2 Weeks Old

Ryan had his 2 week check-up. He weighed 8 lbs 13 oz, and was 20 1/2 inches long. He is gaining fast. We had to take Ryan in and get his foot poked to check his biliruben and also for his PKU (not all in the same day, some were last week). I had taken Ethan and Ally seperately to these appointments and both of them cried with Ryan cause they were sad he was crying and both of them got cold and clammy looking at the blood. Geez, I have sensitive kids. It was cute that they were so sad for him though.



Ethan thinks he is big enough to carry Ryan around and hold him whenever he wants. I will get Ryan settled down for a nap and go do something in the other room, then awhile later I will go into check on him and Ethan will have him out of the bassinet and be holding him on the bed, or he'll bring him into me. He does pretty good, but he forgets to hold his head or not bend his arm backwards. Poor little Ryan. He's going to be a tough kid if she survives his brother and sister.

Ally's First Day of School

Ally had her first day of school yesterday (Sept. 16). I put her in the preschool at the college, The students that are taking early childhood classes teach it, Ethan went to this school his first year. She was so excited. I had been telling her she was going to go to school for a few days and so yesterday morning she was excited to get dressed in "school clothes" and get her hair combed, and take pictures. She was excited until I told her it was time to go and then she got all scared and sad. She sulked the whole way down to school and wouldn't let me leave her. I finally just had to go. I took Ryan to the doctor and so Javan picked her up. He said she was happy and running around and playing. She says she wants to go back, so that's a good sign. And she was so proud of the little book she made. She is such a big girl.


I'm sure this happens with everyone but since we had Ryan Ally seems so big. It seems like she grew up overnight. She is such a good little helper. She was so cute wearing Javan's giant work boots.


Ethan and Ally have been into washing their own hair and bodies in the shower recently. A couple weeks ago they dumped 2 full bottles of shampoo and soap out in their bath. @$%^#$#!! I was so mad. So they had a stern talking-to about wasting and are doing better but you can see they are still over-using. All those bubbles are from their shampoo and soap. What you can see is what bubbles were left over when the water was drained out. They thought they were pretty funny "Bath Santas".


Ryan (and I) didn't not sleep a wink the night before this picture. I don't know what the matter was, but he was so exhausted the next, and so was I. I tried to wake him up all day so we didn't have a repeat sleepless night again. He did much better last night

Javan's New Toy

I told Javan as soon as the garage addition was done and we remodled my bathroom he could get a motorcycle. Hum, what happened? I hate him having a motorcycle. He had one before we were married and he used to call me at school in Cedar City and tell me what he had hurt of which bone he had broken or that he just had a head-on with a car and had to go to Cortez in the ambulance. He does not have a good track record.

The kids think it's awesome though and they love to go on rides. At least they are wearing their helmets.

Ethan and Javan


Ally and Javan

We have other kids too.

With the new baby Ethan and Ally haven't got much of my attention. Thank you to Shan and Bayley for taking them so I could get some rest and spend some alone time with Ryan. I has been nice. And I still love you Ethan and Ally.

They have been so good with Ryan. Of course they want to hold him non-stop and for the most part they are very gentle and careful with him. They are absoutely facinated with everything he does. They just love him so much.

Ally got these fingernails when she went to stay with Bayley, she loves them. We take them on and off several times a day.

Ethan took the saddle off his play horse and saddled himself up to take Ally for a ride.
Ethan and Ryan
Ally and Ryan

Ryan Pictures

Here's some more pictures of Ryan. He is so cute.


Yes, he's already smiling. He loves me.
So cute.
"No more pictures Mom"
Ohhhhhh!
My poor sweet boy has to lay under the bili light. I guess bili levels are supposed to be under 12, his was a 19 this morning so they sent over this light. I hate it. It's so sad to leave him in there, when I want to be holding him. We have to go back to the clinic tomorrow and they will draw blood again to check his levels.

Ryan Halls Shumway

Well we did it. Yeah!!

