Little Miss Charlie

Chris aunt Hollie recently had her baby girl who I mentioned in my previous post...Charlie. Charlie was born prematurely at 27 weeks weighing in around 2lbs. She thankfully is doing well and is getting stronger every day. Around Christmas time Hollie started experience contractions so they went in did a circlage(which sews the placenta to the uterine wall---I think that's correct) and put her on bed rest at home. Well I guess she was having a hard time with that because she started having contractions again a few weeks ago and her amniotic fluid started leaking so she went into the hospital where she was kept for special monitoring of her and the baby. She did well for about a week then she started having more contractions so they went in and took out the circlage to prevent infection. Another week went by and she was having contractions and she was having the urge to bare down which she assumed was her needing to have a BM (tmi?) the nurses came in and Charlie's bum was starting to poke out so they immediately hooked her up gave her a general anesthetic just in her arm put a tube down her throat and rushed her into the OR for a C-section. Charlie came out looking well Jeremy (dad) had the chance to hold her for a minute and then they took her to check everything. Hollie came to and was in extreme pain with bruises up and down her sides.

Charlie is doing well and has made it almost a week I believe. This has happened to Hollie twice before two little boys Zion and Jackson both of which passed away quickly (maybe a day). My heart breaks for Hollie because she knew this was a possibility and struggled to want to go through it again knowing she could lose another. It has been a neat experience seeing pictures of Charlie who was just a few weeks ahead of our little girl. It's amazing that there is a real person growing in there and they even look normal even at 2lbs!! I am grateful that my pregnancy has gone well and that baby girl is growing healthy and strong. Also that my body has been able to hold onto her this long and hopefully til the end...I guess you just never know what could happen. We pray for Charlie every day to continue to grow and stay strong. We also pray for Hollie and Jeremy pushing through this tough time.

Here is the most recent pic I have of Charlie...so cute to see her surrounded by pink with a bow in her hair. You can sort of tell how tiny she is because all of the tubes and things are HUGE!

They gave her a few steroid shots while she was still in the womb to help boost her lung growth. Otherwise everything else was pretty much already formed....just very tiny. :>


Gets me excited for our little girl! :>

An Update...OUR NEW PLANS!!!

Well Crappety I don't have a picture for this week...or last. Last week was spent unpacking reorganizing starting to sleep train (different post) Chris starting school and me relaxing with Gray while I had NO kids!!! Can you believe that? NO KIDS! Well I did have Marley one day last week but that's it. It was quite heavenly and surprisingly Grayson did really well on his own...he wasn't super whiny or needy in any way. He would let me relax or work on projects or cleaning and play with his own new toys.

We started our week at Nana's for dinner as usual and Chris was back in class today. This morning we had Gray's 2 year old check up and he did awesome! Love that little guy. He's doing great and growing just fine...I still wish we could get him to eat more though. Today I was back to having the sisters...they are quite easy but it's more noisy. Gray enjoys it though.

GOOD NEWS?! I will be done watching these kiddos come April (if their parents are done with school) Or May when I have this bebe!! I'm pretty excited. Now for other good news...CHRIS WILL BE GRADUATING IN AUGUST!!!! WOOOHOOO!!! I am so excited for him to be done with Undergrad. Now here are our few options:

1. we are still waiting to hear from quite a few Dental Schools so if we get into any of them we will be headed to that destination in August when he Graduates. (That'd be our first pick of course. )
If he doesn't get into Dental School for this fall then these are our next options:
2. Graduate in August (he is definitely graduating no matter what) After he graduates he would LOVE to teach at a High School in TEXAS! for a year while he re-applies for the next year. He would like to teach a Biology or Chemistry class.
3. If he can't get a teaching job for whatever reason we would most likely move to Texas so he can work for my dad (we could secure our residency there--even though we already have it) and he would take some classes at UTD or something. He would take classes that he would be taking in his first year of Dental School.
4. If none of those options work out or we just don't feel are right for us then we will sadly stay in Utah and he would try to get into a Master's program of some sort just to stay in school...Dental Schools like you to stay in school. BUT it's more likely for us to be doing #3 than #4.

