Say cheese!

Mikey loves to smile for the camera. The trick is then finding the picture with the smallest smile because when he says "cheese" it's head back, eyes closed and every tooth showing.

Mikey insisted that "little brother" sit on the stairs with him for a picture.
And then insisted the next day too. (Yes, he already has his little brother in a headlock...great.)

The whole clan relaxing under the trees (We obviously asked Mikey to say cheese.)

See Mikey Sleep...

See Mikey slip closer and closer to the edge... See Mikey in the position mom and dad found him in after hearing a thud from the other room.
On this day Mikey was fighting his nap (like every other day). But finally agreed to lay down and watch a show. He quickly fell asleep. We didn't want to move him because we didn't want to wake him even though we were nervous about him being so close to the edge (he's not a still sleeper). Well we were in the kitchen and we heard this sound. It took us a second, but then I looked over and didn't see him on the couch. At closer inspection.... Do you think he fell and landed perfectly in that position? Maybe...?

Not to be outdone...

Though Luke is all new and squishy and therefore just cute as a button, Mikey hasn't lost any ground in the cuteness department.

Mikey has recently become quite enamored with his sunglasses. He also loves hats and when he found this one amongst his things, he immediately put it on and wouldn't take it off.
His other two favorite activities? Singing and golf. He actually played golf out in the front of our house like this with dad for at least an hour. Then he came in and started serenading me. By the way, it's not exactly cold here.

More pictures!

Okay, I know there a million pictures here and all just of varying angles of the new one. Sorry about it, but the grandparents' wishes rule so if you're not interested in this many pictures stop scrolling now.

Three days old and Luke's first bath at home

(Go ahead, laugh at my editing job, but you never know what kind of pervs there are out there browsing unblocked blogs for just that kind of thing!)

After his bath his hair is super fluffy and fuzzy. I love it!

Four days old--I know these are all of him sleeping, but it's all they do at this point!

Almost all the rest are at one week old

Gotta love it when they get binki lines


All my boys (man am I outnumbered!)

And he shall be called...

Luke Parker Bastian

Yes, the wait is over. He has a name! We literally filled in the name on the paperwork as we were walking out the door and handing it to the nurse. But we are happy and so is Mikey since he can say it perfectly (well, the Luke part anyway. Maybe not the rest.)

Luke is doing remarkably well and we are loving having another special addition to the family. He eats like a champ and with my Milk coming in today he is going even longer between feedings. Mikey continues to get excited over him every time he sees him, but gets very frustrated when he's not allowed to "pat" him as hard as he wants or walk around the house while holding him.

Here are a few more pictures of the cute little thing.

It was so nice for all of his cousins in town to visit him in the hospital. Here is little Abigail with Luke.

And little Amanda was so good at holding him. (She is at least willing to sit down. Mikey always wants to walk around holding him)

Mikey thought this chair was especially neat and especially for him.

All my favorite boys!

Getting ready to finally go home!

Mikey loved sharing the back seat with Luke.

He finally cries. I forgot how "little" newborn cries are. They just can't really wail yet.

It's always comforting to sleep on dad

I just love little kids in PJs. Look how little he is!

Luke is such a little froggy. He can't straighten his legs for anything and it's so cute!

Brothers at Sunday afternoon nap time

And can someone tell me when we got that giant of a son there? Look at how big Mikey is! He suddenly seems just huge!

Our New Arrival

Well, you will all kindly disregard the countdown nonsense on the right side of your screen. A chubby little kid defied all due dates by showing up on the scene at approximately 3:07pm MST this 29th day of May, 2008. A name for this obstinant little fellow is forthcoming, and your patience in this matter would be appreciated.

The proud Mama-to-be just minutes before the big event.
This was probably when the mean nurse jabbed us in our leg for the first time.
As you can see if you tilt your head just so, 8 lbs 10.5oz. As you can't see, no matter how you tilt your head, 20 inches.
Mama and baby (and I hope you all appreciate this contraband photo, because I was forbidden from using such pictures in the preview posting by the nice lady holding the baby in the photo). This is just between me and all of you, our viewing audience.
Maybe he wasn't quite ready for his close-up, Mr. Deville.

Yup, that's me, the proud daddy. He's already bored with me.

Some quality time with his big brother, who was SOOOOO excited to see "Little Brother."

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. If my heart had strings, which is really an anatomical impossibility, they'd be tugged at by this.

Looking a little less swollen and crusty after our first bath.

...and if that doesn't take us home on a happy note, I don't know what ever could.

