The Bessinger Family

Halloween 2011

2011-11-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

My little froggy prince.

Jane the princess. If you ask her, she was Anastasia.

My cuties. Taylor and I didn't dress up on account of the already elevated stress level.

Daddy helping Wyatt enjoy his goodies.

I should know better than to think that my kids actually pay attention to me when I speak to them.

Halloween this year was kind of crazy. We all had been sick for about a week previous and just couldn't shake it. Being sick put me behind schedule with sewing the kids costumes and made whether or not we were actually going to go trick-or-treating a last minute decision. Needless to say, I was sewing until the very last minute and we didn't stay out long because it was freezing and nobody was quite up to walking around a whole lot. Jane had a blast regardless of everything and Wyatt, well he really enjoyed the suckers he got.

Need Some Instruction?

2011-08-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Jane is too darn smart. Yesterday she started singing these little songs and I couldn't help but to laugh. It wasn't until today that I realized she learned them from Mickey Mouse. Who knows, maybe one day they will come in handy.

The Aquarium

2011-07-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

When we finally got all the way to Fresno, we hopped back into the car and drove to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my family. The kids absolutely loved it. After the aquarium, we went to lunch at Bubba Gump's.

Jane loved all of the jelly fish

She is always so cooperative.

This penguin loved Wyatt and kept trying to get him through the glass.

This was our attempt at getting a picture of the cousins in the clam together. As you can tell, it didn't quite work out.

Wyatt and Aunt Kelly playing.

Family picture on the way out.

Aunt Brooke bought Wyatt a sucker. Needless to say, he loved it.

Jane, Jane Gump

The Wedding

2011-07-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

The first stop on our summer adventure was Logan, Utah for my brother in-law's wedding. We drove there from Colorado Springs which ended up being even more miserable than we thought it was going to be. Jane did great. she didn't say more than five words the whole drive because she was too busy watching movies on the DVD player. Wyatt, however, couldn't have cared less about the movies. He just wanted to be out of seat and getting into things. It was rough, but once we got there, it was all made worth it. It was wonderful to be able to spend that special day with Keith and Makell.

The bride and groom

My handsome pants big boy


My cute princess girl. Dramatic? Absolutely.

While I was in Utah, the kids and I went to visit my Aunt Barbara and her family. Aaron and Erin were able to meet us there.

Aaron, Erin, June, Olive, me, Jane, and Wyatt

Bad Luck

2011-05-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Poor Jane's bad luck started on Sunday. At church, she fell out of her seat and hit her face on the hymn book holder. That left a real nasty looking bruise right on her cheek bone. Yesterday, the bad luck continued. While she was playing at the park, carefree like a child should be, a mean 8 year old boy smacked her in the face with a baseball bat. The result, a black eye. When asked why, he being so much older, would hit a 2 year old girl, he said, " She was in my way." Are you kidding me? Talk about the worst kid in the world.

This was the best picture she would let me get. This is what it looked like this morning, after two icings.

What can I say...

2011-05-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

...she is talented. I just hope that is not what she thinks I look like when I put make up on. Does it make me a bad mom that I let her run errands with me looking like that?

A Blessing

2011-05-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

My son Wyatt has a rare metabolic disorder called GA-1. Having him in our lives has been a huge learning experience and blessing. This video pretty well describes our feelings about Wyatt and the disorder, but it also helps us to count our blessings and give thanks that he is doing as well as he is.

Julia's Hero

I don't really think that most people fully understand just how rare this disorder is and how devastating it can be. Thanks to one man, Dr. Holmes Morton, we were able to give Wyatt the best chances possible in life. Because of this man and his work, this disorder was detected early in Wyatt, giving him a fighting chance. This next video is a little slow going, but give it a chance. It will give you a huge insight into Wyatt's disorder.

Dr. Holmes Morton- A Meaningful Work

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Easter this year was crazy. Taylor is working nights so he didn't get off of work until 6:00 am that day. So I got the kids and I off to church on my own. Easter always makes for a fun day in nursery, it always seems as though the kids got into their Easter baskets before church because they are crazy, bouncing off the walls. It was a great day at though. We got home and I had exactly 2 1/2 hours to pull off our Easter celebration, which included making and eating dinner, opening baskets, and hunting for eggs, all before Taylor had to go work again. We did it though, and had a good time together.
I didn't get the traditional Easter picture of my kids together in their cute outfits because it was cold and snowy outside. In my opinion that is a crime against the holiday itself. I did get some pictures though. I had to document Jane's homemade outfit and Wyatt's homemade tie.

There were three flowers on it but by the time I took the picture she had already been to nursery, where it got ripped off. Like I said, the kids had their candy before church.

The goober was making his squinty eyes. Those are his I love you eyes.