So we have quite a bit of research and deciding to do these next few months. Luckily Chris' school load is just as heavy but we are pretty sure it won't be as difficult as last semester due to NO O-CHEM CLASS!!! Which by the way he got a B in O-CHEM 2!!! THAT IS SERIOUSLY AWESOME IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW! (I guess not for some people who are complete genius' but for more it's sawweeet!!)

With teaching we have to figure out if anybody in Texas would hire him since he won't be available til August. Also he doesn't have a teaching certificate...some let you do it in your first year some don't let you do it at all.

I will be done babysitting in May when baby girl arrives and I won't be babysitting again until August. I guess if we move to Texas I will be looking again. We will see how that goes. :>

The Carpenter Fam

Chris' uncle Garrett is the youngest of 9 and Chris' mom is the second oldest. SO....Chris and Garrett are 5 years apart! CRAZY! (That's like my youngest brother and Grayson) Anyway this is Garrett and Jayna and their two adorable kiddos Avree and Brody. Avree is a stinker just like Grayson and Brody is seriously the cutest happiest baby. All you want to do is squeeze him and can't keep your hands off of him! Well happy news....THEY ARE MOVING....(that sounds bad) THEY ARE MOVING DOWN TO THE PROVO AREA!!!!! WAHOOOO! They may not be as excited to live by us as we are excited for them to live closer to us but WE CAN'T WAIT! A lot of my current girlfriends husbands will be graduating and taking them away come sometime May through the summer so I will have a new baby and friendless. SO I can't wait for them to live closer so we can have fun playdates with the kids.

Garrett and Jay (kind of an old pic sorry)


This is Avree--She is about 5 months older than Grayson and just soo TINY!


And cute Brody...he's just about as big as Avree. haha and his hair is PERFECT!

Clark Joseph Packard

Clark is my youngest brother. I come from a family with 6 kids--4 boys and 2 girls. I LOVE having that many brothers...they can spoil us sometimes. :> Clark was born when I was a Freshman in High School and probably one of the coolest things that's happened to us as a family. It was so awesome to have a newborn as teenagers. To experience, crying, and cuddling, and feeding, and changing. Clark is absolutely awesome! He does everything like a big kid. His teacher at school tells my mom that all the girls LOVE him. He's such a ladies man. He might just be the only 7 year old that has a perfect 6 pack....maybe it's an 8 pack. hahaha! Seriously though this kid is RIPPED! Grayson absolutely LOVES Clark. He loves to see him and chat with him on Skype. Christmas is going to be great. For Clark's birthday they celebrated by taking him on a DISNEY CRUISE to the BAHAMAS!!! LUCKY DUCK! The last time Clark and all of us went on a Cruise Clark was Grayson's AGE! HE turned 2 on the cruise! sheesh spoiled much? haha we're all kind of spoiled a little in someway...I can't complain. Here are a few pics from their trip! Oh and Clark got to take (i'd say his favorite) Cousin Nathan!!

The Fam at Dinner


Before getting on the ship...Clark I'm assuming doing Disney Ears.

IN THE BAHAMAS!!! Their ship is the second one in. SAWWEEET!

Pirate Night

Kisses from Adria on his Birthday (i'm assuming)

So Happy Birthday to Clark!!! Can't wait to spend Christmas with you buddy!!
Love Chris Scarlet and Grayson

Aunt Rish...

Grayson Loves his aunt Alisha. Since we moved out here to utah and Grayson was starting to use words we started giving him names to put with family members. For aunt Alisha we taught him Lish...well recently he started saying Rish (reesh) hahaha. Grayson loves Lish. Last night they were wrestling in the living room just laughing away. Lish had the great idea to play sumo and stuff pillows and blankets in their clothes and run into each other. I will admit I was a tad worried at first. haha.

OUR FIRST SNOW!!!

