Family of Four

Celebrating the Fourth

2010-07-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Josh's parents have a beautiful lake house in Discovery Bay that we sneak way to as often as we can. For those of you who are not familiar with Discovery Bay, it is a man-made water way that was created in the middle of farm land located about an hour outside of Sacramento. This is where we spent our fourth of July!

The "lake" side of the house... now, if only I had gotten a decent shot of the view from the deck - arg! Oh well, you will get the gist of it from other photos :)

Here is Josh and Audrey on the surf board - but it's not really a surf board because there are no waves! These massive boards are all the rage this year. You stand on them and paddle yourself around the bay. They really are a lot of fun. Audrey had a really good time being on it with her Papa. "We go on surf board Papa?" she would say... "Come on! let's go!"

...on a side note, I do have to say that she is quite the funny little girl. Riding on this board with her Papa she will do, however she won't set foot in the water!

Another fun thing that Audrey loved to do was go on the paddle boat. She would go with anyone who was willing. On this particular trip, Audrey found some water balloons that were floating in the water. She thought they were "so cool".

Audrey and Josh going up to the house.

Audrey taking charge & driving the wave-runner with Grandpa & her new friend Gillian

Did I mention that we got a surprise visitor the day before we left? My sister decided to come into town at the last minute for the weekend. It was so good to have her around. The kids adored all the attention she gave them. Especially Oliver.

Ah.. my little guy. Isn't he just the cutest?! Here, he was grunting and pointing at the steering wheel of the boat. He was such a trooper in that life jacket. They are pretty big and awkward - most kids his age don't like being in them. But he endured it & just carried on. What a lil' sweetie.

Audrey, my little princess. Lately we have been working on identifying facial expressions. When I asked Audrey to give me her "smiley" face, this is what I got. Arms and all. What a doll she is.

Here is my little man having a ball in the pool. He was so adorable and was having such a fun time splish-splashin' around. He seriously just makes me smile.

Yup. This is me. Sleeping with a book on my face.

This is what I do when I'm not chasing after kids or taking pictures.

Ah... and here it is, my favorite picture of the weekend.

Happy Father's Day Josh

2010-06-21T16:50:00.001-07:00

What an amazing Father you are to our two children.

I love you so very much...

thank you, thank you

for being exactly who you are:

a great man

a wonderful husband

and the best person to laugh with - always.

When I Grow Up...

2010-06-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

... I want to be like my Papa.

Crazy Hair

2010-05-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

My cute precious boy and his crazy hair...

I think it's time for a hair cut!

Our Palm Springs Getaway

2010-05-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our eight year anniversary... and to just getaway, Josh and I went to Palm Springs for the weekend. The entire trip was so nice. We did some sightseeing, a little shopping, we slept in (how long has it been?!) and we even got to eat our meals while the food was hot! Whew! We were spoiled!! I'm tellin' ya: there is nothing like going away for the weekend to revive your spirit, and make you feel whole again. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Our first stop before heading to Palm Springs was Philippe's. Josh and I had first heard about this place on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. I am a HUGE fan of French Dips & this is where they began. I had a Roast Beef, double-dipped. It was heavenly! Definitely worth the stop. Next stop: Palm Springs!

We stayed at this 50's rival bed & breakfast called Rendezvous. We found it online & it was a really fun place to stay.

They had beach cruiser bikes that you could take out for a spin, a cocktail hour that featured their very own "blue rendezvous martini" and a pool that was the winning feature of this place. Each room had their own fifties theme, and ours was the Stage Coach.

It was a fun little western room dedicated to the head honcho himself, John Wayne.

Now, for some highlights of Palm Springs...

Along the way, we found this really cool Botanical Garden called Moorten's. It was full of cacti, created in the backyard of Moorten's home! There was some pretty amazing stuff there!

On our last night in town, Josh and I went on Palm Spring's Aerial Tramway, home of the world's largest rotating tram cars. We went from being at about 500 feet above sea level to just over 8500 in a matter of minutes! The ride in the rotating car was steep, quick & breathtaking.

Just leaving the visitors center. Going up...

... passing the other car only 4 minutes later. Do you see the visitors center? Look at how far we've come!

Me in the car :)

View from the top on the front side...

...view on the backside. Amazing! Plus, in the elevation jump, we went from a nice 78 to 46 degrees! Brrr!!!!

Us, on top of the mountain.

On Sunday morning we bid farewell to Palm Springs, & headed back to L.A. to fly home.

Along the way we stopped at the church where my grandparents were married at 50 years ago, The Little White Chapel in Burbank.

Being that it was our anniversary trip, it was nice to pay homage to the place where they got married.

Well, that was our Palm Springs Getaway!

It's Fun to be ONE!

2010-04-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we celebrated Oliver's first birthday. I still can't believe that my baby is one! (a post about what he has been up to will be coming shortly - I promise!) We had just intended on celebrating with a few family and friends, which was the case, but it seemed like we had food for dozens!!! My amazing parents and sister came to Sacramento for the party. I swear, they spoil me with their greatness. Oliver had an absolute ball at his little party. I had some single balloons stashed around the house and he had a great ol' time running around with them in his hands. This was his favorite part of the party I believe :) Audrey enjoyed being able to see all of her family and friends & especially singing Happy Birthday to 'Brother'. When we put Oliver's cupcake in front of him to sing to him, he had a freak out moment, of which I can only describe as "GIVE IT TO ME NOW!" It was pretty comical. I tried, tried, tried all night long to get a good picture of him smiling in is darling '1' shirt, but as you can see, he was a busy little man running all over the place. I hope you enjoy the pictures. It was a fun night had by all!

Oliver recovering from his freak out moment. I think that he realized everyone was singing for him, that and the fact that he was going to eat the cupcake :)

It may not look like it, but he was enjoying it!

My darling Daddy enjoying his cupcake

Tia Katie and Oliver

My Mom & Oliver

Oliver running around enjoying his balloons

Here are some of the many pictures that I tried to take of Oliver.... one thing is for sure: he is a quick little guy!

A Surprise Package!

2010-03-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love it when something arrives on your door unexpectedly? Well that is exactly what happened to us last Saturday! My darling Aunt Pauline sent us a fun package that contained ELEVEN books for my kids. I just love getting packages like that! Seriously, as a Mom, books for my kids are my most cherished presents. Plus, the books that Aunt Pauline sends are always a HUGE hit; she worked with Kindergartners for many years and knows what kinds of books they are drawn too! Audrey has had so much fun looking through all the books and discovering what was inside. She already has her favorites (Find a Face & Things That Go) & Oliver thinks they are pretty cool too :)

Find A Face THE WHEELS ON THE BUS The Red Book Let's Go Camping with Mr. Sillypants Please is a Good Word to Say Circus Caps For Sale The Rain Forest Too Noisy! Silly Street Things That Go THE WIND BLEW

Thank you so much Aunt Pauline for spoiling my kids the way that you do. We love you so very, very much!

