Good Times in Georgia

We have been having a lot of fun out here in Georgia. We try to keep ourselves busy all day while Reno is at work. There are so many other wives and kids for me and Marli to play with that it makes it easy to have a good time. Between many hours at the pool, playing with friends and the insane heat and humidity, Marli (and me) are completely worn out by the end of the day.

As for Laney, she still pretty much does this all day:My friendsMarli's FriendsSpace MuseumThis is Marli asking "What are we going to do next mom?" Marli figured out how to make me buy her a new book at the bookstore - just take out all the stickers and stick them all over the chair! (Barnes and Noble has become one of our favorite places to go escape from the heat)Fun in the sunAfter a long day, I went into the kitchen to start dinner and two seconds later look back and Marli had fallen asleep like this:The couch is definitely one of her favorite places to nap.Sisters :)

One Month

Seriously time flies by so fast - I really can't believe that Laney is one month old! We have love, love, loved having her in our home and are finally getting used to life with a newborn again. Marli has adjusted pretty well and is doing a good job of taking on the role of big sister. She has already learned to give Laney her binky, help wipe her bum and is working on "burping" Laney after she eats. Here are a few of Laney's newborn pics that our friend Stephanie did. I couldn't be happier with how they turned out, especially since Laney was awake almost the whole time!

Georgia and Reno - Here We Come!!!

After a few long weeks of waiting, Marli, Laney and I will finally be joining Reno out in Georgia. We are so excited to be together as a family again and are anxious to see what adventures await us this summer.
Marli is loving being a big sister!

I would not have made it through these past couple of weeks without the help of my mom, Reno's mom and the rest of my family. Thank you so much and we will miss you this summer!!

Only 11 More Days... Oh wait - SHE'S HERE!!!

Laney Mendenhall

April 30

7 lbs 4 oz

**Warning: This is my longest post ever!! Feel free to skip the novel and just look at the pics**

Little Laney decided to surprise us and come just over 2 weeks early. This would have been great news except for one problem - her dad was 2,000 miles away in Georgia!!!

This turned out to be quite an exciting day, to say the least. I will tell the story as best I can, and try to spare you all the gorry details. So here we go -

7:00a.m: I wake up and realize I have been leaking some sort of fluid and am pretty sure I didn't just pee my pants. So my very wise father tells me to go to the hospital and they will test it to see if it is amniotic fluid. So I call Reno, who is already out in Georgia working and tell him, I don't know yet, but I think my water just broke!!

7:15 a.m: Have a short emotional break-down, pull myself together, shower and get ready.

8:30a.m : Wake up Marli, drop her off at my dad's office and head over to the hospital.

9:00 a.m.: It is confirmed that it is amniotic fluid so the nurse tells me they are going to admit me and start me on pitocin. "But wait!! My husband isn't here!!" I quickly call Reno and tell him to book the soonest flight and get here ASAP!!

There was a little concern because I wasn't exactly sure what time my water broke and they say you have 24 hrs after it breaks before there is risk of infection.

10:00a.m: I am admitted to Labor and Delivery (why didn't I pack my bag before I came??) My wonderful mom and sister went and got Marli then came and spent the next couple hours hanging out with me. The Dr. came and checked me and he decided that we could wait til later in the afternoon to start pitocin, but they would not stop my labor if it started to progress. So Reno bought his flight which got in at 6:50p.m. which meant I would spend the next 10 hrs praying this baby didn't want to come sooner!

5:00p.m: After many hours of sitting in the hospital bed reading magazines and watching t.v., I was still only dilated to a 2 so they decided to start the pitocin. (Countdown til Reno comes - 3 hrs) My contractions started getting stronger after that, but I was pretty sure Reno would have plenty of time to get there.

6:52p.m: Reno's plane lands!!!!

7:40p.m: Reno arrives at the hospital to an applause of many nurses and a VERY happy wife!