Goodbye Hair

2011-04-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

After battling with myself, I finally cut off Wyatt's hair. I was wanting to keep it long because little boys with long shaggy hair are so cute, but the maintenance was too much. It's a fight to brush Jane's hair, it just doesn't seem like I should have to fight my son to brush his hair. Plus, that is where he saves his food. Now that it is done, I am so happy I did it. He is such a handsome pants.

Before

After

She Speaks the Truth

2011-04-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

Where's Wyatt?

2011-04-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Can you spot him?

No need to wonder how he got buried in the basket, that guilty face says it all.

Partners in Crime

2011-01-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

The way bath time works in our house is both kids take a bath together, then I take Wyatt out and get him in his pajamas while Jane plays for a little bit longer. Wyatt is always very sad when it is his time to get out and he always goes back into the bathroom and stands next to the tub until Jane is done. Wyatt had been crawling up and down the hall way so I went really quick to put the dirty clothes in the laundry room and when I returned, this is what I found. Wyatt was soaked from head to toe, splashing in about an inch of water that was now on my bathroom floor. Jane was, even as I stood there, dumping buckets of water on the ground and laughing as Wyatt was playing in it. At first I upset by the whole thing. It wasn't until later that I decided it was cute. Jane was trying to help Wyatt have more fun and if he couldn't have fun with water in the bath, why not outside the bath. She is just too thoughtful.

A Lost Boy

2011-01-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Doesn't he look like he belongs in Neverland? He is so cute in his bear hat. I hope he wears it everyday until he is ten. He already wore it for an entire day. He doesn't mind it and I love watching him go about his business with it on. It is just too darn cute.

Wyatt's 1st Birthday Party (1 week early)

2011-01-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

The super cute birthday cake. Good job Grandma Susie.

Wyatt was kind enough to let all the kids help him open gifts.

Wyatt loves his daddy so much. They are best pals. It is very sweet.

Even though Wyatt couldn't eat the cake, he got to blow out his candle.

He can't have regular cake but he can have vanilla frosting. Clean up turned into a great big drink.

My friend Jordan was able to come and meet Wyatt for the first time.

Christmas!

2011-01-12T22:30:00.000-08:00


My tree before Jane removed all the ornaments and Wyatt pulled the lights off.

This year, we celebrated Christmas twice. Our first Christmas came two weeks early at our home here in Colorado. It was so fun to see how excited Jane was to see that Santa Claus had come and Wyatt thoroughly impressed me with his ability to tear the wrapping paper. It was a very fun experience for Taylor and I as parents and I know the kids enjoyed it also.

Wyatt would have been just as happy to have received the paper as his gift.

Jane loves animals.

Wyatt is fascinated by toys that flash lights and sing songs.


I am pleased to say that my children love music. Jane loves making music and Wyatt loves dancing to it.

Our second Christmas came on the actual day, this time in California. It was wonderful being able to see our families over the holidays. Jane was happy to see that Santa came again, every kids dream.

She loves being in the spotlight.

He had fun getting to play with his toys in peace while Jane was distracted by other presents.

Merry Christmas!

Turkey Day

2010-11-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

This year was my first year not only making a turkey, but making the whole feast. It was actually a lot of fun. I am sure a few more years of making holiday meals and I will change my mind though. I was expecting the turkey to be really challenging, but it wasn't the cooking it part that was hard, it was trusting my skills enough to feed it to my family. I watched the Alton Brown turkey special beforehand so that I had some idea of what I was doing. The thermometer was telling me that everything was fully cooked, everything looked cooked, but that wasn't enough for me. After we carved the turkey, I kept telling Taylor to put in the microwave so we could be sure. I guess everything was fine because nobody got sick, but the pressure was pretty intense.

Our Thanksgiving feast

Jane was super excited to eat. She kept stealing bites of stuffing.

My boys ready to eat

We even tried to get Wyatt in on the fun. He can't really have protein, so I specially bought him some Cool Whip. Wyatt's Thanksgiving treat was cranberry sauce and Cool Whip. I thought he would love it, play in it, just all around have a ball. He surprised me, he touched it once and that was enough. I even put the Cool Whip on my finger and into his mouth. He just made a yucky face and then pretended I didn't exsist.

Wyatt being a handsome boy

The Pirates Bessinger

2010-10-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

This year, I made the kids pirate costumes for Halloween and they turned out great. I am so proud of myself. Last night we had our ward Trunk-or-Treat so the kids got to strut their super cool looks. We all had a good time, especially Jane.

