grandma time

i just wanted to remember these cute moments before the clausen's moved. it was so much fun watching my mom with her two grand babies. so much love. :)

sunday before christmas

we had to do the obligatory christmas sunday best photo! it was so much more fun this year with little rockwell. i mean, come on. that bow tie is killing me!

The Zoo

today we took rockwell to the orange county zoo for the first time. it was so much fun! it was nice to be outside, walk around and be together. plus, we just watched the disney documentary about bears so when we saw the black bear we were SO excited!

side note, i felt like the mountain lions were stalking their prey (my son) when we were outside their enclosure. yikes!

thanksgiving

this year was simple. dinner at my parents house with family. i made a fresh pumpkin pie with a pumpkin that we grew in the garden! it was delicious. i also made home made cranberry sauce. rockwell tried sweet potatoes for the first time. i think he was more intrigued by the texture than the flavor. it was nice to be home and comfortable and relaxed. it was a wonderful day!

there is much to be thankful for this year. i remember last year, just before thanksgiving, we told our family and friends that we were expecting. and i was thankful for my baby then, but now, that feeling of gratitude and thanks for my sweet baby boy is all consuming. i love him so much. his safe delivery is definitely what i am most thankful for this year!

rockwell's blessing day

rockwell was given a name and a blessing in our ward on sunday, august 3, 2014. it was such a perfect day. he slept well the night before so we all got a good night sleep and i made all the food the day before so that i wouldn't be stressed out. i also made sure i pumped a bottle so that i wouldn't have to leave the meeting if he got hungry and set out my clothes the night before so that i could get ready quickly.

i fed him just before we left for church so he ended up being super calm and happy during the blessing and then fell asleep in my arms as soon as tyler was done with the blessing. tyler did a great job giving him a beautiful blessing. it was a very happy experience for our little family.

we were blessed to have a lot of family come and support us, it was so wonderful. afterwards we had dinner with our immediate family. rockwell was held and happy all day. he was SO good. we were all so happy about it. i've been dreaming about the day we would bless our first baby for so long and i can hardly believe that it has already come and gone.

rockwell is such a good boy and we are so happy to have him in our family. he makes us smile everyday and keeps us on our toes and we love it!

here is a note i wrote in my phone the morning of his blessing...

Rockwell, 

Today is your blessing day. Its 6:04 am and you're eating. I'm just thinking about you. What pictures were going to take, how you'll be during your blessing and how much i love you. I'm thinking about how you'll wear the same blanket i did when i was blessed 27 years ago. Thinking about how grandpa Larry is in the hospital so he won't be able to come. Thinking about how i had a dream that he and grandma surprised us and came to the church. Thinking about how time flies and how i want to vividly remember you at this very moment as you hum while you eat and hold onto me with your clammy little hands. Thinking about how i want to remember how your belly hangs over your diaper like a muffin top because you have a big thick wide torso like your dad and papa rex. Thinking about how you smile as your falling asleep or how you rolled over at the age of 6 weeks. I'm thinking about how many people love you, love us and would do anything for us. I'm thinking about your dad, who loves you so perfectly and has wanted you since i can remember. Tears run down my face. Today he will will use the priesthood & give you a name and a blessing and some special men will stand around you. I know that Heavenly Father and the Savior love you and that the spirit will be there. Rockwell i love you. I love your perfect little face, your cheeks, your little button nose and your spunky smile! Oh and i even love it when you snore! You are my sweet son and i prayed for you for so long. Thank you for coming to our family and into my arms. You are an answer to my prayers and i am so happy to be your mama!

another baby shower

oh my goodness. it's hard to say just how happy i am about this day. it was so wonderful to have the support and love from so many amazing people. it poured rain the night before so we were a little worried about the outdoor setting, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day, it was just perfect. everything came together just in time and SO many people came. i was on cloud nine.

we got spoiled with tons of amazing gifts from our dear friends and family, the food was delish and the desserts got gobbled up. my sister, who runs her own little business, sift it sweets, did an outstanding job on the desserts! everything was super yummy, plus the colors all turned out perfectly. somehow everything just coordinated without clashing, which i was hoping for!

my family did such an amazing job helping with the shower. setting up, making food, cleaning, decorating, you name it, they did it. i SO appreciate everyone who helped to make it such a memorable day for me. i will remember this day forever!

some fun highlights: my big sister kimberly keeping me hydrated during the opening of gifts & seeing friends come from far distances, just for me. my wonderful friend tess came all the way from vegas to come to my shower. she was my best friend, more like sister, during my time there and i COULD NOT have survived without her. we spent so much time together and she was seriously the best friend to me. i will always love and appreciate her for loving me during one of the hardest parts of my life. when she walked up to me i was completely stunned and just hugged her until i could stop crying. i feel so blessed to have such beautiful people who love me. she is truly an angel in my life and once again, her love and kindness have just blown me away! love you tess!

i just want to say thank you to everyone who came and showed their love and support for us. we feel so incredibly blessed to have a baby boy coming to our family and that he will be loved by so many people! we know that he will be well taken care of because of your generosity and love!

kaitlin, ashli & mary

SO much love!

kimmy keeping me hydrated

brylee, my little present opener

rachel, who is expecting a baby girl in october and my dear tess. some of the best girls around! 

jessica, my best friend since junior high

amanda, who is expecting a baby girl two weeks after i'm due!

angelynn and ben, friends we know through tyler's missionary service

mariah, baby bennett and kazia

my girls, the cousins. LOVE them to pieces!

shira and i comparing bellies, her boy is due a month after mine. 

the singley family! love them!

the host, my wonderful mother in law, cindy

my mom! 

grandma beth, mom & cindy

gma, big sister kimberly, mom and little sister danielle. love these ladies so much. 

oh and my favorite baby girl, miss brylee!