The Lira's

A few nice days, finished quilt, and a big birthday.

2012-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Michael playing in the sunshine.

My first quilt all by myself.

Michael being a ham. Any time he sees the camera, he wants to have his picture taken.

Birthday boy getting ready to eat dinner.

Michael taking his turn at the pinata.

And it all comes down.

For me?

Forget whats inside, the wrapper is the best part.

Let's do this thing.

Mamma helping with the candle.

Before any destruction.

Not too sure what to do.

Maybe...

Well, it squishes nicely.

I guess it won't hurt to taste.

Where did it go?

I think I'm done.

Before the first haircut...

And after.

Both boys playing.

Michael being a "dragon" with his sticker letters.

Finally, the Christmas edition.

2012-01-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Michael helped me get the desert ready for the ward Christmas party.

Too tired to wait to get cleaned up.

Michael and Gabriel

Before lunch.

The remains. Not much left over.

Gabriels wrists had marks on them from the seams and buttons on the shirt. He's a little pudge.

Early Christmas with Erik and Melanie's family. Watch Kyler's face as the boys get ready to open their first present.

Gabriel getting ready to open his first present.

The aftermath.

The merry go round at the mexican mall. Michael loves it and it is cheap.

Crashing after a busy day.

Grandpa Wanek's Christmas shirt.

Christmas morning. I could harldy get the zipper up over Gabriel's leg. I didn't anticipate when I bought the pj's in May that he would be quite so big.

After church getting ready to open presents.

Gabriel playing wiht his new water bottle. The only thing he would play with besides the wrapping paper.

While trying to pull himself up on the empty laundry basket, he was more successfull in imprisoning himself. I thought it was funny, but Gabriel only laughed for a minute.

Michael loves his pirate dress ups. With church this year being so late, I let him run around in his underwear so he stays clean and there isn't as much drama over changing clothes.

So comfy with a full belly.

To tired to even eat his cookie.

Riding the merry go round and Chuckie Cheese's for the early birthday celebration for Gabriel.

Enjoying birthday cake.

Thinking about it.

The remains. Not too big of a mess. He was kind of too tired to really get into it.

Portraits!!! And Pictures!!!

2011-12-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

No real words. Just pictures of what is going on here. Sorry for the delays.

What are we up to...

2011-08-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

After touching the fan, sleeping in strange configurations

My happy boys

Michael, Wyatt and Kyler at Erik and Mel's. It's great to have family living closer.

The next calamity, falling off my bed.

Gabriel sound asleep.

Not much is happening here. The heat seems to have broken somewhat. I can actually feel a difference in the days that reach 100. Michael is doing great with potty training and Gabriel is starting to get over his cold. Really not much going on here. Hope everyone is doing well.

Stinkin, stupid camera and trips to the ER

2011-08-12T00:16:00.000-07:00

I lost my camera. I know it is somewhere in my house, but I have no clue where. Grrr. I wanted to take a video of Michael saying "No touching the fan, you'll get boo boos." He now has personal experience with this. After a lovely five hours in the ER, some x-rays, stitches, many tears, a lost nail and some blood, I think it has sunken in. When I say that something is dangerous, it usually is. There is a 50/50 chance his nail won't grow back because of the way it was chopped off (which would stink because it is the ring finger of his left hand), but all things considered, Michael was very lucky. Had it been the fan we run in the garage for the dog with the metal blades, he probably would have chopped off the tip of his finger. So he now has a really cool hand splint thing for the next little while. In other news, I have ghettofied my house and put tin foil on the windows. But, it has made a big difference in controling the heat in my house (and when you have been sitting in a house that gets over 90 degrees for a few days running, you will do the same.) The next step is the insulating foam. I just have to take measurements of the windows. Also, Gabriel is trying to pull himself up on all fours. He has mastered the backwards army crawl. Now it is just moving forward.

Wish me luck as I try to endure the heat (I need to make cookies or something for my neighbor who came over on a moments notice so I could take Michael). As soon as I find the camera, I have lots of pictures. Hope everyone is doing well. Sorry it took me so long to get everyone added to the private list.

Michael's Birthday & Colorado

2011-07-17T20:44:00.001-07:00

The boys now share a room. Yeah!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy Birthday Michael!!! Three Years Old!!!

Estes Park, CO

The marmot.

The tundra.

Michael didn't like the snow in his shoes. I forgot how cold it is in your shoes.

Splashing in the runnoff with Aunt Ashleen.

Dad's most recent fashion statement.

Michael's first mint chocolate chip ice cream cone. He loved it.

Picture at Hidden Valley in Rocky Mountain National Forest.

Cool tree root system.

So tired after a short hike.

Michael and his Junior Forest Ranger Firefighter badge.

Rhianne and I were being too loud with our movie for Ashleen. So Rhianne gave her a nice noise barrier.

Michael gettign ready to go swimming.

The child has no shame.

What's Up!

2011-06-23T21:15:00.001-07:00

Just the temperature. This month has been spent running to different doctors appointments all over the metroplex. Michael had his shots, a novelty for him seeing as nearly every time we got to the doctors it is for Gabriel. We also had a family night at one of the traveling carnivals that came through the area. Michael had a blast on the rides, except for the ferris wheel. We had a stray puppy for a few days. Michael loved him, but I found a no kill shelter to take him to. Henry was supper cute and I have no doubt that he will be adopted very quickly. Michael cried when we had to leave him, and still asks "Where's Hemmer?" (He couldn't quite get the 'nr' sound.) Gabriel had his nuclear medicine test and another urodynamics done earlier this week. We go back to the doctor next Friday for those results. He aslo had a swallow test done on Wednesday. Poor baby is now sick with a cold and constipated from all of the barium they had to use in the foods for it to show up on the images. Other than that, we are all doing ok. Trying to survive the heat and getting ready for Eriks graduation from the State Troopers Academy. Then the boys and I are headed up north for a family reunion and visiting relatives. Can't wait to escape the humidity here.

Sharing the high chair.

Right before the swallow test started.

Michael and Henry, on the way to drop him off to find a new home.

They both had their tongues handing out, it was cute.

Jumping on the private train.

2011-06-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

Yep, we are going to go private. If you want to be able to see our blog, just leave me a comment with your email address and I will add you to the list. I've been thinking about doing it for a while, but potential jobs and current job security are making it a necessity. P-Day is going to be Fathers Day. Thanks.

Updates on Lira Life

2011-06-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I need to find a new title. Oh well. Here are a few pictures of what we have been doing. The hail is from the night of our big tornado scare. I kind of freaked out a little bit. Gabriel is doing great after his surgery. He is now 4 months, almost 17 pounds, wearing size 6-9 months, and eating some solids in addition to 6-8 oz milk. He is our little chunky monkey. Michael's potty training is going really well. (I'm afraid to say that or anything more about it, you know, in case it all falls apart.) He doesn't like to stop playing to do it, but he will. He also loves to help me unload the dishwasher, move laundry to the dryer, play pat-a-cake with Gabriel's feet, anything to do with dinosaurs, dragons, monsters or scary things in general, and he has also developed a fondness for puzzles and play dough. I finally broke out the pool today. It was just too stinkin hot. Michael is in hog heaven, and Gabriel didn't seem to mind it too much either. I found a store that I love. Charming Charlie. Mom, the next time you come out here, we need to go there, I think you will like it. That's pretty much it in a nutshell for us here.

Fun with playdough.

The biggest hail stones I have ever seen in person.

Hanging out with daddy.

The first smile caught on camera!!! The peas didn't go over as well as the carrots.

Michael playing in the water.

Oops...

2011-05-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I hit the publish key. Guess not. Here are some pictures of the goings on in the Lira household. Gabriel it doing great after his shunt surgery, and he has started on solids and seems to love them. I started potty training Michael on Monday. It is a battle of wills that I am determinded to win. Even if I have to basically live in the bathroom with him for the next month. (I really hope it doesn't come to that) Ephraim is doing well, he has been transfered to another store where he is getting trained to take over when the GM goes on maternity leave. Hopefully this will bring good things as we continue to wait for the PD.

My new toy shelf. I love it. All the toys are so much more accessible.

My couch face lift. I just need to make new covers for the pillows. Slip covers for sectionals are nearly impossible to find. But a king sized sheet set is actually cheaper and looks just a good.

Bath time, Michael loves to put wash cloths on their heads.

Feeling sick in Mamma's bed. Michael had another bout of bronchitis.

I opened up a new DVD, and Michael loved the stickers.

