Land of Toz

2008-11-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

Today is Luke's Birthday!

2008-08-11T15:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Luke

2008-08-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Luke’s Birthday Story

You were always a strong kicker. All the months that you were in my belly, you gave me quite the show with your relentless footwork. It’s those strong, active legs of yours that saved your life. Each night, after a long day of chasing around your big brother, I would finally sit down by myself and take a little break drinking tea in my comfy green chair. About a month before you were due, I sat down with my feet up for my nightly baby kicking relaxation routine. I knew pretty quickly that something wasn’t right when you barely moved that night. I was up all night monitoring my belly movement and wondering how you were doing in there. In the morning, while the house was still asleep, I snuck out into the kitchen for some orange juice. I had read that the quick sugar in OJ was sure to get a quick kick out of any sleepy baby. Within a few minutes of downing a glass of juice, I felt one small kick from inside. It was just one kick, and it was very short. It was as if you were trying to tell me something. Help me, mommy.

I woke up your Dad and told him that I was going to run over to the hospital just to have them check on you. He agreed and said that he would go with me. I told him to stay home with Isaiah and that I’d be right back as soon as I heard your little heartbeat and saw that you were ok. I grabbed a bottle of water and a couple of magazines and headed off to Clovis Community Hospital. I had a lot of pre-term labor with your brother, so I figured it would be a similar routine of laying around on monitors for a couple of hours until the computer charts showed us that everything was fine. Although something inside me knew that things weren’t right, I was determined to stay calm for you. I had already learned that stress and pregnancy don’t go well together.

It was a Saturday morning, so I had to check into the hospital through ER. The man behind the counter was very gracious, and even helped me “pre-register” so that I wouldn’t have to fill out more papers when I came back to “really have the baby.” The hospital was pretty peaceful from what I remember. The nurses were calm and friendly. They greeted me and introduced themselves when they walked in my room to get me started. A nurse helped place the monitors on my big belly, and searched for your little heart beat. I held my breath as she moved the monitor around my belly, searching for a good spot to hear you. Then, I heard that little pitter patter beat that warmed my heart. She smiled and let me know that she would be right back with some water now that I was all hooked up.

A few minutes went by, and a different nurse abruptly walked in the room with a look of concern on her face. She didn’t smile, and she didn’t introduce herself. She went straight over to the computer and starting looking at the paper printouts. Without asking, she pulled out an oxygen mask from a drawer and placed it on my face. She then explained that it looked like the baby wasn’t getting enough oxygen and that we needed to call the doctor to check it out. Again, I remained calm and concentrated on breathing deeply through the mask.

The next few minutes were more chaotic. Before I knew it, three or four nurses were in the room hovering around the computer and chatting anxiously about what the doctor was saying. Finally, one of them looked at me and let me know that the doctor was on his way. I could see it in their faces. The on call doctor must have been already working in the hospital, because he was there immediately. I had never met this doctor, but he quickly introduced himself and let me know that you were struggling inside of me and that they weren’t sure what was going on. He explained that we needed to do an emergency caesarean immediately to get you out. I simply said “ok.” He gave the nurses some quick directions and walked out the door. The nurses asked me to start undressing and began to pull all of the monitors off my body. While these nurses busily and anxiously hovered around me, I asked one of them if they could hand me my cell phone so that I could call your dad.

When you dad answered the phone, he was talking to your brother about something. I quickly cut him off and said “honey, drop off Isaiah with your mom and come to the hospital.” Your brother must have had his attention, because he said “what?” I calmly told him, “Honey, they are wheeling me in for a c-section right now.” He then heard the message and starting freaking out a bit, asking a lot of questions. I told him that I couldn’t talk and just to get there quick. By this time, the doctor had come back into the room and was almost yelling at the nurses about taking too long to get to the Operating Room.

Here I am in this TV-like moment, nurses running as they wheeled me down the hall towards the OR almost hitting the walls as they took corners. Honestly, I really had stayed calm up to this point. Once I got to the OR, I finally starting getting a little shook up. It’s a scary looking room. Bright lights, shiny equipment, lots of people in masks. Everyone was talking, but I couldn’t hear anyone (of course no one knew that I was deaf in one ear). I had to raise my voice for a second and ask for someone to talk directly to me. It was the anesthesiologist who came over and kindly talked to me. They are skilled at making situations easier. He let me know that they did not have time to give me an epidural because they had to get you out now. He showed me the mask that they would use to give me general anesthesia. With his instructions, I counted to three with the mask on my face thinking about you as I quickly drifted off.

