HOW DID HE GET SO ADORABLE?!

Is this not the cutest picture you've ever seen?! Okay, so sometimes I think I'm biased, and Bryce and I used to think it was because we were in Spokane and there aren't as many kids here as in Utah, but even when we were in Utah this last month, every time CJ is in public, without fail, people stop and make comments about how cute he is. So maybe I'm not biased after all...

PUMPKIN CARVING

After picking our very own pumpkins this past weekend, we spent Monday night at the Adams' eating, talking, and carving our creations. For CJ's first pumpkin carving, it went really well...especially considering he decided he wanted to find out what pumpkin guts taste like (hey, he liked it!).

GREENBLUFF FARMS IN FALL

We've been to Greenbluff Farms before, but nothing compares to the place in the Fall! There's pumpkin patches, corn and haystack mazes, hayrides, apple picking, animals to pet, food, music, and even a pumpkin cannon. It was Paige's first day back and beautiful weather, so we took advantage of it and went with the Adams' to enjoy Spokane in the Fall.

This donkey was the size of the one in Shrek

Behind us is the pumpkin cannon. It's amazing how far it can shoot those pumpkins!

CJ enjoying a snack in the haystack maze

CJ and cute little Audrey Adams. He'll be interested soon enough :)

CJ feeding himself some apple pie

Daddy and CJ in the pumpkin patch

Our hero

WELCOME HOME

It was so hard being away from Bryce for two weeks, but coming home was so sweet that it almost made it worth it :). CJ and I were greeted with lots of hugs and kisses at the airport, and then we came home to this:

Love it!!

Besides a "welcome home" banner, Bryce had cleaned the whole house - I mean, vacuumed, did the dishes, and even cleaned the bathrooms, including the toilets! - and bought food to make us a yummy steak dinner! What a sweetheart! CJ and I are SOOO glad to be back!!

OUR STAY IN UTAH

As you know, CJ and I went to Utah to finish out my bed rest. Though I didn't do much, I did get the chance to see some family, oh, and get the stomach flu! CJ, on the other hand, got to see lots of uncles (even his Uncle Cameron in the MTC), aunts, cousins, and friends and had lots of fun. I think he's been kinda bored since we got home (except that now he gets to see his daddy :). Here are just a few pics that I managed to take:

CJ's Uncle Tyler came and picked him up and took him for the day. CJ had so much fun!

CJ loved playing the piano. Too bad we don't have one at home.

After I got CJ ready this day, I HAD to take a picture. Look how grown-up he looks!

CJ with his Aunt Melanie. We hardly ever see her.

Grandma Forsgren giving CJ a bath the day before we left. She was so sad to see us go.

I'M OFF...

Due to doctor's orders, I have two weeks of bed rest still, so I'm off to Utah where I won't be a distraction to Bryce and his schooling, my mom can chase after CJ all day, and I can get waited on hand and foot (I wish it was that glamorous).

Be back soon!

ANOTHER HEMATOMA UPDATE

Warning: the following post is lengthy, but it's for family history purposes, so feel free to skim :)

So I feel kind of silly writing this after the previous update I gave everyone, but unfortunately, 5 days after seeing my doctor and having had 3 1/2 weeks of no bleeding, while staying at my in-laws in Seattle, I woke up early Saturday morning, Sept. 20, to find that I was bleeding again. I was a little surprised because I hadn't had any bleeding since my initial episode, but I wasn't that surprised because my doctor said that most women have several sessions of bleeding before it passes...and on top of that, he didn't do an ultrasound at my last appointment to actually confirm that the hematoma was gone. So I called the doc (who was out of town, so I got the on-call doc), who said to take it easy over the weekend - mainly meaning don't pick-up CJ - and to call him on Monday when I was back in town.

On Monday, Sept. 22, I was sent to the hospital for an ultrasound, and after seeing the results, an expert (Dr. Sigmond, who would be the third doc involved in all this) recommended I go on 3 WEEKS of bed rest due to the size of my hematoma. Basically, not only had the blood clot not absorbed into my body, but it had actually gotten bigger!

So my wonderful parents decided to fly my mom up to stay with us for a few days, and then I was planning on flying back to Utah with my mom and CJ to stay for the remainder of my bed rest. Unfortunately, I actually had more bleeding 5 days after my bleeding in Seattle, so my doctor did not want me getting on a plane yet for another 7-10 days. Despite the inconvenience, my mom selflessly decided to stay an additional week.