The zoo had a big dinosaur exhibit going this summer. We took the boys since Michael has been so into them lately. He didn't like these ones. They look a little different than the toys or books or movies. He kept calling them "Bad Dinosaurs" The display was very impressive though.

The T-Rex and her baby. All of the dinosaurs moved and made noise. Very cool. I'm not going to try and name them all, becuase I don't know them and I would get them wrong if I were to guess.

The cute penguins.

Parrots/Macaws They were really bright.

Michael was not happy to be that close.

The lazy lions.

The cute black bear, sniffing the cotton in the wind. It looked like it was snowing there was so much in the air.

Baby dinosaurs. I thought they were cute. Michael was emphatic that they also were "Bad Dinosaurs"

This was the first one we saw. I thought Ephraim holding Michael would work. Obviously it didn't.

Easter

2011-04-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Look Mom, I couponed and saved 25%

Michael asked to hold Gabriel for the first time. This is the result of mom pulling out the camera.

This just doesn't look comfortable to me.

He's getting so big!!!

I sort of caught a smile.

Daddy showing Michael how to break confetti eggs.

He got it and loved it.

Breaking one on Daddy's head.

A total hit. We now have a new Easter tradition. I had never heard of it before, but it was really funny to watch.

The haul.

My boys. Michael was more interested in the candy.

Me and my kiddos.

I hope every one had a Happy Easter.

Gabriel in his easter outfit.

Updates on Lira Life

2011-04-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

So, lots has happened since we came home. The weather got hot, Tinkerbell moved to Minnesota with Ephraim's parents, Michael cut a new tooth, my Mom came to visit, Gabriel was blessed and grew and grew and grew. The first night home, he hasn't slepts in the moses basket for over a month now. He outgrew it in two weeks.

Snoozing in the bath after Grandma Smith arrived.

Michael will now smile when you ask him too if the camera is out.

Brotherly love is still growing. Michael wasn't too keen on having Gabriel next to him. Specifically touching him was an issue. He is much better now. Gabriel is now included in the nightly ritual of kisses goodnight for the family.

Gabriel Thomas Lira on his blessing day, March 6, 2011. Ephraim gave a beautiful blessing.

My chunky monkey, twelve pounds at two months. At the last weigh in on Sunday, he was just under 14 lbs.

Handsome as can be.

My first attempt at making Michael summer clothes. I think I did pretty well, once I figured out how to wind the bobbin. I have since made two more pairs of shorts for him and I am quite pleased. Michael likes the prints.

Daddy and Gabriel passed out on the couch.

Michael in his new pool. He does love it, just not when grasshoppers land in it. I can't say that I blame him. I don't do insects. Here is a brief video of Michael playing in the water. It is the highlight of his day when he gets home from the babysitters.

I officially turned in my two weeks notice last Thrusday, so as of April 21, I will have joined the ranks of stay at home motherhood. I can't wait. Friday, April 22 is the day potty training begins. Wish me luck.

We're Coming Home

2011-02-12T21:31:00.001-08:00

One Week Old

Resting peacefully the night before the MRI. Not an experience I ever want to repeat.

Waking up from anesthesia after the MRI. Who does he look like?

We got great news today. The MRI results were great. Gabriel shows no signs of swelling, the ventricles of his brain are holding steady, and the repair on his back looks great with no signs of any complications. We aren't going to have to have shunts put in at this point. According to the neurosurgeon, the longer he goes without needing to be shunted, the less likely it is that he will ever need them. By this point, most babies who are going to need them, will already have them or be displaying the signs of hydrocephalus. He is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and the urodynamics test to follow immediately. Hopefully we will be on a plane home that night, but we should be back by Wednesday at the latest. Neither Ephraim or I can wait to have our entire family together. I've missed Michael like crazy and am excited to have him meet his little brother. I am truly blessed and honored to have been chosen to be Gabriel's mother. He has already taught me so much about faith and the power of the priesthood. I am also grateful that I married a man who is worthy to hold the priesthood and honors it. Gabriel has had many blessings since birth, and the spirit that has attended us has been stronger than I have ever felt it before. I truly have a special spirit to bring home and raise. Both of my sons have added to my life in ways I never imagined. I am honored to be their mother, and hope I can be equal to the task of raising them to be stewards of the only living God.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and faith that Heavenly Father would provide for our son.

Past due update on Gabriel

2011-02-06T21:51:00.001-08:00

Delivery day, the last pregancy picture
Shortly after delivery, the first time I saw him. 7lbs, 4oz and 20 inches long. Born at 11:03am
Calmed down and wraped up in the Intensive Care Nursery.

The full extent of the spina bifida defect. The bubble ruptured during delivery. One of the nurses in the ICN said Gabriel's defect is the biggest she has seen.

Getting ready to head down to surgery on Tuesday, 2/1.

Right after surgery, poor baby, it lasted for eight hours.
Day one post op: very swollen baby, added oxygen.

Day two post op: stable and in no pain, still very swollen.

Day three post op: feeding tube added, started trying to intoduce foods.

Day four post op: feeding tube and oxygen removed, weaned off of morphine, iv's and pain meds removed and discontinued. Day five post op: most of the swelling gone. First day wearing "clothes". I have been able to hold Gabriel and nurse him for a bit over the last two days. He opened both eyes for the first time Saturday night, video below. He is eating up to 3oz per feeding, and becoming more and more alert. He still gets the hiccups often, usually after burping, and has moved up to the newborn size diapers. So far his head is looking great and showing no signs of swelling. Bladder and bowel functions are going great (with the aid of catheters). And he is pretty mellow until he gets hungry. He is by far the loudest baby in his ICN bay, and he continues to astound doctors and nurses with his leg and foot control and strenght. We were told by the neurosurgeon who did he back repair that he sees absolutely no reason that Gabriel not be able to walk on is own. He said that there are other children who exhibit some strength in their feet but they have not shown the atrticulation in thier ankels and feet that Gabriel has, and they usually end up needing braces, but are able to walk, but Gabriel is acting just like a normal baby. The only thing that is different, is the repair site on his back and the need for catheters, and that time will tell how much they are going to be necessary.

After eating and feeling social.

Day four post op video: Opened eyes and hiccups.

All in all, Gabriel is doing fantastic. We are feeling very blessed, especially after seeing some of the other babies in the ICN. Heavenly Father has blessed our little boy tremendously. Thank you for all of the prayers and support on our behalf. Michael is doing very well at home with Grandma Wanek. They call a couple of times a day, and he still isn't very good about talking on the phone, but we can hear him in the background having a blast. We can't wait to get back to Ft. Worth and resume life as a family. I will try to be a little better about posting, but at this moment, no promises.

Merry Christmas, and a late update.

2010-12-26T17:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, first of all, Merry Christmas!!! We love you all and miss you! Hope you had as great a family day as we did. Here are a few pictures from the last two months.

Michael as a dragon/dinosaur for Halloween. He caught on to Trick-or-Treating quick.

Me at 26 weeks, right after we got home from San Fansisco.

The moses basket Gabriel will sleep in when he comes home. Isn't it pretty!

The end of nap time. I came into this.

And this. A brand new bottle of baby powder, is now only 1/3 full.

Christmas morning next to the tree.

Touching the tree, and for the first and only time not being shooed away.

Crawling on the gifts. After he finally was ready to move on to the next gift.

Checking out the dinosaur pillow teeth.

Forget the pillow. The box is way more fun.

And the best present of the day...

Love at first sight.

And the new Woody, the old one got lost, it was a long few weeks.

Playing with the favorites.

Six hours later...

My new wall quilt. Thank you, Mom, I love it.

The tree house from Aunt Marilyn. Definatly a hit.

And finally, me in all my large glory at 32 weeks. Four more to go! Ready to be done. I will never be one of those women who adores being pregnant. The last trimester always kills any enjoyment that may have been derived from the experiance. We can't wait to meet our little Gabriel.

Introducing...

