The DeSanctis Family

Idaho

2011-09-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Last month Gary and Lisa moved to Lewiston Idaho where Gary accepted a principal position--get this-at his MOM'S elementary school. Lewiston is where my sweet mother-in-law, Linda was raised and is where Grandpa Ray still lives. I'd only been there once before and just adored the town. I love the weather, the slower pace and the friendliness of everyone you meet. I admit I've even fantasized about moving there...but nah, we probably never will.

Nonetheless as soon as Gary and Lisa moved there with their 3 kiddos, we set a date to drive over to visit. So we went there over labor day weekend, which was actually a 4-day weekend for us because we had Tuesday off. I was a little nervous about the drive with Logan but he did awesome! I knew Logan would have a blast with his 3 cousins all weekend but even I wasn't prepared for just how much fun they'd actually have! Gabe is 4, Lily is 3 and Lulu is 1 so Logan being 2 just fit right in there perfectly. It was so much fun and Lisa and Gary were so accommodating and hospitable. It was hard saying goodbye on Tuesday, Logan kept asking if they were coming with us. :(

Lake Crescent

2011-09-10T09:01:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we had a nice little getaway with some friends to Lake Crescent. The Morgenroth's have a family cabin there right on the lake so we went with them and Matt and Melinda. It was so nice being away from the hustle and bustle of life. It's so serene over there on the peninsula! The weather was in our favor 2 of the 3 days we were there, but even when it was raining we managed to enjoy ourselves. Thanks John and Jennie for inviting us!!

Ferry ride to Kingston

There's the cabin!

Dennis and Matt took a dip right away

Logan discovering his love for throwing rocks into the lake

Melinda and Sassy Kassy

Kassy loves wheat thins

The gang going out for a boat ride

Logan's first boat ride--he's not so sure about this

Sophie modeling

Two words: Class Ee.

The kiddos LOVED when we went fast on the boat

Logan and Matt just loungin' watching "Rango"

Logan posing as Muscle Man in daddy's shoes

San Francisco

2011-09-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

In early August our family of 3 packed up and flew down to San Fran to spend some QT with the extended family from my mom's side (The Karpman's. With the 4 siblings living in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and Chicago, they try to meet up every summer at one of the 4 locations and this time we were able to come along.

This was Logan's 3rd plane ride and he did awesome! We made sure to be prepared with DVDs, coloring books, spiderman and dum dums but I think the thrill of looking out the window at all the mountains and clouds was way more entertaining to him. While we were in San Fran we got to spend time with the herd of boy cousins (all 6 between the ages of 13-18), go to Pixar Studio where my aunt Sandy works, spend time in the city and also spend some down time relaxing at our hotel pool. The time went by entirely too fast as always!

Thank goodness for the airport play-area since we had a flight delay!

Logan and cousin Quinny going down the slide at the San Rafael Farmer's Market

"A Stranger from the Outside" at Pixar

The gang touring Pixar

My husband can not take a normal picture.

A little getaway

2011-07-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

We were so thankful to be able to get out of town for a night and spend some time in Camano Island-thanks for the generous Johnson family (Martha and Jay) who offered up their adorable cabin to us. It was perfect timing for us to get away for a night. Logan and Katsu LOVED the fresh air, and the neighbors around us were the most welcoming people ever. It was so nice to play outside with Logan, enjoy a bonfire on and then wake up and take a nice walk on the beach. THANK YOU JOHNSON'S!!

Katus is excited!

"The Cabin" :)

The backyard!

Checking out the neighborhood

The kid is in bed, we get to enjoy the peace and QUIET!

My honey, some Mike's hard lemonade (haha) and bonfire on the beach. Perfect.

Sophie turns 2

2011-07-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we got to celebrate a special little girl's 2nd birthday--Miss Sophia Morgenroth. It was a beautiful day and great for all the kids to be able to play.

Miss Sophia

Logan, Hailey and Sophie

Montse (2 days before Nattie's was born!) Heidi with Jameson (1.5) and Cori with Cooper (8 months)

This is what happens when Matt puts a swimsuit on your kid-beware!

Sophie giving Bree a kiss

Bree playing in the pool with her daddy

Two year pictures

2011-05-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

We had pictures taken in early April to mark Logan's two year birthday. You might ask, isn't his birthday in February? You are correct. We had planned on getting pictures taken late February, early March, but Katsu had other plans. I'll spare the emotional side of the story and just give it to you straight- on the day of his party Logan was being extremely 'naughty' and decided to start using Katsu as a punching bag. Katsu is not a dog you want to repeatedly slap in the face although I don't know many dogs that are. Anyway, Katsu took a big bite at Logan's cheek and it left quite a mark, in fact 3 months later there is still a faint scar left. We decided we didn't want our 2 year pictures to always remind us of this fateful day.

If you are wondering, we still have Katsu and the two have made up--for the most part.

Back to the 2 year photos. Our friend Jennie had recommended a gal she went to high school with to take our pictures named Meghan and we were so pleased!! She was super down to earth, very accommodating and might I add, did a fabulous job. Logan really liked her, in fact he offered her his 'guys' that he insisted in bringing with him which is always a good sign. She has a blog you should check out, www.melifephotography.com/blog/ :)

Logan turns TWO!

2011-02-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

Last Friday Logan had the big 2nd birthday. It honestly scares me how fast time flies once you have a child; I don't want time to go this fast from here on out but I guess I don't have a choice do I?

Dennis and I both took the day off to spend with our little Prince so after opening his present from us we went to the Seattle Aquarium for the first time in the morning. Logan LOVED it. He thought the giant fish tank when you first walk in was amazing, and also loved the sea otters, seals, and the Nemo and Dori fishies. Afterwards we regretfully stopped at McDonalds on the way home. This was Logan's first McDonald's experience and while I'm sure it won't be his last, I am hoping it'll be another 2 years before we go again. After I ate my cheeseburgers my stomach was not really happy and I think my conscience was even more worse. I guess it's a good thing that Logan only ate about 4 fries and about 1/3 of his burger (mainly bun) before he called it quits.

Dennis left out of town that afternoon until Monday afternoon to a Youth Group conference so I got some serious 1:1 time with my son. After his nap we went off to get a birthday donut which he was SO happy for, and then off to dinner at Papa and Tita's. All in all I think he had a good birthday!

Logan coming downstairs to open his gift from mommy and daddy (a shopping cart)

All the food so he can go grocery shopping around the house

His prized possessions going for a ride in the shopping cart

Happy birthday boy!

On our way to the aquarium- gotta stay hydrated!

Mommy and Logan waiting for the diver to come into the tank!

Logan is mesmerized!

He didn't really like touching the starfish. I think he said they were "icky"

There was a lot of pointing going on that morning.

He loved the sea otters almost as much as his daddy!

Family shot. Why do I look like my head is falling off my shoulders? ugh

This was right before he had a meltdown. He didn't want to leave...

