Thanks Alexa and Jenny!
It took several different brands and various sizes to do the trick but...
We're pretty sure this is the one (the newborn MAM)! For now anyway... Maisey started out with one brand and size and switched on us down the road.
Aunt Carrie and Cousin Colby
Oma
Cousins Peyton and Colby
We will wrap up the end of this week with my side of the family and we can't wait!
We hope to go home soon (preferably today) and we are waiting on the doctor as we speak so that we can approach him again about our departure.
Dad and Ryley after Dad helped give him his first bath.
Ryley is also awaiting his circumcision today!
***I didn't have my camera with me because it was packed in the hospital bag but I still threw in some visuals.
On Monday we went bowling. 
We just re-introduced Maisey to the clay studio and she loves it. We had taken a LONG break and I think she forgot it existed. Her very favorite thing to do, and she runs to it when we arrive, is paint her own face.
Always a quick and fun meal for picky eaters!
We don't know this kid, but he is at the inflatable party center which you can check out on-line if you're interested.
And for tomorrow, we aren't entirely sure but I think it will involve primping and more girly time of some sort.
Maisey gets so mad when I get pedicures without her (and she ALWAYS notices and tries to guilt me with a "Hey Mom, you got your toes done without me, no fair!").
Last weekend we stayed home an entire Saturday (for once Chad was the one with cabin fever) and I cleaned out the garage. After wards Maisey and I had "craft time" and we made this "Final Countdown" visual aid to pass away the days until Ryley arrives. She made many things and I ended up doing most of it because she lost interest with Dad playing the Wii nearby... I plugged away until it was done and she has enjoyed keeping track.
The countodwn pages before assembly.
Starting with 12...
Down through the final delivery!
Chad is so excited because he just took a job with Pet Smart. He has ALWAYS wanted to work for them but in the past the scheduling wasn't conducive. However, after working for some pretty nasty managers lately, the opportunity once again presented itself and he gladly accepted. He begins on Wednesday and he is very, very, excited to work as a Pet Specialist with the lizards, birds, snakes, fish, hamsters, and other critters. Maybe now he won't keep asking me for a pet! I am not a big animal lover...
I want this picture SO bad and today I just stared at it forever in the church bookstore... I want to buy it in the near future (I hoped to by now, but things have come up), so I thought I would post it so I can still dream about it whenever I check the blog.
I h
ave to take just a minute to post about two of the many books that left an impression
on me this past term. These two specific books happened to be from my Social Change class which focussed on the lack of finite energy resources we have left. If you've never heard of peak oil, and it is reality that we have long passed our peak, you should read one of these eye opening books. Reading them has definately made me more concious regarding energy conservation and the future of our world.
This picture doesn't do justice in its attempt to express the flavor in this salad. I made it for Easter and it is one of my favorites (my mom turned me onto it), and of course it's Paula Deen! Everyone has enjoyed it, so I thought I would post the recipe on the blog. I think it is a sure hit and it is so colorful!
I am so excited because I just posted my first eBay item up for sell. I thought while I am home over the next couple months I would make it a goal to learn to sell on eBay... Every year we get rid of tons of Maisey's old clothes but I have still hung onto many! It's kind of hard to part with them because her clothes (in my opinion), will never go out of style. Anyway, we are going to try to cash in so we can support our second child... We will see how it goes. If you know anyone looking for clothes, send them my way.
Maisey was so thrilled that the Easter Bunny (partially my grandma), had sent her more than two pieces of candy this year. We try to avoid sugar but she got more than usual thanks to some outside contributions.... Her favorite was a chick that lays eggs that are really gum!
This year we celebrated Easter close to home at Adam and Carey's house. We had a delicious meal and the kids enjoyed hunting for eggs as usual (although indoors because of the yucky rain outside). Carey (my sister in-law) uses a wonderful color coded system with the eggs which works out great for the children. Each child is assigned a different color of egg to search for so that everyone gets an equal chance to hunt despite the possible age differences between the cousins. 
After the hunt
Carey's 6 foot festive tree which she decorates for every holiday, including the kids birthday's and back to school... Something they will always remember.
The cute kids table
Every year since Maisey has been born we have dyed Easter eggs in Hood River at Oma's and Opa's. However, this year we did not... Jill, Tod, and Ruby were out of town, Ryley is ready to arrive at any time, we don't live in Hood River, and Carey and Adam have been working a ton, so we dyed eggs with a smaller group (Adam, Carey, Peyton, and Colby) at our place. Chad was in charge of pictures and consequently, we didn't get too many (especially not good ones!), but that doesn't really matter because everyone had a great time tye dyeing, sponge painting, and decorating the many, many, many eggs.
Maisey and Aunt Carey 
The beginning stages...
Last Thursday my visiting teachers threw me a baby shower and the turn out was excellent. With spring break, Easter, and it being on a weeknight because of my finals in the days leading up to it, I wasn't sure who would be able to make it... However, lots of people showed up to 
celebrate in Ryley's honor and have a good time. JoAnne and Cheryl (my visiting teachers) set everything up so nice and I really appreciate them taking time out of their busy sch
edules to do such a generous thing. I was really lucky to have them assigned to me when we moved in to the ward and they are great "mother-like" role models who balance work and family perfectly, while serving
and living the gospel as we are asked to.
Well, an update on the lottery outcome... The drawing for one particular nursing program I have been interested in was on Tuesday. However, my number(s) were not picked this year. I firmly believe that EVERYTHING happens for a reason and with the little guy on the way and less than a year left on this other degree, I am ok with that. After this year, I will decide which of the two programs I am interested in and decide which one(s) I want to pursue and I go from there. For the last several years when thinking of time I have naturally equated it with "terms", which after four equal a year, and I just don't want life to fly by as quickly as it does. Maisey is almost five and it feels like I had her maybe three years ago. I'm trying to slow down a little and do the simplest of things like keep better written records of found memories and funny quirks. Well, if that doesn't happen, and it isn't always easy, thank goodness for cameras, video cameras, and blogs!
No, not being pregnant (although that would be nice too), I am done with finals, which means I am done with one more term! And just in the nick of time... Since I got home from my weekend away I haven't been able to see my ankles. Despite these unsightly "kankles", I do realize that I am very blessed to have gone through this pregnancy without any hypertension, pre-eclampsia, or expensive weekly stress tests! Because of that I was able to "knock another term down" as I like to say and now I am so ready to meet this little, I mean big guy!
This weekend while I was in Eugene my Aunt Michelle held an afternoon baby shower in my honor- I mean Ryley's. It was sweet and intimate with the ladies of the family (my side) and a couple of close family friends. Maisey enjoyed opening Ryley's gifts and she will really be excited when she realizes that he won't be able to open Birthday or Christmas gif
t for some time!
The cake was from my favorite bakery and had cherry filling (if you know of a good bakery in the area let me know because nobody comes close to this quality and flavor).
Thank You Aunt Michelle and Family!
