Changing faces and Hotter N' Hell

So we got to see the little guy today and I am just in awe at how good the pictures have been turning out. So I made a collage of all the ultrasounds we have had thus far to compare the growth. I have one more scheduled before I deliver and I am worried his face isn't even going to fit in the frame. I really wish I had these 4D ultrasounds with Sofie because she came out looking a lot like me and I don't know if you agree but so far this little guy looks just like his dad. I think we are going to have another baby with lots of black hair (that's what Sofie had) because they saw hair on the ultrasound today. I am just getting so antsy to see him. Oh and if you have any great names you don't mind sharing we are still having a hard time in that department.

So I guess you can't keep a good man down. Spencer raced in Texas's biggest bike race of the year (TX is where Lance Armstrong is from FYI :)) and took 6th place in his bracket. I don't know if you would call me a good wife for supporting him in this after getting in 2 scary wrecks or if I am stupid but if there's one thing I've learned in 7 years of marriage it's that Spencer LOVES biking- so how can I take that away- (Plus I don't think he would listen anyways :)) So I just grin and bear it. But am I wrong to say that I really do like seeing him in spandex :)

It was a pretty cool race. Well you could actually do the race (100 K) or the ride (100 miles). Over 10,000 people signed up and I am sure more people rode that didn't sign up but I just thought after hearing the name of the race it wasn't going to be me- I don't know maybe I will change my mind when I am not 8 mo. prego. Anyways there were all sorts of people and bikes I had to take a pictures of some of them because they were just crazy. There was a 3 person tandem bike. A crazy tandem recumbent bike where one person was facing forward (luckily it was the person in the front) and one person was facing backwards (yea, she wasn't even pedaling she was just snapping photos- now that is the kind of ride I need).

I saw this little guy with training wheels and a whole bike get up and my Son's life flashed before my eye's- I am sure this is what Spencer is picturing our little man doing in like 4 years.- Aghh

At least let's hope that if this happens in the family it's me pulling the kids or else they are in it for the ride of their life (Spencer's Grandpa used to tell him all the time there is more than one speed- He has this crazy need for speed)

I just had to insert this Sunday activity Spencer does. He gets so stir crazy on Sunday- hey I say whatever works- I guess Sofie is getting into it too.

Like mother like daughter???

So the other day we had a rare occasion when Spencer and I got to go on a date so I went all out and actually took a curling iron to my hair. Since this is a rare occasion I think Sofie thought it was very intriguing and asked if I could do her hair like that- usually she cries when I tell her I have to do her hair. So after we both had our hair curled I decided to document it with a picture. Well the more I look at this picture I have found myself asking. . . Is this really my kid. I mean when she was little I swore she was like me mini me and now I can't even see a resemblance in this picture- I don't know- what do you think?

Living so far away from family for so long makes you cherish any little moment you get with them. So that's what we did with my sister Mary and her hubby Joey when they were traveling through on their way from AL. to UT. Mary is in school to be a home ec. teacher so she is kind of on her way to being jack of all domestic trades. So we put her right to work giving Sofie her first real hair cut- I know so I am a bad mom because me daughter is almost 3 and I have never had her hair cut. Then we had her mending clothes and finally we had a big recipe swap- you see this is why you need sisters and why I miss having them so close. Thanks Mary we already miss you.

The final product isn't it SO cute.

So our most recent addition to the family is our new dog Bolt (luckily he's the kind that doesn't really poop or need feeding or if you step on him it's no big deal) anyways Sofie has been trying to fill a sticker chart (she gets a sticker every time she eats her meals well, pick up her clothes- which if you knew how many times a day she changes her clothes you would know why this is part of the deal, and then picks up her toys and anything else mom or dad deam sticker worthy). Any who, she has been eyeing this stuffed Bolt at the Disney store and we had to go visit it every time we went to the mall etc. Finally the day has come where she filled out her sticker chart traded it in for enough $ to get her new pet. Though everything takes twice as long because every time Sofie has to go potty so does bolt and every time Sofie has to eat so does bolt and so on and so forth, I actually think this might help her ease into having another sibling around- or so I am hoping.

The wedding and the cabin

2 out of 3 weddings complete. The whole family actually got to go to Spencer's brother, Jason's wedding (except Jordan who is on a mission in Ukraine). They are just such a great couple so excited we are getting more estrogen in the family. They drove off on a motorcycle it was so cute.

Sofie with her cute aunt Kelsi




We then went on up to Island Park for the week and had a blast on the lake and the land. It was so nice getting some time in the beautiful mountains.

Love this cute little girl


We were so lucky to get to play with all of our cousins on both sides. Sofie couldn't get enough of her cousins every time she was separated from any of her cousins she was constantly asking "Mom where are my cousins'?" I just love spending time with both families- I feel so blessed!!

