West Family: February 2013

Carver James West

January 22nd

5:55 am

8 lbs 5 oz

20.5 inches long

I started having contractions in the middle of night, which I am totally fine with because I would much rather have it be in the middle of the night while Jon is home than during the day when he is gone. We decided not to try to wait for someone to come to our house to watch our boys. We loaded them into the van and Jon's mom met us at the hospital to take the boys home to bed. I was already pretty far progressed by the time we got to the hospital. We got there at 3:30 and Carver came at 5:55. I decided to go natural with this delivery. I wasn't certain I could do it, but I did and I am so happy that I chose to. The labor part wasn't as bad as I expected and Jon was a really big help. The delivery part was......what the movies are made of. There was a lot of top of my lungs screaming, but it was less than five minutes and then I felt great. We are both healthy and doing well.

Carver's very fist photo

First photo with Daddy

First photo with Mommy

Carver had jaundice which meant he got to spend a day on this bili-bed surrounded by light.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Jon. He is such a great man/husband/father. He didn't like that Carver had to be on this bed all alone so he put the bed on the table and sat with him so Carver had someone to look at. Jon even set up his work computer and did work at the table for hours next to Carver. Luckily, since Carver cooperated and didn't mind being on the bed, he only had to be on it one day instead of several which they predicted.

I know I am biased, but this is a good-looking group of boys and I love them dearly.

We have received a lot of meals, cards, gifts, calls and help with the boys. We feel so loved and are grateful to be surrounded by so many wonderful people.

Christmas 2012

Christmas was great this year. I got all our shopping and projects done early so I wasn't stressed when it got close to Christmas. I should do that every year because it was so nice to focus on the fun aspects of the season.

One of Shawn's favorite gifts was his night vision goggles he got from his aunt. He really thinks he is big stuff going around the house with his nerf gun and his night vision goggles.

Evan still loves anything Mickey

This is the only family Christmas photo we got. I hate how I look in it, but here it is anyway.

Christmas Eve program at my Dad's house as usual. Here is Shawn a couple of his cousins.

Christmas morning was so much fun with the boys this year. We had to be up to my Dad's house by 10 to talk to my sister who is on a mission. Our boys were sleeping in but I didn't want to wake them up and tell them it was Christmas so I stood outside their door with a bunch of bells. I rang the bells until I heard them starting to move and talk then I ran back to my bed with the camera ready. Shawn came bursting into our room telling us it was Christmas and Santa had come. He knew Santa had come because he left a few presents under their small tree in the loft just like Shawn had requested. Shawn told Evan he could open a present first and then Evan sat there nice while Shawn took a turn. They were such sweet, polite boys.

Opening gifts from Santa

After a while they discovered their stockings.

Shawn spent well over a month making a calendar for Jon for his office. He spent so much time planning out what he was going to do and making each month special. It was really cute. You should have seen how excited he was to give it to his dad.

This is a random little book I bought called, "We're going on a bear hunt". I thought this picture was funny because everyone looks so confused for some reason.

One of the highlights for the boys was getting their Leapsters. One of my neighbors gave me their old one and then I happened to find a lady selling one with a bunch of games for super cheap so both boys ended up with their own.

Don't you love matching pajamas. :)

And matching outfits.

Merry Christmas!!

December 2012

Here is my overall December post.

We went to the Riverwoods to see Santa and the lights. We got there before Santa did so the boys were able to check out his chair.

I don't know why the lighting was so terrible, but this is the best shot we got with Santa. As expected, Evan wanted nothing to do with the bearded stranger.

They also had free horse drawn carriage rides around the Riverwoods

And you have to take a little time out to dance to the music

We decorated gingerbread men.

My finished product

Jon's little man

Shawn's creation. He took some bites out of his gingerbread man after we took this picture.

Then the next day he realized how sad he was because his gingerbread man didn't look as good.

We took advantage of some of the nice days before the snow hit. Here the boys are taking a break at the park.

Shawn got brave enough to start climbing the pyramid at the park. He loves it, but it scares me to death.

This red-headed kid at the park was also named Evan so every time Shawn yelled out, "Evan, come here." or "Evan try this" the red-headed kid came running.