Birthday donut he picked out all on his own :)

Little Gym Graduation

2011-02-18T21:52:00.001-08:00

Logan graduated from Little Gym earlier in the month and with Gramma coming to watch we were able to get some fun shots. I have really enjoyed our time at Little Gym and I'm sad we couldn't sign up again right away but we were able to work out a deal where we are signed up for the last half of the winter session. This is much easier on our bank accounts! I think it's so good for Logan to be around the other kiddos as well as having some of the structure mixed with exploration. I do have to admit though I am happy to have a break from Little Gym on Tuesday mornings because that is my only day off during the week with Logan so for a long time my mornings were always shot. Now for at least 10 weeks we can make plans with other mommies and kids or just do whatever it is we want to do!
PS. yes. I am aware that Buzz is in almost every shot here. Buzz is becoming the biggest thorn in my side. I want to have a burn party and burn both Buzzes (yes he has two), but he would probably have a full blown raging temper tantrum that literally will not end until they are back in his possesion.

Christmas 2010

2011-02-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was so fun! Last year Logan was only 10 months old so a lot of all those fun traditions we were so excited to start with him kinda just went over his head. This year was a whole different ball game! While Logan didn't fully understand all the hype going on about this holiday he definitely understood the concept of opening presents, Santa, and being with lots of family.

The McNeley's have an annual tradition of having a Christmas party and only recently it has become a kid-friendly party where all little ones are welcome and a special guest comes...Santa!

"SANTA!!!!!!!"

Logan is not quite sure about the jolly man in the red suit

And then, he offers him a present. Instant pals.

Logan showing Matt his new toy, Rex! And the obsession with Toy Story begins...

We tooks Logan to see Santa at the Alderwood Mall. We took him last time and he did great so we were thinking this might be the year he freaks out. I firmly believe he was totally cool with Santa because of his experience at the McNeley's! He remembered the cool toy he got from Santa and had no problem sitting on this man's lap. Grandma came along and afterwards she bought him a new pair of shoes...Toy Story shoes!

Montse's family was able to come up from Mexico this Christmas-it was so nice to get to see all of her sisters, their husbands and her mom. I adore her family and wish we could see more of them.

Montse and Paloma

Momma, Me, Montse

These two love eachother...it's a blessing to have cousins so close in age!

Montse, Linus, Bree and Marisol

Paloma's son, Dylan showing Logan the ropes...

On Christmas day Logan got to come downstairs and see his gifts. We didn't really go all out this year, we figured he's still pretty young to be spending that kind of money. But he was still happy with his gifts and we still had Gramma and Papa's house to go to later in the day.

Seeing his new customized chair for the first time

First things first: gotta have my milk.

Opening cooooooool cars straight from the Pixar studio compliments of Aunt Sandy

Coloring in his new books-wow that is a mean mug if I've ever seen one!

Fits perfectly right in front of the television!

Katsu loves his Christmas present!

Some good lookin' DeSanctis men

Some good lookin' DeSanctis women too!

Most of the whole DeSanctis clan on Christmas

Alicia was such a help with Logan opening gifts!

I love my father-in-law!

One of our many great gifts, a beautiful picture of Ted and Linda :)

Our one family photo from the holidays. Clearly we need to bring a camera around more often!

Mommy and Logan playing his new game, Sequence!

He is concentrating very hard on his next move.

Cousin Lily and Logan playing with his new garage from Gramma!

Indiana/Illinois

2011-02-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

In October Logan and I left on a jet plane to attend my cousin Cara's wedding in Indiana. Dennis couldn't come but thankfully my brother, dad, and aunt were with us on the plane to help me with my 20 month old. I decided during this trip that I would definitely be purchasing an Ergo whenever we have another baby because that thing saved us at the airport! It was wonderful being able to carry Logan on my back through the airport and not stress about him running off. Thank you Alisha!

The trip was actually extremely stressful during the first half and not because of Logan at all. He was perfect! It had more to do with the horrendous traffic, the fire alarms going off in our hotel room at 1am, getting stuck in hail anytime we were outside, the 30 minute long Harley Davidson funeral procession we got stuck behind... but once that passed it was a great trip and as always it was so wonderful to see family. All of my mid-west family hadn't met Logan before so it was a treat.

My wedding date!

Isn't he so handsome?

Uncle Brian and Aunt Diane: the proud parents of the bride

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Cara and Ryan Melvin!

First dance

Uncle Michael and Logan playing with trains

Who's this cool kid?

Homeboy drinking milk

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to The Farm in Snohomish and met up with lots of friends and the kiddos. It was so fun being there with Logan, VERY different from last year! This year he was very interested in all of the big pumpkins and all of the people. He also enjoyed the piggies and the corn maze. We didn't actually get a pumpkin, neither Dennis nor I are huge on carving and figured we had at least another year before Logan would really care to pick out a pumpkin. :)

Me and my little pumpkin getting ready to head out

Derek horsing around with the kiddos

The DeSanctis' and the Taron family just out enjoying a hay ride!

Pipes, Ashley and little Ali

Heidi and sweet Jameson

Cheeeeese!

Daddy and Logan trying to get out of the corn maze

Who made these goofballs the leaders?

Forget it--Logan says he'll find his own way out!

Trying to get a cute pic of all the kiddos

Awwwww he's so content

Anacortes

2010-08-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Every summer we go on a family vacation with the DeSanctis family. For years it was Lake Wenatchee, but as of last year we have made it a new tradition to go to Anacortes. We have a family friend who owns a house there with a BEAUTIFUL view of the water-it's such a serene, peaceful place to stay. The best part of course is being able to spend days with the family especially having all of the cousins together. Logan has always had a special connection with his cousins, Phillip and Josh, and he also loves the other cousins too of course--that along with Grandma and Papa and all his Uncles and Aunties made Logan a VERY happy boy!

Lily and Logan playing together nicely

Three generations of DeSanctis men!

Papa with his buddy Logan

Dennis playing with baby Lulu

This was so sweet-first thing in the morning the little kiddos were up on the bed with Auntie Paula reading to them

Lulu posing with Katsu

Yummy icecream!

Yes, Tony is holding up how many ice creams he has eaten. Three. Giant. Icecreams.

What an awesome community park in Anacortes!! Everyone had a blast, adults included!

Phillip swinging Alicia SO high on the tire swing, I was having a heart attack!

Logan walking with his best buddy Phillip...so cute!

Logan showing off the cool leaf he found in the yard

Phillip want to eat the leaf?

Here is the neighbor dog, Taco, trying to get it on with Katsu. INAPPROPRIATE.

Gabe and Logan playing together nicely

Cuddle time!

Logan is helping Theo with his next move. Check mate!

Logan really wanted to fly (or eat) this kite!

Swimming

2010-08-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

We signed Logan up for the 5 week, 10-class Terrace Tots class at the Mountlake Terrace Pavillion for the month of July. Dennis and I switched off going in the pool with him every Monday and Wednesday and singing songs like "Patty cake" and "Old McDonald". Overall it was a good experience, I think our mission was accomplished which was merely to get Logan comfortable being in the pool. We weren't expecting a Michael Phelps to emerge from the pool after 5 weeks, but we were a little perplexed when we got his "report card" at the end which subtly stated that he should stay in tots and practice his skills before moving on to "Advanced Tots"....poor kid, he's only 17 months old and already has an idea what failure tastes like. :( We are so very proud of him though, he kept his cool every time and it was a great bonding experience for both of us with our little man.

Daddy and Logan: Logan isn't too happy at this moment.

Logan's friend Jackson was in the same class! They were having fun giving eachother 5 and fist pumping, of course mommy could never quite capture them in action!

