The Moore Family Blog

The End of Another Amazing Year

2012-01-18T22:02:00.001-08:00

2010 was an amazing year, and 2011 was just as great! In the last two years we have welcomed our two perfect babies into this world. We bought a new house this year, which has been a big adjustment too.

I can’t think of anything that could have made this year any better.

We started out the end of the year with a hike across the street. Stephen wanted to test out the kid’s new wagon. Gwen loved exploring the hills. The kids both started to fall asleep, so we had to cut our hike short.

For New Years Eve, we had dinner with friends then went to bed early. With two sick kids, we knew that an early morning was inevitable. Staying up late would have been a terrible idea.

Every year I think that there is no way the next year can get any better, and every year I am pleasantly surprised.

Here we go 2012!

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-18T17:15:00.001-08:00

What an eventful Christmas we had! I was so excited for Natalie to experience her first Christmas, and I was even more excited to see what Seth’s reaction would be this year. He is so much more aware of everything, it was really fun to see his eyes light up.

Santa brought all kinds of goodies, but Seth didn’t make past the ball pit until much later in the morning. We opened gifts together, then everyone came over for breakfast. The kids took a nap then we headed to Luke and Stacey’s for lunch, then my parent’s house for dinner. It was a lot of food for one day, but we managed to get it all down

I absolutely love the holidays and can’t wait for next year!

Hosting our First Holiday

2012-01-18T13:30:00.001-08:00

For years now we have been attending holiday festivities at other people’s homes. With out new house, we figured it was our turn to host the entire family. Everyone came over for Christmas Eve and we all survived! I always tend to stress out when hosting these types of events, but everything went smooth. We had about 40 people here for a delicious dinner and gift exchange. I am so thankful that our family is able to share these moments together.

Snow!

2012-01-18T13:16:00.001-08:00

We got our first snow of the season on December 12th. It snowed for a couple hours. It didn’t stick for very long, but we were still excited! We went outside to play and get a few pictures!

Natalie’s First Food

2012-01-18T13:12:00.001-08:00

I know, I am way behind as usual, but here are a few shots of Natalie eating her first solid foods. She loves just about everything we give her. The only this she won’t eat so far are green beans. We can get her to eat them if we mask them with a bit of carrots. Otherwise forget about it! She really is a good eater, wonder if it will last or if she will be picky like Seth. Only time will tell.

5 months

2011-12-06T15:03:00.001-08:00

Our precious baby girl is now 5 months old. How did that happen? Natalie said her first word: “Da Da”, has had another cold, and is trying so hard to roll from her back to her belly. Our days of toothless grins are also over. She now has 2, count ‘em 2, bottom teeth! She is growing up so fast. We are really trying to enjoy every second before it’s gone.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

2011-12-06T14:52:00.001-08:00

For Natalie’s first Thanksgiving, we headed up to visit my Mom and Dad at Mountain Lakes in Lytle Creek. They spent the whole week up there, so we were excited to go hang out. Unfortunately, it was very cold and windy, so Seth didn’t get to spend a lot of time outside, which was a bummer, but we made due inside.

My Dad made us a yummy country man breakfast in his Dutch oven. We ate, watched a movie, hung out, and Natalie even took a nap.

After hanging out for awhile, we headed down to Luke and Stacey’s house to celebrate with the Gustafson and Cobrae families. Stacey prepared a delicious turkey with all the fixings.

We ate and relaxed, looking over the black Friday adds, and planning our evening/early morning shopping excursion.

We had to get home and get the kids to bed so I could go out and get my shop on!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2011-11-18T22:19:00.001-08:00

Kind of funny how this year, we are living in a much bigger house, but had to get a much smaller Christmas tree than usual.

Last weekend, we headed out to the Christmas Tree Farm to tag our Christmas tree. Last year we went the second weekend that they were open and were disappointed in the selection of trees that they had left.

This year we went the first day and got the perfect tree.

In the past our trees have been 10-12 feet tall. At the old house we had vaulted ceilings so our mentality was: the bigger, the better! We have lots of places in the new house where we could put a big tree, but we want the tree to be in the room where we can enjoy it the most. Our living room only has 10 foot ceilings, so we went with an 8 foot tree. This way we will still have room for our star.

Seth absolutely loved running around at the tree farm. Luckily Zach came with us to chase him around. I can only imagine how easy it could be to lose a kid in there.

I can’t wait until December so we can bring our tree home and start decorating!

4 months

2011-11-04T16:31:00.001-07:00

Our sweet baby girl has aged another month. She is rolling over from belly to back, talking and laughing up a storm. She loves to watch her big brother play, especially when she is in the saucer. She gives Daddy the biggest smiles, and is so ticklish!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-04T16:23:00.001-07:00

For Halloween this year, we went to Kyle and Kirstin’s house to celebrate Kyle’s birthday. We all enjoyed some delicious pizza, then got the young’ins all dressed up and headed out for trick or treating.

We only made it to two houses: Shawn and Kelly’s, and Danny and Jennifer’s. Jennifer was nice enough to buy Seth a box of fruit snacks, so I didn’t have to hide a bunch of candy from him. Seth lost more and more of his costume as the night went on.

He usually loves wearing his hat and boots, but of course on Halloween, he wanted nothing to do with them.

Natalie was a major grump for some reason. She wanted nothing to do with anything the entire night.

After our brief bout of trick or treating, we headed back to help hand out candy. Seth really enjoyed watching all the kids walk up in their costumes. He also played with Daddy’s flashlight for hours. Overall, the night was a success.

The Pumpkin Patch (x2)

2011-10-26T17:11:00.001-07:00

This week we headed out to the pumpkin patch, twice. Not only twice in one week, but twice in one day.

The young’ins and I had a playdate on Monday morning. We took a tractor ride, saw a brief presentation, went to the petting zoo, and got to pick a pumpkin.

Later Monday evening, we went with Stephen’s family. We did the corn maze, climbed the hay castle, and took lots of pictures.

I absolutely love the pumpkin patch, so I didn’t mind going twice. The kids didn’t seem too bothered by it either.

Scentsy

2011-10-26T16:55:00.001-07:00

In case you haven’t seen my 1,000,000 facebook updates, I am now an Independent Consultant for Scentsy. My starter kit came today and I am so excited to start booking some parties!

I think I chose the perfect time to get into this. With the holidays rapidly approaching, I am hoping to help all of my friends and family with their holiday shopping.

Check out my facebook page or my personal Scentsy webpage if you have any questions are need information.

18 months

2011-10-18T13:51:00.001-07:00

My sweet baby boy is growing up so fast! This week he hit the 18 month mark. I can’t believe he is already half way though his second year of life. He is quite the talker these days! He has something to say about everything. He does a lot of babbling still, but says lots of single words very clearly.

He is obsessed with animals and animal noises. He hates getting his face wiped after meals, but it’s necessary because he makes quite the mess. He loves his bear at bed time, and loves curling up in the corner of his crib. He jumps around in circles when Daddy comes home from work. Best of all, he is an amazing big brother! When Natalie cries he is quick to pat her back and shush her. He brings pacifiers and blankets over to try and soother her. I can’t believe how much he has changed. He amazes me and steals more of my heart every single day.

3 months old

2011-10-04T13:16:00.001-07:00

Another month has flown by. Miss Natalie is 3 months old today. In the last month Natalie has found her voice and is cooing and talking to herself all the time. Natalie has been on her first trip to Disneyland and Sea World this month. She even caught her first cold. She hasn’t been feeling great, so I didn’t have the best luck taking her picture, but she still looks cute even if she is frowning.

Sea World

2011-09-30T21:30:00.001-07:00

Last Tuesday we were all starting to feel better so we took a trip down to San Diego to go to Sea World with Luke, Stacey, and Bjorn. The weather was perfect, which was nice because it was really hot at home. We stopped in Temecula to have lunch at Panera. Once we got there, we saw the dolphin show, then the sea lion and otter show. After that, we had to walk around while the young’ins were all sleeping.

Once the kids woke up, we checked out the tide pools and then had a delicious dinner at Phil’s before heading home.

Sea World is such a special place for Stephen and I, it was so much fun to share it with our kids. I can’t wait for our many fun family trips in the future.

Who Needs a Pool?

2011-09-25T12:27:00.001-07:00

Not us! Seth absolutely loves the water. We try to go swimming at Grandma and Grandpa’s house as often as we can. When that can’t happen Seth gets his water fix with his water table. Seth’s newest trick is actually climbing into the table to get all wet.

