The Stafford Family

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-21T17:49:00.002-06:00

This year, Father's Day fell on our anniversary (6th wedding), but with a newborn and a 3-year-old, although we had MUCH to celebrate, it wasn't all that romantic. ;-) We still had a great day!

MUCH to Mark's surprise, I surprised him with his first pedicure (hey, I hear men get them all the time ;-). He was quite apprehensive (he's very particular about WHAT he puts ON his feet and about WHO touches them!), but willing, nonetheless.

In honor of her father, Karina wore her "Don't blame me, that smell is coming from Daddy!" t-shirt. ;-) Seemed appropriate for the occasion!

He's a good sport, and when it was over, he said he liked the way his feet felt! I, personally, LOVE that massage chair and the "post-pedicure" feeling as well! He's probably not going to be too thrilled with me for putting this "not-so-manly" photo of him up. ;-)

Jaclyn (with whom we were also lucky enough to spend the day) gave Mark the t-shirt he's wearing, it's "Dad" in binary. He got a big kick out of it. :-) I wish I had gotten some shots of her that day...

Welcoming Rylee Home... Her First Week

2009-06-07T16:39:00.007-06:00

We arrived home on a rainy Sunday afternoon (June 7th) with our newest addition! It was also raining when we brought Karina home... funny, since it doesn't rain in Utah a WHOLE lot. The angels must have been crying tears of joy! :-)

Rylee did really well on the way home (better than Karina did since she pretty much cried the whole way). I sat in the back with her, just to make sure. :-) I was so awe-struck.

Karina was SO excited! It was a hard and new experience for her to have both of her parents away for a weekend, and she had to wait for two whole "sleeps" for her new sister to come home. It's hard to be that patient when you're three!

Karina welcoming her sister home. :-)

Her first night at home. :-)

Here's a VERY happy big sister and proud papa!

It was SO great having my mom (Mormor) here for the blessed event!

Not quite sure what was on Karina's mind, but she hasn't shown one ounce of jealousy or upset about our new little one! :-)

Hello, World!

Baby Bird

Sweet little Rylee... Welcome to Chapter 1!

Welcoming Rylee Michelle!

2009-06-05T15:45:00.002-06:00

My due date was June 12th (ironically, Karina's was October 12th), but Rylee was growing like a weed, so my doctor decided to induce me at 39 weeks. Good old gestational diabetes! I was hoping I'd go into labor on my own like I did with Karina, but no such luck. I guess Rylee and my body just weren't ready! I'll probably always wonder when her birth date would've been had modern medicine not chosen it for her. ;-)

I had some anxiety about being induced and having labor come on in full force, but my doula friend Debbie Doll helped me get my mind, body, and spirit "on the same page," so Rylee could make her entrance in energetic harmony.

We arrived at the hospital at 7:40 AM and I was started on a slow Pitocin drip. My doctor stopped by to say "hi," which thrilled and surprised me! We were very impressed by that. The morning went by slowly and was pretty uneventful. They increased the Pit. dose every half-hour, but Rylee's heart rate kept decelerating with every contraction as they began to kick in, so they had to decrease my dose and bring it back up a while later at which time she tolerated it better. My doctor came in around 2:00 and broke my water (I was 2 cm dilated)... which is when the "fun" really began! ;-)

This was me in labor before my epidural. The IV in my left hand did NOT feel good. I had this imaginary "do NOT enter" zone around it. I was told it would take about 10 minutes to get my epidural once I asked for it... Sadly, not the case. I had to wait 40 minutes, which were some of the LONGEST 40 minutes of my life! OUCH!

Ah... Heaven. After I received my epidural, I got to browse the menu! This was my FAVORITE part about this hospital. It was great (and I was hungry!)!

I went from 5 1/2 cm to 9 cm in one hour! I was amazed (and in a mild state of disbelief) that when they checked me ten minutes later, I was "complete"! 10 cm, fully effaced and ready to deliver my precious baby! My mind had trouble catching up to my body's pace. That Pitocin really works!

My nurse told me to push once to get Rylee's head to crown while we waited for my doctor. I did and was firmly instructed to STOP. Once my doctor arrived and gave me the green light, ONE PUSH, and she was out! I remember seeing her in the mirror, one push, head, one arm, then ta-da! "I'm here!" They placed her on my chest and BOY, did she cry! Much more and for much longer than Karina. :-( Poor baby. I was in awe and complete amazement at how quickly she came (I pushed for 1.5 hours with Karina). There she was! My 2nd miracle and OH SO LOVED and OH SO WANTED. I was so excited to finally meet her!

I don't think SHE was quite ready, either, but at 8 lbs., 7 ozs., I'd say my doctor made a good call. My epidural worked SO well, I didn't feel a thing (although I would've liked to have felt a little bit of her "exit" like I did with Karina).

Our perfect little expression of love...

What a proud papa...

I was so lucky that my mom was here from Connecticut this time! Mormor, meet Rylee Michelle.

