Ponderosa State Park

At the end of June, we loaded the car with three people, one large dog, and more stuff than should have been able to squeeze into a Santa Fe and drove north to Ponderosa State Park, located outside McCall, ID. We'd been looking forward to doing some camping since the middle of spring and couldn't wait to get out of town for a long weekend. Morgan was especially excited since we'd gotten her all wound up about tents, camping, and s'mores. Darwin, of course, was just happy to be included in the activities. Much to her dismay, Cleo spent the weeekend at Chadwick's clinic hiding in her condo and yowling at anyone who came into the room. At the time, I was about 28-29 weeks pregnant and fighting a head cold...not a good combo. Turns out, the weather was perfect, the mosquitoes horrendous, and our air mattress leaked (shocking, right?). We had a blast!
Just for a little history, McCall is the area we spent several days on our honeymoon and one of the reasons we chose to head back was because the weekend was near our anniversary. Plus, it would be the last big trip before we had two children and would be forced to re-think our packing strategy. =)

Friday morning of our trip, we ate at the Pancake House, stuffed ourselves and put a dent in the world's largest cinnamon roll. I think it's gotten larger since 6 years ago!? We spent the rest of the morning with a vet school classmate who lives and works in the McCall area and her son. Friday afternoon was back at the campsite, trying to nap in the heat and relaxing.

Both Thursday and Friday night Chadwick had to blow up the air mattress at least twice, I swallowed my pride and used Morgan's froggy training toilet for my twice-a-night bathroom "break-" the restrooms were too far for a 2 am excursion! - and my family was able to sleep pretty well through my coughing. I don't know if sleeping in a tent was everything Morgan hoped for, but she slept well enough and talked about it for a week after.

Saturday, Chadwick wanted to spend the day hiking around the lakes we hiked on our honeymoon, Boulder Lake and Boulder Reservoir. The lower lake was completely packed with people when we arrived, so we chose Plan B and decided to hike up to Lake Louie, a place neither of us had been. With the GPS guiding the way and Morgan riding on Chadwick's back in her pack, we set off. Unfortunately, the GPS didn't have the most current trail on board so we spent a good deal of time bush-wacking through an old trail, losing the dog once, and eventually finding the super nice new trail. Once we hit the old road that led to the lake, Morgan and I sent Chadwick and Darwin ahead for some fishing and we lolly-gagged behind. It took forever. At one point, I wasn't even sure we were on the right trail, but several people hiking down were able to reassure me that a lake did, in fact, exist at the top of the trail. Yes, the top. The last part of the trail was super steep and rocky....Morgan was a rock star and when she got tired, I played rock star by carrying her on my shoulders. We were somewhat well-known by the time we got to the lake as Chadwick has passed several people on the way who made comments about his empty child-pack. "My wife and daughter are coming behind me," he would laugh in reply. When we finally arrived to the lake, those same people said, "You must be the wife....and you're pregnant!" The fishing wasn't great, but we ate lunch, threw rocks into the water, and made some new friends. The hike home was uneventful and I didn't walk right for the next three days due to the soreness of my out-of-shape calves.

Sunday we packed up and drove home - stinky, tired, and glad for the adventure.

Overlooking Payette Lake

Campsite #49

Boulder Lake

Lake Louie

Wishing I could be IN the tent...

Look, Mom! A pinecone!

Just Like New!

I find it amazing how much a home can change with a new coat of paint, couch covers, or new flooring. It's like a whole new house without the hassle of actually packing, moving, and unpacking! Earlier last month, we had the opportunity to update our side of the duplex with a new kitchen floor, countertops, and new flooring in the main part of the house. A huge thanks needs to go to my parents and step-grandparents for their monetary contributiont that allowed us to do so much in so little time!! And another big thanks to James, who basically installed our laminate for us in a few days....

We love the outcome, and Morgan keeps talking about "our new floors." I can't say that I miss the marigold countertops that lived in the kitchen. If I get nostalgic for the look, all I have to do is take a trip to the bathroom and I can get my "fix." The only one not thrilled with the change is Darwin, who can't get a good footing when he wants to spin out and go crazy running through the house. =) I haven't decided if laminate is more or less work than carpet; it sure doesn't hide the hair and dirt as nicely! But a friend noted that our living space seemed bigger to her, which is a bonus in a house our size. Ha!

Now it's like you all have been here to visit....

And still going strong...

"When I said I do I meant that I will, til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind, when I said 'Ido.'"  ~Clint Black in our wedding song

Happy 6th anniversary to my better half!! I can't believe it's been that long....looking back it's been a wild ride!

• Two years of veterinary school, studying and learning how to be married
• A move to Boise
• New jobs and lessons to be learned from each
• One cat with multiple toes
• Expansion of our little family with the birth of Morgan Marie
• Purchase of a house
• Further expansion of the family by four big, yellow paws
• Learning to be parents and balance that with our partnership
• Purchase of Canine Blood Heroes, Boise and running a canine blood bank
• Looking forward to the birth of our second sweet girl in September
• And we're still learning and loving!!

Princess Undies: Part II

Since the start of potty training last week, Morgan has done GREAT! We've had no accidents to speak of (minus the slightly wet undies this morning when Chadwick forgot to have her go after the long night) and she's been mostly without diapers. I think she's got it!

