Baby Tod

Coming in at 6 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long.... Please welcome Tod Ashton Hafen into the world!


Mandy did an amazing job. She went natural, which makes me wonder why they don't call getting an epidural going unnatural but I digress. Both mom and baby are doing great. Here's the story, my version.
Ever since Jack was born on 10-09-08, we thought we could plan what day our children would be born. Since Mandy's due date was March 8th, we thought having the baby on 02-20-10 would be an easy date to remember. Mandy's sister Sammy wants to be a midwife/birth educator so she wanted to come see the delivery. Arrangements were made, plane tickets bought, uteruses were irritated and we were off to the races on Thursday, Feb 18th. Needless to say, Tod had other plans.
Mandy experienced some contractions on Thursday night but then they subsided and I woke up Friday morning wondering why we didn't have an new baby. On Friday, Mandy went shopping with her mom, dad and Sammy for some last minute items and then we all went out to lunch at Cafe Rio. President Obama was in town so the 215 was backed up for miles. After going all the back roads, we enjoyed our Mexican food (part of what I like to call the macho combo of going into labor) and set out for home. Friday night comes and goes just like Thursday night. We experienced this with Jack though. He stalled out for about 2 hours and after some walking he was back on track. Tod, however, was not like this. As soon as Mandy sat down, contractions stopped.

Saturday came along and we had arrived at 2-20-10. In the morning, we received a call that my brother Jordon's wife Kortni was going to the hospital to deliver her baby Alia who was due on March 4th. We thought, how nice if the cousins could have the same birthday. Tod had other ideas. After a whole day shopping, moving watching, Cooking with Wendy, and a game of spades, still no contractions. Wendy and Sammy went back to the hotel around 8:50 pm. After they left, Mandy and I were talking in the kitchen and she looked at me and said "I think my water just broke or I peed my pants." After the wetness kept running down Mandy's leg we were pretty sure it was the water. The count down had begun.

Wendy and Sammy came back over and we stared walking the neighborhood. It was way to cold to be walking outside so we went inside and just like before as soon as Mandy sat down, the contractions went away. We all went to bed around 1am and told Mandy to let us know if anything happened. Mandy woke up at 3:30 am saying she felt a contraction and stared walking around. When she laid down the contractions stopped. Then at 4 she stared feeling the contractions coming quicker and stronger. This was the sign we were waiting for. We headed off to the hospital leaving my brother Austin to wake up with Kimball and Jack (Thanks Austin, you're the greatest!)
Finally, the moment arrived, as did Dr. Lewis, for Mandy to start pushing. Soon, I could see Tod's head and Dr. Lewis helped me deliver him. He came out with blond hair and just wondering what had happened. We are so excited he his here safe and sound in the hospital. I wonder how safe and sound he will be once he comes home to Kimball and Jack. Here's to having 3 kids under the age of 3!

Tod Ashton Hafen

The happy family


Nana and Sammy

Nana and Grandma

Taking One for the Team

How can you tell a Dad/Husband loves his family? This is how...Jason traded in his beloved truck for a mini-van. (Yes, we're officially part of the mormon mafia with our new van and a 3rd kid on the way.) I tried to tell him that he didn't have to that that we could trade in my car, but he said "No, we have a 2 car garage and I want to be able to fit 2 cars in it." This is what was decided after we did some extensive measuring and figured we couldn't fit the truck and a van in our garage. And just like that, Papi Chulo (his trucks nickname) was gone. We did get a good deal on a '07 Dodge Grand Caravan, with low miles and automatic everything, but it's no Papi Chulo. So, out of respect I will have a moment of silence for Jason's F-150. May his next owner treat him well. Your kids and wife love you tons and tons Jason!

Aside from Jason taking one of the team, and me taking the fall, things around here have been pretty entertaining. Kimball is understanding almost everything that goes on around her, so there was no way that we were going to get away without doing something for Valentines Day. So, the kids both received a card that played music and some little treats. Yes, I did let them eat their treats for breakfast. If you can't shove a handful of M&M's in your mouth on Valentines morning when can you?

