Mayo Family Est. 1993: September 2009

Progress

I have made a point to chart the progress of this pregnancy with a few profile shots. Here are the last few I've done. Should have done more but this is more than I have with the other pregnancies so I'll take what I've got!

August 1, 2009...31 weeks

September 20, 2009...38 weeks

Week 39

If you can't tell, I have spent the past 8 hours having a blogging marathon! I was so behind but I got most of what I wanted captured of our summer posted. Now I can spend the next few weeks baby blogging!

The previous post...50 days and counting was waaay outdated!

We are down to 5 days on the baby watch. 5 days! I can't believe it! It seems like for so long it was so far away and here it is...our last week. No signs this baby is coming anytime in the next 30 days let alone 5! I'm hoping that it will just all happen at once! We are due Sat Oct 3rd. I'm saying Friday Oct 2nd is the day! We'll see how cooperative this child is from the beginning. In some ways, this pregnancy has gone fast, mostly though at a snails pace.

I have mixed emotions as this time draws to an end. I am excited, soo excited to have my baby in my arms. I have found the past 8 weeks extremely difficult. Being pregnant on top of 4 other very active children, really just doesn't mesh very well! I think it will be easier with the baby here! I am excited for the aches and pains of pregnancy to end.

Now for a bit of a personal journal entry:

I am nostalgic...I generally love being pregnant. Not so much this time. I've tried to cherish the moments but the past 9 months have not been as pleasant as previous pregnancies. I was ready to close the pregnancy/new baby chapter in my life 4 years ago and move onto a family of big kids. BUT now, I feel I am somewhat wistful as this one comes to an end. Pregnancy is such a magical time. I didn't expect to experience it again and beings I feel blessed to have gotten to experience it again, I do feel a little sad as it comes to an end. This really is it. I am too old to do this again! :)

I am nervous for this birth...can't explain why other than I guess the older you are the more you know what can go wrong or maybe you just have heard more horror stories. I don't know but I do feel a nervousness that I don't recall feeling with the others. It could also just be that I have been labeled AMA (advance maternal age) one too many times!

More than anything I am excited and filled to the brim of happiness on the thought of bringing home another family member. I can't wait to meet this little one. I can't wait to see what she looks like, I know she will resemble the others but what unique characteristics will she have? I picture dark, curly hair. Will I be right??? I can't wait to hold and snuggle her and count her tiny toes and fingers. But mostly I can't wait to see her grow up with her siblings and find her nitch among us. Megan is so responsible and such a fun, dynamic person to be around. Chase is so kind and thoughtful. Trace is a little fireball but can be so tender with his little sister. Charlee is the tiny package all tied up in a bow. She is so excited about having a little sister. They are all so excited for this baby. I am so thankful!

Steve and I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams with the family that we have. 8.5 years ago when we had Steve's health scare I felt my dreams, my own life was crashing down around me. I was so afraid I wouldn't even have a husband to help raise the 2 children we did have. I so desperately wanted a bigger family. I always pictured 4. But at that time I just prayed to have a husband to help raise the 2 precious kids we did have. Then he got better, he finished graduate school, we got pregnant with Trace which I felt was a miracle! Now here we are...8+ years down the road. Steve is healthy, he has finished his Masters. He has a great job that he enjoys and really enjoys working with/learning from his coworker. I am blessed to get to stay home to raise our children, and we have not 4 but 5 beautiful, wonderful, happy, talented children! I count my blessings every day!

My emotions are tender as we approach this much anticipated event. Thank You Heavenly Father for my bounteous blessings!!! I love my husband and am so thankful for our family.

Well now that I have spent the day on the computer...I have just a few minutes to pick up after Charlee and make it look like I accomplished something this day!

Chase turns 12

September 24, 2009

Chase turned 12 years old! His dad took Chase, Megan and Chase's best friend Cayden out to shoot trap that evening. Then we had Navajo Tacos for dinner, he visited with the Bishop (he's getting the Aaronic Priesthood...how exciting is that!) and then we opened presents and had yummy desert! A fun day!

Chase opening presents

Chase is so nice...he let Charlee help blow out the candles. What a good big brother he is!

Licking the candles??? Happy Birthday Chase! We love you tons and are so proud of you!

A Fall Picnic in the Hills

September 20, 2009

We took the time to go for a picnic in the hills. It was a very nice afternoon!

We laughed

Chase was in charge of the firewood gathering

This is so funny to me...my kids love Tuna right out of a can when we are camping!

They actually fight over it! No crackers or anything. It's hilarious.

We contemplated

We played

We relaxed

Daddy cooked Dutch Oven YUMMY!

We had tons of fun

We explored

Chase found a lean to

We read stories

Steve was so nice, he just let me sit

And a close up of the 38 week belly! I can't get any bigger!

Fall Sports

With 3 kids in 3 different schools and in 3 different sports. Life has pretty hectic for the past 6 weeks. Add a pregnant mom and life is crazy! But its fun and I love getting the opportunity to watch the kids play. They are all so athletic and do so well! Charlee is such a little cheerleader and I know baby # 5 will cheer just as loudly some day!

Trace is playing soccer, he loves it. He watches the big kids play so much that he always gets the whistle blown on him for doing "big kid" stuff. Like head bumps and slide kicks. Both of which are no no's in 1st grade soccer! This weekend his team won their game 6-0. He was pretty stoked!

Chase is playing football. He eats, drinks and breathes this stuff. He is really doing a good job. He is playing...oh goodness I don't even know what the positions are called. I still have alot to learn about football! Don't worry I'll get it someday!