2010-10-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Gabriel Thomas Lira

Yep, we are expecting another little boy, and couldn't be more pleased. For those of you who don't already know, Gabriel does have spina bifida with a cerebral herniation. The medical term is a Chiari II malformation with Miningomyelocell. The news was a shock, but we are already making plans for his treatment, and his prognosis looks very good. As of right now he is growing right on track with what he should be for his gestational age, and very much a mover. He will be delivered a few weeks early by C-Section, but that is the safest way for him to be born risking the least amount of damage to the membrane sack on his lower back. He will require surgery with in a day or so of being born to repair the spina bifida, and possibly additional surgeries for brain shunts to help drain the spinal fluid and prevent hydrocephalus. We are looking into participating in a clinical trial that may or may not require me to have a prenatal surgery to close the lesion in Gabriel's back. The sooner the lesion is repaired, the less likely it seems that he would require brain shunts, which would mean surgery his entire life. Here is the link if you want to look at more information regarding the study. (www.spinabifidamoms.com) I meet with the perinatologist at the end of the week to get all of my paperwork in order and submitted. Hopefully we will know with in the next week or so weather or not we have been accepted for screening. These last few days have defiantly been a strengthening time for my testimony. There is no way I would have been able to function if it weren't for the power of the priesthood and the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful that Ephraim is a worthy priesthood holder and he is able to bless and guide our family. I know the Lord will not give us any more than we can handle, and he will guide us through this journey with our little boy. I know that our family has been blessed, and that the Lord is guiding us in every decision we make. We were sent to Texas for a reason, and I firmly believe, that it is because Heavenly Father knew we would need to be somewhere close to specialist who have experience and knowledge in caring for infants with these kinds of health problems. Thank you for all of your prayers on our behalf. We truly do appreciate them. We hope everyone is doing well, and we will continue to keep you informed.

Yeah, the picture is kind of blurry, sorry, it really is the best one I took. :/

The place for Gabriel to sleep when he comes home. He and Michael will be sharing a room, so we will have Buzz one one side, and the Silly Safari on the other. I love the way it turned out.

Michael loves wearing underwear. Still no success with using the toilet, but we are working on it.

How many tools can I fit into my pockets? and gaps, and loops?

Playing peek-a-boo with the dish cloth after dinner.

Finally, we have portraits. He wasn't very co-operative, as you can see by the two clicks of the shutter, but we did get one that looks good. I'm pleased with the outcome. I got a work out in at the same time.

Not two days after getting pictures done, we have a new bump. Poor little guy, this is less than 10 minutes after getting his head smacked against a door jam.

As we approach the half way point.

2010-09-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy with Micheal at 15 weeks below, and to the right, this pregnancy at 15 weeks. Bit of a difference.

18 weeks on the right, 19 weeks on the left. Three more days till we find out if we are having a dog or a cat. I can't wear heels this time round, my hips bother me way to much. I think it's from sitting all day in a lousy chair. Oh well. Not the end of the world. I don't think I will ever be supprised and wait till the delivery to find out what I am having. I'm too impatient. Not that anyone is really supprized.

A week in review via pictures.

2010-09-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

Playing "Puppy" outside. Good thing the knees were reinforced.

Devouring the last of my birthday cake.

I went to check on him durring nap time because it gotten too quiet, at least he was finally asleep.

One of Michael's favorite games, tearing all the back cushins off the couch and diving into them. Probably one of my least favorite games.

Playing driver in mama's car while I clean it out.

Michael started rolling his tounge today. He's quite proud of the accomplishment, and I think it's just too cute.

The new bookcase, waiting for the boxes to come out of the garage and fill it up.

My center piece on the new book shelf.

Me in all my Saturday beauty at 17 weeks, not quite half way, two more weeks to go for the ultra sound. Sorry it's so dark, I forgot to turn on the light.

Hope everyone is well! Have a great week.

Yeah, it's been a bit.

2010-09-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been about a month since I last posted. Not much has happened other than three miserable weeks of triple digit temps, a trip to San Antonio during that time, yeah, won't happen again in the summer. Michael loved the stairs in the condo we stayed at. Nearly gave us a heart attack a few times. We celebrated his birthday with Ephraim's dad and girlfriend. Michael loves his new cars. And the book is perfect. Everytime he sees a lion or bear or other animal that makes a scary type noise, he roars while pointing at it. We started working on snakes, and he has the hiss down. The heat finally broke today, and I am loving it. It's been pretty uneventful here. Marilyn did come down for a visit. I don't know why I didn't think to take some pictures. But Michael absolutely loved her. Enjoy the pictures below, hope all is well with everyone.

Michael one the stairs.

His Toy Story cake for the 2.

I was so glad he fell asleep while we were in the Alamo. I don't think he would have found it as interesting as I did.

I've been here. It was very interesting. I just wish the other people touring through would have had a bit more respect and not spoke at the loudest volume they could muster. Definatley plan to go back.

Michael and Grampa Lira. Poor little guy, he had a nasty bout of heat rash.

Michael loves his Woody and Buzz underwear, unfortunatley, the babysitter doens't want to help get him trained, so I am kind of just working on it during the weekends.

Me at 15 weeks. My ultra sound is scheduled for 9/29. Can't wait.

I came home from work one day last week and found this. It was too cute not to take a picture of. Although, I would rather he not do it again. Ruined Michael's dinner appetite.

My little couch potato.

The beautiful cake Ephraim got me for my birthday. It was so pretty I didnt' even want to cut it. I eventually did. The call of chocolate and strawberries with cream cheese frosting was just too strong to resisit.

I'm 2 Years Old, & D E S T R U C T I V E ! ! !

2010-08-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know how he managed to do this, but he did. Michael pulled the arm of my dining room chair off. It's now just dangling there. Hopefully Ephraim will be able to fix it, because I love this table set, and I can't buy just one replacement chair. They come in cases of 2.

This week I managed to get the picutre in focus, but the wrist strap is in the way. Oh well. Here I am at 10 1/2 weeks. Right now all I want is milk and salt. And for those of you who know me, that is weird, because I hate salt and milk usually makes me sick. On the other hand, I can't stand meat in pretty much any form. Particularly red meat. Everytime I try to eat it, I get super nauseaus. I am also insanly tired. But I guess that is what happens when you add an active 2yr old to the mix.

You have all hear of dust bunnies, well, I have a dust kitty. I walked into the kitchen one morning and found her asleep like this. Dumb cat.

New Toys!!! I have to hide them every night so he doesn't try to take them to the babysitters. He loves his cars. There's Mater, Doc, Lightning and the Sheriff. All of his other toys he shares pretty good. But not these cars. The are his, and he lets you know it. Ephraim and I are still working on fixing this issue.

It is so nice to be at the point now, where I can get out the camera and say "Smile" and Michael will do it. And he does have a pretty cute smile, if I do say so myself.

No, We haven't falllen off the planet.

2010-07-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

But with as long as it takes me to post, you might think it. Lots of changes in the Lira household of late. Where to start, where to start? Well, for those of you who don't know, we are expecting a new addition to our family in February. I am 9 1/2 weeks today, and yes, I am wearing maternity clothes. My goal with this pregnancy, since I am heavier than I was with Micheal, is to maintain my current weight, so far so good, but there is still a ways to go. We are going with a mid-wife this time around, and planning on a home birth. I am very excited about this, and my mid-wife has been great so far. We meet with her again on Aug. 19 to hear the heart beat for the first time. Well, here are a few pictures to get everyone up to speed on the goings on in Texas. Love you all, and this time I promise, I will do better about posting.

The big snow storm that hit end of February. I loved it. Everyone stayed home.

Michael playing in Yuna's crate, its now in the garage.

He's very big on wearing other peoples shoes. Especially if they make a lot of noise when he walks around.

The house as it was listed and we bought it.

The way it looks after we finished ripping the overgrowth out and putting in a new front door. I love my door. Isn't it pretty?

Getting ready to go egg hunting on Easter.

In the new "Jaw-Some" pj's from Grandma Smith.

The tiny gecko that found its way onto my bedroom wall. I wasn't thrilled. A transplant outside was in short order.

Our first trip to Six Flags. Michael was terrified of Sylvester. I got clawed pretty good as he tried to get away. I guess he thinks cats should stay under 12 pounds. I shouldn't laugh, bu it was really funny.

Riding the Speedy Gonzales Express.

Porky wasn't too bad, just don't get too close or try to touch.

The hot air balloon ride. I got kind of sick after that one. I know, lame.

Here I am at 9 1/2 weeks, and I can't seem to hold the camera very still if I photographing myself.

Do my eyes deceive me, it that really a new post?!?!

2010-02-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes. I know. I am way overdue to post. Here are a few pictures of what is going on in our lives.

Our little Christmas. The first one in Texas and in our new house. It was still white. My camera battery died so I didn't get a chance to take any pictures of the snowmen the neighbors built.

Michael being a jack-in-the-box. It was too cute not to take a picture of.
Mom, you wanted me to take pitures of the house supplies you got for us this Christmas. I give you, the front bathroom. Done up in ducks. I love it. Thank you!!!

My new dining set. I absolutely love it. It was an early Christmas gift to me from Ephraim. Doesn't my china look beautiful all displayed in the hutch?

