Dallin's First Family Visits

Wow these past few weeks have been a blur. Some days are moving quickly and some days are not moving fast enough. We have enjoyed having a baby boy around the house even though he has surprised us a few times with diaper changing. We also enjoyed some family visitors. I am so thankful for two mommas who are willing to come out and help out our family. Brandon did an amazing job keeping up with the girls and the house. It was really nice having that extra help from our moms with cleaning up baseboards to clearing out flower beds. Those are two jobs I have been waiting to do. We also are lucky to have Brandon's oldest sister Tiffaney and her family live one hour west from us. We love having them close.

Camden

The other day Camden walks into our family room and is insisting I straddle the Christmas tree to turn on the lights. Just having Dallin three weeks ago creates quite a challenge. With her help she climbed over the couch behind the tree and got the cord. I was then able to plug it in successfully with no straddling and tree falling. Needless to say she was quite happy.

Update on Dallin

Dallin is almost 4 weeks. I will have to post new photos. I think he is definitely filling out much more than his sisters. Also he has not been plagued with the baby acne like both girls. If you have seen photos or saw both girls as a baby you would know what I am talking about. He is sweet and generally a calm baby until he chooses to cry. His cry is very dramatic. I could hear him coming down the corridor in the hospital. We are all enjoying him very much.

Baby Dallin and His Biggest Fans

One of my biggest concerns when adding an extra child into the mix has been, how will the other child handle the new addition. Brooklyn was very loving towards Camden when she was added to our family. However she was quite ornery towards me. I was really nervous how Camden was going to react to this new baby boy addition. I felt awful that the girls were not allowed into the hospital to see Dallin and only saw me for a few minutes outside of the maternity center. I even received a call from a very emotional Brooklyn telling me she missed me and wanted me home.

We have now been home for a week. There has been a little bit of sickness in the house so we have tried to keep the girls separated from Dallin. With everything they have had to sit out on they are still madly in love with this boy. Brooklyn is so sweet and has been trying to help me and Dallin. Camden is so concerned every time she hears Dallin cry. Think Tim Allen on Home Improvement the grunting sound he makes. Well every time Camden hears him cry she makes a sound similar to Tim Allen's but it is cuter because it is from a two year old girl. She also likes to tickle is toes, cover him with blankets, kiss him, and pat his back. She also tries to wake him up by running into the room saying "Hi Baby!!! It's okay."

Here are just a few photos I snapped of the girls with their new main squeeze. (No worries Brandon you are still number one.)

Arthelism

Tassi's maternal grandmother, Arthel Bingham, passed before I could meet her. However, I have heard plenty of stories that speak to her goodness. And also what is affectionately referred to as "Arthelism". These are sayings and/or actions that make one roll their eyes.

It seems hereditary as Tassi's mother and identical twin seem to have committed a significant number of Arthelisms of their generation. For instance, on New Year's Eve Tassi, sisters, and their mother went to the Phoenix Zoo for a party. The radio described it as a "hot chocolate toast". After the hot chocolate was distributed to the attending guests of the party, Tassi's mother approached a volunteer asking when they would be serving toast. You know, the kind you put jam on.

That's an Arthelism.

Tassi has had some share of this inherited behavior. Thus, I have years ahead to enjoy this silliness. To be fair, I was warned while we were dating. But I was NOT warned that that Arthelisms may be passed by marriage.

As Tassi had our baby Dallin this week, I drove to and from the hospital many times. The first half of the route to the hospital is the same route to Brooklyn's school.

Today, I set out to spend lunch with Brooklyn at school, overshot the school, and found myself walking towards the maternity entrance at the hospital parking lot with lunch in hand.

That's a major Arthelism.

Dallin Walter Smith

Dallin Walter Smith and mom arrived home safely. 8 lbs 6 oz. Probably less after three days out. 21 inches.



Sisters are super-excited.

Who is this man?

Does anybody know who this is? I guarantee you know him. An undetermined prize for the first right answer.



Update: Julia got it.

So here is the deal. Tassi has this amazing ability of recognizing random actors and actresses from film and TV shows. Not just the stars but also extras. It kills me. It has gotten to the point when she says "Is that so-and-so?" I just say, "Don't mock me."

Then Tassi and I both noticed that Ralph Macchio was to appear on an episode of Ugly Betty, a show we have been watching for years. We both happened to notice his name in the opening credits. So we kept our eyes peeled.

When we went to bed, we realized we hadn't seen him. So I looked it up on IMDB before falling asleep. When I saw that Macchio plays "Archie" my jaw dropped. Tassi missed him. Not only in that night's episode, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE LAST SEASON! That's right, he'd been in a dozen or so episodes already.

I told Tassi and she was humbled. I think she said something about even having a poster of Macchio on her wall when she was younger!

But I still think she is amazing.

The Hills are Alive!!!!!!

This girl is pretty darn cool. She is full of energy, love, and silliness. She brightens my day every morning I hear her little feet running across our wood floors into our bedroom. Except for when it is too early. I love my little C girl.

Less than a week!!!!

I don't think I have posted an image of myself on here for a long time. It might have a little something to do with me not liking to look at my prego body. I know I should embrace my new curves. However I am already a very curvy person so the extra curves are not always a welcome sight for me. So what is an already very curvy pregnant girl to do.

Gotta love Photoshop digital plastic surgery. I still look pretty hot in the original even though I am bloated.

My sister in law Crystal took the photos. We were just being silly with an impromptu belly session or ready to Pop belly session. Here is to hoping I make it to this Monday.

See Food, BLAHHH!

Brandon snapped these photos at breakfast.