50 things

So I know I’ve been “tagged” or whatever a few times and never done this. I always think, “Who really wants to know any of those things about me.” The thing is I actually love it when other people make these lists. I’ll read the lists of complete strangers when I find them and I think they’re so interesting. And of all the kinds I’ve seen, the plain, old list of random things is always my favorite as opposed to answering certain questions so I’ve finally decided to try this. I still don’t expect people to really care about these things, but it was an interesting exercise to see what I could come up with. And since very soon you will all only be interested in pictures and updates of a certain new family member (see count down to the right), I thought I'd take this opportunity to post this BEFORE this new member arrives. So here is my list of “50 things about me.” (I wasn’t sure how many I would do when I started, but at 25 the ideas were still flowing and after 50, the thought of trying to get to 100 seemed absurd, so 50 is my number.)

1. I’m an Aquarius. I’ve always liked my sign, but never believed a lick of that stuff.
2. I love my house to be spotless and I love to cook.
3. My house is never spotless and I cook frozen things or go out a few times every week.
4. I like to think that I would be a great writer or actress if I were to really try at either one, but in reality I’m pretty sure I would be horrible at both.
5. When left to my own quiet thoughts like while trying to fall asleep or driving alone (which isn’t very often) I calculate things in my head. A variety of kinds of things really: how much interest we’d save at this rate as opposed to that rate and how long it would take to break even if there were this fee attached to refinancing, how much it would cost to drive this far at this mpg, how much faster we’d pay off this if I paid another $25 per month—I guess it’s usually money numbers.
6. Though finance is my thing and I’m usually rather fugal in most areas, I consistently spend more than I should on certain things. I know it, but I just don’t want to change.
7. I hate my hair—always have.
8. I love my teeth—I never get cavities and since suffering through braces, my appreciation has never waned.
9. I’ve never particularly liked my hands.
10. I love my feet.
11. I don’t like other peoples’ feet.
12. It’s rare that I ever have a song in my head that isn’t sung by a blue penguin and his dancing friends, one of two little Spanish-speaking kids (or their inanimate objects like their camera or backpack), 4 little kids flying around in a magic rocket, or Mickey Mouse. (You probably need access to little ones to get those.)
13. When going to sleep and not thinking of numbers, I think back about the times throughout the day when Mikey was giggling and picture his smile. It makes me smile.
14. Almost every night, while getting ready for bed, at some point Lance and I race each other to Mikey’s room, quietly sneak in to look at him and talk about how cute he is. (He’s two now! Is this normal behavior?)
15. I have an intelligence complex. I’ve always been a good student and gotten good grades, but I often get paranoid about people thinking I’m not smart. (I know, it’s a pride thing.)
16. Cutting onions very rarely makes me cry. In fact, I usually feel nothing.
17. I love onions, raw and cooked, in everything. And even more so when I’m pregnant.
18. I love garlic and put it in almost everything, but not nearly as much when I’m pregnant.
19. When I was little I didn’t like how I always ended up sticky after eating syrup so I stopped eating it. Consequently, now I only put syrup on pancakes occasionally and never on anything else (waffles, French toast….)
20. I love tomatoes
21. I don’t like ketchup or most tomato-saucy things.
22. I absolutely HATE being cold.
23. I love to play time-sucking, stupid, computer games like the solitaire games that come on your computer and other word games I find online (though I never have time to).
24. I love chocolate, but I don’t like hot chocolate and usually only drink it out of the social pressures. (You know how demanding those hot chocolate drinkers can be)
25. I don’t like root beer floats.
26. I love the Price is Right. I can’t explain it; it just takes me back to childhood days.
27. I always peek during prayers. Try as I may, I just can’t keep my eyes closed tight! (Now, though, I have a good excuse: someone has to keep an eye on Mikey!)
28. When I’m pregnant I dream about long, hard workouts.
29. When I’m not pregnant, I think about sitting down and eating what I want with a good excuse.
30. I love to go to Joann’s and look at the fabric and other crafty things and think about the crafts that I could do. Then I have to try and restrain myself from buying most of it because I don’t really have the time or the skill to actually do any of it. (Lance would probably say that I don’t actually restrain myself, but if he only knew how much I really do, he’d be grateful.)
31. Similarly I like to look at plants and think of our yard and what we could do, but I’ve learned I have a black thumb and kill everything. I still try to garden, but I take things one little thing at a time.
32. I love cheese. All kinds. I don’t think I’ve ever met a kind I didn’t like.
33. I met Kevin Nealon at a tiny café in Dublin, Ireland about 9 years ago.
34. I love Lance’s eyelashes even though he hates them. (They're very long and thick)
35. I like a good outdoor pool more than I like a beach (though I love them both A LOT.)
36. When I was young I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle hostess pie. A hostess pie with green frosting and vanilla pudding in the middle? So good. I felt childish at the ripe old age of 10 when I’d buy one, but I couldn’t resist. I think I’d buy one today if I saw it.
37. I love pie. I’d choose pie over cake any day.
38. I love sleep, but I hate going to bed.
39. I failed my driving test the first time. What was going through my head during the first test? “If I really only drive 25 mph they will know I’m only doing it for the test. NO one really goes 25 mph.” I was just trying to be honest! But apparently you don’t get points for that.
40. I don’t like Skittles.
41. I’m 6 months and 6 days older than Lance.
42. I always thought I’d get married at 25.
43. I got married at 25.
44. I always thought I would like to wait one year after getting married to get pregnant.
45. Mikey was born 5 days shy of 9 months after our one year anniversary.
46. I almost always took first place in every event at swimming meets until I was 8. I then took one summer off and I when I tried to go back at age 10 I was slow as molasses and was never as good again. (How sad to peak at 8 years old.)
47. I bit my nails from as early on as I can remember until I started getting my nails done in high school. If I ever don’t have nails on, I resort back to the chewing. Not to mention I have terrible cuticles and they split and crack and hurt like crazy when I don’t have nails on.
48. If I could choose one actress to look like it would be Kate Beckinsale. I just think she’s the cutest thing ever.
49. I am very shy. (Don’t laugh, it’s true!)
50. I’m a complete “grass is greener on the other side” kind of person, but at least I’m aware of it so I do what I can to combat against it.