Next thing I remember, I woke up alone in recovery. I was in an extreme amount of pain, since I didn’t have an epidural to numb my lower body where the incision was. I was awake initially for a few seconds wondering where you were before I passed out again. It wasn’t until later that day when I was conscious and able to see your dad and the doctor. They told me that you were not breathing when you were born, but that you were in the nursery on an incubator with a team of specialist. They also let me know that a medial transfer team was on their way to Fresno from San Francisco to fly you back to UCSF. As you can imagine, this was a lot of information to take in, especially since I hadn’t even gotten to see your beautiful face yet.

They brought you by my room in your traveling incubator machine to see me before the team flew you to San Francisco. You were so tiny and precious, and I couldn’t believe all of the tubes and things they had all over your little body. They opened the incubator and let me hold your hand. There were a lot of people in the room at this time, but really… it was just you and me. As I held your soft little hand, I whispered to you that everything was going to be ok. With courage, I told you that Dad was going to follow you to San Francisco to take care of you until they let me out of the hospital. I promised you that I would see you soon. It’s a funny feeling to watch your baby boy get wheeled away by a team of complete strangers to be loaded onto an airplane to fly to a hospital 4 hours away. It’s a funny feeling, not one I can ever explain. I do want you to know that I knew God was going to take care of you. Yes, it was scary. Yes, it was very sad. Yes, I always knew that you were in good hands. God truly gave me a sense of peace in that moment and in the days to follow before I would see you again.

That night, your Dad drove all the way to San Francisco to be with you. They wouldn’t let anyone else on the flight, so he drove alone. I remember kissing him goodbye after you had already left and telling him to take care of you. I knew he would. He would go in my place and be with you. I loved him more at that moment than ever.

You beat your Dad to UCSF. He didn’t arrive until 2am. It was cold and foggy when he arrived, and he walked around in his own fog until he found the NICU, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They found him a bed in a little room (more like closet) in the hospital where he could be right down the hall from you. He lived there for a few days, walking down the hall in the middle of the night to check on you. He talked to you, he took pictures of you, and he even got to hold you after a few days. You and your dad did some serious male bonding from day one.

When I was finally able to arrive six days later to stay, your dad and I moved to the Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco. We would go back and forth between the house and the hospital visiting you and talking with the doctors. You were progressing well. You had begun to breath on your own. You were even off the feeding tube, and starting to eat on your own. Although those days at the hospital are a bit of a daze for me (I was still recovering myself from surgery), I can still remember clearly the smells and the sounds. In a lot of ways, it was a peaceful place, and quickly became a place of routine for us. Lunch in the cafeteria, changing your little diaper, pumping breast milk on the machines, holding you in the rocking chair, talking to nurses, looking for doctors, watching you sleep, praying for your recovery. I admit, I did lose it once. It was with your Dad over some Chinese food at lunch. I just burst out in tears. I just needed a little release. I cried, he waited patiently, and then I was done. We went right back up to your room and held you.

The doctors said that you were probably going to have to be in the hospital for at least another week. I let them know that you would be out in a few days. You didn’t disappoint me. There were strict orders from the doctors about what had to happen before you could go home. You had to be gaining weight and eating well on your own. The last night we spent in the hospital, we all spent together (you, me and your dad). You were moved into a family room with your dad and me where we were to spend the night to make sure we could feed you and take care of you on our own. I was a little nervous, but you seemed to be calm and confident with us. We fed you every three hours, changed you, monitored your temperature, and even slipped in a little sleep here and there that night. In the morning, the big test came. The weigh in. If you gained weight that night, we could take you home. Again, you didn’t disappoint.
Once we got the discharge approval, we packed our stuff to take you home. You were too small for the car seat we had brought with us, so your Dad had to make a quick trip to the store to get a new car seat. You were so tiny, we were nervous about the long car ride back to Fresno. You did great. We made it all the way to Madera before we had to stop to feed you. Once we got home, you got to see your big brother and the rest of your family who had been tirelessly praying for you. It was a happy day of celebration.

