolates to celebrate a laid back Valentine's Day, as well as my parents wedding anniversary. 21 years happily married! The girls ate breakfast and dissapeared out into the snow until lunch time.

After dinner on Sunday,we celebrated Cortney's 18th birthday with gifts and of course cake. It's hard to believe my baby sister is a legal adult.

Monday morning we packed up and headed home. As nice as it is to get away for a bit, it's even better coming home to your own bed!

That's how she rolls!

2009-02-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

This last month has had me in awe. I've noticed so many changes in our sweet baby girl, it makes me both happy and sad. Happy of course, that she's growing, learning and letting her own personality shine through. Sad, because I'm realizing that she's not always going to be so small and dependant on mom and dad's help.

Today she became mobile. She rolled over for the very first time! I missed it. I was folding laundry and listening to her play. I looked over after her laughs turned into angry cries and saw that she had gone from laying on her back to laying on her stomach with her face awkwardly positioned on the floor. I excitedly picked her up for a celebratory dance, grabbed the video camera and headed to the living room for what I hoped would be an encore. I'll load the video when I have the chance.

YAY!

4 Months and Counting

2009-02-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can you believe that Annaleese is already 4 months old? She weighs about 13 pounds and is 23 and 3/4 long. She's can do so much more than she could a couple months ago. She plays with her toys, take her bink in and out of her mouth. She likes to be read to. She's so smart!

The Holidays

2009-01-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas came and went so quickly this year. Scott, Annaleese and I stretched them as much as possible though. On December 23 we exchanged gifts with Nana and Joesph since we wouldn't be able to join my family on Christmas this year. Christmas Eve, scott and I exchanged our gifts to each other, so we wouldn't have to pack them up and take them to Sacramento with us. Funny this is , we did take them anyway. Scott gave me a video camera - which is exactly what I wanted. And I gave him a Nintendo Wii - which he had wanted for a while also. The nice thing is that they are both items we can both enjoy - more of family style gifts this year.

We drove up to Sac that night, gifts and all. The next morning was Christmas. Joe made us all breakfast ( my favorite meal of the day!), once Ryan, Aimee and Grady arrived. Later that day we exchanged gifts with each other, mostly the babies, played with the Wii, and enjoyed Ribs, Chili and salad for dinner.

We drove home on saturday afternoon, and got up Sunday to exchange gifts with my parents.

New Years Eve was spent with a small get together at John's house. Annaleese rang in the New Year with my parents.

We hope everyone Enjoyed Christmas and Hope All have a great new year!

We Saw Santa

2008-12-22T14:35:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday Scott and I took Annaleese to see Santa. The picture came out wonderful! She's such a cute little girl!

It took a little while to get her to smile, In fact Scott and I were picking a different picture out, and then she started smiling up a storm! The photographer snapped this great picture for us to share with friends and family!

It's starting to look more Christmassy around our house, more gifts under the tree, decorations are up etc. We also decorated a small tree for Annaleese and put it in her room.

Our Trip to Oregon and Washington

2008-12-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

Whew...it's cold in Oregon and Washington!

Annaleese experienced her first flight and snow during the weekend of December 12th. Papa Joe scored us a last minute flight to Oregon so Annaleese and I could surprise my best friend Jessica for her Graduation, and then spend some time with Grammie in Washington.

Annaleese did so well with her first flight, just a couple of uncomfortable moments. She slept most of the flight. We landed in Oregon and met up with Rob and Cheryl ( Jessica's parents), who took us to surprise Jess. It was really a good trip. It was great to spend time with Jessica, her family, and new friends. It reminded me of the "old days", and also made me realize how much I miss her. It's hard being a state away from someone you spent just about everyday with. We grew up with each other and our families. Aside from attending Jessica's graduation and celebrating afterwards, we just hung out around the house.

It started to snow on Sunday so we bundled Annaleese up and took her outside really quick to get a picture of her in her first snow.

Monday Jessica drove Annaleese and I to Tigard where we met up with Grammie and Tracey at the Bridgeport Village. Jessica left early to battle the weather and get home safely. Annaleese and I had dinner with Grammie and Tracey and went to Washington and hung out for a couple of days.

It was a really nice trip!

An Update

2008-12-06T22:35:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I know it's been a while since I made a post, so here's a brief summary of what's been going on with the Alarids.

