HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYTAY!

My witto sisto Taylo is all grown up and turned 18 today. Taylor is one fun girl and you should really get to know her if you don't already. She brings entertainment to every Sunday dinner and has such a bright personality. I'm so glad she's a part of our family and that Taft has such a super cool auntie.

Tates and Lanx took this picture of themselves on the way to the hospital when I was in labor. They were pretty stoked to be aunties.

One Month Old and First Vacay

Taft turned one month old on April 16th. I've seen this on other blogs where you take a picture of your babe next to the same toy each month to see how they've grown. So here's the first picture next to Moe the Monkey. I can't believe how much he's grown already. Taft, not Moe. It makes me sad! We visited some friends that had a baby last night and Taft was ginormous compared to their baby.

Taft has already changed a bunch and is starting to smile at us. I know for a while it's just a reflex or gas or whatever, but for reals, he smiles now, especially at pretty ladies.

We took Taft on his first mini-vacay to Moab. Seth's mom came with us and we had a great time hiking (sort of) around Arches and Canyonlands. Here's a tip for new nursing mom's: Bring a blanket or Hooter Hider EVERYWHERE. If not you might be nursing your baby while turned against a rock at Delicate Arch surrounded by other tourists. Not awkward at all. Taft was a real trooper and did great for so much driving around and he did well being strapped into the Bjorn for most of the day.

Our internet is really touch and go, otherwise I'd be blogging more. I have about a bazillion pictures I would love to post.

Oh yeah, here's another tip for new mom's: If you want to be depressed, go clothing shopping five weeks after delivering. It's awesome.

Cousins

Seth's parents were able to come from Belgium to meet Taft and to visit other family members. Here they are with ALL their grandkids. It was extra special to have all the grandkids together since they live in Utah, North Carolina, and Texas.

Taftman

Taft is 4 weeks tomorrow. So far Taft loves to eat and sleep. He likes to be in his swing, the bjorn, and held. He does not like to be cold, especially right after the bath. He does not like when I put lotion on him, and it think it's because it makes him cold. He has a talent already...super loud burps and toots.

Supermarket Success

I got all this for less than $100...

6 boxes of cereal

4 boxes of crackers

2 bottles of BBQ sauce

4 bottles of salad dressing

4 lbs. of strawberries

asparagus

romaine lettuce

a giant yam

shout

denture cleanser (for my retainer)

2 Bertolli dinners

4 bags of Steamfresh veggies

2 jars of peanut butter

2 bottles of lotion

2 boxes of cake mix

2 cans refried beans

4 bags of pasta

bananas

a huge bag of rice

red onion

4 bags of Lipton Rice/Pasta sides

2 jars of Ragu

beef roast

blue cheese

dry mustard

a big bag of walnuts

6 ziploc containers

Isn't that cool? My cart was like overflowing. I saved nearly $80. I felt so cool.

The Little Mama

Seth's brother, Dan, and his cutie patootie, Scarlet, came to see Baby Taft the other night. They brought us dinner and diapers too. BTW, Lara, the dinner was so so yummy and those chocolate chip dessert things are already gone. Seth ate three the first night.

I had to post this picture of the little mama. Scarlet knew exactly how to hold her arms to hold Taft. He made a little peep/cry noise and she quickly comforted him by saying, "I know." I had to change his diaper while she was there (he HATES it) and she kept coming in asking if "the baby is alwight?" I also had to feed him and she would come in the room asking if I needed my "pwivacy".

Thanks for coming Dan and Scarlet, and thanks again for the yummy dinner and the diapers!

Poop Shoots

I'm learning a lot of new things while learning to be a mom, one of which is poop shoots. That's right, and kind of far too. I was changing Taft's diaper today and he decided to go again while I was changing him. It got all over the carpet. Oh well, I still get to have the cutest baby ever.



I need to give a shout out to my mom, the new Nana. She's been around helping me a lot. She thinks she's just coming to ooh and aah over Taft, but it's been a big help to have another person around. I didn't realize how emotional I would be all the time and it has helped out tremendously to have her around. Thanks Nana Plum.Oh great, just writing that made me cry again. Sheesh.

Taft got to meet his Great Grandma Packer today. She lives in New Mexico and was in town unexpectedly. We were so happy to have her come meet our little guy. Unfortunately Taft was not a very gracious host and actually peed and barfed on her. Lucky for him, great grandma's are suckers for cute boys with puffy cheeks and dimples.

I just love him

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

As I was talking to Taft today I was going to explain that today was St. Patrick's Day and realized I don't even know what St. Patrick's Day is about. Regardless, it's a day when Seth pulls out this gem of a suit.

My friends from work were visiting us today and one of them told Seth she had been around him 3 times, 2 of which he was wearing this suit. She's one lucky lady.

Introducing...

Taft Taylor Herway
born March 16, 2009 at 3:34 a.m.
8 lbs. 0 oz. 19 inches long

Uh...

So I'm sitting my our balcony window checking blogs, watching the time in between contractions (woo hoo!) and our neighbors just walked by and saw me in my pajamas. Why is this a problem? Because they were coming home from Stake Conference, where obviously we were not present. Seth just finished watching Nacho Libre and I am finishing up getting the house in order before we leave for the hospital. To justify not going to S.C. my contractions are between 5 and 10 minutes apart. I'm supposed to be induced tonight at 8, but I think we might get to go over earlier! Woo hoo! Next blog should have a picture of a brand new baby!

Whoa Mama...

Due date is tomorrow folks. I went to the doctor yesterday and I'm still at the same place as I was a week ago, nowhere. My doc said I was dilated to a 1+ and 50% effaced. She said it doesn't mean anything and he could come today. I told her to shut up and that she didn't know anything. Just kidding. I actually really like my doctor. I kept hinting to her to move my induction date by saying things like, "I'm just really done" "I'm really uncomfortable" "I'm really anxious". All I got from her was "Sorry honey." Poo.



However, I did have 3 contractions last night so I feel like I'm making progress. They hurt. I guess I didn't really believe people when they said contractions hurt. I'm sure last nights weren't even the painful ones either. I woke up around 1:00 in pain and then realized I was having a contraction and got way excited, but at the same time thought, uh-oh this is not going to be much fun. Then I had two more a little later on and woke up Seth to tell him. I couldn't fall back asleep and ended up watching House Hunters on HGTV at 3:00 in the morning.



Hopefully this is the last pregnant picture of me taken...


And yes, I feel GI-normous. Things like putting on socks have suddenly become much more difficult.

Boredom

This is the third day of my life as a stay-at-home-not-quite-a-mom-yet. Because of the type of work I do, I couldn't just work up until the day the baby came. I had to plan ahead and transfer cases and a bunch of stuff you're not interested in. The problem is I am done with work for the time being, but I still don't have a baby to take care of. I have been bored out of my mind and it's only Wednesday. I know I'll be plenty busy and tired and exhausted when the baby actually does get here, but right now I'm dying for things to do. I've realized I don't know what to do with free time (unless it involves spending money which I'm trying not to do)

1. Monday I cleaned. Organized our hall closet. Organized our bedroom closet. Laundry. Cleaned. Crap, now I have nothing to do tomorrow.
2. Tuesday I met our potential pediatrician. She seems really smart and has lots of experience. She kind of talks a lot though. She kept calling a circumcision a "circ" and for some reason it made me feel bad that we are planning on "circ-ing". I think we'll stick with her though. After I took TRAX to Gateway to meet my SIL. I took TRAX because that kills more time than driving. I looked at Baby Gap and Gymboree but didn't find anything I wanted. Then met the SIL and kids at the FoodCourt. Then I took TRAX to the library and got some books and a season of The Cosby Show on DVD. So far I've watched 10 or 11 episodes. Then I walked home and was EXHAUSTED. I hoped this would put my in labor. It didn't.
3. Today is Wednesday. Luckily, my mom had to go to Provo for work and I went with her. Then she took me to lunch. When I got home I made two different kinds of cookies. Snickerdoodles and Peanut Butter cookies. Now I'm at the hospital (not as a patient) across the street from our place stealing internet. It's 4:00 p.m. and hopefully Seth will be home by 6:00. We're having free Quiznos subs for dinner.
4. Tomorrow I get to babysit some cutie-patooties. That will take up some time.
5. Please pray for me that I don't have to wait to be induced. I won't get induced until the FIFTEENTH!!!!! That's ELEVEN days away. I CAN NOT wait that long.
6. Any comments on things I can do in the next couple of days would be greatly appreciated.
7. Oh and I've folded and refolded the baby's clothes a gazillion times now.

Under the Knife

Seth recently had surgery on his eye to remove what looked like mascara goop. Seth had a small mole in the corner of his eye that wasn't harmful at all, but he got tired of having people tell him he had something in his eye. So, he got it removed and looked like a futuristic pirate for a little bit.