Now, a year later, I look back with a smile on your birth. You are my little miracle baby and a testament to God. You have already accomplished so much in just 12 months. You’ve been on plane rides, Disneyland rides, and Big Brother rides. More than that, you have made us a better family. You have made me a better mom and a better person. You have helped challenge my faith in God, and given me joy and peace that I could not imagine. You have this peaceful, serene way about you. You laugh a lot, you smile all the time, and you go with the flow. I know that this is how you have always been and that it has rubbed off on us. Today, on your 1st birthday, I celebrate. A celebration for the wonderful things that God has done in your life already, and a celebration for the amazing adventures still to come. A few weeks before you were born, a verse came to my mind that I believe God chose for you.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." –Joshua 1:9

Happy Birthday Luke!

GO LUKE!

Happy 4th of July on the 23rd of July

2008-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July on the 23rd of July - Ok, so I'm a little late with these pics. Its summer! We have a lot of important nothingness to do. We had a spectacular 4th of July this year hanging out with Mema, Papa, Gigi (Great Grandma), and Auntie Terri. The boys both loved the food and fireworks. What a fun holiday. Here are some highlights...

Piano Man

2008-07-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Our little musician - future rock star

San Diego Vacation

2008-07-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

The boys and I flew down to San Diego last week to spend some quality time with my parents. Josh (and the girls basketball team) drove down this last weekend to pick us up (and participate in a bball tournament at USD). Here are a few highlights from our trip...

By far, the best part about the trip was the awesome bonding time that the boys got with their grandparents. Isaiah followed my mom (Ma) around like crazy. We were able to hang out at the beach a couple different times, and Isaiah definitely loved it. He is definitely staying true to the beach loving blood that is in him.

One of the best days we had was our day at Disneyland (of course). We took the OceanRider train from San Diego all the way up to Anaheim. It was an amazing trip. The train goes right along the beach and was so much fun for the boys (no car seats). I definitely recommend this trip. The train actually goes all the way up to Paso Robles. We are definitely doing this one again.

Upon arrival at Disneyland, we were greeted immediately by our good friend Mickey. Our day at the park was very fun and relaxing. We really took our time cruising through the park, enjoying the beautiful weather, and jumping on rides here and there. The boys favorites - Dumbo and Pirates. We were really hoping to get picked as winners for Disney's Year of a Million Dreams so that we could spend the night in the park, but we didn't have any luck.

The fair happened to be in town while we were down there, so we spent a day taking in the sites, smells, and sounds of the fair. Isaiah loved the carnival booths, and wanted to try out every single one. He doesn't have much concept of money yet, and the fact that each ping pong ball he threw cost $2. I am proud to say that he actually got a ping pong ball in one of the floating dishes. His fabulous prize - a stuffed dog (probably worth half of the $10 we spent on his efforts).

One of the most enjoyable parts of the week was the time we spent every day just relaxing and hanging out in the backyard. The warm sun, the cool breeze, and the breathtaking views really make it the best place to be. My dad set a swing up for the boys off the patio, and they loved it. It is so adorable to see how much Luke and Isaiah are starting to play together and enjoy each other.

On the way home from San Diego, Isaiah got to hang out with his good bud and basketball super star - Paige. Paige taught Isaiah to give the peace sign, kiss his lips together, and say "peace out" as a way to make a grand exit. Adorable.

Luke and Isaiah also loved spending time at Balboa Park on the antique merry-go-round. My mom and I felt like puking after a couple of rides, but Isaiah wanted to keep going and going.

We had a great time and are happy to be home after such an exciting week.
PEACE OUT!

Cool Guys

2008-06-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

We are still hanging out in Escondido this week with my parents. On Friday nights, all the old cars cruise through downtown Escondido. Its so much fun (even when there is a heat wave). Everyone just walks around the old town streets showing off their cars and admiring other ones. Isaiah and Papa stopped to admire a Chevelle SS - Daddy's favorite muscle car. Isaiah knows that Dad is going to get him a old Chevelle to fix up and race around town one day. Hopefully it will look as sweet as this one.

Welcome Summer

2008-06-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the official beginning of summer. At 4:59 p.m., summer officially kicked off. What better way to bring in the HOT HOT summer than to take a dip in our giganitc, luxurious swimming pool. Summer- you are very hot, but we still love ya.