November 22, Scott , Annaleese, and myself took a trip to Chico to celebrate our nephew's 1st birthday! It was a great time, we were able to spend time with Scott's family , and Annaleese got to meet Ede ( her Great Grandmother) for the first time.

Thanksgiving came and went. We spent Turkey Day with my family, it was nice to have Mom's good cooking. Usually the focus is on family and food, and it was, but I think Annaleese recieved the most attention.

The following Saturday we went out with my family to get our Christmas tree. Annaleese slept through the selection process. I think she'll enjoy the tree once its decorated.

Annaleese had her 2 month check up on Dec. 1. She got her first round of shots. Dad held her while the nurse gave her the injections. That night wasn't so bad, she had a fever, but slept well once we gave her some tylenol. Now she has a tiny cold. It's been a long , sleepless week.

Everythings going great!

Baby Pictures!!!!

2008-11-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

We'll make this quick. Yesterday Annaleese had her 1 Month photos taken. They turned out great! I'll share more with you when I can, but here's a couple to tide you over until then.

Dr. Visit

2008-10-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well Friday the 17th was Annaleese's second Dr. Appointment. The Doctor said everything is looking great. She put on 1.5 pounds since the first visit, the week before, and added 3/4 of an inch to her height! Our next Doctor visit wont be until shes about 2 months old, the way these last couple of weeks have flown by, I'm certain it will be here before we know it.

Annaleese's Stats
Weight: 9lbs and 3oz.
Length: 21.5 inches
head: 37.7 cm around

She's changed so much already, and it's only been 3 SHORT weeks. It really is a joy having her here, she's really added so much love to our family. Scott and I have assumed our roles as parents and I must say, we are doing VERY WELL.

A Visit with Papa Joe

2008-10-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Scott and I spent this past weekend in Sacramento so Papa Joe could visit with Annaleese. Ryan, Aimee and Grady also made the trip. It was the first time Ryan and Aimee met their neice and Grady's first visit with his cousin.

Monday Annaleese turned 2 weeks old. It's amazing how much change has taken place in such a short time. She's showing us more and more of her personality each day. She's still sleeping good at night, getting her down for the night takes a little time though.

This Friday She has a Dr. Appointment, not sure what to expect, but I'm sure we'll find out how much weight she's gained and if she's gotten any longer.

I've posted more pictures, click the link below to view them.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/PapaS#

Just One Week Old

2008-10-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe its already been a week since Annaleese's birth. Last week seems kind of like a blurr, with all the family and friends stoping in at the hospital and by the house we sort of lost track of what day it was.

We were discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and made our way home, we were greeted by Scott's Parent's, who had lunch waiting for us. It was a low key day, I napped & watched some TV while everyone took turns with Annaleese.

The rest of the week we had visitors drop in for a little while. Nana, Joesph, Uncle Keith, along with my parents and Cortney brought us dinner on Wednesday night, it was also the first time Nana and Joesph met their Great Grand Daughter.

Serena, a good friend of ours, brought us some meals, so we wouldn't have to worry about that. It was good and very nice of her to do. My mom and Cortney also made us a couple of meals to freeze and eat as we needed.

Thursday Annaleese had her first Dr. Appointment. She weighed in at 7 lbs 11 ounces. She lost a little weight from birth, but that is expected. He umbellical cord clamp was cut and we were on our way.

I've posted some pictures online, click the link below and take a peek.

Bye for now.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/AnnaleeseSBirth#

She's Here!

2008-09-29T16:10:00.001-07:00

Annaleese Madison Alarid

Made her arrival on September 29, 2008

at 5:43 AM

Weighing 8lbs

Measuring in at 20.5 inches long

2008-09-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

The crib with the beautiful handmade bedding!

I love this glider, it's so comfy!

Here's the Changing table, I really don't want to take apart the diaper cake, it's so cute!

She already has so many clothes, I wonder if she'll get to wear half of them.

I'm Hoping we don't have to buy diapers for a while, we got a ton at the shower.

The Waiting Game

2008-09-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Scott and I went to our 40 Week appointment this morning. Baby measured good, heart rate was at about 140 beats per minute, everything looks great. I was hoping to have been dialated more than I was last week, but had stayed the same. I was bummed a little, I went through a week of more discomforts and thought that they might be doing something to make her come.