My Favorite New Recipe

2010-02-18T13:46:00.001-08:00

The other day while I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner, I decided to log onto marthastewart.com to see if there was anything the jumped out at me. I don't generally do this. Normally I call up Anna or Alyssa to see what they are making for dinner. Yet, today I was feeling a bit adventurous. After scrolling through a couple of pictures I came across this yummy one:

Italian Pot Pies

(click here for the recipe)

Not only did it look good, but I had all of the ingredients! This recipe really was super easy to make. The only thing that took long was chopping the onion & carrots. Next time I make this I will chop them before hand. I definitely recommend giving this one a try. Especially on a night when you want something yummy but easy to make. Enjoy!

Ten Months = 40 Weeks

2010-02-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

As I sat down to write this, it occurred to me that Oliver has lived on this earth the same amount of time that I carried him in my belly. It seriously is crazy to me how much our little guy has changed our lives, touched our hearts and how he has grown so very, very much. Oliver, you are my little man & I love you so much!

You are a quick little one who is getting into everything around the house. How you love to stand next to the couch, table, chair - anywhere the action is. You have finally mastered the art of crawling on your knees. Although I don't think that will be your preferred mode of transportation for long: you love walking with any toy on wheels, and yesterday you walked 7 steps by yourself!!

You LOVE your food. And I mean L.O.V.E your food. Trust me when I tell you that when we don't get it to you fast enough, you quickly, and noisily, let us know. When this happens, Josh tells you that you take after my side of family.

Your dreamy blue eyes are still a huge hit, almost as much as your hair - which is saying a lot. You have had three hair cuts to date, and you have been an angel at all three. People, mostly men, often tell you that your baby blues and curly hair is going to come in pretty handy when you get older. As one man said "They are going to get you into a lot of trouble, and probably out of a great deal more." Secretly, I think they are envious of you :) You adore your sister. The lovely thing is, she loves you just as much as you love her. You both play beautifully together, that is as long as she doesn't take a toy away from you. You love it when she sings to you, chases you, and fake sneezes for you. Ahhh-CHOOO! That is your favorite thing, I think. Truly my heart just sings when you two are laughing at each other. Lately, you are allowing other people to hold you, which I have to admit has been a relief to my sore arms. Yet, when you are tried, you find comfort in my arms. Papa tells you that you are a Mama's boy. I smile.

What a fun little guy you are Oliver. I can't wait to see what you will be doing next month.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-15T15:22:00.001-08:00

Audrey, My Little Big Girl

2010-01-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Audrey's first day at Pre-School was today. Words can't even describe how grateful I am that she went willingly, stayed & had a really fun time. You see, last August I tried to enroll her in this same pre-school. She lasted all of about 10 minutes - 10 minutes of high octave screaming. Dawn, the pre-school director & I agreed that we would give it another go at the beginning of the year. And today she did it! She was so excited to go today. I told her this morning that she was going to school at the church (where it is at) and she couldn't wait to get dressed. When I dropped her off, she left my arms willingly. While she was taking her coat off, she waved to me and said "Bye Mommy. Bye." Hallelujah! As soon as I walked out those doors, I didn't know what to do with myself. What do you do when you have 2 1/2 hours to yourself on a Friday? A trip to Starbucks was definitely in order. I kept my cell phone on me, just in case, but the call never came. When I returned to pick her up, Audrey was all smiles & couldn't stop talking about the snow. "Snow balls, Mommy. Throw it - whoosh! Ahhh Hahahaha!!!" Apparently the teacher had brought in two buckets of snow for the kids to play with (yup, this is California we live in!) The gleam on her face was priceless. As we walked out of the classroom with her hand in mine, she looked up at me and said "Had a good day at church Mommy." My heart just melted. Audrey, my sweet little big girl. How quickly you have grown up.

NINE

2010-01-07T14:32:00.001-08:00

Oliver, Oliver, Oliver. I really can't believe that you are nine months old today. How our world has changed since you have arrived. Truly. These past nine months have been crazy, hectic, fun, interesting & challenging. But they have meant the world to me. You are certainly a busy little guy. Currently you have 6 teeth (four on top & two on bottom) and your favorite thing is chasing your sissy around the house. Not that you can do it yourself, yet, but you get the biggest smile on your face when we carry you around the house while running behind Audrey. Your laugh is infectious and brings a smile to every one's faces. To date you have had two hair cuts. People are enthralled by your hair. One woman even asked me if it was real! You are quite proficient at commando crawling, but have yet to get up on both of your knees. That doesn't slow you down though, you are quick! Right now your new discovery is pulling yourself to a standing position. You have learned that you can do that on anything. Which is making Mommy realize that the house is not as baby proofed as I may have thought it was... arg. Patty Cake is your favorite song, especially when someone claps your hands along with the rhythm. You eat like a champ, yet green veggies still emit a funny little yucky face from you. What a good little boy you are Oliver. My sweet precious child... Mommy loves you.

Good-Bye Christmas Tree

2010-01-05T22:37:00.000-08:00

This year Audrey had her very first Christmas tree in her room. She absolutely loved it. Every morning she would say "Good morning Christmas tree" and when it was time to go to bed, she would say "Good night, see you in the morning." Her favorite thing to do during the day, and whenever anyone came over for that matter, was to take them to her room and show them her tree. Like a big girl she would turn it on (with the nifty little foot switch) and then run to turn the lights off in her room so that you would get the full effect. Many "Oohs" & "Ahhs" were followed by this demonstration. Most of them coming from her. "Oh Gosh!" was her common remark. It was clear that she felt like such a big girl to have her own tree in her room. Well, Christmas is now over and I knew that the tree had to come down. I was dreading it to be honest. I didn't quite know how she would react to it being gone. Would she throw a tantrum? I had thought about leaving it up for a while. Why not, sense she loved it so much? Would it be so bad to have a Christmas tree up in March? Finally, I got brave and told Josh that it had to come down. So today while I was out with the kids Josh took her beloved tree down. Before we left the house, I stood with Audrey in her room and told her to say good-bye to her tree. She held onto my leg as we waved goodbye to the the Christmas tree. "Good-bye Christmas tree" she said "see you next Christmas."

Our Little Family - 2008 Rohrer Family Yearbook

2009-10-03T20:39:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

It's Good to be Two!

2009-08-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

CAN IT BE TRUE? IS MY LITTLE GIRL TURNING TWO?

