The Stewart Family

June 2011 - Welcome Baby Nico!

2011-12-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

On June 2nd we welcomed Nico Ryan Stewart. He arrived at 8:07am, 8 lbs 2oz and 20" in length. I had a scheduled c-section so we had a good night's rest, our bags packed, alarm set.woke up and headed in to the hospital. We strolled in to a very birght eyed and bushy tailed group of nurses checking us in as if it were a hotel stay...hahahaha...well not quite a vacation style visit but anyway. It went as planned and he was here within minutes. Capri met and warmly welcomed her little brother. We did venture out on the boat with Nico at two weeks. The remainder of June was a big of a blurr as is per usual with a newborn. ;-)

Our new family of four!

Capri's first introduction to baby brother with Grandma

Not much stops us from boating...two weeks later!

Snuggle time

3 days old

Capri mimicking mommy, hands full, cell phone in hand...

May 2011 - 2nd Birthdays & Baby #2 Preparations

2011-10-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

In May, we made our last voyage away from home before Nico's scheduled arrival on June 2nd. I thought for sure I would have him earlier than planned because I was getting so big and quite uncomfortable. We headed to Omak for the celebration of Capri & Claire's 2nd Birthday bash with the family. Below are a few pictures of the birthday girls (not sure why I didn't manage to get many with smiling birthday girls because they actually were quite thrilled...really)!

Birthday Princess #1

Birthday Princesses #1 & #2

Capri looks ecstatic to get some cake! Claire looks like she is ready to pounce! Hahaha...

Claire sharing her birthday cake with Capri

The birthday girls in birthday wrapping!

Always time for bubbles no matter where we go!

A peek at Nico's room

A peek at me toward the end of my growing stages!

Side profile! One more month to go!

April 2011 Art Auction

2011-10-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

In April, Capri's school put on an art auction with art from each child and then collective pieces from each classroom. Each classroom chose an artist and then the teachers organized it so each child could contribute to the master piece replica of Van Gogh, Eric Carle, Monet, etc. I failed to get photos of the collective pieces but they were actually VERY impressive. I did get a picture of Capri's art, of which we purchased and have displayed in our house. All proceeds went to the Children's Hospital so it was a fun event that contributed in a productive way to the community. I love that and continue to love the school she attends!

The creative mind must eat and drink to continue creating!

Capri's master piece all inclusive with a certificate of authenticity.

First trip to the Aquarium and to the Beach!

2011-10-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be playing catch-up until I can get the blog up to current events. I'll head back to March 2011 of which we experienced a couple of firsts with Capri. It was our first trip to the Seattle Aquarium at the beginning of the month and then toward the end of the month we joined our friends, The O'Byrnes on a trip to Manzanita (Oregon Coast). Josh and Krista O'Byrne have a little girl, Kennedy, who Capri loves to play with and refers to as "Kenney." In usual Stewart fashion we usually have something planned every weekend so between the Aquarium and the Beach, we headed East to Lake Chelan, where Capri is pictured playing at the park. During one of the weeks, Capri and I baked our first batch of cookies together and she also found it amusing to stuff her pajamas so she looked like me while pregnant. So off we go!

Capri really enjoyed the trip to the Aquarium where she enjoyed looking at all of the fish, octupus, and even had the opportunity to touch starfish.

Capri at the park

Capri helping with the first batch of cookies...they turned out quite good!

Capri's impersonation of me while pregnant.

Later in the month we joined the O'Byrnes in Manzanita to explore the beach with Capri and Kennedy. They had a lot of fun together. Capri loved chasing bubbles and they both really enjoyed playing in the sand with their beach tools that Krista found for them.

So much to catch up on so little time!

2011-09-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Updates coming soon!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Capri's Debut

2011-03-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

During bath time tonight, I decided to use the video camera on my phone to capture some of Capri's singing. It's long because she just kept singing but her words continue to become more clear. She has taken a new interest in singing the songs she's been hearing for months so it's pretty fun. I forget that I have music that kicks in when you open the page so go down to the bottom of the page and hit pause so you can hear once you hit play on this.

We're having a boy!

2011-03-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

We found out on January 21st that the little one growing inside is a little boy! Capri will have a little brother, a little blue room next to hers. :-) After doing the big name game when pregrnant with Capri, we considered doing it again this time but we were struggling with clues so I guess the only thing I can say is we both love the name and are pretty settled on it (assuming another name doesn't sneak up on us last minute). Best yet, Capri can say it quite well so I think that means we have her vote too. It's funny how your mind plays tricks on you. Before we had Capri, I always imagined I would have a couple boys, so boy, boy, boy was on my mind before finding out Capri was a girl. We find out she is a girl and I'm surprised and realize how much I just must have been thinking boy. So this time, after having Capri and enjoying having a girl so much, I think, it's definitely another girl. The pregnancy feels the same, I've got all of the girl clothes and pink gear, it just has to be a girl. Guess again! Boy it is! The bottom line is you just never know what the next little surprise is around the corner and a pleasant surprise they always are! Ryan and I feel so fortunate to be able to experience having a daughter and a son and we're really looking forward to building onto our current adventure with another little one.

On a side note, I was watching a recorded episode of Oprah the other day when she had Celine Dion on for the 27th time. This time she was interviewing her since she recently had her twin boys. Celine has one older son (maybe 10-12 years of age). She said something along the lines that she has no "me" time these days but after having her older son and realizing how fast he has grown and how fast the baby stages flew by, she doesn't care to seek the personal time like she once did and is soaking up the time with the babies because she knows there is much more "me" time ahead. I'm not saying I don't seek or need my personal time because believe me there are days it sounds and is devine but it was a nice thing to hear and to put things in perspective. It is true, they do grow fast. In fact we are already approaching Capri's 2nd Birthday! Her 1st Birthday seemed to arrive quickly but it seemed more comprehendable, but 2 years...pure craziness!