Megan is swimming on the high school swim team. She is doing very well. She is working to qualify for the State Meet in 2 individual events! Good Luck Megan! I will also get pictures up someday of one of her HS swim meets

Another Birthday!

September 11, 2009

Ok all our birthdays are slammed into a few weeks! Soon we will have 5 birthdays slammed into about as many weeks. From August 23-Oct 10 we have 4 birthdays and baby will make 5! So here goes another one...Mom's birthday!

Dad set the timer on the camera so we could all get a picture after all the cake and ice cream was cleaned up. Notice the clown fish, goof ball in the back! Megan is our clown!!

Thanks Dad and kidos for making a great day. I love you tons!

1st Day of School Year 09-10

August 24, 2009

A new start to another school year! This year holds so many firsts for us. Megan is in 9th grade in a brand new high school, Canyon Ridge High. Chase is in 6th grade, first year in middle school, Trace is in 1st grade, first year to go all day long! It has been a smooth transition and here, beings I've been Blog MIA for so long, the first quarter is already half over! All is going well.

Megan goes to early morning seminary and leaves at 6:45 in the morning. I have yet to get her picture before school. I should have done it yesterday, after church she looked particularly cute but I was lying on the couch and couldn't make myself get up to get the camera! But I will get her picture up soon!

Chase is 12, in 6th grade. Robert Stuart Middle School

Trace is 6, 1st grade at Lincoln Elementary School

Trace had a very rough first week! 2 calls with in the first 4 days of school from the principal. I was sooo worried we were in for a really rough year...make that a really rough 12 years ahead. But he has figured it out and has been a really good boy at school, and at home for that matter. Yea Trace!

Our favorite summer past time

The kids love to camp...Steve loves to camp...normally I love to camp...But this summer I just couldn't get excited about it. I've had a hard time sleeping this pregnancy and I figured if I couldn't sleep in my bed with the air conditioning. How miserable would a night of camping be??? I did feel bad that mom's lack of enthusiasm halted the entire family's camping trips. We did manage to go the first weekend in August. It was a rainy, cooler couple of days. Despite the rain, Trace shooting Chase in the ear with a BB gun, lots of mud, Charlee wearing shoes that were too small so she ended up being bare foot the whole time, and mom being pregnant and grumpy it was a successful weekend! The very next weekend our good friends invited us to spend the weekend with them at their summer cabin. We had a great time!

The girls fishing

Some serious camping hair!

Chase caught a fish or two

Gold panning

This smile says it all! A successful weekend!

Look Mom! No Training Wheels!

July 13, 2009

Trace comes running into the house and says Mom come watch. So I go out and see Charlee is poised to ride her bike sans training wheels. I am hesitant. A previous time that I got a "Mom come look" that dealt with the bicycle it ended in a trip to the ER with stitches to the lip! But Charlee was convinced she was ready so camera rolling she took off!

Daddy has her all steady

Daddy following along keeping the bike steady.

There she goes.

Daddy is good enough to run behind her for a while to make sure she has it.

All on her own. My baby is so grown up!

Trip to Colorado

The last week of June/1st week of July we went to Grand Junction CO to visit Grandma & Grandpa Mayo. It was a highlight of our summer 2009. We had a great time.

The day of Steve's 20 year High School Graduation Reunion

Megan 14, Chase 11, Charlee 3, Trace 6

Grandma Diana Mayo is an Esthetician (happily retired) and a highlight of trips to Grandma's house is she is kind enough to give us facials. Charlee received her 1st facial this summer. She was so peaceful and relaxed!

Thanks Grandma, What a Treat!

We also went to GJ with a purpose to help stockpile some wood for Grandma & Grandpa.

As always, this turned into more fun and didn't seem like a work project!

We loved being there with Bangerter cousins

The woodcutting crew (minus Uncle Shane)

Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Lara, Stacy, Steve

Megan, Charlee, Trace, Chase, Becca, Catherine, Sophia & Stephanie

Helping with the 4 wheeler was a huge hit.

Grandpa, Uncle Shane, Trace

Grandpa has an old International Beast of a Truck. Many of Steve's fond tales of his childhood include this truck. Here's a 3rd generation driver...Chase!

Steve, Grandpa & Uncle Shane. A good day's work behind them!

Enjoy the cozy fire this winter!

Trace Plays T Ball

Trace played T Ball this summer.

Swing Batter, Batter!

Oops lets reset that one!

Trace cheering a teammate on from base.

Hitchin' A Ride

I looked out and found Trace riding his motorcycle. Took a 2nd look and noticed he had a little passenger! So I made them stop so I could get a kodak moment. How cute is this???

There was one day I also noticed Charlee riding on the pegs on the back of Trace's bicycle. Never got a picture of that. But what a good big brother he is!

It feels good to be a Champion!

Trace said that after he won the 6 year old boy Swimming Championships this summer. He got 1st in all his events and that made him 1st all around for 6 & Under Boys! Good Job Trace! Megan was 4th overall in 13/14 year old Girls. Can't remember her individual events but will find out and also can't find pictures of those medals, will get those done! Good job Megan!!! I am so proud of you!

Swim Meets

I myself am not a swimmer. In fact I would be hard pressed to save myself if I ever had to swim any length at all. Because of my terrifying fear of water, I have made sure our children could swim from a very early age. And swimmers we have! For a non swimmer I sure spend a lot of time pool side. It is a pleasure however! Megan has done the local summer swim league for 5 years now. Trace participated this year also. They both did really well. Many blue ribbons came home this summer!

Ready...Set...