Daddy got the hint the other day and took Seth swimming in the spa. He was happy as could be.

Stephen’s Newest Hobby

2011-09-25T12:21:00.001-07:00

As if Stephen didn’t have enough to do, he has decided to learn how to play the guitar. Her has always wanted to be able to strum the guitar when we sit around the campfire. He finally committed and bought an acoustic guitar and started lessons. I will keep you all posted on his progress!

So Many Smiles

2011-09-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

Natalie is becoming quite the little smiler. She is so smiley in the mornings when she wakes up. She loves it when you lift her up over your head and talk to her. Can’t get enough of those toothless grins!

Disneyland

2011-09-15T21:35:00.001-07:00

We bought season passes to Disneyland last October. They will be expiring soon and with me no longer working, we can’t afford to renew them this year. So we only have a couple more weeks to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth.

We took the young’ins today and had a great time. It has been awhile since we have gone, so it was really fun to watch Seth react to things that he was seeing. Natalie couldn’t have cared less about where she was or what she was doing. As long as she was fed and changed, she was a happy camper.

Here are a few pictures from our day. Hopefully we will be able to go a couple more times this month!

Rest In Peace, Sweet Casey

2011-09-07T21:32:00.001-07:00

The last few days have been filled with worry, hope, and despair. Our sweet pup Casey passed away yesterday, and a piece of me died with her.

On Sunday we went to the L.A. county fair with Renee and Ryan before they had to head home to Virginia. We got home around 1am. At that time, Casey and Gwen were their normal bouncy selves. They were fighting to get in the door. They ran straight to their beds and went to sleep. We went to bed shortly after.

At 3:45 Stephen was woken up by Casey panting and breathing heavily. We got up to check on her and it was obvious that something was very wrong. She was very stiff and had a hard time walking. She was struggling to breathe and her face was very swollen.

Stephen got dressed and rushed her to the emergency vet. It was apparent that she had been bitten by a snake. We authorized the vet to administer anti inflammatory medication along with the necessary anti-venom. The vet said once the drugs were administered all we could do was wait.

She stayed at the vet all day and night on Monday. On Tuesday morning we had to pick her up because the emergency vet was not open during the day. She still needed IV fluids and monitoring so we took her to our normal vet in Calimesa. They told us that they were going to continue IV fluids and antibiotics, and if she was not ready to come home with us by that evening, we would have to transfer her back to the emergency vet for the night.

I called the vet to check on her around 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon. The nurse was sitting with her watching her constantly. They said she was resting comfortably. At 3:30 we got the call that she had stopped breathing. The doctor was with her when it happened. They tried to revive her breathing, but her heart stopped soon after.

When we heard those words, it felt like our own hearts had stopped. We had been reading on the internet that only 5% of dogs die from rattlesnake bites. We thought for sure that she was going to pull through.

It turned out that she was bitten more than once. Once on the top of her snout and once inside the mouth. She tried to fight, but her injuries were just too bad. I did go to the vet to see her and say goodbye.

I have been having a really hard time with our loss. Casey was never even supposed to be our dog. She belonged to Stephen’s dad. He went on an extended vacation out of the country a few years ago and we were supposed to watch her while he was gone. In the short time we had her, it became apparent that she had to stay with us. Her and Gwen had become best buddies. They followed each other everywhere.

She really was the best dog. She loved us all so much. When the kids would cry, Casey would run to find me and make sure I heard them. Seth was so in love with her too. He would climb on her, hug her, kiss her, and even ride her like a pony. You could always tell by the look in her eye that he was driving her crazy, but she would just sit there and let him have his fun.

I keep hoping that I am going to look out into the yard and see her sitting under her favorite oak tree. I know it isn’t going to happen and that breaks my heart. I know she is in a good place now, I just wish that place was my house.

We will be getting her ashes and spreading them under her favorite tree. I am hoping that when that happens I will be able to make peace with the entire situation.

2 months old

2011-09-05T04:54:00.001-07:00

Wow, time sure does fly. I know I say it every month, but I just can’t help myself. Our sweet baby girl is already 2 months old. She is smiling a lot now and developing her precious personality. She loves her Daddy, loves to sleep, and loves to lay on her back.

Seth loves his little sister. We are loving every second of watching them grow up together. I can’t wait to see what the coming months bring!

Pismo Beach

2011-08-30T14:50:00.001-07:00

We made it to Pismo, camped for 5 days, and made it back…ALIVE! The trip took us close to 8 hours each way between stopping to feed the baby, traffic, and letting Seth out to run around. It was definitely nice to arrive on Wednesday because we were able to camp right on the ocean.

Seth loved playing in the sand. I was worried that we were going to have a hard time keeping him out of the ocean, but he loved the sand so much that he never even realized that we were on the water.

The weather was cold, and WINDY!! We spent most of the day on Thursday and Friday in the trailer. The wind was blowing sand everywhere. Poor Stephen had to go out and dig up all of Seth’s sand toys from under at least a foot of sand.

Saturday (Stephen’s birthday) was beautiful! The weather was perfect. The sun came out, and there was just enough wind for Stephen to be able to fly his kite. We BBQed rib eyes for dinner and had a fire right on the beach. It was a perfectly relaxing day!

I will admit, I was not all that excited to take this trip. I was worried about camping with a 16 month old and a 7 week old. It definitely had it’s moments, but we had a great time and I am glad we went.

Family Camping Trip

2011-08-05T12:39:00.001-07:00

We have a big camping trip coming up later this month. I was worried about taking both kids in our tiny trailer, so I made Stephen plan a “mock” camping trip close to home so we could test it out and make sure it would be okay. I would hate to drive 5 hours just to realize it didn’t work and have to come home.

Stephen planned us a weekend in Seven Oaks (half way between our house and Big Bear). We took the trailer and Stacey, Luke, and Bjorn came and camped in their tent. We had a great time, so our trip to Pismo is a go!

Seth helping Uncle Zach tie some fishing line.

Me and my baby loves.

Seth and Daddy hanging out in the trailer while the Thunderstorms passed through.

The ultimate multi-tasker: fly fishing and holding a squirmy toddler.

Early risers.

Our first of many great family camping trips!

Our little cupcake

2011-08-03T20:59:00.001-07:00

Once again, I am behind in my blogging. I know you all understand that I am busy, but I promise to try and start blogging once a week.

When sweet baby Natalie was 4 days old our friend Hannah from Hannah Sons Photography came over to the house to take newborn pictures. We thought 4 days old was the perfect age to get all those cute cuddly newborn shots, but Natalie had other plans.

Poor Hannah was at our house for over 4 hours trying to get our little lady to cooperate. We had several feedings, diaper changes, and even a load of laundry during her visit. Miss Natalie just did not want to sleep. Luckily Hannah is talented and was able to capture some great shots regardless of our stubborn baby.

Here are some of my favorites:

She’s Here!!!

2011-07-10T12:07:00.001-07:00

Natalie Renee made her arrival on July 4th at 1:20am. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 7.5 ounces and 20 inches long. The few hours leading up to her arrival, were definitely crazy, but we are so over the moon in love with out little girl that it’s already a big blur.

On the morning of July 3rd, we went to church, then had lunch at Panera. We went to look at some chairs at LazyBoy and Costco, then headed home to relax before a wedding we had to attend that evening. I had been having contractions on and off since Friday, but they were getting more intense Sunday afternoon.

We went to a wedding next door at 5pm. During the cocktail hour (around 6:30) I noticed that my contractions were coming more frequently. I decided to start timing them, but told Stephen we should at least stay and have dinner. I timed my contractions through dinner and they were coming regularly every 4-5 minutes.

After we ate dinner, we decided it was time to go home, make sure we were all packed and head to the hospital. Luckily Stephen’s mom was already at the house watching Seth while we were at the wedding. So she just ran home and got herself a couple things and came back.

We left for the hospital and got all the way to the freeway when Cindy called and told us we left the camera at home. So, back we went. It took 15 minutes to get home and 15 minutes back to the freeway. Probably not the smartest idea, but I didn’t want to have cell phone pictures of my new baby, she deserved to have her pictures taken with a real camera.

When we go to Labor and Delivery it was 12:05am. They took me to a triage room and I was dilated to 6 with my bag of water bulging. They asked if I wanted the epidural and of course I said yes, but the nurse was quick to warn me that there might not be enough time.

