He's Here!

Ty Gordon Larsen
Born Monday, April 16, 2012 @ 7:55 am
Weight: 5lbs 13 oz
Length: 18 3/4in

First pictures with mom and dad

After his first bath
The view of the flatirons from our hospital room (and the new wing):Discharge day from the hospital was a little hectic because Tim had a full day of classes, and we didn't get any pictures, but we'll make up for it with his cuteness. We snapped some today in response to all of the requests:
Ty is a sleepyhead
Showing off his beautiful eyes
Hanging out with Dad
Mom and baby are doing well. More info to come.

Peeps Show 2012

I love Easter! It is a time my entire extended family from my mom's side gets together in St. George to visit and eat. Unfortunately, Tim and I weren't able to make it this year due to me not wanting to drive/go into labor on a 10 hour drive, so I brought some of the tradition to my Colorado friends. We got together on Saturday for a potluck picnic (which held up the tradition of LOTS of food) at a park.

When we lived in Washington DC, we always enjoyed seeing the Peeps Dioramas in the Washington Post around Easter. I took the idea to my family last year, and wanted to do it again this year. It started getting chili at the park, so we headed to the Newson's to make Peep's Dioramas. The creativity did not disappoint. Feel free to cast your votes in our comments:

1. Forsyths: Peeps Toxic Plant

2. Olsens: Better Off Dead

3. Pauls: Ra"peep"zel

4. Myers: The "Peep" Games (notice Peeta in the green swamp)

(...and the mocking jay symbol of The Hunger Games:)5. Thevenins: Avengers are coming to kick your Peeping Peeps

6. Newsons: Hanging out with our "Peeps" 2011
It is our group of friends with comments to destinguish us and the scene is the Thevs' apt.
Me and Tim (yoga mat and big economic equation)7. Larsens: "Peeping" over the Royal Gorge
(we commemorated our trip from two weeks ago)
Ok, so we cheated by bringing real props like the train.

Happy Easter!

36 Weeks

I meant to put more "belly" pictures up throughout the pregnancy, but this is as good as it's going to get (plus the fact that every time I asked Tim to take pictures, he rolled his eyes and made fun of me).

I really don't have much to complain about; for the most part, I have been healthy, but growing another person is no picnic. Below are my 3 biggest complaints about being pregnant:
3. Clothes. I am getting to a very limited wardrobe. The worst is that your previously long shirts have become belly shirts, but you don't realize it until you 1) look in a mirror and see what you couldn't see due to your growing belly or 2) go outside and feel a cool breeze where your shirt should be.
2. You really do have to go to the bathroom all. the. time. Every time you change positions and often when the baby changes positions. I think we have gone through 3x as much toilet paper in the past 2 months.
1. Rib pain. It started around week 27 and has continued nonstop. I used to be able to push him out of my ribs, but since he has overtaken them since then, my only escape is when I am walking or down on hands and knees. Driving is the worst and I am so grateful I don't have to commute to work in Denver anymore.

The fun things about being pregnant:
3. I don't feel guilty when I don't get a workout in-although nowdays, I could count going up the stairs as a workout by the way it makes me huff and puff.
2. I don't feel guilty about eating a lot. I remember one part in the Lord of the Rings when one of the hobbits asks if they get to eat second breakfast. I pretty much have second breakfast, second lunch, etc...
1. Baby prep. Who wouldn't go through all of the uncomfortable parts of pregnancy, yet enjoy setting this up:
Our crib and bedding set:

Baby boy Larsen thanks Grandma Diney and Grandpa Rod for the beautiful crib.
My favorite part of baby prep so far has been getting his clothes ready. Mindy sent me home with a bunch of boy clothes a few months ago (plus all the gifts we've been given), and I really enjoyed organizing everything.
We're just about ready!!!

Spring Break Trip

Tim is very excited that he is on Spring Break for a week. To celebrate, we wanted to take a "Babymoon," or one last trip with just the two of us. We kind of threw it together last minute, but it was a fun weekend.

We started the trip driving south and ate a picnic lunch at Castle Rock Park in Castle Rock. We stopped in Colorado Springs for a free tour of the Olympic Training Center:
Athletes in the top percentage of their sport are invited to live on the campus, which is sponsored by several non-government businesses. This location houses many of the summer sports including gymnastics, wrestling, and swimming, which were the sports we caught a glimpse of.
This sign holds a countdown until London and Sochi.
We weren't allowed to use flashes, so the pictures aren't the greatest, but I had to take some pictures of the wrestlers for TJ. The bottom left pic is a gymnast.
I am speed skating-not posing in an evolution picture.
After our tour, we continued to Cañon City where we enjoyed swimming at our hotel and ate at a delicious restaurant.

The next morning, we went to the Royal Gorge
The bridge is the highest suspension bridge in the world.
The canyon itself was really pretty.
The bridge was a lot scarier than expected.
There wasn't much holding us up. The surface was all wood but there were cracks between the slats and we could see everything below.
We paused to smile for a picture, but we were both freaked out. The middle of the bridge swayed a little with the wind.
I love this sign.
It would take a pretty long line to fish from here:
The bridge view from below.
Tim and I, unfortunately, ran out of "time" to ride this tram. It's a shame.
We did get to ride the incline rail to the bottom of the canyon.
Tim is excited to someday ride the train that drives through the bottom of the gorge. The picture below is the part of the track that is hanging-only supported from above.We felt much safer beneath the bridge than on top of it.
We headed home soon after, but not without stopping in Manitou Springs for dinner at Rudy's BBQ. It was a great quick trip, and will probably be our last trip with just the two of us for a long time.

More Baby Showers!

I am really lucky to work with some great people. (If I lived closer to Denver, I'd probably choose to work in the office rather than at home.) A few weeks ago, 2 of my best co-worker friends threw me another baby shower! We invited a bunch of girls I work/worked with over the past year and a half and had lots of fun.

Hostesses: Heidi and Karen (Karen doesn't work there anymore, but when she worked with us, we called her our "Den Mother." She is also the one who taught me to knit)

The Decor:

The girls:

I know a lot of people don't like baby shower games, but I like them! Starr was the winner of the "guess the length of my belly" game. (We're holding our yarn measurements)

We all got these cups with babies in ice and the first one to melt the baby free from the ice won.

More measuring and a good belly shot.

And last but not least, gifts. Here are a few of my favorites.

A boppy!

Karen the host/knitter knitted our little guy this adorable sweater. I wish I could show the details because she used different stitches for the neck and arms. It looks professional. The buttons are wooden leaf shapes. I LOVE it!

I know I am being so spoiled with this pregnancy.
Only 6 weeks to go!!!