New Car...well actually, cars!!!!

So we caved in and decided to get a new car for me even though we had just bought one a year ago. Last year, we decided to get a small SUV because we knew we would be having kids soon (little did we know I would get pregnant the next month) We loved having the Equinox. It was the perfect size for me and everything, only problem it didn't have rear air. But the air was awesome you could feel it all the way in the trunk. But when we got Braxton home we quickly realized not only is his carseat rear facing but it sits up high and completely blocks the air from going back there. The poor kid would sweat every time we had to go somewhere in the heat here. So I didn't even go to look at the cars but Jesse came home with the one I really wanted, a new white Chevy Traverse. I love it! I'm still getting use to it because its a little bigger than my old car. but its perfect. It has 2 rows so we can fit our 6 kids in there. HAHA JUST KIDDING ( Jesse will kill me when he reads that) But there will be more room for the kids. Jesse (the haggler that he is) convinced them to give us a 2011 for the same price as a 2010, throw in an extended warranty for free and give us the auto start for free, which is your best friend if you live in Arizona.



Then a couple days later Jesse started considering trading in his truck for something else. Because he drives so far to work (basically to the airport everyday) and he will be driving even further once we move to Queen Creek next month, he thought why not get something with better gas mileage. So he began looking at cars, he first came home with a Chevy Malibu, which we both liked but it wasn't so roomy for the tall and bigger guys. So I said, why don't you get a Hyundai Sonata like Matt (my older brother) did. He's 6'8 and a big guy, so if he can fit in it and still have room then its a nice sized car. Only problem, Dave works at the Chapman Chevy dealership...We didn't think we would be able to get one, but then Jesse found out Chapman has a Hyundai dealership too. So Jesse traded in his truck and got a 2011 black Hyundai Sonata. Its a 4 door car with a HUGE trunk. He convinced them to basically throw in the navigation for super cheap. I told him he could keep his truck, I know how much he loved having a truck, but he says he wanted to to this and he wanted me to have the car I really wanted. Don't I have the best husband ever!



So yes, we both got new cars but actually our payments are going to be about the same as they were before if not cheaper, our insurance will go down and we will save SO MUCH money on gas. So much has been going on with us, but its mainly all good. New cars, we will be moving into our new house next month, Jesse's job is going great, I finally started going back to work more and plan to work my original schedule, I have started selling really cute hats that I order from this company in LA. I am still in the process of starting by custom baby accessory business. I can't wait to start doing that. For once, it seems like everything is going good for us, for once (knock on wood) Everything except my health. Ugh. That surgery I had 3 weeks ago did NOTHING. I am still in so much pain. I finally went to see a pain management doctor, who put me on some different medications to try and she is going to do a nerve block (kinda like an epidural but they don't go in as far)She said it will hopefully help with my back pain and she said with a lot of people it also helps with endometriosis pain and intersticial cystitis pain. This is basically my last option and I am PRAYING that it works. I have this procedure done this coming Thursday and I guess the put you under with the twilight sleep which isn't as strong as general anesthesia. So thats about it for us. Braxton is doing AWESOME! He's getting bigger and cuter by the day. I will write my blog post about him next!!!

5 MONTHS OLD

Braxton will be 5 months old tomorrow. 5 MONTHS can you believe it? Last time he was was measured was almost 2 weeks ago.
His stats:
16.3 lbs (50%tile for a 5 mo old)
25 in (25%tile )
45 cm head (above 95%tile)
He is off the charts for his corrected age of 2 1/2 months with all those stats
He is a completely different baby these days. He totally has a personality and he is in to EVERYTHING! He smiles ALL the time. He laughs constantly. He loves toys and kicking and chewing anything he can get his hands on. He likes looking at himself in the mirror and he already LOVES tv. (Gee, I wonder who he gets that from) It's crazy how quickly they grow up. We are working on getting him to lift that big noggin of his that's our big goal right now. (which they did the ultrasound on and everything is normal, they were a little concerned because of the size and the rate it was growing. I tried to tell them that me and Jesse have big heads) His stomach issues seem to be so much better since we started adding the rice cereal and upped his zantac. He sleeps from about 10:30pm-6:30am every night and then eats every 3-4 hrs during the day. He usually takes a long nap in the early morning and late afternoon but he does still sleep some between every feed. We are also working on getting him out of his carseat which seems to be the only place he us use to sleeping. He does like lying on his back more so when we go home (I'll explain that in a min) we will try making him sleep in his pack n play or crib. He learned to love the carseat because of his reflux.