So here we are yesterday, a week and a half after my bed rest had begun, ready to buy plane tickets because I have had a week of no bleeding, and boom, early yesterday morning I bled again. After calling Dr. Maughan, he asked me to come in the next day and he would do another ultrasound to see where the hematoma was at. I haven't had any real cramping, so he said that was a great sign, but you can imagine how low my spirits were. On the one hand, we want the hematoma gone, so it either needs to reabsorb, or pass (which causes bleeding), so maybe the bleeding is good. But on the other hand, the bleeding could be an indication of more tearing, and ultimately, what the doctor's are looking for is a prolonged period of time with no bleeding. So I don't know what to think and I have no idea how long I'm gonna be on bed rest.

This has definitely been the hardest thing I have ever gone through. It's difficult to watch my loving husband worry about me so much and see how it affects his schooling. And it's difficult to watch someone else take care of my CJ. But mainly, it's been difficult because it's not just me at stake here; there's a little life in me, trying to thrive and grow, despite this. Every time I bleed, I wonder, "Is that more of the placenta tearing away, thus depriving our little baby of vital nutrients? Or is it maybe a good thing, the blood clot finally passing? How close is the placenta from tearing away completely? Is our baby going to make it through this? Can I handle having a miscarriage? Do I have enough faith to trust the Lord in this?" Besides my amazing husband, the only thing that has given me strength and gotten me through this ordeal is the wonderful blessing that I was given when this all happened. And I've been reminded through prayer and scriptures to have faith in that blessing, in which I was told that all would be well, the baby and I would be fine.

Then yesterday afternoon, after my disappointing morning, my dad called to tell me that he had put my name in the temple. And later that day, my mom called the Spokane temple and put my name there as well. I know so many people have been praying for us, and I could feel the Spirit even more knowing that my name was on those lists in the temples being prayed for in such a sacred way. And today, I feel like those prayers, and our earnest and heartfelt prayers as a little family have been answered!

Dr. Maughan wanted to quickly see me this morning to do another ultrasound to see how the hematoma was progressing. My blood pressure is great, I've actually lost some weight (which is always wonderful, especially when you feel yourself getting huge :), the baby's heart rate is fine, and the baby is measuring right on track, growing and developing normally - what a relief! And most importantly, Dr. Maughan could not find the hematoma on his ultrasound machine!! Can you believe it?! I don't know if we're out of the woods yet, but I do know that Heavenly Father has heard our pleas, and He has blessed us! Talk about a trial of faith!

Anyway, even though the hematoma seems to be gone, Dr. Maughan said I still need two weeks of bed rest with no bleeding, so I'm off to Utah (with the doctor's approval) for two weeks and when I return, we get to find out the gender of our little miracle baby. Thank you all, again, for all of your prayers, your love, and your support! We couldn't ask for better friends and family! And stay tuned for another update and to see what we're having...

CUTE PICS OF CJ

CJ was having so much fun playing with his reflection in Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Greg's dishwasher! He was talking to it, kissing it, even snuggling with it.

CJ loves Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Greg's dog, JJ...and JJ loves him too. If you can't tell, here she's trying to fix CJ's hair :)

HEMATOMA UPDATE

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and all is well. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat and it is strong and healthy. I thought Dr. Maughan was going to do an ultrasound to see where the hematoma was at, but since I haven't had any bleeding for 21 days, he said that my body must have absorbed the blood clot. And then he told me how blessed we are because most women who have a hematoma have at least 2 or 3 sessions of bleeding before it passes, along with cramps, and I haven't had either. He still wants me to be a little careful for the next few weeks (like not engaging in activities where I could get hit in the stomach...guess that means I shouldn't change CJ's diapers anymore :), but for the most part, we're in the clear.

I do feel very blessed and so grateful for the Priesthood in my life. Bryce gave me a beautiful blessing of healing that first night I had bleeding, and it has come to fruition. I'm so grateful for the blessings in my life, like my family's health, the wonderful world of medicine and technology that I have access to, and most importantly, amazing family and friends who love my family and me so much! Thank you to everyone, for your concern, your kind words, your prayers, and selfless acts of service (you know who you are :). It meant the world to me!