As I write these words, I still can't believe that they are true. It feels like such a short time ago that I gave birth to Audrey, and yet now she is a walking, talking, independent toddler. Goodness how time flies...

On Saturday, August 22nd we celebrated Audrey's second birthday. We had a "Backyardigans" BBQ at the house, inspired by Audrey's favorite cartoon. Like many insane Mom's (you know who you are) I tried to go all out - which resulted in sheer panic the night before the party (see cupcakes down below). Luckily everything turned out better than I expected and most importantly Audrey had an absolute blast. She loved being the center of attention and opening all her gifts almost as much as she loved her Pablo and Uniqua mylar balloons. The party was deemed a success and Audrey went to bed that night with a smile on her green frosting stained face. Here are some pictures of the party...

Daniel, Audrey's BFF. He is only 2 days younger than her!

My Dad holding Oliver. Can you tell that he is teething?

Linda (Josh's Mom) holding Oliver.

My Backyardigans Fruit Bar

(a fruit for every character based on their color)

I know, I know, a bit cheesy - but hey! I stuck to the theme people!

The Cupcakes

Oh, the story I could write about these cupcakes. They deserve their own blog. Seriously. I really wanted a Backyardigans cake to stick with the theme, but I couldn't find anywhere. So, I thought that I would make my own cupcakes. I mean, the instructions that I found looked easy enough... how hard could it be? Ha! I don't know how I could have been so naive! Needless to say, when I got done at 1 am the next morning I packed them up in Tupperware so that they wouldn't go stale. Good news is they didn't. Bad news is THEY MELTED!! Everything fell off the top. Josh came upstairs that morning of the party and said (while he handed me my beloved Starbucks) "You need to prepare yourself..." Once the shock wore off, I threw them in the fridge, and did some damage repair right before people arrived.

Audrey's Cupcake (Pablo is her favorite)

Her first bite...

...devouring it...

"Mama Messy"

My Mom playing with Audrey. They gave her one of her favorite toys: a tunnel.

Linda coming through the tunnel, with Jeff holding Oliver.

Our Family Photo for the day.

It Had To Be Done

2009-08-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, Audrey HATES to have anything done with her hair. Absolutely hates it. For example, whenever I try to just simply comb her hair (so that she doesn't look like a red-headed step-child) she pitches a fit so huge that one would thing I am severely beating my child. As a result of this behavior, Josh and I have just left her alone. That is until a couple of days ago. Audrey desperately needed her hair cut. Her cute little curls had turned into an uncontrollable mop on her head. We knew that getting her hair cut was going to be quite the traumatic experience for us all, but it had to be done. Here are some before, during and after pictures of the event. Enjoy!

A couple of days before the dreaded hair cut...

Josh holding Audrey down during the hair cut. I know this sounds bad, but I was laughing as I was taking the photo. One day when she asks me why I never did anything with her hair I will be able to show her this picture and say "this is why!"

The after picture. Once the lady stopped cutting her hair she instantly quite crying. Here she is pictured at home. She even let us put a bow in her hair!!

20 Months of Audrey

2009-07-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

During my "Blog Vacation" I made the following video for my Mom for Mother's Day. It is full of video clips of Audrey, who was 20 months old at the time set to a groovy and classic song. It really was a lot of fun to make, and I kinda always wanted to share it on my blog, so here it is!

Our Salt Lake City Weekend

2009-07-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went to Salt Lake City to spend some time with my family & friends and to have Oliver baptized. It turned out to be such a good weekend - even though it was a quick one. We were only in town for 5 days, but what a whirlwind it was! Every night we had something planned (with the exception of Thursday night, the first night we were in town.) While I was packing to go home on Monday morning I paused for a moment... I was amazed at all that we had done and all of the people that we got to see and spend time with. It was a lovely visit that felt much to short. Here is a recap of our Salt Lake City Weekend:

Friday: A Friendly BBQ

It had been a while since I had been back home (7 months to be exact) and I really wanted to get together with some of my friends. Everyone brought their loved one and kids (oh, and a dish to share!) The kids out numbered the adults! We all seemed to have a good time and enjoy each other's company. It was such a fun night!

Saturday Morning: Farmer's Market

It's a tradition: every Saturday morning my parent's go to the Farmer's Market in downtown Salt Lake. The highlight: Carne Asada Taco's from Junior's for breakfast. There are no words to describe just how good they are... UM-UM, GOOD!

Mom and Kate at the Market

Kate, Oliver and Me.

Oliver's Baptism

It was really important to me to have my children baptized at St. Patrick's Parish, the church that I was baptized in, were I went to church at growing up, and the place that Josh and I were married at. Audrey was baptized there when she was three months old, and now we were returning for Oliver's baptism. The love and support that we received from family and friends was amazing. Josh's parent's flew in for the baptism, along with dear friends of ours, Ted and Amy Archer who are co-God Parent's to Oliver. Oliver looked so darling in his little white outfit. He was an absolute angel during the service. He didn't cry once, not even when the holy water was poured over his head!

Our Little Family

Oliver is pictured here with his God Parent's:

Ted and Amy Archer, and Anna and Chris Rogers

Anna is holding Oliver while I put on his little cap...

Oliver and I after the baptism - look at how wet his hair got!

Sunday: Our Family Reunion

Every year my Dad's family gets together for a reunion at Washington Park located in Emigration Canyon. The turn out this year was the biggest that I had seen in years! I had a really good time catching up with all of my cousins and showing off my darling little family.

One big happy family!

Oliver and his cousin Gavin (they were born a day apart!)

This picture was an important one for my Grandpa.

In this picture is everyone that was named after him.

As you can see, to say that we had a busy weekend is an understatement! At one point my Mom looked at me and said "Boy, you are a lot of work when you come into town!" We all really enjoyed ourselves though. It turned out to be a fun and memorable weekend... it was everything that I had hoped it would be.

We’re back…and with a new addition!

2009-07-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been awhile. 5 months to be exact. Everyday I promised myself that today would be the day I would update our blog… only to remember at the end of the day (often times while I was watching So You Think You Can Dance) that I forgot – Arg! It is official: I am the world’s worst procrastinator! So, without much ado, let me tell you what my little family has been up to in the past months (I must warn you: we have been pretty busy!!) …oh, and did I mention that we have a new addition to our family? We do!