We walked over to my room, and the nurse started my IV. I was starting to feel a lot of pressure with each contraction so they checked me again (mind you, it had only been about 10 minutes) and I was dilated to an 8. The chances of my epidural happening were getting pretty slim.

The doctor arrived and informed me that the anesthesiologist was at the hospital and on his way up. I felt relieved. Stephen had to leave the room and as soon as I sat up, it became clear that the epidural wasn’t going to happen. The pain and pressure was so intense, there was no way I could sit there for 20-30 minutes while they did the epidural. I sat through one contraction and couldn’t take it. I laid back down, they checked me again and I was fully dilated and ready to push. They gave me a quick spinal, got Stephen in the room, broke my water, and she was born 2 pushes later at 1:20 (an hour and 15 minutes after we arrived at the hospital).

I must say it was the most hectic, emotional hour of my life. But look at my precious little doll. I wouldn’t change that hour for anything in the world

All Grown Up

2011-06-28T21:10:00.001-07:00

Well, not really, but I swear Seth has aged at least five years. Last Saturday, we finally bit the bullet and got Seth his first haircut. We weren’t sure if we were ready to cut his hair, but it was really important to me that shared this special moment with him while he is still our only baby. Since I am due in less than 2 weeks, we had to stop dragging our feet and do it!

We were a little nervous that Seth wouldn’t cooperate, but he did great. He took a book with him (that he held on to almost the entire time), and they played an episode of Sesame Street which he loved. He didn’t like the squirt bottle, but besides that he did so well. He was even dancing by the end.

I know he will always be my sweet baby, but he looks like such a big boy now.

Daddy’s Day

2011-06-22T20:25:00.001-07:00

This year for Father’s day we had breakfast with my dad, BBQ’d with Stephen’s step-dad and just enjoyed our day. Stephen just wanted to spend a day relaxing at home and then BBQing. So that is exactly what we did. Seth and I are so thankful for Stephen. He really is the best dad and we both know it!

A Day at the Park

2011-06-22T20:16:00.001-07:00

After Stephen got home from his trip to Alaska, we decided to spend a family day at Yucaipa Regional Park. Zach was with us, so the boys decided to do some fishing,play some Frisbee, and we all enjoyed a picnic lunch.

Seth just wanted to play in the water, so keeping away was a challenge. We all had fun nonetheless.

Family Photo Shoot

2011-06-13T21:54:00.001-07:00

On May 26th, we took our last family photos as a family of 3. I was a little worried that we wouldn’t be able to get any pictures of Seth, but Hannah at Hannah Sons Photography was able to work her magic and capture some great moments in between Seth’s exploring.

I love, love, love being pregnant and I am so glad that we have these photos to document our growing family. Thanks again Hannah!

Mother’s Day

2011-06-13T21:37:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, I am a month late. This year for Mother’s Day, I was so excited to go to Glen Ivy. I wasn’t able to go last year and was so bummed.

When I woke up on Mother’s Day morning, Seth brought me a sweet card and nice picture frame. Then it was off to the spa in the 50 degree weather. I didn’t care how cold it was, I was going to the spa and I was going to have a good time!

Luckily the sun ended up coming out after lunch, and the float pool was heated, so we really enjoyed ourselves! I got a Mom-to-be massage and loved every second. I think I might need another one of those before Natalie makes her arrival!

Seth’s Last, First Holiday

2011-04-26T21:27:00.001-07:00

This weekend marked the last of Seth’s first holidays. Because of the way Easter fell on the calendar, he didn’t get to experience his first Easter until after his first birthday. To celebrate we had Stephen’s family over on Thursday night to dye Easter eggs and BBQ.

We went to Easter church service on Saturday, which was nice because we were able to miss the crowds. Then we were able to spend Easter morning lounging around the house.

Sunday afternoon we headed to Luke and Stacey’s house for a yummy Easter BBQ. Ribs, pulled pork, plenty of side dishes and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Everything was delicious!

After eating we all had a blast hunting Easter eggs. Seth did a really good job, he would find eggs and throw them into his basket. Next year I think he will really enjoy Easter. I can’t wait!

The Battle of the Riding Lawn Mower

2011-04-26T21:03:00.001-07:00

So, Stephen has wanted a riding mower for years. Our yard was never big enough for him to need one, and even if it were, we have a gardener so it would have been a pointless purchase. When we moved into the bigger house, Stephen started looking on Craigslist for riding mowers and tractors. It has been a sore subject in our house for a month or so. It’s just not something we agree on.

Needless to say, I have lost the battle of the riding mower, as there is one now sitting in our garage. I have just had to get over it. What’s done is done and the boys love it. I will have to just swallow my pride and snap a few pictures :)

Happy Birthday, Seth!!!

2011-04-19T20:49:00.001-07:00

Wow!! What a year it has been. I never could have imagined how quickly it would have flown by. I am so thankful for such a sweet boy.

We were planning on going to Disneyland for Seth’s Birthday, but decided to stay home instead and make sure the house was ready for Seth’s party. Seth got to play in the backyard most of the day. so he was a happy camper.

On Saturday, we celebrated our special boy with a Cat in the Hat birthday party. We had a jumper for the kids, and Sumo suits for the adults. And of course, no party is complete without cotton candy.

We had great company, amazing weather, and so much fun! Seth had a blast playing in the jumper all day. He wasn’t too interested in his cake, and wanted to lay down instead of open presents, but he was a trooper. He finally fell asleep in Daddy’s arms around 7.

What a terrific day! Thank you to everyone for coming out and sharing with us!

So much going on

2011-04-13T21:28:00.001-07:00

I promise I have not forgotten about my 10 blog readers, we have just been oh so busy. Between moving and getting ready for Seth’s big birthday I have had zero time to sit down at the computer and catch up on the old blog.

Here is a brief recap of what has been going on in the Moore household:

Seth turned 11 months old.

We moved

We went to the theater (24 weeks pregnant)

We welcomed our nephew Bjorn.

We got some snow.

We unpacked, and found new favorite toys.

I promise that after this weekend, I will dedicate more time to keeping everyone updated on what’s going on.

Disneyland

2011-03-07T22:21:00.001-08:00

Last Tuesday, we had an ultrasound appointment, then took an impromptu trip to Disneyland. We got there around 6 and they closed at 9. It was the perfect amount of time for Stephen to be there. We got on plenty of rides, including Seth’s first carousel ride. What a great way to spend our evening!

10 months old

2011-03-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

The fact that 10 months have passed since my sweet baby was born is unreal to me. Everyone kept warning me before he arrived how fast it would go, and I didn’t believe them. I can’t believe that Seth will be a year old in less than 2 months. I have been so lucky to be able to watch him grow and change. The biggest change from 9 months to 10 months is that my big guy is walking!! Amazing!

Here ducky, ducky, ducky

2011-03-07T21:59:00.001-08:00

In mid-February, Seth and I went on a playdate to Ford Park to feed the ducks. I thought Seth would love this since he seems to be obsessed with pigeons, but I was wrong. Seth could have cared less about the ducks, but he did enjoy watching all of the other kids feeding them.

San Francisco

2011-03-07T21:48:00.001-08:00

For my 28th Birthday, we decided to take a few days and take a small family vacation. We took advantage of the Southwest sale and were able to get round-trip tickets for less than $60 each.

We stayed at the Parc55 hotel in Union Square. We absolutely loved our room. When we checked in, the lady at the registration desk thought we might like more room, since we had the little guy so we were upgraded to a corner suite. We had amazing views. The location of our hotel was great too. We were close to all public transportation and within walking distance to lots of great shopping and restaurants.

We were lucky enough to be able to meet up with some of Stephen’s family that lives in the area. We met for lunch at Bubba Gump’s and walked through Fisherman’s Wharf, all the way to Ghiradelli Square where we had some delicious ice cream.

For my birthday, we had a great breakfast, then headed to Alcatraz. We took the audio tour and really enjoyed walking around the island. The sun was out, but the wind still made for a chilly day. After Alcatraz, we got a sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder and headed back to the hotel for a nap. For dinner we ate on the patio at Cheesecake Factory on the top of Macy’s. I had a great day with my boys.

