Just catching up..

In order to catch up on the craziness that our lives have been for the last few weeks with reunions, blessings, the 4th, tball, etc., I'm compiling them all into one post. So here is what we've been up to lately in a nutshell...

I took a few quick pics of Afton the other day because she just looked so stinkin cute and was holding her head up so well. I just love how babies look like those characatures with the big heads and tiny bodies and these pics completely emphasize how much babies look like them. Their proportions are just too cute!! It's no wonder that their heads bobble all the time, those tiny necks just struggle to maintain the massiveness of them!!

On Sunday, July 3 we blessed little Afton. We had a bunch of family support and are so thankful for all of them!! Afton was such a sweetie and Dev did a great job. What an amazing comfort it is to have your child given such a sweet blessing from her father!

On the 4th we started off the day with breakfast on the boulevard...pancakes with strawberry rhubarb syrup, eggs, ham, and orange juice. What a way to start a day! Since the breakfast is right there on the parade route we just go right out front to watch the parade. That afternoon we went to Dev's parents' to celebrate Sarah's bday party where the kiddos (and maybe a few of us older kiddos) went slip and sliding down in the pit out back on the slide we made with 2 slip and slides and several garbage bags. There is a video (from dev's phone so very low quality mind you) below of a bunch of the fam going down...After that we followed tradition and went to Freeman park to watch the fireworks. I love it there because it's not crowded and we can play football, Frisbee, catch, or whatever we want while we wait and we have the perfect view of the fireworks!!

 Cal is in her 2nd year of tball and I just love to watch her play. She absolutely loves to get out there and is already so talented!! ;)  

A few weekends ago we went to the annual Herrera Reunion that was in Iona Park this year. The kids had a blast playing all the games and being with cousins. We played volleyball, bingo, horseshoes, and the kids beat the crap out of a pinata. At one point during the kids games I looked over and actually saw Rylan running a race wearing a huge bra...not sure what exactly they were playing but proud to say that was my son...completely comfortable with his masculinity...or something.

Most Embarrasing Moments...

It seems like every time I read posts on my friend Rachelle's blog I find myself laughing out loud and then chuckling periodically throughout the following days as I remember her stories, so, in honor of her, I am challenging you all to share some fun stories of times your kiddos completely embarrassed you or your spouse. I know you all have at least one. I will start it off with one of our most cherished humbling experiences.

 We were signing closing papers on our house in this little (and I do mean little) office occupied by about 4 loan officers and Dev, me, and Calyn when she was about 2 1/2. Calyn is sitting on Dev's lap when suddenly Dev and I get a whif of a Cal toot (yes, we knew it was hers) and were immediately blushing in anticipation of everyone realizing the smell. Next thing we know Calyn in her sweet little innocent voice says "Daddy, you fah-ted!" I was immediately wishing I could bite my finger just to keep from bursting out in laughter, meanwhile, Dev turned like 5 shades of red and had no idea what to say...I mean, you can't say "NO I DIDN'T, YOU DID!" how bad does that look?? So he just chuckled in humiliation and I said "I don't think that was Daddy, Cal" in an accusative voice. Then luckily for him about 10 seconds later she said "I need to go potty" totally proving his innocence, but we giving us a story we still laugh over from time to time!!

Starring in her 1st of many photoshoots...Introducing : Afton Simone Wood

Here she is!! You know the theory that it's always the Bishop's kids who get into the most trouble?? Well, that also goes with the photographers kids not cooperating in a photoshoot!! This little gremlin just didn't want to fold up all cute like I wanted her to so we didn't get the fun folded up pics I was hoping for, but I was still happy with the shots we got. Mom and I had to get creative...in most of the pics of her on her belly she was actually laying on my mom covered in a blanket!! Whatever works, right?? Thanks, Mom, for letting me force you to face your claustrophobia!!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Well, she's finally here, our little Afton Simone. Born May 9th, 6lbs 12oz, 19in long and finally a blondie!! 

I have been trying to get these posted for the last week but we were having internet problems so now that we are up and running again here they are. We had a photoshoot with her a couple times over the last couple of weeks and I am excited to get those pics all edited and posted but for now here are some pics of the first few days of this little squirt's life!!

These were taken on Tuesday, the day after she was born in the hospital right before we left. They were taken with my phone so they are not very clear, but  I just love them anyway.

Now for the story...

Sunday (Mother's Day) we had a crazy day planned. Demi was speaking in my parent's ward at 9:30, then two of my sister-in-laws decided to have a joint baby blessing since they were in the same ward but they split up their open houses. Melissa's was before the blessing, which was at 1pm, and then Tiffany's was right after the blessing. So we went from Demi's talk to Melissa's brunch, then to the blessings at 1, then to Tiffany's at 2 then to Mom & Dad's for a Mother's Day dinner. 

Throughout the whole day I had been having contractions every hour or so. Not the painful ones, just the tightening of the abdomen type, so I assumed they were probably Braxton Hicks. When we got to Mom's for dinner they started getting a little more frequent and intense so I decided to pay closer attention to them and Dev and I came up with a rating system. I would tell him when I was having a  contraction, he would keep track of the time intervals and I would tell him how intense the pain was on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being excruciating. By the time we left for home they were about 20 minutes apart and were at about a 5. Mom was pretty sure we would be going in that night but I was still pretty skeptical since the same thing had happened a few nights before. However, by the time we got the kiddos in bed and into bed ourselves they had progressed to 8 minutes apart and at a 6.

 I had previously decided that since I was going to go natural I wanted to do as much laboring as I could at home and since when I was pregnant with Calyn I went in when my contractions were 5 minutes apart but still had to wait about 9 hours before delivering I decided I would wait until they were 3 or 4 minutes apart. However, I knew that these contractions, although only 7 min apart, were much more intense than any I had ever had. So by 2:30am I told Dev we had better go in. I was worried that I would go in only to find out that I was only dilated to a 3 or so. 

Dev called his Mom who came over to the house to sleep since the kids were sleeping and we were off. I texted Mom and Demi to let them know we were heading in since they were both invited to be in the room with us during the delivery.

By 3am we were finally at the hospital but when we got there we forgot to drive to the ER doors since it was after hours so we had to walk from the front doors around to the ER doors, stopping once to fight through a contraction...OUCH!! When we finally got into our room and all set up the nurse checked me and told me I was already dilated to 7 and she was calling my Dr. immediately to come right in!!! The best news ever! By 4am the doc was there and I was dilated to a 9 now it was just a matter of waiting for my water to break. The  contractions were so intense I was having to focus all of my attention on breathing through them so we decided that I was close enough to go ahead and have the doc break my water. 2 contractions later I was pushing!!! It was only about 3 contractions worth of pushing when she finally came out and amongst all of the pain and craziness I had forgotten that we didn't know the gender yet so when it finally registered that they were telling me I had a little baby girl I realized they had said it about 3 or 4 times before I even caught on!! She was a girl and she was here safely and despite the fears that I had acquired over the last hour, I was still  alive!

What an amazing experience this was, and an incredible blessing parenthood is!! I am so thankful for my beautiful little angel and for my Calyn and Rylan as well. I also feel so lucky to have such an amazing partner to share this blessing of parenthood with.