Introducing Our New Love:

Mr. Oliver

Our precious baby boy was born on April 7^th at 11:14 pm. He made his way into this world a bit early: I was originally due on April 22^nd. My water actually broke (seriously, who does that happen to?!) My labor went really well, and I am proud to say that I was able to have a natural birth. However, I do admit that there were times that I was questioning my decision against an epidural. I kept saying to Josh “I WANT DONE. GET ME DONE!” After 23 hours of labor though, I was done and our precious baby boy entered the world. Oliver has been such a delight, and has brought so much joy to our little family. Audrey is ever the proud sister, wanting to give “brother” constant hugs and kisses. She is quick to alert me when he cries “Uh-oh… Mama!” Seeing the two of them interact makes my heart sing. He coos and smiles and her, and she squeals and laughs at him. I often find myself thinking “These are my children. I am a mother of two. How did that happen?” Then I smile and think that it has never been better: I feel so complete.

The following pictures were taken when Oliver was 6 days old.

Has It Really Been Three Months?

April gave way to May, and May lead into June. During those three months we took the kids to the Zoo and Six Flags Marine World. Audrey graduated from The Little Gym (her gymnastics class that she takes on Thursday mornings) and we welcomed my parents and sister into our home as guests for some good ol’ family time. It does not seem like much, but trust me: I feel like we have been going a mile-a-minute! Oh yes, and then there was Disneyland….

Disneyland with the Rogers

The last weekend in June Josh, Audrey, Oliver and I flew down to Southern California to go to Disneyland with my dear friend Anna and her family. It was a quick visit (two days in Disneyland, one night at a hotel, two flights in as many days) but we sure did have a good time. It was so much fun to see Anna & Chris and their darling kids. Coz & Buddy took such good care of Audrey, and it was nice to have another set of adults to tag team the kids. Even though technically the kids out numbered us, five to four, we showed ‘em who was boss - right Anna? Just teasing, the kids were angels (yes, even Audrey… with the exception of the flight down there… now that is another story!) On our last day there right before we were going to leave I couldn't shake the thought that Anna and I were here on vacation with our little families. I mean, I met Anna when we were 12 years old, and now we are vacationing together? It felt like such a dream. A fun dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Looking Ahead

Alright, I promise to get my act together people. There are so many fun things that we have planned for this summer that I will be so bummed if I don’t get a chance to share them with you here. Please stay tuned to see what we will be doing next. After all, you never know what can happen with a family of four!

28 Weeks and Counting

2009-01-31T00:40:00.000-08:00

I have hit a milestone in my pregnancy: I a 28 weeks pregnant, therefore I have FINALLY entered into my third and final trimester. YAHOO! Throughout this pregnancy, I have been reading a funny yet informative book titled The Pregnancy Countdown Book. It is a day-to-day pregnancy book filled with tips, advice & "uncensored truths." Today I sat down to read what it had to say about entering this stage of pregnancy....

"Besides the continued growth and development of your baby, the third trimester ultimately serves one purpose: To make you so uncomfortable, so over it, so tired, so achy, so bitchy, so itchy, and so freakishly huge, that you will do anything to get the baby out of you, including pushing it out of a place where a tampon once felt gigantic. This is mother Nature's way of inspiring you at the end of your pregnancy, even though we spend the previous eight months thinking, "Okay, how is this going to happen again?"

THIS IS SO HOW I FEEL PEOPLE!

SO OVER IT:

Yes, I know that I am huge. Even for my size. No, I am not having twins... and yes, IT IS rude to ask that question!!! Oh, and by the way: I am due in April - not tomorrow or next week. Please try to conceal your shock.

SO TIRED:

Yesterday I spent all day in my pajamas. I could either be found in my bed, on the couch down stairs, or the couch upstairs. I slept in. Slept while Audrey watched her cartoons... and while she napped. This morning was the first time I brushed my teeth - since Wednesday!

SO ACHY:

I love my chiropractor. There is nothing more to say.

SO BITCHY:

As you may have guessed, I am just a little touchy about my ever growing size. I know that people mean well, and that they just want to strike up a conversation with you, but I am hear to tell you that unless you are going to tell me that I am glowing or look perfect for my size, I DON"T WANT TO HEAR IT. Please think people before you speak to a pregnant woman. Oh, and yes, my husband would agree that I am a bit on the bitchy side....

SO ITCHY:

Thankfully this one has not become a problem. yet.

SO FREAKISHLY HUGE:

Today I had a conversation with a woman at my chiropractor's office. It went like this:

Her: "When's your due date? April?"

Me: "Yup"

Her: "Wow... you still have a way's to go..."

Me: "Yes, I do"

Her: "Geez, I guess this is going to be a really big baby for you then..."

Need I say more?

A Look Back: Remembering Our 2008 New Year's

2009-01-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

With the coming of this new year upon us, I have been deep in thought about where my little family was this time last year. One year ago today on January 10, 2008, Josh and I brought Audrey home from an eleven day stay at the Pediatric ICU center at Sutter Memorial Hospital. With many of you being familiar with what happened, I'm sure you remember that Audrey came down with Infant Botulism, a very rare disease, also known as an orphan disease in the medical community. About only 100 infants are infected per year in the United States, and our Audrey just happened to be one of them. In case you are not familiar with Infant Botulism (trust me, most people have never even heard of it) an infant contracts Infant Botulism by breathing in a spore that was released into the air. These spores live within the earth, and become airborne when there is movement to the soil. This could be from construction, digging, tilling, farming, etc. Once the infant breathes in that spore, and for that spore to take root in the body, the infant needs to have a comprised immune system at the time, and they also need to be constipated. If all of these conditions occur at the same time, creating the "perfect storm", the spore begins to attack the infant's nervous system, shutting it down - thus leaving the infant basically paralyzed. Our Audrey started to act strange on the 30th of December. At first she had a hard time nursing, almost like she had forgotten how. By the next day, Audrey had lost all ability to hold her head up on her own; it was flopping from side to side like a newborns. We took her in to the doctor, who referred us to Sutter Memorial Hospital, and when we arrived, we were told that our room we almost ready. "Our room is almost ready?" I remember thinking in a haze. I was so confused. By this time we still did not know what was wrong with Audrey, but we knew that whatever it was, wasn't normal. I remember being escorted to the room and walking into the Pediatric ICU. Panic shot through me, and I remember trying to stay calm. When Dr. Smith arrived to examine Audrey, he asked us a few questions about her, examined her to test her strength (with was almost gone by this point) and said "Excuse me while I grab a chair. I need to discuss your daughter's diagnosis with you." Instantly I thought, "is this going to be the worst day of my life?" When Dr. Smith sat down he told us that he thought Audrey had Infant Botulism. He explained what it was, and emphasized the fact that Audrey was going to be okay; most children who contract Infant Botulism make a full and complete recovery. She just needed to have a single shot of a drug. He told us that we may be here for a bit, but that because we caught it in enough time her prognosis looked good. He went to order the drug (the hospital did not carry it), and Josh and I began making plans for the night - our New Year's Eve. It was only over the course of the next couple of days, did I become to realize just how scary Infant Botulism is, and how very lucky and blessed we were with our precious Audrey. This is what I learned:

Like I previous mentioned, Infant Botulism shuts down your ENTIRE nervous system, leaving the infant paralyzed. The process happens within a matter of hours. This is why infants suddenly can't nurse (they loose their ability to suck), and this is also why most infants who contract Infant Botulism are put on a respirator. With the ability lost to contract their muscles, infants loose the ability to breathe on their own. Because Audrey was diagnosed in enough time, this didn't happen to her.

