New Baby Amber

Introducing: Amber Elizabeth

It's a Girl!
Born: Oct 26, 2006
Birth Time: 10:28 am
Weight: 9 lbs 6 oz
Length: 20 inches

Finding Names

Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 6:24 PM

Okay, so I am finding it hard to believe we are getting closer to the big DAY of our baby. Still we don't know if it is a boy or girl... and Robert isn't wanting to hardly talk about names till we find out. I on the other hand, am just making lists and losing them and having to go back and make new ones. (lists of baby names that is)

I told Robert that we need to have some IDEAS or some names in mind so that when the baby is born we can decide if we haven't already. So today, I go to the library and get a Name Book for Babies. I write down all the names that I like, and then quiz Robert on them.

He shot down names like Olivia, Mallory, Charlotte, Bernice, Annalise, Madeline, and Tawny. Not to mention Allie, Kimberly, Tiffany, Allison, and Whitney for girls.

He also shot down Walker for a boy, which I wasn't crazy about but Emily LOVED! And also Shannon for a boy was another one Emily LOVED and Rob was like.... UH NOOOOO!!! Along with Alonzo which was kind of cool... Em had a boy in her class last year with the name Alonzo.

So as of right now, we have 13 girl names to sift through and 24 boy names.... If it is a girl, it will be easier to pick a name out of the 13 instead of out of the 24 for a boy.

Anyway, that is our progress at this point. I hope to have a few names picked out before the actual arrival of this baby. But who knows... like Rob said you don't have to name them right when they come out. (I would just like to be that prepared I guess!)

Hope all is going well with each of you. Lorri I can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!

Weeding and Feeding Angel

Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 9:21 AM

Today was a weeding day for me... I had so many weeds in my front flower bed, I finally found my flowers again.... I did have flowers but they were ugly white morning glory type.

Lindsey and Lauren said Angel (the rabbit) likes flowers so they would feed her. I was busy pulling weeds and they kept saying, "she likes them, she's eating them." I was encouraging them, "oh yeah that is great"

When I happened to notice the rabbit... I saw she had definitely been fed!

Easter

Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 9:11 AM
Subject: Easter

Hi there,

I just wanted to give an update of our trip in April plans.... we are planning on leaving Thursday the 13th of April to come there to WA, not sure if we will drive all through or not... (if we drive through, we have less meals to buy and no motel.... but lack of sleep) so I am not totally sure, we will have to play it by ear I guess. Our plan is to come and visit Rob's sister that will be there from CA on Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday morning till about 1 pm or 2 pm when she has to leave to go back home. Possibly also Rob's brother will be there in Winlock too for Saturday so we would probably hang out there most the day. Robert is coming for such a short time, I have the next weekend to visit as well.

My thoughts, and questions.... is anyone planning anything for Easter? Due to my schedule I was hoping everyone would be getting together on Sunday, because Sat. is shot for me, I can't see juggling anymore on Saturday. But I may be able to squeeze here and there too.

I wanted to kind of see what everyone's schedule is, if there is anything going on.... Mom and Dad's church is at 1 pm, and they said they could probably just go to the first hour, and then come home... Dad said we could have plans by 3 pm. I am guessing Brenda has early church, because she seems to have opposite of Mom and Dad.

On another note.... we were having problems with Pregnancy #7 (current one), sounds kind of funny for 7 pregnancies huh.... anyhow, we went in for an ultrasound, baby looks good and heartbeat strong. They recommended my blood work to be done too. Bad news is that blood work came back bad.... my levels dropped, which typically mean miscarriage but still holding out for more blood work that we will do again on Saturday to check again. I have my normal check up with my DUMB doctor (I know I have to get a new one!!!) for him to tell me, "oh, how old are you? Yeah then you have a 30% chance of miscarriage, no big deal. It is common. It is just something that was genetically wrong with the baby so it terminates itself. Yeah 30% chance." (Which to me, seems more than a 30% chance now that we have had 4 in a row and this would be #5, seems like its more than just genetics, but I am not the dumb doctor who comforts me with empty words and concerns.) Okay I know I should stop complaining and get a new doctor already!!! Hopefully we will know more on Monday, I am guessing they will just order another ultrasound to check things out again to be sure. The good thing is we did hear the heartbeat, which decreases miscarriage significantly and baby was developed to the day of ultrasound and my hCG levels (pregnancy hormone thing) is up really HIGH even though is did drop on the second test. Maybe just a freak thing to add more stress to my life.... since I don't have enough I guess.

I will be in touch soon, and let me know if anyone has ideas or plans for the whole Easter thing.... and if you all could inform Becky and Scott that would be great too. I will try and call Scott since I never get to talk to him.

Love to all, Miss you bunches, can't wait to see you.... and my girls are EXCITED to come and want to leave today!!!