Dad and two of his girls...

Mom and her girls...

My mom, her girl, and her girl's girl!

For the second time, I had the best labor team! In addition to Mark (who was WONDERFUL) of course, Debbie and Linda were incredible supporters and *very* helpful during this amazing experience! Such great friends.

Mark got this shot and it cracks us up! Karina fell instantly in love with her sister.

Jaclyn came to visit and had a slight cold, so played it safe with a surgical mask. :-)

Not ready to go home?

"So I'm going home with these people, huh?" ;-)

Some random end-of-pregnancy shots

2009-05-29T14:00:00.009-06:00

The night before my induction (at 39 weeks). :-)

38 weeks

One of my weekly non-stress tests at 37 weeks

My favorite number....Mom and me at 38 weeks

Karina's Preschool Graduation for 2008-2009

2009-05-23T13:48:00.000-06:00

She was SO excited for her "celebration". It's interesting how they have a graduation when the kids are returning next year for more preschool.... Oh well. They loved it and don't care. :-)

When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she promptly and confidently responded with "a princess!"

My Baby Shower

2009-05-02T17:34:00.006-06:00

My very dear friend Keri Cook was kind and thoughtful enough to host a baby shower for me! It was so much fun and she really went above and beyond to make it special! We had great food, great friends and some great laughs! What a joyous celebration as we prepare for the arrival of our newest love.

Yum! Yum! Too bad I couldn't have any of it... Oh well.

Here I am with my friend, Kris... too bad her eyes were closed. ;-)

Me with two of my favorite gals! Keri (on my right), the hostess, and Heather! Sure love these ladies!

And it would appear that they love me, too. :-)

I don't know WHAT was so funny, but I predict I'll be expressing a similar look in a few weeks for a different reason! ;-)

Can't forget the dad... "I love my daddy"

Love the ruffles on the butt!

Darling Keri. What a great shower!

Kiki at 32 Weeks

2009-04-16T19:44:00.005-06:00

It's funny, some days it feels like I'm not this far along yet and that I've not been pregnant this long, and other days I think "Yikes! Only that much more to go?! It's getting close and she'll be here before we know it!"

It's all such a miraculous and interesting journey and process. Feeling her movements never gets old and Karina loves kissing my belly and feeling her sister move (especially when she has the hiccups!). It's very tender (let's just hope it stays somewhat that way...).

We really need to agree on a name for this sweet little angel... sigh... Karina likes the name "Japanese". ;-)

If anyone is wondering why my energy level is so limited, this is why:

Easter Festivities

2009-04-12T21:12:00.003-06:00

Easter Graphic Comments

Karina got to color eggs this year for the first time, and BOY, did she LOVE it!

The proud artist

Every year, our neighborhood has an Easter egg hunt and breakfast at the park across the street. It's so much fun! Karina was patiently awaiting the green light for three-year-olds...

Heavy loot, Mom!

YUMMY loot, too!

On Easter morning she was (needless to say) thrilled to rummage through all the goodies the Easter bunny brought her. But, the chocolate bunny was (of course) the favorite! This "egg" definitely didn't fall far from the tree. ;-)

We went to church and then went out for a lovely lunch with our dear Linda!

We ended the day with one more Easter egg hunt in our own backyard.

What a rip off, Mom! The Easter bunny left this one empty!

Assessing one more time...

It was a good day. :-)

3D Ultrasound Shots-30 Weeks

2009-04-08T10:45:00.009-06:00

I just love these! Ah... technology today.

Ain't it grand?!

Love the hair... We are SO excited to meet her!

Open eyes!

Love the tongue...

I also got video in 3D and if I can figure out how to post it, I will!

Our Silly Monkey Girl

2009-04-05T11:08:00.003-06:00

Karina didn't understand why it's uncomfortable for me to bend over, so Mark put a towel under her jacket as a "mock pregnant belly" and she loved it! She wanted to be like Mom... :-)

If there's a climbing opportunity to be had, Karina will find it.

Currently her favorite hang out spot

When she saw these pics, she said "Climbaholic!" Guess she's been listening to me. ;-)

22 Weeks Along...

2009-02-11T19:44:00.009-07:00

Wishing, once again, I had documented my pregnancy better (just like last time), here are some shots we took when I was 22 weeks along. I had gotten the girls (I have some adjustments to make in my language!) "Little Sister" and "Big Sister" shirts and Karina was modeling hers here. She was so excited! It was adorable. I look forward to having their picture taken in these!

"I'm already a big sister!" says she. :-) And proud of it, I would say!

Daddy's Helper

2009-01-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

Mark and I now have ourselves a little helper! She loves doing handy work and is amazingly good with a screwdriver! She was helping her dad (actually doing it for him) install new drawer pulls on these dresser drawers. It's cute to see how focused she gets. :-)

Learning how to install a new spring in the dispenser of the dishwasher.