GOOOOOO COUGARS!

Bryce had an interview with a great firm in downtown Seattle last week, so we took advantage of the opportunity to go to the BYU vs. UW football game (actually, we've been planning to go to the game for months, so Bryce actually scheduled his interview for that weekend :). One of Bryce's best friends, Paul Fahey, and his wife, Jen, who live downtown, met us for the game. Even though they stuck us in a nosebleed corner of the stadium, we were surrounded by BYU fans and so we had our own cheering section. And isn't it funny what a small world the Church is? Paige saw three different people that she had known from her BYU wards in Provo! Anyway, it was a close game, which made it even more fun, and in the end, BYU won 28-27. Go Cougs!

Paul and Jen tried to show their neutrality by wearing non-team colors (but since they're both from WA, we knew they were secretly rooting for UW)

This was our view from our seats. It was super high, but it had its benefits...we could see everything!

In fact, this was the other view from our seats. Gorgeous!

Paul swam for USC (so he hates UCLA) and loves this shirt. He got lots of comments from people at the game...especially the drunk ones :)

CJ's BECOME OUR CLIMBER

CJ's climbing up the stairs at Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Greg's house. It's his first time and he didn't fall once!

And here he is after he just pulled himself up to standing for the first time. He's as proud of himself as we are!

SUBCHORIONIC HEMATOMA

Yup, that's what I've got (click on the title to go to a link with an article about subchorionic hematomas). After waking up from a nap Monday afternoon to find that I was bleeding, I started to panic. I kept it together enough to call the doctor's office - which of course, it was 5:10 PM, so he wasn't in and had to be paged - but after getting off the phone and waiting that 30 minutes before I got to talk to the doctor, the tears began to flow. I scared Bryce half to death when I called him crying and talking about CJ (I was explaining through my tears about how I had put CJ and myself down for a nap and so Bryce thought something had happened to CJ), but after I explained to him how I was bleeding, he left school immediately and rushed home. Dr. Maughan, my OB-GYN, called me and asked me a series of questions. After finding out that the bleeding had stopped, and that I wasn't having intense cramps, he reassured me that I was not having a miscarriage. He told me that it was likely that I ruptured a blood vessel or that I had a blood clot and that I needed to be very still the remainder of the evening and come in for an ultrasound in the morning.

Relieved, but still worried, I asked Bryce to give me a blessing, so he asked our neighbor and friend, Levi Adams, to come over and participate. In the blessing, Bryce blessed us that the baby would be okay and that I would continue this pregnancy. Instantly, a wave of peace came over me. It was wonderful. I was able to relax the rest of the evening...until that night. I had the most anxious night of my life. My heart was racing and I could not get to sleep. I just kept reminding myself of the blessing and what the doctor had said in order to calm myself, but it was a stressful night nonetheless.

Finally morning came and our anxiety was intensified when I realized that I was bleeding again. Bryce and I both said prayers that we would have faith in the blessing I had been given and that helped. We made it into the doctor's office and again, my heart raced as he began the ultrasound. We saw the baby on the monitor and I searched for the little flashing that is the heartbeat. It was difficult to see at first, but Dr. Maughan quickly found the heartbeat for us and our fears were put to rest. The baby is fine and still growing normal and healthy.

Dr. Maughan then found the subchorionic hematoma, or blood clot, on the ultrasound and pointed it out to us. There is no way of knowing what caused the blood clot, and no way of really treating it. Right now, it's not a threat to the baby, but if it doesn't pass, and if it is aggravated, it can potentially pull away part of the placenta which can result in a miscarriage. So the doctor told me to be on strict pelvic rest for the next week (he compared it to a cut, which takes 7-10 days for the fibers to reconnect and seal off and heal), only getting up to "eat and go to the bathroom," and to see him again after I've had a significant amount of time without any bleeding. Then he'll do another ultrasound to see where the clot is at.

the highlighted black mass is my blood clot

We're so grateful that our prayers were answered and our little one is alright. And we also are so grateful for the help that we're receiving right now. Friends have babysat and made us dinner, lent me movies, called to check up, and offered to help in any way. And Bryce's mom and sister drove over from Seattle and took CJ back with them until Sunday so that I wouldn't have to worry about him (I cried when they left. I miss him so much).