Karla and family

(OH and we are planning on leaving back for Utah on the 24th of April, a Monday.)

Hair cuts for everyone

Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 8:22 PM

Hey there,

I had to send pictures of the girls and their hair cuts. It started a few days ago when I was brushing Emily's hair and I told her she needed a trim to help get those tangles out of the ends of her hair. So she kept on me about when I was going to cut her hair. I told her we would do it Wednesday so she wrote all these sticky notes all over her room saying "cut Ems hair on wednday" and "Em needs a noo hair cut" and "Em needs a hair cut". It was pretty funny when I went to check on her before I went to bed, she had all these post it notes stuck to her door and her bed and her dresser and some I didn't even see till the next day.

So... I forgot to do it on Wednesday, and then today the little girls (Lindsey and Lauren) had a bath. I was combing their awfully tangled hair today and suggested that I perhaps cut their hair or if we cut it then it might be easier to brush. Lauren was all for it, so I cut her hair. Then of course Lindsey wanted her hair cut right away too. It was very cute, and I was a little disappointed, I thought their hair would be much curlier once cut.... like it was when they were younger. Oh well!!

We picked Emily up from school, and she was loving their hair and decided to get her hair cut like her friend Hayley. I think I was having more problems then Emily over getting rid of all that LONG hair. But since we did it, I have really liked her new cut and she likes it tons, so what could be better. I did forget how wet hair shrinks up when dry, so it turned out a bit shorter than I was imagining, but Emily didn't complain one bit.

Amanda of course was having a fit that Emily would cut her hair... but I figure if Emily wants it cut, then cut it. Just like we left it when she wanted it long. Maybe it will be easier or maybe just quicker to brush.

Just wanted to share our eventful day. Hair cut day I guess. Now I need a hair cut. I almost had enough confidence after cutting the girls hair, but I chickened out. Maybe I better let someone else do that!!

Hope all is well with each of you...

See ya soon (hopefully)

Karla and family

Message from Emily

Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 3:47 PM

I lost another tooth. I was so excited! I was eating an apple (giggle, giggle). I thought something hard was in there. It was my tooth. My mommy kept asking me to say words to see if I said them funny. I am sending you some pictures too. It's kind of funny because this Sunday I am going to church without a tooth and last Sunday I went without a tooth. I am excited. It's kind of funny. When you are done then look at the pictures. It's kind of funny because I lost two tooths. We were having breakfast. It was yummy. I was really excited because of my tooth. I was excited for it to come out and it came out. Your gonna like the pictures. Lauren has pictures too with my pictures. Maybe you'll want to look at the pictures. Lauren has a bump on her head and it is really purple. My mom doesn't know what pictures we should do, so I picked one from me and one from Lauren. Have a good time looking at the pictures. Lindsey's not on this one. You'll get one of Lindsey soon.

Love and miss you,

Emily Hayes (the toothless wonder) and Lauren with the bumpy head.

Emily lost her first tooth

Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2006 11:22 AM

We had a wonderful new adventure this morning... another first for us.... Followed by many other ones to follow.

Emily LOST a tooth!! It was really great! Her tooth was literally just hanging there, she could twist her tooth all the way sideways, and I got it twisted backwards in her little mouth. Finally I just said, lets take it out. She didn't want to, too afraid to, but I bargained with her (incentives why to take it out...toys...candy...) and she finally let me take it out. I did just that, just lifted it up and out it came. It was funny, she didn't even know I did it really. She was surprised to see her tooth there.

We luckily got before and after pics, and her new tooth, is already coming in. (Another reason I wanted to get that tooth out.) Her tooth was behind her baby tooth.

After her tooth came out she danced and hopped and smiled for like 30 minutes so excited about the whole adventure. She just kept giggling and laughing about it. It was priceless.

We wish you all could have been here or us there to participate in this wonderful FIRST for us and Emily, but next best thing is pictures and email I guess.

We love you all and miss you tons!!

Snow Pics

Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 1:39 PM

Thursday morning we woke up to snow, and the girls had hours of fun outside. I wasn't as equipped as the girls are with snow suits and all. My jeans were soaked, and my feet, and hands too (I could only find those stretchy kids gloves, and that's what I had on).

As I was shoveling the driveway, the girls wanted me to cover them up... I think they got confused with the whole sand at the beach thing... so I buried them mostly in snow. Poor girls couldn't get out until I uncovered them some or grabbed their hands. They kept saying, its too heavy.

Then we made this wonderful snow tunnel, it was suppose to be a house, but didn't really get big enough for that. I will try to do better next time I guess. Or perhaps I will have to try again when we go to the back yard.

Just wanted to share our snow with you... miss you tons!

Hugs and Kisses

Karla and family