Not sure what was going on here, but my guess is that "life" wasn't going exactly the way she wanted it to. ;-)

All that work will make a dad and daughter tired!

So sweet...

Winter Fun

2009-01-14T20:34:00.002-07:00

We got a lot of snow this past winter! It was so beautiful and serene. Karina had lots of cold, white fun!

I just love the innocence and wonder of this shot!

One of her favorite jobs; being Daddy's helper.

While waiting for Mark to get home from work one evening, Karina and I decided to build a snowman. :-)

Pink or Blue?

2009-01-02T19:17:00.003-07:00

Today, we got to learn of the gender of newest wee one! I have been counting the days and all the while, having a "boy vibe". My "girl vibe" with Karina was on target, so I was (foolishly) pretty confident I was right again. ;-) Not so! Girls seem to be the theme in not only my family (across the board), but for Mark, as well! I believe the Universe knows what's best for us and what we can handle (at least I sure hope so!). When my doctor spotted her genitalia, my first thought was "Hey! That's not a penis!" I really had myself convinced. :-) Karina kept saying "why am I having a sister?" There are definitely things (I have discovered) that are tricky to explain to a 3-year-old! It took me a few days to think of my precious unborn baby as "pink" instead of "blue," but it's all perfect. Hopefully Karina and her sister will share a lifetime of a beautiful friendship.

These pictures were taken at the end of January, so close enough. :-) We get a live footage added to our DVD at every visit, so still shots aren't always easy to acquire. These were from my "targeted ultrasound" that was done at the hospital. They measure everything and take a very close look. Everything looked great! What a cutie!

PINK!!

Christmas

2008-12-25T16:28:00.024-07:00

I have begun to get used to the idea of staying put for Christmas, which hasn't been easy (and is not my first choice). I still miss extended family a great deal, and am sad for Karina that she doesn't get to share the joys of that experience during the holidays, but nothing lasts forever. We'll see what happens...

We participated in some fun neighborhood events and Karina was incredibly excited during the entire month for Santa's impending arrival! What a GREAT holiday for kids. It was a little tricky though trying to explain to her why Santa was at Wal-Mart, the mall, PetSmart, etc., instead of preparing for his big night at the North Pole!

This was one of her two favorite outfits this season. She loved feeling like she, along with Santa, had a red outfit, a red hat, and black boots!

Jaclyn came up to make Christmas cookies with us, but the gluten-free version didn't work too well. ;-)

We still had fun...

Jaclyn got some really cute shots of Karina

Here's our "do-over" with gluten-filled cookies for Santa!
She had SO much fun.

This shot reminds me of a Christmas card picture my parents used when my sisters were little (before my time).

Thanks for the AquaDoodle, Tante Nina and family!

She loved this set of computer games called JumpStart. Very educational!

Here's the blanket I made for her. Cozy!

Although she hadn't yet seen Shrek, she enjoyed this stuffed one from Tante Astrid and family (and cuddling with the dad doesn't hurt either!).

"Wrapping up" Christmas Eve. Aren't there ANY more presents under here??
What a WONDERFUL gift this Christmas! Our family pictures will look very different next year. :-) Discovering her "train with tracks" from Santa in the morning. :-)We went to two friends' houses (Linda's and Darcy's) on Christmas Day and had a lovely time! This is us at Darcy's.And the magic of it all continues...

First Day of Preschool!

2008-12-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

We found this amazing preschool (although it's a bit of a drive) that allows enrollment at any time! This was great news for us, since the traditional 'system' wanted us to wait an entire school year. Karina was SO ready (and so was I!).

This was her first day. Happy girl!

New Doctor, Third Ultrasound

2008-12-04T18:46:00.003-07:00

I had to choose a new doctor that's closer to our new home than my old one (MUCH to my dismay). I chose a doctor at the Circle of Life Women's Center that came very highly recommended. When I read her bio., I saw that she's originally from the northeast, is very well-educated and experienced in her field, and has a Scandinavian last name, so I felt drawn. When I called to make my first appointment, the best news I heard was that they do an ultrasound at every visit and I get it all on a DVD! I sure didn't have that the last time. I love how technology advances over short a short period of time. What a treasure.

I was 13 weeks along at this visit. Everything looked great and this is the shot we used for our Christmas card this year. :-)

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T21:18:00.009-07:00

We were fortunate enough to have been invited over to our friends' home, Evert, Keri, Evelyn and new baby, Corbyn for Thanksgiving this year. They are great people and Evert's parents were visiting. His mother is from Sweden, so that was fun for me. Great food. Great people. What Thanksgiving is all about...

With the recent adoption of Corbyn, and the miracle of modern medicine growing inside of me, we had much to celebrate and for which to be thankful!

Practice, practice, Daddy-O!

Karina, like her mother, loves whipped cream

Evert, his mom, and Corbyn

I tried to get a good shot of Karina and Evelyn, but everybody was tired by this point...

Happy Birthday, Mark!