So there you have it. And like I said, I love to read other people’s list so you should all try it!

Playing hide and seek with Mikey

This is how it goes everytime we play hide and seek with Mikey. He's quite skilled and makes it quite a challenge to find him.

He's actually usually even louder than he is in this video, but when it comes to taking videos we have to take what we can get. As soon as he sees the camera he immediately wants to look at or take pictures so it's hard to get much of him.

Needs...

Well Mikey is quite the talker and I swear he learns 100 new words a day. It's so funny when he suddenly starts to implement a new word and he's constantly making us laugh. His latest cry is about the things he "needs." All of a sudden he "needs" everything. Instead of just asking for something that he wants in his few-word sentences, he now says, "I NEED that!" "I NEED those!" You may have to be there and hear it to fully appreciate how cute and funny it is, or you also may have to be his mom, but he's got me smitten!

I know what you're thinking...

You're thinking, "oh wow, so any day, huh?"

Nope! I'm just huge, that's all. Well I guess technically "any day" is accurate since at 37 weeks you are considered full-term, but I'm not due for another three weeks. Sigh.

Big Boy Bed!! Yay!

Mikey has finally done it! He's made the transfer into his big boy bed. Isn't it a perfect fit? Obviously he'd have more room if the dogs didn't sleep with him, but they all just love it so much that we couldn't forbid it.

If only we could get them to settle down enough to sleep!

Okay, so actually the dogs aren't the biggest fans of this whole box game, but Mikey just insists on them joining him. Poor Willie is just pleading with us to take her out!
But in all seriousness, Mikey really has made the change to his big boy bed! He was very excited about it which was good because we wanted him to move out of his crib a while before the new baby needed it so that he didn't feel kicked out. He has loved his bed from the start. Sleeping, however, has been another thing entirely. It was a bit of a struggle at first. For the first few nights Lance or I had to lay with him until he fell asleep or else he was just hysterical. (I know, maybe we should have let him cry it out, but we're suckers.) Naps were also a bit touch and go. We tried skipping them (NOT a good idea for this kid). All sleeping was pushed back--late naps and late bed time (well, late falling asleep time.) But after about a week he was doing much better. Now he cries for just a minute when we get up to leave his room, but he lays back down immediately and doesn't make another sound. And his bed and nap times are slowly moving back to earlier and earlier. We're so proud of him!
It also took him a little while to figure out that he could sleep with his head up on the pillow and it would greatly improve his comfort level. But hey, as long as he's asleep, he can sleep however he wants!
So I have to admit one last thing. The whole time we were buying his new bed stuff and getting it set up, I thought for sure I would be all emotional about "my baby" growing up and taking this big step. I really wasn't feeling anything, though. I was just excited and he was so cute about the whole thing that I loved it! Even when he crawled into bed the first night--nothing. So we finally got him to sleep that first night and stepped out of his new room. As we closed the door, I caught a glimpse into the baby room next door and saw the empty crib...I started bawling. What can I say. I'm a baby.

Dress up!

Perhaps we should be worried about it when Mikey wants to stomp around in my shoes, but it's just so cute when he does it that I can't help, but take pictures.

And this particular day he was quite determined to also get his almost-too-small lifeguard hat on to complete the ensemble
I guess I also shouldn't be too worried since he actually spends almost all of his time trying to be just like daddy--like when dad was working in the garage and Mikey found these gloves and insisted on wearing them for quite sometime.
And he does make the cutest fireman around! (This actually started as one of those moments when I asked him what he wanted to wear--he insisted on this rain coat. I was lucky to even get clothes on him underneath! I'm not sure why I ever ask him that question. It never turns out "normal".)
Thanks Tom and Tobey for the rain coat! He definitely loves it!

A video promised

Well here is one of the videos I promised. They are taking forever to upload and not always working so you may not get the singing one. But this one is great.