Award for the first broken bone goes to...

...Makaylee. Yes you read that right, and before you report us to CPS please know this is not a result of any member of our family harming her in any way!
I took her in for her 2 week appointment today and found out she broke her collar bone when I delivered her. I guess it is fairly common when babies come quick, which she did, and are big (average size baby is 7 lbs, so I guess she is considered big). I feel so bad for my sweet girl. However, I will say it is a little relieving to know why she would randomly cry in pain when I would pick her up or change her position when holding her. Her Dr. said it should only bother her for another week.

Makaylee Faith Pickard

This morning at 4:59 am we welcomed Makaylee Faith Pickard into the world. She was 8lbs 30z and 21 inches long at birth. Even though its our fourth the same feelings of shock and wonder overwhelm me. I'm sure Nicole will fill in more details later (hopefully not to many details) but for now here are some pics for your enjoyment.

Waiting on Monday night- eating dinner in the hospital with mom. The excitement of a hospital room wears out after about 5 minutes it seems...

Minutes old...

Makaylee seems to have acquired her dad's ability to sleep...

Some pretty excited siblings...

Legalism 101

Just to clarify, this is not what we are wanting our kids to learn! Sunday on the way home from church Cait and I had the following conversation:

C: Where were the Vincents? I didn't see Drew at church
M: Miss Tammi told me that Drew had a football game today
C: He must not want to know God then!
M: Why do you say that?
C: Because church is more important than football
M: That is true but that doesn't mean he does not want to know God because he missed church one Sunday
C: Well I think he should of missed his game
M: I don't think most of his games are on Sunday. Plus, we have missed church before, it's the same thing.
C: But going to church means you love God
M: You can still love god and not go to church. It is good to go to church because we can worship God and love others there, but it does not mean that if you don't go sometimes you don't love God. Your heart is what is important
C: Oh! So Drew can still love God even though he played football!
M: Yes!!

(Julie, hope this does not make you feel bad! I thought it was hilarious and a good opportunity for Caitlin. Hope Drew had a good game)

Kindergarten Insights

It has been really fun hearing all of Cait's stories and new little insights into life since she started school. One of my favorites is a recent conversations she had with a little boy in her class. For Auburn, there is quite the racial diversity in her class. On the first day of school I am pretty sure her teacher addressed this due to some of Cait's comments about her classmates being dark skinned or being able to speak spanish. Well, Cait is very intrigued with spanish. So Tim encouraged her to ask a little boy in her class how to say something in spanish as he has been a little shy. This is what took place when she got home:

"I asked Ignacio how to say "nice to meet you" today, do you know what he said? "Nice to meet you!"
I guess we were not clear enough that she had to ask him to say it in spanish!

This one is for you Uncle Jon

Yesterday Tim's younger brother Jon left for college. He is attending Cal Baptist in Riverside. My kids love there Uncle Jon, especially Carson! He will be greatly missed, but we are excited to see what God does in this new chapter of his life.
Below is a conversation Cait and I had about Jon being gone:

Cait (C): Jon left today for college.
Me (M): your right, before you were even up!
C: I am going to miss him

C: On Friday I don't have school
M: Actually, Friday you get out early and Monday you don't have school
C: Yeah, it is a holiday
M: Your right, Labor Day
C: Does that mean Uncle Jon will be home (very excited)
M (at first a little confused, and then I realized what she meant): No, Labor Day is a quick holiday and Jon just left. He won't be home until Thanksgiving
C: How long until Thanksgiving?
M: It will be after your birthday, and the baby coming
C: Ah, that's a long time, I really don't want to wait that long to see him. When do we get to visit him?
M: He just left, you can call him sometime.
C: Maybe I will tomorrow

We love you Jon and you will be missed! Oh yeah, I think we are going with Makaylee!

Tahoe Fun

Some dear friends of ours came up the weekend before Cait started school to spend some time with us. We had a great time and used it as a good excuse to take them to Tahoe. Two of them had never been!

Amanda, Michelle, and Emily

Carson throwing rocks in the lake

Emerald Bay

Our kids love Amanda, Emily, and Michelle. We had so much fun with them and can't wait until they come again (hint, hint!)! Thanks for coming!

First day of Kindergarten

Here are some fun pictures of Cait's first day of Kindergarten. It is hard for me to believe that we are already here. Everyone says it goes by too fast and I agree. However, it is really fun to be able to watch Cait grow and experience new things. When she got home on her first day she had a headband on that said "I love Kindergarten." she told me what her headband said and then told me, "and guess what, I really do love kindergarten!"



The rest of us missed her while she was gone. The biggest adjustment is definitely going to be for Grace. They were so cute when I had them lay down that afternoon. Neither of them slept and about 20 minutes later I heard them giggling. I went to tell them they needed to rest but when i got down there I didn't have the heart. They told me that they missed each other so much and they hadn't got to play at all that day! I love that they are such great friends!