It's Hard to Say Goodbye

2010-10-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

     One year ago to the day, I did the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I remember standing in the Fresno airport with my arms around my dad, trying to hold back my tears as I said goodbye. My father and two sisters waved farewell to me as I took my one-year old daughter and walked down the terminal, right out of the life I knew, into a whole new one. A new life that held things for me I never would have imagined. That was the day I traveled halfway across the country to reunite Jane and I with my husband.
     It was a bittersweet moment, getting on that airplane. I knew I was going to miss my friends and family, they were my support and I had never been without them before. But at the same time, I was so excited for us to start a new life as our own independent family. I had missed Taylor so much,after three and a half months of being separated, the thought of being with him helped to numb the loneliness that was already beginning to take root.
     That one day went on for two, or so it felt, and my head was lost in an emotional cloud the entire time. I remember telling myself over and over again that I had to keep it together because there was no one there to help me. It was just Jane and I. Our flight out was late. I felt like I could have had just that much more time with my family if I would have known. When we got to LAX, Jane was tired, but she was doing considerably well. I got lost in that huge, overcrowded maze. Already behind schedule, the worrier in me was about to have a melt down. Finally on the right track, I was riding a bus to the correct terminal, when a fellow passenger told me Jane had fallen asleep on my shoulder. I hadn't brought a stroller. My thoughts had been that if Jane got to walk between the long legs of the journey, she would do better staying in her seat. Now my thoughts were how in the world am I supposed to carry our bags and a sleeping child through this monstrous place, to our next destination. Not to mention, I was six months pregnant at the time. I had already been fighting tears. When I realized I had to go through security all over again, a few actually escaped. I prayed someone would offer to help, as my arms and shoulders seared in pain from the weight and I worried about the stress I was putting on my unborn child. But no one helped. Waiting in that huge line to get through security, none of the lonely business travelers offered me a cut in line. Not even the security guard, when it was finally our turn, thought that I might need some assistance holding a sleeping infant and taking off my shoes while pregnant. To make it worse, I could feel the eyes on the back of my head as people's thoughts were saying, "Could she just hurry up already!" Jane and I both hadn't hardly eaten and there wasn't very much time, we were already running late and cutting it close, but I had to feed my child. We found some food and I rushed to eat it before we were some of the last to board the plane. Jane still asleep and her food shoved in my bag, I found my seat. I thought I was finally going to feel some sense of relief when the man next to Jane's seat leaned over to me and said, "I just had my seat changed so I didn't have to sit next to a kid. Are you sure these seats are yours? Did you pay for her( pointing at Jane) to have this seat?" Fuming and ready to explode, I managed to politely tell the gentleman yes and that I was sorry. Jane and I spent the next two hours treading very lightly as to not upset the man who obviously had no sense of propriety and no sense of anybody but himself. After a stop in Dallas, we had finally arrived. I couldn't have been more grateful.
   A shuttle picked us up and took us to our hotel, where finally someone was willing to help me. In the morning, our adventure picked up right where it had left off. I had to go back to the airport to rent a car. Then we drove to Biloxi, Mississippi, our new home. As we drove I began to realize that it was a different planet down there. It was not only that I got a drink of water every time I took a breath, or that it was 100 degrees in October. It was an entirely different way of life, a different culture. I felt like I had taken a time machine and gone back twenty years. That morning we got our new house, and it was wonderful and big and new. The only problem was that we didn't have anything except what had gone on the plane with us. Luckily, I was able to find a Walmart and get the necessities.

(continue to next post)

continued...

2010-10-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

     That night, we were able to see Taylor, and my horrible two days suddenly became worth it. The first week was rough, to say the least. Taylor wasn't allowed to live with us yet. I was in a strange place, with nobody I knew, with practically no belongings, trying to not just get myself to the end of the day, but also my high energy one-year old. The evenings were when we could spend time with Taylor and they were what we looked forward to.
Life continued to go on, but the hardships never ceased. Wyatt gave us a couple of scares before he came. When he did come, it was a month early and he brought with him a whole new set of trials. Giving birth was, of course, a happy time, but it was not ideal. It was the middle of the night and we didn't know anyone really well, so Jane came to the hospital with us. The poor little thing would cry, seeing me in so much pain. Between the excruciating contractions I would tell Taylor to take her out, she didn't need to see her mommy like that. My nurses were what got me through. It was wonderful to hold my precious baby, but again, it was bitter sweet. I had wanted to be surrounded by my family, to show them all my new baby. It makes me sad to think that my children have a long distance relationship with my family.
     Since then, things have only gotten harder. I will not go into anymore detail than I already have. We have endured hospitalizations, health problems, moving, and well warranted emotional lows. I look at myself a year ago, and I look at myself today. I am stronger, wiser, more humble and more grateful. I never thought I would have ever had to endure the trials I have this past year, but I have finally come to a place where I can say that I am grateful for them, all of them. Life has not gotten any easier, but I am starting to realize that it is all a part of a bigger plan. I have learned that all I can do is have the faith to carry on, come what may.
     One year ago today, I did the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I grew up.