Happy Fathers Day to Our Favorite Daddy!

2008-06-13T16:55:00.001-07:00

Love and the Lakers

2008-05-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

Love and the Lakers... What better way to celebrate an Anniversary then to hang out with major celebrities watching the Lakers win game 5 against the Spurs and advance to the NBA finals? Yep... that's what I thought.

Josh and I had a blast Thursday night going to our first Laker game in Staples Center to celebrate our 6th Anniversary. We left the boys with Mema, and headed down South for a good time.

We didn't exactly score courtside seats next to Jack, so we made sure to bring our binoculars. You know your seats are up high when you have to take two flights of escalators to get to your section.

Even from the top, the view was fantastic. We arrived early to watch the players warm up. Well, Josh wanted to watch the warm up routines. I was stationed with the binoculars looking for celebrities. Yes, I was a total paparrazi. We saw Jack Nicholson (of course), Cameron Diaz, Tobey MacGuire, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Adam Sandler, Lionel Richie, P-Diddy, Dr. Dre, George Lopez, and some other good looking people who I am sure were famous.

Yes, watching the celebrities was fun, but watching the Lakers pull out of a 20 point deficit to make a major comeback and win the Western Title was amazing. What a game! The place was going wild. It was so funny to see how sports brings diverse strangers together (especially the guys high-fiving each other). After the game, fans were going crazy in the downtown streets. Singing, chanting, laughing. It was quite the site. We are definitely going to have to do this again - and maybe bring the boys next time.

Go Lakers! Take down Boston!

Totally Awesome Video!

2008-05-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

Does this video even need words? This is a nice blast from the past, taken from the Trout Family Video Vault. What's more fun than braces, permed hair and Paula Abdul? Not much.

Who's Cuter? Duh!!!

2008-05-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Luke's Disney look-a-like - Baby Simba. It must be those cute big eyes. What a doll! What else do Luke and Simba have in common? Hakuna Matata! No worries! Our Mr. Smiley loves every moment of life (even smiles and laughs when Isaiah throws stuff at him, in love of course, ha ha).

Toz Boyz in the Hood

2008-05-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Our three Toz boys love to get a little r&r kicking it on the couch while watching some NBA playoff action. Go Steve Nash! Oh wait... too late. Go Kobe!

When I was pregnant with Isaiah (before I got put on bed rest), Josh and I started the habit of taking walks after dinner every night (at least when we are home in the evening). We started doing it just because it was my meager attempt to get some exercise when I was ballooning up (I'm sure it was all just baby, ha ha). Now, we hate to miss our evening routine. The boys love it, and it helps us end the day on a relaxing note.

Mema and Papa just came back from a 10 day romp through Italy (nice, huh). They brought home Luke and Isaiah these really cute Venice t-shirts. Don't they look like adorable little gondola boatmen? Check out Aunite Jodi's blog for cute pics of their trip... http://missjodiabroad.blogspot.com/

Bye, Bye Baldy!

2008-05-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Look who is finally growing hair!

Its really more of a fuzz, actually. Drives the girls wild...

Battle of Crazy Hose

2008-05-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

The sun is starting to blaze, the sidewalk is starting to sizzle, and so of course the appearance of Mr. Crazy Hose himself is back. I love summer for many reasons, the least not being that it means a hose can keep Isaiah entertained for hours. I mean, literally for hours. Word of caution - keep the door closed or you might get soaked.

Through the window, Isaiah was getting a kick out of spraying the house directly on me. I, being the genius mom that I am, have the protection of the glass door. Now, how do I get back out to turn the hose off?

Ode to Bubbles

2008-04-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyQ-cW35F2o

Isaiah got a kick playing with his cool bubble toy, as well as watching this cute Sesame Street video (over and over and over and over and....)

Ethan and Isaiah - Cousins and Buds

2008-04-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

We love Ethan! He is such a wild and crazy guy! Here are some cute pics from our recent picnic at the park with Luke and Isaiah's adorable cousin...

