Sunday walk

I know I am biased, but I seriously don't think Piper could be any cuter.

Pipes and I took a Sunday morning stroll through Red Butte. I have lived in Utah pretty much my whole life and have never seen a Rattle Snake. We saw two today. A little scary, but so cool.

My Pregnancy

This very well may be the last time I get to experience pregnancy, so I wanted some photos to capture this amazing state that the female body is in. I just so happen to be married to a brilliant photographer. I think I have seen one or two photos of my mom pregnant, and I love them. It reminds me that she was a young woman once. When Piper and Quinn are old enough to care about that sort of thing my pregnant days will have come and gone. I want to be reminded of how beautiful the female body is when it is carrying a life. Thank you Seth. I will treasure these forever.

State of the Dunlop 4

This is how Seth and Piper spend their time together when I am working. Just a small hike up Ferguson Canyon.
Wow Seth. You rock!

So we are nearing the end of our pregnancy journey. Quinn is due in 40 something days. My nephew is due in 28 days. My body hurts and I am exhausted. Seth finished statistics. Thank God! We have come to the conclusion that our house is not going to sell, and that is just fine. Seth has been fine with this conclusion, but it has taken me a little longer to get there. Along with our small home comes a small mortgage, and we are so fortunate for that. Most families before our time lived in homes as small as ours, and they were just fine. In some respects I think it makes a family closer.
Less is often so much more in life.
We have consolidated, had a garage sale, and thanks to nesting (I love nesting), we are getting super organized.
Now that dreadful statistics is over we can start the room switch. Piper and Quinn are going to share the larger bedroom, and Seth and I are moving to the smaller bedroom. It is so much fun organizing baby clothes, diapers, books, and all the adorable nick knacks that go along with kids.

This past week has been the most horrible week of my life. I lost a patient, and I can't even begin to describe the horror, anxiety and sadness that I am experiencing. There is never a good time to have this happen in your nursing career, but when myself and my sister-in-law are weeks from delivering, it is a total nightmare. I work for and with the most amazing people in the world. I am in awe at the love and support that they give me. Not for one second did I contemplate stopping what I do because of this experience.
When you are devastated and so sad I hope that everyone is lucky enough to know that they are married to someone who loves them the way I am loved.
My mom showed up at my door step and gave me an unannounced pedicure. Hugging her has never felt so good. I will remember that day forever.
Running into the bathroom at work for a secret cry I checked my phone and found these photos Seth sent me.
This is the father of my children.

Erin's Baby Shower

Today was the day.
We threw Erin her girl's shower. It was perfect. Lovely company, incredible flowers, amazing food, beautiful weather, and the absolute best reason ever to be throwing a party. 30something days left until I can hold my nephew. I keep having this dream that I am Patrick and Erin's delivery nurse, which is the plan, and as soon as he comes out I grab him and am loving him and holding him and totally forget my responsibilities as their nurse. No Pitocin, no suture, no vital signs, nada. I also forget that Ronan is THEIR son and he should be doing skin to skin with HIS mother. I just love him so much. I never knew I could love a chid as much as my own, and we haven't even met yet. I truly hope he is born before Quinn so I can be a part of their birth experience.
This is such a huge year for our family. Two new babies probably within a week or so. I am anxious, excited, scared, but mostly am so crazy happy.
This is a dream come true.

My cousins and sister

I know some pretty awesome people

My Bug. She was our team captain. She puts on a hell of a party!

Mom and Rita

Proud papa

There he is. My guy Seth with my little lady Pipes

Seriously my girlfriends are so incredibly beautiful.

Piper and her aunt Bears

Proud Grandma Lynne

Beautiful momma to be

I love this photo

My cousin Kristen and Piper

The Hamilton ladies

Piper lounging in the garden

My friend Allison Harbertson did the flowers, and they were spectacular. If you ever need flowers for an event, she is incredible.

Mother's Day gift idea

Besides my children's birthdays and Halloween, I think Mothers's day might be my favorite new holiday. I never realized how amazing mothers are until I became one. This job is so incredibly hard, but absolutely the best job I ever knew existed.

I am not a great gift giver. I never have ideas that I am totally excited about. This year though I am pretty stoked about what Piper and I are giving my mom. So, here it is. If you haven't found anything, use this idea. I have to confess that I saw this idea in a pregnancy magazine and they wanted $50 for it. Ridiculous when it is so easy to do yourself.

So you really don't have to have any skill to do this. I promise. I am doing it.

This entire project can be accomplished by going to Piper's Quilts and Comforts. My mom and sister-in-law own this shop. It is a little slice of heaven. All supplies can be purchased there, and if you buy your supplies from the shop my mom or Erin will give you free instructions. 1944 South 1100 East, SLC, 801-484-5890
www.pipersquilts.com

I am thinking you will be into this entire project $25. You will have really high end supplies that will last though.

Supplies

• One fat quarter of muslin
• Embroidery thread. One brown and one black should be fine, but choose whatever colors you like.
  
• Embroidery needle
• Micron pen
• Frame (I love IKEA frames, but whatever frame you love will do)
• Embroidery hoop

Instructions

• You will take your hand and your child's hand, or just your child's hands, whatever you choose, and trace them with a dark pen onto paper. When I traced them I made it so the thumbs were almost touching. Any position will do though. Between the thumbs I wrote Mother's Day 2011, and underneath each hand I put our initials.
  
• Place an ironed piece of muslin on top of the paper with the traced hands and writing. Get the fabric straight. Trace everything from the paper onto the muslin.
  
• You are now ready to start stitching. Place the area of the pattern you want to start stitching in the hoop. Make it super tight. This makes it easier to stitch. The embroidery thread can be used in any thickness, but the only thread I use is from Piper's and it comes 12-ply. I use 3 strands at a time while stitching. I back stitched this pattern, but any stitch will do. JW and Erin can show you lots of options.
  
• I did the hands in brown and all the writing in black. After all your stitching is done, give the project a slight press and place in a frame.
  

I am such a big fan of hand made gifts. Not only is it often cheaper, but it means so much more. I think I might make a duplicate of this for me. I love it.
Happy stitching, and to all you mother's out there, you truly make the world a better place. Thank you for all that you do.
xoxo

Happy Easter

Look how well Piper cuddles with daddy. NOT.

Sugar high

Letting our butterflies go. They are still in their cage. They don't want to leave.

Two chocolate peas in a pod. Piper you look just like your daddy, and you have his chocolate obsession as well. Way to go baby!

Happy Easter.

I never knew putting together Easter baskets was so much fun. Little girly trinkets, candy, pin wheels, bubbles. I love this stuff. Piper loved it also.

Zoo Trip

Piper is getting very specific about what she wants to do. Lately she has wanted to see the little monkeys. So this morning we went to Hogle Zoo. Not my favorite place on Earth, but Piper loved it. It was super chilly, so the animals were really active. Probably one of our best zoo trips to date.

I couldn't get enough of the gorillas. Standing 3 feet away from them and watching them use their hands is just mind blowing. To think that we evolved from them. We look so much like them. Totally amazing!