Oh and we went to a good ole rodeo where all the kids went down and had to chase a cow and get the ribbon. Sofie didn't get the ribbon but she was one of the fastest one's to reach the cow. I was so surprised she wasn't scared.

Oregon

First order of business I know people are waiting to here. . . . It's a boy!! Yep I was pretty sure after Sofie I was going to be the mom of all girls but I guess Spencer gets his wish after all.

Second, we have a plethora of weddings and graduations this summer so we are having to divide and conquer. We are still in Oregon and Dad is home hard at work but I don't want him missing out on the fun so here are some of the fun things we have done.

Here's the main even my little brothers graduation

Of coarse it's Swendsen tradition to cram as many showers, birthday parties, weddings, graduation etc. into a limited time frame when we all get together. So here is my little sis Lisa and I after our combined baby shower. We are due 1 day apart both having boys- how fun is that.

We also did a quick trip to the beach- cold but beautiful



That yellow thing by Sofie's head is a rock covered in Sea lions. We went to the Sea Lion caves while at the beach and Sofie can make quite the seal bark now.

One more of Grandam and Sofie at the beach

Our miracle

So about a week and a 1/2 ago I got a phone call from Spencer's phone but it wasn't Spencer- Spencer had left about 40 min prior to go on a big group bike ride and it was a fellow bike rider telling me Spencer had been hit by a car on his bike and was being taken to the hospital, but he was awake and talking. When I finally got to see him at the hospital he was pretty beat up, shaking and his blood pressure was through the roof, but when he came out of the scans and x-rays he didn't even have a broken bone. The police man came to visit him at the hospital and couldn't believe how lucky he was. He said they think the car was going 40 miles an hour when it hit him. When another biker brought his mangled bike by he couldn't believe Spencer was up walking around. He said he saw the whole thing and it was like it was off a movie- the car slamming into him, him crashing the windshield and then flying high in the air and smashing down in the asphalt. Luckily Spencer doesn't remember any of it- he blacked out and when he came to he said that all these people were surrounding him telling him not to move and then some guy was praying over him- hey maybe it helped. His helmet was cracked on both sides first from hitting the car then from hitting the road. All I can say is that I really believe someone unseen was protecting him. I keep playing the possibilities of what could have happened over and over in my head and I just feel so blessed that he made it out with only some cuts and bruises.

Big news from a Big Girl

Well we finally did it. We got a "big girl" bed for Sofie. I was wondering how it was going to go since she could climb in and out of her crib I wasn't thinking it was going to be that big of a deal. It actually has gone better than expected I think mostly because we got princess bedding she just can't wait to go to bed- it's great. But we aren't saying good bye to the crib for too long because we have to get it back out for baby #2 that is due in October- Yep that's right we are having baby number 2!!! I am 13 weeks prego and hate to say it but it has been a REALLY long 13 weeks. Is it amnesia or was my pregnancy with Sofie totally different I can't really remember. Anyways here's what he/she looks like- I'm guessing they look more like Spencer at this point :) . . . . .



and the a little Easter catch up. . . .


There was a killer Easter egg hunt at the UCO stadium. There were so many eggs the baskets were over flowing with still tons of eggs on the ground. I saw some kids just eating the candy and putting the empty eggs back because they were out of room in their baskets. You can tell by the look on Sofie's friend Winnie's face just how much fun it really was!!


They also had free inflatables for the kids to play on with free animal balloons (would you be surprised to hear that Sofie wanted a blue kitty :) and then free face painting- once again she asked for a kitty face.

Our pooped little kitty- partied till she dropped





This is Sofie with her really cute Easter dress- thanks Grandma Jaylene- it was the cutest dress on her!!! Then of coarse her with bolt from her Easter basket- She talked about the Easter bunny bringing her bolt for a month before I am glad her didn't let her down :)


Well I guess it's that time of year again. Spencer decided to do this crazy fast bike ride 10 minutes before we went to bed the night before. I was just so nervous of him crashing since his last bike race he did ended up in a bad wreck leaving his bike in shambles, a concussion and road rash up and down his left side. Luckily he made out okay on this one even though there were 2 or 3 wrecks that he was able to avoid. He finished in the top 10- pretty good considering he decided the night before to do it and hasn't been seriously training.

You might have to zoom in on this picture to see it but this is the head pack coming in one of the rounds and Spencer is the guy in second with a blue and yellow Jersey.


Just a family picture of us at the zoo. We rented a swan paddle boat- it was such a nice day.

Spring Break

For Spencer's Spring break we went to Colorado to see his brother who just got back from 15 months in Iraq. Some other of his siblings came for the weekend. We had so much fun and the weather was so nice. I could so be happy living in a place like this. Here are some fun pictures of the trip. Thanks Brandon and Tina for such a fun time!!