2008-11-09T18:49:00.011-07:00

For Mark's 40th birthday, I decided to surprise him with a trip to Las Vegas! It was his sister Lynn's idea, and unfortunately, she wasn't able to meet us, but I was thankful for the suggestion! Fortunately for us all though, Mark's dad (Mike), his sister, Ann, and her husband, Matt, all flew out for the surprise trip (Mike from Florida, Ann & Matt from Chicago)! I was SO excited, it was hard to contain it!

Friends of mine where kind and GENEROUS enough to loan us their loaded Toyota Highlander (drool)! It saved us since it had a built-in DVD player in it. I can't imagine driving 7 hours to Las Vegas with a 3-year-old and no DVD player. NO WAY. She called it "the movie car". :-)

When Mark arrived at home from work on Thursday evening and saw the Highlander in the garage, he was (needless to say) perplexed. I told him it was his "surprise birthday vacation transportation". It took him a while for things to sink in, then he kept calling me sneaky... and he was right! He kept trying to guess where we were going, but I wouldn't budge. The mystery was half the fun!

We had a GPS in the Highlander that kept pointing to Vegas, so he figured it out around St. George, which was fine. He also kept asking who was meeting us there (sometimes he's too smart for his own good), and although I thought I had done a good job of acting as though they weren't, he wasn't buying. Sigh. At least he didn't expect to meet up with people when and where we did, so I DID pull something over on him! :-)

We went straight to a park (for Karina's benefit, of course... wink-wink) where his sister and brother-in-law were sitting on a toy, and his dad at a picnic table. It was a glorious reunion and Karina acted as though she had just seen her relatives a couple of weeks prior.

Mark's sister, Ann, with Karina and Mark (nice park!)

We went to one of my father-in-law's favorite places on the planet, Red Rock Canyon. It's breathtaking!

I had a mild heart attack when Mark and Karina were up on this rock, but it certainly was gorgeous.

Uncle Matt

Uncle Matt and Karina the climber

All of us "party animals" on the strip... Matt's sister, Anne, also joined us from New York.

I would say watching Karina watch the fountain at Bellagio was a *major* highlight of our trip! She was so thrilled and giggled like we had never seen or heard before... we were elated!

We had fun walking around the Bellagio hotel. Karina loved all of the great sights (very much including this "talking" tree)!

Karina having a long overdue cuddle with Grandpa. She misses him and told us recently that she wants to live in Florida... :-)

Karina treating Aunt Annie to a free hairbrushing... What great smiles.

Mark and his "baby sister"....

Our last night there we went to Fremont Street downtown. What a light show!

Second Ultrasound

2008-11-06T15:30:00.003-07:00

Being that the first trimester is volatile, my nurse practitioner wanted to do a second ultrasound at 9 weeks, just to make sure the growth and development were occurring on schedule. I love seeing the life that's growing inside of me, so she didn't get any resistance from me! It often makes the nausea and complete exhaustion more justifiable... ;-)

This one shows a better image of the yolk sac than that of the embryo. It's all so miraculous!

Here's decent shot of the little sweetie I was so convinced was a boy (they still look so alien at this stage)...

I'm not exactly sure what was going on here, but I think Karina was upset because she wanted to play "Doctor" with the equipment and wasn't permitted to do so. She always wants to help and participate... sweet thing. I'm sure there will be plenty of stories made up about this shot as the years go by. She really does want a sibling! Or at least she thinks she does... ;-)

Halloween 2008

2008-10-31T21:17:00.001-06:00

Karina has been SO excited for Halloween to come... most days I hear "is it Halloween yet?". I love how exciting the holidays are for her. It's so much fun to participate in that and make it special! I'm so grateful to my own mother for doing that for us for soooo many years...

She was Belle this year, and if I do say so myself, a mighty pretty Belle at that!

Trick or Treat!

Assessing the loot with Dad...

Sampling the loot with Mom!

First Ultrasound (counting embryos!)

2008-10-23T17:45:00.003-06:00

Myspace Graphics, Pregnancy Graphics at WishAFriend.com

I had my first ultrasound today after a positive pregnancy test on the 2nd to count embryos to see how many took (three were implanted). Worst case scenario, all three could have take, and all three could have split (YIKES!). It's a little unnerving before that first ultrasound. However, just as Mark and I had strongly affirmed... PHEW!! One little tiny precious life, heart beating strong, preparing to make his/her journey into this world. :-) The Universe truly knows what we can handle, and what we could not (at least not very well)... Thank you!

Tears of joy... we are SO blessed and fortunate! As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait." And BOY, did we wait!

Wee Witches' Weekend

2008-10-18T16:02:00.006-06:00

Every October, there is a festival called "Wee Witches' Weekend" at this great place called Gardner Village. I love it! Karina really loved it, too.

I took this shot in honor of the chocoholics in the family. :-) Like father, like daughter!

She really enjoyed decorating her own witch's hat.