Our new living room couch. The dining room and living room are the pet free rooms of the house. No animals are allowed in here ever. So, if you want to come visit, I can offer you a bed that has never had any animals of any type on it. Hint, hint.

Michael in his new bed. After nearly giving his mother a heart attack, moving him out of the crib became priority number one. He seems to like it though. And putting him to bed at night is still a snap, so no trauma in the bed changes here.

Ephraim and I are still plugging away at work. Nothing exciting on that front. Michael's vocabulary is growing ever day. It is too cute to listen to him sometimes. But all in all the Lira's are doing well. Hope everyone is safe and happy, look forward to hearing from you. (hint, hint) And again, I will try to be better about keeping everything updated. Love you all.

Teeheehee!

2009-10-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

I saw these on a friends blog, and I have to say, I got all of them.

FORGET REDNECKS; THIS IS WHAT JEFF FOXWORTHY HAD TO SAY ABOUT IDAHOANS!

*If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Idaho .

*If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Idaho .

*If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Idaho .

*If "vacation" means going anywhere south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Idaho .

*If you measure distance in hours, you live in Idaho .

*If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Idaho .

*If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" and back again in the same day, you live in Idaho .

*If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked, you live in Idaho .

*If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Idaho .

*If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Idaho .

*If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80, and everyone is still passing you, you live in Idaho .

*If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Idaho .

*If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Idaho .*

*If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly" you live in Idaho .

*If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your IDAHO friends, you live in Idaho .

Happy Halloween!!!

2009-10-31T20:28:00.001-07:00

This year Michael was a shark. He looked pretty darn cute too. We ended up going to Ephraim's bosses for a get together and trick or treating for Michael. He fell asleep in the car on the way over and after about three houses was done. He managed to take a zoner nap while Ephraim and I were eating and was up and moving after that. Patricia walked him up and down the sidewalk several times and he loved it. Going into the truck bed with some of the other kids wasn't so fun. One of them was laying down and had his face painted rather creepy. Michael wasn't so hot on that. By the time we got home, he was completly tuckered out. He even slept through having the costume taken off. All in all it was a fun gathering. Hope you all had a fun and safe evening.

P.S. See, that is two weeks in a row I have posted. Every one should be very pleased.

Yeah, yeah, enough nagging.

2009-10-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after a week of computer issues, I finally have this post up. I will try to do better about posting once a week. No promises though.

Michael playing withthe dogs. Shortly after his tramatizing incident with Tinkerbell.

Playing on Mom and Dads bed.

We Made It!!!

2009-08-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well, in case you hadn't heard yet, we did make it to Fort Worth. Wow, that drive really was long and Michael still ins't a fan of the carseat. He sees that he is about to get put into it and starts squirming and screaming. But we found a place to rent relitivly quickly, only had to live at a Motel 6 for four days (not at all fun). It's small, but Michael is in his own room and it has a small fenced yard. So far so good as far as the Lira family is concerned. Now for a litte bit of catch up. (I wanted to take a family picture in front of the "Welcome to Texas" sign, but Michael was asleep, and neither Ephraim or I were looking our best. Maybe later.)

Before we left Pocatello, Ephraim and I went to Las Vegas with another couple. I have to say the heat here isnt' as bad as it was down there. So maybe our timing was good. We had a lot of fun and ate like kings(gluttons) as the buffet in The Paris. Totally worth every penny to eat there. If we ever go back, we are going to starve all day and eat there every night. There was also a really cool aquarium in the Bellagio mall thing. They had one absolutely MASSIVE sting ray in there. Of course as soon as I put the camera away he got off the sand and started swiming around. It was a good time.

In front of the Paris and the Voorhies', the couple we went with. Looking forward to going back with them at some point.

When we got back we celebrated Michaels first birthday. A litte early, but we wanted to do it with all the family aroung and that wasn't going to be very feasible from Texas. He had a ton of fun playing in his little cake. He also did pretty good about unwrapping the presents, although he was more interested in the paper left over. When he finished opening everything, we put all of the wrapping paper and tissue paper in a big pile for him to play in. The video of that is on the other camera and as soon as I figure out how to load that to the computer, I will post that also. All in all it was a great party. I bawled when we had to say goodbye to everyone.

The theme was "Cars", the cakes turned out really cute.

Aunt Robyn told me the easiest way to get Michael cleaned up after is cake fun was to put him in a garbage bag and carry him inside to the bath tub. Then just throw away the bag and rinse out the tub. I have to say, it worked. We ended up going with a much bigger bag though. Aunt April was able to come and say goodbye to us. We were glad she could make it, especially since her in-laws were in town too.

Aunt Kelsey, Aunt Rhianne, Kaylee and Kyndra at the bbq lunch.

Playing in the pile of paper from all the gifts, and the funky seal from Great Grandma Smith.

Ok, so try as I may, I can't get the video of Michael eating his cake to load. So, I've posted it on YouTube. Here's the address so you can view it at your leisure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46nUdd9eHe4

Oops, sorry! Long time no post.

2009-07-05T16:38:00.001-07:00

The two prisoners, as long as he has a freind in there with him, Michael doesn't mind, but Tinkerbell was terrified.

Playing with the Tonka Truck that was Daddy's growing up.

Going down the slide, he loves it, but the picture just doesn't show it.

Helping Daddy organize his safe. Not a place to play.

11 months old and "helping" with everything. Including the laundry and packing.

Hanging out with Daddy, boring movie about mythical creatures and stuff.

Right after Ephraim sets Michael down, he goes and ejects the dvd. I found it very entertaining, appently so did he.

Climbing into the box of waffle blocks at Gradma Smiths on 7/4.

8 months and 9 months, teeth and haircuts.

2009-04-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

The day before Michael hit 8 months, he cut his first tooth. I'm thinking it may be a pattern forming with each tooth comes a cold. Because he is currently cutting his second tooth and just like last time, he has a supper runny nose, coughing and sneezing with watery eyes. Only this time, he also has an ear infection to add to the fun. I think we are on the down hill slope though. At his last doctors appointment, he was in the 90% for height, 80% for head circumference and 20% for weight. So he's getting super big. The days of army crawling seem to be coming to a close as he has figured out how to move from A-B and usually C too on all fours. He terrifies both Ephraim and I when he pulls himself up to things and starts to walk around. But he is still our happy little bug and we love him. I gave him his first hair cut on 4/22 and took him in the the girl who does my hair that Saturday to have her help fix my flubs. I think I did ok for my first time, but it was FAAARRRRR from perfect. He's looking more and more like Ephraim every day, and the jury is still out as to his final eye color.

8 months old
Who needs toys? I've got a bottle lid, much better.

Cool little dude, wearing my had just like dad.
Before the hair cut....

And the end result!

What do you think you're doing?

BUSTED!!!

Helping mamma with the dishes.

Michael updates

2009-03-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

6 months

7 months: always sticking out the tounge

Sittin with Daddy

Playing in my crib

Another month has past, and so many changes. Michael is moving fast and starting to pull himself up to furniture and people. Ephraim brought home a Dum Dum sucker yesterday, and Michael really enjoyed it. Completely got the gist of pulling it out of his mouth and putting it back in. It was really cute, even though he made a huge sticky mess out of it. We are still waiting to hear from the law schools, but he has received a few more offers to various schools in Texas and Florida. So it's still the waiting game, but I'm trying to be patient with it.

Way too long since the last post.

2009-02-14T20:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've been horrible about posting updates. Michael is growing by leaps and bounds. He is starting to sit up on his own, but usually finds something he'd rather do than just sit, so it never lasts for very long. He has a voracious appetite, and seems to prefer solids to bottles, except at nap and bed time. Carrots are a force fed food, and even then, I can't seem to get more than three or four bites in at a time. If he had his way, I'm sure his diet would consist entirely of corn casseroll, apple/blueberry mix, rice rusks and bottles. Bath time is one of his favorite times of day, and (gasp! EEK!) He's trying to crawl. I'm really not ready for that yet. It scared me everytime he gets up on all fours and starts to rock. But he is still super sweet and very mellow. Never Smile at a Crocodile seems to be his favorite song, everytime I either start to sing it or we play it for him, he gets super excited with big smiles and starts to bounce up and down and babble. Here are a few videos of our little guy. Enjoy.

Camera return = picture time!!!

2008-12-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well, needless to say, I had a bit of fun with the camera when it came back. Here's just a few of the fun pictures I got of Michael.

Eating my hat, tastes so good.

Everytime he gets the chance, Michael will push his legs against whatever and force his head over the edge. He seems to like looking at the world upside down.