Logan practicing his "reach and pulls" going after the fishy

Here he is walking the plank!

Daddy and Logan giving "nose to nose"

I had to post this so you could see for yourself. Hard to believe right? Whatever, Logan is a star.

Leavenworth

2010-07-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went over to Leavenworth with our good friends, The Taron's. Ever since I was pregnant with Logan in '08 I had dreams of taking him to the pool right on main street and letting him slide down the big frog slide. My dream came true! LOL. I wish I would have gotten a picture of that, but the memory is stamped in my head. :)

We had such a great time, we stayed at an awesome hotel in a loft suite and I am pretty sure Hailey and Logan had a blast! I think Logan's favorite part of the trip was being in a "new house"-especially one he got to share with Uncle Derek. :)We ate good food, walked around the quaint little shops, swam, and at night everyone (except me and Logan) even got to play a round of put-put golf. One night was just not enough time to do all that we wanted to do, which means we'll have to go back again! (hint hint)

Logan decided to take a break from running around to let me take a picture

Hailey helped herself to some juice, she's being shy...

The Taron family (and Logan), taking a break from the hot sun

Hailey got to pet the horsey!

Logan has that delierious look in his eye at the dinner table!

Binky in, playing with his hair, this boy is ready for bed!

Daddy and Logan walking to breakfast!

Cute family shot, even if Hailey was non-compliant!

We found this awesome hidden beach on our way out of town...gotta go back!

I love my boy.......

My Little Gym Chicken!

2010-06-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

This past week was the wrap up of the winter/spring semester at Little Gym. I have been taking Logan there for the past few months every Tuesday and he has really enjoyed it. It's so cute how every week he's a little timid when we first arrive, he grips onto my leg and just stares at everyone with suspicion but within 5 minutes he is climbing all over everything and running up to all the other kids and adults.

Go figure this past week I had to work on Tuesday so I had to take him to a Friday class with kids that are one "level" ahead of him, so he was the little man but he did great and accepted his medal with honor. I am excited to start back up again in the fall :)

The Zoo

2010-06-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

My parents had mentioned a while back how long it'd been since they'd been to the Woodland Park Zoo. Since Dennis and I have passes and can get up to 5 people in for 50% off we decided we were due for a family trip to the zoo! My parents, Ben, Montse and Bree joined us for a day of fun last week and thankfully the weather was beautiful.

Everett Children's Museum

2010-06-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend we took Logan to the Everett Imagine Children's Museum. It probably wasn't the best time to take him for our first time- it was a Saturday and it was raining; everyone and their kids were there. Logan is still one of the smallest kids walking around there so we didn't get much of a chance to let him REALLY explore. We will definitly be going back though because that is an awesome museum!

Jessica's Wedding Shower

2010-06-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

Heather and I co-hosted a wedding shower for our dear friend Jessica on May 22nd. We had a great time planning it together and I think it all came together quite nicely if I do say so myself!

One Year Photos

2010-04-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am so happy with how these pictures turned out. I heard about a photographer, J. Shelton Photography, through my friend Brianne Makanani. She had recently had pictures done by Justine and they turned out so beautiful, I had to get more information! I'm very glad I did. We really enjoyed Justine she was so great with Logan even in the beginning when he was NOT in the mood to be getting his picture taken. We met up at Bothell Landing park and then ended the day with a few shots at our house. My best friend, Cheris came over to my house beforehand to do my makeup. What a great friend, I'm so blessed :) I loved what she did with my makeup, something I could never do myself and I loved getting to visit with her and her little kiddos too. If anyone ever needs their makeup done for a special event or just to feel beautiful, let me know I will give you her info!! I also highly recommend J.Shelton Photography (jsheltonphotography.blogspot.com or jsheltonphotos.com) to anyone who is looking for fabulous photos of their little ones or, really, any family photos! Here are some of our favorite :)

The Dance Master

2010-03-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Logan LOVES to show off his moves these days, in fact if he just hears the word "dance" sometimes it gets him going. His favorite time to bust a move is while he's eating, probably because he loves eating so much too! Before we know it he'll be doing the Truffle Shuffle! :)

Logan's 1 year check up

2010-03-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

I am almost a month late with this, but wanted to post Logan's stats incase I ever lose all other paperwork, and the doctor's medical records explode or something. Logan had his check up on Tuesday, February 23rd and got a clean bill of health...sorta...

We had been battling a cold with Logan for 3 and a half weeks when he had his check up. We had been to the doctor once already and they didn't find anything so we just had to wait it out. Poor guy had a snotty nose almost the whole time, sometimes he had a nasty cough, and you could just tell he was not feeling very well. At his one year check up he got checked out again and turns out he did have an ear infection! We got him on some antibiotics and within 2 days his cold was GONE. He did get a NASTY rash which I did get a picture of maybe someday I'll actually upload it onto my computer. So as of now, we suspect it was a drug rash (we did take him in AGAIN) and now on his list of allergies it says: Amoxicillan. Poor baby. Thank GOODNESS he wasn't in any discomfort at all with this rash, because believe me if you didn't see it for yourself, it was SO BAD and ALL over.

Anyway, below are his stats...still a small(er) guy on the weight scale although he doesn't seem like it to me!

Height: 2'5.88" (52.5%)

Weight: 21 lbs 2 oz (24%)

Head: 46cm (38%)

Birthday Party

2010-02-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

We decided to have Logan's party at Alfy's because our house is not nearly big enough for all of his friends and we didn't want to impose on anyone else's home either. Welllll, I'm going to be honest. I never will give Alfy's my business again. I called them about 6 weeks prior to the party date and the 16 year old guy who was probably stoned and could hardly put a sentence together said he put me down on the calendar. I called a few days later to give them a better number of guests and they informed me that I wasn't on the schedule, but they would gladly put me down for 12 noon on Saturday February 20th. I had 30+ invitations made and sent them out to the guests about 3 weeks before the big event. I received a call one week later (2 weeks before the party) and oops! They double booked us and would have to move our time to 11am. Great. I get to contact everyone and tell them to ignore their invitations and come at 11. I know of at least 5 people that couldn't come due to the time change. They said they'd compensate us with dessert pizza; I said that is irrelevent because it is a birthday party and we have cake. Fast forward to Saturday the 20th, they reluctantly let me in 10 minutes early to hang stuff up before the guests arrived, they only turned on a few lights so we looked like we were in a cave until Dennis snooped around and found the lights, and they huffed and puffed about giving us ANY free pizza despite the fact that they totally screwed up and inconvenienced us greatly. So, with that said, I don't like Alfy's.

Sorry that most of this update is about my dislike for Alfy's and not star of the show, Logan Michael. Despite all of that annoyance, the party itself was really fun. Thank you for everyone who came! I know Logan was just beside himself seeing everyone he knew and loved in the same room. He enjoyed his cake as well as you can see in the pictures below. He has a sweet tooth like his mommy :)

I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I would have liked, I know my father-in-law did so I'm holding onto hope that he will give me some copies!

The youngest guest, Campbell Meek..she was an angel!

Skylar would never miss O-gee's party!

Auntie Cheris with the smiley birthday boy!

The Adult Cake

Logan had to unbutton his shirt for this one!

By the look of his face I'd say it was a success!

Teeny is One Years Old!