Too bad we didn't get a shot of her wearing it! Our photography skills need some work. :-)

Karina, camera shy? In this particular moment, yes.

She loved this witch (what a great costume!)!

Black Island Farms

2008-10-08T17:59:00.008-06:00

We went to a local pumpkin patch where they have hay rides, face painting, a petting zoo, some activities for kids and really good kettle corn. Karina had a blast!

We each got to pick a pumpkin and Karina had so much fun choosing one for herself.

So proud

She then got to have her face painted for the first time and actually sat still quite well!

Ta-da!

Karina's Birthday Party

2008-10-04T15:36:00.004-06:00

We had a really fun "Princess Party" for Karina this year. I had so much fun planning around that theme (especially with the food). It was going to be a "Princess in the Park" party, but it rained. Our house was slightly cramped... next year, fewer guests. I still need to learn to simplify (I think this next baby will help!)...

Our friends' daughter, Izzy, was KIND enough to come up and play the role of "Princess Monarch from Butterfly Land" for the kids. They (especially Karina) LOVED it (and fell for it hook, line and sinker!)! Karina received pink sparkly shoes from her and thought that was just the greatest thing. Izzy was a beautiful princess!

We were happy to have Karina's half-sister, Jaclyn, with us. Here Karina is getting ready to blow out her candles.

Karina's 3rd Birthday

2008-10-02T22:22:00.004-06:00

Our "little baby" turned three today! Wow. Time sure does fly! She was so excited and is very eager to be a "grown up"! Today is also pregnancy test day! I have most definitely noticed how "interesting" it is that we did the transfer on the 22nd (my favorite number), and get the results on our first angel's birthday. I took those both as very good signs! I didn't want anything to take away from Karina's special day, so I was that much more THRILLED that the test came back positive! The Universe must be listening. :-)

Karina and I started our day with a trip to Krispy Kreme with our MOMS Club friends!

After a trip to the hospital for my blood test, Karina and I went over to our friends' Keri and Evelyn's house for lunch and to await the results (for which I wanted some company). It was glorious! My nurse called and she sounded like she was smiling! I said "you sound happy!" to which she replied "Congratulations! You're pregnant!" I was ELATED and had tears of joy. Karina asked "are you pregnant?" I told her I was while still on the phone. Not as ceremonial as I had envisioned, but that's how life goes sometimes. :-)

We had a wonderful celebration with our friends and I made several, emotional and extremely joy-filled phone calls. I called Mark (first, of course), and JUST like last time, I couldn't get a hold of him right away. I was amazed that history had repeated itself. When I finally got a hold of him, I greeted him with "Hi, Daddy!". He said "hello". So I said it again, to which he replied "hi". Then I said "Hi, Daddy, AGAIN!" and after several seconds, it clicked! We were so happy, but a bit nervous since my nurse told me that she wouldn't be AT ALL surprised if it was twins since my numbers were strong and a bit high. YIKES (we both thought)!

Once Mark came home from work, we took Karina to Chuck E. Cheese's with some friends to celebrate her special day. She loves that place. Thank you, Grandma for her adorable dress!

Upon our return back home, it was time for her to open her gifts from family. Her party with friends was scheduled for the upcoming Saturday.

My sister, Astrid, sent her this HUGE bag FILLED with so many gifts that would thrill any three-year-old to pieces! It was amazing and Karina was in birthday HEAVEN. :-)

Boy, did she love this Princess Annika costume and wand!

It was a great day and we had MUCH to celebrate!! :-)

With the help of generous contributions from Grandpa and Uncle Donald (two of her kindred birthday spirits), we all pitched in to give Karina this trampoline. We got snow in mid-October (when this was taken), which is unusual! It's such a great way for her to get exercise and fresh air at the same time. :-)

Myspace Graphics, Pregnancy Graphics at WishAFriend.com

IVF Day!

2008-09-22T10:30:00.009-06:00

Today, on lucky day #22 (my favorite number) of September, was embryo transfer day for (hopefully) baby #2! There have been many shots and much preparation in the works for this blessed occasion. I don't know about Mark, but I pretty much had nothing but affirmative thoughts that it would take. I was open to perfect success the second time around, too. :-)

Yesterday, our doctors thawed four embryos. One of them didn't survive, and only two of them were recommended to be used in the transfer, based on their quality. So, to be safe, the doctors then thawed a couple more today, and one of those looked better than the other. We were told that if they only transferred two (like we did to get Karina), the likelihood of a pregnancy resulting was only 40%, but if we transferred three, that shot up to 60%. Without hesitation, Mark and I immediately agreed to transfer the three best ones (although the thought of possible scenarios was scary!).

I was happy and optimistic. This is about a half-hour after the transfer. That valium really mellowed me out!

Visit to Connecticut

2008-08-31T22:45:00.004-06:00

As Karina and I headed back to the States from Scandinavia, we stopped in Connecticut (where my mother and middle sister live) to celebrate my birthday, spend a little more time with family, and adjust our body clocks a little more slowly.

