More on the birth of Cali!

I tried Cali's fairy costume on her today for the ward trunk or treat party. She is a complete doll and I just can't get enough of the cute girly things.

My mom holding Cali at my aunt Pam's house in Mesa.

My mom came down to help me out with Cali and the boys. She was awesome, cleaning, changing diapers, helping Tanner with homework and just keeping me company. Plus, it was nice of her to agree with me that Cali is a cutie.

Tanner just loves this little girl.

On Sunday Todd helped give Cali her first bath. She really enjoyed it.

Here she is all ready to leave the hospital. She kind of looks like she just got strapped into a roller coaster ride and she's holding on.

When they put Cali next to me, she stopped crying and just looked at me, it was the sweetest moment, there is nothing like seeing your baby healthy and here ok. I'm so grateful. All babies are special, but I feel very grateful for this little girl. It has taken us a few years to get her here. Thanks to all our family and friends for the countless prayers, fasting and support that we might have another child. I truly think of her as our little miracle baby!

My mom and Kelsey were approved to come in and watch the c-section, it was shocking because usually they only allow one person back into the OR.

We are all ready to head back into the OR. I definately had more jitters with this one than with either of my boys. I was shaking so bad when he went to give me the spinal block. A nurse had to hold my hand because for some really dumb reason they wouldn't let Todd back with me for that part. Luckily he got it in first try so my nerves faded quickly.

Kelsey was so excited to be able to be there and see the c-section. Hopefully she still wants kids after seeing that and all my gorgeous stretch marks.

I was so glad that my mom flew in to be with me. I wish me dad could have come too, but I hope to see him soon.

We posed in front of a ton of cactus but its to dark to see them all.

Cali comes home

Thank you all for your support and interest in our
new addition. We have received an incredible amount of request for more pictures that I thought that I better gets some pictures up before you all send out the paparazzi to quench your thirst for more pictures. So I present to you Miss Cali Ann Mons. I hope this will be sufficient for now.

Tanner and Carter are not at all excited about the new addition to the family. It is the first time we did not have to tell them to smile for their picture. I have never seen such excitement radiate from their little faces. Also I think Cali has more teeth than Tanner

Jessica is really excited to finally be able to take a baby home in pink.

I am still getting used to the pink, but I must say I am loving this little girl. I think she makes pink HOT!

My little girl.

Happy Birthday Cali

Oct 20 2008.

Cali Ann Mons my little girl came into this world at 9:54 am. It was a joyous moment. We will now have a little more estrogen in the family and I am sure that Jessica is happy about that. I must admit she is already wrapping me around her finger and she has not even said dada. (I am sure that will be her first word.)

She weighed in at 6lb and 14oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. I am going to post a few pictures now and for those of you who have never seen a birth via C-section I have posted a video. It is actually really cool.

Kelsey comes to Tucson!

We picked Kelsey up yesterday from the Tucson airport. We are so excited that she's here. It was 91 degrees outside and she gets in my car with a heavy jacket on. That was the first thing to go. From there we did a mega Sams Club trip, I'm talking two heaping carts full of food. Then we came home and just hung out. That night we went and played Bunco with some ladies I know and that was fun. This morning my boys were so excited to make the yearly halloween spiders web with Kelsey, it turned out pretty good once we got all 50 spiders on it.

That afternoon we packed a picnic and went to the park. She was so nice to play baseball with the kids. Then we came home and as we were watching some tv she spots my first in the house scorpion. It was sitting right on one of my large surround sound speakers. She got one of Todds shoes and I told her I don't care if you ruin the speaker you make sure you get him. She was so brave and killed it. She is now affectionated called the Scorpion Queen.

Todd stopped at Home Depot on the way home and bought a black light. Scorpions are transparent so when you shine a black light on them they glow. The boys were so excited. They looked and looked in our yard and couldn't find any. They finally found one in the neighbors yard and brought it in to show us. Tanner and Carter were besides themselves with excitement!

Later that day Kelsey did another whopper of a trip with me to Walmart. I think I've shopped this poor girls feet off. I'm nesting what can I say, with all the food I've bought in the last two days you would think we were not going to be leaving the house for a month, which may be true.

That night Kelsey was nice enough to be my photographer. Since I'm pretty sure this is our last baby I can't help but want some close up pregnancy pics. She did a great job and so with all my Utah family back home asking "how big are you." Here you go. Since I'm all but 3 days from delivery I've got some great stretch marks that I won't be posting pictures of but keeping for myself. Its just hard later to remember just how that belly stretched and streched.

What Carter has said lately!

So yesterday as I was talking to my favortie gal pal Robyn on the phone I wasn't paying to much attention to what Carter was doing in the bathroom. Just the day before I had scrubbed each bathroom to near perfection. As I go in there is water all over the floor and he is attemping some kind of ice skating in there. The hand towels are soaked and there are toys floating in each of the sinks. So I take him into the hall and take his hand and ask him, "So what do you think your punishment should be for making such a wet mess." He looks up and through tears says "send me to jail." I said "ok," as I proceed to call the cops he's bawling. I explain that I'm not sending him to jail. But, he must not have been completely believed me because at 2:30 this morning he woke me up crying asking if he was still being sent to jail. I think we have this issue squared away now.


So for a while we have nicknamed Carter "CD" because his name is Carter David. Lately when he does jobs for me I will give him my extra change, quarters, nickels and such. So he walks around with all this change clinking in his pockets. A few weeks ago he says to me "mom I don't want to be called CD anymore I want to be called Rich." I asked "why." "Because mom I have all this money and it makes me rich, I would just like to be called Rich now." It comes and goes but he is always saying to Todd and I now "hey, my name is Rich." I'm glad someone is feeling rich, I can barely look at how much we've lost in the market these days.



Carter is my boy who is definately involved in his looks. Each morning after he gets dressed he says "people will sure think I'm cute with this shirt on." One morning as we were getting ready he was sitting in front of the mirror forever just looking at himself and he turns to me and says "mom, Jesus sure made me cute." I just smile because I know that this stage of not comparing or being to critical of ones appearance doesn't last long. I just smile and say "he sure did bud."



Todd has been working a lot of hours lately, well actually darn right ridiculous hours, but I know it won't last forever so I try not to complain to him to much. So one night while eating dinner Carter asks Todd, "can you stay home tomorrow?" Todd tells him "no," to which Carter replies "What, you didn't make any money today so you have to go back tomorrow?" Each night Todd calls us on his way home from work. Its a treat to be able to answer the phone when his call comes in. Each of the boys take a night having it be their turn, and it can turn into an all out war zone if one thinks its his turn over the other. They carry the phone around the same way they carry the Olive Garden buzzer around waiting for it to ring when our table is ready.

Anyways that's all for now.

The Apple Orchard

We went with Carters preschool class on a field trip to the Howards Apple Orchard. It was a little strange seeing cactus so close to so many apple trees. It was fun though and it was only 90 degrees, but there was shade so it was a pretty nice day. He got to pick 4 apples.

Did I mention that I only have 18 days left until they get this sweet little angel out!

I think that we hit the end of the season because all we could find were the sour kind of apples left. I thought they were super yummy but Carter thought they were a little to sour for his taste, that didn't stop him though from biting out of all four on the way home.