Tonight we enjoyed Pizza from PAPA JOHNS...my fav. Then we were invited to Ryan and Jess' to play the Bean Game with them and the Bitnoffs! It was about 10:30 when we decided to wrap it up...the Bitnoff's had walked out just before we did and they came back in to tell us the exciting news. We head outside and sure enough there was a pretty good downfall of snow with some already on the ground! I don't care how many people HATE snow. You can't HATE the first snowfall. It is so beautiful and exciting....yes I agree that it gets old after MONTHS and in through spring but the FIRST is just perfect. Grayson saw plenty of snow last year but this was better because he talks now and actually see's things. It was so cute to watch him. What a great night!!


Here we are!!! I JUST LOVE IT!!


The Bitnoff's are in Ryan and Jess' ward.
Kevin played on the same intramural football team as Ryan and Chris. We like them. :>


Jess Amaya (hiding under her cute beanie) Ryan and Grayson


One of these day's I'm going to ask for a good REAL camera. I LOVE pictures but only ever use my phone and then the pictures come out crappy and blurry like this. I just HAVE to capture the moment though so until I can get the guts to ask for an expensive camera the crappy pictures will have to do. :>

Thanksgiving Cruise to the BAHAMAS!!!!

Yes I wish this was us

...Sadly It's not.

My parents are taking my 3 youngest siblings on a DISNEY CRUISE to the BAHAMAS!!!
Clark's Birthday is November 19th and he will be 7!! Holy Cow. SO as a birthday gift to him they are going on a cruise and taking along Clark's Favorite cousin Nathan! What a fun trip they will have. We are definitely Jealous. Last time we went on a cruise was as a whole family when I was a Junior in high school also over Thanksgiving. Still can't figure out why they didn't want to take us. LAME. They are going to have a blast and I can't wait to hear about it. I've only heard great things about Disney Cruises.

Skyler, Clark, Nathan, and Adria. Not sure where they are at currently...they won't answer their phones and they only left this morning. I think Clark is making Mickey Mouse ears?

Baby my my

We LOVE having baby my my at our house. Grayson just loves on her gives her lots of kisses and loves to check in our her when she makes any kind of sound sleeping or not. He's definitely needing a sibling...hopefully sometime soon?! She comes over a couple afternoons a week in between her uncle David leaving for school and momma getting out of class and we just enjoy every minute of it. I could handle at least one girl...I need at least one girl...I could handle the rest being boys. hehe Here she is...a true little beauty. We love you My My.

Our Answered Prayer...

We recently transitioned Grayson from his crib to his toddler bed. We did this because he seemed to be having a hard time in his crib not wanting to sleep or up at night screaming until we took him out and his naps were WORSE in his crib. He did GREAT the first couple nights so we were all set to go feeling great about it. HE was actually taking BETTER and LONGER naps in his toddler bed than his crib so we were completely convinced it was going to work out. Well a few days went by and though his naps continued to be better his nights were getting worse. We have been up every night from 2-5 times a night for the past TWO WEEKS!!! OH MY GOSH we were both dying. From spending days with kids keeping busy and Chris studying like crazy and having more midterms it was just too much. I was becoming emotional and we were both just honery(sp?) all the time. THis weekend we had chris' friend stay with us so we were even more worried at night about Grayson waking him up. So we brought grayson into our room and brought his mattress to the floor (BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY I'M LETTING MY KIDS SLEEP IN OUR BED!!!!) I had to fall asleep on the floor with him for him to just calm down enough to fall asleep. Well he was up an hour later when he realized I was gone. Chris got up with him and sat with him for a minute and said would you like to go back to your room and go in your pack-n-play? He chose the pack-n-play!!! I couldn't believe it! So I woke up that morning to do lots of reading...I came to the conclusion that he's either starting to get his 2 year molars in (which usually come before they turn 2) or he just wasn't ready to transition into a toddler bed like we thought. After a long exhausting sunday we spent the evening with Chris' family and shared our news with them. We desperately asked them to pray for us to have patience and for Grayson to get back to sleeping well. That evening before we left we had family prayer and I got all teary eyed in desperation for sleep and my child be back to what we knew as "normal" We left around 9:30 when all of our laundry was finished and as soon as the doors were shut to the car and we were headed home Gray was fast asleep in his carseat all bundled up in his hat beanie and gloves. We gave him some medicine for his slightly runny nose and cough that seems to show up at bedtime and rubbed some vicks on his chest. We quickly layed down his crib mattress and set it up in his crib and he was out immediately. (which he did in the toddler bed too so we weren't happy quite yet). Chris and I went to our own bed and chatted for a few minutes and then I asked Chris as our priesthood holder to say one more prayer pleading with our heavenly father to let us sleep and grayson sleep through the night. I again had tears in desperation for sleep. (HOnestly grayson hasn't been this bad since he was maybe 3 months old. HE has ALWAYS been a good sleeper since then so we were really struggling) Next thing I know I"m up this morning at 7:30 and unsure if I had heard grayson at all that night! hahaha I had to ask Chris and he hadn't heard him either. So either Chris and I were blessed to sleep through grayson being awake or Grayson actually slept. haha. HOpefully grayson slept too and I'm positive he did because I am SUCH a light sleeper I hear EVERYTHING!

