Sweet Thunder

Jon bought Isabelle a bike. Not just any bike, but "Sweet Thunder". This may not mean much to you. But, you see, I had a "Sweet Thunder" huffy bike when I was Izzie's age. It was the best bike ever! Izzie wasn't quite as excited as I was. At first I thought she didn't want it because it was used, so we sat down for a talk. It soon became apparent that she was just scared to ride a big bike without training wheels.


Ben and Jon both worked with her and in one day, she got it. She now loves her "Sweet Thunder" bike and rides like a pro. Thanks Uncle Jon! Now we just have to work on stopping.

3 months...already

We had Oliver's 3 month pictures taken. They turned out pretty cute, although he laughed and smiled only off camera. The lady kept saying " aww boo" and it scared him half to death. But cute pics none the less.

Oliver's Room

I finally got Oliver's room somewhat together. I thought it turned out pretty cute. I went with a retro vintage look. He even got his first sock monkey.

It is really fun decorating for a boy. I also made burp rags to match is very boy blankets and quilts, most with a retro feel. Thanks Mom! Everything is so cute in blues and oranges and greens. A big change from the abundance of pink in the other rooms. I will post my burp rags and quilts I'm working on when they are done as well as my mom's quilts and blankets. Now when I actually finish them remains to be seen.

Fab-u-lous!

Isabelle is Sharpay mixed with Gabriella from High School Musical at age 6. It is the funniest thing to watch Izzie and Allie drive down the sidewalk in the pink convertible. The first time she took it out Izzie almost went off edge of the sidewalk. She turned around, giggled, and said in her best valley girl voice, "Oops, sorry I wasn't paying attention". My mind fast forwarded 1o years--scary. I have to say she has become a pretty good driver. Three point turns are easy now. It is priceless to hear them scream, "Woo-hoo" as they take off and Allie's hands fly up in the air. They wave to all of the neighbors and kids as we drive down the walking trails to the park where they make an appearance before heading back.

Izzie told Allie not to tell her how to drive. She said, "Siit back, relax, listen to some music." and then turned on the barbie rave music on the car radio. Hmm, is she listening to Daddy in the car? Although, I taught Allie a few bad habits in the car. I honked a friendly honk to tell someone to go at a green and she threw her hands up in the air and exasperated said, "Gees, come on!" I really should watch that. Anyway, they have a blast in their pink mustang. And I have a small glimpse of them in high school. Which is so cute and so scary at the same time.

Thanks Mom!

I am back in Arizona and I left without leaving a note for my mom so this is it:

Mom,
Thank you so much for all of your help. I don't know how I would've done it without you. Thank you for watching my girls and taking such good care of them. Thank you for figuring out outfits, doing hair, taking Izzie to school, picking up, doing homework. Thank you for doing endless laundry and cleaning. Thank you for waking up at 12 and 3 and 5 when you heard the baby cry. Thank you for talking, encouraging, and uplifting. Thank you for taking care of sick girls, all 3 of us. Thank you for making the holidays so wonderful. Thank you for the customized breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Thank you for all of the amazing quilts and blankets. Thank you for cuddling my girls. Thank you for being such an amazing mother, grandmother, and friend. I love you so much and I appreciate you more than you will ever know. I love you.

Peace, Joy, and Love

Here is our Christmas card birth announcement we sent out this year. Again by Jess Bishop. They turned out so pretty with a pearl finish.

2 am

This is Oliver at 2 am. He was so awake and being so cute I had to take pictures. I just wanted to take a moment to talk about that sweet time around 2 or 3 am. That is when my babies would wake up to eat. All three of my kids always wake up very happy. You can still wake them up from a dead sleep and they will smile and talk and then go back to bed. Oliver does the same thing. I love those moments in the middle of night when no one else is up, I have had some rest, and the house is still. During those moments I feel like I really get to know my baby. My heart is very full as he smiles and coos. I love the way babies look when they nurse. And although you can't capture that moment on camera, it is a little picture in my head. I just don't think there is anyting sweeter. That image is just a little acorn, to save for later.