What We've Been Up To

2010-10-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

I know I have been really bad at keeping up the blog lately so it is time for an update. As you will soon read, life has been crazy,leaving updating the blog the last thing on my mind. Since May, we have moved from Mississippi to Colorado, gone back home to California twice, had Jane turn two, had Wyatt start physical therapy in the home, and had Wyatt hospitalized SIX times, the last of which was for surgery. Plus we have had fun little day trips to Garden of the Gods, the Zoo, and as of yesterday, a pretty cool pumpkin patch. We also take day trips to Denver about every two weeks for Wyatt's appointments. I think they are fun because I get to stop by Cafe Rio, but I know not everybody in the car would agree with me that it is fun.

Jane's little birthday party back home in California.

Trying on the goods.

Jane and her cousin Lily. Lily loved helping Jane with her gifts.

More awesome gifts.

Miss Lily


We enjoyed birthday cupcakes this year.

Cousin Lincoln. Jane really loves her cousins.

Garden of the Gods

After our last trip to California, I hitched a ride with my parents back to Colorado. We went and saw Garden of the Gods together. Unfortunately, Taylor had to work.

When they sit in their stroller, Wyatt insists on having some kind of contact with Jane. It is so cute.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

We have this awesome zoo here. It really is built up the side of a mountain. When you stand and look out you can the entire city. It really is beautiful. The zoo also had a lot of really neat animals. They let the peacocks and the wallabies just walk around unleashed. It was a really fun time and Jane is still talking about it. She loved it.

I was so proud of Jane for feeding the giraffe's. She was very brave.

Wyatt just hung out and was a good boy, as usual.

Jane got to pet a wallaby. She loves animals.

My goofballs.

This tiger was so cool. He was swimming so close to us.

Riding the big kitty.

Mr. Wyatt

So, like I said earlier,Wyatt has been in and out of the hospital quite a bit. Four of the times that Wyatt has been in the hospital have been due to either vomiting or not wanting to eat. With his disorder, if he is sick or not taking into his body enough calories or energy to burn, we have to have him put on special IV fluid to try and avoid the brain damage that can occur. His body lacks the enzyme that allows him to flush out amino acids (in case you forgot, they make up protein) causing his blood to run acidic, his blood sugar to drop, and all sorts of bad things that can cause big problems. So, when he gets sick or doesn't eat, his body breaks down his muscle tissue in search of energy to burn, which releases the amino acids, which is why he has to be put in the hospital.

Wyatt, we have learned, just doesn't like to take his formula, which is special medical formula and the most important part of his diet. We have also learned that he has pretty severe reflux. Both of these things having been making our life miserable because they can't be tolerated with his disorder. It has hopefully all been made better though. After he was hospitalized last for vomiting and not eating, his doctors finally decided it was time to thicken his formula. Since then, no more spit-up or vomit. It has been great. They also were able to move along the process for a surgery that we had been waiting for, which was g-tube placement. A g-tube is a port that gives me direct access to his stomach so that even when he does not want to eat, I can get his food into him. It will also allow me to treat him at home with high glucose formula during illness instead of having to get him hooked up to IV. We are so grateful that we were able to find these solutions. Life can move forward again.

Here are some pics from different hospital stays.

Getting ready to bust free.

The Pumpkin Patch

We went to this super fun pumpkin patch. It had huge slides, a petting zoo, a hay pyramid, and a maze for little kids. It was a blast.

Random Pictures Along the Way

Definitely Not Mud

2010-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

Nice and clean after damage control

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

Home Made Fun

2010-03-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

We decided to put a big, obnoxious box to good use. We made it into a playhouse. Kind of ghetto, I know. Biloxi must be wearing off on us. But, boy oh boy, did Jane have a blast with it.

We drove to Alabama and back...

2010-03-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

TWICE!!!

for this stroller. But, just look at them. It was totally worth it.

Long story short, Mississippi is stupid and you have to drive to another state to get to a Babies 'R' Us. You might ask, "Well Haley, why couldn't you have just found a Wal-Mart or a Target and get a double jogger stroller there?" The answer to that is that Mississippi is the most unhealthy state in the United States. That is actually a fact, not just me being mean. So I guess the demand for jogger strollers here is not great enough for them to actually have them sold in stores. Sad, sad, sad.

Then, after we bought it and brought it home we realized it was missing the built in speaker used to hook your I-Pod up to. So, needless to say, we had to go all the way back to exchange it. It pretty much sucked.

Two Months Old

2010-03-11T17:34:00.001-08:00

Wyatt turned two months old on March 9th and he had his well exam the next day. I just can't believe it, my little man is now 9 pounds. He gained a whole pound in two weeks. He is still considered to be on the small side for his age, but considering he was premature, I think he is doing great. He is getting big so fast.

Miss Imagination

2010-03-11T17:28:00.001-08:00

Jane is really starting to use her imagination these days. She is always trying to change her bear's diaper and wrap him in a blanket. She will even put him in Wyatt's bouncer chair like he is a baby. She will tell me her bear is cold and run and get her special blanket for him. Sometimes after I have put her to bed, I will hear her talking to her bear and giving him kisses. Jane also loves to read to her stuffed animals. It is such a cute stage.

