Swimming at Grandma's!

 Swimming in the new kiddie pool at Grandma's house!  Kamryn LOVES it!

After the first day, she got a little tired of it quickly.  So we decided to invite friend Sydney over the next week to play at Grandma's house in the new pool!  Kamryn LOVED having a playmate!

Hopefully we'll get to swim a few more times at least before Summer is over!  Thanks Grandma for the fun pool to play in!

Play Dates!

We have been getting together often in the past few weeks with my friend, Nancy, and her 2 girls.  It has been really fun to have playmates around! Most of the time we just "hang out" and let the kids play. But we did go to the aquarium one day and went to the library one day and went to Nancy's parents' house one day.  It's been great to get together so much!  (sometimes it's just nice to have a change of scenery from your own everyday house!) :)
Fun pictures of our play dates:

 Kamryn and Cassie

The babies! (Kyler and Addy)

Addy is 4 months older than Kyler

Cassie "helping" the babies play with toys!

The library was especially fun because Kamryn had never been before.  She enjoyed running around in the children's section with other kids, loved to pull out books and sit down to read for about 5 seconds, then get up again and run some more!  It was a little crazy for Nancy and I -- each with a baby and a toddler--but it was very fun!  Hopefully we'll try to go to a Toddler story time sometime soon!  (I was going to go last Thursday, but had a hard night with Kyler, so it didn't work out very well! Dang!)

NOTE!!!  

MANY POSTS TODAY! SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THEM ALL!  

ALSO, VISIT KAMRYN'S BLOG AND KYLER'S BLOG! NEW POSTS THERE AS WELL!

(Click on their names above or their pictures on my blog to get there!)

A Day at the Aquarium

Last week we met up with some friends at Cabellas.  Ryan and I had never been before--it was SO fun!  Kamryn LOVED it!

First we fed the fish in the pond.  They have fish food you can throw in.  The kids loved it! :)  They couldn't get enough of it!

 

Then we went into the Aquarium.  There were SO many HUGE fish!  It was pretty incredible!

Kamryn is very into fish lately--she loved it! 

All 3 kids looking at the fish

 

Then we went upstairs and got to shoot some rounds on the laser guns.  Kamryn and CJ were into it but Cassie was a little timid about it.  And of course, the guns were a bit too heavy so the parents had to help.

Nancy was my favorite because she was shooting well WHILE holding a sleeping baby in front of her! :)  

What a talented mommy!

It was a very fun day!  Hopefully we will go back again soon!

{Visitors, Gifts, Temple, 2 weeks}

Tuesday, Kyler received a visit from our dear Relief Society President and dear friend, Laurie Ann.  She was so sweet to come by and visit and brought the CUTEST blanket from the presidency for Kyler.  Then, as if it wasn't enough to just have a fun little visit, she offered to watch him and hold him while I showered.  What a saint! :)  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of him WITH Laurie... (which means you'll have to come back and visit again soon, Laurie!  Bring Peter to play!) :)

Tuesday night, Kyler had a couple more visitors: Great Grandma and Grandpa Seamons from Idaho.  They came down to join us for Uncle Eric's first temple session.

It was wonderful to go to the temple again!  It has been at least 4 months since Ryan and I went. (end of pregnancy makes it really really tough!)  But it was wonderful and I hope we don't wait another 4 months before we go again!  (However, being a nursing mother now...it was almost too long to be gone from my baby!) :)

We're so proud of you, Eric!  So excited for you to go on your mission in a couple of months!

2 weeks old:

We have his 2 week appointment tomorrow---I'll report his stats asap! 

(I'm very anxious to know what he weighs now!)

First week of life

JAUNDICE, EATING, DOCTORS, ETC.

Kyler was at risk for Jaundice after he was born.  We (Ryan) took him to the hospital 3 different mornings to get his heel poked and blood drawn to test his biliruben levels. 

Before we were discharged from the hospital, one of the pediatricians told me Kyler "wasn't eating enough" and "we're worried your milk won't come in if you don't try to breastfeed more often than you are".  I was so frustrated because I thought things had been going well and I was trying to breastfeed at least every 3 or 4 hours.  How much more did he want?!  I also was a little frustrated because I knew Kyler wasn't as good of an eater as Kamryn was right from the start, and I wanted to avoid a breast infection this time AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!! 

So--I started setting my alarm on my phone every 2 hours -- night or day-- and made Kyler eat whatever he could!  I was exhausted and emotional and overwhelmed and within a few days I felt like it was all a lost cause.  Kyler wasn't eating more, I wasn't "emptying" with each feeding, Kyler was looking more and more yellow to me...etc. But then a miracle happened!  We went into the Doctor on Sunday (the 17th) (had been home since Friday) to get his circumcision checked, and they told me his biliruben levels had gone down!  I rented a breast pump from the hospital that day as well and was able to start fresh with feeding. (My pump wasn't working for some reason!--also frustrating).  Then, Tuesday, the biliruben levels had REALLY gone down! (2 whole points!)  The nurse asked if he had been under lights and I said "no".  She replied with a surprised, "Wow! That's really good! Well, he isn't at risk anymore, and you don't need to have him checked anymore!" 

I was so relieved!  All of my hard work had paid off!  Kyler and I pulled through!  I am so grateful we didn't have to do lights like we did with Kamryn.

FIRST BATH AT HOME

Kyler likes baths overall.  He whines and grunts a little more than Kamryn ever did at bath time...but not too bad overall!

All bundled up after bathtime!

I LOVE that clean newborn smell!  mmmm...

His hair was so fuzzy and fluffy after being dried off.  We tried to capture it--you can sorta see it! :)

Lots of snuggle time this week!  I loved this--Kyler was completely out and relaxed.  So cute! :)  Daddy and his boy!

MORE VISITORS!!

My sister Krista was busy all weekend while we were in the hospital, so she came to our house the day after to finally see him.

My Aunt Tami and cousin Aimee

Friend--Meghan.  (who is now expecting her 2nd baby! yay!) :)

And friend--Calli.  She lives in Germany but was visiting home for the last couple of weeks.  I was so lucky she got to be here when he was born! :)

FAMILY PICTURES

I don't have any of the pictures back yet...have to wait a few weeks.  However, it was quite the adventure!!  Kamryn was having an off day...Kyler seemed to be more awake that day than he has ever been during the day...and it was exhausting!  Thank goodness our photographer is pretty darn amazing and patient!! :)  Her name is Lisa Stewart and she does an EXCELLENT job!  

(click here to see her blog) 

BUT I'm SO glad we got it done so soon after he was born and I know we got at least a few really good ones!  I can't wait to get them back so I can blog! :) hehe 

It is fun having a newborn again!  I'm tired...but I keep remembering how much more energy I have now than I ever had when pregnant!  I LOVE not being pregnant!! :)  Kamryn still can't get enough of him and wants to help with EVERYTHING! (click here to see Kamryn's experiences with Kyler) We are trying to savor every moment of snuggle time possible!