Christensen Reunion July 23-25

So we went to a cabin in Kilgore Idaho for the Christensen reunion, and we were lucky enough to get the room in the cabin since we had Kherrington.  It was so nice to have a little area close to everything.  I think we would have been on the outs a lot if we weren't right in the middle of it! Thanks JaNae! It was beautiful weather and the surroundings were wonderful too.  Carlos' family also got to use the loft.  So lucky for everyone, by this time Kherrington was only waking up once a night about 2:30-3:00 AM.  Chad went on a horse ride on Camero.  Camero wasn't cooperating as well as normal and Chad was pretty sore.
I was just able to enjoy the time in the cabin and the trees where everyone's trailers were parked.

Wrigley Reunion July 16-19

So this year the Wrigley reunion was held at Reunion Flats in the Grand Tetons(Just past Driggs WY). Kherrington and I went with my parent's and brother Ryan and met at Derek's to finish loading some some bikes in the trailer. We got up there on Thursday July 16th late afternoon/evening and we were assigned dinner that night. So we got to getting dinner ready right away. Spaghetti and garlic french bread. Yum!!

So afterward we set up our camp sites. Kherrington and I were camping in my parent's utility trailer. I had brought our double decker twin air mattress and then my parent's pack and play. Mom even set up a lawn chair in the corner so I could use it to breast feed at night. We used a propane lantern to help heat up the place and light up the trailer while I was breastfeeding. It worked pretty great. Kherrington did pretty good, besides wanting to eat every 3-4 hours, she did awesome! She kept warm with the pajama sleeper we had her in and an afghan that I received from a co-worker. She has this nasty habit of struggling until her hands are free from her swaddling, so she had some cold little hands at times when we got up to feed. Kherrington didn't have too hard of a time warming them up by placing them on the bare portions of skin. BURRR it was cold when you're not wrapped up. Grandpa Joos had a great idea of putting warm water in a plastic bottle and we wrapped it and placed it in the bassinet with her. It was AWESOME, it was like having a heater in the bed with her. Thanks Dad!!

Kherrington had lots of offers to hold her. Some of the most persistent ones were, Halle, Kaia, Cassidy, Breanna, and Aunt Mel. Here's a picture of Halle taking her turn.

When someone wasn't holding her and between feedings we'd let her rest in her car seat that was padded with a blanket. It got pretty warm during the day, but as long as we stayed under the shade of the huge pine trees we stayed pretty comfortable. At least I was comfortable, but this is how Kherrington would work her way into laying almost every time she was down.
I have no idea how that is anyway comfortable, but it may explain how she was in my belly...head down in my pelvis with those feet up kicking my ribs on the right side and that little bum on left side of my tummy!! That really was how she was most of the pregnancy.

Aunt Edith had many fun activities planned, most of which Kherrington and I didn't participate in, cause of the proximity of the birth. On Friday, the majority of the camp hiked to Table Rock. One thing is that I'm not hiker, let alone still taking Tylenol and ibuprofen around the clock for pain control, which pretty much did the job. But Dad, Ryan, Derek, and Brittney went from our family. Way to go! Something I'll probably never do, but I admire those that can and do enjoy it.

That afternoon Edith had the beaded watch bands craft that are so popular right now. I didn't have a need of another watch and so I didn't make one, but I wish I had watched more carefully so I could make one later, maybe for gifts. She had very beautiful beads and such an assortment!! That evening we had a program and games about the Independence of the USA. We had a trivia game and Uncle Mark talked about the importance of our freedom and the appreciation we should all have for those who have and do serve our country to keep us free. It was a neat evening and I learned a lot of facts I didn't know about past presidents and our country.

On Saturday it was Luau day. In the afternoon we did our first annual duck race and Kherrington's duck won a prize. So here's a picture of her at my parent's home in her froggie jammies in her froggie chair "that she'll grow into." Isn't she cute! I just love it.

After the duck race, we got into teams and we had to decide who from our team would do a hula hoop contest, limbo contest. These both needed 2 people. Also 3 people to do the balloon toss, 1 to toss balloons and 2 to catch with a towel. They also had one that was for a man to do, but was left a mystery what they would have to do. On my team was Uncle Tom, Uncle Larry, Cousin Natalie and Lacey, Lacey's little girl Amy, and Jack (Tiffany's 3rd child). So I got to do the Limbo and was supposed to be one of the 3 for the balloon toss.