Friday we had to head home. We found a diner, had breakfast and got all packed and ready to go. We took the BART to the airport, checked our bag, then found out that our flight had been delayed. It was a loooong day in the airport, but we finally made it home.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

2011-02-18T21:19:00.001-08:00

We were so excited this year for Christmas, my parents got us season passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. I had never been to the Wild Animal Park and I was so excited to share my first visit with my two favorite guys.

Seth loved walking around and checking out all of the animals. We took the Tour of Africa tram and walked around for a couple hours before it started raining on us.

We decided that since we can come back as much as we want for the rest of the year, it wasn’t worth getting on rained on. We headed home and are looking forward to going back soon!

So Much to Share

2011-02-15T21:31:00.001-08:00

Okay, I know I am a whole month behind with my blogging. So much has happened this month. Seth has started walking, and with walking comes falls and tumbles. We took a trip to the Wild Animal Park, and spent 4 days in San Francisco. I promise to get everything all updated with pictures and videos this week. Stay tuned!

9 months old

2011-01-16T20:16:00.001-08:00

Where have the last nine months gone? My precious little baby is growing up so fast. He is crawling all over the place, pulling himself up on all the furniture and cruising around. He loves to stand and clap his hands. I can’t believe how much he has changed in such a short amount of time. You have stolen my heart sweet boy <3

Looking for Daddy

2011-01-15T21:24:00.001-08:00

Seth is such a silly boy. Stephen was out working in the garage the other day. Curiosity got the best of Seth and he set off to find his Daddy.

Casey was sitting quietly by the garage door, when Seth decided he wanted to look out the kitty door.

Seth continued to wedge Casey out of the way.

Seth found Daddy.

Seth laughed and laughed because he was so excited.

Poor Casey was forced to relocate.

And Baby Makes 4

2011-01-15T21:08:00.001-08:00

Incase you haven’t checked Facebook lately, Stephen, Seth, and I are happy to announce baby Moore version 2.0 will be joining our family this summer. We are so excited to be expanding our family. We will be sure to keep you all updated on how things are progressing.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-03T21:20:00.001-08:00

2010 was an amazing year to say the least. So many great memories were made. It was sad to say good-bye to such a great year, but we were oh so excited to welcome 2011. Things this year are going to be equally exciting.

We didn’t have big plans, but Brent and Jennifer invited us to a dinner at their house. It ended up being the perfect evening. Quite, and kid friendly

Seth didn’t make to midnight, but I was so glad that we were able to ring in the new year together as a family.

Christmas Recap

2011-01-03T21:12:00.001-08:00

Seth had an amazing first Christmas. We are so blessed to have so many people that care about our little guy. Seth was not so impressed with his piles of presents. He would tear off the smallest shred of paper from each gift and that was more than enough to satisfy him.

I was worried that Christmas eve and Christmas Day would drag on because Seth wouldn’t get his normal naps, but he was a real trooper. He did great!

I am so excited for next year, when he will actually have a reaction to everything that is going on around him.

8 months old

2010-12-16T15:18:00.001-08:00

I swear, every time I blink my eyes, my sweet baby is another month older. This last month has brought on quite a few changes. Not only is Seth crawling now, he is also pulling himself up on all of the furniture, and letting go to stand ON HIS OWN!! I can’t believe how big he is getting. I am so excited to see what the next month will bring!

Meeting Santa

2010-12-13T21:44:00.001-08:00

We went last Friday to meet Santa Claus. I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried that Seth would freak out, but he stayed surprisingly calm. He seemed overall unimpressed, but didn’t cry at all. That is a win in my book!

The Hunt for the Perfect Christmas Tree

2010-12-13T21:37:00.001-08:00

It was very important that we find the perfect tree this year for Seth’s first Christmas. We headed out to favorite Christmas tree farm, Christmas Conifers in Reche Canyon. It took us about an hour of searching, but we found the perfect tree. Good thing too, because we were practically frozen by the time we were done.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-12-13T21:30:00.001-08:00

Seth’s first Thanksgiving was a busy one! We got up in the morning and headed to Luke and Stacey’s house. Dinner number one was served at 11am. We spent a few hours there, then headed to Lake Elsinore. Stephen wanted to look at a business out there.

After looking at the gas station in question, we headed to my Grandma’s house. Dinner number two was served at 3pm. Stephen and I were still full from Dinner number one, but we managed to put down some food (and dessert of course).

On our way home, we had to drive by all the big stores (Target, Best Buy, Toys R Us, etc) to see all the crazies, camped out. We actually saw one guy sleeping on his couch in front of Target. Classic!

We stayed home on Black Friday. Too many crazies out there for us.

Caribbean Cruise

2010-12-13T21:14:00.001-08:00

After spending a few days in Ft. Lauderdale for the wedding, we headed to Miami to board the Norwegian Pearl. We called the Pearl home for 7 days while we cruised the Eastern Caribbean. The ports of call were places we never would have chosen, but enjoyed each and every one of them.

Our first day was a Sea day. We enjoyed the ship, had a big lunch, and celebrated Seth’s 7 month day! It is hard to believe that he is getting so big.

Our first port of call was Samana in the Dominican Republic. This was by far the most underdeveloped country we have ever visited, but loved every second we spent there. Stephen, Seth, my parents, and I took a taxi to a local beach where we spent a couple hours frolicking in the ocean.

The following day we headed to St. Thomas which was absolutely amazing! Stephen was really excited, but St. Thomas is a US territory so we had normal cell phone service and internet. We took an open air taxi to Coki beach. It was the most beautiful white sand beach with Crystal clear water. We rented some beach chairs, and umbrella (for the little guy) and some snorkel gear. We saw some great fish and had a really great time. Everyone else finished up the day with a little shopping, but Seth needed a nap so we headed back to the ship.

Tortola was equally amazing. Again, we took a taxi to the beach. Seth really enjoyed splashing in the ocean, so we tried to let him do as much splashing as he could. The beach on Tortola was crowded, but we got there early enough to get some good chairs in the shade.

We had another Sea Day, followed by our last day on Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Of course we just relaxed on the beach again with our whole group. We were hoping to snorkel, but it was really windy and visibility was poor.

On Sunday morning we got off the ship and prepared for our long journey home. We had a few hours to kill before our flight, so my dad rented us a mini van and we went to two different Bass Pro Shops. Our trip was great, but it sure was nice to get home and unwind!

Ft. Lauderdale

2010-12-01T09:21:00.001-08:00

The time had finally come for Kyle and Kirstin to get married. We left Wednesday, November 10th for Ft. Lauderdale. We spent a few days there for the wedding before leaving for 7 beautiful days in the Caribbean.

Our first day in Florida was pretty uneventful. We were all so tired from flying all night that we checked into our rooms and enjoyed a nice long nap. Stephen and I had to find a Target so we could buy some necessary items that we couldn’t fit in out suitcases (diapers, formula, wipes, baby food, etc.). We had lunch and just relaxed the rest of the day.

Friday was the big day. My mom, Kelly, Kirstin, and Diane went and had their make-up done in the morning, while the boys went to pick up the cake and chairs. The wedding took place on the beach right in front of our hotel. We could actually see it from our room.

The wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was short and sweet, then we took some pictures and then enjoyed dinner and cake at Bubba Gumps. Poor Stephen caught mine and Seth’s stomach flu, so he skipped dinner.

On Saturday we went to Billie’s swamp land and took a swamp buggy ride. We couldn’t do the airboat ride because Seth was not allowed. He fell right asleep on the bumpy swamp buggy ride and slept through the whole thing. It was really neat, we got to see all kinds of animals. Water buffalo, bison, pigs, deer, alligators, and all kinds of birds.

Saturday night we took a water taxi into town and had dinner. It was a great ending to our time in Florida. On Sunday morning we left for Miami to get on our cruise ship. Another post will follow soon with all of our cruise details!

Family Pictures

2010-11-05T20:40:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday we went to Lake Fulmar in Idyllwild to have our first family pictures taken. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. Thank you to Hannah Sons Photography for doing such a great job! Here are just a few:

Visiting the Oak Glen Petting Zoo

2010-11-02T14:32:00.001-07:00

This morning Seth and I went with our Yucaipa mom’s group to the petting zoo in Oak Glen. Seth loves watching the dogs and cat, so I thought the petting zoo would be worth a shot.

We had a great time. There were lots of sheep and goats, chickens, turkeys, horses, emus, pigs, and even some reindeer. Seth enjoyed walking around and seeing all the critters. We even got the peacock to show off his feathers.