We did leave with some good news though. If I don't go into labor between now and Monday, I will be induced. The date has been set for September 29th, at around 7 PM. So with any luck we will FINALLY get to meet Annaleese by Tuesday.

40 Weeks...And Still No Baby

2008-09-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hi All :

Well today is week 40, we've been at term since week 37, and Annaleese has decided she's more comfortable in the womb. Everyone is anxious to meet her, especially Scott and I, we go to bed every night hoping the next day will be the BIG DAY...but no such luck.

Last Wednesday was week 39 and at that prenatal appointment Scott and I were able to see her again through an ultrasound. Dr's just wanted to check that the fluid, placenta and everything else was okay, and it was. We also found out that she weighs around 8 lbs 01 oz, and growing!

The bags are packed, the nursery is complete, the cradle is in our room , all we need is our baby girl.

That's all I have to report for now. Keep checking our blog, I've asked Cortney to make a post on Our Behalf to let you all know when Annaleese has arrived. Phone calls will be made too, so don't worry!

Too Cute

2008-08-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Lately I've realized that Scott and I have a baby gear tester, even though we didn't really ask for one.

Chewy has taken a liking to a few of Annaleese's things. One day I caught him laying in the baby bouncer, I tried to get the camera for a picture but he followed me out of the room.

The other night Sandra and I found him in the trundle under the crib making him self a nice comfortable bed in all of the nice and clean baby blankets. ( pictured above- I know you can't see much , the angle was difficult)

And I think the topper for me , was watching him jump down into the cradle, that is sitting at the foot of our bed, to make him self a nice warm bed again.

Play our Due Date Game!

2008-08-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone we are 5 weeks away from our due date! Join in the fun and play our due date game. Click on the link below and enter a guess, Scott and I would love to see who comes the closest!

http://www.expectnet.com/games/Annaleese

Baby Shower and Beyond

2008-08-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Mom and Cortney hosted a baby shower in my honor. They did such a fantastic job with everything! The food was tasty, and the games were great. I want to thank Nana and Denise for their part in the shower as well, as they helped with decorations and food preparation. It was a nice turn out of family and friends there to celebrate with us.

Of all the gifts we received at the shower, my favorite (yes I picked one) was the beautiful crib bedding that Nana handmade for Annaleese. I actually cried when I saw it for the first time. Thank you Nana - it's absolutely gorgeous and more perfect then I imagined it would be.

Since the shower Scott and I have been trying to make sense of the mountain of Gifts we received. The pile is getting smaller and organized into Annaleese's room, but there is still work to do, and a dining room table and floor to uncover.

To see pictures from the shower click the link below!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/BabyShower

Sweet Success!

2008-07-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

What a long weekend,and boy am I tired! I took friday off of work and ran all the errands I needed to, to make sure I had everything I would need to get the Baby's room put together. With Cortney's help all weekend, the two of us tackled my list and actually completed it!

Friday night we repainted a wall and painted the letters that spell out the baby's name. The letters were a bit of a pain. One of the paints we bought took several coats of paint to get it looking half way decent. We finished with those saturday morning.

Cortney and I tried our hand at patching a small gap in the wall, it turned out pretty darn good! And we also hung a curtain rod over the window. Cortney and I emptied out the closet and replaced the contents with the few baby items we have already received from friends and family .We tried our best to hang a couple shelves but gave up on that. I figure that's a job for Scott, Dad or anyone else who has some know how and a little bit more patients than me. I know it doesn't seem like we did a lot, but it sure kept us busy.

Sunday, was a little easier on us. Melanie came over and helped me organize and find creative ways to store all of the things that were put into what is now our guest room, while Scott and John put together the dresser and the crib! We're so excited, the room is no longer empty. There's paint on the walls and furniture, and soon there will be more things to fill the room for when Annaleese makes her arrival.

Click the link below to view pictures of the nursery.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/AnnaleeseSRoom

Our To Do List....

2008-07-17T13:01:00.001-07:00

Just a little update for you all....

If you've asked me for any kind of picture to be taken its on my to do list.

Actually this weekend I hope to tackle that list and with any luck make it non- existant , well at least for now.

Scott's out of town until Sunday helping his dad move, so Cortney and I(mostly Cortney) will be touching up the paint in the baby's room, and organizing it as best we can, and running any other baby related errands.

