Just a quick update

I don't have any new photos to share, unfortunately. We've been so caught up in our little routine of changing poopy diapers, feeding, and chasing Emma around that we haven't really thought to grab the camera.

Ariyana is doing so great. She is a great eater, she sleeps well, and she's very good natured. Her smile is melting many hearts over here. I know I can't seem to get enough of her.

We've hit our one week milestone. She's 10 days old, and her umbilical cord fell off today. She's got a belly button now. (This will make diaper changes much easier.)

Emma is handling things fairly well. She is definitely a great big sister. She's very protective, observant, and sweet to her baby sister. She's having a little harder time missing mom's attention, but it's been great to see her relationship with Ian bloom. For example, last night Ian was holding Ariyana for me while I got ready for bed. When I finished brushing my teeth, Emma asked me if I could hold Ariyana, so that she could go play ball with Dad. You should have seen the look of joy on Ian's face.

I've made the mental note to take some pictures and post them soon. I'll try to get better about blogging more frequently to keep you all up-to-date.

Ariyana has arrived!!!

We just got home last night and I'm now able to email and share some photos with you all.
We are so proud to announce the arrival of our daughter, Ariyana, on Thursday, November 20th.
She weighed in at a healthy 6 lbs and 9 oz and was 20.5 inches long. She's absolutely beautiful and has all the nurses and doctors cooing over her. They were commenting on how alert and laid back she was the whole time we were in the hospital.
We'll be posting a full set of pictures for you all later, but here's just a taste.

Playing catch up

I was in a mad rush last week to get everything ready for the arrival of baby girl #2, so I got a little behind on these blog posts.

Once the c-section was rescheduled, Ian and I tried to get in as much Emma time as possible. We took her to the park every day to play on the swings, we went to the Seattle Space Needle and the Children's Museum, and then to 3-2-1 Bounce. We were having a blast and enjoying every minute of our final days as a threesome.

Here are some photos from our adventures:

Rain delay...

It was adventure from the moment we woke up. The town is flooded. Both roads going out were under water, and Carnation was a virtual island within the Snoqualmie River valley. We headed out on the roads around 10:30 with the hope that we'd be able to sneak through somehow and make my doctor's appointment.
Thankfully the south road had cleared a bit. We maneuvered around road closure signs and crossed our fingers. Some large pools in the road that we had to swerve around, but we made it safe and sound to the other side.
Next up, the amnio test where they stick a short needle through my belly and draw out some amniotic fluid to see if the baby's lungs are developing properly. Two hours later we had the results.
Looks like the doctor would prefer for her to cook a little longer and develop her lungs a bit more. So, the c-section has been rescheduled for next Friday.
We're back home now and watching the flood waters recede some more.
As usual, we'll keep you all posted.

Emma's class throws a Halloween party

Emma's teacher just sent over some pictures from their class Halloween party.

Here is Emma with her best bud, Ray.

Class photo (Sanjit, the astronaut, and Ray, the cowboy are Emma's best friends).

Feasting on Halloween goodies early in the morning.

And here's a picture of Emma in her pink ballerina dress. The one that she won't take off and must wear to school every day, now. And, yes, that's Ray squatting next to her. Ray calls her "my Emma".

Short Emma Films

For those of you who haven't seen these already, here are a few short Emma films to entertain you

Ian took Emma to 3-2-1 Bounce during her spring break vacation from school.

Emma entertains the crowd during my birthday dinner at a local Ethiopian restaurant.

We set the date!

At my last doctor's appointment, Dr. Easterling and I set the C-section date. Baby Girl #2 will be joining us shortly...as in less than 2 weeks. Her birthday is set for Friday, November 14, 2008.

Ian and I have been working hard to get the baby room ready for her. Ian slapped up a fresh coat of paint, and put together the crib. I've washed all the bedding and clothes and have started to get things ready for her arrival.

Check out the awesome Babar poster that my friend, Erin, gave us. It's from her childhood. She's saved it all these years, and thought that it would be the perfect addition to baby's room. I absolutely love it! Plus, I just can't believe that she blessed us with such a treasure. It means a lot.



I finally strung together all of the beads I received during my blessingway ceremony. It's crazy how we didn't have a designated color scheme or theme and yet they all seem to go so well together. I plan on taking the bracelet in the operating room with me, so that I can channel all of the positive energy and prayers from the blessingway.


Here's another view of the baby's room, which shows the prayer flags that we created during the blessingway ceremony.


And here are some of the stones and additional beads that I received from the Blessingway. I've collected them all in bowls (that Ian carved himself) and placed them on the dresser in baby's room.

We're on the final countdown now. I'm really excited to meet this little girl, and I love that I had the opportunity to fully enjoy this pregnancy, really prepare for her arrival, and share so much of this experience with my closest friends.