The worst part is that I feel pretty okay, but I have to lie around and be waited on as if I was really sick. It's a great lesson in humility, though, that's for sure. I look forward to being up and around next week (if all goes well)...I'll keep you posted.

GRANDPA GILBERT IS 90!!

Bryce's family had a big celebration this last weekend to honor is Grandpa Gilbert who just turned 90 years old! We played volleyball, ate great food, and got to see family that we hadn't seen in forever (Paige even met cousins that she'd never met before). Though Grandpa is losing his hearing, he is still so healthy and with it. We hope that we can follow his example and live as righteous and fruitful of a life as he has. We love you, Grandpa!

CJ loved the bubble machine

Grandpa Gilbert (in the middle) with his grandkids and great grandkids (and they're not even all there). This is what happens when you have 10 children!

SPOKANE INDIANS (is that PC?)

Now that we're finally back in town, and so are all of our friends, it was super fun to get together and head out to a Spokane Indians baseball game. Turns out it was Family Night at the stadium so hot dogs, sodas, and ice cream sandwiches were only a dollar each! Baseball games can be kind of long and boring, but if you get there a little late, stuff your face with all the concessions, have great friends to hang out with, and even experience a little drama (a 10 year old girl got hit with a foul ball just a few rows down from us...don't get me wrong, it wasn't a pleasant experience, but it added to the excitement), baseball games can be a blast. Until next season, Indians!

Is that CJ picking his nose? :)

TRIP TO UTAH

Paige, Bryce, and CJ all headed down to Utah at the beginning of August for some special events. It was the first time they had made the drive since they moved to Spokane (flying really is the way to go), but going in a caravan with Bryce's family on the way down there really helped out (we split the trip into two days) and CJ did so great on the drive back when we went straight through. Here's a photo journal of our trip:

- Monday August 4th: hit the road; meet Bryce's fam in Tri-Cities and eat; stop for the night in Baker City, OR

- Tuesday August 5th: finish the final 8 hours of the drive; drive straight to Springville for a b-day party for Bryce's sister, Kelsey; head to Paige's parents' house in Orem where we'll be staying

- Wednesday August 6th: meet Bryce's fam at Cafe Rio for Cameron, Bryce's brother's, last lunch before going into the MTC; go with Cameron to the MTC and say goodbye

CJ snuggling one last time with Uncle Cam

As Cam enters the MTC

Greg, Cameron, Kelsey, and Sheila in front of the MTC

Bryce, Cameron, CJ, and Paige in front of the MTC

The guys giving Cam a proper farewell :)

"Elder Mackay" in Mongolian

- Thursday August 7th: Paige gets her hair done; go to a family party at Paige's parents' house because her brother Brent and his three kids, Peter, Cathy, and Ellen are in town from MI as well and Paige's sister, Melanie, and her two kids, Nicholas and Connor came down form Layton

Brent being silly about blowing out his b-day candles :)

L-R: Brent, Ellen, Melanie, Jonathan, Katie, Peter, Cathy, CJ, Connor, Abram, Bryce, and Nicholas

- Friday August 8th: go to Salt Lake for the wedding of Maria Gonzales and Aaron Call. Maria is one of Bryce's converts from his mission. They got married in the Salt Lake Temple and Bryce was a witness and Paige was Maria's escort

Paige, Bryce, and the newlyweds, Maria and Aaron Call

- Saturday August 9th: Paige went to breakfast with old friends; Bryce played in a softball game; Paige went with her mom, sister-in-law, Katie, and three nieces, Cathy, Kenya, and Ellen for pedicures and ice cream; another family get-together at Paige's parents' house when Paige's sister, Courtney, and her husband, Brennan, came down from Salt Lake for dinner; went shopping that night

Good friends: Ashley Love and her daughter, Sammy, Angela Gappmayer and her daughter, Ashlyn, and Paige and CJ after breakfast at Magleby's Fresh

Katie, Cathy, Ellen, Kenya, Norine, and Paige getting pedicures

CJ and his Grandpa Forsgren

CJ and his girl cousins (who LOVED playing with him): Ellen, Kenya, and Cathy

- Sunday August 10th: we drove home, from Orem, UT to Spokane, WA, and it took about 11 hours driving time. It's good to be home!