She brings smiles and laughs to us daily and we're always amazed by her. She is up to three word phrases and is infatuated with her phone conversations which go something like this..."Hello! Yeh! Yes! Sure! Bye!" She is also expressing interest in potty training so we're just going with it when she is interested. Oh all of the experiences ahead! Oh did I not mention the boy's name we chose? Silly me! This little guy's name is Nico Ryan Stewart. For some reason the ultrasound pictures are not scanning very clear so if I can't figure it out, then the biggest surprise will be what he looks like. :-)

Capri dancing on the deck in Manson

Knock Knock

Capri & Cousin Claire playing on the deck

Snow day at home with Daddy!

Here I am in all of my pregnant glory!

Nico's current habitat

Cousins with bedhead hair dos

Happy News Year!

2011-01-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

Well we've gone from "Welcome Fall" to Happy News Year! I'm not sure how that happened and it is always a mystery to me how this much time goes by between updates but as one of my many New Years goals, I'm going to work at keeping the blog updated on at least a monthly basis. So now that I've put it out there, you can all help me to be accountable if I'm slacking. Now where do I start?

After October, we were excited to have some "downtime," which really meant we had no official plans on the calendar, so much of our time/weekends were spent heading to Manson (Lake Chelan) to check on the house project, put things together and try to sneak in at least a couple hours of quality downtime. Eventhough there is always a lot to do when we go, it's just a slower paced atmosphere. It's pretty quiet over there especially this time of year. Before we knew it, December was here and Christmas preparations and shopping were underway. We headed to Omak to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We extended our weekend stay in Manson through the week between Christmas and New Years, which again found us busy with projects and some working remotely but there is something about that area that takes the edge off.

Capri enjoyed Christmas with all of the family, the Stewart and the Mullins side and found herself pretty exhausted by the end of the weekend from all of the activity and additional sugar intake. She and her cousins, Corbin, Camden and Claire played and played. They were pretty entertaining and fun to watch. I'm not sure if Capri really got the idea of Christmas this year but I'd assume by next year she'll probably understand and be pretty excited. Her gifts from Santa included an Art Easel and a "Little Mommy" set (crib, stroller, high chair and a baby doll). She has really taken an interest in the babies in the infant room at school as we walk by and the baby dolls at school over the past few months. She enjoys tucking them in with her blankets and patting them on their back while she whispers "shhhh baby's sleeping."

Capri's vocabulary has sky rocketed in the past month or two. She is now repeating much of what we say, loves to do her animal sounds and one of our favorites is her "OH NO" with hands on her cheeks. It's not an everyday thing but it's always relevant to the situation when she says it. She can be quite the character. The most recent action in the past couple days is what I would call um, let me see what would I call it? Oh yes, a TANTRUM! So with that, I'll be putting my reading on hold and switch back to the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers book...hahaha.

You may be wondering why I've noted "Happy News Year!" twice now. No it's not a typo but rather intentional. We have news again this year! I'm pregnant and due June 9th! I'm just starting my 5th month (however if you see me don't be shocked...it would appear I'm about 6-7). It's a bit disturbing how fast I'm sticking out there this time but it is what it is! I just tell everyone, apparently my muscles have more memory of being stretched out and relaxed than they do sucking it in. We're not sure what we are having yet but will find out on Jan. 21st assuming the little one cooperates. Ryan and I are debating on what game to play this time. With Capri we played the name game, which has been discussed and is in the running since we do have names chosen. But don't you think it would be more fun to wonder whether it is a girl or boy while we know? Hmmm...we'll keep thinking.

Anyway, now that I've written a book, I'll leave with that and post a few pictures from the past couple months. Here is to wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! Cheers!

Trying out the doll furniture

She loves her DaddyMastering the ipad

She loves to read...

Capri and her "puppies"

Capri's chosen style

Capri's first sledding experience

Ryan & Capri at the Apple Cup Party

Fall is here!

2010-10-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

Fall is here alright! This is my favorite season but yet sadly seems like one of the shortest. Life continues to keep us hopping here at the Stewart home. I took a few weeks off this past summer to soak up some time with Capri. We had fun exploring a few new venues. We got out and walked a bit, played at the park, visited the zoo, played at the lake and otherwise enjoyed some inside play and snuggle time. We had a few weddings between the end of August and the middle of October of which one involved the "L2 5k" (L2 = Lysandra & Luke) race the day before the wedding. Ryan, Capri and I all participated in the event. Capri even decided to run/walk part of it on the way back! We went to the pumpkin patch for the first time with Capri a couple weekends ago and picked out a pumpkin for the porch. She seemed to enjoy walking around in the patch and taking photos with her friend Kennedy and their pumpkins.

We just returned from a trip to New Orleans for her uncle Jarrett and aunt Misha's wedding. It was a fun trip and a really nice wedding. The wedding was Capri's debut as a flower girl. She did great. The boys (Misha's nephews) put teddy grahams in their pockets just in case she decided not to cooperate down the aisle but she did! She was quite the little entertainer that evening. She started the dancing, tired herself out after a bit, so she decided to put her blanket down in the middle of the dance floor and lay down for a minute or two. Just when Ryan was heading over to peel her off the floor, she popped her head up and it started bobbing to the music. Slowly she sat up and then got back up on her feet and kept on dancing. She had quite a crowd circled around her just watching for a good 10 minutes or so...and it was at that moment we realized she seemed to enjoy the audience.

I must say I was a little anxious prior to the trip given the flight times with Capri. It was a long day on the way there and a longer day on the way back (first flight 1.5 hrs and the second 5 hrs) and I'm pleased to announce it was a success! Capri was just about as close to an angel baby as you could get on the flights.

Just in the last week, Capri has been saying so many more words, mimicking us so much and her little personality is coming alive like crazy. Ryan and I are laughing several times a day because she just cracks us up with her little voice, words, and we are always amazed at how much she understands. We are truly lucky to have this little character in our lives.

A little break from dancing...