So for the past week we have been living at my parent's house. I had surgery unexpectedly last friday, well it was unexpected, just a little sooner than I had imagined. I had my 4th laparoscopy for my endometriosis. My dr went in and lasered all my endometriosis out, cut out all my scar tissue he found and did a D&C because I had alot of internal bleeding. They are hopping this well help with all the problems and pain I have been having lately until we can get pregnant again. Looks like we will be having another kid a little sooner than we had planned but I'm hoping this helps with my pain until then. Ugh. Its been horrible. We have been staying here because I am not suppose lift Braxton for 2 weeks. I was doing ok for a couple days but now I am in pain again. So B has gotten A LOT of bonding time with Mimi and Papa especially Mimi. I don't know what I would have done with out her this week. She has basically taken care of him 24/7 and is going to have to help out a little longer than we expected. Looks like we will be staying here through the weekend for sure and maybe next week. I feel so bad for our dogs they have been neglected for like the past month. Jesse of course is doing well. Just working away and doing great at his job then comes home to take care of me and B. I don't know what I would do with out him. He is such an amazing husband! Anyways that's about it lately.

Braxton's Blessing

The Rucker Family - Jesse, Braxton & Mallory

Braxton in his blessing outfit

Marci & Asher (still in belly due Jan 14th) Kallie & Easton Me & Braxton = BFF's

So Sunday July 25th, 2010, we were finally able to bless Braxton. Jesse gave him such a special blessing. I had tears in my eyes the whole time, but they were tears of joy. We blessed him in my parents ward because we feel more at home in that ward. (The bishop of that ward was the bishop who married us) It was so nice to have all our family and friends there to support us.. especially because it was at 8 AM!!!! So thanks to all of you guys that came! We also had a little get together at my parents house with Krispy Creme donuts and Debbie's homemade cinnamon rolls... so yummy! It was nice being able to catch up with family... especially all of Jesse's extended family side since we don't get to seem them as often. I just can't get over what a special day this was. It meant so much to me and Jesse that we were finally able to bless him. It has been difficult with him in the hospital so long and then he wasn't suppose to go out in public for a long time... we have been wanting to do this forever. So thanks again to all of those family and friends who came to support us.

Newport Beach 2010

Braxton ready in his beach gear

Check out his new kicks for the beach

The Rucker Family at Newport Beach

B all bundled up at the beach.... it was REALLY cold!

What I do best.... Facebook/texting

B wearing Emma's crown. I just had to see what it would look like on him (he doesn't look too happy and neither wad Daddy)

Jesse and I after Dinner at PF Changs! Mmmmm

B on the car ride home... he did so well in the car both there and back!

So our Newport Beach trip was definitely a little different this year for a couple reasons. 1. We stayed in a different house and little further down than we normally do (Probably because we decided at the LAST minute to go to Newport this year, we were suppose to go to Utah). 2. We went in July instead of the end of June, so for once we weren't there on Jesse's Birthday. (We were there on Emma's instead) 3. This was our first vacation with a baby. We quickly learned that vacations with babies aren't really vacations at all. It's your normal life just in a different state. Don't get me wrong, it was still nice to get away to California for a week and get out of the heat, but it just wasn't the same. I think we made it to the beach a total of 2 or 3 times partly because of him and partly because of the cold weather, so I didn't get the tan I was hoping for. Boo. We did still got to hit up our fav restaurants, the outlets, my fav nail place, Irvine Spectrum, and all our fav places.

This year the OC Swap Meet was closed, but we still met with "The Baby Guy" and got some stuff for Braxton. We also talked to him about selling his products here in AZ and I think we are going ahead with it. I am trying to get everything ready and waiting on the fabric swatches. I already have a business license and company name "Posh Baby", I am just trying to work out all the details. I am really excited about this. I hope it does well... and if it doesn't, oh well. We still have our other jobs. I just thought it would be fun to do from home. Plus his stuff is SO cute! So we would be selling: infant/toddler carseat covers, highchair covers, shopping cart covers, lovies/blankets, hooded towels, 3-hr bags, travel changing pads, diaper/wipe travel cases, toddler/infant bibs ALL OF WHICH ARE CUSTOM!!! So once I get everything up and going I will let you know. So spread the word! If you have friends with babies or you have babies. They are also great baby shower/birthday presents.

Lastly, the first day we got there I was able to drive to LA with Braxton to go and meet up with two of my best friends, Dominique and Tara and their daughters, Everleigh and Aubree, that I hadn't seen since middle school over 10 years ago. It was so much fun catching with each other. Its crazy how much has changed, we're old and have kids now! Crazy! It was also fun cuz I got to meet Dom's fiance, who is an actor. His name is Cam Gigadet but you might know him as James from Twilight or The OC, etc... It's neat to be able to say I met a famous person! Here is a picture of us girls: Me, Dominique, Tara