New Additions

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting my new nephew Kaedyn -- 20 minutes after he was born. I was supposed to be there for the birth, but I-15 traffic and his mother's birthing hips conspired against us. It's probably better this way, since if I had been there I would feel the need to remind him of it every time I saw him until he was 20 -- especially if he was with his friends or a girl. Instead I'll just flash naked baby pictures and wipe schmutz off his face using my spit. Of course, I will also always have gum and will buy him a toy whenever he wants, so it evens out.

For those of you who haven't been around a new new baby, it is unbelievable how small they are. Really, it's hard to believe that they don't have to grow ears or something, that they are actually fully formed and just really, really small. Yeah, I know there are some big babies out there (hi Wendy!) but for the most part they are super tiny. I actually had to go out and buy some preemie clothes for Kaedyn because all of the newborn stuff was too big. Yeah, he'll burst out of it in a about a week and a half, but for right now it works, and the nieces are already eying the little outfits for their dolls.

Kaedyn is a rock star as far as the other nieces and nephews are concerned. They all want to hold him, and look at him, and are willing to put on layer after layer of hand sanitizer in order to be around him. This is Ashlyn at the left taking her turn. Luke is especially smitten. The day after Kaedyn was born I took him to the hospital with me. Now, he has only met Ryan's sister a handful of times, and is usually pretty shy around her. No more. Now, she is Kaedyn's Mom and the coolest person in the universe. He spent the entire weekend drawing her pictures and thinking up what kind of gift Kaedyn would like. Transformers were at the top of the list. He is also already planning all the things he wants to teach Kaedyn, like sitting, and criss cross applesauce. Of course, he will have to fight for face time with the other kids, especially Ashlyn, who seems to consider herself Kaedyn's social secretary.

As if a baby wasn't enough for the week, we also had a wedding in the family. Ryan's brother decided to marry his girlfriend Lisa -- in Roosevelt. For those of you not familiar with Utah to get to Roosevelt you basically go to the edge of civilization and turn left. I mean, yes, it could have been worse, he could have gotten married in Beaver or Santaquin, but this was still far away. Three hours each way for a two hour wedding? Good thing he's family.

Actually, the wedding was really nice, and not just because Lisa's family are from the Philippines and make food that is so good it makes me weep. The little girls were having so much fun in their flower girl dresses, and seeing Ryan horse around with his brothers always gives me a feeling of joy. And I love being catty with my sister in law Heather more than I can say. It drives Ryan nuts, but I just remind him that we can make fun of other people or we can make fun of him, and that usually shuts him up. He still shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but he's quiet. I think he almost bit his tongue in half though at the wedding -- there was just so much Heather and I had to say about Roosevelt. For instance, yes, that is a large elk head nosing into the picture at the right. And he wasn't the only dead animal hanging around. Get it? Hanging around? They were mounted on the walls? God, I am funny.

The day after the wedding my Dad fell and royally biffed his knee, leading to another family event. I would write more about it, but then he would file a cease and desist order against this blog. Let's just say he's been very grumpy and doesn't enjoy jokes about his condition. So, I guess this entry will have to be all about Ryan's side of the family. I can't wait until 20 years from now when we have to do one of those big Olan Mills portraits with different colored shirts to identify who belongs to who -- like the FLDS families in Texas. I dibs blue right now. And I get to sit next to Kaedyn.