Out of Space!

Well, it took 4 years, but I did it!  I filled up this blog.  I can't add any more pictures.  I'm too cheap to pay $30 a year to Blogger for more space, so I have started a new blog.  It will be exactly the same, I'll just pick up where I left off here.  This blog should stay here if anyone ever has the desire to look at old posts, but I suspect only I do that!  So please join me on the new blog:

http://geebandtiff1.blogspot.com/

Cross-Eyed Cameron

I'm sorry, but this made me laugh so hard.  I hope it brightens your day as well! 

Newborn Photos

 Our amazing friend, Dari, took some pictures of Cameron last week for us.  They were all so cute, but I'll just post a few here.

 This was too sweet.  I'm a sucker for baby-and-Daddy pictures, though.

   

The owl hat!  Too funny.

My favorite!  Makes me laugh every time.  Poor kid was a good sport.

What Else? More Cameron

 

I get a kick out of the expressions this kiddo makes.  He has been busy lately...

 ...watching He-Man with Daddy...

 ...tolerating Parker's incessant photography with Mommy...

 

...being constantly entertained by any toy that plays music, courtesy of big brother...

 ...waking up just as the siblings are going to bed (and staying up until 1am)...

 ...being idolized by Parker...

...being mothered by big sister (the blankets are always folded over nicely when she's in charge!)...

...hearing, "Cameron's so cute!" 500 times a day (deservedly so!).

Proud Big Brother

 Look who is still so excited about his little brother. 

I sure like my cute boys.  Every time Cameron opens his eyes Parker is right there with a rattle.  He says goodbye when he leaves for preschool, "Bye, Cameron, I will miss you!" and greets him again the minute he gets home: "I'm back, Cameron!"  I think they will be good buddies someday!

Second Grade!

Just when I got used to having a first-grader, McKenzie started 2nd grade this morning!  She was quite excited, and actually only had to be shaken awake twice (she's not a morning person!).

One Long Week

 Cameron is one week old today!  It has been a long week.  He's yawning, not crying in the picture above.  I love baby yawns, and a sleeping baby is always cute... until he won't wake up.  Cameron wouldn't wake up to eat, despite being undressed, wiped with a cool washcloth, you name it. 

 He wound up back in the hospital Friday night.  I really don't even want to comment on my emotional state at this point!  But, after a few days of waiting for test results, Sunday he was given the all-clear.  He didn't have an infection after all, he had just gotten behind on his feeding due to his sleepiness and couldn't catch back up (he had no energy to eat, so he got more tired, and still couldn't eat...).  He started eating better and was allowed to go home.

 It was nice to get all those band-aids and tape off the little guy and wash him up a bit!

 Look who finally woke up and was alert!  We hadn't even seen his eyes more than a few minutes total because he'd been so sleepy.

 Here he is this morning at one week with his siblings.  They are still pretty proud of him, and were so excited for him to come back home!

Happy One Week, Little Man!

Cameron is Here!!

 Happy Birthday to Daddy and Cameron - Aug. 20 is now an extra-special day in our family!  Cameron arrived Monday at 12:54pm.  7lbs. 3oz. 19in.

 Look, here's proof I was there, too! 

 The birthday buddies.

 Kenzie and Parker were so thrilled to come visit!  Kenzie's first question on the phone to Chris was, "Is Cameron sick?"  When she heard he was okay, she cheered. 

 Big brother is holding little brother as I type this post, too.  Parker is very enamored with Cameron.

 This morning we got him dressed and got to take him home!  I am not a morning person but I was showered and dressed at 6am telling the nurses I was ready to leave.  (It only took until 11:30 to finally leave, though!)

Big sister is quite the baby hog - she was very pleased he held her finger.  We suspect he will be ever-so-slightly spoiled.

End of Summer

 Technically Kenzie has another week left before school starts, but summer is officially ending for the Arnold house as of Monday, when Cameron is scheduled to make his grand appearance.  We've been trying to cram the last few things in, like dentist appointments, haircuts, stocking the freezer... none of it has made for exciting posts. 