The weather was absolutely perfect too. Couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Seth’s first Halloween. For us, it was just a typical Sunday. We were slow going in the morning, but met up with Brent and Lily for IHOP and then hit up the swap meet.

We came home, baked a pie, took a nap, and went grocery shopping.

Seth put on his costume, but not for long. We took a small walk up the street, but then we just hung out at home and handed out candy to all eight of our trick or treaters.

Seth Speaks!!!

2010-10-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

6 month check-up

2010-10-26T17:37:00.001-07:00

Seth had his 6 month check-up today. He is now weighing in at 17 pounds 1 ounce (50th percentile) and 27.5 inches long (75th percentile). He was a real trooper with his shots and he even had to get an extra shot this time because we are traveling out of the country next month. We have to go back in a couple weeks for his flu vaccine.

The Pumpkin Patch at Last!

2010-10-26T17:32:00.001-07:00

So, I am quite pick when it comes to visiting the pumpkin patch. I will only go when the weather is cool. I do not like visiting in shorts and a tank top. Some years we never make it because of these requirements.

I was so excited that the weather was cooling down so we could go. Well, that excitement got me nowhere. Last week it was in the 60’s all week and of course it poured rain the whole week. I waited and waited for the sun to break through for just a little bit, but it never happened.

Finally today after Seth’s check-up at the doctor’s we made it. There were lots of kids there on field trips, but that’s ok. Seth will never remember his first trip, it was more for me than for him.

Seth was feeling a bit under the weather because of his shots, so we kept our visit short and sweet. I was able to snap a few photos and buy a couple pumpkins so I can make pumpkin pie. Overall the trip was a success.

Seth’s first trip to Glamis

2010-10-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

This weekend, Seth got to experience Glamis for the very first time. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive about taking my 6 month old into the icky, sandy abyss that is Glamis, but he seemed to enjoy himself and it wasn’t as hard to keep him happy as I thought it would be.

It was definitely loud, but Seth managed to sleep all night both nights and take a couple decent naps. He wanted to play in the sand, but I was a stickler and wouldn’t let him. Who knows what he might find.

The trip was a bust for most of the guys. Josh’s rail was broken and didn’t get fixed until Sunday, and Stephen’s dirtbike broke about 10 minutes into his first ride.

Even if there wasn’t a whole lot of riding, we still had a great time camping!

Definitely his Father’s Son

2010-10-25T15:59:00.001-07:00

Well, it’s official, Seth is turning into his Daddy already. His favorite thing to do now is stick out his tongue. I still can’t get a smile, but now I will have scrapbooks full of Seth sticking his tongue out. Oh well, he is cute no matter what :)

Halloween Preview

2010-10-21T10:50:00.001-07:00

We are so excited for our little stinker’s first Halloween. We don’t have any big plans, probably just a lap around the block. Couldn’t get him to sit still for too long so this is the only picture we have. Hopefully we’ll have better luck next week!

6 months old

2010-10-20T23:11:00.001-07:00

Seth, it is hard to believe that 6 months have passed since you were born. You really have added so much color to our lives. We love watching you grow and change every day.

Your favorite thing to do these days is make noise. You will jump in your exersaucer and pound your toys on anything. We think it’s pretty funny, but we have to remember that people around us are probably not as amused.

You are still a little stinker and rarely smile when I have the camera in my hands. Oh well, scowling or not, you are still the cutest.

My Happy Boy

2010-10-20T21:45:00.001-07:00

Just had to take a minute to post some pictures of my smiling boy. It seems like he never smiles when I have the camera, but when he does, it melts my heart.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2010-10-20T21:34:00.001-07:00

On October 8th we took our first family trip to Disneyland. We went with Jennifer and Ceci. It was Jennifer’s birthday and she wanted to make sure Seth’s first trip to Disneyland was memorable. We bought season passes so we are looking forward to going back again and again.

It was a Friday so it was pretty crowded, but we still had a great time. We started our day at California Adventure. We went on Monster’s Inc, and the Bug’s Life Caterpillar train. Jennifer, Ceci and I also rode Tower of Terror. Seth really seemed to enjoy the rides. He didn’t get scared by any of the loud noises or big monsters.

Seth’s first ride.

We headed over to Disneyland, but didn’t do a whole lot because it was so crowded. Seth had a nap, we got him his first set of ears, and went on the Jungle Cruise. We headed home early to miss the traffic. I can’t wait to go back and ride some of favorite rides with my favorite guys!

Maui Part 3

2010-10-12T20:37:00.001-07:00

After the wedding, the week seemed to fly by. We had a wonderful time, some of it spent with our friends and some just spent with our little family. We went on a hike to a blow-hole, spent time at the beach, went on a sunset cocktail cruise, BBQ ed and spent some time at the pool. There was so much we wanted to do, but not enough time to get it all done.

Maui Part 2: Mr. and Mrs. Cabrera

2010-09-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

The whole reason we went to Maui was to celebrate the marriage of Danny and Jennifer. The wedding was on Wednesday the 15th. That morning Stephen, Danny, and Josh went scuba diving while Seth and I took Jennifer some Starbucks and kept her company while she got her hair and make-up done.

The wedding was at the Westin and was absolutely beautiful. Jennifer of course was stunning and Danny cleaned up pretty nice too. It was Stephen's job to play paparazzi and snap as many pictures as he could. I think he took close to 500. I am sure their photographer was irritated because he was only one step behind her the entire afternoon. We ended up getting some really pictures.

Instead of a reception, we all went to a luau together that evening. The feast at LeLe. The food was good and of course the entertainment was great. Seth wasn't too impressed as he hasn't had a nap all day. So Stephen and I had to take turns walking around with him when he got too fussy.

I am so glad we were able to share such a special day with such special people.

5 months old

2010-09-29T22:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that my sweet baby is already 5 months old. I had so many cute picture ideas in my head for this months picture. I really wanted to get the ocean behind him, but he had other plans. You might notice something big in this photo though, Seth is sitting up all by himself!

I was able to get a few pictures with the ocean in the background, but I needed some help.

Maui Part 1

2010-09-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

We have been planning our trip to Maui since the day before Seth was born. Our dear friends Danny and Jennifer were planning their wedding and there is no way in the world we would miss it. We booked everything in May and waited anxiously for September to arrive. For the first time in my life, I was nervous to fly. I don't mind flying, but the thought of flying with an almost 5 month old, freaked me out. Much to my surprise, Seth was a perfect angel on the flight. He didn't make a single peep. We lucked out and had an extra seat in our row so we were able to give him more space to move around and play with his toys.

Once we landed we gathered all of our luggage and picked up our rental. I am sure we were quite a sight trekking through the airport with our 3 bags, stroller, car seat, and scuba gear. No matter what, we managed to get everything in the car and got the condo. Our condo was AMAZING! We were on the ground floor so we could walk right out our door onto the lawn, and the beach.

We spend our first few days relaxing and enjoying some of our favorite places on the island. Seth got to experience his very first trip to the beach in Ka'anapali. He loved the ocean and didn't seem to mind the sand either.

As much as he loved the beach, I think his favorite thing to do was just relax in the condo.

L.A. County Fair

2010-09-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I am way behind in my blogging. I promise I will try to get caught up this week. Let's start with Seth's very first trip to the LA County Fair. We were a little nervous to take Seth because we were going in the evening and he can be a real bear when he gets tired. He shocked us all and was a perfect angel all night. He loved riding in his stroller and seeing all the fair had to offer.

We went with Newlyweds: Renee and Ryan, Amber, Jason, Josh, Edith, and their kids. Of course Ryan had to stop at every food stand and sample what each one had to offer.

Of course, no trip to the fair would be complete without the boys betting on the pig races.

We got to eat LOTS of food, ride a few rides, and play some carnival games. We even got to see a baby calf being born. Poor Seth was so tired by the end of the night. I can't believe how great he did. He was passed out as soon as he was in his carseat. (So was Stephen).

It was so nice to enjoy the fair with such great friends. I can't wait until next year!

Our Newest Adventure: Solid Foods

2010-09-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

Our pediatrician recommended that we start Seth on solid foods at 4 months (instead of the usual months) because of his acid reflux. We decided to start with rice cereal and so far it has been a success. He seems to enjoy it, and he has not spit up in 2 days! We have even stopped his Zantac! We have only been giving the cereal once a day, we will start giving it to him twice a day and will start introducing fruits and veggies when we get home from Hawaii.

