"we can do anything..."

i remember growing up, when i was faced with something challenging (ex. working at fuddruckers...let's not go there or trying to finish a hard class in school or pressed to do something i didn't particularly want to do...) my parents would always say "you can do anything for a few weeks...two months...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...etc"
SO here we are "we can do anything for TWO WEEKS!" yep, that's right Cam is done with RESIDENCY in two weeks...so quit snoozin babe...even though you just worked 30 hours straight, we can do anything for two weeks!

Cam had his end of the year "Spring Fling" banquet...it started with a fun family bar-b-que downtown at City Park, a little too competitive softball game, and the day ended with an awesome evening at the Phipps Mansion!

lucy "going on a run like you momma!"

little daddy's girl

savannah is obsessed with writing lately...she wants to know how to spell everything and the other day she was copying down all the writing from one of the covers of cam's medical journal magazines...which made for interesting words (depression, irritable bowl syndrome...you get the picture)

lucy lu is a early bird like her mommy...she usually comes and climbs into bed with me around 5:30 or 6...which gives her extra sister bonding time as well...she luvs her "jill-jill"

ONE month...little Jillian continues to be the highlight of our days...she is quite content, luvs to cuddle, has already gone through a bottle of lavendar lotion (thanks to her sisters), has sweet lips,cute chubby cheeks, and beautiful skin (yep im a little bias...)

ps...it's stuff like this that freaks me out...walking down my stairs and seeing the "baby" in the car seat and at first glance i think it is jillian! vannah & lucy have defiantly stepped up their mommy / baby play...like 24/7...last night lucy told us she was "going to be right back, im going to pump"! help us all.

reality...

little jillian is three weeks today...it is a bit back to reality for me...my sister emily was here the first week after she was born...then she took Vannah & Lucy back to Utah with her for a week! I almost didn't know what to do with myself & just the baby...it was pretty awesome to get caught up on some rest, spend some extra time with cam, and just focus on the little sissy girl. then my mom flew in this past week and brought the girls back with her. we had a fun week with nanny...did a little shopping, luved on the baby, watched some movies, took the kids to the pool, and made Jillian's blessing dress...it is so sweet & adorable! mom left this morning so i am officially on my own...unless there is anyone else out there!!! cam has THREE weeks left of residency, amazing to think about!

little blondie.

sleeping...during the day, of course!

pretty in purple!

vanny & her barbies!

luvin laquish...

jillian's blessing dress...

she almost looks like she is smiling in this pic!

little addition

we are luving our new addition to say the least!

we can't get enough of our little Jillian...

*savannah graduated from pre-school today...here she is with her teacher Miss Linda...each kid stood up and did a little part...it was cute.

luvin it!

she is here...miss jillian alofa kesler! she was born this morning at 7:42...7lbs 14oz and 19 inches long! we are luvin her to pieces...doing great!

moments...

i don't have a problem admitting i'm not the biggest fan of sidewalk chalk...but we have lots of kiddos on our street and it's the "must do" for 5 year olds. i was headed out on a walk this morning...luving the sunshine & thought of spring in full effect...37 weeks pregnant and getting ready to push myelf up and down some hills in effort to put myself into labor (no pain, no gain right?!?)...when i walked down my drive-way and turned left down the sidewalk and saw little savannah's writing. you probably can't read it that well: lucy, dad, savannah, mom, jillian. i'm always grateful for little moments that remind me...despite the challenges, frustrations, aches & pains, worries...life is good & the importance of recognizing simplicity. someone once said if you love life, it will love you right back. it makes me remember why this time in my life is so important, so priceless, and so unique.

"memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." ~ the wonder years

"listing"...

35 weeks...most people call it "nesting", i call it LISTING. i'm all about lists and this pregnancy has really cranked it up a notch. i luv them & i think they luv me. ive been getting so much done...or maybe i shouldn't say "i" completely. my sister emily flew in this past weekend and conquered most of my "before the baby arrives list". from cleaning out the girls closets to hanging drapes to cleaning under my sink & through all my kitchen cabinets to getting the babies room ready to cooking the weekend meals...i couldn't be more grateful. she truly spoiled me. i talked to emailed her this morning and said "now all i have nothing to do but sit here and gain weight" :)

i first learned how to quilt before savannah was born by a sweet, amazing lady at my church...carolyn. it has become an obsession ever since. here is little baby girl's quilt i made..."Grandmother's Diamonds"

finished my Sun Bonnet Sue quilt for vannah & lucy

my friend jocelyn threw me a little breakfast bash this past friday for the babe! it was really sweet and my friends stocked me up on diapers, baby wash, and all those essentials. luved having jess & em there. really sweet.

DENVER in the SPRING...snowing & chilly...seriously two days later...

sunshine & barbie sunbathing

byu girlies...these are me & my sister's shirt from when we were young. they are geting excited for the baby...lucy has defiantly kicked it up a notch and knows "something is up". she keeps telling me how big my belly is and her attitude continues to amaze..."your breathe stinks, pee-uuuu"

cam has been m.i.a. this month working all night shifts. he made up for it, jam packing this past saturday with...monsters vs. aliens, swimming at the rec center, lunch at McD's.

ps...a note from my last post...i must not be that "cranky" of a nurse, a patient sent me flowers a week ago at work, ha ha!...8 shifts left until my due date.

fans...and doughnuts

when i was home last, my friend lindsay took some super cute pics of the girls when i was up visiting at her house...thanks lin, i luv em.

savannah & ellie...they were born about 6 weeks apart and are best of friends. when they are together they are so silly...going on "trips to mexico", running book stores, and discussing if what poppy said about the crying police is really true.

*little laughs...

~ lucy's latest: to politely inform everyone when she is going to the bathroom "i going potty now, don't worry i turn on the fan."

~ savannah's latest: the other day i had made dinner & got to the end and realized i was missing a couple ingredients. so i had to run to the grocery and savannah came with me. i was on a mission to get in and get out, plus im a little (okay maybe alot) pregnant and it was the end of the day, so i was done...you feel me right? so we booked it over to the bread section to get some french bread and savannah goes, "look mom, they have doughnuts here...can we get a doughnut...i want a doughnut...do you want a doughnut...look at those doughnuts!" and of course me the ever patient and wise mother, i respond "do you want your butt to be big?" and she, the ever endearing & luving daughter replies...with much thought and concern "oh....like yours?" teary eyed, i booked it out of the bread section.

~ everyone in our house has been singing along to the new hannah montana movie soundtrack (don't try to deny it cam.)

~ i am 33 weeks and obsessed lately with cinnamon toast.

~ i worked yesterday and my nursing friend told me..."you wanna hear a funny story" sure i thought. she said i took over on a patient of yours a couple days ago and she was talking about her nurse (me) and my friend asked her "what was her name?" and the patient replied, "i can't remember...but she was pregnant, blonde, and really cranky." lol!

***LITTLE LAUGHS***