Silly Moments at the Toslands

2008-04-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

More Silly Isaiah Moments (Naughty is also an adjective that could fit here)

Nap time for Isaiah is often just a time he spends in his room playing dress up or practicing his potty training (yeah right). This day, he came out of his room naked (fortunately, his shirt is covering the fun) and in this construction hat. I started laughing hysterically and grabbed the camera. What's so funny about Isaiah is that the kid never once breaks a smile.

Its hard to see here, but that is marker all over our computer monitor. Yes, it is quite exciting. My little man is officially a toddler artist. Once again, all you can do is laugh and embrace the Kodak moment.

Silliness is of course extremely contagious, and who better to catch it from than the King Of Silly himself - Ethan. Put these two boys together and you get hours of entertainment (better than cable TV, people). Last week, we got to hang out a couple of days with Ethan at the park. He and Isaiah went bug hunting and caught a rolli polli (I'm sure there is a better spelling for that). It was the highlight of our day.

Isaiah is a good big brother, teaching his brother right. Luke wants to get in on the action now. This morning, he gleefully flung his bow of cereal down on the ground. The sight was beautiful, cereal gliding across the room and splattering against the wall. It brought a proud tear to my eye.

Fresno Blower Massacre

2008-04-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

Basketball Season Ends

2008-03-06T22:22:00.000-08:00

And just like that... basketball season is over. After a record breaking season of wins and league championship, the Eagles' season ended this week after a Valley Championship loss to Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) and a State Playoff loss to Sierra Canyon (LA). We are still so very proud of these girls and the best coach in the world. Watch out next year. Go Eagles!

Here are some links to articles and pictures about the games.

State Playoff Game
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/hs/basketball/story/442111.html

Valley Championship Game
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/hs/basketball/story/433580.html

Pre Game Highlights
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/hs/basketball/story/431302-p2.html

On Line Photo Gallery of Valley Championship Game

http://www.maxpreps.com/Galleries.aspx/ImageList?PhotoGalleryID=d899a260-7b42-47fa-ad3b-520606b60c41&EventName=Fresno+Christian+vs.+Mission+Prep+(CIF+CS+D5+Finall)&SaveReferrer=true

Next Stop... Selland Arena

2008-02-28T22:14:00.000-08:00

We're going to Selland Arena, Baby!

The Eagles won their 2nd playoff game Wednesday night against Bakersfield Christian (see the FC Paper "The Feather" for more details. http://www.thefeather.com/?page=articles&id=54141

Tomorrow, Friday the 29th of February, we are playing in the Valley Championship Game at Selland Arena at 2pm. We are playing against Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo. They have won the Championship 15 years in a row, so it would be really something to de-throne them. Please say some prayers for the team and come show your support if you can. This is some pretty exciting stuff that is making this very long basketball season for our family very worth it. Go Eagles!

We'll keep you posted.

Team FC - Basketball Playoffs

2008-02-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

Friday night, the Fresno Christian Girls Basketball Team had their first playoff match up against Strathmore. The Eagles earned a number two seed in this year's playoff schedule, so we enjoyed the benefit of playing on our home turf.

Team FC Family... Coach, Coach's Numero Uno Assistant/Wife, and the two team mascots.

Isaiah and Luke enjoyed the company of their cousins and fellow Eagle fans at the game. After the game, the kids climbed up in the couch in the student section of the bleachers (coined the "Nuthouse").

Even Luke was showing off his team spirit with a brand new FC shirt. He somehow slept through half the exciting game.

Coach Tosland has his very own cheering section. Our fan base included... John and Christi (Mema and Papa), Uncle Doug, Auntie Tiff, Mason, Julia, and Ethan.

The Final Score... Fresno Christian 62 and Strathmore 25. What a game! The Eagles took control of the game from the very first quarter. They are so much fun to watch play. They are quick, energetic, and full of talent. Very well coached, I must add.

Now that the Eagles have one their first playoff game, they will continue on. Their next game will be this Wednesday night at home against Bakersfield Christian. If they beat Bakersfield, then its off to Selland Arena once again for the Valley Championship Title.

Go Ealges!

And in this corner... MASON TROUT!

2008-02-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Mason wrestled this weekend in both league and section playoffs for the Maple Creek Huskies. He wrestled his way to second place in league - a great ending to an excellent, undefeated season for this good looking six grade muscle man.