Most Doctors are not familiar with Infant Botulism. The symptoms for Infant Botulism can look almost like anything: not wanting to feed, constipation, & dehydration. Until you add "lost the ability to hold themselves up" and if you have a doctor who doesn't know what this might mean, the child often gets "lost" in the system. Luckily we had an experienced Doctor with Audrey who had treated a case of Infant Botulism a couple of years previously. Most mother's that I have talked to whose child had IB, watched their child get poked and prodded with every test imaginable while they slipped deeper into the disease. All of their children ended up on a respirator because the doctor's didn't realize what was happening.

When Dr. Smith told us that Audrey would need a single shot a drug, and that he had to go and order it because the hospital didn't carry it in stock, I truly didn't grasp what he meant. The shot that Audrey received is called the Baby BIG shot. NO hospitals carry this shot; it is kept in Southern California, I'm guessing at the lab where it was created. When Dr. Smith "ordered" this shot for Audrey, it was personally flown up to Sacramento on New Year's Day where it was hand delivered to the pharmacy and mixed for Audrey. The hospital had to get clearance to agree to pay for the drug before the drug was even put on the plane. Wondering what the cost of this drug was? A shocking $45,000. FOR ONE DOSE. However, one dose is all Audrey needed. The Baby BIG shot was approved by the FDA in 2003. Before this shot was approved, the average stay in the hospital for a child with IB was roughly six weeks, with a ventilator. Our stay with Audrey, without a ventilator, was eleven days. Thank God for modern medicine.

Throughout this entire experience with Audrey, I was beyond humbled by the kindness and generosity of people. I was also amazed at the strength that both Josh and I mustered. Those eleven days were undoubtedly the longest of my life. At times I felt like I was watching my child die before me, and at other times I was celebrating her own little victories ("Look, did you see her grasp the rattle?!). When Josh and I walked out of that hospital a year ago today, Audrey was quite weak, and still very little, but she was okay. Within a couple of days she was smiling, laughing, and had returned to herself. Her doctors warned me that because of the damage done to her nervous system, and because all of her neurons needed to grow back that she will likely miss and be slightly behind on her developmental milestones. What the doctor's didn't account for was her will and determination. She never missed one milestone, and even began walking at 11 months. Our Audrey is a fighter, for that I am sure - and I have never been so proud. Today she is a busy toddler running around and destroying everything in sight. She will never remember what she went through, and for that I am grateful.

I felt a strong urge to post this story today. To honor the memory of those eleven days, knowing that we are so richly blessed. Thanks for reading & remembering with me.

Audrey & I a couple of days into her hospital stay.

Audrey resting while in her crib at the hospital.

Audrey on January 14th, three days after returning home.

Audrey today - a beaming, happy and healthy little girl.

A December to Remember

2008-12-30T22:04:00.000-08:00

My, oh my how time passes! Honestly, I can clearly remember the beginning of December. I was unpacking and getting our lives back together from the cruise, wondering where the heck my Christmas cards were (hello, I ordered them before we left!) and I was cursing myself because I did not have all of my Christmas shopping done (admittedly, I knew this would probably happen; but I so wanted to be better this year!!) Knowing that this month was going to pass by quicker than one of Audrey's naps, I braced for impact - yet I don't think that it did any good! Today is Tuesday, the 30th of December and honestly it is one of the first days that I have been able to breathe a sigh of relief that it is all over. During the last month of this year I have witnessed the passing of an older generation, welcomed my Sister into my home (yahoo!), flew back home to Salt Lake for a 15-day stay (fifteen days you ask? Was I crazy? Heck yeah!), Audrey experienced snow for the first time, and then she refused to sit on Santa's lap for the first time, Christmas Day with all of it's magic and wonder came and went - AND THEN - (yes, there is more) the three of us flew back to Sacramento on the 26th in time for Ted & Amy's wedding (dear friends of ours, of which Josh was one of the groomsmen). We attended the rehearsal & dinner that night, celebrated their wedding the next day, and then finally shared Christmas with Josh's family on the 28th. Geez, I am exhausted just explaining all of it! My apologies to all who have been suffered from neglect on my end... Life has just been so crazy! I promise to make it up to you next year (He he!) Hopefully the following pictures provide you a glimpse into our December... a month that has passed by much to fast to remember!

My Grandpa Jack, pictured here with Kate, Audrey and I in November of 2007, passed away at the end of November. While he was not a big part of our lives growing up, he cherished Audrey and loved her so. I will remember him for his witty personality, advice that he gave, and for his funny emails.

His 1930's Ford Classic car was at his funeral.

Audrey & her Tia Katie back in Salt Lake. Audrey was showing her support for the Peace Corps, a gift from her loving Auntie!

Audrey's first steps in the snow!

Ah.. this white stuff is kinda cold!

Audrey and Kate hammin' it up for the camera!

Audrey's first sled ride... what fun!

Smiles galore! Audrey's first snow experience turned out to be a success! YAHOO!

Audrey at the family Santa Christmas Party. She looks like she is having a good time here, until....

...Santa arrived! She wanted NOTHING to do with the jolly old fat man who was handing out presents. Notice the grip she had around my heck? Yeah, she wasn't going anywhere near him!

I WANT YOU!

During our stay in Salt Lake, my Mom made Audrey this adorable hat. I couldn't help but include this picture!

Christmas Eve has finally arrived!! Audrey was showing off her ability to point out her belly-button. Isn't she the cutest?!

Audrey & I at my Grandpa's house on Christmas Eve

Marquiana, Liz, Isiah, & Madison enjoying the festivities.

Kate, Jessica, Liz & I

Kate & Morgan

Audrey giving sloppy good-bye kisses to Grandpa

It's Christmas Morning, and Audrey's favorite gift was this box. She spent quite a long time moving it around the front room, and climbing in and out of it. (Note to self: next year, don't spend ANY money on her: just get her a box!)

Grandma Deb & Audrey reading one of the books that Santa brought her

FINALLY FLYING HOME!

Sacramento, here we come!!

December 27, 2008

Congratulations Amy & Ted! What a beautiful wedding!!