She always has so much fun with her cousins...

My childhood best friend, Ginny, was SO great to come up from New Canaan to spend my birthday with me! We all went to Lake Compounce, which is a large amusement and water park, and had a really fun, yet exhausting day. Karina went to bed at 6:30 and missed the birthday festivities that included cake! She was POOPED!

It's a good thing I could laugh about turning 44!

Or could I???

It was so nice to be back in Connecticut with my mother and sister for my birthday. It had been a long time (and I really missed my mother's homemade cakes!)!

I received this beautiful necklace and shawl from my cousin Anna in Norway (we share the same birthday), and I think Ginny and I were REALLY punchy from exhaustion! We were getting very silly... (and having LOTS of fun!)

Here we are, Norway!

2008-08-28T20:06:00.000-06:00

We arrived at my uncle's house in Blommenholm (a suburb of Oslo) on August 1st after a gorgeous ride from Stockholm. I hadn't seen him since 1991 and his wife, my mother's sister, had just passed away a year and a half earlier. I was so sad to have missed her. I completely melted when my uncle, who speaks only a few words of English, and Karina exchanged "I love yous" verbally, but felt such a loving connection through the barrier of spoken language.

This was my fifth trip to Norway (and obviously Karina's first). My last visit was in 1982 (I attended school for four months). I missed it SOOO much, and was SOOO happy to be there! I have so many wonderful memories from childhood and from when I was 18. Too much time had gone by, but when I was with my relatives, it certainly didn't feel like it had been 26 years since I had seen most of them! Some of them hadn't even been born yet, so I met them for the first time. It was a bit surreal.

Karina loved climbing his tree and picking fresh raspberries in my uncle's backyard (one of MY favorite childhood memories).

The country is SO beautiful and it was so great for Karina to get to interact with nature in such an open setting. It was fun to be so close to these cows.

I love this picture of Karina at my cousin's farm.

Oh, the places you'll go...

We drove through a SPIRAL tunnel built in a mountain to experience this *unbelievable* view of Hokksund, which is where one of my cousins lives.

Here is a PERFECT example of why I gained weight over there. YUM!!!

We went to see the Holmenkollen ski jump. Spectacular.

This is one of my FAVORITE shots from our entire trip. My mom caught it in the Holmenkollen gift shop. I'm sure those of you who received a Christmas card from us will recognize it. :-) My mom and I regret not buying that hat...

Outside the gift shop. It wouldn't be Norway if there weren't trolls!

I don't come from a very big family (three kids), but I sure have a lot of relatives in Norway! What a GREAT reunion!! Such phenomenal people (if I do say so, myself...).

My cousin Jon and his wife Elisabet have a *gorgeous* sailboat and were kind enough to take us out on the fjord! One of the best experiences I've had. It took my breath away...

Karina loved helping her cousin and pretending that she was Diego's assistant rescuing animals overboard with a rope. :-)

We stopped at an island in the fjord for a cook out! The water was surprisingly warmer than the air! There were wild sheep on the island, but they must have been frightened of us and didn't come out. Karina had a BLAST playing in the water with her FUN cousin, Jon!

Second mate?

We toured the famous Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo, which is home to 192 sculptures and more than 600 figures! It's gorgeous and this is my favorite one (I imagine this is how people with many children feel). I also saw an eclipse of the moon here (with special glasses, a large screen and crowd)!

This is the Royal Palace in Oslo and home to the current King of Norway. I especially enjoyed watching the ceremony of the changing of the guards! Very impressive.

Downtown Oslo's Hard Rock Cafe. :-)

Norway is known for its famous (and breathtaking) Stave (pronounced "Stahv") churches. They are filled with so much history and architectural wonder. On the way to my uncle's cabin, we stopped and toured this one. Ironically, I met a transplant outside from Chicago. :-)

Another place FILLED with wonderful childhood memories (with the exception of the outhouse to the left) is my aunt and uncle's cabin that my uncle built. It was so wonderful to be back there.

This shot was taken from the drive to the cabin ("hytta"). Pictures NEVER do justice to live and in person, but we do what we can. :-)

We took a *breathtaking* 7-hour train ride up to the west coast of Norway to Trondheim. We were picked up by relatives, took a ferry to the other side of the fjord and drove for an hour to one of the most beautiful, rural, towns I've ever seen... Råkvåg.

At my first cousin Anna's house. What a view!

Anna and Karina picking berries. We later ate them with vanilla sauce. YUM!!

Karina and Mormor ("mother's mother") having a cuddle at Anna's house.

I could've stayed in that spot for hours...

We then met up with other relatives and drove a few hours to Lund, my mother's (SMALL) hometown. We girls had never been there before! We climbed up on this massive rock where my mother played as a child. It was an incredible journey connecting with our roots and my mother's childhood.

