The name was . . . Indiana

Cause you're on my mind:

1. What is your husband's name? Brannon Rodriguez Orton

2.Who eats more? Bro for sure, I never get to take my leftovers home. :(

3. Who said I love you first? Surprisingly me, I couldn't stand not to say it one more day!

4. Who is taller? Bro - barely making my cutoff of 5'10" (sneaky sneaky).

5. Who is smarter? Bro overall, he soaks up facts like a sponge but I like to think I'm a little more logically minded.

6. Who is more sensitive? Definitely me.

7. Who does the laundry? No one . . . just kidding, we both get in thru the cycle but it takes "a while" to reach our closet.

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me, cause I need to be farthest away from the window, thanks babe.

9. Who pays the bills? I do.

10. Who cooks more? I do.

11. What meals do you cook together? Sometimes when we have company Brannon throws some stuff on the grill and I try to convince him to bake cookies with me, although to date, have not succeeded.

12. Who is more stubborn? Bro, but just by a little.

13. Who is the first to admit it when they are wrong? Brannon, cause I'm usually in denial.

14. Who is more clean? Bro

15. Who has more siblings? I do.

16. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Bro, but I am the belt that holds the pants up, plus I buy the pants and the belt. :)

17. What do you like to do together? Eating at new restaurants, canoing at the arboretum, visiting friends, playing games, driving in the car, and just talking.

18. Who eats more sweets? I win by far.

19. Guilty pleasures? Watching sitcoms a day late on our laptop on the couch (does that count?)

20. How did you meet? My first youth conference on Vashon Island when I was 14, where he claims he remembers me but I don't think so.

21. Who asked who out first? No one really, we were friends and hung out when Bro got home from his mission and I was on winter break. The first time we hung out we watched "The Mummy 2" haha.

22. Who kissed who first? It's debatable.

23. Who proposed? Bro and as requested, it was beautiful, thanks honey.

24. Best features? Big brown eyes, hot lips, high cheek bones, protruding brow bones that he's so proud of, dark skin, athletic build, cute behind, stubby toe . . . I could go on.

25. What is his best quality? Wow, that's a huge question. Brannon has so many good qualities. He has an amazing heart, the best example of this is how he loves Belize. It's a privilege to watch him be a father. He has this gift of reading me when I'm sad inside. He tries really hard to be romantic when I need it, he doesn't even realize what a thoughtful and sweet person he is. He's always the first to volunteer to do the dishes and is extremely helpful and handy around the house (a honey-do man as my Grandma says). As anyone who meets him can tell, he's got an incredible work ethic but what I see is that he works at our marriage and our family the most. He always makes quality time with us even when its seemingly impossible. He's my superman. Brannon, I just love all of you!

Counting down

Yes, yes, I've finally started the pregnancy countdown. I thought this time, I wouldn't keep track because I thought it would be easier and possibly go faster? Well, anyone who's been pregnant knows pregnancy does not go quickly except for all of your friends and I was getting sick of everyone asking and me not knowing. This pregnancy has been considerably easier, although I was nauseous for about the same amount of time the first trimester. The only thing I'm dealing with know is poor sleep, frequent peeing and the occasional vomit and runs from greasy food. I popped out way sooner than with Belize but apparently this is to be expected with the second child. We still have not decided on a name although we have a short list, recently shortened due to a little girl in our ward with the same name (secretly I'm happy about this because I thought it sounded feminine) although technically it is the name of a very masculine action hero (in a movie that came out this summer)- can you guess what it was?

One is the loneliest number

Today, I sent my hubby off to Oregonia for a MONTH at OHSU. :( If anyone is bored and would like to play with us- believe me, we would love it! Forgive the random order of the pictures this week. This is Belize resting with her Abuelo after some hard labor in the backyard. Abuelo must have really tired her out because she fell asleep mid-lunch! I attempted Jello Jigglers recently, turned out to be a jello slosh but Belize liked them anyways . . . who would have guessed? :) Abuela had a birthday this week and Belize tried to help blow out her candles with her nose. And the last picture is of the raspberry shortbread cookies I made awhile go. What else? . . . oh, Belize has been sleeping in her big girl bed for a week now and the binky has gone bye bye!!! Potty training is in talks right. She gives the sweetest kisses and likes to kiss my owies better. Her favorite phrases are: "Ay Chi Wa Wa," "Oh, Nnnnuts!" "I go Weulo's house," or "I go Nana's house." And a couple of weeks ago at Belize's overdue 18 month check she was in the 50% for weight and 75% for height- finally proof that I feed her, she's just thin cause she runs around like a bloody maniac. :) We've also specified a time-out chair, I think I need one too, but mine needs to be in a soundproof bubble.

For your viewing pleasure

20 months- Brannon made this home movie while I was at a baby shower today. :)

STP Weekend

STP (Seattle to Portland) bike race was last weekend. Brannon and his kinda "team" consisting of Porter, the biking maniac and Willie, Brannon's go-to-guy, made it in a little over 11 hours (biking time). It is 206 miles and this year he did it in one day! It was amazing and physically exhausting as pictured here at the finish line. I drove to Portland (Belize stayed with Abuelo and Abuela) to pick him up, we stayed with Robert and Angie's, Brannon's cousin) that night and then swung up to Lake Cushman on the way home to visit Anessa and Paul at their cabin, which was breathtaking. Here's Brannon playing with Zeek, their dog and a big white whale on the boat . . . OH WAIT, that's me!!! And finally Paul and Brannon get WAY too into a game of foosball.