2010-02-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my lack of depth in my blogs, I mostly just want to post recent pictures and give brief updates. On Thursday, February 18th our little man turned one. I'm going to say the most cliche statement that new moms say, that I cannot believe he is one! I am so proud of him and so thrilled about what kind of little boy he is becoming. He has made my life an infinite amount better and I cannot imagine life without him. His smile melts my heart, his tight gripped monkey hugs feel SO good, his laugh is better than any Ray Lamontagne song out there.

Dennis and I both took off work on his birthday so we could soak in the birthday boy as much as possible. It started with him getting to see his new toybox, have some scrambled eggs, and off to the zoo! Grandma and Papa came along too which Logan was of course pleased with. After the zoo we went to lunch at Voula's where Logan flirted with all of the female staff and a few customers too. Next it was nap time! I quickly whipped up some cupcakes and by the time he woke up it was dinner time and his other Grandma and Grandpa arrived for pizza along with Uncle Ben, Auntie Montse and his cousin Bree. What a lucky boy he is to have so much loving family!

Wake up Teeny! It's your Birthday!!

He thinks it's pretty swell that he can fit in his new toy box.

Enjoying scrambled eggs for his birthday breakfast

Tired party boy ready to go ni-night...

God of This City

2010-01-13T14:29:00.001-08:00

This song immediately comes to mind when I think of Haiti. I found a video on YouTube that has photos from Haiti to go along with the song. I have no affiliation with the ministry, but that's irrelevant. Imagine the people in these pictures, and try to imagine NOW what Haiti looks like. Chances are over 50% of the houses, huts, buildings that are standing tall in this video are flattened and collapsed to the ground. If you feel compelled to help, please view my post below; there are websites you can check out...

Help Haiti!

2010-01-13T11:44:00.001-08:00

Wow, I am having a hard time believing it is merely a coincidence that just as the Simply Haiti project is launching, Haiti endures the worst earthquake in 200 years, and the entire country is in devastation. I never intended on posting about an earthquake that has caused hospitals to collapse, and bodies to be dragged out onto the streets by loved ones. All I wanted to post was information on an awesome project that someone from my church is putting together called "Simply Haiti". I will still post about that, but I pray that in the light of this horrific tragedy, it will force us to open our eyes and want to help. I know a common obstacle when it comes to helping 3rd world countries is "How?" and "How do I know the money is going in the right hands?" Well, if you were to donate to the Simply Haiti project, I can tell you that the money raised will be collected though a ministry called Jesus in Haiti and there is a website you can check to be sure it's legit: http://www.jesusinhaiti.org/ If you want to donate for general earthquake relief, this is the site to do it through. If you want to donate for the specific Simply Haiti cause, you would want to go through the Simply Haiti website.
Below is more information about the project. I would go into detail but Alex explains it the best on his website.

http://simplyhaiti.org

Logan's Dedication

2009-12-26T17:24:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, December 20th, we had Mr. Logan Michael DeSanctis dedicated at our church, Brookview Community Church. This was very important to us as we want our son to grow up knowing all about Jesus and to have a relationship with him as early as possible. At our church, you don't get baptized until you are old enough to make the decision yourself; being that Logan is 10 months old, we're pretty sure he's not ready to make that decision quite yet on his own. But what is very special is having your baby dedicated--essentially dedicating his life to God and publicly declaring along with the church that we will do all that we can to raise him with Christian values and to be able to know Jesus on a personal level. Big things! :)

Logan's Official Haircut

2009-12-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

Ok so I know I posted something about a month ago about Logan's haircut, so I'm starting to sound like a liar--BUT this time he really did officially get a haircut--appointment and all. We wanted him to look as dashing as could be for his dedication the next day, so we made him an appointment at Fun Kuts! He enjoyed the toys while waiting, and was thrilled to be placed in a big boat. He did great the whole time the lady cut her hair. He got a little concerned towards the end especially when the clippers came out, but he kept his cool since he didn't want her messin' up on his mop!

Cool toys!

Had to get a "before" shot.

At a loss for words-all he could do was smile and wave.

"Let's get going here!!"

It was so cute, he and this other boy were just staring at eachother in their respective means of transportation.

This is Jaden!

And Ta Da! So handsome! We had a good experience here- I love that they gave us his hair in a baggy as well as a little card with his first official haircut documentation :)

"SANTA!!!!!!!! I know him. I know him!"

2009-12-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

~Buddy the Elf

So I have been excited to take Logan to meet Santa ever since before he was born. I don't really know why, it was actually pretty anti-climatic, but just the magic and wonder that comes with being young during Christmas time is sooo appealing to me; even though Logan is too young to really grasp the wonder of it all, it still got me all excited thinking of the day Logan would first lay eyes on Santa.

We made a day out of it and met up with Grandma Linda at the Alderwood Mall. She didn't want to miss this big event either! Logan was exhausted because it was late morning and he had been awake since about 7am. I was a little scared that he would lose it as soon as I set him on this strange old man's lap--the only time Logan usually cries sporadically is when he is really tired and thrust into an unfamiliar setting--but this Santa was so calm and mellow, and it wasn't really crowded so I think Logan just felt at ease from the very beginning. I knew he wouldn't smile, since he likes to pretend to be real professional and business-like (those who know him know thats all an act). After we got his picture taken we met up with my mom and the 4 of us had lunch at Ruby's Diner :)

And we couldn't forget about our eldest son, Katsumoto! This is the 4th year that we (Ok, I) have taken Katsu to get pictures with Santa and I didn't want to stop now after having a baby. Through the years I thnk Katsu hasn't gotten a little more "jerky" but he did really well this year with Santa! I'm proud of both of my little boys! oh and for the record, 1/2 of the proceeds for the pet picture goes to a kitty homeless shelter--so if nothing else it's for a good cause! :)

"From Henceforth, You Shall be Known as Big Haircut"

2009-11-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

--as quoted by Andy Bernard, The Office

This weekend I went to have lunch with an old girlfriend of mine and on a whim decided to see if Jorge, my hairstylist (Because, ya know, I have such a high maintenance 'do) was working at Regis in the Alderwood Mall. Not only was he working, but he was right in between clients and had just enough time for me to squeeze Logan in for a quick snip.

Logan has quite a signature hair style that is becoming recognized all around the region. I didn't want Jorge to take away the "Logan" look, just clean it a bit as I was worried he was starting to draw the attention of CPS with his hair in his face.

Logan sat on my lap and as always, hammed it up for everyone around him. He sorta wondered what the heck that shiny tool was in Jorge's hand, but he didn't squirm or get fussy at all. He really enjoyed looking at himself in the mirror and as you can tell by the pictures, was very impressed with Jorge's work.

One disclaimer: I didn't know if I was in the pictures Jorge was taking, so don't judge me and my goofy facial expressions. Oh and in the last picture,I am just about to say "Meeoooow" which is why Logan is smiling. Logan thinks mommy is silly when she meows like a kitty :)

I have a 9 month old.

2009-11-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

Happy 9 months little Logan!