Thank goodness for Grandma...

2010-08-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

...and her swimming pool! LOL! It has been so hot here the last few days. It is miserable to be outside at all. Luckily my mom has a pool so we have been heading down to swim and cool off. Seth absolutely loves the water! It has been a little chilly the last couple times, but not more than he can handle. He loves to kick his legs and even sit on the edge of the pool. I can't wait until we get the boat fixed so we can take a trip to the lake!

Teeth!

2010-08-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

You read that correctly, Seth has gotten his two bottom teeth! When he started showing signs of teething, I was sure that it had to be something else. My baby is much too small to be getting already, right. Wrong! We suffered through 2 weeks of fussy behavior, wakefulness, and bucket loads of drool, but it was all worth it. He has the cutest little teeth poking through now. He doesn't like to show them off, so trying to get a picture of them was quite task. They are so much bigger now. He doesn't appear to be getting any more teeth for now, but I will keep you posted!

4 months old (a couple weeks late)

2010-08-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, I know I am a couple weeks late, but things have been very busy in the Moore household. On the 15th, Seth turned 4 months old. It is unreal to me how fast time is going. It really does feel like he was just born yesterday. Everyone warned me that time would start going faster, but I had no idea how right they were.

Seth had his 4 month appointment and is weighing in at 15 pounds and 26 inches long. His reflux is getting a lot better and the doctor is hoping we can take him off of his medication at 6 months old. Because Seth is a reflux baby, the doctor gave us the go ahead to start solids whenever we feel ready. We haven't started yet, but I think we will soon.

Seth has become so much more aware of his surroundings. It is the cutest thing. He loves to watch the dogs play and run around. His favorite toys are definitely the ones that make the most noise :-) I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

What a Difference a Year Makes

2010-08-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2009

August 4, 2010

What a year it has been. From the worry and anticipation, to the pain of labor, to the
undying love we feel for our sweet boy. Our lives will never be the same and that is okay with me!

3 Months Old

2010-07-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time is flying by. Everybody warned me before Seth was born that time will fly, but I had no idea how fast it would go until he arrived. Seth is doing great, he can hold his head for 15 minutes + during tummy time, roll over, grab things, maintain eye contact, giggle, and coo. I love being able to witness the new things he does each day. His reflux seems to be under control, the doctor is hoping to start weaning him off of his medication at 6 months.

rockin' and ROLLIN'

2010-07-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Seth has been working on it for a few days now, and has finally had success! He rolled from his belly to his back for the first time. He was so proud of himself! He is growing up sooooo fast.

Sea World

2010-07-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

For our 5th Wedding Anniversary we decided to go to Sea World. Sea World holds a special place in my heart because that is where we got engaged. We were super excited to take Seth with us to celebrate such a special day! We got up in the morning and breakfast then let Seth take a nap before we headed out.

Once we got there, we bought our passes and headed in. We saw the dolphins (my favorite) and then got our seats for the Shamu show. The show was packed and Seth did okay. He is not a fan of clapping so he got scared a few times, but other than that he did fine.

I really wanted to see the new Dolphin show, but it was filled up 45 minutes before each show. I guess I will have to wait until next time. Instead, we just walked around and enjoyed all of the exhibits. We saw the Arctic exhibit, the sharks, and we got to see them feeding the penguins.

We bought season passes so we are hoping to go after the summer when it is less crowded!

San Diego Zoo

2010-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last week we took Seth on his first trip to the Zoo. I was a little nervous because we had never been away from home that long and I didn't know how he would react. I was worried he wouldn't eat or nap, but I was wrong. Everything was fine and we all had a great time! The worst part of the trip was the car ride. Seth hates the carseat, so we made a pit stop at In N Out to rest and eat.

Once we got to the zoo, finding parking was a pain so Stephen dropped us off at the entrance and met us inside once he got us a spot. Once everyone was inside, we met up with my parents and took the bus tour. It was nice to see most of the zoo on the tour.

After the bus tour we walked around and saw so many great animals. Seth took a nap in the Moby and woke up just in time to see the Pandas. He really enjoyed riding in his stroller all day.

We stayed until about 6:30. We headed to our hotel where Seth ate and knocked out for the evening. Stephen and I ordered room service and turned in for the night. Next stop: Sea World!

My Big Guy

2010-07-07T16:03:00.001-07:00

We finally made it to the doctors for Seth's two month appointment. He got his shots, and he did so good. He cried, but calmed down quickly. He is having a rough afternoon, but that is to be expected. He is now tipping the scales at 13 pounds 6 ounces and is 25 inches long!! He is growing up so fast!

July 4th

2010-07-05T20:30:00.001-07:00

Our 4th of July was pretty uneventful. We spent most of the day at home relaxing. We watched some TV, and just relaxed as a family. In the afternoon we headed to my parents. My dad BBQ'd some delicious tri-tip and chicken. We packed our swim suits, but didn't ever make into the pool.We wanted to watch Zach light off fireworks, so everyone headed over to Stephen's parents house. It was fun to watch Zach's firework extravaganza, complete with sparkler races and strobe light dancing.

Seth was a champ, I put him in the Moby and he slept through the whole thing.

Stephen's First Father's Day

2010-07-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

This year, was Stephen's first chance to celebrate Father's day for himself. We had a great day! Seth and I got up early, headed to the grocery store and bought lots of goodies. We came home and made Stephen fresh coffee and banana pancakes. While he enjoyed his breakfast and the newspaper, I made spicy cilantro salad dressing (like from El Torito) and a pasta salad for our afternoon BBQ.

In the afternoon we headed over to my Mom and Dad's for a BBQ and swimming. The pool was heated so even Seth, was able to enjoy the pool. Stephen's parents were able to come too, so it was a great day spent with the whole family.

2 months old

2010-06-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? We are currently in a waiting period with our insurance, so his 2 month appointment isn't until July 7th. I will have to post then with his measurements!

Tummy Time

2010-06-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Seth is not the biggest fan of tummy time, but we make him spend time on his tummy every day. It seems to be paying off because his neck is getting so strong. We try to do tummy time for at least 10 minutes at a time and at least 5 times a day. After that, he just gets mad and cries, so there is no point. Here are a few pictures of my strong boy!

Balloon and Wine Festival

2010-06-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in June was the Annual Balloon and Wine Festival in Tememcula. We have been going for years, and this year was no different. It was Seth's first camping trip and he did great! We camped at Pechanga with the rest of the family and didn't make it into the festival this year, but we still had a great time chatting with family and sampling wine in camp.

It was pretty warm, so Seth spent a lot of time in the trailer with the AC on. He loved all the attention he got from Grandma and everyone else. We already booked our spot for next year. Can't wait!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sunday=Funday

2010-05-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

Last week, Grandma and Grandpa Lopera were in town so my mom and dad had a BBQ and pool party at their house. The weather was beautiful and dad heated the pool so everyone could swim and enjoy the day. Even Seth wanted to get in on the fun. We also enjoyed some Sprinkles cupcakes to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. Here are a few pictures from our day:

Our First Mother's Day

2010-05-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day it was! Every year for Mother's Day, all of the women in my family go to Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa and spend the day sunning and being pampered. I was so excited to go this year and celebrate being a mother. Unfortunately that didn't work out, but I still had a great day!
Stephen got with Seth in the morning and gave him a bottle so I could sleep a little longer. Then he made me yummy french toast with fresh bread from Panera. Seth (and Stephen) surprised me with a beautiful bracelet from Tiffany's. What a special gift that I can wear every day and celebrate the love I have for my son.
Since I couldn't make it to the spa for a day of pampering, Stephen, Seth, and I went out to the spa anyways to share a picnic lunch with our moms and the other ladies in my family. Everyone enjoyed seing Seth and we had some really tasty food. After lunch, we stopped at the mall so I could do some shopping at Nordstrom. We also had a Cinnabon (the only way I can get Stephen to shop is to promise him food!)
We spent the afternoon at home relaxing and then had dinner at Stacey and Luke's house. It was so strange to me this year. Mother's Day has never been about me. This we tried to make sure we honored our moms, but it was so nice of Stephen to make me feel appreciated and loved.

A Week of Firsts

2010-05-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Last week was quite a busy week in our house. It is so amazing how quickly Seth is changing. Every day is something new and amazing. I can not even put into words how much we love him.