Pre-wedding - getting ready with the girls.Tracking down a frog before the wedding Where did my belly button go?Here it is!
Here is my pick!
Official participant at the L2 5k!

How about now...can you hear me?

Summer picnic in the park with the cousins

Here is "bug" in Grandma's VW bug.

Fun in the sun at the lake

So Many Changes!

2010-08-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well hello again! It has been quite sometime since I've been here updating. Capri's new level of acitivity is keeping us on our toes and then of course we always seem to stay busier than busy can be especially with summer here. The past couple months have brought about all kinds of new changes with Capri. She keeps us smiling and laughing!

Here are some of her newer things: at the beginning of June she took her first official consecutive steps. She has taken her time getting her balance and confidence to just take off as speed crawling has been the preferred method of travel. With time she is been walking more and more. Over the weekend of July 18th she started walking beyond just between two people and started to explore. She is fully walking now and cruising all over the place even more so in the past couple days. She is chatting, giggling and showing us more of her little personality, which has been really fun. She has been doing the hand motions to patty cake since about May/June, she gives hugs and kisses (mostly when greeting her friend, Sophie at school), she blows kisses with a very verbal "Bah" sound. She LOVES dancing, moving her hips, shoulders and bobbing her head to the music occasionally. We have little dance parties in the car if I sense she is getting tired of being in her carseat. I'll turn the music on and she'll just get her shoulders going while seatbelted in. It's pretty entertaining! Capri is showing us where her nose, eyes, hair and belly button are. She will repeat what we say on occasion. She loves Boone and refers to him as "Boo" and "B" and we can't leave the house or come back into the house without giving "Boo" a treat so needless to say, he is quite happy about this new routine too. Her other words are Momma and Dadda, Pri (pretty), Pish (fish), Doddy (doggie) and for most other items, she points and loudly verbalizes "ooh ooh," which means she wants to see or touch something...pretty much right now! Her favorite foods are blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, yogurt and bananas. She likes most things so far except she doesn't have much interest in potatoes. She is using both hands with forks and spoons to feed herself. She is getting so big!

Goofy girl

I have a couple videos below, you'll want to scroll to the bottom of the page and pause the background music so you can hear the sound on the video. The first video has a bit of a slow start but it is Capri dancing and the second video is of her little giggle when Ryan was tickling her the other night. :-)

Happy Birthday Capri & Claire!

2010-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

It has already been 1 year! Hard to believe. Capri turned 1 on Mother's Day (May 9th) this year and Claire turns 1 today (May 18th)! We celebrated their 1st birthdays together in Omak with family! It was an entertaining afternoon and evening between the two girls and Corbin & Camden. The girls were each given a cupcake and while Capri ate hers slowly bite by bite, cousin Claire got right down to business. They were too cute! The rest of the afternoon consisted of opening gifts and playing. They were also lucky enough to get rides on Claire's new toy (with wheels) being pushed by Corbin & Camden on what was called the "freeway" (aka: the loop around the couches and through the kitchen). It seemed like there were cruising at about 60 MPH...eek! No injuries, no falls = success! Phew! All in all it was a fun and successful 1st Birthday Party! We had about 25 family members in attendance including grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins! It was fun!

Birthday Pictures!

2010-05-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Birthday determination

Pre-party play
Pep talk before the main event

and...GO!

Capri

Claire wins!
Opening gifts
Capri loves her baby

Start your engines for a trip on the "freeway"

Grandma w/ Claire & Capri

Ryan & Capri

Corbin & Camden playing before bedtime

Closet update - 1 year later (wow!)

Lysandra & Luke said if I posted a picture of their gift that they

would pay for Capri's college!

Isn't that so nice of them?

But then Butch on the tricycle saw the husky business...

and proceeded to try to run over it...can you believe that?

but then Butch decided to be friendly since the offer was so generous!

Mexico trip for Mommy & Daddy!

2010-05-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

At the end of last month, Ryan and I decided to book a somewhat last minute trip to Mexico with friends...without Capri! This was the first time we left Capri for more than one night. We left on Sunday morning and returned late Thursday night so this length of time away was a big step for us! We had a great time, laying in the sun by the pool, sipping on fruity beverages, eating loads of nachos and doing nearly nothing for 5 days! Meanwhile, Capri was at home with Grandma & Grandpa Stewart showing them the ropes of her "vacation routine." We are now certain that she knows how to work the system. She has a pretty predictable routine at home with Ryan and I but apparently when the cat is away, the mouse will play! It sounds like they had a lot of fun. We had a great time but missed Capri terribly and were glad to be back home!

New Capri Pics

2010-04-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

This week Capri will be 11 months! She is crawling now at high speeds and pulling up to stand. She is able to stand by herself for short moments before she realizes she is doing it and decides to sit. I am attaching some pictures that our friend Aileen (Baby Dream Photography) took of Capri last month. :-)

Valentine's Day & this weekend (felt like spring)!

2010-02-22T23:29:00.000-08:00

Last weekend (Valentine's weekend), Ryan, Capri and I headed to Chelan for a couple nights for a little getaway! It was great to skip town for a couple days and just relax outside of our normal routine. :-)

This past weekend we celebrated my 29th birthday...again (hehehe)! This was my first birthday with Capri (well outside the womb that is), which was pretty exciting. I couldn't have asked for nicer weather all weekend. It really felt like spring was here! The sun was shining, clear skies and nearly 60 degrees both days! Saturday I spent some girl time with a dear friend doing a little shopping and enjoying the weather. Sunday, Ryan, Capri & I went to breakfast, ran a few errands, TOOK THE BOAT FOR A CRUISE ON THE LAKE (that deserved to be in all caps given that its February and it was a perfect day for little outing), and then we ended the day with a group of friends who brought dinner and cake over to the house...it was a fun filled weekend!

Here are some pictures from last weekend and this weekend (in random order).

We took Boone so he could swim and Ryan gave him a "lake

bath" while we were out (Capri is observing)

It was so sunny we both needed our shades! ;-)

It could almost look like a summer picture

Preparing for the sunny day!