My grandfather was the local teacher and the home in which my mother grew up was also the school house (half school, half home). There's only land there now where it used to stand, but a new school house was built in 1964 beside it. We were all in awe to see pictures from so long ago posted on the wall of the entry way. My mother, Liv, and her twin sisters (top right) are in this shot. My grandfather's name (Øystein) is at the very bottom as the teacher ("Lære" in Norwegian).

We stayed in our cousins' amazing cabin right on a fjord in Lund. It was one of the most gorgeous places I've been. I am so amazed by what hard workers the Norwegians are.

We were pretty far north and the sun did not completely set until after midnight. It was SO peaceful.

In addition to building the cabin, my cousin also built this great kids' playhouse (which, needless to say, Karina LOVED). These are very common in Norway and their craftsmanship is very impressive!

Karina and her cousin Shannon walking near the shoreline preparing to pick up shells and rocks. The only place I've ever seen green rocks.

Enjoying a boat ride with Nina (my sister) and Kayla (her daughter)!

My cousin and nieces went fishing and Karina had the time of her life playing with this poor dead fish for three hours! When it finally started to come apart, she was ready to put it back in the water. When the seagulls came and started to nibble on it, she said "my fish is flying all over the place!" ;-) It was a good nature, science, and biology lesson for her. She was SO fascinated and proud.

Being her loving self and probably showing her gratitude to Ole for the fish. :-)

My sisters and me at our beautiful bonfire.

Once we left the cabin in Lund, we had a gorgeous one-hour ride back to Namsos where my cousins live. Luckily, Karina is a good traveler and adaptable!

Kids from different countries seem to share the universal language of laughter and a love for whipped cream. :-) Karina and cousin Siri at Marie's house.

My "northern" relatives at Marie's house (in the blue next to my mom in the green). Not everyone in my extended family relocated and built a life in the Oslo area.

Karina really missed (and loves) her American cousins... Annika giving the thumbs up that it's "lights out".

It was an AMAZING, AMAZING trip and I will treasure the memories always! I am already ready to go back

(and bring Mark this time!)!!

We're off to Sweden!

2008-07-25T09:00:00.014-06:00

Karina and I headed to Stockholm, Sweden to begin our 5-week visit to Scandinavia! We stopped in Newark, NJ to meet up with my mother (who lives in Connecticut) so we could fly together to Sweden.We stayed with my incredible cousin, Harald, and his amazing and lovely wife, Karin. I've experienced good hospitality before, but they take the cake! It was really hard to leave them... Luckily, they come to the U.S. quite often!Their home is just beautiful and Karina LOVED their little pond!

Stockholm is so much more beautiful than I ever imagined... especially for those who like water!

Karina and I were showing off our new hats on the ferry returning from an outdoor lunch at a fort!

We walked on the grounds of the Royal Palace (although Karina was disappointed since it SO didn't match Disney's palace look...)

A guard at the Palace. I found it interesting that they have a "do not cross" boundary around them (although not surprised).

Here is my mom near the Palace. I thought this was so "Bourne-like"...

This is the church where Harald and Karin were married. It reminds me of something out of a storybook. People arrived by boat via a canal...

I was so happy that we got to see Björn Ulvaeus' house (from ABBA)!

A popular meeting/hangout area in downtown Stockholm.

We drove to Oslo, Norway from Stockholm and stopped half-way in Karlstadt, Sweden (which I loved). We spent the night and had a lovely dinner at our hotel. It was the first time I had ever seen a flower-lined bridge! It was beautiful.

Through the eye of a child... our child.

2008-07-08T15:35:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our blog!

2008-07-08T15:00:00.003-06:00

I first created this quite some time ago, but I've never been known to do things quickly, so I didn't want to surprise anyone or catch them off guard. :-)

This blog will be mostly Karina updates, since Mark and I aren't nearly as interesting these days. ;-) She's one of the friendliest kids I've ever known. Nearly everyone she meets receives a warm and sweet "leg hug". The time has definitely come to teach her about personal boundaries... Oh to see the faces of the grocery store shoppers as they make their way down the aisles looking for their mundane products until little Miss Karina brightens their day with her unconditional love for all people and things. "Hi! What's your name?" Shy is not a word in her vocabulary.

We hope you enjoy our posts and pics! Love to you all!

Mark, Kiki & Karina

Fourth of July

2008-07-07T14:22:00.010-06:00

We started our Independence Day celebration with the annual Layton parade (it's tradition for Karina to watch from her dad's shoulders, at least for the first few minutes). This was our third year attending and I think we finally found our favorite spot from which to watch! Karina, of course,

loved it (ESPECIALLY the candy that was being tossed!)!

Mark was thoughtful enough to get us some sparklers!
What a great way to pass the time waiting for dark and fireworks!

She wasn't too sure in the beginning, but watching from the
safety of her dad's lap... what could go wrong?!

She ended up loving it...

Our little Princess...

2008-07-05T14:28:00.010-06:00

Karina is certainly all girl! She has discovered the wonderful, make-believe (it is make-believe, isn't it?) world of princesses and castles!