The Munchkins

2010-02-27T14:57:00.001-08:00

A Day at the Park

2010-02-27T14:38:00.001-08:00

We have a beautiful park behind our house that we have gone to a couple of times. Jane really enjoys seeing the ducks and watching Taylor feed them. This last time we went, the seagulls were there as well, and they are crazy. They hover right over your head waiting for you to give them food. There are also these nasty little creatures that we call the swamp rats. I guess they are actually muskrats, but I have never seen one until we moved here.

My Little Cuties

2010-02-12T18:51:00.000-08:00

Jane thought it was funny that Wyatt was trying to eat her.

Jane loves smothering him with kisses.

She was trying to put her arm around him. What a nice big sister.

One Month Old!!!

2010-02-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

I can't even believe it!

Wyatt's First Two Weeks

2010-01-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, the first two weeks of my little man's life has been full of challenges. He has been to a half dozen doctor's appointments, been hospitalized, and had countless blood draws and pricks. Not to mention he spent two and a half days getting a sun tan. I will tell you the story from the beginning.
Wyatt was born on Saturday, January 9th via spontaneous vaginal delivery. We were in the hospital for 48 hours because he was premature. While we were there everything went quite well. He had a little jaundice and had some weight loss but it was nothing that concerned the doctors so we were discharged on Monday. They scheduled for us to come back Wednesday for his circumcision and a weight check.
Wednesday came along and we took him to his appointment. He had lost even more weight, weighing in at 5 lbs 5oz, despite my efforts to syringe feed him extra breast milk. They also decided that we needed to keep an eye on his jaundice. They told us to come back on Friday for another weight check and to check his circ.
On Thursday morning, I got a phone call from a pediatrician on the base saying that we needed to plan on going to New Orleans the following Tuesday to see a specialist for Wyatt. He told me that Wyatt's newborn screening had come back abnormal and that they thought he had a rare metabolic disorder. He asked me if Wyatt was acting normal. I told him yes but the question alone caused me to panic. Then he added that if Wyatt is acting abnormal in any way that I was to bring him to the ER.
By the time his appointment came along, Taylor and I were sick with worry, not knowing what to expect. They ordered some tests to confirm the diagnosis and a bilirubin. When they checked his weight he was down another ounce. They sent us home with some formula and said they would call us with the results. We had only been home for a few minutes when the nurse called us and told us we needed to bring Wyatt back to the hospital, that he was going to be transported by ambulance to the children's hospital in New Orleans. His bilirubin, which measures jaundice, was 19, which is quite high. That, with his weight loss and suspected metabolic disorder had convinced the doctors that he needed immediate attention.
When Wyatt arrived at the hospital, he was dehydrated and his bilirubin had gone up to 21. They put him under the lights and kept him on an IV to rehydrate him. They also started him on treatments for his disorder. We were in the hospital until Monday night.
We have since received confirmation that Wyatt does have Glutaric Acidemia Type 1. His body is missing the enzyme that breaks down proteins, leading to a build up of amino acids in his body. This causes Glutaric acid to be present in his blood. He is at risk for what they call metabolic episodes, which is where his body reacts badly to a virus and becomes catabolic. If he does not receive proper treatment, it could result with mental and physical consequences.
Wyatt is now on a special formula that his body can handle as well as taking medication to control the disorder. If we can control it, he will most likely live a normal life. He will always have to be on a special no protein diet.
We are very fortunate that they caught this before something devastating happened. Wyatt is now doing much better. He is such a blessing to us.

Wyatt working on his suntan.

Just hanging out after they decided he didn't need the lights anymore.

With all they were doing to him he was such a good sport.

Jane loves that she can now help feed her brother.

Wyatt 2 weeks old.

He is just so small!!!

2010-01-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

Our Wyatt was a little man to begin with. He got weighed today when we went in for the circumcision and found out that he is down 12% from his birth weight. Wyatt now only weighs 5 lbs. 5 oz. I feel so bad for the little guy. He was nursing so good until my milk supply came in. I guess it is too much for him to handle so he gets tired and gives up. I am syringe feeding him breast milk after every feeding to try and help him out. I took this picture to give perspective of just how little he actually is. My poor little man. Just watch, before too long he will be a rolly polly boy.