I keep catching just the right lighting to get Capri's reflection.

Capri is 9 months!

2010-02-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Capri's 9 month birthday already! She is growing like a weed! We just had her 9 month check-up this morning and it went well. She is 20lbs, 27.75 inches tall and her head is tracking steadily in the 90th percentile! We like to think she is just really smart. Hehe! Since Christmas, Capri has been crawling, pulling up and taking a step or two holding onto the edge of the furniture. Needless to say, we are now on our toes a bit more these days! She is also becoming much more vocal as well and her volume has elevated significantly. All in all, she is perfectly healthy and happy and for that we are thankful! Here are some of the latest photos of her. I've also included some from her 9 month photo session this past weekend (note the pink & red with hearts...for the upcoming Valentine's Day). ;-)

9 month photos

Kissing the glass

Capri & her brother Boone after a game of tug of war

Mischievous Coug!

Go Cougs!

Capri likes to help with Laundry

Capri with her new wheels

Capri's new high chair

Capri's dog pose (yoga move)

Capri's new look she gives us - so hard not to give in...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Goodbye 2009 and Hello 2010! 2009 brought some amazing changes in our lives with the addition of Capri on May 9th. We started her off at 2 weeks with the continuation of our boating frenzy all summer. I think I mentioned this in an earlier post but I'm almost positive we were out boating more than any other summer...go figure! I thought for sure once Capri arrived that our routine would change or at least slow down a bit but as it stands, we haven't skipped a beat! So 2009 was full of firsts for us! With that, we just celebrated our first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays with Capri. While she doesn't quite understand the holidays yet, she was amused and very entertained by all of the activity and people (especially her cousins, Corbin (7), Camden (3 1/2) and Claire (9 days younger than Capri). Needless to say, she lost a few hours of sleep over her attempt to not miss a thing! The week of Christmas Capri started crawling, waving and sitting up. It was a big week! Since then, she has been on the move! She has also become very familiar with her voice and the volume it has. It has been so much fun watching and interacting with her. One of Capri's newest little games is flipping over on the changing table and acting like she is going to crawl away as fast as she can while she giggles. Not to worry, we are always right there but it has been a hard thing to discourage because it is so darn cute. Anyway, last year was full of fun and exciting new changes as we have found each stage with Capri our new favorite. We are looking forward to 2010 and celebrating Capri's first birthday in May and all of the other exciting firsts to come. Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year ahead! Here are pictures from the past month.

Capri's attempt at crawling - Thanksgiving 2009

Capri's interest in wrapping paper

Capri hanging out under the tree

Capri & Ryan opening gifts on Christmas Eve

Capri's Great-Grandma Trudy and Cousins

Capri ready to go to her first Christmas Party

Quality snuggle time

Capri & Cousin Claire playing

Capri hanging out with Boone

Capri in the driver's seat with Ryan in Manson

Capri's stocking on Christmas morning

Capri and I on Christmas Eve

Capri's new favorite toy - my old laptop

She is truly one of us!

New Year's Eve - sporting her new Hawaiian hair clip from her friend Ally

Go Cougs!!...or Carl & Amber teaching her "So Big!"

The Holidays Are Here!

2009-12-02T17:00:00.001-08:00

I can't believe the holidays are here already this year. I know every year I say the same thing...but this year its even more unbelievable for some reason. The past year has flown by, especially the past almost 7 months and what a great year it has been! We headed home (Omak) for Thanksgiving to spend time with family and friends. It was really nice. Now just around the corner we have Christmas! This year is the year I'm going to finally be ahead of schedule. Our inside decorations are up, most of the Christmas shopping is done and soon enough we will get to kick back, relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday season. Capri is doing great! She remains easy-going, happy and extra cuddly these days. We are absolutely loving this stage. She laughs, smiles, coos, and is really showing her character. She is also becoming very mobile! No crawling yet but so very close! She is able to get places fairly fast by way of rolling, scooting and crawling backwards. She has discovered the Christmas tree lights and the present that Ryan so kindly placed under the tree for me before we left for Thanksgiving (yes that's right, our decorations were up before we left for Thanksgiving)...against the rules I know! I'm not sure if it is an empty wrapped box or if there is something in it but I know either way that it has been placed there to test my will power to not peek...he thinks its really funny! So will power I will have! Meanwhile, as I'm minding my manners, Capri has taken quite an interest in the package and has been slowly tearing little pieces of paper off each day, chewing on the box and poking holes in the top with her fingers. I certainly can't deprive my child of exploring new things so if something happens to appear and unveil itself to me, I suppose I'm helpless. ;-) Well I know I will be updating the blog more this month so stay tuned! In the meantime, I've attached a few photos of Capri. She is growing like a weed! Happy Holidays to all!

6 months

5 1/2 months

6 months

Capri's First Halloween

2009-11-02T20:26:00.001-08:00

Happy Fall! I've uploaded some photos of Capri in her 1st Halloween costume and a couple from last week. She was a "Whimsical Dragonfly." She didn't seem to mind the costume too much so we had her wear it quite a bit on Saturday. We dressed her up for the annual neighborhood Halloween parade and then left it on for a few more viewings. Enjoy!

All is well!

2009-10-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I've managed to fall behind again on my updates so let me start by saying, all is well! We are all doing good! Work is busy for both Ryan and I, Capri is doing really well at daycare the three days she is there. She continues to be pretty easy going and extra happy. She has discovered her voice and enjoys listening to herself. We just took our first flight with her this past weekend. We headed down to California for Lysandra & Luke's engagement party. It was a great trip and Capri did exceptionally well on the flight there and back. :-) Here are a few pictures and a couple videos of her recently.