Introducing...

...Isabelle, Alexandra and Oliver Karren


I thought I should spend one entry to introduce the kids on my blog, now that I am officially blogging. Plus I needed to show off my new pictures taken by my new favorite photographer in Utah, Jess Bishop (byjess.com).

Isabelle



Isabelle Elaine just turned six the beginning of November. She is such an a amazing little girl. She is so genuine and sweet to everyone she meets. She is a born leader. It is so adorable how quickly she makes friends and she naturally just leads her little friends. She is always so quick to include everyone. Isabelle has always been so talented. She has the most amazing voice with an incredible ability with her pitch and tone. She also has an uncanny ability to memorize anything and everything. She was one of the youngest to be accepted to the piano program at Carnegie Mellon. It is a very good program. The director was so impressed with her musical ability. I'm sure one day she will do something with her talent. But for now I will enjoy the gorgeous voice singing in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Her dancing, singing, conversation, and cuddling just brightens up the house. She really is like a little ray of sunshine. Isabelle is such a strong little spirit. She amazes me everyday and I feel so humble to be her mother.

Alexandra



Alexandra Grace is three years old. She is such a little cuddle bug. I have to admit I will miss when she grows out of holding necks. I have really started to love her affectionate little idiosyncrasies. She sucks her little lip and rubs her hand all around your neck. She loves to cuddle, especially in the morning. She is so funny too. She loves to make jokes and laughs out loud at herself. She loves her sister and her new little brother. Isabelle is her little role model. But Allie is a little more irreverent, and you can't help but love her for it. She loves to get a little messy, but still in her dress-up dress complete with accessories. She reminds me a lot of myself as a little girl. This year has been so fun with her. She misses her sister at school, but we have been able to have a lot of one on one time and I loved it. She is so accommodating and easy going. I told her that I didn't want her to be big, I wanted her to be my little baby. She thought for a second, looked introspective and then sweetly said, "I can be a baby." She is such a sweet little girl.

Oliver



Oliver Benjamin is 1 month old. Already I feel so lucky to have such a pure little spirit in my care. He is such a good little baby. He only cries when he is hungry, but watch out if you don't get it to him right away. That is the only time you see his little temper. He is so mellow compared to the girls. He has been such a little trooper through his difficult entrance into this world. His little spirit is so strong. I love him so much already. It is amazing how quickly they become a part of your heart.

Christmas

Christmas was very low key this year. I actually finished shopping for Christmas by November. I was pretty proud of myself. Good thing too seeing how full our November and beginning of December was. The girls got absolutely everything they could've wanted.

Oliver was so cute in the little hat Uncle Dan gave hime!

I loved having my little family all together for Christmas. Ben actually had 5 days off. It was just a relief to have him there. We had been in survival mode for the last few weeks. We watched "The Nativity" and just hung out and talked with everyone. My mom's tree was amazing. She had an upside down tree dripping wih crystals. With the glow of the tree, the fireplace, the huge windows open to the snow covered mountains, it couldn't have been a more perfect holiday.

Oliver's Blessing

Oliver was blessed on December 23rd in my parent's Alpine ward. The blessing was so touching. We had so many people from our extended family that were able to be there. It really was special to have everyone there. Arlie (Ben's Grandma) held Oliver during the rest of the service which was so wonderful, because we don't get to see her and Chuck very often. My grandma and grandpa were able to be there. And so many more in our family. Thank you all for coming, you make us feel so loved.



Our new and improved family.



Nani & Papa



Nana & Papi



Grandma Arlie



Grandma & Grandpa "Great" Whiting

Daddy Weekends

We left on November 20th and won't be going back to Arizona until the first week in January. Ben has been flying up on the weekends. He has been going all over the country for dental residency programs as well. So, needless to say the girls are so excited when he comes. They have both been having more of a hard time than I anticipated with tears every time he leaves. So, he makes the most of his time with them.