Happy Baby!!!

I have discovered my feet.

Giving Tinkerbell hugs. Poor dog, she was terrified. Michael laughed everytime her whiskers touched his face.

Look at those baby blues!

Me and Mamma.

Must...get...sock...OFF!!!

Thanksgiving Holiday ect.

2008-12-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Erik, Mel and Wyatt stopped by on their way to Blackfoot for Thanksgiving. Both of the boys were tired, but we did manage to get a pretty ok picture of the two of them before the meltdowns began again. Needless to say, bedtime followed very shortly after they left. Michael looks stoned he was so tired.

Ephraim and Michael at Aunt Luann's during Thanksgiving. There are some really funny pictures of Michael and I passed out on one of the couches, but they aren't on my camera. As soon as I get a chance, I will see if I can't get someone to email them to me.

My first picture of Brenna and Spencer, also at Luann's. Dinky sure does love Brenna. Too bad she doesn't live closer. Brenna kind of spoils her.

Kelsey and Kendal (another cousin from my dads side)

On Sunday we were getting the tree set up, and I stuck Michael on the floor with some of the lights (making sure all the strands work). He loved them. Heres our little angel baby.

Ephraim was getting ready to put the star on the tree and Michael reached up and grabbed the base of the star. It was just too cute not to take a picture of.

Our Christmas tree!!! Hopefully the cats, well mostly just Zanideu leaves it alone

High School Tag:

2008-11-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

1* Did you date someone from your school? Nope. Not once I graduated.
2* What kind of car did you drive? Oh boy, which one? There was the AMC Eagle, died a death of billowing smoke going 10mph down Sunnyside. The screamind big yellow diesel suburban, don't remember what happened on that one. The grey citation, when it ran and the blue cavalier from time to time.
3* Most embarassing moment of high school? Shooting myself in the face with bear mace at a party. Kinda killed that evening.
4* Were you a party animal? No
5* Were you considered a flirt? Not at all. My friends would actually tease me that I couldn't tell if a guy was hitting on me.
6* Were you in band, orchestra or choir? Yep, choir and I miss it.
7* Were you a nerd? Nope, but some of my friends were.
8* Were you on any varsity teams? Only if you count the track team.
9* Did you get suspended/expelled? Never, my parents would have killed me.
10* Can you still sing the fight song? Bits and peices here and there, but not the whole thing all the way through. Mrs. Goken would be so disapointed. We had to memorize the entire thing as part of our grade in her soph english class.
11* Who were your favorite teachers? Mrs. Marler, Ms. "J", Mr. Francis, and Bro. Toone.
12* Where did you sit during lunch time? The wall near the gym. Kind of where the concession stand was. I'm actually suprized I remembered that.
13* What was your schools full name? Idaho Falls Senior High School
14* School Mascot? Tigers all the way GRRRR!!!
15* Who did you go to homecoming with? Ty Cook, jr year. Didn't get asked sr year.
16* If you could go back and do it again, would you? I don't know. Some days yes, some days no. For the most part I like where I am in life now.
17* What do you remember most about graduation? It was stinkin hot in the Civic and I wanted to get out of there. That and tripping across the stage to get my "diploma"
18* Where did you go Senior Skip Day? I honestly don't remember. I don't know if I did skip. Oh, wait, yes I did. We went to Big Judds.
19* Were you in any clubs? Yes, A Cappella and Rinky Dink
20* Who was your prom date? Sr year I went with Sam to senior ball. Didn't really call anything prom. Commencement went with Victor Ha. Also sr year. I was a loser, what can I say.
21* Are you planning to go to your 10 yr reunion? I hope to.
22* Looking back, what advise would you have given yourself? Take spanish and actually learn it.

I tag Charish, Megan, Kerri, Callie, Natalie and anyone else who happens to read this.

AND NOW...MAYBE

2008-11-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well, our computer desk sold. Its kind of bittersweet for me. I loved that thing. But it was too big for our space and did need to go. Instead we replaced it with another massive peice of furniture. It doesn't take up as much floor space, but weighs close to a ton.

I have to appologize in advance, the picture quality isn't going to be that great, our good camera is in the shop to get the lcd screen fixed. Bummer. But for an MP3 player, this isn't half bad. We're getting ready to go to Utah for Thanksgiving. Michael will be spending the rest of the weekend there. I'm nervous to leave him for the first time overnight since he was born. I have a feeling I'm going to bet him back spoiled. Lots of cousins and aunts to hold him. And Michael is very much a snuggle baby. His first tooth started to push through his gums and then went back down. RUDE!!! All that pain and torment for nothing. Hopefully we have a repreive for a few months. That would make everyone happy.

Ephraim is enjoying a few days off from school. He went shooting yesterday with my cousin Kendal. They had a blast, to the point that Kendal told my mom (he's staying with them for the holiday) when he gets off his mission, he's going to collect guns. That means you won't be able to live in California, Kendal. Most of Ephraim's fun guns are illegal there.

I'm so pleased. Ephraim bought me a new picture frame and I love the way it turned out. The picture isn't very good due to lighting issues, but I put a few of our engagement pictures in it. I love it. I also made my first Christmas decoration at a home making. I think it turned out pretty well. Kind of got me in a crafty mood and made me want to work on our scrap book, but I have to get the house in order first.

We hope this finds everyone well and looking forward to this great family holiday. Happy Thanksgiving all!Playing with setting on the new camera. (if you can't tell, thats Tink)

New living room arrangements.

Michaels room/corner. Downfalls of living in a very small space.My first Christmas craft. I like it.

My new picture frame.

Something about rearranging...

2008-11-15T07:21:00.000-08:00

There is truly something about rearranging furniture that makes the space seem new. It's always a ton of work, but completely worth it in the end. On Thursday night Ephraim and I spent most of the evening rearranging our living room. It never ceases to amaze me, any time I move furniture, I plan to spend about 2hours getting everything in order, but it always takes way longer. The results are worth it though.

Thursday morning Michael had his first shots. Poor baby, I felt so bad. He was sleep-eating when they stuck the needles in. I was very proud of myself though. I didn't cry like I was afraid I would. He really did pretty well. He ran a fever for most of the day, and his legs were pretty sore, but he slept most of the day, and on Friday he was back to his normal happy self. But he now weighs 13lbs 9oz, 25inches long and 16 3/4inch head circumference. My baby is getting so big. I was folding laundry last night and pulled out 5-6 outfits that he has outgrown to go into the box. I'm going to have to get his picture in the blessing outfit done soon, or it won't fit.

Big Changes

2008-11-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Well, a slightly sad day in the Lira household. Last Sunday, we sent our little kitty Lucifer to live with my Aunt Robyn. So far he seems to be adjusting well. My little cousin Ryan absolutely loves him and has been playing cat for days now. We do miss him, but I know we found him the best home if he can't be with us. They are renaming him Juniper. I guess the thought of their 3yr old going around the house saying "Where's Lucifer?" was a bit over the top. Not that I can blame them. I fought Ephraim long and hard about that name, but he won out in the end. Hopefully it works out for him. We love the little guy.

Michael is teething and as a result a complete bear! He won't take the bottle warm anymore, he wants it cold because it seems to feel better on his gums. We moved him into the porta-crib in the living room now. Its a good thing, last night when I put him to bed, I laid him down in the center long ways, when I went to get him around 5am, he had moved so that his entire body was smashed against the short wall. He is really trying to get moving. He can almost roll over, but not quite. He gets almost there but then decides his arm is in the way and gets mad. Very much his fathers child. People tell us all the time that he doesn't really look like either one of us. Just his own little person. But we love him and couldn't imagine life without him now.

Ephraim is set and ready for the last semester at ISU. I would say the end is in sight, but then we start all over again. (deep sigh) But he has been staying super busy with 18 credits of school, 35+ hours a week at work and then family and homework and church. I honestly don't know how he does it. But he works hard and I have no doubt that it will pay off in dividends one day. I love him so much for all the hard work he does for me.

Hope all is well with everyone. Massive congradulations to Callie, Shawn and Braxton. I'm SOOO excited for you. Hopefully I will be a little better at doing regular posts.

SMILE!!!

2008-10-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

There it is! I finally caught him smiling. Isn't it cute?

New Toys, Smiles and Changes.

