Grandma and Grandpa Boyden Visit

Grandma Terry and Grandpa Dennis came up from Nevada (or how Mat likes to spell it, Navada) to spend Thanksgiving with Dale and Nolan's families. We really enjoyed having them here to spend a holiday with us. The kids really didn't mind all the extra attention and presents either. We had a lovely dinner cooked by Grandma Terry and Uncle Nolan (for which I have no pictures of). We watched movies and opened presents and then continued our visit the next day having breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa at their hotel and then pizza for dinner at our house followed by an intense game of Monopoly. (Grandpa Dennis is Monopoly) We were so busy having fun, not a whole lot of photos were taken, but here are the few that we managed to snap.

Ben got a Winnie the Pooh ride toy and some awesome moose Pj's.

Em got this giraffe pillow that Ben fell instantly in love with.

Laura received the coveted Princess Belle and Horse. **GASP** Princess stuff!

It doesn't take much to get this girl tickled pink.

An awesome purple vest..."How did you know my favorite color was purple!?"

Eating pizza and tamales with the Fam.

There wasn't much time to spend together so Grandpa took full advantage of baby cuddling.

And Grandma helped Ben with his pizza.

Daddy's Girls

Sometimes she's naughty.

Sometimes she's not.

She sure loves her Daddy,

So does this stinkpot.

Daddy's baby girls.

I really don't know what is cuter..my diaper baby trying to crawl into a box, or seeing him try to re-live his infant years by climbing into the baby swing. Decisions, decisions, decisions...What the Henry, we'll go with both.

He's in! Upside-down, but in.

Way to go kid!

**Whimper** Someone swing me, please!

Ooh, now we're talking. Vroom!

Hey! Where do you think you're going?

Welcome Baby Emalie

So Dale and I were pretty sure we were done having children. I have always had it in my head that I would stop having babies after age 30, mostly because my MS doctors told me it isnt the most wise choice. Benjamin came right close to that number and I pretty much said, "Done!" However, we found out in April of 2009 that home would be greaced with a new baby girl (despite birthcontrol). A very big surprise. Kinda scary when thinking about it. But a blessing none the less. Ah, what the heck, we'll keep her!

She was scheduled to be due on 11/20/2009, but insisted on starting the coming out processes on 11/10/2009. She was my most difficult pregnancy and most difficult labor. We almost lost both of us. My body didnt take well to the epidural that I reluctantly took as I had been in labor for 6+ hours and sitting at 7cm with no progression. Exhausting. Anyone who knows me would know this is very different than my usual 3 to 4 hours. Once the Epidural was placed my blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels and I was having difficulty breathing. The doctors never really discussed with us what exactly went wrong, but they were able to pull me out of whatever it was before completing anything emergency related. I still labored for quite sometime afterwards. My labor started at 1:30 am and I completed the labor at 01:12 pm.

Our baby girl also struggled at birth. She was covered in vernix, and I know most babies are, but this was like extream. The nurses called her the "cheese" baby. She was reluctant to breath and they had to work on her for 10 to 15 minutes to get her to breath and start to thrive. I unfortunately don't have pictures of what she looked like, as Dale said he didnt want to remember what she looked like as I think it was tramatic for him. To describe her best she was a little purple baby shaped bundle of cream cheese...loved none the less.

We named her Emalie Teresa Gneiting. She was born 11/10/09 at 01:12 pm weighing 6 lbs 13 oz and stretching 21 inches. She was my tallest baby.

In the womb...

..out of the womb!

Our other two little ones were very anxious for Mommy and Daddy to bring their new baby sister home. I was mostly worried about how Ben would take to her. He was only 15 months old when we brought her home and already a very rough-house kind of boy. He did really great though, and I am impressed by his gently manner around Emalie. He is also very dilligent in letting us know when little "Em" is in need of our attention also. They are very sweet together.

Best Buds Already!

The Big Sister.

Emalie, Em, Ema, Emy...so many names for such a little person.

Yep...still Mama's baby boy.

Picking Roses

Mom: "Laura, what are you doing?"

Laura: "Picking roses! Do you want some Mommy?"

Mom: "Uh...Ok?"

Mom: "Laura, do roses grow in the grass?"

Laura: "Yep!"

Mom: "Ok?"

The tiny flowers that grow on this Mallow were my beautiful bouque of roses this morning. The incredible Mallow. Not just a gift of love from a 3 year old daughter, but a nutritional, edible weed!

Praying Mantis

So my husband with his bad back and all and having nothing better to do other than playing **cringe** video games and watching our lovely children until the doctor released him back to work found this great new thing to pass the time. Feeding insects to other insects. Doesnt that sound like a great constructive past-time? Well he thought so, and I had my chuckles over it, but Laura and Ben loved helping him hunt for grasshoppers to feed to thier new pet Pray Mantis so I went along with it in seeing their interest in something other than Disney Channel. Besides that, it gave Dale something to look forward to every morning besides checking out the latest kill score on Battle Field or whatnot.

Like a kid on Christmas Day, my husband would pop out of bed and rush out the backdoor to peek at where his new friend had gone to. She was loyal and stayed in the tree just outside our apartment. Sometimes when it got cold she would curl up on the black pleather seat of Mat's bike to keep warm at night, but she was always there ready to great her loyal host. Well, wouldn't you if you didnt have to hunt and scavage for your food everyday? Lazy bug. The chick relied on my husband for most of the later end of the summer and early fall for all of her nutrition and nurishment. Psh. To be cared for like that...yes she was the other woman in his life. Jealous? A little.

The happy couple.

School! Better Late than Never

Laura has needed to go to school since she was like 2, but try to convince preschool teachers of this...right? She's too smart for her own good, so this has been a long time coming. Even though she won't start Kindergarten until 2011, She so needed to be in school and wanted to be apart of somthing other than gymnastics and dance. And Learn A Lot preschool and Mrs. Cottle could not have come along any sooner.

Laura leaving for her first day at preschool. **sniff sniff** Looking too grown up!

Strike a pose girl! Don't be shy.

Grandma and Daddy Help Laura do a puzzle. Did i say help? I meant WATCH. She could probably teach them a thing or two.

You tell us like it is, honey. This new stucture will do your brain some good I think.