I thought at first that I'd only be doing the balloon toss. Well I got 2nd place in the Limbo, came in right after Aspen. Who knew that a newly post pregnant lady could do so well at Limbo, with a rear ender that is tender, a chest bigger than it's ever been (therefore much more top heavy than I'm used to). It was crazy! But I was glad to contribute a few points for our team. Then Kherrington got a crying shortly there afterwards and needed to be fed, so Natalie stepped in and did the balloon toss for me. They did really great. Here's a picture of the kids sitting in the grass just awaiting the next event.

We concluded with the finale' of the men's competition. So the men had to dress up in a grass skirt and coconut shells and strut their stuff on the picnic tables you see in the picture above. It was the cat walk. It was voted by the cheering by the crowd. It was so funny. All my mom and I could think was, "I'm so glad that Chad wasn't here, wouldn't he just die if he was chosen to do this!!!" Even though I missed Chad terribly, at least I got to talk to him on the phone, cause we had cell phone coverage!! Oh YEAH!! But it also gave me a chance to care for Kherrington almost all by myself. My parent's were busy helping watch the rest of the grand kids, so on occasion they'd come take her, or someone else would hold her, but I did most of it. It was nice way to start transitioning into the days that I knew would be coming later.
After that evenings meal we went home to get ready for the Sabbath and ther responsiblities that they had at church. Some of the rest stayed the night and left the following morning. We just never seem to get enough time. I could have stayed for days more, despite the freezing cold mid night feedings.

ROAD TRIP

So my mom was so nice and came to stay with us on the 4th of July. Her help was great. She really made it so Chad and I could enjoy the time with Kherrington and me to recover. Thanks MOM!!

My parents were also nice enough to help me get to go to the Wrigley Reunion(Mom's family). The Wrigley Reunion has always been the highlight of my summer ever since I can remember. So naturally I was really bummed out when I found out Chad's rotation was going through the weekend that it was scheduled. The thought of sitting at home, while Chad was at school, while the reunion was going on just killed me. So my mom came on the 4th of July to stay with us and then we (Mom, Kherrington, and I) drove to Idaho for the reunion. The sad part is that Chad was left here all alone.

I always think it'll be a great plan to go back home, but when it comes down to it, I hate leaving Chad. I was a wreck the entire day before we left. I just cried that night as we sat on the couch together!! I blame it on the hormones that hadn't straightened out yet; In reality though, it's just me. So on July 14th, Our 3rd Anniversary, we said good-bye to Chad and hit the road to Idaho. How mean of me!!

Kherrington did really well with the car ride though. She would sleep once we got going about 35 mph or higher and then would wake up as we stopped to get gas and eat, then I would feed her while my mom ate. Then my mom would drive while I ate and took a nap and then we'd switch and start over. So the normal 9 hour drive took us about 11 hours total, but I can't complain because she slept the entire way.

Kherrington in her car seat. This picture is actually from her first time in the car seat

coming home from the hospital.

The only problem with that is then she wanted to wake up every 3 hours during the night to eat that night. I know, I know, most moms out there are saying 3 hour increments at night is wonderful for a newborn. But Kherrington was sleeping 4-5 hours at night from the 2nd night at home. So the majority of the nights, I'd feed late around 11 and only have had to get up once during the night and get up around 6-7 am for another feeding. (The really nice thing is that my mom would wake up around that time and then took Kherrington after I fed her and then I got to sleep for a few more hours too.)

Kherrington then was kind of cranky the entire next day after our drive, not the easy going, happy, pleasant baby we'd know for the weeks before. Just in time for Janet (Chad's mom) and some of his niece's to see her be fussy.

With this fussiness came plenty of opportunity to hold her, and my youngest brother Ryan took full advantage. She got so she was very comfortable with him and I'd come in the living room and find something similar to the picture below!!

Or I'd find her in Mom and Dad's room with Ryan while he watched TV and was playing around on his computer. It was very nice to have others that she felt comfortable with and gave me a break on occasion when I need to get something done