Ben was a great architect and the girls made fabulous designers on the gingerbread house.


From a pint sized snowman to a snow ball fight, the girls had fun in the snow with their daddy.

Little Man

I just thought these were so cute of Oliver. He looks like such a little man!

Baby Oliver Comes Home

The girls simply adore their new brother. They just can't get enough of him.



From his head to his little piggie toes.


Isabelle is so good with him, a little mommy. Alexandra's favorite moment with him so far is when he stretched, his head went back and you oculd see his neck. She gasped and squealed, "He opened his neck!" And her little hand went right on his neck. That's Allie's comfort thing. She holds necks, she likes to rub your neck and suck her bottom lip. We will have to watch that one!

Ben finally got another man in the house. It was getting a little pink! Oliver looks so much like Ben, but with a little Whiting in him too.

Oliver Benjamin Karren

We are so excited to welcome a baby boy to our family!
Oliver Benjamin Karren
November 24, 2007
7 pounds 7 ounces



We came to Utah November 20th and I went into labor the day after Thanksgiving, November 24th, even though I wasn't due until December 14th. Mom took to the hospital and they gave me a shot to stop the labor. It worked for a couple of hours, just long enough for us to be at James' blessing(Mike & Stef's newest baby). By the end of the blessing I was about 5 minutes apart. Yet, I still went home, thinking it would settle down when I laid down. It soon became aparent I had to go back to the hospital. Oliver came via c-section around 2 am. I had a rocky nauseating c-section and it didn't get much better. Dad had taken the baby and it looked like he needed some work, and then he was taken out. I looked up and saw Ben and Dad looking like this...


I started to panic because I couldn't tell if Dad was telling me everything or waiting till I was stitched back up. I didn't see Oliver for a day and a half after that first picture. His cord had kinked in the birth canal, the blood could go out, but not in, so he had lost a third of his blood supply. His lungs wouldn't inflate, his oxygen was low, and respiratory rate was high. He was basically in shock.

Dad put filled him with fluid, more than they usually do,just to try to get him to the point that his lungs would inflate. He was so swollen, he couldn't open his eyes, but at least he was breathing.

It was a long week in the NICU. After all the other things started to resolve, his bilirubin spiked. Dad figured out that mine and his blood were slightly incompatible and his body was fighting my antibodies. So, we added bili lights to his tubes and cords. He started to pull out of it and we were released a little over a week from his birth.


I feel so lucky and blessed that my dad was there. I really think there was a reason that we couldn't transfer our insurance and that we had to go to Utah for his birth. Because I really don't know what would've happened if my dad wouldn't have been there. I wouldn't have had any pediatrician there because I wasn't considered high risk or anything. And it took quick and aggressive work to get him going. I appreciate you so much Dad and I love you to pieces. Thank you for being the great man and doctor that you are.


When we finally got home, Alexandra came down with a horrible flu bag with constant vomiting all night long. Then one night off. Then Isabelle got it even worse than Alexandra. Then one night off. Then I got it. I really wouldn't have made it if it weren't for my mom. She would come in and bring the baby to me, change sheets, get bowls, and all the wonderful mom things. Poor Ben felt very helpless back in Arizona. Not only did he have to fly back and forth for work, but he had dental residency interviews during it all.

I also have to thank my mom for taking such good care of my kids while I was in the hospital. I really didn't worry about them at all while I was in the hospital. And for anyone that knows how I am with my kids, that is huge. I am a little paranoid and a bit of a control freak. But, she did such a good job that Izzie was actually excited about the plan we put in place in case Ben & I died, that she and Allie would like with Nani & Papa. She actually squealed in delight. Should I be offended? No, I am happy that they would feel so loved and so at home.

By mid December, I finally felt like it was finally kind of normal and I could really start to enjoy my new little man! It was a hard start, but he is worth it.