Thanksgiving Cruise

2008-12-04T04:51:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving, Josh's parents treated all of us to a 7-day Mexican Cruise aboard the beautiful ms Oosterdam, one of Holland America's cruise ships. Having never been on a cruise before, I was a bit nervous (being pregnant, having motion sickness, AUDREY!!) However, I am happy to report that we all enjoyed ourselves. Audrey loved being absolutely spoiled by her grandparents, and flourished with kisses from her uncles. Josh and I relished in the two nights that Audrey slept in her grandparents cabin (THANK YOU AGAIN, LINDA & PAUL!) My favorite memory of this cruise, was the day that Linda, Audrey and I spent at the beach in Cabo San Lucas. The weather was just beautiful, and Audrey had so much fun playing in the sand. It was so calming and relaxing, it was perfect.

One big happy family!

Zack, Josh, Audrey and Jeff enjoying our first night out on the cruise ship.

Audrey enjoying herself in Cabo San Lucas. She spent all afternoon filling a cup full of sand, dumping it out, and then starting all over again. What fun!

Zack, Linda and Jeff in Mazatlan enjoying the sun.

Josh and I heading out to our formal dinner. Linda and Paul watched Audrey for us while we enjoyed a "grown-up" dinner for two. While I adore my little Audrey so much, I can't deny the fact that it was so nice to have a nice dinner all by ourselves.

My sweet precious Audrey. While she was a handful on the cruise, she did exceptionally well adapting to her surroundings, and going with the flow. She loved all of the stairs on the cruise ship, and spent a lot of time walking up them, and then down them - all the while reaching for one of our hands to help her. Audrey has a straight forward personality: when she doesn't want to do something, she simply doesn't do it! One night, after dinner, Josh declared: she is a 'Rubalcava'! I just laughed and smiled. Yes, our precious little Audrey may be a little stubborn, but it makes me love her all that much more.

Playing in the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

I love pumpkin patches!! When I told Josh that I wanted to go to a pumpkin patch to get some pumpkins, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when we stumbled upon this particular pumpkin patch. Previous pumpkin patches that I had been to were just that: a field (dirty, no doubt) filled with pumpkins that grew there. Dirt, or no dirt, I wanted some pumpkins (plus, who could deny the photo op with Audrey?) So, off we went! As previously stated, Josh and I stumbled upon this lovely little "Pumpkin Farm", and had a wonderful time with Audrey. The grounds were beautifully kept with pumpkins to be found everywhere. Audrey enjoyed running around, picking up pumpkins (in some instances only attempting to!), setting them down, and then starting all over again. The Pumpkin Farm had a petting zoo filled with goats, along with other animals kept on the grounds including bunnies, chickens, cows, and lamas. The look of amazement and wonder in Audrey's eyes whenever the animals made noises was so much fun to see. I am so glad that we "stumbled" upon this little gem of a place not to far from our home. It is a place that we are sure to visit next year, and many years after that I am sure.

Our Disney World Holiday

2008-10-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last week, Josh, Audrey and I met up with Josh's cousins in Orlando to go to Disney World (honestly, I don't know what I was thinking being pregnant and all!) But we all really had a great time! We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and finally Disney World. All-in-all, we spent 5 days at Disney's theme parks. While it is pretty likely that Audrey won't remember this trip, she really had a wonderful time. She enjoyed meeting Piglet, Pooh, Tigger, and Pluto, and above all loved all of the water fountains that decorated the theme parks. It was Audrey's first time meeting her cousins from Ohio, of which, they all absolutely adored each other. Below are some pictures of our trip.

For our first day at Disney World, we dressed Audrey up as Minnie Mouse.

She looked beyond adorable!

Here are photos of Josh's cousins: Percy, Ashton, Tyler, Piper and Grace.

They were all such a HUGE help with Audrey. Thank you girls!

I couldn't resist adding this Pumpkin Mickey!

Here is Audrey and I at Minnie Mouse's House.... um, I wonder if she is home?

Carol, with her eye's closed (Josh's Aunt), Cousin's Becky & Matt (Parent's of the five girls)

and Piper.

Audrey is here with "Aunt" Becky. Audrey was laughing because the girls were tickling her... they had so much fun!

Finally, a picture of Josh and I...

I have to say that during this trip, I was in awe of my husband. Because I was so exhausted due to the pregnancy and all of the walking and moving that we were doing, Josh really did everything for Audrey. and I mean EVERYTHING. He is so darling with her, and loves her so much that it really was comforting to me to see their relationship grow a bit during this trip. She certainly is a Daddy's girl, and I couldn't be happier.

Thank you Josh for everything that you did on this trip.

It meant more to me than you will know. I love you!

Playing in the Backyard

2008-10-03T11:10:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had our family pictures taken in our backyard. Here are some of the best that I wanted to share with you. It constantly amazes me just how much Audrey has grown up, and how much she continues to change. She has such a personality on her (as you will see) and she loves to play with her Mommy and Daddy - ah! Audrey really brings so much happiness to our lives, I truly don't know where I would be without her. I find that my favorite time of the day is watching Josh chase her around the house and listening to her scream in delight. Have fun looking at the pictures, I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!

We are California Buckeyes!

2008-09-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know that Josh's family is from Ohio, and in Ohio they kinda take their college football a little seriously.... so naturally, we, the Rohrer family, are Buckeyes!!! Here is an oh-so-cute picture of Audrey showing some school spirit. We just couldn't get enough of her in her darling little cheerleading outfit, and knew that you all would feel the same way.

Our Saturday Evening

Tonight, Josh and I had some fun playing with Audrey outside in our backyard. Above is a picture of Audrey and Josh smiling for the camera. Audrey just can't seem to get enough of my red watering can, and she loves to make a game of walking back and fourth from the cement to the grass. We think that she is showing off to us her ability to do so.... She is getting so big!

By the Way...

In case you have not yet heard: I"M PREGNANT! Josh, Audrey and I will be expecting a new addition to our family in April. Audrey and the baby will be 20 months apart, and while I know to expect that it will a hectic transition for our family (with two young ones) both Josh and I really wanted our children to be close in age. So... bring on the gray hair!! HA! All joking set aside, Josh and I are really happy, and feel extremely blessed to be so lucky.

Audrey's First Birthday!

2008-08-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

It's Official: My little girl is one years old!

I know, I know, I can't believe it either! On Saturday, August 23rd, we had a little party for Audrey at our home to celebrate.

The following are pictures of the party. Enjoy!

Here is the birthday girl showing off the darling dress that her Daddy picked out for her.

Josh and I are hugging our number one gal!

Here is Grandma Deb loving her Audrey

Audrey absolutely loved her very first cupcake - it was a hit!

Mommy and Audrey

Uncle Zack with Audrey, who is demonstrating that she is "So Big!"