Logan had his check up yesterday and he got a clean bill of health again. He was back to his usual goofy self just in time to see the nurse and doctor after having a bit of a fever the last couple days. This was his first fever so mom and dad were a little paranoid, but his teeny little immune system is small but fierce and managed to defeat whatever bug he seemed to have! So, when the nurse brought us back to the room and we had to strip him down to his skivvies (aka, diaper) he was all smiles and babbling to no end. I think Logan honestly believes that everyone around him wakes up in the morning to see him. He believes that if someone is feeling down and out, they need to just turn their gaze towards him and he will cheer them up with his smile--and he is totally right :) I pasted below what my weekly update from Babycenter says about this age...Logan is a major exception to this I would say! It seems to me the more unfamiliar the face, the happier he is...uh oh, what is that saying about me as a mommy? Is he sick of me? Doh!

Because of separation anxiety, this can be a tough time to be away from your baby for any length of time. But it may also be hard to travel with your baby right now. He's become used to his surroundings and familiar faces, and he likes predictability. So being on the road can disrupt his sense of security and routine, especially when visiting a new place or meeting lots of strangers.

At this age he doesn't grasp the concept of travel, but he'll realize he's in an unfamiliar place. Be ready for some cranky, clingy behavior and prepare plenty of distractions — picture books, noise-making toys, nesting blocks, hand puppets, and definitely his lovey, if he has one. Schedule plenty of downtime away from all the strangers to let him decompress.

Anyway, back to his visit... We were so happy to hear he didn't need to get any immunizations this time around, one less thing to worry about...but then I got word that the Lynnwood clinic had the preservative-free H1N1 shots available, so inevitably he ended up getting poked yesterday :( Yesterday was a doctor office filled day but I feel SO relieved to have gotten him his shot, especially after his fever scare a few days ago.

Logan is moving up on the bell curve too! Below are his stats--he took a nice jump in his weight, and has started to taper off in his height to even out a bit more; not that it was ever a cause for concern :)

Weight: 19.2 pounds (27%)
Height: 2'4.5" (61%)
Head: 17.72" (42%)

Logan holding hands with Aurelia Perry before shopping for Operation X-mas Child

Logie Hearts Katsumoto

Katsumoto isn't so sure if he hearts Logie quite yet.

"Teeny teeny bum!"

If you're happy and your know it clap your hands

2009-10-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Logan is 8 months old today and this weekend he learned something new: clapping! I want to capture it on video sometime soon, but right now it's all so new to him and he is selective on whom he claps for. (Is that the right context to be using the word 'whom'?)

As I'm typing this Dennis is on the floor encouraging Logan to make that one teeny extra push to crawl. He is sooOOooOOo close! While he can't crawl yet he is a professional roller. In fact, he just rolled up to my feet as I'm typing this. Maybe I'll end up having to roll him into preschool :)

He had his first taste of meat today too. We certaintly don't have a vegetarian on our hands! I'm just happy that he loves pretty much anything we give him. He makes feeding time effortless for everyone! He likes the little cereal puff things, and we are building up the courage to offer him cheerios although to be honest I'm terrified of him choking on it. He has had bits of bananas too but just doesn't know what the heck to do with them once it's in his mouth! It's a work in progress, but I can tell in no time he will be eating anything in sight, just like his mama :)

Here is a picture of him I just snapped tonight. He took a quick break from watching Elmo on TV to let me take it. What a good boy :)

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-16T16:46:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, October 10th, we drove down to Kent to the Carpinito Brothers pumpkin patch and met up with my friend, Cindy and her family. Normally I very much dread the fall season knowing that it brings shorter days, endless rain, gray clouds, and not a lot of sunshine. I might be one of those people who needs to walk around with a tanning bed light stuck to my head. But I am trying to be optimistic and welcome the holiday season this year because I always knew that once we had kids the holidays would never be the same! I am proud to say that I am welcoming the fall season with outstretched arms and I am so excited to get to watch Logan witness all of the fun holiday events for the first time.

Naomi and Cindy stopped to pose before heading into the corn maze

I had a lot of fun with this new app I got for my iPhone!

Rice Cereal

2009-08-25T16:38:00.001-07:00

"What's this new chair thing all about anyway?" "O-M-G this is delightful!" "Here...just give me the spoon, you're taking too long" "Ummmm, that's all I get?"

6 months! (Half a year! Yowza!!)

2009-08-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

Our little man has been in this world living and breathing on his own for 6 months! He is at such a FUN age, I can't even explain how excited I get walking through the door to see his big smile. Still no crawling but the little man could roll around the block and back again all while I turn my back for long enough to grab the remote or something! He loves to talk too, when you talk back to him in *his* language he gets this look of gratitude in his eyes like "finally someone understands where I'm coming from!"

On his 6 month birthday (August 18th) he had his check up, got a clean bill of health and we went home for his first rice cereal experience! I totally anticipated him to hate it like most people warned me but this guy loved it! He ate the whole bowl and was ready for more. Now, 6 days later, he realized if he puts his lip together while taking a bite he can blow bubbles with it causing the cereal to go everywhere BUT in his mouth (up nose, forhead, in the creases of his neck, yum)

He is a long and lean little man, here are his stats:

Weight: 15 pounds 6 ounces (15%)
Length: 27.5 inches (85%)
Head: 16.75 inches (20%)

Obviously I was too cheap to purchase all of these pictures, so please disregard the big stamp in the middle of each photo displaying, "KIDDIE KANDIDS"...

The Zoo

2009-07-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

The fam damily went to the zoo a couple weeks ago and had a great time! Dennis and I realize that the two of us undoubtedly appreciated the field trip more than Logan, but it made it so much more fun for us knowing it was Logan's first experience. I can only imagine how fun Disneyland will be! :)

The weather was overcast and pretty cool, and it was a Tuesday morning so it was a nice change from the typical crowded,hot,sunny weekends we'd gone to the zoo on in the past.

"Where the heck are we?"

Taken out of order, but by the end of the trip Logan was ready to be cozy with mommy

Showing Logan a monkey that got all up close and personal

We were bummed that the swinging siamangs were not out :(

Strangely enough, Logan's favorite exhibit was the elephants!

Sophie wanted a picture with her family

4th of July weekend

2009-07-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

Such a nice, long, hot, satisfying weekend! Friday we spent the whole day in Poulsbo with family and Saturday we spent the evening with friends at the Morgenroth abode. Here are some pictures, I'm too lazy to comment on each one but they pretty much speak for themselves.

4 months old

2009-06-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

Logan is 4 months old. He is getting so fun! I mean, he's always been fun but anyone who has had a baby knows (unless it's just me in which now I feel awkward)that the first couple months are really just a lot of work without a ton of recognition. Now Logan loves to chat, laugh, check himself out in the mirror, sit up, roll over...

He had his shots today which is never fun. He was pretty pissed initially but calmed down pretty quick afterwards and was a very good boy for the doctor. He weighed in at 13 pounds, 12oz which puts him in the 23.5% for weight. 25.5" for length (77%) and can't remember his head but he ended up in the 18% for that. So basically he's long and lean with a little head. haha

Talks with Logan

2009-06-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

This was taken a few weeks ago, but not too late to share :)

Happy Anniversary!