Most days she talks about her castle that has pink and blue lights and goes back and forth on whether or not I am permitted inside. She starts by saying "you can't come in my castle." Then follows it up rather quickly with "I changeded my mind!"

She's certainly the prettiest princess we've seen!

Lagoon, June 20th

2008-07-03T21:43:00.012-06:00

Mark, Karina and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Lagoon on his company (thanks, iCentris!) in June! Karina had a BLAST until she got so tired (we went in the evening to avoid the worst heat of the day) that she was

too "far gone" to go on any more rides.

Mark took her on a dragon coaster, but it was probably a bit too much for her first ride this year. Oh well... live and learn!

She had a great time with her friend, Evelyn, and LOVED "driving" the car, although she hadn't told her face! ;-) It was the only ride she went on twice.

Father's Day Weekend 2008

2008-06-15T16:10:00.009-06:00

We rode the FrontRunner train into downtown Salt Lake City

to attend the Family Festival at The Gateway Mall.

Mark took Karina in the fountain at The Gateway Mall...
Nice cool fun on a hot day!

Karina, like her mom, cannot resist a cute dog!

OR a good, live band for that matter! :-)

And on Father's Day itself....

Mark and Karina began the day with a yummy breakfast. Regardless of what's on Karina's plate, Mommy's and Daddy's food is always more desirable (even though it's the same)!

After visiting our new friend in the hospital, Carson Dean Pack, (congratulations, Brian, Erinn and Abby!), off we went to see Kung Fu Panda! It was a really good movie, but hard for Karina to sit through it.

Upon our arrival at home, I cooked up a meal fit for a great father! It was a great day and I think Mark would say the same...

Denver, June 2008

2008-06-14T14:01:00.009-06:00

Karina and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Denver for just over two weeks to visit our friend Terra and her two daughters, Miyah (3) and Jaelyn (2 months)! The trip was a bit too long for Karina (she really missed her daddy and her home), but we made it work.

Terra's first floor apartment

Terra works and lives at the largest apartment community in Colorado called The Breakers Resort Apartment Villages (they have six different communities each consisting of approximately 200 apartments!). They also have a lake and marina with boats (pictured at the very top and below). I took Karina on a pedal boat ride, which she, of course, loved (and I had a great workout!). They also have a bar, patio, pools, playground, and just about all the amenities a person could possibly want!

Karina Grace and Miyah Grace in "Graceland"! :-)

(their moms obviously shop at the same great place

and share the same great taste)

Terra and Jaelyn - "Mama said knock you out!"

Girls' night out! Heather came out for the first week!
Tasha, Terra, Kiki and Heather

A girl's work is never done...

(regarding the forehead, poor Karina met a sidewalk she didn't like)

"I did it!" It's fun to help feed baby Jaelyn

We also got to see some dear friends who moved to

Denver from Salt Lake last year. We miss them!

Jenna, Lara and Alex Brzezinski

Karina and Jenna getting ready to swim

while Jaelyn watches and takes notes

I got some really cute shots of Karina in this great
tree at The Breakers

She IS a "monkey," afterall!

Karina's and Mark's reunion at the airport brought tears to my eyes (so sorry I didn't get some shots of it!). Three people came up to us to ask how long they'd been apart... Karina came running out of the terminal yelling "Daddy! Daddy!" not sure where he was. Once they found each other, she RAN into his arms and WHAT an embrace! It was SO touching and I will treasure the memory always!
She's a lucky girl and Mark is such a great dad!

A visit from Donald

2008-05-18T16:28:00.011-06:00

We were thrilled to have gotten an overnight visit from Mark's younger brother who was traveling through Salt Lake City on his return trip home from a business trip! Karina had only gotten to meet her Uncle Donald once before, and she was too young to remember. Although it felt like he was only here for about a half-an-hour, we enjoyed every minute together. Kids seem to have this innate way of knowing who's in their "tribe". ;-)

What a fun uncle!

Who says one has to give up their workout while traveling?!

Karina certainly enjoyed having breakfast with two of
her favorite men!

Donald didn't let his lack of experience keep him from grilling some great steaks for dinner (too bad we didn't get any shots of the big bottle of Merlot he and I polished off!)!

It was short, but sweet...

There's nothing like family and we sure have missed him.
We would actually really like it if he would visit more often!
(hint-hint!)

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-11T17:17:00.006-06:00

What a great day it was! We started the day by going to our spiritual center and out to lunch afterward! After a visit at GOOD friend, Darcy's place (and fellow mom), we stopped at Wal-Mart and got a bike and trailer (I had wanted one for a while)!

Karina was (clearly) very excited to go for a "wheel trailer ride"! Most of the time when we're out for a ride I hear "where are we going?" about 16 times... ;-) and she doesn't seem to find "just around the neighborhood" to be an acceptable answer. :-) It's between 97-100 degrees right now, so I think we'll be riding in the evenings only!

What an *honor* to be a mother...