Grandma Linda and Audrey

Audrey with her Tia Katie

Uncle Jeff is stealing kisses from Audrey

...and finaly, here are some "behind the scenes" pictures of Audrey's party...

Celebrating Independence Day

2008-07-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the Fourth of July this year in complete style, Josh, Audrey and I headed out to Salt Lake City to party it up with my family! We spent a wonderful day with my Dad's side of the family. It all began with a BBQ where we had a yummy Cajun shrimp boil (compliments of Josh & my Dad) and it concluded in fabulous fashion by watching Independence Day (gotta love Will Smith!) outside under the stars, via a projector, white sheet & a rockin' sound system. We all had so much fun - It reminded me of the many summers watching movies at the Redwood Drive-In.... ah! If you ever have the chance to do it, I highly recommend it!

Here's Morgan hamming it up for the camera...

...Audrey blowing bubbles...

...and Isiah giving his famous smile!

Family Bike Ride

2008-06-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Josh & I took Audrey out for her very first bike ride! In order to get ready for the outing, we got her an itty-bitty pink bike helmet (complete with bunnies painted on the front) and Josh installed a baby-bike seat on the back of his blue cruiser bike. The weather was so perfect, we could not resist taking a ride around the neighborhood!! Audrey did so well, she just sat there patiently holding onto bar in front of her, and looking at houses and cars as we passed them by. She didn't even try to take off her helmet - what an angel!!

Here we were trying to get Audrey used to her helmet... As you can see, it took some getting used to...

Here is Audrey, just chillin' as she rides along with Dad...

Pool Time!

2008-06-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Audrey and I did our very first Mommy & Me swimming class! It was her first time in the pool, and it was very clear from her expression that she was not quite sure what was going on. If I had to guess, this is what I could imagine her thinking....

"What is going on here! Where's Mom?! Okay, there she is... where am I? Um, water... this I know... but wait, what am I wearing? We normally do this whole water thing with no clothes... and definitely no diaper.... It is bright out here... Splash, Splash, Splash... okay, not bad - I think I can do this... what is that song Mom is singing? "ring around the roses, pocket full of poses, ashes, ashes we all fall down" Whoosh! GASP! (cough, cough, cough!) What happened? where did all that water come from?! I DON'T LIKE THIS!!!"

Audrey did pretty well, but one thing is for sure, she did not like the whole going under water thing! I think that she did well than most babies though - we didn't have a total melt down, and she did get used to kicking and splashing. And she was definitely intrigued by the whole blowing bubbles thing. It was a good first experience, something that we will be doing again soon. Plus, she looked extra cute in her swimming suit!

Chop! Chop!

2008-06-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's official: AUDREY GOT HER FIRST HAIR CUT!

For the past few weeks it has become quite apparent to me that Audrey needed a little snippy-snip in the hair department. I finally was getting tired of seeing all of her hair in her face, (because she keeps ripping her bows out!) I knew that it was time to take some action.... so, I made an appointment, brought my camera - and PRESTO! A blog was born! Scroll down to see the play-by-play in pictures...

The Before Shot

The Place...

Audrey Getting Her Hair Cut

The Big Reveal...

Memorable May

2008-05-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

What fun we have had this past month!! On more than one occasion, Josh and I have clapped our hands in excitement has we have watched Audrey grow up before our very eyes (I know, I know, can you picture Josh clapping his hands in excitement? I didn't think so… he does however give a good thumbs up!) During the past couple of weeks, we have had many things to celebrate. Here is a look at what made this past month so very memorable for us.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

On May 1st, my parents celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary. Congratulations Mom & Dad!

LOOK WHOSE EATING SOLID FOODS!
With five teeth already here, and two on their way, I got really curious to see what Audrey would do with Cheerios. It was pretty funny to watch the confusion in her face when she placed the first piece in her mouth... Can I eat this? Isn't it a toy? Her confusion quickly turned into delight when she discovered that she could toss them all around her!

A TRIP TO TUCSON
At the beginning of May, Audrey and I went to Tucson to see my best friend Alyssa. Alyssa and her husband just recently bought a new house - AND she had a baby boy in January that I was dying to see. I loved spending time with Alyssa and her family. We stayed up chatting all night, exchanged recipes, played cards, made a Dairy Queen run (butterscotch dipped cones are my favorite!) and we spent many hours ogling over our precious children. It was exactly what I needed!!

Alyssa and Cash

Edison being silly...

Cash and Audrey...

MEETING AUNT LEE

While Audrey and I were in Tucson, we went to visit Josh's Great Aunt Lee. She is the sister of Josh's Grandma Ardith, whom Audrey is named after. It was so nice to see her, but I will have to admit that my darling Audrey was a little snot nose! The week that we arrived in Tucson, Audrey started to get "stranger anxiety" - and I have to tell you that the timing could not have been more horrible! Here I am visiting Aunt Lee and she is meeting for the first time her great-great grand niece and Audrey would not let her hold her! Each time that I tried, Audrey would let out a huge wale as giant baby tears flowed down her face. I have never been more embarrassed in my life! Aunt Lee was quite understanding, and thought that Audrey's fit was cute - thank goodness! As we left and said our good-byes, Aunt Lee handed me an envelope with Audrey's name on it. I didn't have a chance to open it in front of her, but when I did open the envelope I was speechless when I saw what was inside. Aunt Lee had given Audrey a ring that was her sister's along with a story to go with it. I was so unbelievably touched by her generosity… I will always be thankful for her kindness!!

IT'S BABY PROOFING TIME!

Audrey is now crawling!! Josh and I knew that it was coming - all of the signs were there: she was getting up on all fours, rocking back-and-fourth, trying to see if she could lift up an arm… and then boom! It happened! It was so darling to see the amazement in her eyes when she realized that she could actually move, it took her a couple of days to find out that she could get from point A to point B - but now there is no stopping her! I remember looking down at her and thinking "My life is about to drastically change…" One thing is for sure: it's time to break out the playpen!

HAS IT REALLY BEEN SIX YEARS?

On May 18th, Josh and I celebrated our sixth year wedding anniversary. I am in constant amazement that it has been that long! I often think that time has flown by so quickly - and yet when I think about all of the things that have occurred since we have been married (Lived in an apartment for 3 years, purchased our own home in 2005, started a family…) I realize that it wasn't just yesterday that I said "I Do"… As I sat watching my wedding video (hello! we ALL do it!) It was wonderful to know that I have so many great memories of my wedding day - it truly was one of the happiest days of my life.

So there you go - that was May for us!! Thanks for reading, and enjoy the month of June!

Mother's Day Dinner

2008-05-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

I am a little bit late in posting these pictures, but I really wanted to share them with everyone, so I figure better late than never, right?!