2008-10-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

This doesn't look like the most comfortable way to sleep, but if it works for Lucifer, I'm not going to argue the point. Ephraim spent two hours assembling this jumper for Michael. Today if the first day he was happy to spend more than three minutes in it. Everytime I get the camera out, the smiles disapear, but he was smiling a lot in it. He has even laughed a true baby laugh. I was washing his toes with a baby brush and he just busted up. Ask Robyn and she will attest to it as I was on the phone with her at the time. He is growing so fast its hard to remember just how tiny he was when we brought him home. All of the itty bitty clothes have been packed away and we are on to still little, but not so tiny clothes. All of his growing seems to be in length so in order for it to be long enough, it is still a bit on the baggy side. If only his ankles would get chubby enough to keep socks on.
We have survived our first cold. He came down with it the day he was blessed and it lasted a little over a week. But he's back to being healthy, hopefully we can avoid as many of those as possible this winter. I just felt so bad for him, he was so miserable. We are clearing out a lot of furniture to make room for the crib. I think we are going to have to set it up by the end of the month. There is only about two inches left in the bassinett. And since he has never slept scrunched up, we aren't going to be able to use it for as long as we had hoped. Oh well. His little personality is showing up more and more. Michael really is a very good baby. We have been really blessed.

Husband Tag

2008-10-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

1. What is his name? Ephraim Hector Lira

2. Who eats more? Definatly Ephraim. Any time we're at a buffet with my family, my sisters bet on how many plates of food he will eat.

3. Who said "I Love You" first? He did. About five days into our relationship, followed very closely by me and the rest is history.

4. Who is taller? Ephraim. And by enough that I can't pull a Princess Dianna and wear really high heels when I'm mad at him and be taller.

5. Who is smarter? I think Ephraim is smarter in many areas than I am. But I also am better at other things that he just doesn't think of or aren't as important to him. Which is more than ok. It's meant to be that way.

6. Who is more sensitive? Definatly me. I think of things that he doesn't and I'm more compasionate than he is. He often says he doesn't know how I handle being with Michael all day. He just doesn't get that sometimes babies just want to be held and sometimes they just have to cry. I don't always appreciate it, but I know that is how they are. But he is a great daddy to our little guy. I think he misses him when he's gone all day.

7. Who does the laundry? We both do. He does it more often than I do, but I try to help out as much as I can. Given the choice, he would rather do a load than change a dirty diaper. Also ok with me.

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at it from the foot of the bed, I do, but if your laying down on it, he does.

9. Who pays the bills? Ephraim. It stresses me out way too much.

10. Who cooks more? I prefer to bake. Ephraim probably cooks more since I'd rather skip a meal than try to make something really quick and then run out the door.

11. Who is more stubborn? That one is a toss up. We both have things that we feel a certain way about and will not budge on.

12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? Usually me. I hate it when we argue. Keeping the peace and not having extra stress at home is more important to me than being right all the time. Although, I do stick to my guns on certain things and I will not back down.

13. Who has more siblings? Me, four sisters to Ephraim's two brothers and one sister.

14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? We both do. I tell him to make a decision and then I either agree or disagree and we go from there.

15. What do you like to do together? Watch movies, eat, play with Michael, read and so on. ;)

16. Who eats more sweets? ME, ME, ME!!! I am a complete junk food junkie.

17. Guilty Pleasures? Gun Forums. My mother in law aptly stated its like a Soap Opera on there. Grown men arguing over the dumbest things.

18. How did you meet? At Convergy's. The only thing that place was good for.

19. Who asked whom out first? Ephraim asked me. Scared me to death by knocking on my car window after we had been talking about horror movies at a party.

20. Who kissed who first? He kissed me on the front porch after we saw Chronicles of Narnia. He said he wanted to try something, and told him do or do not, there is no try. And he did it.

21. Who proposed? I had told my mom that we were looking at engagement rings and that afternoon my dad left a msg on my cell that I had better not accept any ring without his permission first. That night we went up to IF with Erik and Mel to my parents house. In front of my entire family (sans Kelsey) and his brother and our future sis in law he asked me to be his wife.

22. His best features and qualities? I love that he is always looking to the future and making sure he will be able to provide for our family. He is one of the most honest people I know. He will do the right thing no matter what, even at the cost of his job. He has a strong testimony and still takes me to the temple. And I love his arms, one of his sexiest features to be sure. I I love the color of his eyes when he's not wearing contacts. I love you Ephraim.

I tag anyone married who reads this. You know who you are.

TAGGED: 6 QUIRKS

2008-10-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Rules:Link the Person who Tagged you.
Mention rules on your blog.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know.

1* I love new socks, they are my favorite. When I'm folding laundry, I can't stand to have one new sock and one older sock paired together. I spend way too much time feeling the difference between them to get the ones closest to the same age together.

2* Fresh fruit and vegetables make my throat itch and my lips swell. Don't know why, its some sort of hereditary thing. So then I have to scratch my throat (some say it sounds like a piglet) and chew on my lips till it stops.

3* Even though it's pathetic, I am still afraid of the dark and things under the bed. I will turn on the light in one room before I shut off in another after the sun's gone down. It drives Ephraim nuts. I sleep with a night light on so I can get in and out of bed without having to jump away from/onto the bed.

4* I can't walk in a bathroom barefoot. You can have just bleached the entire floor, and I still have to be wearing at the very least socks, even then, I still cringe to walk in there without shoes or slippers.

5* Milk tastes funny to me if it has been out of the fridge for more than five minutes, even in the gallon. It also tastes funny if it has been stored in a cup in the fridge. This is why I rarely finish the milk in my bowl after the cereal is gone and I dump out the milk in a cup after dipping cookies.

6* After wiping down the counters or table, I have to completely rinse out the dishcloth, wring it so hard my hands hurt, fold it once and hang it to dry. I can't stand the way it smells if you don't do exactly that.

Michael's Blessing

2008-09-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

Michael was blessed today by Ephraim. It was a beautiful blessing. We are so gratefull that so many friends and family were able to be there. Erik and Melanie also came up with Wyatt. He threw a bit of a stink over Michael's pacifier. Fortunately, we had a spare, so that eliminated the screaming for a while. It was also Maria's first time seeing Michael. He sure does love his grandmas.

SWEET BABY FEET

2008-09-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Michael sure does love his bath. He seems to find it so relaxing, that he will even fall asleep in the tub. As of this week, he is closing in on 12 lbs and starting to focus on toys. Last night he was in his carseat watching the links swing as he batted at them. He's getting so big. I look at pictures of his first bath and now, gone are the scrawny chicken legs and squinty eyes. Now he's got the beginings of a Buddah belly, chipmunk cheeks, dimpled hands and knees, and big bright eyes. On Sept 13 we went to cousin Trevor's Eagle Court of Honor. The cake Paula made was amazing. That woman has a lot of talent. After we went up to Grandma and Grandpa's house to hang out with family for a bit. Michael and Ryan were so cute. Ryan really seems to think Michael is pretty neat. However if you had asked him anything about Michael while I was still pregnant, he thought the entire thing was a bit freaky.

Right now we're just getting ready for Ephraims family to get here. Michael is being blessed on Sunday, so, it's going to be a little on the crazy side here for a few days. Hope all is well with everyone. Thankyou for caring about our little family.

Tummy Time= Super Grover

2008-09-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

Michael doesn't exaclty love being on his tummy very much, unless he's sleeping. But today he was making lots of cute little noises and not fussing that I had to record him. He's getting better at holding his head up for longer. And he does this balancing thing on his stomach that makes him look like Super Grover.

I am SO ready for Saturday. I don't have to get up early and get ready to go anywhere. After Michael gets up at 5, I can just feed him and go back to bed. It's really nice to have him sleeping through the night, well, for 6 hours straight at least, but depending on what time it is that he goes to bed, I either have had to just sit up for an hour after putting him back down in the morning, or be majorly rushing to get out the door on time. He doesn't quite seem to feel the need to stay on a regular schedule. But he's adorable and Ephraim and I would't trade him for the world.

How Big Is Michael?....SOOO Big!! & the Fair

2008-09-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Michael is now well over 9 pounds and doing new things every day. He even grabbed the bottle and held it on his own for a bit. Of course by the time Ephraim got the camera, he had let go, so I tried to repostition his hands to "Recreate the Moment." It didn't quite work. We went to the fair on Tuesday with my family. Michael didn't spend more than three minutes in the stoller the entire time we were there. Ephraim and I each gained two pounds with all the fabulous, but terrible for you fair food we ate, and in general we had a really good time. Rhianne rode the mechanical bull, and since I was the only one who remembered to bring a camera, I caught it on film. We also saw the items she entered from her 4H camp this summer. The cake decorating contest had some amazing cakes. Paula, the lady who made Brenna's cake had several entries and took a ribbon home for each, if I remember correctly. All in all it was a fun night.