Seth's stump finally fell off this week so he was able to start tummy time. We try to spend at least an hour per day doing tummy time. He is holding his head up pretty well, but slams it down suddenly, so we have to watch him carefully. He is also pushing well with his feet. We have lots of bright colored toys that he likes to focus on too.

Seth also had his first bottle this week. Stephen gave it to him and he did great! He is now taking one bottle a day. I think Stephen really likes spending time with Seth and bonding with him.

Seth also took his first real bath which went surprisingly well. He absolutely hated sponge baths, so we were nervous for bath time. He loves his bath now! He will just sit there happy as a clam. His favorite part is having his hair washed. He could still do without the lotion massage after, but a big improvement from before.

I am looking forward to my first Mother's Day this Sunday!

The first 2 weeks

2010-04-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

Seth was born two weeks ago and I am happy to say that we are all still alive! It has definitely been a big adjustment, but we are loving every moment of parenthood.

The first couple of days while we were still in the hospital were rough. We had way too many visitors in the hospital, which was quite stressful. Everyone wanted to come and see our perfect little baby, we completely understand that, but Seth was already having difficulty eating, and this only made it harder. When we have our next baby, we are seriously considering asking everyone to wait until we get home to come and visit.

We found out that Seth and I have two different blood types which meant he was more prone to developing jaundice. The doctors at the hospital decided to be proactive and start Seth on phototherapy the day after he was born. After a day of visitors, we had to put our baby in a little tanning bed all night. This made him miserable. He couldn’t be wrapped up, or snuggled, and he had to wear these little blinders over his eyes. The phototherapy and jaundice made him very sleepy. So sleepy that he refused to eat. He wouldn’t breastfeed and he refused a bottle.

So many visitors

Poor Seth under his phototherapy lights

Saturday was the day I was going to be discharged and we hoped Seth would be too. We took advantage of the phototherapy and kept Seth under the phototherapy lights all day. They were concerned about Seth’s weight loss, but they still let him come home with us. We had multiple doctor visits his first week to check on his Jaundice and weight, but everything is looking good now.

Stephen went back to work and Seth and I are doing well at home. I haven’t been brave enough to take him out much, but I am getting there. He is eating much better and we are trying to keep our visitors to a minimum; just a couple people each day. We are all much happier that way.
It is amazing to me how much he has changed already. I really do miss being pregnant, but I wouldn’t trade my sweet little guy for anything in the world. We are so deeply in love with him, he just melts our hearts.

He's Here!!!

2010-04-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

I guess it all started early Tuesday morning. I started seeing (and feeling) some signs that Seth would be coming soon. I had a Doctor’s appointment that afternoon and I was dilated to 2.5cm. I continued having contractions all day Wednesday, but nothing that was consistent or timeable. We watched a movie on Wednesday (actually, Stephen watched it and I slept through most of it.)
I woke about around 1:30AM from my contractions. I stayed awake for several hours and timed them. I was starting to get excited that they were happening regularly and getting more and more intense. The contractions were lasting about 90 seconds and were happening every 10-11 minutes. I tried to sleep as much as possible, but that was not easy task. I think I got a total of 2 hours sleep that night.
When I woke up on Thursday morning, we both kind of knew that we were going to have a baby. I got up and took a shower and did my hair, while Stephen mowed the lawn and did a few last minute things around the house. Around 9:30AM my contractions picked up. They were now coming every 5-7 minutes and were lasting about a minute. I called Labor and Delivery while Stephen took a shower and they recommended that I come in. Once Stephen was ready, we had to stop by the post office to mail our taxes, got Stephen some lunch and headed to the hospital.
We got to Labor and Delivery at 11:30AM. We were taken to triage, where I was hooked up to the monitors and checked. I was dilated to 4.5cm so they were going to admit me. We had to hang out in triage for awhile while they prepared my room for me. At 1:30PM I was moved to my room. They started my IV and got me re-hooked up to all of the monitors. After about an hour the Doctor came in and said everything was looking good. My contractions were starting to come quicker and last longer.
I was checked again at 4:30PM and much to my disappointment I was only dilated to 5cm. After 4 hours (15 if you count when they started) of strong, painful contractions, I had only progressed half a centimeter. At this point the doctor was concerned that I was not moving fast enough. He wanted to start me on pitocin and break my water to help things along. It was at that point that I decided to get my epidural. The epidural was not as bad as I thought it would be, but it was hard to breathe through the contractions without moving.
Once I had my epidural (around 5PM), my Doctor broke my water and they started the pitocin. The epidural was wonderful; I think it really helped me to relax. An hour and a half later (6:35PM) the nurse came in to check me and I was dilated to 7 and almost completely effaced. What a relief we felt, knowing that I was finally making the progress I needed to. My contractions were coming pretty fast and furious by this point; luckily I couldn’t feel a thing! They decided to check me again at 7PM and I was dilated to 9cm. Seth was still pretty high, so we had a little bit of waiting to do.
At 8:25PM they said we had about 10 minutes left before we had to start pushing. It was at this point that all of our visitors left. It was really important to Stephen and I that we shared this special moment with only each other. At 8:40PM I started pushing. I pushed three times with each contraction. At 9:00 the nurse asked me stop and ran to get the doctor. I guess the doctor was in the middle of delivering another baby so I had to lay there for about 10 minutes and wait. The doctor arrived and I only had to push twice.
Seth Allen Moore was born on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 9:17PM. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces and is 22 inches long. He is absolutely perfect in every way. I cannot wait to see how wonderful life is going to be with him in it.

My last belly picture on our way to the hospital. 39 weeks 6 days

So tired of having my picture taken.
The cutest little man EVER! Daddy getting to hold Seth for the first time.
Our first family photo.

Easter Sunday

2010-04-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

What a great day we had with Family. It's hard to believe that the next time we see most of our extended family, we will be a family of 3. We started the day off with a delicious breakfast at our house. My parents, Stephen's parents, and Chirsty and Scott came over for eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and pancakes. I have found the best recipe for buttermilk pancakes that are so delicious. I have made them twice in the last 2 weeks.
After breakfast we picked my parents up and headed to my aunt's house. They did a nice casual meal. They made ham and turkey, but instead of all the traditional fixings we made ham and turkey sandwiches. Everything was delicious. The earthquake was also quite interesting. I was standing in between my dad and my cousin Holly. Both of them looked very puzzled when the ground started shaking because they thought their afternoon drinks were just catching up with them. I was laughing!!
After dinner we took my parents home and went to Stacey's for pie. We had pie and played Family Feud. It was so great to be able to spend the day with all of our family. I am so excited because every big holiday this year will be baby Seth's 1st.

38 weeks

2010-04-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

* How far along?: 38 weeks 2 days (Happy Easter!!).
* Total weight gain: +28
* How big is baby?: Probably close to 7 pounds.
* Maternity clothes?: My belly is starting to stick out so far that some of my maternity shirts are too short and some of my pants are digging into my belly. If I don't leave the house, I stick to jammies ;)
* Stretch marks?: Yes. They have been under my belly button since 30 weeks and they are starting to circle around my belly button now.
* Sleep?: I am not sleeping so great anymore. I still get a good amount of sleep, but I seem to wake up from 4-6 every morning then go back to sleep. Weird.
* Best moment this week?:Spending time with my family for Easter. I also finished my last load of baby laundry. The room is ready, we just need a baby to put in it!
* Movement?: Less and less. His movements are slow rolls now, not so many kicks and punches.
* Food cravings?: Nothing lately, but I still eat a lot of cereal.
* Labor signs?: Just braxton hicks. About 4 an hour.
* Belly button in or out?: I don't think it is going to pop out, but it is more shallow than it used to be..
*Sex? It's a Boy!!! ***Seth Allen***
* What I miss: Sleep and wearing high heels.
* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my sweet baby boy.
* Milestone: I am now "full term" so I am just patiently waiting for Seth to arrive.

36 weeks

2010-03-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

* How far along?: 36 weeks 4 days.* Total weight gain: +27

* How big is baby?: Around 6-6.5 pounds(approximately the size of a watermelon...yikes!).

* Maternity clothes?: Everything. Even some of my maternity jeans are starting to dig into my belly so I have started wearing more dresses.

* Stretch marks?: Unfortunately yes. A group of them under my belly button. I am starting to see them spread around the sides of my belly button too. Oh well, I guess that's what I have to do to make room for little one.