2009-06-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today is our 3 year anniversary. It's hard to say whether it seems like it has really flown by or if 3 years sounds about right. When I think back to the day we got married it feels like just yesterday but then I think of all we have done in between and..yeah, three years sounds pretty accurate :)

In between the daily grind and just loving eachother, we have been to Chicago (twice), Indiana, gone to Lake Wenatchee with the DeSanctis family twice, celebrated SEVERAL other weddings, been to San Fransisco, Washington DC, become much more involved with our church, Brookview, been to HAITI which was of course amazing. I have done a mini-triathlon, Dennis has played lots of softball, led the youth group at our church, we have been to Idaho to visit grandparents, lost Grandma Verna. Been to tons of BBQs, game nights, out to eat much more than anyone ever should. We have played thousands if not millions of games of Sequence, watched every episode of The Office at least 12 times. We adopted a kitty named Zoey, got a baby shih tzu named Katsumoto.

Of course, the most important of all of what we have done is had our baby boy, Logan. He couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I absolutely love my husband through all we have done together and can't wait to see what is in our future.

June 3rd, 2006 RoseCrest Estate in Monroe, Washington

Dennis in Haiti

Zoey letting the world new she is female

Katsu rockin' his mohawk last summer

The Healy Family in San Fransisco

Idaho 4th of July show--best fireworks show I've ever seen!

Navy Pier in Chi-town with my cousin Michael

Washington DC

And the best experience of all.....Logan Michael

How Great is our God

2009-05-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post this song because it has taken on so much meaning to my life since Logan was born. I don't know what led me to want to sing this song to him but it's the one song I can sing over and over to Logan and it seems that neither of us get bored of it! There's nothing I want more in life than for Logan to know who Jesus is and to know that he is ALWAYS loved....ok sappy story ending now. :)

Logan is 3 months old

2009-05-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

Our little man is growing up! Seeing him everyday, I don't really notice how much he is growing but anytime friends or family see him they comment on how big he's gotten and when I look at pictures that were taken even just a month ago, I definitely see it. He has moved up a size in his Swaddle blankets, his head is getting harder and harder to squeeze through some of his onesies, and he has lost that puff around his eyes. Every day he is getting cuter and cuter. Logan's current hobbies include talking to anyone who will listen and respond--he is turned off by understimulating conversation though so bring your A game if you want to talk to him. He also loves kicking profusely in his blue chair, wiggling his arms out of his swaddle-me blanket, holding tightly onto his toys, and fake coughing (he thinks he sounds cool when he does it).

I have to go back to work in 2 weeks and I am getting really nervous/anxious/depressed about it. The thought of not seeing Logan for 8+ hours a day literally makes my stomach turn. I'm sure I'll appreciate some of the 'adult time' but ultimately there is nothing I want more than to be able to stay at home and watch Logan grow. Who knows, maybe God will perform a miracle and I will be back home with Logan sooner than I thought possible!

Last week we went to JCPenneys where Logan had his first modeling shoot. I was a bit nervous how he would do but he did SO good! I was very pleased with how they turned out and can't wait to get them all next week. Here are a few.

Fun Run!

2009-05-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

Today Dennis, Logan and I caravanned with the Taron fam damily up to Ferndale so Cori and I could participate in the First Annual Mountain View Physical Therapy 5k run. Cori's dad was coordinating it all and I'd say it was a success! The weather was perfect and of course, a nice little 5k was a perfect jump start for me. I have set a goal to do the Seattle 1/2 marathon in November so I'm thinking baby steps!

After the run we stopped at Bob's Burgers and Brew for some lunch and hit the road home. It was a fun little morning and it always feels good getting some fresh air and going for a run with a friend!

Before the run

Heading to the finish line

I guess we could have run harder--if I am able to act that cheesy I must not have pushed myself!

Hailey! The whole time she kept pointing to Logan and saying "Baby!"

Aww, my loving, supporting husband and son. Logan's face says it all.

Cori's support team, Derek and Hailey!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

On Cinco de Mayo (for those who don't speak Spanish, that's the 5th of May:) all of us girls got together for dinner at Santa Fe Grill in Kirkland. I can't believe that we were ALL able to get together! I don't think I'd seen everyone in the same room since the last wedding (that would be Morgan and Erik in September of '07!) so it was pretty cool to get to all be together again. Despite the 45 minute wait --with reservations--and the 45 minute wait to get our bill, the food was delish and the company was even more delicious ;)

2 Month Visit

2009-04-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today was the much anticipated and slightly dreaded doctor's appointment. Poor little man had to get 3 shots and 1 oral vaccination today. We have been home for an hour and a half and he has been sleeping in his carseat the whole time. I am really hoping he won't be too grumpy or hurt for the next couple days but just in case Dennis just ran to get some Tylenol. It was so sad having to watch him get those shots! I just stayed up by his face praising him holding his little hand and telling him what a good boy he was being while he was red faced and screaming. Other than the miserable shots the appointment was great! Dennis and I were both way off with how much he weighs: I guessed 9.14 lbs and Dennis guessed 9.11lbs...he blew us both away at 11.3 pounds! Whatever we are doing, we're doing it right so the doctor says! The highlight of the visit was when the doc was checking him out and Logan decided now was the most appropriate time to take the biggest poop we have seen to date! Even the doc had to gasp when he saw how much he filled his little diapy up! It was pretty funny and hard to keep a straight face while the doctor was talking to us and all I could hear were grunts and farts coming from Logan! :) Precious huh? Oh and I'm not referring to a 30 year old man wearing a t-shirt with super heroes on it if that's what you thought I was referring to...

Logan is really interested in this bunny that dangles off of his chair...

Bye Bye Co-sleeper!

2009-04-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Last night Logan slept his first night in his crib. Dennis and I fully anticipated scooping him up in the middle of the night in surrender and putting him back to bed with us, but Logan was determined to prove what a big boy he was and he slept like an angel all night!

I think it was harder on me than Logan--it was just so strange not having the little guy cooing and kicking next to us as we went to bed. I'm not going to lie, it felt good to have more room again and Katsu was in heaven not having to share the bed with this little fellow (yes we sleep with our dog)but it was bitter sweet. We spent the first hour just staring into our video monitor waiting for him to erupt. We also did our classic 'go to bed' routine that we haven't been able to do since Logan arrived which was played Sequence and watched episode after episode of The Office :)

Here's the weird thing--I totally was having pregnancy symptoms last night that I hadn't felt since Logan was born: heartburn and I swear I felt a kick in my stomach. I have been told about 'phantom kicking' so I guess that's what it was--or I was just gassy--but EITHER WAY it was SO WEIRD! It was like just not having Logan in the room for those couple hours before bed made my body think I was pre-baby again or something.

Anyway, we are pleased with how the the first night went but aren't going to get too excited because tonight is a whole new night!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Logan's first Easter! We went to church then spent the afternoon at Dennis' parent's house. It had been a long time since we'd been able to spend the day there so the family was happy to see the little guy. While most kids were putting on their Sunday best and the girls were dressing up in their pretty flowery dresses, we (ok, not we, just I) had something else in mind for Logan's Easter outfit.

Our little marshmellow Peep!

Sleeping through church service. In the 7 weeks of his life he has probably stayed awake for a total of 7 minutes during church!

He is staring at Uncle Tony thinking he looks an awful lot like daddy!

Dennis and his dad unknowingly wore the same spiffy shirt for Easter.

Working Out

2009-04-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Logan loves his gym. He likes to spend about 5 minutes on his tummy and about 20 on his back :) He thinks this star that lights up and plays music is hilarious and once he notices himself in the mirror it's all over. Here's a quick clip of him, unfortunately I didn't get video of him looking in the mirror..yet.