First family flight

Capri in her jumperoo

Capri and Ryan

Capri and her bunny

Capri in her jumperoo

Hiccups

Little Giggles

2009-09-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

Capri started to giggle! We were playing the other night and she let out her first giggle. Ryan was able to get some of it on video, which I've attached below. We also had her 3 month (really closer to 4 month) pictures taken. She enjoyed her mini photoshoot. Here are some of the proofs. Oh yes and you'll notice one of the pictures she has her finger in her mouth. This is just one of many that she was nawing on her hands/fingers. With the help of some friends and family we've figured out that she is beginning the teething stage!

Little Giggles

Little Miss Smiley

2009-08-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

As summer begins to wind down, I'm hopeful that I'll be able to update the blog a little more often than once a month. There are so many little changes in such a short period of time with Capri. She is growing like a weed, smiling like crazy and has discovered her hands and is better able to coordinate grasping her toys, blankets, binkies, and oh yeah my face. I've learned that not only do we clip her little fingernails for her own protection but it is now for ours and anyone else holding her as she tackled my nose last night and there was one little sharp fingernail in there somewhere that I missed. Ouch! I can't get over how much and how fast she is growing. From one day to the next it seems like she is either longer or feels heavier or doing something new that she wasn't doing the day before. She is still really enjoying her "school" and Ryan and I continue to be busy at work and home. Boating season has been a longer one this year, beginning in May and its looking like it will go well into September. As much as I said when I was pregnant that we would likely have a lighter boating season this year, I think we've probably been out more than any other summer...go figure! ;-) I've posted some pictures of Capri below. She is such a happy baby, smiling a lot. We are just waiting for her to start laughing as I think she is getting pretty close to belting out some belly laughs. I hope this finds everyone in good health and enjoying their summer.

2009-08-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Capri loving her new jumperoo toy

Aunt Misha meets Capri!

Uncle Jarrett meets Capri!

Smiling for the camera

A little supervised tummy time on the couch!

Capri and Dad watching T.V.

Getting ready to go to breakfast w/Mom & Dad

Back to work and off to "school"

2009-07-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

We made it! Last week was my first week back to work and Capri's first week at Daycare (aka: "school"). We all adjusted well and didn't seem to skip a beat. Capri is really enjoying her new friends and teachers at school. She has been sleeping really well at night, averaging at least 6-7 hours, which has been great! This past weekend we made a quick trip to Omak to visit family and Capri slept the entire way there (4+ hours) and all of the way back! It was so nice! Here are some new photos!

2009-07-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Going on 2 hours of napping after daycare tonight

Cousin Claire (left) and Capri (right) - this past weekend

First day of school!

Capri's crib at school

How could you say no to this face?

Happy Birthday Ryan!

2009-07-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

It was Ryan's 32nd birthday yesterday! Happy Birthday Ryan! We love you! :-) He took the day off of work and we had a nice and relaxing day together at home and we even got out and ran some errands, visited Capri's daycare and topped our day off with a late evening run to Cold Stone for some "Apple Pie A La Cold Stone" ice cream! Yes, this is the life of the birthday boy with a newborn...hahaha. Next year we'll have some party planning to do for the double 3 birthday!

This past weekend we couldn't have asked for nicer weather. We were out boating Thursday evening, all day on Friday and Saturday and a quick but really nice morning run on Sunday. The air temperature was perfect and the water felt great! I'm back to wakeboarding again. I'm feeling less aggressive than last summer but I'll work my way back up I'm sure.

Capri is well on her way to becoming the princess of boating. She seems to be a happy little boater. She is growing like a weed and has just started to smile and coo intentionally, which is really fun to see. She has her next doctor's appointment this Thursday so I'm sure we'll have some new stats on her growth.

Time has just flown these past two months. It's hard to believe. I return to work next week and Capri starts her new schedule at daycare. When we visited yesterday, they already had her crib all ready to go with her name tag on it. I'll try to snap a picture when I'm in again this week to post. She will be their youngest in the infant room. They are very excited for her arrival and I know she will enjoy the staff and her new daycare friends. :-)

Here are some of the latest pictures...

2009-07-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Boat Princess

So sleepy after bath time
Preparing for the sunny day ahead

Even with the sunglasses its hard to miss the belly

Hanging out on the couch like a big girl

Nap time with Mom

Capri and Dad

Another day of boating

Time's a flyin!

2009-06-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

Wow how time flies! People always tell you this before you have kids and now I'm hearing it all of the time now that we have Capri and while she isn't graduating high school tomorrow, she is already 1 month as of yesterday! I can hardly believe how fast this past month has gone...

We are all doing great at Stewart Little's house! She is getting us trained to be on her schedule these days, which hasn't been too painful so far but that may be up for debate once I head back to work. She is happy, healthy and growing like a weed! What more can we ask for? :-) Last Friday I took her to the Overlake Women's Center to be weighed and she weighed in at 9lbs 15oz! Her little belly is growing and so is her double chin. Ahhhh, if only we found growing bellies and double chins, not to mention cellulite as cute on adults as we do babies...hehehe.

The last weekend of May we headed home, to Omak, to meet our new niece, Claire, see the boys and family! The great grandparents got to meet Capri, which was really fun to see! It was a great trip! Capri slept all of the way to Cashmere on the way there and then again until we got to Omak. We took lots of pictures while we were home.

Along with us adapting to Capri's schedule, she has also adapted to our summer routine of boating. She loves it! In just a matter of a few years, we'll be looking for a little wakeboard for her! :-)

I've posted pictures below!

Photos!

2009-06-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ryan & Capri Boating
(this is the first father-daughter day on the lake)

Capri sporting her fancy sunglasses

Me & Capri

Capri's mini photo shoot

You, Me & Capri (hehehe)

Capri & Claire

The Cousins

(Corbin holding Claire & Camden holding Capri)

Capri's little feet

Capri & Claire

Camden holding Capri

The boys tackling Ryan

Corbin & Capri

Me & Tanya holding the girls

Capri's crazy hair after bath

Ryan, Capri & I on our first boat outing

Capri's first boat outing

Capri's Cousins - Welcome Claire!

