National Cherry Blossom Festival!

We spent the day "downtown" yesterday at the kick-off celebration for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
It was so much fun and I am soooo tired of walking!
We started off by going to the National Building Museum. My mom, Naomi, James and I took the metro there and Zach joined us an hour or so later- he had a basketball game. So here's the funny thing about this, It took me all day to figure out why that museum had such a weird name. I was thinking it was really, really vague- meaning it was the National Building, or National Museum- but of WHAT? And then it dawned on me- it was the National BUILDING Museum, as in ARCHITECTURE. I felt kinda stupid for a minute:)
At the National Building Museum they had a Free Family Day thing going on. There were tons of Japanese crafts, activities, demos and dancers. Naomi made a little cherry blossom tree, a mask (see the slide show:) and a few other fun things. After a healthy McDonald's lunch we hopped back on the metro down to the Mall to the Kite Festival. There were so many people everywhere, it was amazing. And the air was filled with kites. We didn't bring one and that's probably a good thing, Naomi is too little to really like flying a kite, or be able to anyway and she enjoyed watching everyone else. That and picking up rocks. She really, really loves to be outside.
Then we walked over toward the Jefferson Memorial to see all the gorgeous cherry trees in full blossom. It really was beautiful. Zach read online somewhere that there are over 3 thousand cherry trees around the tidal basin!
Naomi ended up finally falling asleep in her stroller, she fights naps on the go, she ended up with about a 30 minute nap- better than nothing! And James was in the sling all day, so he ended up with about an ALL day nap!
The weather was beautiful, but just a little cold, I could have gone for about 10 degrees warmer but it was a great day, and so fun to spend with Zach too! I'm looking forward to this summer when ALL Saturdays will be family days, no homework!

It was great to have my mom here for this, she really loved seeing the cherry blossoms again, she hasn't been here for the festival since she was a teenager, and of course she loves Japan since she spent some of her growing up years there. She's been so helpful and keeps cleaning my apartment! I love it:) She'll be here until Friday. Then we get to have Zach's mom come and visit! I'm a little bit spoiled, I know.

new stuff-

Aren't these two cute!




Naomi was playing some little game with James' feet





James- kind of a funny picture of him!


Naomi and Grandma Stevie at the Washington DC Temple


Magnolia blossoms


Naomi sharing her Easter eggs with James!


Hunting for Easter eggs.....


The crew: Isabelle, Abby, Aspen, Naomi and Cameron


"Flying" at the Air and Space Museum


Well, just playing catch up...


My mom is here visiting and helping and we've been doing a little sightseeing!


First of all though- we had a fun Easter dinner at Cassie & Adam's. The kids all did an Easter egg hunt out on the lawn, Naomi was stoked about her booty:) And we ended up taking Isabelle's bag of eggs home too, oops! Naomi LOVES her "Easter Dress" and would like to wear it everyday. We definitely have a girly girl on our hands.


While Zach was off studying hard we went to the National Air and Space Museum. Naomi was a trooper, it was kind of a long day but we say some cool stuff. She was soooo excited about the airplanes! James did what he does best: sleeping and eating and pooping:)


James is a good baby, really so sweet. He cries when he's hungry and tired. But he cries LOUD when he is hungry. It always surprises me, he can go from deep sleep to practically yelling for food in a matter of seconds!


He's getting a little chunky in the leg area:) And he hardly spits up at all! So far. The only reason I mention this is because Naomi was like a spit up fountain. yuck.


So I'm getting more used to being a mom of two, but it is a huge help to have my mom here too! And Naomi LOVES this baby. It's so funny to see her interact with him. She is so helpful and always wants to get his binky for him. Whenever he is fussing she immediately runs to his side to help. She's a great big sister:)

First Bath for James

So sweet- I have a pictures almost exactly like this for Naomi.

This was just a "sponge bath" but it was all he needed.

This is ok.....

still doing alright.

hating it!

ahh, getting dressed is much better!

Sweet outfit! He looks so cute in this!
-Thanks goes to Erica for his awesome look here.

pictures, pictures!

I think these pics of Naomi are DANG cute! She's a little camera shy but we try....

Also- if anyone knows of a good photographer in Logan will you let me know?? Actually I mean a good photographer who is reasonably priced! Good luck, huh.

a video for you:)

I know it's totally boring but it is real live footage of our (now) 1 week old!

So enjoy:)

James & Naomi

Things I forgot about newborns...

That they are sooooo tiny.
Grunting, squeaking, and little sighs...
They can sleep through anything, even a crazy toddler squishing them with love and LOUDness.
Eating takes a looooong time,
and then they poop,
and then it's time to eat again.
That I really prefer to sleep all night without waking up, even if he is cute.
The car seat is gigantic.
How I love to touch their soft skin and hair, and tiny fingers and toes.
And how sweet and innocent they are.

James' second day

-Posted by Zach-

Here are some pictures of James' second day. Both he and Trisha are doing well. Naomi and I rented some movies and took them to the hospital this morning for mom (and the BEE Movie for Naomi, which se is now obsessed with-- luckily/unfortunately we will only have it for another 12 hours b/c we rented it from Redbox). James had the wonderful opportunity, that all men wish they could remember, of being circumsized today. We had to pay the doctor $100 cash to take him out back to a guy with a taco truck to do it, but it went okay (jk about the taco truck, but we did have to pay cash and they did it in this little room off the nursery employee break room which I thought was a little sketchy). Naomi then went to her friend Sam's house (thanks again Kelly and Brian) while I went to class, and then we went back to visit mommy and 'baby James' after dinner. Anyway, that's enough mindless typing I'll let the pictures do the rest of the work.






The jury is still out on the eye color. ????

James Zachary Champlin

Posted by Zach-Here's the quick update and some pictures of the newest member of the Champlin family.

We got to the hospital about 9:00am. Trisha started an I.V. of Pitocen at about 10:00am, the doctor broke her water at about 12:45. The painful contractions merited an epideral at 2:30. By 4:30 she was at a 5 and at 5:30 she was a 10. Two push cycles (5 pushes) later James was born at 5:49pm EST. James weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and is 19 inches long. Here are some of the pics from today.




James Zachary Champlin




Naomi and baby brother James

Labor Day...

Just a quick post before I got to bed, finally:)
Tomorrow is the big day! I'm going in to the hospital at 8 a.m. and will be hooked up to the various iv's and such- pitocen, etc. and hopefully have this little boy here by dinner!!
I'll keep this updated.

This is me the night before.

Easter Photos

Isn't she just the CUTEST! I am a little biased, being her mom and all.....

She was great taking pictures and I think they turned out just awesome.

Easter Photos

Isn't she just the CUTEST! I know I'm just a little biased, being her mom and all...

She was great for pictures and I think they turned out just awesome. Kiddie Kandids was our photographer this time around, I was pleased and as usual, it's a pretty good price for what you get.