Day in Poulsbo

2009-04-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Logan took his first ferry ride last weekend to visit his cousins, Gabe and Lily, in Poulsbo. It's always a treat to go visit Gary and his family and this time was no different. We just spent the day visiting and got to take a walk down to the beach. Cousin Lily was so kind she even let Logan take a nap in her crib for a couple hours!

Outfit compliments of Dane Baptie :)

Aunt Lisa

Uncle Gary and Cousin Lily

My cool cousin, Gabe

On the way home I got in the back with Logan and he couldn't take his eyes off me! He was so confused why Mommy was in the backseat with him!

6 weeks old!

2009-04-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today Logan is 6 weeks old. I can't believe it's been 6 weeks! I have a feeling I'll be saying that a lot..."I can't believe it's been __________!" But seriously where did the time go?

Tomorrow I have my 6 week postpartum check up. I have decided that is also the go ahead time for me to start working out again. I have felt like such a lump for SO long, I think it will feel real good to start working out and breaking out a sweat again. I would like my stomach muscles back, please! Of course, if my midwife feels there is any reason for me to take it easy a bit longer then of course I will obey her :)

In celebration of Logan's 6 week birthday Dennis and I are going out to dinner tomorrow night...ALONE! Grandma and Grandpa will be watching the little man for the couple hours we are gone, and we know he will be in good hands!

1 month Modeling Pictures

2009-04-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Auntie Morgan came over and took some shots of our little Zoolander. He was a good sport considering it was close to interfering with sleepy time! He wanted it to be 'simple yet classic' so we went with the plain white onesie and, of course, nude! The pictures below were taken with a regular digital camera; the fancy ones are still being developed.

"And I'm spent!"

Welcome Logan

2009-03-28T08:56:00.001-07:00

One Month

2009-03-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Logan is one month old already--I can't believe how fast this past month has flown by! Everyone says to cherish every moment with your baby because they grow so fast and I can definitely vouch for that. I would like to think I have cherished every moment although realistically I have had a lot of 'moments' these past 4 weeks where I felt like I was losing my mind. I have realized that the worst sound in the entire world (even worse than someone who chews with their mouth open!) is the sound of your baby crying. I've had this false belief in my head that as Logan's mom, he should never be crying if I'm around. Whatever is is, I should be able to fix it. If someone else is holding him and he cries, hand him to mom and he'll stop. Ummm yeah that is SO not the case! Dennis has had to constantly assure me that we don't have a colicky baby and that he really doesn't cry THAT much. If I were to really time how long Logan cries within a 24 hour period it seriously is probably 20 minutes total. I don't know why I have felt so incompetent! It is something I am still struggling with but it is definitely getting better by the day and each time I accomplish something (ie. taking him shopping, to a restaurant, getting him to sleep in his crib) I feel like supermom!

There is so much about motherhood I wasn't prepared for but everyday there are so many more pros than cons to being a mommy. Logan is starting to really focus on me and Dennis when we're around and we even see the beginnings of little coos and smiles from time to time. I just know his smile will melt my heart like butter!

Happy 1 Month Birthday Little Man!! We love you!!!

He is challenging the monkey to a fight

Katie Gochev painted these adorable monkey canvases for our little man!

Grandma and cousin Bree joining us for a stroll around the neighborhood

99 Bottles of Milk in the Fridge...

2009-03-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, more like 1 but still we are pretty excited. This Wednesday will be Logan's 3 week birthday and we will be introducing him to the bottle! We think this will make our lives much easier in a few ways. First, we will be able to split up the nightly feeding duties by allowing Dennis to feed him one time, and me the next; that means we might possibly get to sleep a full 6 hours in a row sometime soon! Second, we can get out of the house I won't be stressed about where I'll be when it's time to nurse (I'm not one of those people who can just plop down anywhere and whip it out for my baby). And last but definitely not least, we can go out on dates and leave little Logan with our family!

Things are going very well in the DeSanctis household. Last week Logan was 7.12 lbs so he had surpassed his birthweight which is a great sign. He is pretty chill during the day, usually asleep but even if he's not asleep as long as he's in a comfy position he is usually pretty content. He loves being held by all of our friends and family! Nights are getting easier too since we don't feel obligated to wake him up every 2-3 hours to feed him. His pediatrician gave us the go ahead to start letting Logan call the shots when he wants to eat, which tends to be more like 4 to 4 and 1/2 hours at night. We have also discovered the glory that is Gripe Water. Seriously we almost feel guilty giving this stuff to our baby because it works INSTANTLY when he is fussy and gassy at night! I highly reccommend it to anyone who thinks they're baby might be the type to get gassy especially come night time. I guess that might be all babies this age right?

I have posted some more pictures...

Pictures

2009-02-26T14:04:00.001-08:00

Logan has arrived!

2009-02-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

Logan Michael DeSanctis joined our family on Wednesday, February 18th at 5:13am. He really made me work for it too! On Monday evening I felt the sensation like I maybe peed a little but was sure it wasn't my water breaking since it wasn't a ton of water at all. After about an hour of sporadic 'leaking' I called the nurse and they had us come to the hospital to confirm my water had indeed, 'broke'. But because it was more of a leak they sent me home and said the chances of me going into active labor without being induced were pretty high but if by 3:30 the following day I still wasn't having heavy contractions to come to the hospital anyway.

At 7:30pm on Tuesday they started me on a real low level of pitocin and it only took about 2 hours before I was doubled over, throwing up, shaking, in the worst pain of my life!! At this point they hadn't even checked to see if I was dilated but when they finally did at 10:30pm I was already at a 6. YAY I could get the epidural!! The epidural fairy came in and I was almost instantly relieved and feeling better than ever. By midnight I was already at an 8 and by 1am I was fully dilated! We decided to have me labor down a bit but the nurse and midwife were convinced I'd only be pushing for about an hour and Logan should be born around 3am.

Well Logan decided otherwise. While he was very low down, his body was in some funky position and he would not straighten out into a position where he could come out, so I ended up pushing about 3 times as long as anticipated. Dennis said he thought I would have popped blood vessels in my eyes because I was pushing so hard! Around 5am the midwife gave me an ultimatum: if this next push did not show major progress we would be busting out the vacuum. They also gave me the oxygen mask (why didn't they give that to me 2 hours ago??) After that last push they determined the vaccuum was not necessary and here comes Logan!

Everyone has their own labor stories and mine was just as unique as the next woman's. It was the most surreal, out of body experience I have ever had and even a week later I am still baffled with how it all unraveled.

Logan is now 6 days old and impressing all of the medical professionals left and right! According to his pediatrician he is, "The least jaundiced baby I've ever seen" and he is already back to his discharged birth weight of 7lbs 5oz and on the uprise. He was born at 7lbs 9oz and 19.5 inches long. He is a carbon copy of his daddy too!

I will be posting pictures very soon and also discuss more about how these past few days at home have been.

Work Baby Shower/Luncheon

2009-02-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

I love my co-workers! Today we went out to lunch to Joey's in Southcenter to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Logan Michael and Makayla Jane. One of my co-workers, Sara, is pregant just one month after me with a baby girl! They 'showered' us with gifts!