His cousin, Isaiah couldn't be prouder. Mason even let Isaiah wear his prized 2nd place medallian made of solid gold, I mean aluminun.

The whole fam came out to support the champ. The tourney took place at good old C-Dub, our alma mater. The gym was sweaty, the air was smelly, but the entertainment was priceless.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

This beautiful slide show was designed and composed by the beautiful and talented Julia Christine Trout...

A Time To Laugh

2008-01-23T22:18:00.000-08:00

Full of Laughs...

Luke is the giggliest (if that's a word) baby we know. The kid is so ticklish, you can't help but torture him. You can even get a laugh out of him just by looking at him sometimes. Its really fun. Isaiah gets a kick out of trying to make him laugh and then getting a huge grin on his face as a result. When you got one smiling and one laughing it really melts your heart. This really helps on those days when you have poop on the floor (potty training in progess), spit up all over your shirt (my regular perfume), naked children running around the house (thus our PG&E bill), and a house that looks like a hurricane came through it (picture sticky apple juice and crusty playdo all over). Lucky you, we pick and choose our kodak blogable (another new word) moments carefully. Do you really want to see Isaiah running around naked and pooping on the floor? Don't answer that.

"a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,"

Ecclesiastes 3:4

Winter Birthday Boys

2008-01-22T17:14:00.000-08:00

Its that time of the year for Tosland Birthdays. Isaiah turned 2 on December 21st. Josh turned 34 exactly a month later on January 21st.

Where else could you find him but in the gym practicing basketball on his birthday? The boys and I showed up at the end of practice with a cool basketball cake for Coach and his team.

Isaiah had a wild toddler style birthday party last month with some of his buds. They bounced, ate, and played, and partied all day long (actually just from 10am to noon, but same thing for a 2 year old).

Just wait until August... Luke and I will be partying it up!

Just Another Night With The Tosland Boys

2008-01-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we had a little party in Isaiah's bounce house. We gave him a little blow up bounce house for his birthday (he turned two on 12/21 - pictures to be blogged soon). Luke and Isaiah love to goof around in the bounce house with Daddy. Its part of their relaxing bedtime routine. To our utter delight, Isaiah and Luke really like each other. Luke's eyes literally light up when he sees Isaiah. Like a good big brother, Isaiah loves to help Mom take care of Luke. It will be so much fun watching them grow together as buddies, and eventually trouble makers. Hope you enjoy this little peak into playtime at the Toslands.

Christmas 2007

2008-01-09T14:03:00.001-08:00

View Album

Get your own

Luke and Mema

2008-01-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

Luke is full of smiles, especially in the arms of his Mema. What a charmer!

Disneyland

2007-11-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Luke is 3 months old!

2007-11-12T14:37:00.001-08:00

Birthday Party Circus Blast

2007-11-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, we were invited to what turned out to be the birthday party of the century. Our little friend Ruby turned 1, and did it in style. The circus themed party included a petting zoo, amusement rides (including a ferris wheel), bounce house, pony rides, carnival booths, pirate ship, face painting, and more. That's not to mention the great eats, including mom's favorite cotton candy. Isaiah got his first taste, and let me tell you... like mother like son. Cavities here we come. Isaiah had a blast hanging out with his cousin Julia and her cousin Tyla. Luke was a party pooper (literally) and slept through the entire party while being held affectionately by his Auntie Tiffany. We stayed all day, had a blast, and came home and crashed. Nothing like a good sugar high.

Enjoy the pics...

Birthday Party Circus Blast

2007-11-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

May the Force Be With You!

2007-11-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away...

The Rebel Force right before their trick or treating adventures...

Master Yoda and Little Luke Skywalker...

Cute, I am.

Luke even had his own Lightsaber.

Mom couldn't go trick or treating without sporting some kind of disguise. Bad hair day to the extreme...

Hope you had a great Halloween! We are still coming down off the sugar high.

The Fire

2007-10-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those who have been praying for my parents in San Diego. Their house has been saved! What a blessing. Here are some pictures from their yard and the story from my mom.

My mom in the backyard at 3am right before they left the house.

The view from the side yard.

From Nancy Trout...

GOD is wonderful. Terry and I are overcome with gratitude and humbleness that the Lord saved our home. IT IS HIS!!!

Okay, here is the story for those that missed out.