Ryan Halls Shumway was born on September 3, 2008 at 3:45 pm. He weighed 7 lb 14 oz and is 20 1/4 inches long. (Big boy!) He is a healthy, happy, good, little baby.

We got to come home yesterday (Sept. 4). Ryan's first night home went well, he woke up every 2 hours to eat, but he is a good little nurser, and such a good baby so far. He is so sweet.

I am doing fine. I still look like I am about 6 months pregnant. Ally asked me if we were having another baby, when I said no, she said my belly was still fat. Thanks, I'm aware.

Anyway, here's some pictures.

"That was hard mom"

Ethan and Ally love their new baby brother.

Our first family picture.

Ready to come home.

Relaxing on mom's bed.

Whoa, big boy.

It has been a tradition in our family that Grandma gives the kids their first bath. My Grandma Bailey did this for all of my brother's and sister's and we have carried on this same tradition with my kids. So here is Ryan's first bath. He didn't like it very much.

All wrapped up warm and cozy in a towel. This is much better.

Ethan taking good care of Ryan.

38 Weeks and GO TIME!

I am just posting one last picture before we have this baby. I had an appointment this morning and measured 41 cm. Dr. Fisher gave me 2 options.

Option 1 - I could have the baby today. He would give me a pill to start the conractions, then when they got bad enough I would go to the birthing center here in Blanding to have the baby, but you cannot have an epidural there.

Option 2 - I could have the baby tomorrow. I could go to the hospital in Monticello tomorrow morning at 7:30 and he would start me on pitosin, and I COULD have an epidural.

I elected option 2. I figured since I have already had 2 kids without an epidural I deserved to have one this time, no need to be too tough. I am also afraid that since I am measuring the same with this baby that I did with Ethan, that he will get stuck like Ethan, and I will have to have the horrible vacuum again. I don't want to go through that again without an epidural.

So tomorrow we should have a baby. Yippee!!

Thanks Ridge!

I decided to squeeze in a few more posts before I SQUEEZE out this baby.

I have a little patient, Ridge (whose mom now works at the office) that I love. He is always so cute and such a good boy. When he found out I was having a baby he drew this picture for me and brought it with him to his appointment. (You may have to click on it to enlarge so you can see better.)

I love it. I love how I am just huge in the picture (cause that's how I feel). Dr. Miller noticed that he was bigger than the rest too. I love to see kids perspective on things.

Then he knitted this hat for the baby. He entered in the fair too. I don't know if he won anything for it, but it sure is cute. And very sweet of him.


Thanks Ridge!!

Dinosaur Museum

The kids and I have been bored this week. I think it's the longest week of my life, since I am done working and we are just sitting around waiting to have this baby. I can't do very much in the way of playing with the kids, it about kills me to get up and down from the floor with them. So we decided to go to the Dinosaur Museum. I think Becky takes them pretty regularly but everytime we drive by it on the way to the grocery store they want to go.

Anyway, I haven't been in a long time so I consented to go. We walked around and around and saw all the dinosaurs about 10 times each. Then of course we had to stop in at the gift shop and pick a prize. It killed about an hour of our afternoon so I guess it was worth it.



Ethan was trying to lift Ally up to see some of the things in the cases. He told her "Mom can't lift you, I have to do it." I guess he's heard me say that a few times.

36 Weeks

Well it was a very disappointing and sad day. I don't know why but I guess I just had my heart set on having this baby early, I am so tired and worn out. So today at my doctor's appointment when he checked me and said I wasn't progressing or even doing anything and that he wouldn't do anything for 2 more weeks I was very sad. I know technically I am only 36 weeks but I measure so big I thought he might like to help me out. So it looks like we will be having the baby the first week in September, which is what I have been planning all along. I guess I just shouldn't get my hopes up like that again, I'm not the doctor, or the baby.

Backyard Swimming Pool

Since school started the public pool hasn't been open for us to go swimming anymore so Ethan begged Javan to fill up the pool in our backyard. Ethan and Ally have been having so much fun. When we first filled it up Javan hooked it directly to our water heater so the water was warm but they have still been swimming even now that the water is freezing. They are both getting pretty brave and will go under the water. Ethan thinks he is pretty cool with his goggles on, they are giving him quite a bit of confidence actually. A little of the swimming action.

