Giving thanks

I will give you one guess what I am thankful for . . .




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Happy 4th of July

We spent the 4th at our friends Susan and Kathy. Willow got to revisit her beloved pool. The day was cloudy and rainy but we all had a great time. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!



My first 4th of July


Really another picture


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Willows First Swim

Last weekend E and I bought Willow her first 2 bathing suits as the time for swimming is rapidly approaching.

Well thanks to Susan and Kathy we were able to take Willow for her first swim today. The water was nice and warm and the day was sunny and beautiful. Willow loved the water and is sleeping very well right now. :)

Daddy taking his little girl for her first swim

I love my new bathing suit :)

5 weeks

Here are some of Willow's 5 week pictures. She is working on her smiles which is fantastic! It is amazing how quickly she is growing.

Hello everyone!

Just hanging around

Say What?

Daddy's three girls

One of Willow's new outfits says cute as a bug. Are bugs really cute? Willow is definitely a cutie!

What a difference a month makes

One month! Time really flys when you are having fun! It is amazing how much things have changed (for the better) in the past month. Here is a quick catchup since my last post. After my last post little Willow's heart rate was decreasing with the Pitocin. So Friday morning she was born via cesarean section.

Here is a picture daddy Esteban took of her right after she was born. He also took a video on his phone of her crying which is fantastic because when he said her name she calmed down for a while. Currently I can't find this clip but if/when I do I will post it.

Willow, Esteban and I were in the hospital until Monday. While we were there Willow had many visitors. She is one loved little girl! The hospital was great with teaching us about how to take care of our little bundle of joy, but when the time came I was ready to go home.

Our smiling little girl!

Proud Papa and his daughter

Mommy and baby

Our beautiful Willow

Once we returned home our friends and coworkers organized a schedule to bring us dinners for the first 2 weeks which was fantastic! We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends!

After returning home we were visited by Esteban's Father and my Mother and Father and Gidget. It was wonderful getting to spend time with them and having them meet and bond with Willow. It was also very special to get to spend my first Mother's Day with my Mother and my special little Willow!

Willow is one fantastic little girl! It is amazing to me how much she has grown in this first month. Don't worry there will be more pictures of our sweet little girl!

Phase 2

The nurse just came in and started the Pitocin. It will be increased every 30 min.

Feeling pretty good. Slept some last night. Esteban, I think rested better than I did. Having little contractions and Willow's heart rate is doing good. Hopefully we meet her today!

Induction

Just got the first part of the induction. The second part starts at 6 am tomorrow.


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At the hospital

We arrived at North Kansas City Hospital at 6 pm to get induced for little Willow. So far they are monitoring me and getting ready to give me my first dose of medicine. We should meet Willow tomorrow or Friday. Let's hope for tomorrow. ;)

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day with their loved ones. Esteban and I are going to spend a quiet day at home getting ready for our little Willow. I have at most 13 days to go so she could be here any day now! I am feeling good but having a harder time getting around and doing things with my big tummy and my swollen hands and feet. Willow is also doing well. She has the hiccups right now which may be her way of wishing you all a Happy Easter as well. :)

Here is a pic E took of me last weekend. It is a pretty good angle cause I don't look as gigantic as I actually am. We may get another one today to show the progression as both Willow and her mommy have become much bigger. :)

Iditarod Top Ten Finishers

It has been a while since my last Iditarod post. I was waiting for all the mushers to finish but there are still 7 on the trail and 15 mushers have had to withdraw from the race.

The top ten finishers are as follows:

1. Lance Mackey
2. Hans Gatt
3. Jeff King
4. Ken Anderson
5. John Baker
6. Ramey Smyth
7. Sebastian Schnuelle
8. Dallas Seavey
9. Hugh Neff
10. Mitch Seavey

So far 49 mushers have made it to Nome. Hopefully the last 7 will make it there safely.

Lance Mackey Wins the Iditarod

Well sports fans we have a winner. Lance Mackey became the first musher to win four consecutive Iditarods. Since my last post he raced from Elim to Golovin 28 miles, to White Mountain 18 miles, Safety 55 miles and then Nome 22 miles.

Currently Lance is the only rider to have arrived in Nome.

The rest of the standings are as follows:

2. Hans Gatt out of Safety 11 dogs 8.46 mph
3. Jeff King out of Safety 12 dogs 7.6 mph
4. Ken Anderson out of White Mountain 10 dogs 6.13 mph
5. John Baker out of White Mountain 9 dogs 7.04 mph
6. Hugh Neff out of White Mountain 9 dogs 5.4 mph
7. Ramey Smyth out of White Mountain 12 dogs 6.54 mph
8. Sebastian Schnuelle out of White Mountain 13 dogs 6.9 mph
9. Dallas Seavey in White Mountain 8 dogs
10. Mitch Seavey in White Mountain 9 dogs

For those of you who are wondering yes Dallas and Mitch are related. Dallas is Mitch's 22 year old son. :) It will be interesting to see how the rest of the field finishes!

Iditarod Day 10

Since yesterday the mushers have traveled from Unalakleet to Shaktoolik 42 miles, to Koyuk 48 miles, and to Elim 48 miles.

The leaders are as follows

1. Lance Mackey out of Elim with 11 dogs 6.97 mph
2. Hans Gatt out of Elim with 12 dogs 7.70 mph
3. Jeff King out of Elim with 12 dogs 7.09 mph
4. Ken Anderson out of Koyuk with 12 dogs 6.49 mph
5. Hugh Neff out of Koyuk with 10 dogs 5.5 mph
6. John Baker out of Koyuk with 10 dogs 5.57 mph
7. Mitch Seavey out of Koyuk with 10 dogs 5.67 mph
8. Ramey Smyth out of Koyuk with 12 dogs 6.76 mph
9. Sebastian Schnuelle out of Koyuk with 13 dogs 6.68 mph
10. Dallas Seavey in Koyuk with 10 dogs

Well there are about 123 miles remaining in the race. It is going by quickly.