Wyatt Taylor Bessinger

2010-01-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

Born January 9, 2010
6 lbs. 1 oz.
19 1/2 in.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

2009-12-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

This year we decided it made the most sense for us to buy a small fake tree as opposed to the beautiful, big, real tree I wanted. After forking over a fortune for plane tickets to California for the holiday and knowing that we wouldn't even be able to enjoy the tree for those eleven days we are out of town, we settled on this four foot tall, Charlie Brown type tree. After decorations and some love I think it was ten dollars well spent. Also, thank goodness for shatterproof ornaments, Jane likes to try to manhandle the tree.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

This past weekend our family drove to this cute little town called Moss Point for Christmas at the River. There were booths, arts and crafts, hot cocoa and the part that we were interested in, the boat parade and fireworks show. It ended up dropping down to freezing temperatures and we had to leave early, before the fireworks. It was good while it lasted though. If nothing else it was worth the drive, during which I got to see how beautiful some parts of Mississippi can be.

This was the boat we liked the most.

We posed for a picture in the freezing cold.

Jane beforehand, all ready to keep warm.

Random Pictures of My Little Cutie

2009-12-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

Daddy dressed Jane up like a weight lifter...

and a tennis pro.

Jane enjoying her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Just out and about with mom.

Playing and having fun at the beach.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T19:55:00.001-08:00

Today our family celebrated our first Thanksgiving away from Fresno. The day started out kind of rough for me. Upon realizing that I couldn't watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is a little bit of a tradition, I had a melt down. You might be wondering to yourself a couple of things. First, why couldn't I watch the parade? And second, why would that make me cry?
To answer the first question, we live in a town that is functioning, don't ask me how, on technology from like 15-20 years ago. The majority of the population still has dial-up internet because that is all that is available. But to answer the question, dish network here doesn't cover local channels and some of their signal strengths aren't strong enough where we live to be picked up by an antenna. Thus, I couldn't get the channel showing that darn parade.Totally lame!!!!
Now for that second question. That parade was going to be the only part of Thanksgiving that was going to be the same for me, the only part that was going to be like home. Not being able to watch it just solidified in my mind that I am very far from home and that as much as I want things to be the same, they never again will be. Change is a good thing, but it is also a very hard thing to accept sometimes. If you are reading this and thinking that I am a basket case because that is still not a good reason to cry, you also need to remember that I am just about eight months pregnant.
We spent the majority of the day just relaxing. We watched some football and walked to the park and played for a while before we went to dinner. I was supposed to make our feast and have some lonely airmen over to join us, but before we knew it there were too many people involved and so we decided going out was our best option, especially considering I have never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner before. Our group had dinner at The Cracker Barrel. I had never been there before but it ended being the perfect place for going out to Thanksgiving dinner. The food was good and the company was enjoyable. What more could you ask for? I couldn't see how it would happen at the beginning of the day, but it ended up being a very enjoyable holiday, and I think for the first time I really realized that I have had and that I do have a lot be grateful for.

We found a friend!!!

2009-11-18T15:22:00.001-08:00

This little guy greeted Taylor in the laundry room this morning. Needless to say his life ended just shortly after this picture was taken. Since living here in Mississippi we have seen some pretty nasty looking bugs and some pretty big spiders, but this is the first one who has had the guts to come inside and expose himself to my husband. You can get a pretty good idea of his actual size by comparing him to the hinge, about three of those five sections long. I definitely wouldn't consider him to be a small spider by any means.

Especially for Aunt Brooke

2009-11-16T15:17:00.001-08:00

Jane carried her "Doe" dog everywhere with her today and just wanted to play with him. I couldn't get him away from her. I think that means she likes him... and I think she misses the real "Doe" dog too.

Look at what I made...

2009-11-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

Window valences!!

I actually made two but I only took a picture of one because they are identical. I even made them without a pattern. It was kind of nerve wracking but I think they turned out pretty good. Next project... throw pillows.

Halloween

2009-11-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

Jane was a fairy for Halloween this year. She had fun walking around outside like a big girl and carrying her pumpkin bucket. She liked the candy part as well but after two pieces she was bouncing off the walls so that was the end of that.

Parched after the evenings events.

Daddy trying to convince Jane to put the candy in the bucket.

Our new Beach

2009-11-01T14:17:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we got to spend some time at the beach. It was fun but it was no Pismo and it definately wasn't the Pacific. The water is kind of muddy and we haven't seen anybody in it yet. It is beautiful in it's own way though.

Of course Jane walked straight into the water fully clothed so she shed some layers.

Just a picture of me.

Our new ocean. And yes, I took this fabulous picture.

Jane found a sea shell and didn't want to throw it.

We're not dead, we're just in Mississippi

2009-11-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

We are finally here!!!!! We are happy to call Biloxi, Mississippi our new home. It is quite different from good old Fresno that is for sure. It is quite a bit behind the times and a little small town. I suppose some people would like that, but I count my blessings that we will only be here until April. We are living in a beautiful home in the on-base housing and we are only a few blocks from the beach so there are some positives about living here. It is also absolutely wonderful being reunited with Taylor. Jane can't get enough of her daddy.

2009-10-04T17:04:00.001-07:00

Flight 574 at the Obstacle Course
Those glasses were mandatory. (The smiling fairy in the back is Hamilton).