Picnics, Cleansweep and Boards.

Nana and Aunt Sarah came over this week for fun, cleaning and a picnic. I think I might be getting the nesting bug (something, I didn't get at all last time) because I have an insisting urge to re-organize our entire house. My mom has been an angel in helping me tackle Belize's bedroom/storeroom to make room for baby brother and Aunt Sarah has been quite charitable in watching Belize while we work. In other news, Belize is becoming quite proficient in putting 2-3 words together like, "want some pop! "(who taught her what POP was by the way?!!!! and I wouldn't recommend coming forward and feeling my wrath), and "Thank you, Mom." It makes me feel like I have a little adult in my house. She's especially proud of herself when she's trying to tell us something and then we finally get it! She has a special giggle for such occasions as if saying, "Good job Mom and Dad, I'm really proud of you, you're learning a lot!" Brannon also took his Step 2 boards exam yesterday, 9 hours of complete brain drain! I'm really proud of him, he's been studying 8 hours a day for the past 2 1/2 weeks (also, ignoring his extreme need for a haircut which I finally snuck a picture of, it was so hideous), I think my head would explode! I'm sure he did GREAT! AND he got a haircut . . . YEAH!!!

The Fourth

Fourth of July 2008! We went with our friends, the Garcias and Nana, Grandpa and Aunt Sarah to the Woodland Park zoo. Belize loves to ask for Grandpa's "Hand?" Poor Grandpa, he's going to be a hunchback pretty soon. :) Naya and Belize got a kick out of going on the carousel, thanks to the Garcias having extra tokens!!! The goats are just the right size for Belize to latch onto.

Naya's 2!

Belize's best friend, Naya turned two! We helped her celebrate by sharing her cake and helping her open presents. Also, Kristee & Brannon chilling on the porch and two thumbs up for Naya's second birthday!

Whew, it was hot today!

And this cutie loved every minute of it.

Turn your head for a second and . . .

Sousa's ranch in Missoula, MT

We stayed at Ted Sousa's parents ranch in Montana again.
I think Belize needs a ranch in our backyard, she was in heaven.

Little cook

Making blueberry muffins with our sweet neighbor Jeanine.

Silverwood

On the way home we met up with Nana, Grandpa, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Sarah at Silverwood water and theme park to celebrate Sarah's 16th birthday!! "16 is the magical age"! Belize did great at the park and enjoyed all the little rides (notice her face in the pictures, looking petrified but she always wanted to go again, except for the Log Flume which she cried (see video).) She ended up falling asleep on Grandpa's shoulder after playing in the water, it was precious.

Bye Bye Wyoming!

You know you are in Wyoming:

*If the speed limit is 20mph downtown.
*A car straddles two lanes while driving down the road . . . and people don't honk at them!!!
*Dirt seems less dirty- because its everywhere!
*Those cute little Bambis start to look like pesky rodents.
*People take their dogs on walks w/out plastic bags.
*It is highly acceptable, even encouraged to wave to anybody on the street.
*The first sunday you attend church, people invite you over for a BBQ.
*Your neighbors bring you food
*Mostly lots and lots of meat (they most likely shot themselves).
*If you start to start to love all the beautiful open spaces, the lightning storms, fresh air and friendly people.

We've come to love you Wyoming and we'll be missing you when our hectic and crazy life returns.

Belize has been up to all sorts of monkey business lately. She can successfully climb in and out of her port-a-crib (my solution- tie the handle of her door to the stair railing with a sheet to lock her in until she climbs back into bed and goes to sleep). Mwaa-ha-ha-ha! She can lean out of the toy car attached to the shopping cart, discretely take fruit snacks off a nearby shelf and open them (so I HAVE to buy them!! How does she even know what fruit snack boxes look like.) And we have this conversation all the time:
Me- "Belize, can you say (new word)?"
Belize- "Yeah."
I'm sorry, when did you turn into a teenager?

What girl doesn't want to strip down and run through the sprinklers? This is the only semi-modest shot I was able to capture. Belize and I visited great-grandma Gregg in Ten Sleep one last time before we leave. It was so much fun, we love hanging out with Grandma. Every time I visit, I am reminded how much I love and look up to her as an example of what a woman should be like. Grandma Gregg is truly one of my heros and one of the strongest, faithful, amazing women I know. May Belize strive to be like her.

Pregnant or just me?

And before I knew it, it was empty . . . huh.













Okay, you can barely see in this picture but there is a red dot on my leg, kinda looks like a blood blister but not raised. Is this from being pregnant? Is this permanent? Can I make it go away? Are red dots going to cover my legs until I look like a giant red lobster? Pregnant ladies- please help!

Sunday photo shoot

Sometimes when Belize wears a new dress, I go a little crazy with the camera, just call me- Mom.
Belize starts by combing the grass for bugs, she LOVES to watch them and I have to remind her not to eat them. Then she just runs around and so do I, trying to catch a cute moment. Note: the one picture she's smiling in is fuzzy because she's running away. :)