2009-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Capri's newest cousin, Claire Peterson, arrived on May 18th (9 days after Capri). We can't wait to meet her and introduce the boys, Corbin & Camden to Capri very soon! Here are a couple pictures of the cousins. Once they meet, I'll post a picture of all of them together.

Corbin (6), Camden (almost 3) & Claire (the boys thought Claire's cry/sounds were funny)

Corbin, Camden & Claire

Pictures!!!

2009-05-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

Capri is doing really well! She has been a really good baby so far just needing the necessary naps, feedings and changing. She had her first pediatrician appointment this past Tuesday and she had gained 13oz in 6 days which is great! She has surpassed her birth weight by 2 oz within 10 days. I guess the doctors usually like to see babies back to their birth weight within 14 days. She has passed all of her other tests with flying colors and seems to be in about the 75th percentile in most areas of the growth chart. We too are doing really good. Ryan went back to work this week and is sleeping through the night. Capri and I are up about every 2-4 hours, which has been pretty consistent so I'm napping at least once during the day when she is so I can keep up with her during the night. ;-)

Capri's cousin, Claire Peterson was born this past Monday! They are exactly 9 days apart and we are looking forward to meeting her very soon! I'll post some pictures of Claire with her big brothers, Corbin & Camden shortly.

Here are some pictures (not in any particular order).

The Poser - Week 2

Capri's wild hair

Capri - Week 2

Capri - Week 2 (just to clarify, those are Ryan's hairy legs not mine..hahaha!)

Heading home from the hospital 5/11/09

We're home - 5/11/09

Grandma Mullins (I mean my "older sister" so Aunt Cheryl?)

Grandma & Grandpa Stewart

Capri - Week 1

Ryan & Capri - Week 1
Capri - Week 2

She is finally here!!!!

2009-05-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Capri Stewart finally arrived on May 9th at 2:18 AM weighing in at 8lbs 6oz and 20.5" in length! She is healthy, precious and has a full head of black hair! She is a spitting image of Ryan when he was a baby. He is pretty tickled about his new little "mini me." :-)

I went into labor Friday night at about 9:15 PM and we headed to the hospital at about 9:45 PM. Labor was going smoothly (well should I say smoothly once I received the epidural) and then as contractions got closer and more intense, Capri's heart rate "tanked" three different times. Though it recovered each time, the doctor didn't think it would be wise to continue with labor and risk more stress on her as she neared her grand entrance so we made a group decision to go with a c-section before letting it get to an emergency situation. The c-section went very well and Capri is healthy and happy so that's all that matters. We just celebrated her 1st week birthday today. We've been home since Monday about noon and have been really enjoying our new roles as parents. The lack of sleep is all worth it when she is wide awake and ready to play in the wee hours of the night. We are trying to take everyone's advice to nap as much as possible when she is sleeping. This has been harder to do than we thought but we are working on it and I'm sure I'll have it perfected in a matter of days. ;-)

It's amazing how much more alert she is everyday since we brought her home from the hospital.

Boone (aka Mr. B) is adjusting more and more each day. He is his same laid back self but seems to be moping around a bit and doesn't like me to get out of his sight. With time, he'll grow to love his new little sister especially when she is dropping food on the floor and tugging on his ears. Attached are a couple of pictures we have uploaded so far but there will be more to come tomorrow.

Capri's Arrival Status & Updates

2009-04-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Okay I'm back! Things have been going really well. I'm still feeling great, have minor little aches and pains but no major complaints! I have to say I've been very fortunate that it has been an enjoyable experience, especially when I hear how tough others have had it while pregnant. The journey has been a great one and the adventure is about to begin from what I hear!

So this last month we've been going to the doctor once a week for our check-ups. Two weeks ago the doctor reported that the process had begun. Capri is head down and and slowly making her way. Last week the doctor reported that I had progressed even more and thought she would see us in labor prior to our next appointment this week, which happens to be tomorrow (Wednesday). I'm still here and we are scheduled to see her again tomorrow for another status update. Our official due date is on Monday, May 4th so we'll see if Capri arrives prior to or after the date. It's anyone's guess at this point but our bags are packed and in the car and ready for the main event!

I didn't manage to get a belly photo at the beginning of April. Somehow this month has slipped by faster than I can believe. In it's place for now, I've included a couple of pictures that Ryan took last week of me so these will have to do for now. :-) Also, I've attached some updated photos of the nursery now that our chair finally arrived and we've filled it with all of the little nicknacks and necessities. Oh and you have to check out her closet photos below! This is absolutely unbelievable!

Photos

2009-04-28T21:23:00.001-07:00

UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Can you say fashion show?

Capri's first trike - GO COUGS!!!!

More room detail

The rocking chair finally arrived!

Capri's rocking corner

Update on the way!

2009-04-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month since my last post...so sorry! I knew I had fallen behind but not that far. I will be posting an update this evening assuming I'm not in labor...hahaha. Stay tuned!

Capri's Karate Moves

2009-03-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some of Capri's favorite karate moves/kicks. I'm including a few little video clips that I took this evening. By the way the big green ball is my belly! :-) I'm taking the video sitting with the camera looking down at my belly.

Capri warming up...

Capri perfecting her roundhouse kick (shown at about 35-40 seconds into the video)

Capri stretching and pushing up

More Nursery Decor

2009-03-25T21:42:00.001-07:00

The curtains arrived on Monday after I posted the pictures of Capri's room so I thought I would just post a picture with the curtains now that they are hung.

Stewart Little's World Progressing

2009-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

We are about to start week 35 already! We have been busily preparing for Stewart Little's, I mean Capri's arrival with doctor appointments, classes, decorating her room, etc. Things are moving along nicely in all areas. We've been seeing the doctor for routine check ups every other week this month. Starting next week we will start going weekly. Last week we had an ultrasound mainly to get an idea of her size but also to see how everything is progressing. This wasn't mandatory, more out of curiousity than anything. Her estimated weight as of this last week (Wednesday) was already a whopping 6lbs 9oz! She is obviously a very healthy little girl. From what we can tell from the ultrasound pictures, she seems to be carrying quite a bit in her cheeks. ;-)

We completed our 7 week birthing class on March 3rd. It was good for both of us educationally speaking and enjoyed many good laughs (mostly at inappropriate times and yes I'm sure the laugh will be on us in just a mere few weeks). Next on the to-do list is to sign up for the infant first aid class...check! That will be coming up at the beginning of April.