Funny story - Thursday she told me that she needed to go potty so we sat there, and sat there, and sat some more. Sometimes she just doesn't have to go when I have her try, so I was all set to let her off the toilet to try again later. She kept insisting that she needed to go and I finally left her on the toilet alone for a few minutes (standing in the hallway). Not too long after, she mentioned something about a pinecone. "You want a pinecone?" I asked. "No," she responded. I walked back into the bathroom and found that she had successfully pooped in the toilet...and called it a pinecone! Two ecstatic M&Ms later, she was off for the rest of her afternoon activities. I told Chadwick about the incident and we laughed it off. However, the Marine and/or male in him started referring to the act as "dropping a pinecone." Sunday, she pooped once again in the toilet and when I asked if she had pooped a pinecone, she seriously responded, "No, I dropped one."

Thanks, honey. *note of sarcasm dripping from the keys*

She has also started having us not come into the bathroom with her. "Stay out mom" or "go on mom" is what I hear. Such an independent little spirit. She is turning into such a bright and beautiful little girl and I am so blessed to be her mom!

Princess Undies: Part I

For several months now, Morgan has been going to the bathroom in either her little froggy toilet, or more recently, on the big toilet. When asked if she needs/wants to go potty, she will sometimes say yes and run away to the bathroom, and sometimes say "no no no Mama!" And you can't change her mind. With my belly becoming more round by the week, I'd like to start pushing a little harder to see if she can grasp the whole potty-training thing before her little sister is born.
I bought some princess underwear several weeks ago, and yesterday I busted them out for the first time. She was super excited to be wearing them and refused pants for the entire morning so she could look and feel them. So funny! I loaded her up with juice and we had a morning of together time. Unfortunately, watching Sesame Street was too much of a distraction and she wet through Undies #1 of the morning. No biggie...on goes another pair, into the wash goes the wet undies and towel she was sitting on. We continued to play in the house and I sent her outside while I made lunch. Several minutes later, she was in "concentration mode" which we all recognize in our children immediately. She consented to pooping on the toilet.....but she had already gone in the undies. So much for Undies #2. And may I say that poopy undies are way worse than smeared, poopy diapers?? On go another pair.

She made it through her afternoon nap without a problem, but we didn't quite make it to the bathroom quickly enough after she woke up. Poor girl was mortified when she started urinating in her pants on the way to the toilet! Into the wash go Undies #3 and Pants #1. I also started a sticker chart and told her that when she got a whole row of stickers filled, we'd get her a treat. Off to the dollar store to pick out a puzzle. Made it home without a wet bottom until on the way to the bathroom again. This time she had a minor meltdown and wanted diapers put on instead of Undies #4 and Pants #3. Okay! It was a good start to the potty training sessions to follow. She didn't wet her diaper the rest of the evening and asked to go potty several times between dinner and bedtime.

This may be a long haul....

Past-Due Update

Morgan and I flew down to Albuquerque at the beginning of May to spend a week with my family - it was a good trip full of visits, laughs, walks, and too much eating. After I returned from the trip, I had a doctor appointment. My doctor walked into the room and said, "Wow - 6 pounds (in 4 weeks)! Where have you been?" Yeah....
The highlights included a trip to the Nature Center near the Rio Grande, shopping with Mom, lunch dates with Mark and Morgan, a train ride and tour through the Rio Grande Zoo, and good visits with Nana and Bop, Nell and Poppi, and Aunt Steph and Uncle John. Randomly, one of my vet school classmates works down there and I was able to have dessert with her and another classmate who was in town for the weekend to catch up for a few hours. Turns out, the last time I saw Darbie I was pregnant with Morgan!

We have about 350 pictures from the trip, but I'll spare you the details and post some of my favorites.

Binky, Bye Bye

There is a song on Sesame Street, sung by Baby Bear and his friends, as he transitions from a life with his binky to a life without. "Bye, bye binky! Binky, bye bye!" is the chorus, and I don't know the rest of the words. Much discussion has been had in our household the last few weeks about when to remove the binky from Morgan's life. Now, she has only had it during nap or bedtime for several months now (and occasionally during the day when she's super fussy and I need a break) and getting rid of it is the next logical step. A friend once said that she cut the tip off her child's binky, told her it was broken, and that was the end of it. I started telling Morgan several weeks ago that her binky was going to be broken soon. "Mommy, my binky broken" she would say. Not yet was the reply....until last Monday. I hid all but one of the binkies, cut the tip off the last one, and after a brief talk, handed her the broken binky. She popped it into her mouth, took a couple of test sucks, gave me a funny look, and took it out for closer examination. Although that afternoon nap went smoothly, she came out of her room after the nap with a scowl on her face. This is a child who wakes up happy, ready for the next adventure. Morgan, through her scowl, threw her binky onto the couch and promptly laid down with her blanket on the floor near my feet. Huh. That's happened several times.

I had major guilt all last weekend over the pending binky-breaking; Morgan LOVES her pacifier and is so calmed by having it! She has done really well this last week despite the change. It doesn't seem to bother her that the binky is broken - she carts it all over the house, gives it rides on her little bus, and even told me one afternoon that she loves her binky. In fact, she's become rather obscessed with it I think. Most nights, she wakes 3-4+ times, comes into the bedroom, and wants to be tucked into her blanket once again. She doesn't fall asleep as readily at night without it, and most nights neither her nor I sleep well. Unfortunately, she won't let Chadwick tuck her back into bed without a fight and many tears, so I usually end up dragging myself out of bed to just get it done. Turns out, making her "cozy" and tucking her under her blanket is majorly backfiring. Poor kid won't settle don't without me doing it for her! Even every two hours during the night....

I've now been discussing the possibility that the binky should be thrown into the trash. That will be the next step. Yes, I may use some form of bribe - a present of some sort from the dollar store, let's say. And I have been madly brainstorming of some way to tuck her under a cover so I don't have to do it for her multiple times per night....we'll see how this goes. Wish us luck!