I can't believe it...

...I am updating our blog. Although, I am creating the blogging no, no, publishing multiple posts in one day. However, there is a lot I have been wanting to put up and I finally have an evening where I am awake, have no pressing items on my task list, and it is a reasonable hour! Having a 14 month old and being pregnant makes this a very rare happening for me. Speaking of being pregnant I had a request for my due date. I am due October 24th.
Here is a favorite photo of each of my kids, and many posts to follow!

4th of July

This Year we celebrated the 4th of July with all of my family (the Bigelow's), Tim's parents, the Myers, and Chrisy's parents. We had a big group and a lot of fun.

Family Vacation '08

This post is mainly for family, but I am sure more than that will enjoy! Most of the pictures below are from the zoo in Santa Barbara or Pismo Beach. Carson became a walker on this trip so it was especially fun seeing him trying to keep up with his sisters and do what they were doing. He also turned one while we were gone.

Checking out the animals

I love this picture of Cait because it really shows all of her exuberance for life!

Visiting Friends

Cait and our dear friends The Jacksons youngest, Owen

Grace and Sydney Jackson

Patrick and Natalie

Amy Andersen and Carson

Carson, Ian, Cait, Amy, and Grace
(Ian and Amy are some of our kids favorite people)

The Flower Girl

In May (I know 2 months ago!) Cait was in her first wedding. So, here are some fun pictures of our little flower girl and her "princess" sister.

The Results Are In...

Well, it seems that everyone wants us to have another boy. I am not sure of all the reasons, but I know mine is for Carson's sake. Someday he will tire of princess shoes, headbands, and purses! We had our big ultrasound today and the baby looks healthy and all is measuring normal. And we found out that all of you are....



WRONG!! We are having another girl! So, we will just have to work extra hard to do all those boy activities. However, at this point it does not seem that our little girl lacks any energy, meaning at least he will have good company. She moved the whole entire ultrasound. All the pictures took a little longer because of it.
We are very blessed and praise God that she seems healthy.

Carson turns 1

O.k, so he has been 1 for almost a month, but I am just now getting around to posting! We celebrated His birthday with Grace's, who turned 3 two days before he turned 1, at the park with some family and friends. Here are some photo's of him enjoying a cupcake for the first time with Grace. He absolutely loved it!



Carson is such a sweet boy. Right now he has taken a break from talking (he said some words before he started walking and now says "mum" only) and is practicing kicking a ball, working on his throw-ins, and playing with cars. He also continues to be our curious kid. Yesterday I found him in the bathroom and he had thrown one of his sisters bracelets in the toilets! And he is the only average kid we have, 50% in everything, sorry Grace. Praise God for the blessing of having him in our lives.

Tagged

Thanks Rachel! :)

4 Jobs I've Had:
Gymnastics coach
Alterations lady
Gap Manager
Human Resources

4 Places I've lived:

Grass Valley, CATustin, CA
Santa Clarita, CA
Auburn, CA
(that is a complete list by the way!)

4 Shows I watch on t.v.:

American Idol
Numbers if I am home
That is it - I don't have time or any way to record

4 Blogs that I read:

The Grindy's
Heather Norris
Tammi Clader
Chrisy - at least when she does post :)
*if I listed you then you are tagged!!

4 Favorite Foods:

Italian
A really good Salad
Fruit
Coffee

4 Places I'd rather be right now:

On Vacation - wait I just got back!
Sleeping - 4 kids is exhausting
On a date with my husband
Right where I am - at home being a mom to my precious kids

4 Things to look forward to this year:

Meeting the newest little Pickard - no we do not have a name yet
Church camping trip - one of the highlights of my kids year
Cait starting kindergarten - she is getting so old
Maybe going on a family trip!

Pregnancy Brain - at least that is what I like to think!

Just a funny little story that you other moms might enjoy, and may help you feel a little better about your own parenting!
As you know Sunday was Mother's Day and we went to the park after church with my family. However, before church Cait had been coughing a lot from allergies so I decided to give her some cough and cold medicine to see if it helped. Well it did not work very well. On the way from church to our house Cait fell asleep, kind of unusual for her, but we did just get back from vacation. Then at the park she took a nap on a blanket instead of playing! This is definitely not my child!!! When she woke up she was very happy and her normal talkative self. So that night we decided to give the cough medicine another try. That is when Tim pointed out I had give her nyquil! To quote a friend "I am that Mom!"
Happy Mothers Day! (Am I still qualified to be a mom?)

Resurrection Sunday 2008

We are so blessed to be part of a church that finds their hope and identity in the cross of Christ. We had our service outside again at the fairgrounds and the weather was perfect.



We spent the rest of the day at my parents enjoy family, food, and easter egg hunts.