BiRtHdAy PaRtY TiMe...

We had Ryker's party tonight at Little Caesars in Everson. They have a nice little party room and we were the only people in the place which makes it nice for our large and loud crowd. All of Ryker's aunts and uncles were there with the exception of Jodi and Jason and their kids. Nana and Papa, Opa and Oma and Grandpa and Grandma with the motor home (as Ryker calls them) were also there and we also had the Chanik and Hutchison families join us too. It made for lots of people and we went through CrAzY amounts of pizza and crazy bread but that is just how we wanted it. Ryker got many toys including a DSi...now hopefully Santa brings some games for it for Christmas. ;)

Really, 6 Years Already...

Hard to believe it has been 6 years ago already since the SCARIEST day of my life also ended up being the BEST day of my life. On November 26, 2004, we were blessed with our MIRACLE baby, Ryker, who made his debut 10 weeks early weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces. I still remember that day like it was yesterday and I thank God every day for giving him to us and for letting me live through it all. Being in the operating room getting prepared to have my c-section, they were inserting these tubes into the veins in my wrist that would get tubed all the way up to my elbows (this is still the greatest physical pain I have ever experienced). These tubes were so they "could try to revive me should they lose me" because I was starting to show signs of a stroke. I just remember praying that we would both be okay, especially my baby. Amazing, how my life hung in the balance but all I could think about was this baby of mine and the overwhelming amount of LOVE I had for him or her. As I was lying there, praying, I heard all these beeping noises and the voice over the intercom say "we have life threatening hypertension" and all of the sudden a swarm of doctors rushed over to get Ryker (who basically was poisoning my body) out, I just remember thinking I was not going to live to see my baby and saying a prayer to God to please make sure our families helped Ben with him or her (since we didn't know what we were having). I remember hearing "It's a Boy" and I was overcome with tears. I was still so scared as I didn't understand all that was happening but soon everything was back to "normal" for me and my blood pressure and I was told I would be okay. Praise be to the Lord! Happy Birthday to the BESTEST little guy ever....Ryker you are MY WORLD.

Happy, Happy Birthday & On This Special Day...

We took Ryker to Red Robin for his birthday. Kevin and Kara and their kids met us there and then my mom and dad and Jodi and Jason and their family ended up coming too. We had them sing to Ryker for his birthday and he thought it was pretty great...you can tell he was a little embarrassed too.

Fall Fun

With fall comes many things to do. Not only do we do Stoney Ridge and the Boxx Farm Pumpkin Patch Field Trip but there is also Pumpkin Carving, Church Harvest Carnivals and of course Trick or Treating. Some pics from our Fall Festivities...

10-24-2010...We got together at Jodi and Jason's for our annual "Rutgers Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular" It is a fun time where we all carve our pumpkins and have tacos. Usually we vote on the "best" carved pumpkin but for some reason it was overlooked this year, Oops.

10-27-2010...I took Ryker to my sisters church (Sonlight). Each year they have a Harvest Carnival where they offer snow cones and cotton candy as well as many games for the kids to do to get candy of course. It is always a crowd of people and it gets really HOT in there, but Ryker really enjoys it so therefore it is worth the sweat I break just following him around from booth to booth. This year he decided he wanted to be an Indian and if I can say so myself he sure makes one cute little Indian boy.

10-30-2010...For trick or treating we decided to take advantage of Halloween being on a Sunday in Lynden and went on Saturday through town. Only in Lynden do they say it is better to celebrate it on Saturday (which by the looks of town that night, most people did). We had plans on Sunday so it worked better for us to do it on Saturday night anyway plus it was nice to not have to rush to get home because school was the next day. We just went all around my parents neighborhood and Ryker got more candy then what he knows what to do with. Ben usually dresses up with him and this year he opted for the banana costume...nothing will EVER beat the year he dressed as Michael Phelps, nothing like him walking the streets of Lynden in a speedo with his child. I still laugh when I see those pictures. After trick or treating we went back to my parents for some pizza and my brother put his wig (he always dresses up too) on Ryker, it made for a good picture.