Looking around from my boppy.

Snuggling with Daddy.

Not much room left in the bassinett.

Sort of holding the bottle.

Paula Ames cake took first runner up at the fair in the "Fairy Tale" themed decorating. Everything is edible but Doc's glasses. Grand Champion of the "Fairy Tale" theme, The Frog Prince.
Would you believe these are made from cake frosting?!? I'm pretty sure she took Grand Champion in the flower one. Amazing.

Just a pretty cake.

This is the cake that took Grand Champion in the category where they were supposed to replicate a china pattern. Talk about talent.

Paula's cake in the China category. She was one of the runner ups.

Rhianne and her pillow and duffle that were awarded ribbons.

UPDATES

2008-08-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

Time for a few updates on the Liras. Michael had his first appointment with the pediatrician on Tuesday. He was 8lbs 5oz and 21 inches long. And he has outgrown almost all of his newborn size clothes. We finally found a pacifier that he will take and it has been wonderful. A major cutdown on the screaming just to scream, and he's also moved up to the fast flow bottle nipples and size one diapers. He definatley has Ephraim's ears and nose, and we are thinking my Grandma Smiths chin. But he is growing fast and starting to show a bit more of a personality. Ephraim starts school tomorrow. We are so excited. The final stretch, yeah. Only two semesters left, and then, who knows where we will end up. I start back to work this week, only two days and then full time next week. I'm sad to be leaving my baby in day care, but I did find a great in home day care. The lady who runs it only takes up to six kids at a time, she used to work for the ISU day care center but decided she wanted to have something smaller from home. She's a member of the church and I just got a really good feeling from her and her home when I went to interview her. And she came highly reccomended by my Aunt April. All the animals are doing fine and adjusting well to Michael. I'll post more updated later.

Michaels feet were cold so I put these super cute duck slippers on him and they stayed on!!! It was just too cute not to take a picture of.

Rhianne was swinging the weirdest way I have ever seen. Had to catch it on film, it was just too funny.

Tinkerbell/Nana

2008-08-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I think my dog is morphing into Nana from Peter Pan. Everytime Michael cries for more than just a few seconds, Tinkerbell comes running into the room to check on him. And if either Ephraim or I aren't in there with him, she comes running to find us, then ping pongs back and forth between the two rooms till we come and get him. She's really been very good with him.

On a sadder note, we are looking for a new home for one of our kitties, Lucifer. He is super sweet and cuddly, but he needs a litter box and we just don't have a place to put one. And now that we have Michael, there is no way we can have one once he starts to crawl. If anyone knows of someone who would like a cat, let me know. He's been fixed and is litter box trained and partially toilet trained (but needs the litter box). I am sad to have to find him a new home, but my baby comes first.

Looking angelic

2008-08-07T22:34:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. Every parent thinks their baby is beautiful, but Michael was just looking too sweet and innocent after getting tuckered out with his bath and evening feeding that I just had to take a few pictures. I'm sure there will come a day, sooner than I think, that I will be wondering what happened to my little angel baby. Pictures will preserve the moments when he was an angel.

Opening his eyes after the flash
Being a little snuggle bug
Sweet faces with little squeaks here and there
Precious baby

First Bath

2008-08-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Last night we gave Michael his first bath, he wasn't quite sure what to think of it for the first couple of seconds, but then settled right down. He seems to prefer the tub form of bathing to a sponge bath. Listening to him during a sponge bath you'd think it was some form of medival torture.

Wearing one of the new outfits from Grandma Smith, after spitting up and wetting several others today.
Wyatt playing with a few of Ephraim's watches when Erik and Mel visited a few Saturdays ago
(it's about 7 min long, sorry). About and hour after they left, we went to the hospital to have Michael.

*Due to technical difficulties, the video will post later.*

MICHAEL EPHRAIM LIRA

2008-08-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

BORN: 7/27/2008 @ 12:00:00 am
WT: 6lb 14oz 20" LONG

A beautiful baby in every way, with a personality that is showing through loud and clear more and more every day. Thank you everyone for all your prayers and support to get him here safe and sound. We will update you all more soon.
Lots of Love,
Ephraim, Mindy and Michael.

Right after delivery

The Proud Daddy

Napping with Mommy

First Night at Home

Daddy taking pictures without Mommys ok.

Eyes open wide.

Too cute not to take a picture of, sleeping while eating my fist.

Little Orphan Annie and a new car.

2008-07-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday night Ephraim and I took Tinkerbell for a LONG walk. Hoping to get things moving again (obviously that didn't work). Any way, we took a little detour to look at the car we wanted and on the way back on track, Tinkerbell found a kitty. Someone had dumped the poor thing at a gas station and she was just sitting there like a hen looking sad and lost. Both Ephraim and I were really suprised when she walked right up to Tink and started to sniff her nose. It was so cute. I tried to pick her up but she ran across the street and just sat there staring at us. We followed her and Tinkerbell once again wanted to go to her. Ephraim thought she was going to be to wild to catch, but she started following us. So, with the help of Tink, I was able to get her and she started purring as soon as I picked her up. She was so sweet the whole walk home, but Aslan, being the grouch he is, hissed at her as soon as we walked in the house. On the walk home she was named Annie, because she looked just like a picture that came on the computer titled Annie in the Sink. That and she was just a little orphan. If it weren't for the fact that we have a baby due any day now, and three cats that weren't interested in having another friend, we would have kept her till she got addopted. But, that just wasn't in the cards. Even Ephraim wanted to keep her till she could find a permanent home. She was so sweet. But on Monday I had to take her up to the animal shelter because I couldn't get in touch with anyone at the humane society. I just know that if anyone holds her, they will fall in love and want to take her home. I was rather proud of myself for not crying when I dropped her off though. My last few experiences at the shelter have all ended in me leaving in tears. (The video quality isn't that great as it was taken on the old camera, sorry.)

Later on that evening, we bought a new car. Well, new to us anyway. It's a 2003 PT Cruiser and I absolutely love it. It is SO comfortable to ride in and there is room for everyone. I already have the carseat set up in the back and everything. I'm completely looking forward to my pedicure tomorrow. My last attempt to get labor started before I say bag it and just wait for Aug. 4 to be induced. Even if it doesn't work, it's going to be a nice treat. Whenever you are ready, so are we, Michael.Lucifer found another moth that somehow snuck in. The video is him trying very hard to be good and stay on the floor. I must say that I love my new camera. It makes taking picures and video so much more fun. I've been driving Ephraim crazy following him and the animals around snapping random shots.

NOT A FALSE ALARM IN MY BOOK!!!

2008-07-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

So, Friday night around 10:30 I started having major contractions. Normally I don't bother to time them because they always go away with in 15 or so minutes. But after half an hour of them being consistent and lower back pain kicking into high gear, I started to time them. They were going about 2-3 minutes apart lasting 40-90 seconds each. They all started in my abdomen and moved into my lower back. Terrible, terrible back pain. After two hours of that I called the hospital and was told to come in. So, I called Ephraim at work (he's been working the graveyard the last few weeks) and got ready to go. So we get to there around 1:30 and I'm 3cm dialated and 70% effaced. They were going to just keep me under observation for an hour, but I started bleeding so I was admitted. It was kind of cool watching the moniters track my contractions. They stayed consistent at about 2 minutes apart. Around 3am the resident md came in to check on me and said if things didn't pick up they were going to put me on pitocin and possibly break my waters. Well, nothing happened and nothing happened except the contractions weren't in my back quite as much. The nurse checked me again around 5am and there was no change. So they wanted me to stay on the moniters for about and hour and see what happened from there so they could track everything. Then at 6ish the resident md came in again and said they were going to send me home because the dr on call didn't want to help things progress. So we finally got home around 7 or so and I just bawled. I was tired, sore and majorly disappointed. I had told Ephraim to leave my bag in the car when we first got to the hospital and then everyone was telling us we weren't going to be leaving without a baby. So after a few hours a work, Pam and Carolyn were super nice and came in to work the rest of the day for me so I could go home and rest, I went home and tried to sleep. The contractions continued at about the same pace with the back labor coming and going for most of the day. They must have done something though because around 11:30pm I lost my mucus plug. Today they came and went off and on all day with the back labor there for most of it. For now, we are just going to do a lot of walking.

On the other hand, we have had a few calls for the Bug. Tomorrow someone is going to test drive it, and hopefully it sells quickly. We already have the replacement car picked out and I love it. Thats really all I have as far as updates for right now.

Sooo ready to be done.