Don't mind all the weeds in the yard, we've been busy with other things. And yes, that is a drinking fountain in the backyard, that's what happens when you husband is a plumber.

Ethan's First Day of School

Ethan started preschool again this year on Aug. 14. He was supposed to start on the 13th but due to funerals and babysitters he didn't get to go the first day. He was pretty bummed. So he was way excited on Thursday when he got to go. He kept telling Ally that he was going to school and she didn't have school, which of course made her sad. He says he loves school, and is excited to go every morning instead of fight me about it. He goes to 4-day pre-school this year to prepare him for kindergarden.

I can't see you!

Can you guess what the giant red thing is? That's right, my huge round belly. This is my view looking down. Ally is just the right height that she fits right underneath my belly and so this is what I see quite often. I just thought it was kind of funny.

Hot Tub Party

Grandpa and Grandma Young have a hot tub that they filled up for the kids to play in. They had a blast because it was warm (it wasn't full hot tub temp. more like bath water) and they could touch. Wouldn't it be great to be a kid again.


Here is Ethan under the water. This is a pretty big accomplishment for Ethan. He is not brave. So finally getting him to go under water on his own is huge. Way to go buddy!

Dentist Appointments

I brought Ethan and Ally over to the dentist office to have their check-ups last week. The is Ethan's 3 time and Ally's first. I'd just like to remind everyone that on Ethan's 1st appointment he wouldn't open his mouth and we didn't get anything accomplished. On the second appointment he threw up all over my mom, me and the floor. This time he did much better we got most of what we needed to done without hassle until it was time for flouride and x-rays. Then we had to wait for Javan so Ethan could sit on his lap for pictures. Such a stinker.


Ally on the other hand was a perfect angel. She didn't make a peep the whole time. She had a smile on her face and cooperated with everything I needed her to do. What a good girl.


Letting Dr. Miller count her teeth.

34 Weeks

Here is a picture of me at 34 weeks. I just put in on even though tomorrow is 35 weeks, I've been a little slow. At my Dr. appointment on this day I measured 38 weeks. Dr. Fisher said we'll just take it one week at at time. I don't really know what that means, but hopefully he is in my same mind frame about getting this baby out soon.

Pioneer Days/Camping at Medicine Lake

We went camping with Javan's family over Pioneer Day weekend and came into Monticello for the parade.

We camped clear at the top of the La Sal Mountains at a place called Medicine Lake. I didn't take many pictures, I guess I was just too fat and lazy to get up and get the camera when a photo opportunity presented itself. I'm quite sad about it now however.

Javan was a good sport about helping the kids gather candy, since I wasn't fast enough to beat all the other kids this year.


Ethan was soooo sick this weekend. Someone in our family throws up every camping trip, I'm not kidding either. He started having a fever the first night we were outso I looked in his throat the next day and his tonsils were the size of his head and cover in white death. It was so nasty. So after the parade I took him up to the hospital to get a shot of antibiotics and get him on the mend. He didn't like that shot at all, poor kid.



Ally loves parades, candy, popsicles, and just about everything. What a sweetie.
P.S., see those horses in the background, one of them peed about 5 gallons of pee right in front of us at the beginning of the parade, we even had to move some of our chairs so we didn't get horse pee on us. Then for the rest of the parade all the floats were throwing candy directly into the horse pee making it not okay to gather up. That was kind of hard for the kids to resist.


Here's Ethan hanging out on the 4-wheeler on one of our rides. He wasn't up for much adventure.


I love this picture of Javan and Ally. So cute. What else do I need to say?


Here is a beautiful overview of the city of Moab.


We found this old copper mine in the side of a mountain and of course Javan and Glade had to go explore it. Then they talked the rest of us into going in too. It was pretty cool, we don't know how long ago it was used but it's still in pretty good shape.


Natalee keeping control of the kids while we were loading up and getting ready to head home.