Ryker's Kindergarten Picture

I've been meaning to post this ever since we got them back. I don't know why but school photos always crack me up. I love his little missing tooth this year. I will cherish each year he gets them and I look forward to seeing how much he changes from year to year but I also get sad when I see them because it makes me realize that my baby is no baby anymore. School photos = Growing up! :(

Baby Update

So as many of you know I have been going to Seattle for extra close monitoring with this pregnancy. I don't know why but for some reason Seattle gives me more peace of mind and I am glad that my doctor here actually wanted me to go down there for extra care. Anyway, I have gone twice now (I go once a month) and I am pleased to say all is going well. I am 23 weeks now and am praying I can make it to the 36 week mark as I have been told this is when they will take the baby. Because of the c-section I had with Ryker (I was cut both ways rather than just the one way they normally do) they will not allow me to go past 36 or 37 weeks. So, if I do make it to then (fingers crossed and prayers being sent) well then that means I only have 13 weeks left. We are getting SO excited for our baby, THRILLED actually! I feel like I have waited forever for this day to come, where we would be blessed with another child and every time I feel the baby kick I feel like I need to pinch myself because I still can't believe it. I am still on edge and still check the toilet paper every time I go to the bathroom just to make sure there is no blood (sorry if too much info). I feel like once I hit 28 weeks (in 5 more weeks) I will be able to relax and breathe a little easier. I guess because in my mind I can picture survival at that point because I see it when I look at Ryker everyday. Even though I had him at 30 weeks they said he stopped growing and was more the size of a baby born at 28 weeks gestation. To all of you who have never had to worry while pregnant consider yourself SO lucky. I think we all worry a little bit as soon as we see the positive sign on the pregnancy test (must be the mom in us all) but to have a constant worry is just an added stress yet it is something I just simply can't help given my history. I'm open about my past pregnancies (I never used to be) but now I find it easier to talk about them and deal with them. I mean this is the 6th time I've been pregnant yet after 3 miscarriages and 1 ectopic this will be only my 2nd child to give birth to. Anyway, enough about my past, it's made me stronger in some ways and it definately has made me appreciate this new little baby that is on it's way even more. I still get teary eyed when I think about having another child to hold in my arms and now all I can do is pray that God will let this little life stay inside of me as long as possible so that I can take a baby home from the hospital and not have to wait weeks and go home with empty arms like I did when I had Ryker.

Here is recent pictures from my ultrasounds in Seattle. I may be biased already but I think my little baby has a pretty adorable little profile. We never found out what we are having, we LOVE the surprise but my prediction is BOY and Ben and Ryker both say GIRL. Time will soon tell.

VEGAS BABY!!!

Ben and I just returned home from a quick trip to Vegas. This trip was planned before I learned I was even pregnant. We went October 2 (my BIRTHDAY) to October 5 with some of the guys that he works with and their wives. We didn't know if I would be able to travel because of being considered a "high risk pregnancy" but thankfully we got the okay from my doctor here as well as my doctors in Seattle that I could go as long as I agreed to not be in the sun too much or do a lot of walking. Apparently both those things could make my blood pressure rise. I assured them I would be doing nothing but taking it easy and that if my blood pressure did rise it was only because I hit it BIG on the slots...which NEVER happened. We had a good few days away but in Vegas you can really only handle 3 or 4 days there and then you are ready to come home. My mom and dad actually were there the same time celebrating her 60th birthday which is the day after mine. It was nice to have them there too and my parents are the type of people that are actually fun to hang out with...they aren't too old to hang out and have fun with us youngins'

As hard as it was to leave Ryker, I learned that we need to do things like that more often. We don't leave him very much, especially overnight somewhere, and I know we have to be better about that. Not only is it good for Ben and I as a couple to get away but it is also good for Ryker. My goal is to at least once a year escape with just Ben on a quick little get away with just the 2 of us and I hope we can really make this happen!

Needless to say VEGAS was a blast! It's true you can still have a good time and be pregnant in sin city. ;) Sorry Ladies, the man below in the speedo is ALL mine. :) lol. Being the jokester that he is Ben had to take his speedo which is WAY too tight these days and give the guys he works with a surprise and a laugh when he whipped off his towel to ask if anyone wanted to go swimming. I tell ya, that man makes me laugh so much!