2008-07-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are at 35 weeks 6 days and all I can say is next time, planning will be used to avoid another summer pregnancy. Brenna is now a newly wed, I feel so old. I guess I should just be glad I don't live in St. George. From what I've heard, the entire week she and Spencer were down there it was over 100 every day. Too hot for me, thanks. Last night Tinkerbell and I went to Tommy and Aprils for the 4th of July bbq and to watch the fireworks. I wasn't sure how she was going to react, since anytime a really loud one goes off near our house she freaks out. But she actually was very calm. Just perking her ears up when they screamed or banged really loud. She and April became freinds, when I wouldn't give her any table scraps, April was willing to share her chicken with her.
Here's Zanideu playing with Tinkerbells rope toy. She has a bit of a habit of stealing toys that she wants and hiding them for days. Its kind of funny when Tinkerbell catches her and comes charging up to take it back. Its going to be interesting to see how the animals react to Michael and the things that are exclusivly his.

I guess I forgot.

2008-06-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, I know I said I would put more of the ultrasound pictures up, and I never really got around to it. The foot one it one of my favorites. Hope everyone can tell he's there.

Time for Updates.

2008-06-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello family and friends. Sorry it has been so long since the last posting. I have to thank Callie for the cute idea on changing the backdrop on the page. I've been trying for weeks to figure out how to make it look not so blah. And now I know. Huge accomplishment for me as is was a technical process of sorts. Ephraim and I are both doing well. Just getting over the last cold I brought home from work. Poor Ephraim, he doesn't get sick often, but when he does, it's usually miserable. He was taking some of the nasty chloroseptic (completely misspelled) spray this morning and he made the comment "That stuff tastes like junk. I would rather smell Aslan's rear." And Aslan likes to sleep up by his head, but sometimes it isn't his face thats next to yours. Not too pleasent a smell. Personally, I would rather be miserable that ever use that spray. I think a large part of the reason he caught this one is just because he is getting run down working so many hours the last two weeks. Fortunately, it looks like his schedule is going to temper down some and become a bit more normal.

I finally got a semi-decent picture of Zanideu. I've decided the problem is that she's black and absorbes all light making it difficult to get a good shot. It's only a head shot, but for all the moving around she does as soon as the camera comes out, it is the best I can do.

Lucifer never ceases to amaze us with the new and contorted positions he manages to get himself into before falling asleep. But he is still the sweetest kitty I know. Not much in the brains department, but super sweet and cuddly. He will come up to you and butt his head against your hand or climb into your lap to be pet or held. And everytime we let Tinkerbell out, he's right there crying to be let out as well. His allergy spot is healing very nicely. In a few more days I'll be able to put his collar back on.

Tinkerbell knows when we say "Treat" she has to do a trick, but I don't know that she's figured out the commands for them yet, as the video shows. Either that, or she just gets herself so excited, she does the same one over and over thinking that eventually we will just let her have it. But if there is not treat involved, she follows the commands pretty well.

Sorry Kelsey, every time I get the camera out to record Michael moving around, he stops. Gramma has seen it though, and she can tell you that he actually does move and it's very visible from the outside through clothes. Here are my 31 weeks belly pictures. Sorry they aren't very clear, but I think I'm ok with that. I've already outgrown one maternity shirt, and I'm getting tired of wearing the same ones over and over. My scrubs for work aren't really working anymore either. Oh well. 9 weeks left and hopefully I can wear something a little bit different.

Hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying your start of summer. Keep in touch.

Love,

Ephraim and Mindy

Do wonders never cease?

2008-04-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so its been a while since I updated. Ephraim is now in the middle of dead week, leaving one week left of school. Finally, neither of us can wait. I'm still at Physicians Immediate Care and loving it, even though the mornings are a bit on the early side it seem sometimes. Texas Roadhouse only on Saturday mornings. I'm at 26 1/2 weeks and literally counting down the days till I'm done being pregnant. Michael is a mover and if the books are right about the sleep patterns in utero being mirrored after birth, I am going to turn into a zombie. I don't think he ever really sleeps. He's up and moving around from the time I get up in the morning till about 10 or 11 and then he settles down for a few hours. He must get hungry for dinner or something because he starts up again around 7ish. And then its like a trapeze act in my belly till 11. I get a few hours sleep before he starts kicking and poking for an hour or two and then it's two hours till the alarm goes off. Hopefully he settles into a more normal pattern of sleep after hes born.

Tinkerbell and the kitties are all still doing great. Lucifer is living up to his name being mischevious all the time and getting into things. Its a good thing he's so sweet or I would have lost my mind with him already. Zanideu is too dumb to really get into trouble. Just her constant need to skitter things across the kitchen floor. Aslan has picked up this really annoying habit of sleeping on my feet at night. And its just way too hot for that. It doesn't matter which side of the bed I'm on, he finds my feet and settles down like a hen on top of them. I'm trying to get them all used to sleeping out of the bedroom at night. They move around way too much and wake me up with all their antics. Sleep has become a precious commodity for me and I don't take it very nicley when it's interupted.

Brenna is getting married on June 25 in the Salt Lake Temple. I'm really excited for her. She and Spencer have been dating since September, and now I'm getting a new brother. To think, I never had brothers growing up, and now I get them without having to go through the torture most sisters get from them. Best of both worlds.

Well, thats all for now. I'll post some new picurtes when I get a chance. Hope all is well with everyone. Keep me updated on any new developments in life.

Wyatt being cute!

2008-03-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Not that he has to try very hard, but he's always being just too cute. But he won't hold a smile long enough to get a very good picture of his two new teeth. Oh well. Thats the way it goes.

It's a Boy!!!

2008-03-05T15:01:00.000-08:00

As far as we could see on the ultrasound, everything looks normal and good. Say hello to Baby Michael Ephraim Lira.

Loosing my mind!!

2008-02-27T20:18:00.000-08:00

As the pregnancy progresses, more and more of my mental capacities seems to be disapearing. We made a pizza for dinner tonight, and Ephraim left it cooling in the stove. I went to turn on the water to boil for something else and walked away. About 30 seconds later I hear a sizzling coming from the kitchen. I look and there are flames coming from the cardboard under the pizza. I thought it was just too close to the burner in use. Turns out, I turned on the wrong burner and the pizza was on fire. In a matter of seconds the whole house is full of smoke and I'm crying feeling like and idiot for ruining the pizza. All this is going on about 20 minutes before my visiting teachers are supposed to arrive. Note to self, in the future, double check which burner you turn on.

Smells like spring.

2008-02-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

We opened up the screen window to let in some fresh air. Lucifer and Zanideu found lots to sniff and stood there for almost half an hour.

Near Disaster.

2008-02-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning Ephraim let Tinkerbell out to do her business, same as any other day. Right after I heard the door shut I remembered that last night she took off from the front yard and took off down one of the sidewalks. I called this out to Ephraim and he went to check on her but she was nowhere in sight. After calling a couple of times he sees her come barreling from two blocks down the side street. She knew she was in trouble. At the same time a VW van was coming on the intersecting street really fast. Ephraim sees it coming and hollers to Tinkerbell to stay but she just speeds up. The driver of the van sees Ephraim running towards the street and slams on his brakes but ends up just skidding. Tinkerbell runs into the street at the same time the van comes crossing her path. By some miracle she wasn't hit but was able to run underneath. While we were cleaning her up (she was so scarred she wet herself) we noticed she was bleeding from under her chin and on the side of her face and that her top canine tooth had the end broken off. We took her to the vet to have her checked over since we were afraid she might have hurt her jaw, but other than being terrified and the scrapes and tooth, she was fine. We were so blessed that all her injuries were minimal and that she wasn't killed. Later that night, after sleeping all day, she wasn't feeling to sore to not enjoy her rib bones. She thinks twice now about running into the street.

The Baby Bump!

2008-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

17 weeks and I'm now in maternity clothes. Almost halfway there. The pictures aren't that great, but for being my own photographer, it's not too bad. Better ones will come later. Last night I felt the baby move for the first time. The weirdest feeling yet, but still kind of neat. Next week I'm going in for the ultrasound and I can't wait.

Wyatt

2008-02-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

The cutest nephew in the world smiles super big and then moves right as you take the picture. Oh well. They still turned out really cute.

No Cats Allowed

2008-02-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tinkerbell keeps up her ongoing battle for sole rights to the basket. As soon as she leaves it at night, Zanideu jumps in and stays till morning. Now its Aslan for the challenger.

???

2008-02-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

Still trying to figure this thing out. There must be a reason I rarely ever try these things.

2008-02-21T23:20:00.001-08:00