Willow's Room

Esteban has been hard at work this weekend putting up more decorations for Willow. She won't be lacking in the visual stimulation department! :)




Here are her butterflys. Note her new quilt made by my Mom.


Willow's tree and name on the wall. Mellannie came up with the letter formation and we love it!!!


Close up of Willow's name ;)

We can't wait for her arrival!!!

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Iditarod Early Day 9

Sorry sports fans had a long day yesterday and didn't get to my computer (for shame huh?). Don't worry though I have been following the race on my phone. :)

The mushers travelled from Galena to Nulato (52 miles), Kaltag (42 miles), and Unalakleet (90 miles). The current temp is -27 degrees F.

Since my last post there is a new race leader!

Current standings are as follows:

1. Lance Mackey in Unalakleet with 12 dogs
2. Jeff King in Unalakleet with 13 dogs
3. Hans Gatt out of Kaltag with 12 dogs
4. Hugh Neff out of Kaltag with 13 dogs
5. Mitch Seavey out of Kaltag with 12 dogs
6. Ken Anderson out of Kaltag with 12 dogs
7. Sebastian Schnuelle out of Kaltag with 13 dogs
8. Ramey Smyth out of Kaltag with 13 dogs
9. John Baker out of Kaltag with 10 dogs
10. Ally Zirkle out of Kaltag with 12 dogs

Lance Mackey passed Jeff King and was the first to arrive at Unalakleet for which he won the Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award. The award includes a gold cup and $2,500 in gold nuggets.

Still a lot more race to come sports fans!

Iditarod News Articles

Hey there! I will catch up on the race news but first I thought I would share these articles with you.

The first is about a 25 year old medical student from Belgium who is racing this year. He should get an award for sportmanship as he has helped out several other riders along the trail. It is a really great story and details how dangerous the race really is.

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/11/1179817/at-back-of-the-iditarod-pack-problems.html

The other article tells about what the mushers are eating along the trail. Some go for healthy foods while others favor "fast" foods. No pun intended. :)

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/11/1179995/iditarod-racers-go-gourmet-on.html

Iditarod Day 7

So sports fans. Today the mushers went from Cripple to Ruby which is 112 miles and one musher has made it to Galena which is another 52 miles.

The current standings are as follows:

1. Jeff King in Galena with 14 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layovers
2. Lance Mackey out of Ruby with 12 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layovers
3. Hugh Neff out of Ruby with 13 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layovers
4. Mitch Seavey out of Ruby with 13 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layovers
5. Hans Gatt out of Ruby with 12 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layovers
6. Sonny Lindner out of Ruby with 14 dogs completed 24 hour layover
7. Sebastian Schnuelle out of Ruby with 14 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layover
8. Ken Anderson out of Ruby with 12 dogs completed 24 and 8 hour layover
9. John Baker out of Ruby with 12 dogs completed 24 hour layover
10. Sven Haltmann in Ruby with 14 dogs completed 24 hour layover

From Ruby to Nome is 497 miles. So there is still a lot of race ahead for the mushers.

Sorry I wrote this on Friday 3/12/10 and didn't post it.

Iditarod Day 6

Since yesterday the leading mushers have travled 59 miles from Ophir to Cripple.

The leaders are as follows

1. Dallas Seavey in Cripple with 13 dogs
2. John baker in Cripple with 14 dogs
3. Martin Buser in Cripple with 14 dogs
4. Bruce Linton in Cripple with 14 dogs
5. Michelle Phillips in Cripple with 14 dogs
6. Robert Nelson in Cripple with 14 dogs
7. Jeff King in Cripple with 15 dogs and completed 24 hour break
8. Hugh Neff in Cripple with 14 dogs and completed 24 hour break
9. Mitch Seavey in Cripple with 14 dogs and completed 24 hour break
10. Lance Mackey in Cripple with 13 dogs and completed 24 hour break

Dallas Seavey was the first musher into Cripple and won the Dorothy Page Halfway Award! Congrats Dallas 1/2 way there!

Eclipse Trailer

So what pray tell would interrupt my coverage of the Iditarod. . . Well it is Twilight related.

The new trailer is out for Eclipse!!!

For those interested parties you can go to

http://www.eclipsethemovie.com/

Enjoy Twilighters!

Iditarod Day 5

Since yesterday the riders traveled from Nikolai to McGrath 54 miles. McGrath to Taknota 18 miles and then to Ophir 25 miles.

Current standings are as follows

1. John Baker out of Ophir 14 dogs
2. Dallas Seavey out of Ophir 13 dogs
3. Hans Gatt in Ophir 14 dogs
4. Cim Smyth in Ophir 14 dogs
5. Ramey Smyth in Ophir 15 dogs
6. Martin Buser in Ophir 14 dogs
7. Bruce Linton in Ophir 14 dogs
8. Michelle Phillips in Ophir 14 dogs
9. Robert Nelson out of Takotna 15 dogs
10. Jeff King in Takotna 16 dogs

2 more mushers have withdrawn since yesterday. Some of the mushers are playing out their strategies and taking their 24 hour break and others are continuing to run their teams. Will see what happens in the days to come.

Iditarod Sponsorship

I guess the economy is also having an effect on the Greatest Race on Earth. Oh No! I guess the sponsorship has fallen for the race this year.

Please read this CNN article it is fantastic! Shows that the runners do the race for the love of it and not the money. Plus Jeff King one of the past winners donated $50,000 which he won from a previous race. His money went into the winners purse for this year.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/09/iditarod.sponsors/