Slip N' Slide

YESS Duck Derby

I decided that it would be fun to take Riley to the YESS Duck Derby this year.  We had been passing the billboard with the big duck on our way to Hedy's for several weeks and Riley always pointed it out.  We even decided to "adopt" 6 ducks with the chance to win 1 million dollars.  Unfortunately, we didn't win. Our 6 "Murphy Ducks" couldn't match up to the other 30,000 ducks racing.  But we went out to support the cause and really had a good time.  Riley thought it was pretty neat to see all of the mascots, but wanted nothing to do with them as they approached.  We were "those" parents and forced her to take a picture with the official duck, though. We also had our first experience with temporary tattoos.  She loves hers so much that it is still on today and you might even catch her giving it a few kisses. I think we'll have the kid at the Iowa State Fair with fifteen tattoos.  Here's a few pictures:

 Watching in anticipation

 The Race

 Riley and Mommy ready to go home!

 Daddy, Riley, and the Duck.

Cheese!

37 Week Update

I hit the 37 week mark today.  I thought for sure that I would have a baby by now, but Harper is hanging tight still.  Now that she is considered full term from this point on I'm praying every night (morning, and day...but who's counting) that she decides to come join us on the outside.  I had my weekly doctor appointment yesterday and there is still no change.  If fate has anything to do with this pregnancy I think I'll have Harper next week while my parents are in California.  Yes, once again they are scheduled to be on vacation in California around my due date (I had Riley while they were in California in 2008).  I'm feeling a lot of pressure and have been pretty uncomfortable the past week or so.  I've been soaking in the tub the past few days to relieve some of the pain.  Riley's never seen me in her bathtub before so she thought it was pretty fun when she followed me up to her bathroom last night.  She was convinced that she was coming in with me...until the water was too hot.  So she spent the next 20 minutes "giving mommy a bath."  She tried to give me every toy that she could find and repeatedly dumped water on me.  She also took things away from me that I didn't need in the bathtub... I think she's proven over the past couple of weeks that she is prepared to be the boss of her little sister.  She's getting pretty good at telling all of her dolls/Mommy/Daddy what they need to be doing. I think life might get interesting in the next couple years when Miss Harper will have a mind of her own!

Chatterbox Corner

Riley is at the age where she is talking constantly and saying some of the funniest things.  I thought it'd be fun to start documenting some of the things she's saying.  So, I've created Chatterbox Corner to share with you all.

• Riley as lying in our bed one Saturday morning and wanted her milk which was in her room.  We told her that she could get get it and come back.  She said that she couldn't because "I too heavy."
• Last night we put the car seat together and washed all of Riley's old bottles.  She thought that it was so fun to play with them.  She kept turning all of the lights on and off. I asked her to quit turning the outside light on.  Her response (literally, without a break):  "I need a turn the outside light on cause I want my baby be safe cause I don't want her be scared cause I need my baby be safe cause there's a monster outside and he tryin' to get my baby cause I need a keep my baby safe cause she came out (of my tummy)" Repeat.
• Every time she comes home and sees the neighbor boys outside she says "Oh.  There's Gabin and his baby!" The baby is almost two and as big as Riley.
• Last night out of nowhere she starts running around downstairs.  She's yelling "there's a fire. Get out. Get out."  We stopped her and asked her what she was saying:  "If really a fire run outside to the neighbors.  If really a storm run to the bathroom."  Thanks Hedy!
• While playing with her dolls:  "My baby said no to her bottle 3 times! Oh hunny, oh hunny.  I here with you."
• When asking Riley to count to 10: "Uno, dos, pes, quatro, cinco, ses, siete, ocho, nueve, diii-aaz."

36 Weeks

I'm still hanging on. Looks like we will have a May baby afterall.

36 Week Baby Update

We made it!!  We had our weekly OB appointment yesterday afternoon.  I have to say that I hate going to a large OBGYN practice.  They never know what is going on.  I thought that for sure there would be something in my file saying that we had been in the hospital with contractions over the weekend, but the doctor knew nothing.  We filled him in on the situation and he said that now that I'm 36 weeks they won't stop my contractions again.  He said that we should head to the hospital if I'm having 6 or more contractions an hour for 2 consecutive hours.  I'm still not dilated, but I sure can feel the baby sitting on my pelvic bone!  Since I'm at 36 weeks and the doctor really had no idea what was going on my restrictions have been lifted.  Riley is very happy that Mommy's tummy and back aren't hurting her anymore.  She has been asking me almost every time I get up or do something if my tummy or back is hurting.  Last night I went on a cleaning mission: three loads of laundry, bedrooms picked up, and dishes.  Every morning I wake up thinking "this is the day."  I've been tracking my contractions and they continue to be pretty sporadic.  But, I don't think it'll be long before we are a family of 4.  I wish that I had a belly picture since I've never been pregnant at 36 weeks, but I don't.  Maybe our next entry we'll be introducing Harper Grace Murphy!

Easter Weekend Update

We had a super busy Easter Weekend.  Here's the run down:

Brett was in one of his good friends' wedding this weekend so we started off with the rehearsal dinner Friday night. While we were having a fun night out Riley was spoiled at home with Grandma and Grandpa Murphy. 

Saturday Riley went to the Zoo with her cousins to see the Easter Bunny, participate in an egg hunt, and see what animals were out for the season.  She had so much fun and from what I hear was a good girl.  Saturday night Brett and I had a good time at the wedding (which was beautiful)...until about 9pm when I started having contractions.  Since we were already downtown Brett convinced me that we should just go to the hospital to get checked out.  Turns out that I was having contractions every 4 minutes!!  Since I was only 35 weeks, 3 days they gave me a shot to stop the contractions.  We headed home around 2:30 am with instructions to take it easy until my appointment Tuesday.  Thankfully Riley was able to spend the night with her cousins.  She had a blast and thankfully didn't wake up asking for Mommy and Daddy.  From her report she had marshmallows for dinner and breakfast.  Ha!  Lucky girl!  She came home acting and talking like a 5 year old.

Since Saturday night was kind of crazy and we kept everyone up with our phone calls we decided to skip church for the first Easter Sunday in a long time.  Riley had already watched her cousins with their Easter Baskets, so hers wasn't much of a surprise.  We met the Burch clan for brunch at Granite City and then headed to Grandma and Grandpa Burch's for the big Easter Egg Hunt. 

Here's a few pictures (Beauty and The Beast was on TV so we had a hard time getting Riley's attention):

 Riley with her Easter Basket

 Dressed and taking her shoes off already. 

 Smile

 Such pretty girls in pretty dresses!

 Cousins

 Easter Baskets at Grandma and Grandpa Burch's

 For the first time ever Riley dug into her candy!

 The hunt is on

 Hunting for eggs

Hunting for Eggs