We've been working on getting Stewart Little's room furnished and decorated. Once we got the furniture setup and bedding on, I hit a creative mental block but with some help from our friend Sandy and her friend Kris, I was on the project with new ideas again. I'm still working on some finishing touches but this is what we have so far. Might I add that it will be one of the best decorated rooms in the house...go figure!

Ryan hanging signs

Boone helping us decorate his sister's room

Armoire & Dresser/Changing Table

Crib

Corner where the rocking chair will go when it arrives

Stewart Little's Name Unveiled!

2009-03-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who have not been playing the name game or have been but have not yet guessed it, we've decided now is a good time to unveil. Her name is Capri!

Ryan and I had a small list of names started in an excel spreadsheet. While there were some cute options, we really wanted a name that had meaning to us but we were struggling to find one that we thought would be suitable for a girl. As I was walking Boone one day listening to my iPod, the song "Capri" came on and it hit me. The song is about a baby girl named Capri. This was it! Ryan and I were married in Sorrento, Italy on the Amalfi Coast (six years ago this month). The Island of Capri is just off the coast of Sorrento. We spent a day there enjoying the quaint little island town, it's people and some very cool sights. I've posted the song on our blog as I thought it would only be appropriate with the unveiling of her name. The artist: Colbie Caillet. This is where the music clues came from. The fruity beverage of course would be Caprisun. Most of the other clues pertain specifically to the Island of Capri and/or the meaning behind Capri's name.

A quick note that we just realized was kind of funny and coincidental...Ryan's brother Jarrett stated to us, before he had guessed Capri's name from the name game clues, that he was just going to refer to her as "short pants" if he couldn't figure out her name. Funny thing is, he wasn't too far off!

More Photos & Name Clues

2009-03-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

This week marked 31 weeks and now we're onto 32 weeks! Its hard to believe that we only have 8-9 weeks to go. Time has been flying by but we are starting to get our act together as far as baby gear. The first weekend in February we picked up our nursery furniture so we are getting a good start on the room. I'll try to make some more headway this next weekend and send some pictures of the nursery then. In the meantime, Ryan took some more of our monthly belly shots this morning so I've shared them below. I'm always amazed at the previous pictures when I post the new ones. Last time I remember thinking "WHOA" when I posted the photos. As I post these and look at them in comparison to the last, it almost leaves me speechless...or perhaps just to say "WHOA" on a whole new level. :-) Needless to say, both Stewart Little and I are growing like weeds!

Also, I've added some name game clues below!

Clue #14: Her name is a place. The place is an island

Clue #15: Short pants

Clue #16: Blue Grotto

Weekly Clue & Baby Pics

2009-02-18T21:37:00.001-08:00

As you may have noticed I'm lagging behind again on getting our weekly clue posted but I'm here now and posting a couple of new clues and sharing some pictures that we had taken on Friday with a 4-D ultrasound. That was truly amazing to watch. We have many still shots so I'm attaching a couple for your viewing pleasure. We've come to the conclusion that our little girl looks a lot like her dad. :-) Of course I'm a little biased but I think she's pretty darn cute! hehehehe...

Clue #12: The place is not in the United States
Clue #13: The name is the name of a song from a Californian artist on a 2007 Album

Here are the pictures! This is Stewart Little at 29.5 weeks.

Weekly Clue & More Pictures

2009-02-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I'm finally getting back to updating the blog since last week. Below is the new weekly name game clue and I've also posted a couple of new photos of my bigger than ever growing belly. My how things change/grow in such a short amount of time. Perhaps I should be doing a little more walking from here on out. Yikes!!!

Clue #11: Can be found in the name of a fruity beverage

Okay here are the new pictures of my belly (week 28) - Whoa!!!

The Name Game Weekly Clue x 2

2009-01-28T22:29:00.000-08:00

Yes, we are still really here! Last week was a busy one for both Ryan and I at work and before we knew it the week (and weekend) had passed. Our apologies for not posting a clue last week but we are going to play catch up this time by posting two clues:

Clue #9: there is a "relationship" between clue #3 and clue #8

Clue #10: 1,000 steps

Side note: We will be posting more belly pictures soon. It occurred to me that I must be growing fast as my yoga instructor noticed growth between the week before last and tonight's class. Also, Stewart Little has started her own circus within my belly. The circus comes to town many times per day and there are several acts from acrobatic type moves to curling up and camping out in various places with the most popular being just under my right rib. Speaking of...she just happens to be doing that as I type. I guess it causes me to be conscious of my posture...sitting up straight now!

The Name Game Weekly Clue

2009-01-11T21:22:00.001-08:00

And the next clue is...

Clue #8: It's a place

Belly Photos

2009-01-11T20:39:00.001-08:00

I've been procrastinating getting these particular photos posted but some of you kindly keep nagging, I MEAN REMINDING, me to get them posted so here they are. I'm giving the people what they supposedly want! ;-)

The Name Game Weekly Clue

2009-01-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

Here I am posting another clue...no correct quessers in quite some time it seems. Here is the clue of the week:

Clue #7: It is not a common name

and for an extra hint, focus on clue #3 - It has meaning

The Name Game Weekly Clue

2009-01-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I'm a little behind in getting a new clue posted this week. Ryan and I are in Costa Mesa, CA celebrating Stewart Christmas, New Years and Grandpa Stewart's (Ryan's Dad) birthday this week. The weather is a comfortable 65 degrees and sunny with a feeling of spring in the air. We have had several correct guesses in the past week! Kudos to all of you that have guessed (even if it took a group effort over the holidays...hehehe) but remember not to "ruin the fun" for everyone else that is still working on it. :-)

Okay back to the weekly clue:

Clue #6: The name can be found in Music

P.S. Your requests for belly pictures will soon appear.