Basic @ Lackland AFB

2009-10-04T16:40:00.001-07:00

me after the gas chamber
me at "KP" duty. (kitchen duty...worse than the gas chamber)

San Antonio

2009-09-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Last week Taylor graduated from Basic Training so Jane, myself, and my parents flew to San Antonio, Texas to visit him and see him graduate. He did such a good job, I am so proud of him. He was an honor graduate and got some extra awards. He is now in Biloxi, Mississippi at tech school where he is learning his job. Jane and I will be moving there with him in four weeks. I am so excited. I miss having my husband around.

Camping

2009-09-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind on my updates, but we went camping like 3 weeks ago. My brother Aaron, his wife Erin, and their baby June were in town so we went to Huntington Lake for the weekend. We ended up getting rained on and it was cold, but we did have a lot of fun. It was a good chance for all the kids in my family to get to spend time together.

There were no showers, so Jane was covered in dirt half the time and had crazy hair.

A Little Turtle Surprise

2009-08-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

Today, I went in for what was supposed to be just a normal 15 week prenatal visit. I figured it would be the normal weight, urine sample, blood pressure, fetal heartbeat, questions kind of day. It ended up holding lots of surprises. First, I left my urine sample which was really cloudy(sorry if you didn't want to know that). This wasn't so worrisome but I figured it probably wasn't ideal either. Then, I stepped on the scale for my weight. I had no gain at all putting my total weight gain for this pregnancy at a -2 pounds. So, now I was thinking this is not good. Things go normal from there until the doctor tries to listen to the heartbeat. SHE COULDN'T FIND IT!!! I didn't want to totally flip out but I knew things weren't looking so hot. So at this point the doctor decides we need to do an ultrasound. I am not going to lie, I was preparing myself for the worst. Then, up on the screen popped a healthy baby. While the doctor was looking around for the heartbeat she says, "Did you see that? Did you see the little turtle?" I was thinking to myself, "What on earth?" The doctor then clarified that she thought I was having a boy and she had gotten a shot of his little turtle. We found the heart beat which was strong and healthy and I found out that I am actually 16 weeks 4 days pregnant, not just 15, moving my due date to January 30th. I am so grateful everything turned out alright.

Jane Had a Birthday! Shout Hooooooray!

2009-08-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Jane's 1st birthday on July 25th, though we had the party the night before. It was so exciting to see my baby at her first birthday celebration. It makes me look so forward to the ones to come. I just can't believe how quickly our first year with her flew by. Taylor wasn't able to be here for Jane's birthday due to him being in Texas for basic training but he did get to call that day which was very special. Here are some pictures from Jane's lady bug birthday.

Cousins Lincoln and Lily. This picture perfectly illustrates just how polar opposite their personalities are.

The super cute lady bug cake my sister Brooke and I made together. Not quite Ace of Cakes, but still cute.

My little bug patiently waiting for her dinner.

Mommy and Jane getting ready for cake time.

Jane soaking up the attention.

She loved her cake!!

All done!!

Finally... My first letter

2009-07-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Taylor has now been away at basic training for two weeks. I never imagined I would be able to make it this long but thankfully I have. Today I recieved my first letter from him. This is the first I have heard from him since he arrived there and let me tell you, it was wonderful. He is doing very good and says that every day is a little easier. The part he was most looking forward to, the physical training has been a bit of a let down I guess. His exact description was "lame PT for weenies". I will leave you with an excerp of a part that I found to be entertaining.

" After PT, we shower all together. I think that is the only time when having 20/400 vision is a good thing."

Unexpectedly Expecting

2009-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is correct, less than a year ago I had my first baby and now I am pregnant with my second. As you can imagine it was quite a surprise. I cried a lot at first, but I have now come to peace with it and am actually getting excited. I have concluded that Heavenly Father has decided to bless me with a baby at this time to help get me through Taylor being gone, to give me something else to keep my mind on. Taylor will be leaving on Monday for basic training and will be gone for 8 weeks after which he will come home for 2 weeks and then leave again for 6 months. I think any women would be scared at the thought of having a baby and being pregnant without their husband around. That is not going to be the hardest part though because I do have family around. The hardest part is that he will most likely not be at the delivery. The timing of this stinks, but it is a wonderful blessing and who am I to decide when Heavenly Father can and cannot bless me. Our new little blessing is due the beginning of February.

Zoo Time!!

2009-06-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we took our little family to the zoo. It was Jane's first trip to the zoo and she did great. We were there during nap time but she didn't really mind because she was so fascinated by all of the animals. She was such a trooper.

In line before all of the fun started.

Jane and daddy making funny faces.

Aren't they just the cutest?

You can't really tell in this picture, but the elephants were her favorite.

Taylor is showing us just how much fun Jane is having, can't you tell just by looking at her?

