Pictures from the Hospital and Coming Home

 Alright here are a few more pictures from the hospital...

Here's a rare picture with Eli's eyes open.

And guess what, I think he's gonna have blue eyes like Sean and Lexi.

We got so many compliments on this BYU shirt.

We never put him in the generic hospital shirt that newborns usually wear.

We decided to dress him in his own clothes.

And I loved it!

And here he is all red faced after nursing.

And now some pictures of Sean and his son.

It's always special to see Sean and our children together in the hospital.

He instantly just adores them and I love watching him with them.

And some pictures of me and Eli.

I just loved being with him in the hospital.

Sean left us one night and it was nice just being me and my little man.

Oh, one thing I wanted to share with the women readers out there - the power of black tea!

My nipples were really tender and sore at first (I know TMI for some people) anyway, I put black tea bags on them for 20 minutes at a time several times while I was in the hospital and it helped out tons.
(FYI, you first put the tea bags in water and let them soak.
Then you cool them and put them on a nursing pad and then on your breast.)

Sean later informed me that that's why they used to toughen up leather. So I guess, it makes sense.

The girls never came to visit Eli in the hospital.

I was really disappointed. 

I wanted to get family pictures there and just had all these ideas in my head 

of what it would be like when they came to meet their brother.

But Michelle's family all got sick the day I went into labor with some sort of stomach bug.

And since my girls were staying with them I didn't want to risk Eli getting sick.

We got home and then Michelle's brought the girls home.

They each had a rose for me.

And Eli had "big sister presents" for them.

It was so fun to see them with Eli.

They both were so excited to hold him.

Avery was actually the most excited.

She just kept kissing him and pointing out all his little features.

I had three kids!

Our first family picture with all FIVE of us!

We're a family of FIVE! 

Avery really was the most excited.

(Lexi was excited too but busy with her present.)

She just couldn't get enough of her brother which was adorable but

not so great when she started throwing up less than three hours after we got home!

So our first night home was STRESSFUL!!!

I instantly quarantined Eli and me in my bedroom.

Avery couldn't keep ANYTHING down that first night.

She just kept throwing up and then begging us for a drink.

Sean couldn't even leave Avery with me to go to the store.

I just felt like bawling and asking, "Why us?"

Eventually Sean went and bought Avery some 7up, Vitamin C for himself, 

hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and face masks. 

It was very hard for the girls not being able to see me or Eli. 

I felt so guilty not being their with them and for not comforting Avery while she was sick.

Sean really missed Eli and just wanted to hold him.

So needless to say coming home wasn't so great.

But I'm happy to report that Avery is better and 

Sean and I haven't gotten sick so hopefully we'll all just be healthy.

Because even though we're all healthy things are still stressful around here.

I'm not sure how we will survive until my mom comes on the 1st.

March - My Month of Excuses

I can't believe March has come and gone.

It was a crazy month for our family.
The girls and I got back from Washington, just in time for me to get a cold.
Then the girls got the flu.
Then Sean got a cold.
Avery still has a really running nose.
And during this time, I was experiencing morning sicknesses.
...
We did however still manage to have a little fun and take a few pictures.
Here are the girls excitedly waiting for their Daddy-Daughter Sleep Over.
They had missed their dad while we were away for three weeks.
So Lexi decided they needed a sleep over.
So we blew up the air mattress and made signs in preparation.
In this picture they playing in their bedding while waiting for Sean to come home.

For St. Patrick's Day, leperchauns came to our house and made some mischief.
They also left little gold candies everywhere.
Avery was confused but still excited about candy and Lexi was thrilled.

I made corned beef and cabbage for the first time and it turned out great.
I loved eating this as a kid.

I even made a fun green dessert.
That was a huge hit.

And then the flu struck.
We spent lots of time watching Disney movies and sleeping.

While the girls were sick I banned dress up clothes.
I didn't want to deal with snot all over them.
Now that the girls are over that they are dressing up all the time again.

It has been warm here.
So we bought 500 water balloons and have been having lots of fun with those.

We've already started our Easter Celebrations.
The girls participated in an egg hunt in the park.
Lexi found the golden egg and won a basket full of goodies.

When I wasn't dry heaving or taking care of snotty kids, I had a little fun of my own.
I went to The Hungry Games with a few of the girls from my book club.
We had a blast and I loved the movie.

