Weekend Update

We sent our 2 nieces back to California on Saturday. We also had a basketball game, 2 ice hockey games, and family in town! It was busy and fun. Steve made some incredible meals, as only he can - thanks, babe. We made another offer on another house, and Steve & I both came down with colds. It was an eventful weekend. I am feeling better; Steve is still battling.

Happy Birthday to me

Yesterday was my 33rd birthday, and although it started out like any other day, it ended splendidly. I enjoyed going out to both lunch & dinner, and I appreciate all the special calls and emails I received to make my day great. Thanks for remembering me. Here's to another wonderful year!

Patrick Growth Statistics

I took Patrick in on January 13, 2010 for his 2 month check up. He weighed in at 12 lb. 12 oz (72%), and his head circ. was 41 cm (73%), and his length was 22.5 in (30%). I'm not convinced the length is accurate, but we'll see how he measures up in a couple of months.

Update

Our hearts are heavy as we've lost a member of our family. Our brother-in-law passed away very unexpectedly last Saturday. He was just here visiting Utah and we were blessed to spend some fun time with him and his family 2 weeks ago. Steve has gone to CA for the services, and he took Patrick with him. So, I am holding down the fort here with 2 of our neices who are visiting for 2 weeks while their brother has a major surgery. Milo is doing well, and if you'd like to check on him, you can visit his site here. I was in Southern CA last week for 2 days and 2 nights catching up with a client, and I had a wonderful time. Every time I visit I wonder why we don't live there. It is just so lovely - especially in January when it is so cold most other places. I'm glad I missed the crazy rain!!

Busy season is definitely living up to its name, as it does every year. We continue to house hunt, amidst the craziness of life. We've made offers on 2 homes and we're still looking.

Thankfully, we are all healthy.

Steve's mom is back in her home after a lengthy stint in a rehab facility following her leg surgery. She is glad to be home, but she's fighting an infection at the incision site.

Obviously these days we're praying for many, including those people suffering so much loss in Haiti.

What a great play!

Daniel is the one who has the ball at the beginning of the clip.

Update

Well, this week was our first week "on schedule" in Utah. The older boys both opted to enroll in Elementary School here, so they are both students at Saratoga Shores Elementary School. So far they are both enjoying it. The principal is extraordinarily nice. Kenneth is in the A.L.L. (accelerated learning lab) class. His teacher is out having twins, so he arrived the same day as the substitute and had a great day since he knew just as much as the teacher! Daniel was very frustrated that he didn't know everyone else's names the first day, but he has set a goal to learn one person's name each day and he is keeping up with his goal. Caitlin started pre-school at a house down the street on Wednesday and she is loving it. Both boys had basketball practice this week and a game, and it was fun to see them play. Daniel's game wasn't much more advanced than last year (lots of un-called traveling, etc.), but Kenneth's game was really exciting. He surprised us with his shooting skills and he is still able to run down anybody on the court. He scored 4 baskets (8 points) and his team won 22-10. It is nice to start out with a win. Every boy on his team made a basket except one, and they played really well together considering they had only had one practice.

I got to attend a "girl's night out" with a couple of girls from high school and I had a great time. Steve took us all to a movie yesterday afternoon - the 2nd Chipmonk's movie - and that was great fun. Then we went to Ben's ice hockey game. It always amazes me how physical that game is. Ben is 6 feet tall and not a small boy, and they body check him like he weighs 20 pounds! Wowee.

The baby had a milestone last night - he only woke up twice! Once at 1am and once at 5am. The unfortunate thing was that after the 5am feeding, he thought it would be good to be awake for the day. :( Steve was a champ and got him back to sleep after I wrestled with him for 45 minutes. He's just so darned cute, though, it's impossible to get mad at him when he's smiling at you!

We are all doing well, despite the FREEZING weather.

Patrick's Blessing

Patrick's Blessing will be at 9am next week at Centennial Blvd. and Redwood Road.

Merry Christmas!

We have all safely arrived in Utah, except our boat. It had a mishap outside of LaGrande, OR, and is still there until they find a new axle for the trailer. At which point, we'll drive back up to get it. Other than that, the move has gone smoothly so far. The movers were great, and it was such a blessing to have our good friends, the Griffiths, willing to host us for a few days before we left town. They did a lot more than host us, actually.....

We are settling into my folks' basement, and today we got all the clothes taken out of boxes and suit cases, so I can actually vacuum now. Yay. It is so close to Christmas, it feels like when we come to visit in the summer - no schedule, lots of hanging around up stairs with family, etc. Once the holiday passes, we'll have to settle into more of a routine.

