The Matthew is Back

We went to my parent's house last week to welcome home my little brother Matthew from his mission in Albania. I can't believe two years went by already! Ammon and Shayla were excited to see Uncle Matt again, and Liam warmed up quickly to him. Ammon was glued to his side like best buddies. Hopefully Matt will be able to come over and visit for a bit and share some of his new recipes and stories (no BBQ sheep heads though please.)

I Tried...

So I tried to get a picture of all four kids yesterday, since I realized I didn't have one, and this is what happened. The kids did all get on the couch for me, but Liam tried to take off when Ammon wanted to hold him on his lap. Aria wasn't too happy about being held either.

Then I thought, how about on the ground? On a soft and cuddly blanket? Um. No. Ammon and Shayla thought it was HILARIOUS butting heads. Aria...still not entertained. And Liam? Don't even THINK about making him lie by those crazies. So I gave up. I'll try again another day.

Moving on though, here's a quick photo I snapped of Aria on a better day. Isn't she just adorable? :) Of course she is!

Two weeks out...Time is flying!

So it's been just over two weeks since Aria was born, and we are getting adjusted to having four kids. Josh and I are both a bit shy on sleep, me a bit shy on patience maybe (who me?), but we're trucking along.

Shayla's daily dose of Aria time

Aria has switched around to sleeping at night now instead of partying, she's great at eating and squeaking and making us all swoon. Shayla is her guardian for sure, always wanting to hold her and take care of her (even carrying her around...yikes!!! Noooo....) Ammon is a great babysitter while I'm taking a shower (keeping her safe from the carrying), and Liam loves sharing and stealing her binkies and giving her loves ALL day long.

Aria did not enjoy this bath...but normally she's loving it!

So all in all, we are enjoying this sweet little bundle of joy, and feel a bit closer to heaven, now that we have a little piece of it right here in our home.

All the cousins on the Kelley side

Details of our exciting day

Shayla loving on her new little sister

Dad and Aria bonding

Our happy family of six now

Mommy and Aria

Liam and Ammon having adventures at the hospital Coming home outfit

I went in to get induced on Friday, Aug 28th, in the morning. I took a couple of pills that are supposed to jumpstart things and nothing worked. So I started pitocin around 3:30pm-ish and had the baby at 6:10pm. I went too fast for an epidural, but did get a different shot in the spine that numbed me up so much I felt like my legs and stomach weren't mine...I loved it! Aria was born sunny side up, and all in all we are fine and dandy and back home today.


The kids came to visit us while we were there (special thank you's, hugs and kisses to Colleen and Grandma J for watching our little sweeties for us!!) a couple times, and both times Shayla wanted to hold Aria the whole time, while Liam and Ammon preferred scoping out the hospital room for adventures. We also had other special visits from family and friends, and it was so great to see everyone! We love you guys!


Josh was a great labor coach and switched into his role as sleep deprived dad very well. Aria seems to love the party lifestyle, being up all night and sleep during the day. Maybe if I would've done that kind of life the last few weeks of pregnancy she'd be on the right schedule now. Hm..something to think about for the next one...wait..next one?!


All in all, it's wonderful not to be pregnant anymore, and to have this sweet angel in our family. Josh gets to be home for a week now and help out, and I think we'll have a fun week of adventures ahead of us for sure. Yay!

She's arrived!!

Aria Belle was born on Friday August 28th at 6:10pm!! Yay!! She was 8 lbs 2 ozs and 20 inches long. She's the sweetest baby ever, of course! Just the darkest and prettiest eyes, cute and petite little features, and a cry that can drown out any sound her siblings could create. I've tried about ten times to upload pictures of her on here from the internet connection at the hospital but something is wrong and I can't do it, so I will upload them from home tomorrow, with more details about the fun-ness of delivery and being a family of six now. Wow. We are blessed!

Umm...No comment

Background to this conversation: I'm 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant, sitting on the couch after church (me leaving early, I couldn't make it past sacrament meeting...sorry..)

Josh: Oh, did you hear Vanessa R. had her bab...
Laura: Don't even tell me...*sigh*....ok....when?
Josh: This morning.
Laura: That's nice (in a very polite tone of course). She wasn't due for 2 more weeks. (again, a very pleasant voice..lol)
Josh: I wonder how Leanna and Alex are doing....
Laura: She probably had her baby too (she's due Aug 28th)
Josh (thinking out loud, still not aware of the venom headed his way): Maybe I'll call them this afternoon and see how they're doing.
Laura: How about how I'M doing? Maybe you should give me a blessing or something? (ok maybe a little sarcasm is sneaking into my otherwise angelic voice)
Josh (a little apprehensive): Um...Do you need a blessing?
Laura: (dripping with acid, I have to admit it) DO I?????
Josh: I think what you need is an exorcism.

Clear From California

Our awesome friends from California came to visit for a couple days--Mike and Teesha, and their three kids, Samantha, Jacob, and Makenzie. Our kids had a hay day playing with them from sun up to sun down, and we parents felt a little like Jon and Kate plus 8 (pre-breakup) with all the little ones under foot.

Ammon bonded with Mike, following him around everywhere and referring to him only as "my best buddy". The girls had fun playing princess while the boys trucked around looking for manly activities.

Mike was even able to stabilize our shelves in the garage that had been leaning a little worse than the tower of Pisa, and now it feels great to have them bolted down and secured. (see what happens when you visit us? We put you to work!)

Teesha and I tried to be pre-child wild, staying up Monday night until about 3am talking, but since we are both very much post-child-sleep-deprived-already, we were draggin the next day and making regular visits to my personal live-in physican, Dr. Pepper. We even tried to play games like old times, but Rummikub ended up being a lesson in numbers and matching for the older kids and stacking and throwing for the younger ones. Things are very different three kids ago for us both, but we wouldn't give up our kids for anything. They keep us young!

It was a great trip, and ended with a short visit to Cabela's, a shrine to all things holy for Mike. It was his first visit, and he was drooling...and the kids all enjoyed looking at the stuffed real animals (the dead zoo as Kayrena calls it). We loved having them over and hope to see each other more often than every 3 years. We miss you guys!!