Jane's Easter/Spring Pictures

2009-04-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

For being taken by me, I think they turned out pretty cute!

An Air Force Family

2009-03-29T11:05:00.001-07:00

This past week Taylor turned in all of the required paperwork to join the U.S. Air Force. On Thursday and Friday he will be in San Jose taking care of the required testing and then it will be official, we will be an Air Force family. When we have told people about Taylor's desire to join the military, most of the responses have been on the negative side but really, it will be a good thing for us. It has taken me some time to get to this point but I am actually excited. Free housing, insurance, an income, travel, paid for education, what more could you want? Yes, there will be some sacrifices made, but it will be well worth it.

My Valentine

2009-02-16T08:57:00.000-08:00

Taylor's gift to me was so sweet this year, I absolutely have to brag about it. The gift, a simple teddy bear you may say, but no. This bear is from the Build a Bear Workshop. For a grown male to have come up with the idea and to go somewhere like the Build a Bear Workshop on his own when he could have just bought a bear from Walgreen's truly shows just how much my Taylor loves me. The fact that he was willing to brave the line that is always coming out of that place, not to mention all the little kids that wander around there, speaks volumes. I love my bear so much.

Funniest Video Ever

2009-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

I saw this video on The Soup and I about died laughing. The title of the video explains it all.

Lincoln Wayne Davis... at last

2009-01-23T15:22:00.000-08:00

Born January 22, 2009

@ 9:15 PM

9 lbs 4 oz

19 1/4 in

My brother Jared and his wife Lindsey finally had their baby boy. We were all anxiously awaiting his arrival and were all so exciting when he finally came. Lindsey went in yesterday to be induced because he just wasn't wanting to come on his own. The whole process was pretty speedy. She got in her room at 5 PM and had him a little over four hours later. Not bad. Lincoln is so cute. He is what my mom calls a "brick". He is heavy and compact. I was able to be there when big sister Lily finally got to see her new brother. She had to wear a mask and they had to bring the baby out of the room to meet her. The first thing she did was try to give him his pacifier. It was a sweet gesture.

I am so happy to be an aunt again. I love Lily and I know Lincoln will bring just as much joy to the family. I am happy that he and Jane are close in age. I have a feeling he will get bigger than her very soon and be quick to learn how to beat up on her. Oh the things we have to look forward to.

Baby On The Run

2009-01-15T16:16:00.001-08:00

I was getting Jane ready for bed and decided I would just go ahead and do it on her play mat real fast. Well, i turned around to get her diaper and when i turned back she had escaped and was playing with her toys. It was so cute, Taylor and I couldn't help but laugh. We just had to get a picture.

My Big Girl

2009-01-09T17:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true. My precious little baby is getting big. After lots of practice Jane is finally able to sit by herself. She doesn't have it down perfect yet, but she is close. She can sit for about 30 to 45 seconds before she collapses. I also have discovered that she is getting her first tooth. It is funny because it isn't even a bottom front tooth. It is on the bottom but it isn't in the middle, it is off to the side a little bit. I hope she doesn't look like a little goober when it comes in all the way.

The Beach

2009-01-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jane and I tagged along with my parents and sisters for a trip to the beach. We ended up meeting in Pismo with our friend Kelly Hernandez and her little baby Lucy. We of course had lunch at Splash Cafe which was delicious, as usual. From there we headed off to Avila Beach and then we went and explored some tide pools. It was so wonderful to get away from the cold, wet weather here in Fresno and go play in the sun. Not to mention, it was really neat getting to see Kelly and letting our babies play together.

Baby's First Christmas

2008-12-31T17:17:00.000-08:00

Jane looking cute in her Christmas outfit

Jane with her cousin Lily

This Christmas was awesome!! It was so special because we had our little Jane with us. I realize she is too young to enjoy it, but she helped me to love it. Even though she didn't get excited
about presents, it was fun buying them and wrapping them for her all the same.

We spent Christmas Eve with my family. My brother Aaron and his wife Erin were in town. It was so good to see them. Then on Christmas morning we were with Taylor's family after we had opened our presents at our apartment. His older brother Keith came home for the holidays as well. We were back at my parents that night for more Christmas fun. We were so excited when we got a camcorder this year, so we can look forward to posting lots of home videos. Yeah!!

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-22T14:40:00.001-08:00

Our beautiful Christmas tree!!!

That is until you see it from this angle.

I guess when we sawed an inch off the bottom we did it at a slant and not straight. When you put it in the stand like that you end up with a crooked Christmas tree. We could fix it but we figure it just adds a little character. I keep finding bulbs that have fallen off because they just couldn't hold on at such a fierce angle.

Blogging, yea!!!!!!

2008-12-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

I am so totally stoked to be a member of the blogging community now. I have been wanting to do it for a while now but it is kind of intimidating. I will give you all a real post to enjoy just as soon as something worth sharing comes up.