I've also been trying to be crafty, so I finally finished these little flags made out of Jason's old work shirts. Not too hard to make, just time consuming to cut and prep all the material. Now Jack finally has a little decoration on his side of the room. And, with the help of Shannon (a fellow YW leader) Kimball has a new tutu to strut her stuff in. Thanks Shannon.








And, here's just some random funny pictures of the kids.

This is where the kids hang out while Jason is making cake. They've become good taste-testers.








This is what I get when I ask Kimball to "smile" for a picture.








Jack with a fistful of candy in his mouth, the best breakfast of his life.







I'm, hopefully, almost done with this pregnancy. I'm officially more pregnant than I've ever been, now that I'm past 37 weeks and 2 days. I know I don't get any sort of sympathy from those that go to their due date, so I won't complain. I'm just hoping my sister Sam and Mom are here for the delivery which will hopefully happen this weekend. So, the next post may include details of our new little boy and his arrival... here's hoping.

I'd take the fall

We went to the new Heritage Park Pool on Friday. It was the first time we lasted more than 30 minutes at the pool since the kids were born. The water was a nice 87 degrees so no one got purple lips. There is a built in shelf for teaching swim lessons that Kimball and Jack loved to stand on and still be in the water. The only down side is the slippery deck.

This is my version of the story. Kimball is doing back flips in the pool and looks up at me and says, "Got poops." I tell Mandy I will go and take care of the poop because I am an awesome husband and didn't want my wife to have to smell that foulness. So, we go into the locker room and I'm hoping that the poop is in a solid mass so I can dump the poop into the toilet and put the swim diaper back on Kimball. You know you've thought of that many times so don't try to judge me for my frugalness. Needless to say, the solid mass was not there and the stench was unbearable. Now, I've changed a lot of diapers in my days but for some reason the mixture of feces and chlorine was out of control almost causing me to vomit! Luckily for the Heritage Park Pool employees I closed my mouth and was able to clean Kimball sufficiently for her to go back into the pool comando.

When we got back into the pool, Mandy said I missed the show. She said Jack got onto the deck and was walking to the deep end. She had to chase after him and slipped onto her back in the process. I can only imagine, Mandy, 9 months prego, lying flat on her back then rolling her belly with all 20 pound of Tod inside and getting up and then saving Jack's life before he plunged into the lap swim lanes. After verifying she was ok, again because I am a loving and thoughtful husband, I told her I was sorry that she fell and that if I'd known Jack was going to bolt like that I would have stayed behind and she could have delt with Kimball's number 2. She looked at me with her beautiful smile and said, "If I had the choice between Kimball's diaper or falling, I'd take the fall."

Nesting Instinct... where has it been all my life?

So, we found that camera, (in Jason's jacket pocket) and since then I've been trying to get some fun videos and pictures of the kids. But this is as good as it gets.

Since the last blog post, my nesting instinct has kicked in. I guess someone knows that I need to get a little more organized before #3 kid makes it here. I don't know why I didn't feel this kick in the butt with Kimball and Jack, maybe they tolerate dis-organization as much as I do. Either way, this new kid isn't... and he has let me know.



Jason and I have managed to make a real play area for the kids, actually organize our laundry room where I keep the kids clothes, made it to the temple, I finished a sewing project, made 3 different batches of cookies, cleaned my house (okay that should happen every day, but I consider once a week fantastic), and took the kids swimming. We've also tried to stalk up on diapers and baby wipes too. It may not seem like a lot to an outsider, but to us in the house, it was nice to get these things done and has made our lives a little easier. I hope #3 (Tod) appreciates all of the work his parents have done.


Aside from that, our lives are pretty boring, just waiting on the world to change. Really were just trying to be patient for this new baby. Anyone that's talked to me lately knows that I am getting pretty impatient, and would have the baby tomorrow if he was full term and healthy. Until then, we'll keep making brownies and letting the kids enjoy the licking the bowl. And Kimball will keep finding new ways to entertain herself. Most of those things require some sort of assistance getting un-stuck.



But, here's some videos of how much the Kimball and Jack love playing with each other. They really have become "partners in crime."

They think it's so funny to hide from me, and where one goes, the other is quick to follow.

Jack and Kimball love this basket, and for some reason, think tipping themselves over in it is great fun. Good thing they don't cry to easily, but if you see them with bruises, this should explain it.