Well I am so truly grateful for the power of prayer and the knowledge that I have that I can pray to a loving heavenly father not just as daily prayer but when I am desperately in need of something. whatever that may be. I am so thankful that our prayers were answered...even if it was just for one night...I Know that my heavenly father is aware of each one of us and our needs.

We will probably try closer to the time when we are ready to have another baby to transition gray into the toddler bed. But if he's sleeping he's sleeping!

sorry that was long.

4 YEARS!!!

I've got my main picture just Chris and I for a reason. This picture was taken almost 4 years ago when we started dating. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!! We've been together for 4 years this past month! Chris and I met and dated for a FULL year! Then a month later we were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. I Love him more today then I did then and I know my love for him will continue to grow. We are celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary this December 27th and Gray turns 2 December 9th! HOLY COW! Time has absolutely flown. From Tennessee to Texas to Utah to who knows where next I am happy to do it with my MAN! Here we are on our wedding day. FULL blizzard and all the night before. IT was BEAUTIFUL outside...and yes FREEZING! : >

I got this cloak that was lined with fur or fluff (whatever you call it) that turned out great for pictures and staying warm.

and I TOTALLY wore my ugly warm perfect boots once we left the temple. hehehe. Sorry Bridesmaids but your shoes were AWESOME.

What a happy 4 years it's been knowing my sweetheart and an even better ALMOST 3 years of marriage...I'm looking forward to our eternity together!

CiCi came to visit!!

Grayson LOVES Cici!! (cici is my mom). Since Jess had her baby they asked her to come up to help out for a few days. Well my mom stayed with us so when she wasn't needed she could play with Grayson. We had a great time having her here. It was fun to have her here with no kids to worry about or have to play with. She just played with Grayson and worked on some stuff with me. We made dinner in the crock pot for the first night. Then the second we went to Brick Oven and Chris met us after his test which he got a 95 on!! WOOHOO!!! We did some shopping at the mall. Then the last night we ran some errands to buy some stuff for me to make Gray's halloween costume. We picked up carry out from Chilli's came home to eat and spent time working on the costume. I got to pull out my Baby Loc sewing machine which is THE BOMB! Seriously it does so many awesome things I LOVE IT! (also an old gift from my mom) Here's some pics from our couple days together. Thanks for staying with us mom. It sure was great having you here!! : > See ya for Christmas. Love you mom.

Grayson found this 3 wheeled wagon so we went out on a walk.


Cici with her TWO grandkids! Grayson almost 23 months and Amaya 2 weeks old!

my little stud muffin in a new church outfit for FALL!! LOVE warm sweaters!

Poor guy had a rough week...tripped down the cement steps in boots that are a tad too big and then ran into the corner of the cupboards at nana's house. They have healed well.

Halloween pictures to come of the adorable outfit I partially made for Grayson!! CAN'T WAIT!!