Sunday, Scott and a couple of his friends will be putting together the crib ( YAY), and the dresser! Don't worry- I plan on being around to capture it on film!

Thats all I got for now.

We're in the Third (and Final) Trimester! Woo Hoo!

2008-07-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Can you believe in as soon as 12 weeks we will finally meet our daughter? We're both so excited! Sunday, June 29th marked the begining of the 28th week, or 7th month, of my pregnancy , which officially started the third trimester.

I'd love to report that we have everything in order for the nursery, but it's still no where near complete. Weekend's seem to disapear faster then they arrive. My goal is to have the room semi-complete by the end of the month. Scott's installing base board, I'm supposed to be putting the finishing touches on the paint, and then the crib and dresser need to be put together.

June was a pretty quiet month for us. Scott was able to feel the baby move for the first time, we had the 3D/4D ultrasound, and registered for all things baby.

Mom and Cortney have been working hard on Babyshower plans, and managed to get Shower invitations put together and mailed out this past weekend.

If you're interested in learning about the developmental process of a pregnancy week by week you should follow the link below. I receive weekly e-mails from this site that gives me an idea of what's going on in the womb.

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-28-weeks_1117.bc

3D Ultrasound

2008-06-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Scott and I, along with my parents and sister, went to have a 3D/4D Ultrasound. It is absolutely amazing what technology affords us these days. We actually got to see our baby move around, smile , open her eyes and mouth. It was such a wonderful experience for all of us. Click the link below to view all the photos we were able to take home with us.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tara.alarid/3DUltrasound

The Newest Addition to our Family

2008-05-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a few weeks. Nothing super exciting has been going on around here.

Here's a briefing for the month of May.

At the begining of May Nana, Cortney, and I went to a couple different fabric stores and finally picked out the materials that will soon become baby bedding. I asked Nana if she would make the bedding for me, and of course she said yes. It will be something to treasure and pass on to our daughter. It's going to be beautiful!

The second weekend in May, Alana, Cortney and I put on our grubbies, grabbed our painting gear, and began work on the first phase of the nursery. We painted the walls a soft pink. It took a few hours, and a lot of hard work, but it looks awesome.

The third weekend in May my Dad helped Scott run electrical wiring to all of the rooms, and then installed ceiling fans in the Master bedroom, nursery and office. I was actually able to help, I assembled 2 of the 3 fans and made adjustments to one of them!

Last weekend we celebrated my Mom's birthday. And Mom, Cortney and I started the second phase of the nursery by painting stripes on one of the walls. The stripes are a darker shade of pink. One more phase to go and a little touch up here and there, and then we'll be ready to put the crib together. I can hardley wait.

Last weekend also gave Scott and I the opportunity to welcome a new addittion to our family. We adopted a Chihuahua from the San Jose Animal Shelter. He's about 14 years old, and he needed a home to live out the last couple years of his life. We named him Chewy.

It's a....

2008-04-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

We have waited for today for quite some time now. Counting the weeks and then the days until the ultra sound that would hopefully reveal the sex of our baby. It feels like today arrived fast. Scott and I were both very excited for today, hoping the baby would cooperate with us. When we arrived in the office the technician asked if we wanted to know the sex, if there was a clear view, of course we said yes.

We watched the monitor for a little bit and finally the baby appeared on the screen. This time the image we saw actually resembled a baby , we were able to see the head, arms,legs, and the spine. We saw the baby move, swishing around, it was really an awesome experience. The technician told us the baby measured 18 weeks and 3 days, which means our new due date is September 22.

Scott and I left the doctor's office knowing that we will be meeting our daughter sometime in September.

Yes, It's True! There's a Baby on the way!

2008-04-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Our Baby blog!I thought that this might be an interesting way to keep family and friends informed of each step of our pregnancy.

Right now we're 16 weeks along and have only had a couple regular prenatal appointments. Our first appointment was March 4, and that was when the Dr. preformed an in office ultrasound. It was the first time we got to a glimpse of our baby. It didn't look like much of anything to either of us, but it was so amazing to actually see that there was really something growing inside my belly.

On April 23rd we have another appointment for an ultrasound, with any luck we'll finally know the sex of our little one. What do you think it will be?

Well we'll keep you posted!