The night before Mother's Day, Josh's family came over for dinner. I was so touched by the cards, flowers & gifts that I received for my very first mother's day... It was the best!!!

Here is Audrey with her Uncle Zack & Aunt Vanessa

Audrey is Uncle Jeff's cuddle-bug!

Uncle Zack loves to dance with Audrey!

Here is Audrey in her favorite position... the Yoga Downward Dog!!

Green Goddess

2008-04-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, I know that it doesn't look that appetizing - but I am addicted!!! I got this green drink recipe off of a recent Oprah show that Dr. Oz was on. It is surprisingly decent tasting - better than that, it is good! Almost every morning, once I put Audrey down for her nap, I make my green drink - and I can't tell you the satisfaction I get knowing that I am eating ALL of my vegetables for the entire day in one drink. Oh, and it gets better: I feel amazing! I have more energy AND I don't find myself "needing" to snack on everything in sight. Here's the recipe:

1 Lemon
1 Lime
1 Cucumber
1 Apple (I like Macintosh)
4 Stalks of Celery
1 Cup of Spinach
1 Piece of Ginger

I use a juicer to make my drink (remove the lemon & lime peels to avoid a bitter taste), and presto! One bonified healthy drink that you don't have to feel guilty about.

Please let me know if you try it & what you think about it!

Our Big Weekend

2008-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a big weekend for the Rohrer Family... Josh took me on a weekend getaway to Capitola (just outside of Santa Cruz) - yes, you guessed it: it was our very first weekend without Audrey. How did we all do, you ask? FABULOUS! Audrey spent the weekend with her Grandparents. She played, laughed (I am told), got spoiled in every way possible - and thankfully slept through the night, whew! Josh and I enjoyed ourselves so much. I felt only slightly guilty for having such a good time without Audrey, but I have to say that sleeping in for the first time in almost eight months was utterly blissful! We stayed at this darling Bed & Breakfast called The Inn at Depot Hill in their very zen-like Japanese room. We had our very own garden - complete with Buddha statue, and a tub that we could not fill up all the way because the water would have covered my head! By the time we returned home I was so relaxed and refreshed... and SO missing Audrey...it was everything that I needed! Thankfully, our big weekend was a huge success - Yahoo!

The Rohrer family big weekend was made possible by my adoring husband who realized that without a break he would have a crazy wife, loving grandparents who offered up their weekend, and my wonderful Medela Breast Pump that kept me in production!

My Favorite Things... for Audrey!

2008-04-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as I was shopping with Audrey (while having her strapped into my Maya Wrap) I thought to myself just how much I loved - and I mean LOVED my Maya Wrap. The convience of it, how calm Audrey is in it, and let's face it: my hands are free and I don't have to manuever a stroller around anything and everything. Thinking of how much I adored this sling, I started to think about all of the other things that are my favorites that I use for Audrey - and poof! An idea for a blog was born! So here is my list of "A few things I think are great."

Trumpette "Rosies" Socks

I am a firm believer that if you have a girl, you MUST have these socks!! Cute, darling, & oh so adorable... everyone loves them!!!

Baby Wise

This book, along with its insights has made my life so much easier!! Audrey has been sleeping through the night since she was 10 weeks old!!

Fluerville Diaper Bag

I am in love with my diaper bag!! The numerous pockets, whipe-able exterior and interior, plus how sleek and stylish it looks, some people don't even know that it is a diaper bag!!

HALO Sleep Sack

This wearable blanket is not only comfortable and easy to put on, but it puts my heart at ease when I put Audrey to sleep in it. The comfort that I feel knowing she can't suffocate herself with her blanket while she is sleeping is absolutely priceless.

No Slippy Hair Clippy

Okay, when you have girls - they should wear bows right?! These clips have felt on them - so they don't slip out!! Plus, they come in so many styles - what's no to love?!

Johnson & Johnson Night Time Wash

Not only does it do what is promised: to calm and relax your child... but it smells oh so good!!! I want to use it!

Baby Einstein DVDs

Audrey is fasinated by the puppets and images on these videos. Plus, because they are educational, there is no guilt involved in letting your child watch TV!

Glamour Mom - the built in Nursing Bra!

I am a firm beliver that these tank tops are an absolute must if you are a nursing Mom! You don't have to worry about exposing your entire stomach (among other things) plus, they are great for layering!

Beb au Lait Nursing Covers

A stylish cover to nurse your child privately while in public... need I say more?!!

Maya Wrap

I am telling you people, this is the way to carry your child!!! It is amazingly easy, extremly comfortable - and conviently stylish!! Plus, you wouldn't believe the comments I get while wearing this - everone loves it!!!

Audrey's First Easter!

2008-03-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

Audrey's very first Easter was spent in the company of family & friends who love and adore her. We started out the day with a yummy breakfast (breakfast sandwiches for Mom & Dad - and pears for Audrey) followed by attending the 10am Mass at St. John Vianney. Audrey was an absolute Angel (thank goodness!) and then it was off to Grandma's! We spent the afternoon eating, talking & laughing - everything that good family memories are made of...

On another note, Audrey learned how to sit up by herself this week! Life for her has opened up a whole new world! While we were in the hospital with Audrey at the beginning of the year, her doctor's told me that because of what Infant Botulism does to their nervous system that she would most likely be behind physically compared to other babies her age. So, you can imagine just how proud of her I was when she started to sit up. Truly, what a clever little gal she is!

Attention Blogging World: The Rohrer's Are Here!

2008-03-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone, welcome to our new family blog! Since we have many loved ones that live so far away from us (the farthest by far would be located on Nevis, a tiny island in the West Indies - you know who you are!) We felt like it was finally time to start a blog for the many people who love us dearly, so that you may drop in by from time to time to see how we are doing...

So, how are we, you ask? We are 100% IN LOVE with our adorable & darling daughter Audrey. She is such a delightful, happy and cheerful baby... we are quite blessed. Often times Josh & I will ask ourselves "What did we do before Audrey?" Other than sleeping in - we can't remember! It is amazing how much one being, one person can utterly change your life. Instead of talking about work & people, we are discussing poop & spitup - sometimes even at great length! Audrey truly is such a clever girl & the absolute joy of our lives. Even though she is only 6 1/2 months old, she has already taught us how to give life a smile, especially when things get tough - a big, wide & opened mouth one to let the world know you are here to stay! It is the kind of smile that adds a twinkle to your eye and puts love in your heart.

The following pictures were taken at the beginning of the month by dear & talented friend, Carrie Mann. Now I ask ya: have you ever seen a cuter baby?!

Thanks for reading & stopping by - please come again! We promise to keep you posted on every tale us Rohrer's happen to fall into.

Josh, Devon & Audrey