Top Tens of this week:

1. Kate finally fits into Newborn clothes and diapers! Yaaaaaay! She's filling out nicely and I don't think it will take long for her to catch up. She's still as cute as ever, even when I'm in zombie mode.

2. I got to get away and see Night at the Museum 2 with Mandy on Saturday night. It was soooo nice to get away and the movie was hilarious! Michael took care of Kate and she was fed and sleeping away when I got back.

3. Snow cones are one of the most wonderful things in the whole entire world! There is a snow barn a few blocks away and I am completely addicted!

4. I'm trying to figure out how to get Aaron to stop pooping in his underwear...not working so well. I am about to go crazy! I have figured out, however, that hosing him down with cold water in the shower does not deter him, instead it traumatizes him and makes him afraid of taking a bath. :(

5. Michael has been SUCH a big help lately! Seriously, I don't know what has changed, but he has been absolutely wonderful!!! He cooks, he cleans, he rocks Kate to sleep and holds her in his "special hold" that somehow calms her down when she has her 9-12 colic fits at night...he's the best and I love him!!! Without him, this zombie just wouldn't make it.

6. There is a job opening back at NREL in Denver and Michael is thinking about applying for it. I can't decide how I feel about it...we're praying about it. It would be WONDERFUL to be back in Colorado and close to family, but this place has really grown on me, too. I would really miss my friends. We'll see what happens.

7. I fit into a pair of my pre-maternity pants...barely. But still...that's exciting! I won't be wearing them in public any time soon, though. Unless I am on a horse or in a tractor, which isn't likely.

8. Oh, did I mention I love, love, LOVE snow cones???

9. Mike got me Rock Band for Mother's Day! He's a born pro....I stink...but we've had so much fun playing it together. :) It's like date night at home.

10. My family will be coming out in June and I CAN'T WAIT!!! I haven't seen them in a whole year, I miss them soooooo much!

Well, that's what's going on here at the Brimhall's!

Bittersweet Farewell

It has been kind of a rough week. My Grandma Nora passed away this week and it has been such an emotional roller coaster. She had been in and out of the hospital for the past year or so, and the last few times were really hard because we didn't think she would make it. So, we'd come to grips with the fact that she's going to die, and then she'd pull through and go back home and we could take a sigh of relief and thank Heavenly Father that she made it through it. Then, a month later she'd be back in the hospital. My heart just ached for her and for my family. It's so hard to be so far away and feel like there is just nothing you can do other than pray your hardest and put names on the temple prayer role. This time, Grandma said she had had enough. She really wanted to be back with Grandpa again. It's an interesting thing to be on your knees, pleading with Heavenly Father for a tender mercy...and then when your prayers are answered, your heart still breaks. It's like being torn in two. One half is rejoicing that she doesn't have to suffer anymore, and I know she is having the most beautiful reunion with dear Grandpa, her mom and her other family who has already passed on. The other side of me is having the hardest time dealing with the idea of her really being gone. Not being able to say good-bye to her, not being able to go to her funeral and get the closure I need...it's just really tough. It somehow doesn't seem real yet. I can't imagine her not being at her house sitting in her favorite gray recliner, or not getting to hear her voice any more (well, for a long time anyway...) and the family going through their things and deciding who gets what...it just hurts so much! The last words I heard her say were "I love love love you." I can't think of any better last words. I'll miss her so much, but I am so grateful for the knowledge that families are forever. I know we'll be together again. I know she is soooooooo happy right now and I am so grateful and blessed to be a part of such a wonderful eternal family!

One Week Old

This picture is from my cell phone, so it's not the best quality...but it's still cute! Here she is one week old today! I can't believe it's already been a week! It's gone by sooooo fast. My mother-in-law went back to Colorado on Saturday. It was so nice to have her here! Michael is back to work and back to Kenpo, so life is back to normal. She's been sleeping really well at night so far. I've been getting 5 or 6 hours every night! She hardly ever cries, it's just little squeaks when she's hungry or poopy. And she falls right back asleep when I'm done feeding her so I'm not feeling like a zombie. Hopefully it sticks! She is just such a sweet little baby, we love her so much!

Special Delivery!

She's here!!! They induced me on Tuesday morning and everything went very well! We had to be at the hospital at 4 a.m., which I thought was a joke at first...but she was serious. So, we got there at 4 and they started the pitocin around 5 a.m. The contractions started sometime around 6:30, and around 8:30 I decided it was time to try an epidural. I hadn't gotten one with Whitney or Aaron, so I was pretty nervous. Turns out, it was one of the BEST things I've ever done!!! I didn't feel anything, not even the numbing shot! Then, an hour and a half later it was time to push. I pushed for about 10 minutes and she was here, just as cute as can be! Seriously, it was like, the best labor EVER! I can't believe I just had a baby...I feel great! (We'll see if I'm singing a different tune in a few days when the zombie stage hits.)


Baby Kate was born at 10:37 a.m. She is a tiny little 5 lb. 14 ouncer, 18 inches long, and has a great set of lungs. She's absolutely precious and we just love her! I can't believe how tiny she is, every time I pick her up I'm just amazed. She has to wear preemie diapers and clothes! The take home outfit I brought her was about twice her size, it was hilarious!


Michael absolutely adores her and has nicknamed her Nano-Kate and Microbaby. Which, if you can remember my previous post about his list of baby names, are quite tame. He's such a great dad, it's so cute to see him with her, it make me just melt! :)


My mother in law is here to help out and I don't know what I'd have done without her! The kids absolutely adore her and it is just such a blessng to have her here! Speaking of the kids, they seem to be adjusting well. Aaron was kind of weirded out yesterday and it took him a little while to let me hold him or hug him, but he seems to have bounced back to his good old crazy self. Whitney is my big helper and she loves Kate to peices! So, things are going very well and we are so happy to have Kate here. Speaking of....sounds like my time is up. :)

P.S. Once again, the amazingly talented and wonderful Mandy took all the adorable pictures! Thanks, Manders!!!!