8:00p.m: I get my epidural

8:30p.m: My water really breaks (Not just a trickle anymore:) The nurse comes in to clean me up and see how I've progressed - only dilated to a 3.

9:40:p.m.: Halftime of the Jazz game. Dr. Mower shows up to see check me. He goes on to inform me that I am dilated to a 10 and ready to have this baby!! The dr. quickly goes to change his clothes and...

9:58 p.m: Laney is born!!!! (Only 2 short hours after Reno's arrival)

It was such a roller-coaster day! This little girl did exactly as I had hoped and waited for her daddy to get here before she decided to come. I am so grateful that she is here and she is healthy!! We have loved having her in our home for these past couple of days and feel like she has been in our lives forever. I truly feel so blessed not only that Reno was able to make it in time, but that he is such a good dad and an amazing support to me. I seriously don't know what I would do without him!! Sorry for the novel, here are some pics of our amazing adventure:

Marli and me waiting for baby sister and dad to arrive

Our first family pic

Yes, he made it!!!

Holding Laney for the first time

This was the day we were leaving the hospital. These two fell asleep and had a nice 2 hr nap in my hospital bed. Where am I? Sitting in the chair next to them watching another Jazz game:)

This little girl was born with the longest fingernails!! I had to file them down so she wouldn't destroy her cute face.

Daddy and his girls

Tulips

Monday was my sister-in-law's birthday so we all went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. It happened to be the only sunny day in awhile so it was crowded, but the flowers were beautiful! Marli just loved running around with all her "friends".

Marli loves this crazy group of 4/5 yr olds and thinks she is as big as them.

I was just looking at this picture thinking - can you believe we are all sisters? I don't think any of us look alike.

Daddy Daughter Time

Reno took Marli on their first Daddy-Daughter Date before he left. He planned out the whole day and Marli loved it! First they went to play at the park, then out for pizza at Pizza Factory, then he took her to Build-a-Bear where she made a panda that has become her new best friend. They finished off the night by stopping for ice cream on the way home. Marli absolutely adores her dad and loved having him all to herself for a night!!! I equally appreciated an evening to myself:)

Marli and Reno before their date

After the big night and showing off her new panda

This was Marli and Panda eating breakfast this morning. She makes me fix the panda a bowl of cereal almost every morning, it is so funny!

One day I was inside cleaning when Reno called me to come outside and this is what I found - Marli had set all this up and put everyone in their place so that they could watch all the cars go by our house. (Since we live at the back of our neighborhood I think only 2 cars drove by the whole time they were out there)

Easter

Here are a few pics from Easter. This is only from one of the egg hunts she went on. Yes she is wearing snowman pajamas and yes there was snow on the ground when we woke up that morning!

Marli loved putting the jelly beans in and out of the eggs just as much as eating them.

Father and Son Harley Ride - Year 1

Reno and his dad had their first (of what I am sure will be many to come) Harley rides down in Arizona. They have been wanting to do this for awhile and they finally got their schedules to work. Reno was in heaven!! This is just what he needed before a long busy summer of selling.

Reno's mom drove the truck behind them and was able to join them on a couple of rides.

After a week of riding, I switched places with Mat and Julie and met Reno down in Phoenix for some much needed R&R and alone time! This past month Reno has been so crazy busy with work that we have barely even seen each other, let alone carried on a decent conversation so it was so nice to have some time together before the baby comes and before the selling season officially starts. Every day we would get up and play tennis or go on a bike ride, layout by the pool, then go to a yummy restaurant for dinner. This was my idea of the perfect vacation!

We ate at the Capital Grille where Reno said he had the "best steak of his life", which is a pretty bold statement coming from him. Not only were the steaks impressive, but I think they also had the largest menu we have ever seen!

We also got to spend some time with my sister Marisa who lives down in Pheonix.

As you can see, Marli had a rough time while we were gone - tea parties with Grandpa and foot massages from Grandma.

We couldn't get enough of the 80 degree weather and hated to come home, but how can you not be excited to come back to this adorable face?