The Name Game - Weekly Clue

2008-12-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

Because it is the week of Christmas I've decided to be extra nice and post two clues for this week! :-)

Clue #4: It can be described as small
Clue #5: It is more of a girl name than a unisex name

Happy Holidays!

Names and Size (mine that is!)

2008-12-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

The name game has been contagiously catching on. We have had two lucky guessers (to be recognized later in order to avoid pestering) today that have actually guessed it!!! The prize you ask? They get to join our side of the game and know secretly while others continue to guess. :-) So some people are demanding pictures of my belly and I've been averting the request. While we have been taking photos on a monthly basis, we have not published them just yet. I'm sure it will happen eventually (maybe sooner than later) but let me just start by saying/warning, there has been a HUGE change in the past month. I've upgraded in size from a small apartment to a small house. I keep looking down at my belly only to be surprised that when I touch it, it really is sticking out as far as it appears. It is no longer the way my shirt is hanging that makes me look bigger than I am. All of what I'm seeing really is my belly. It is starting to fill out many shirts, sweatshirts and even coats more than I could have imagined (at least this soon). Veterans keep telling me this is just the beginning (GULP)!

The Name Game

2008-12-19T16:54:00.001-08:00

Everyone seems to be awfully curious as to whether we've chosen a name and/or names. Why yes we have! So the obvious next question would be "what is it?" The answer: It's a secret! With that said, feel free to start guessing! hehehehe... We have quite a few contestants playing the name game these days. So let me catch you up on the clues so far.

Clue #1: It starts with a "C"
Clue #2: It has 5 letters
Clue #3: It has meaning

Each week I'll try to add a clue to the blog (which means we technically have about 19 more clues to go).

Game on!

More Movement!!!!

2008-12-19T16:37:00.001-08:00

Miss Stewart Little is rocking and rolling in there from what we can tell. Lots of movement felt internally by me but also more surface movement. Ryan was able to feel her moving about last night a couple of times. Coincidentally, I was having some lower abdominal aching in the past week or so but even more so last night (I know, too much information right?). So we had our monthly check-up appointment today and the doctor happened to ask about cramping/aching and such so I told her what I was feeling and she did another ultrasound. She soon confirmed that everything was looking great and that Stewart Little was just perfectly positioned to lay it on me with a nice swift kick to the lower abdominal area, hence the achy feeling...mystery solved! And oh, did I forget to say thank you for that! hahahaha

Movement and....the Shopping Begins!

2008-12-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Last night was the first night I felt movement that could be defined as the baby moving! It felt like a sporadic nudge from inside. Apparently she likes to be active at night when I'm resting. I'm really hoping she gets that out of her system before she arrives so we are all on the same schedule! Hahaha...in my wildest dreams right? I'm looking forward to more of these little nudges, kicks and/or pokes so Ryan can feel them too!

On a side note, I did find myself heading straight to the computer on Thursday night to check out baby stuff, particularly bedding, you know, "just to get an idea" of what theme or pattern we might like. We were sucked in! By the end of the evening, Ryan and I had picked one out, he found it on ebay and it's on the way! So much for waiting until January to start "looking" at stuff...

Miss Stewart Little's 20 Week Photo Shoot

2008-12-11T23:02:00.001-08:00

Here are some of the ultrasound pictures from today's appointment. I've omitted the two proving she is a girl as I thought she would appreciate if we respected her privacy/modesty...but we do have proof! Some of the profile pictures are a little fuzzy because she was moving so much today. I think her profile looks like Ryan's baby pictures so this will be so fun to see who she ends up looking like! :-) P.S. We've just thrown the Stewarts for a loop! This will be the first girl to break the 3+ generations of boys.

Drum Roll Please....

2008-12-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

Ta Da! Stewart Little has been unveiled! She's a GIRL!!!!! She was being quite the little lady with her legs together making it difficult for us to see but then with a little patience and some jiggling of the ultrasound "wand" she moved to reveal herself to us. For those who are wondering, I did break it to Boone this evening that he is going to have a little sister and that if he is lucky they will share the same birthday. He seemed to be very understanding and unruffled. Isn't he sweet? hahahaha...

The Waiting Game

2008-12-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

We are anxiously awaiting our appointment tomorrow to find out whether Stewart Little is a girl or boy. We are hoping that he or she will be prepared for the unveilling. :-) So far I've been lucky to skip the morning sickness and have been feeling really good. My belly was growing quite gradually until about the past couple weeks. I'm not sure what has happened but I've "popped," as so many others with experience in this department said would happen. I walked into the bedroom last night shocked by what I had just witnessed in the mirror and announced to Ryan, "Houston we have a problem." I'm not sure where it came from but my belly has graduated to new heights (or widths for that matter). Everyone keeps asking about whether I've felt movement yet. I don't think I have or at least I haven't recognized it as such. It sounds like I should by the end of this month. It is already going to be the end of the 5th month by then...unbelieveable! Stay tuned for tomorrow evening's update on the outcome of the ultrasound.

Stewart Little

2008-11-27T21:27:00.001-08:00

For those of you who may not know, Ryan and I are expecting our first baby (aka Stewart Little) at the beginning of May! :-) We are very excited and decided it was probably a good time to create a blog where we can post updates so everyone can check it out at their leisure. We will post baby pictures and updates along with any other happenings in our life. So above are a few ultrasound pictures from the last ultrasound at 12 weeks) Enjoy!

Getting Blog Savvy

2008-11-06T19:49:00.001-08:00

So here we are official bloggers! I'm not exactly sure what we will post in the near term but I'm sure with a few months under our belts, we'll have photos and comments to share. ;-)Alternatively, we may find ourselves addicted right away...who knows!