 

But here they are in the kiddie pool.  This was the second day it was set up, and finally the sun brought it to a decent temperature (the first day they just stood in it, determined to enjoy it but freezing!).

 And here they are "making" soaps.  Anything to make getting clean more exciting! (Side note, McKenzie looks way too grown up lately.)

Finally, proof we are still continuing our quest to try out new parks each time we head out.  Yesterday was the Dr. O. Roi Hardy Park (12400 S. 1000 W.).  The kids established some very confusing game of tag with a few other kids - basically everywhere was 'safety' and the poor person who was 'it' was out of luck.  Parker gave up and stuck to going down the slides.  Now all that's left is to clean and dust the house so I feel "ready" for the new arrival.  Also I'm so nervous it helps to keep busy!  May the next post be a fun one...

9 Years

 

Happy Anniversary to us! I'm so glad I married the right guy.  I love to remind him he's stuck with me forever!

Tracy Aviary

 Monday we had a picnic dinner with Daddy at work (inadvertently sitting underneath a wasp nest with our fried chicken...) and then headed to the Tracy Aviary.  I think it might officially be my last outing for awhile - I had to sit down twice to rest my back!

 Kenzie was thrilled this peacock walked right by her. 

 Checking out the flamingos.  Poor Parker was still a little too short to see over any of the signs or fences! 

Daddy is a good sport!

Parker's First Day of Preschool

Last night, Parker got to open his little bag from preschool orientation - inside was a tiny flashlight and a bag of "magic confetti" designed to help him sleep well before the first day of school.   (McKenzie immediately said, "No fair!" She is always too nervous to sleep.)

 Parker, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a problem falling asleep! (Or maybe the confetti works!)

 This morning he was up, dressed in his Spiderman shirt, and ready to go.  To say he was excited would be quite the understatement!

 My little guy marched right in to preschool, then turned around and gave me a big smile and a cute little wave goodbye. 

Kenzie and I ran errands without him, and when I picked him back up, he came out exclaiming, "That was fun!"  So, a good start to the year for Parker!

Summer Parks Series: Draper City Park

 It had been awhile since we'd gone to the park (it's too hot outside, and the kiddos are not exactly early risers to beat the heat) so today we made a point to try out a new park - the Draper City Park (12500 S. 1300 E. Draper). 

  I had to take several pictures because I felt like someone designing the park read a book, "How to Stimulate Young Children," or something equally bizarre.  What is this thing?  A hamster wheel?

 Then we had the little kid gym, complete with Gazelles and weight machines.

 This area was normal, except it was contained in a giant cement pit (Kenzie's jumping down into it in the picture).  I didn't go in for fear I would have a hard time making the large step out!

 Parker loves a good slide!

And then there's this area - here's Kenzie dancing to the music.  Eventually they figured out you had to slap the sensors when they lit up to get points... Kenzie and Parker ran around slapping the lights and got quite the following of little toddlers in the process.  I still don't get it!

• Kid Rating: Thumbs Up (which I guess equates to an A-).  Kenzie was bored until discovering the music/slap the sensors area.  Parker loves any park so he's easy to please, but he also loved the bridges crossing the tiny stream.
• Mom Rating: B+.  Lots of benches and picnic tables, and shade at the main park area, but everything was so spread out I had to keep moving around to keep track of them.  I'm very lazy!

For the Record

 I would just like to record the fact that I have taken my kiddos swimming several times this summer.  I haven't taken pictures each time, but I did today just so I could post this.  True love is donning a maternity swimsuit (even at 9 months pregnant now!) so the kiddos can have fun...

...and follow me around the pool squirting water at me, even!  Good thing he's cute.

Borrowed

 This is what happens when Parker borrows my camera...

 I think someday my kids will be thrilled I posted these things.

 Yep.

Interspersed between these were lots of dark blurry pictures, mostly of the hallway or Parker's feet.  I also pride myself on a family-friendly blog, so I decided not to post the 5 pictures of Parker's [fully-clothed, at least] backside that both kids thought were extremely hilarious.  I know I'm in for it with these two!