We have looked at several homes, but I'm taking a few days off to celebrate Christmas. Last night Steve & I got to go Christmas shopping and it was so nice. Tonight we vanquished all the kids to the basement and all the adults wrapped presents and so that project is done, too. Happy day. (I'm sure some of you can appreciate how grateful I was to have help wrapping presents). Angela and her family arrived this evening, so we've got a full house and LOTS of presents under the tree.

The kids are LOVING the snow. They've played in it every day and they've made a snow man and they've gone sledding.

Steve is off for the weekend now, and we're all looking forward to some daddy time.

I hope everyone has a safe, wonderful, happy Christmas.

Patrick's Blessing

Patrick's Blessing is scheduled for Sunday, January 3rd, at 11am in Saratoga Springs. If you'd like to come, please call me for directions. We'd love to have all of our Utah friends and family attend.

We're moving!

Well, Steve is now employed at a company in Utah, and we are moving. We'll be there in time for Christmas. Watch out Utah - here we come!

More amazing photos

Handsome Boy

Ang took this photo while she was here.

More photos - look soon

While I was in the hospital, a photographer came and took some photos of Patrick. In the flier it says we can only order for 2 weeks, so look soon. Go to:

www.bellababyphotography.com

Click on "View Photos" and the password is 1110patricklayton

Enjoy.

First Photos of Patrick Russell

From Steve...

Joy got to the hospital early (5:20ish) and received her Pitocin drip around 6:30 am....Around that time I was still comfy in bed snoozing......

I finally meandered into the hospital around 7:30, about the time the doctor 'broke the water'.....Things progressed quickly after that and she was deemed to be in full active labor at about 9:00am.

At exactly 12:16pm, after a fair amount of pushing, Patrick Russell Layton was born, although he came out kicking and screaming all the way! (No, really, ask Joy! He was kicking inside all the way out!)

He measured 21.25 inches long (as per the official measurement), 9.00 lbs, and with a head circumference of 14.5 inches. (Ouch!)

Both mom and baby are doing well, and are resting.

We'll get pictures posted as soon as possible.

Steve & Joy

 

Family Photos

 

 

 

 

School Photos

 

 

 

 

Still 3 and Long

No progress on the baby front. The induction is set for the 10th. We're just counting down and trying to get through the long "to do" list. :)

Happy Birthday, Daniel

7 years. Can you believe it? I can't. It's crazy to think that 7 years ago there were 17 people in my hospital room welcoming our new addition into the world. Sean Buckley brought me a chocolate shake from Burger King (A TRUE FRIEND). He came on a Friday afternoon and it was a rainy weekend. I remember that. I loved having so many visitors.

Daniel is really changing a lot these days. He's growing taller and leaner, he is athletic as ever, and he is a good brother. He is a sweet friend to our neighbor's little boy, Nathan, who is 2. It is really fun to watch them play together. I can't wait to see him interact with our new little one. He chose out 2 small pumpkins this year (he always seems to go for the little ones), and he wanted to save his smaller one for the baby. He is very thoughtful and he's a good problem-solver. We went around the table at dinner saying what we love about Daniel and he started by saying that he loves when people feel his hair (he has a really short buzz, and you can't resist rubbing it when it's freshly cut). Caitlin said she loves how he shares with him when she asks nicely. I said that I love that he solves problems and gets the solution all by himself (for instance: He's cold. That's the problem. Instead of whining or complaining or walking around in shorts and a t-shirt, he dresses warmly and gets socks on and gets his jacket on all by himself - without asking for help.) Steve said that Daniel gives the best hugs, and Kenneth said that he loves how Daniel is easy to please.

Daniel is a good boy and a wonderful addition to our family. He is sensitive and tender and a caretaker.

We talked about the big decision he has coming up (choosing whether or not to be baptized - he can make that choice at 8), and he decided he would like to memorize all the Articles of Faith (there are 13 of them) before he turns 8. Kenneth is trying to learn them right now, too, so I guess we'll work on it as a family. What a cool goal for him to set.

It was a wonderful birthday for our boy, and I'm relieved that he doesn't have to share it with baby #4. Now that we got through today I'll be fine whenever this baby chooses to make his entrance.

As a note: Daniel's favorite food is crab, he loves soccer, and his favorite cartoons are Scooby Doo and Phineus and Ferb.