Our boss greeted us with Trophy Cupcakes--never seen two pregnant women so happy!

This is a "ya' had to be there" kind of picture

Final Countdown Pictures

2009-02-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Cheris, me, and Heather- once again I look like a giant and my baggy pants aren't helping my cause! Oh well....I am just happy to get as much friend time in as I can these days!

36 weeks!

One part of our nursery--still a work in progress

This is how all of our walks will go if he could have it his way!

"Wanna go for a walk?"

2009-02-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

We were able to capture on film just how lazy our dog can be! This is like a game now for Katsu--whenever Dennis comes towards him and puts his hands on him as if to pick him up, he rolls over and gives this low, subtle growl. Don't worry, he's never actually attacked us or anything--contrary to his ferocious appearance he is just a softy.

Belly Video

2009-01-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

Is it weird that I am posting this video of my belly? I know it's pretty bizarre but I thought I would share it with anyone who wanted to see it :)Oh and by the way, after 25 seconds it gets pretty uneventful so if you do watch it, it's not really worth watching the last 35 seconds.

Baby Showers

2009-01-19T13:20:00.001-08:00

I have had two baby showers and both were absolutely wonderful! The first one was thrown by my dear friends, Cheris and Morgan, and the second one was hosted by my aunt Pat who graciously opened up her home for us. Dennis and I have been so humbled by the gifts we have received and as I type this Dennis is upstairs organizing the nursery. Believe it or not, he gets a kick out of organizing stuff like that whereas I would love to just hire someone to do that all for me. We make a good team :)

Cori made this diaper cake--impressive huh!??!

Thanks Mike and Caroline! Maybe this will be a good luck jersey for next year

Cheris made us a photo book and it is definitely one of the most treasured gifts I have ever received!

SMILE! Morgan and her mom, Marion. Beautiful daughter and mother!

Samantha and Austin were boogying the whole time--when they weren't wrestling!

Me looking tough with Emily

YAY! Lisa got us a Frog Pod for the bath!

Nice little action shot of me throwing my garbage to Paula

Alicia was my helper with the gifts

Montse, Bree, and Jennie

Joan, Linda, Lisa, and Paula

Christmas 2008

2008-12-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quickly Christmas snuck up on us this year. It always seemed so far away since I knew during the holidays I would be almost 8 months pregnant and THAT seemed like forever away. But low and behold, here we are! The crazy snow has been an "inconvenience" to say the least--our Healy family festivites had to be post poned and we missed our friend's Ugly Christmas Sweater party because of it. I felt like I was on house arrest for the last 2 weeks getting rides to work and home and not doing anything else. Riding around in this snow reminds me of being on an old rickety roller coaster ride at Fun Forest.

Lily getting help from her mommy and cousin opening her Christmas presents

There was a "take 2" of this, but I didn't want to deprive all of you from seeing how every picture has to start out with Dennis

Gabe all cozy on the couch with his buddy!

The boys decided to built a massive snow fort in the back yard which will probably be there until June.

31 weeks belly shot

Random Pics

2008-12-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

Cheris, Me, Heather and Morgan at the Marques Christmas party. Yes I have short friends! Either that or I am a giant.

Dennis and I at the Morgenroth Christmas Party. I followed protocal and wore an ugly Christmas sweater and to my dismay, hardly anyone else did so I just looked like a fat 9 year old girl in my Winnie the Pooh Sweatshirt.

Hailey found an interesting Christmas toy that kept her entertained all night!

Grandpa holding little Bree

We never represent our kitty, Zoey but this picture was too cute to ignore!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

We had a pretty low-key Thanksgiving this year, just spent it at my parents' house along with Ben, Montse, Bree, and our crazy dogs. The food was every bit as yummy as always and after dinner we decided to end the night with a few rounds of Apples to Apples. Good times!

Grandpa and Grandma with little Bree. Bree isn't impressed *yawn*

The proud new mom and dad

The Buddha represents our little man who couldn't be present for the photo shoot since he is still hiding in my belly (rightly so)

The turkey-crazed dogs spent all their time in the kitchen

Look at that face!! She was such a good little turkey all night long.

2008-11-25T11:26:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums up my one and only real complaint these days! It never fails every day multiple times a day I get this horrendous heartburn and it feels like there is an eternal flame in my esophagus. It doesn't help that the only real 'aversion' to tastes that I have had is to TUMS. Just saying the word "TUMS" makes me quiver.

Other than that bit of complaining everything is going great! I go in for my glucose testing a week from today so I'm anxious to see how that goes. I am actually curious to try this "really sweet orange Crush flavored drink" that everyone talks so highly about. Most of the people I have talked to about it said it was the nastiest thing ever but if you ask me it sounds kinda tasty!

25 weeks

2008-11-16T19:02:00.001-08:00

It's funny how in the beginning of my pregnancy I was taking these belly shots like every day when one really couldn't tell whether I just ate a big meal or if there really was something goin' on inside there. Now that I am starting to really show, I am getting lazy with the picture shots...tsk tsk!

Here I am at 25 weeks. I thought it was about time we checked out how the rest of the fam was doing as well (Dennis is a little shy about showing bare skin)

My Appointment

2008-11-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today we had one of our monthly prental visits. Everything is going really well, the heart beat sounded good at about 145 beats a minute. I just love hearing that sound, it's so surreal! I also love that now it takes half a second for the midwife to find the heart beat compared to the first visit I had where we tried to hear it for a good 5 minutes before giving up. Stubborn baby!

I definitely need to lay off the Golden Grahams though! Last month I only gained 1 pound in 4 weeks so I anticipated this appointment I would see a big jump. YIKES! I gained 8 pounds since my last visit!! That's almost a whole Katsu! Soon as I got home I took a long brisk walk around the neighborhood.

No pictures for now, I am thinking of taking a before and after shot though of the nursery because we (Dennis) have a LOT of work to do in that room!

Day Trip to Poulsbo

2008-10-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

Today we took the ferry over to Poulsbo to spend time with Dennis's brother, Gary, his wife Lisa and our nephew and niece Gabe and Lily. We took a walk around downtown Poulsbo where I think I sealed the deal on gestational diabetes with the sweetest mocha ever paired with a creamcheese filled cinnamon roll. Boy was it worth it though! We were also flooded with baby stuff from them including a glider, bassinet, some books and more goodies. Hand-me-downs rock!

Here is me and my belly at 22 weeks. I'm blowing up huh? Get used to this shirt too. I have designated it as my maternity shirt and will probably wear it almost every day.

It's a Little Guy!

2008-10-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, the 6th, was one of the most anticipated days of my life as it was the day we found out whether our apple had a stem or not. Instead of finding out in the cold radiology office room with an equally cold technician, we asked that she put the "results" in an envelope and let us learn our fate together, just me and Dennis, over filet mignon and a twice baked potato. That's right, we went to The Keg.

Right before we opened the envelope!

Dennis is elated!!

"Oh dear"

Hi Guys.

2008-10-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

Due to many recommendations and a bit of peer pressure, we have succumbed to the latest trend of having a blog site! I had been meaning to start one for a while but wanted to at least wait until I was a bit further along in my pregnancy. Apparently I thought I would suddenly have more interesting tid bids to share with everyone--we'll see about that :)