Hospital - from my camera

I finally uploaded the pictures from my camera to my computer.  There were SO many pictures.  Here are a few that are from the hospital (Jamie took a bunch too that are on Luke's computer).  And for some reason they aren't all in order, but oh well, I am too lazy to get them in order and they all kind of look the same, but for my record they are all going on the blog.

This is obviously a "before" picture - my belly still there (well, I am still working on getting rid of it)

I guess this would be "after"

My first glimpse of Rai

Rai just a few minutes old

Luke holding Rai for the first time

Tracen meeting Rai for the first time.

Some things to remember about my time spent at the hospital:

-The nurses thinking I was crazy for trying to do things naturally 
-The food that was actually pretty good.  I am still thinking about that red velvet cupcake and the bacon that was cooked perfectly.  I was not used to the idea of having a menu and being able to order as much of whatever I wanted off of it at any time while in the hospital.  I must say I quite enjoyed that. Luke also got a voucher for a free meal (that Jamie used) and it provided too much food for her to eat for one meal. 
-Those quiet moments in the wee hours of the morning studying Rai's face and trying to get to know everything about him
-Tracen getting a coupon for an ice cream sandwhich to celebrate Rai's birthday (we sang happy birthday to his new little brother)

Rai 8 weeks (2 months?)

I am really not sure if 8 weeks = 2 months or not.  Rai is 8 weeks old, but he was born on April 3rd, so do we have to wait for June 3rd for him to be 2 months?  His 2 month appointment with the doctor isn't for another 2 weeks, so that doesn't help give me an answer either.

This is a goofy grin i caught on camera, he was being cheesey!

Anyways - at this point in time he is:

Growing and filling out - I won't know exactly until his appointment, but little baby rolls are coming.

Finding his voice - he makes his lips into the shape of an "o" and coos and coos sometimes, I love it

Smiling more - I have yet to get a good picture of this, because usually it happens when he is done breast feeding and it is hard to censor a picture like that.  Sometimes I can talk to him and get a smile out of him now too which is fun.  It looks like he has 2 small dimples, maybe just 1 that is really visible to those that don't stare and study his face all day long.

Struggling with naps - this might have to do mostly with Tracen.  Tracen is testing baby brother out more (he just bit him as I wrote that), or helping with a soother (binky) when he is asleep and trying to pry it into his mouth, or testing his out his 2 year old lungs during nap time.

Loves bath time - and Tracen loves to help out with this, usually resulting in all of us being soaking wet.

Loves to be swaddled and held (rocked/moved) to go to sleep.

Now to find (or take) some pictures to go with this post.

Canada was good to us

A quick glimpse into our two weeks north of the border (from my phone), I will have to do more detailed posts later.

Candi meeting Rai

Of course it snowed

Tracen pretending to be a baby with Koko

Sneezy Rai

Just being a boy

Watching the penguins swim with Grandma, but the penguin was too quick for me to get in the picture

Holding a (dead) butterfly, but it was an exciting experience

Papahashi burping Rai

Cuddles with JJ

Cuddles with Papahashi (not sure who put who to sleep)

Visiting Papahashi's office downtown

Visiting all the Great Grandmas and Aunt Dawne

Mother's Day cuddles

Papa saying good-bye to Rai

Trampoline jumping

Walking Winty

Girls night

Bedtime struggles, this happened 4 times (completely naked)

Playing with Hudson

Heidi did some impromptu photo's

Papahashi thinks he's funny

Rai meets Kristi, Greg and Elliot

Canada sweatsuit

On the road again

Canada trip - Sister Takahashi

We decided last minute to go to Canada for a few weeks.  Seriously last minute, like Jamie and Jenelle pushed their departure back a day so we could caravan with them, and I could have a day to do laundry and pack. 

I left in the afternoon and picked up Jenelle (Jamie was going to come later) and we headed to Salt Lake, our first stop on the trip.  We had planned to stay the night at the Gathers and leave early in the morning, I spent all day getting Tracen to cooperate by telling him we were going to Blades house. 

Jenelle and I thought it would be fun to try to find Erika, but first Rai needed to eat, as well as Tracen.  While I fed Rai in the car, Jenelle took Tracen ahead to the food court at City Creek, I had heard there was a place there for kids to play, and knew he would be happier there than in the carseat. 

Just as Rai was finishing up, Jenelle called me and said, "Guess who I ran into at the food court?" Sure enough, it was Sister Takahashi.  Erika had actually spotted her and Tracen and Jenelle was surprised to be hugged by someone as she was walking.  We probably wouldn't have seen her if she hadn't seen them.

Erika got to meet Rai (she could hold him because I said she could and he's family), and Tracen had a blast playing with the dinosaurs.