I also went to Time Out For Women with some of my book club friends.
It was awesome!
I'm going again, no doubt about that.
Check out the schedule and see if you can go this year too. I recommend it.
Here's a picture of my friend Tresann and I with Laurel Christensen.
(Not to be confused with my sister-in-law Laurel Christensen.)
Laurel was amazing, my favorite speaker by far. She made me bawl like a baby.
So afterwards I had to go up and hug her and cry some more.
(Don't worry. It was good crying.)

And here's me with Hilary Weeks.
She was adorable!
She was so funny. I just loved her.
If you don't know who she is then check out this music video.

I also chopped off 12 inches of my hair!!!
I didn't realize how much hair I had or how much more I loved short hair.
Well now I know, and I probably won't be going back any time soon.

Now I just need to blog about my nearly 2 year old, moving to Utah, and my pregnancy.
I will be a better blogger again, I promise.
I always slack a little during my first trimester.

What We've Been Up To - Sickness and Spring

Two weekends ago we bought a membership to our local Zoo/Aquarium/Botanical Gardens.

So any time this next year Lexi and I and any adult guess can go "free" of charge.

And since we actually bought it we have almost gone enough to have it already paid for.

Here are some pictures from the zoo...

Lexi wanted a picture with this elephant. Whatever. She's two.

Next, is a picture of me and the girls on the train.

We decided to ride the train around the zoo.

Let me just say, don't ride the train for the view.

You just ride behind all the exhibits.

But Lexi just enjoyed riding the train.

Sean and Lexi posing with some lions.

For Lexi's first birthday we took her to the Idaho Falls Zoo and bought her a lion.
Little did we know, that that lion would become her post prized item.
We are trying to encourage her to love other lions.
So we bought her this guy at the zoo gift shop.

Trip to the Aquarium #1...


Trip to the Aquarium #2...
This time with Emily and Folken.
Avery and Folken rode in our double stroller and pointed at all the fish.
So adorable!



We also went to the Bio Park. We hadn't been there since we went to the River of Lights.
It is so cool in the day!
Here are the babies in front of the castle...



There is a section we're you walk around and everything is huge!
I think it's supposed to make you feel like a bug?



Lexi riding an ant.

And a picture of all the Christensen chicas!

(I think my girls look a lot a like in this picture. Maybe it's the blonde hair and squinty eyes?)

Lexi walking through a giant carrot...

If you hadn't guess by the pictures, spring as sprung here in Albuquerque!

There are blossoms on the trees and flowers!

I'm so in love with this sunny 70 degree weather.

We went and walked around the temple grounds yesterday and Lexi smelt all the flowers...

I have loved taking the girls on walks everyday.

They love it too, despite what Lexi's face looks like in this picture...

Spring = Sunshine

Sunshine = Sunglasses

I just can't get enough of this adorable little face!

Avery just keeps getting cuter!

Spring + Sunshine = Warm Weather

Warm Weather = Swimming!

Yes, I know there is actually no water in the pool in this picture.

Spring hasn't been all fun here though.

Two Sundays ago, Lexi started throwing up in the middle of the night.

She threw up ALL Sunday and had a really high fever.

We were starting to get REALLY worried that she'd have to go to the hospital for dehydration.

She couldn't even keep liquids down.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, she went back and forth

between having diarrhea and throwing up.

Sunday and Monday, it seemed that Lexi had NO life left in her. She didn't talk much.

She didn't move much. It was SO unlike her.

But slowly she got more energy.

And as of last Thursday she has been able hold down her food.

Having a sing child is the WORST thing ever!

And that's why we were so upset when Avery threw up TWICE this past Saturday.

Luckily, she didn't have a fever and she was SO cheery. She didn't even seem sick.

So whatever she had seemed to pass quickly.

Happily we have two happy, healthy, beautiful little girls!

Here are some pictures Sean took of me and the girls before church yesterday...

Avery makes the cutest scrunched nose face.

I just love her in this next picture...

And in case you were wondering what crafts I've been up to lately...

More Barbie Bride's Maids' dresses...

I'm also getting ready to teach the young women at church how to make bows.

I will be doing a post about that soon with LOTS of tutorials.