* Sleep?: Less and less. If I can get comfortable, I sleep really well, but I have been getting up at least 3 times per night. My feet fall asleep if I lay on my back and my hips hurt if I lay on my sides

* Best moment this week?:Being off work. I am feeling much better being off my feet.

* Movement?: All the time now. He is quite the night owl and likes to jump around when I am trying to sleep. He also dances around when I am hungry. He doesn't like to move when people want to feel him though.

* Food cravings?: Still cereal with ice cold milk and the occassional sweet tooth.

* Labor signs?: Just braxton hicks. About 4 an hour.

* Belly button in or out?: Still in, but it is really starting to look funny. I am starting to think it is not going to pop out.
*Sex? It's a Boy!!! ***Seth Allen***

* What I miss: Sleep and wearing high heels.

* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my sweet baby boy.
* Milestone: Every week seems like a milestone.

Maternity Leave

2010-03-15T18:04:00.001-07:00

It's official, as of today, I am on maternity leave. I was planning on working until 37 weeks, but my feet and lower legs were starting to swell pretty bad. My doctor said my blood pressure and the baby's heartbeat were good, but he didn't want to risk anything. Being on my feet for over six hours a day was just too much.
Today was my first day off and the swelling is already much better. I haven't done a whole lot. I did some laundry and went to lunch with Stephen. Other than that I have been sitting with my feet up relaxing. It has been a great day. Now I just need to keep my mind occupied so I don't just sit around and worry when Seth will decide to make his big appearance.

34 weeks

2010-03-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

* How far along?: 34 weeks.
* Total weight gain: +25
* How big is baby?: Around 5 pounds now.
* Maternity clothes?: Everything. I also enjoy sweat pants and pajamas after work.
* Stretch marks?: Unfortunately yes. A group of them under my belly button. At least for now, I can't see them unless I am looking in the mirror. Luckily I haven't gotten any new ones since 30 weeks.
* Sleep?: Less and less. If I can get comfortable, I sleep really well, but I have been getting up at least 3 times per night.
* Best moment this week?:Finishing our birthing classes and turning in all of my pre registration papers at the hospital.
* Movement?: All the time now. He is quite the night owl and likes to jump around when I am trying to sleep. He also dances around when I am hungry. He doesn't like to move when people want to feel him though.
* Food cravings?: Still cereal with ice cold milk and the occassional sweet tooth.
* Labor signs?: Just braxton hicks. About 4 an hour.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in, but it is really starting to look funny.

*Sex? It's a Boy!!! ***Seth Allen***
* What I miss: Sleep and wearing high heels.
* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my sweet baby boy.

* Milestone: Every week seems like a milestone.

Maternity Pictures

2010-03-01T18:45:00.001-08:00

On February 16th, Stephen and I met with our friend Hannah from Hannah Sons Photography to have some maternity pictures taken. The weather was absolutely perfect and Prospect Park in Redlands ended up being the perfect venue. Here are some of our favorites:

32 weeks (a week late)

2010-03-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

* How far along?: 32 weeks.

* Total weight gain: +20

* How big is baby?: 4 pounds pounds and 19 inches long

* Maternity clothes?: Everything. I also enjoy sweat pants and pajamas after work.

* Stretch marks?: Unfortunately yes. A group of them under my belly button. At least for now, I can't see them unless I am looking in the mirror.

* Sleep?: Less and less. If I can get comfortable, I sleep really well, but I have been getting up at least 3 times per night.

* Best moment this week?:Having the week off of work to relax and get the nursery ready. We also took our maternity pictures.

* Food cravings?: I have developed a serious sweet tooth (cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, etc.) Shhhhh! Don't tell my doctor.

* Labor signs?: Just a few Braxton Hicks (except for last Saturday).

* Belly button in or out?: Still in, but I am not sure how long that will last.

*Sex? It's a Boy!!! ***Seth Allen***

* What I miss: Sitting down comfortably and getting a good nights sleep.

* What I'm looking forward to: Finishing the nursery. We just need to add a few finishing touches.

* Milestone: Every week seems like a milestone.

Our first trip to Labor and Delivery

2010-02-21T17:30:00.001-08:00

Well, I am only 32 weeks, but Seth decided to give us a little scare. On Saturday, I was picking up the house and had a few Braxton Hicks contractions. I have been feeling BH contractions since 27 weeks or so, so I wasn't too concerned. At our birthing class we were told that more than 4 in an hour is something to be concerned about. I had 3 in a span of 20 minutes so I drank a big bottle of water and sat down for a little bit.
Stephen and I needed to run a few errands. I noticed that the contractions were coming every 4-5 minutes. This had me a little worried because Braxton Hicks shouldn't be timeable. I timed them for a half hour and they were very consistent so I called Labor and Delivery. The nurse was very nice and told me to monitor them at home, drink tons of water, and call back in an hour if they hadn't slowed down.
Between 12:15 and 1:45 I had 20 contractions. I called Labor and Delivery again and they recommended that I come in for observation and a few tests. Stephen was such a trouper, I could tell he was nervous and scared, but he stayed positive and kept telling me everything would be fine. I got all checked in and changed into my gown. The nurse I talked to on the phone was the nurse that took care of me. She hooked me up some monitors and did a few tests and sent them to the lab.
She came back every 20 minutes to check on me and Seth. Seth looked great, his heartbeat was strong and he was moving a lot. Everything was good with me, except for the contractions.
I was not dialted and all of the tests that they ran came back good. They gave me a shot of Tributaline to stop te contractions and watched me for another hour. Things slowed down so they let me go home to rest. I have been doing just that, and I have an appointment with my regular OB tomorrow. We will have to wait and see what he has to say about all of this.
I will definitely keep you posted!

Thank you Mr. Washington and Mr. Lincoln

2010-02-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of working in public education is the vacation time. Many school districts in our area had a four day weekend or even two short weeks, but in Beaumont, we have "President's Week". That's right, you heard correctly, we have an entire week off of school. I have been enjoying my days relaxing, organizing the nursery, and catching up with friends. I still have a few days left, and I am looking forward to getting more much needed rest.

The World's Best Baby Shower

2010-02-08T20:10:00.001-08:00

This Saturday I was the guest of honor at the World's Best Baby Shower. My Sister-in-law Stacey and friend Amber (along with their army) planned and executed the perfect shower. We met once a few weeks ago and they asked me if there was anything particular that I did or did not want at the shower. I only had a few minor requests, and they made sure that those requests were fulfilled. They would not share any details with me, so I was very anxious and excited.
When I arrived, a lot of guests were already there because it had been raining so I am sure a lot of them left early to allow time for traffic. I even had an extra special guest: My grandma from Oregon drove down to surprise me. I couldn't believe my eyes! I was in absolute shock at how much work they put into this. The decorations were beautiful and the food was to die for. They were even up until 2:30am the previous morning finishing the cake.
My friends and family were so generous with their gifts. I could not believe how many presents baby Seth received. I tried to open them quickly, but it still took almost 2 hours. We got a lot of clothes, hand made blankets/quilts, and our pack 'n play, carseat, stroller, and exersaucer.
The shower definitely ended with a bang when my Grandma started a small fire on one of the tables. It was an accident and we were able to get it out quickly, but it was still a big ending to an even bigger celebration. Thank you to Stacey and Amber for an amazing day!

The beautiful centerpieces and favors:

Diaper cake and gifts: The homemade cake:
The Hostesses and I
The Grandma's to be:

3D/4D ultrasound

2010-02-08T19:21:00.000-08:00

This weekend we got another chance to see sweet baby Seth. We had our 3D/4D ultrasound done. I have been looking forward to this for weeks! I was a little worried at first, because Stephen is not a big fan of the 3D pictures. They always freak him out. He knew how important it was to me though so he agreed to get them done. Our appointment was at 9am so we went to the donut shop first and had some sugar to get Seth moving. As soon as the ultrasound tech turned on the machine, it was amazing. It so neat to be able to see what your baby looks like well before he is born.
We spent at least 30 minutes watching Seth move around. He was very shy and didn;t want to show off his boy parts, and he had his hand in his face the whole time, but as far as I am concerned, he is the cutest baby EVER!!! He has a perfect little nose and the cutest chubbiest little cheeks. I think he is going to look a lot like Stephen, but we will see. We are so in love already and can't wait to meet Seth in 10 short weeks.
Here are a few of our favorite pictures: