Ooops!

So we had a mishap with the baby powder after Kimber's bath last night! But it was too cute to pass up the photo op!

We will just say that Bens was already in bed so it was one of us that did this!

Kimber is such a good baby! We have had a couple of really bad nights but she made up for it by sleeping about 7 hours straight another night. This pic is from early yesterday evening. She was just posed so nicely!

Bens has been so good with Kimber. Whenever she cries he lets us know and he gets concerned. He even tries to comfort her. Here Bens is getting up on my lap to snuggle with Kimber and me.

Snuggles with Kimber!

I am biased but these two are the cutest and best kids!!

Pictures Galore!

So here are a whole bunch of pictures! This is everything from the past few weeks!

Bens ready for a walk with Nana and Papa. Daniel and I were taking advantage of being able to sleep in and Bens' jackets were in our room. He loved wearing the jacket!

Bens mowing the lawn with his Papa. Bens is missing the big backyard to play in... not so much the mosquitoes!

Bens being the cool dude his is!!

Family picture from Kimber's baby blessing. We blessed her on June 28 at my parents house so we could have the most family possible there.

A four generation picture with my mom and her mom.

Me and my little girl! She wore the dress that my mom and I both wore when we were blessed.

Bens showing some love to his cousin Audrey. She quickly had enough and pushed him away after being hugged and kissed.

This little guy kept giving us candy that he picked up. He was cute.

Bens enjoyed collecting candy at the Canada Day Parade in Raymond. Daniel took Bens up to the truck to get this big Freezie.

I realized after the parade that we hadn't taken any pictures of Kimber. She really was there so I took this picture after the parade. She slept the whole time!

Bens enjoyed getting out of the van whenever we stopped on the way back to Portland. He kept throwing rocks at the train tracks here and was sad to leave!

In the late afternoon Bens got really quiet and I looked back and saw he was playing with his toys under his blanket. What a cutie!

He finally conked out 30 minutes before getting home. He hadn't slept very much that afternoon. It worked out well though as he kept sleeping when we got home and he went straight to bed!

Happy 4 of July! It was over 100 so here are Kimber and I melting away!

Bens has been really good with Kimber. He loves to help out and tries to play with Kimber a lot. This is them 'playing' yesterday.

I have survived this week so far with being home alone in the days with our two kiddos. It wasn't as difficult as I expected which is good! I have had some offers of people willing to take Bens for a little while... I may be taking them up on it!

Kimber Anne Bateman

born June 26, 2009 at 2:56 pm in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Weight: 8 lbs 12 oz
Length: 21"

Kimber getting weighed.

Snuggle time with Mommy.

More snuggles... I can't get enough of them!

Our first family picture... it didn't turn out so well! We are loving having Kimber with us. She is so sweet and such a good baby!

We went in to the hospital Friday morning to be induced. Not much happened in the morning. I got to enjoy a really good lunch, had Kimber and was ready for dinner when it came around. She came quickly which was nice.

Stay tuned for more pictures from her baby blessing yesterday... I know crazy, busy weekend!!

Then and Now

So I would like your opinions. This picture is me pregnant with Bens at about 38 weeks. Is it just me or am I not a lot bigger

here with our little girl at 39 weeks?!

It might be just me and my perception!

So here is a picture update on what has been happening in the past while!

These first few pictures are from the baby shower that Bethany threw for me. I mentioned it before but she did an amazing job!

This is everyone decorating the onesies and guessing the time their baby was due (what time the ice would melt off of our strollers in our drinks).

The candles on the table, it looked so good!

Me pushing the ping pong ball out of the balloon. Sounds easier than it is!

Baby feeding contest. Julie won by drinking the 4 oz the quickest... maybe our team only got 1 oz down! Drinking from a bottle is also more difficult than it looks!

The carnival came to our ward activity. This was the night before Bens and I came up to Canada with my parents. He enjoyed putting his head in the holes.

Family picture at the carnival... it is hard to get a decent picture these days! Daniel pretty much looks the best out of the three of us!

A family picture with Nana and Papa.

Nana bought Bens these sunglasses at the dollar store when we got back to Canada. Every once in a while he wears them. He is such a cool dude!

Here is the most recent picture of me. It was taken on Wednesday so I was exactly 39 weeks. I am so ready to have the baby! At my Dr's appointment yesterday we scheduled an induction for next Friday in case she hasn't come yet. We just want to make sure she comes with enough time for us to get visa's, birth certificates and for me to heal before we head back to Oregon.

Daniel made it home safely on Thursday. It is great to have him here! He has been so much help and our little Bens sure did miss his dad! He has been pretty clingy since Daniel came back.

Anyways, have a great day!

A Dream Come True!

This post is a bit of a look back at Benson. Yesterday we had an appointment with his Orthopedic Surgeon to check up on his feet and see how they are doing. I kept telling Daniel that I knew I was dreaming but it would be really nice if Dr Hurdle would just tell us not to use the brace anymore. Well that dream came true. We still have the brace in case his feet start to turn in again but he doesn't have to wear it anymore as long as that doesn't happen.

Here is Bens a mere minutes old. This is one of the best pictures that we took of his foot. We didn't realize at this point what a time consuming condition this would be. You can see his right foot is turned in really badly and his left foot only slightly.

This is Bens just after getting his second pair of casts put on. He wore a totally of 7 casts in his first 7 weeks of life.

Daddy and Nana taking off Bens' second pair of casts... the signatures are from everybody that came to his shower. We took a picture of them before taking the casts off.

June 14, 2007 Bens was put into the brace. We stopped at Great Grandma Innis' on our way home. His perscription was to wear the brace 24 hours a day.

As you can see he had trouble getting used to the brace. This was just 2 or 3 days after starting to wear the brace. He was such a trooper. He still has marks on his heel from this but luckily his feet toughened up!

Here Bens was used to his brace and had found his feet.

He learned how to get around on his brace. He never got really good at walking, or rather shimmying around with them on but he was quick!

This is a picture from the fall but you can see what a happy guy he is and his feet look sooo good!

We are so happy that he has done so well and marvel at the sucess that we had with the whole process. I know of a few people that have just started this process or are only a part of the way there but it is worth all the effort!

I wouldn't have been able to make it through the past two years with out my family. They have been such a support to us. Whether it was driving us to appointments, letting me vent and talk or just the prayers and fasting that were given on our, and mainly Bens' behalf; it was a great help!

So this was my dream come true. It is really amazing that all this took place in only two years. Most children have to wear the brace until they are 4 or 5 years old.

Dr Hurdle made sure that I knew the odds of having another child with club foot, 1 in 700. I appreciate that because even with the ultra sounds that we had done it is possible that it could have been missed. I am really praying that our little girl doesn't have to follow in her brother's footsteps but I do know that we will be able to make it if she does.

Thanks for coming on this little journey through memory lane with me! Hope you have great day!

Long over due!

No, no, the post is long over due!

Bens and I made up to Canada safely. My parents came and picked us up this past weekend and we made it back on Saturday. It was a long trip and a little eventful but it went pretty smoothly.

Let's see a few highlights of the trip... running out of gas in the middle of no where. Somebody knew we needed gas and charged us $5/gal! Yikes, that was steep but got us to where we needed to go. Once in Montana we almost hit two horses and a herd of cows. A little while later we hit a small bird and then a badger (not sure what it was but it was about the size of a badger). As we drove by a local saloon in Babb Montana we saw some horses tethered up outside and one cowboy was still sitting on his horse. Wish I had a picture of that one!

Daniel is doing well in Portland. We have great friends that have been keeping their eye on him and making sure he is taken care of. Thank you so much! It makes me feel a little better being up here! He is also going to be doing a lot of tutoring in the coming week so that will help him study and it will bring a little bit of the green stuff.

Today I went to the Dr in Lethbridge and heard that everything is normal. Yay, I am normal! Well at least our baby is! Anybody that has been around me the past few months knows that I didn't like my Dr in Portland so it nice be back with my Dr up here where I feel comfortable.

Here are a few pictures that I meant to post last week but that was a lost cause to do anything but pack!

Daniel and Bens chillin on the couch. Bens was snuggled right in but squirmed for the picture!

This was taken right before the Father and Son's camp out a week and a half ago. Bens was having fun playing on the seats while they were in the house.

During the really hot spell in Portland Bens was known to be just wearing his diaper to help beat the heat!

This picture is mainly for me since I don't have Daniel with me I needed to have a picture of him. Bens was snuggled in beside him until the camera came out. I tried to also not go my tummy in the way but I guess that was a little much to ask for!

Last Thursday Bethany threw a baby shower for me and she did an amazing job! Thanks so much! Bethany had white onesies that everybody decorated and then pinned up with barrettes on the ribbon. Bethany thanks so much!

While my parents were down in Portland they bought Bens a pool and put sand in it in our backyard. There is a tarp that we pull over to keep cats and rain out. Bens fell in love with it!


Here Nana is playing with Bens and his new toys. It will be nice to let Bens go play in the yard while I take care of our new little girl.

Well I should be off. Dinner is almost ready. I will try and get a picture of me up soon to show the tummy. Have a good day!

PS Here is my stroke of genius for the week... I packed three pairs of pants that I will hopefully fit in to after the baby comes but forgot to pack any maternity pants! I have a skirt and pajama pants. A friend up here is bringing me some pants to borrow tonight... thank goodness!