At 11PM, we could see a far away glow in the direction of Ramona which is east of us. At 12:45 AM, when Terry went to bed, the fire must have gone into a valley as the glow had greatly diminished.

Nancy awoke at 3 AM to the phone ringing and a wrong number! Hmmm, the Lord works in mysterious ways! She noticed how light it was outside. Thinking Terry might have left a light on in the family room she went down the hall and was shocked to find that the fire was on the ridge line directly across the valley. Those were the earlier pictures. It took only about 1/2 an hour before it was coming down the mountain towards us. At about 3:45 AM it was in the valley that our backyard looks over. You'll see the pictures. We could hear the sickening sounds of the consuming fire and feel it's heat as it came nearer. It was time to GET OUT.

Yes, we took the 'old' Nintendo, the game cube we could replace! Lots of clothes, pictures, files and the computer tower. Funny how 'stuff' really becomes just stuff when you start thinking what is important and what is not. The surf boards, guitar and Mom's china was left. STUFF!

We sat at McDonald's from about 4:30 am until 7:00 am. Than we got gas for the cars and went to see if we could get up to the house. NO.
The air by then was unbelievable, and the winds were really howling. It was very hard to breathe. It was thick and orange from the rising sun. Pictures of what daylight looked like are included.

About noon, we decided to try and find a hotel. We drove clear to Oceanside looking for rooms, everyone was evacuated and already booked. Finally, Terry's secretary found us a room at Welk resort in north Escondido, just off the 15. The air there was clear. Even though there were fires on both sides they were far enough away to feel safe. Yeah sure! Awoke early, and at 8 AM pounding on the door gave us another evacuation order. Okay Lord, you gave us both a really good night sleep and we'll go!

Heading with both cars towards San Diego to Terry's office, he changed his mind and headed to 2811 Sunset Hills. San Pasqual was still blocked but Ryan was open and we turned up it to head home. Houses were ok, we both thought.... maybe...

Rounding Sunset Hills we began to see the scorched earth, the burned trees, however still not home damage. We can't even begin to explain the overwhelming feelings that came when we pulled up to our home. It's a mess and pictures show it. We checked our neighbors and they were both gone. The fire had swept through all the ridges and gullies between homes. The firefights kept the fire off structures, what wonderful people firefighters are! Our neighbor to the west still had some hot spots smoldering and we went over and hosed down those and used the shovel. We checked out other places in the neighborhood also. Across the street you can really see the fire damage, yet again so close to houses but no damage to them.

The yard is a mess, the house is full of ash. Who cares! Not me!!!!!

The CDF has helicopters still flying over to make sure that there are no flare ups from hot spots. We are spending the night tonight and feel safe.

Thank you to everyone for praying for us. We are grateful for your love and concern. Enjoy the pictures... IT WAS AN ADVENTURE OF THE GRANDEST SCALE!

Please continue to pray for the winds to abate, the fires to be put out and that lives and houses will be spared, like ours!

Our fun and exciting weekend

2007-10-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

Friday night... Football with Daddy at Fresno Christian's Homecoming. Isaiah enjoyed hanging out with Dad and watching the homecoming floats. Theme this year was TV shows. Isaiah seemed to like the "COPS" float the best because of the lights and cool music (hopefully this won't reflect his future television taste).

Saturday morning, we took Luke and Isaiah to the pumpkin patch. I guess Isaiah thought we were going to the playground because he climbed all over the pumpkins like gym equipment. Unfortunately, he face planted into the stem of one of the large pumpkins (those suckers are hard).
Result...

Nice lip! The pumpkin may have won this match, but watch out Christmas tree!

Calling all Cuties

2007-10-13T22:31:00.001-07:00

Did you say cute? Oh yeah. Luke just celebrated his 2 month birthday. He is doing great as you can see. Weighing in at a huge 10 lbs 12 ounces as of last week. He has a pretty bad case of reflux that we have been battling through. He is hurting and fussy quite often, and spitting up enough to keep our washer going 24/7. Fortunately he is still gaining weight. Oh, the fun first few months of life.

Luke and Isaiah are already becoming playmates. Isaiah likes to show Luke how to play with all of his old toys including his activity pad that Isaiah used to (and we found out still does) love to play with. Time is flying by already. Before we know it, these two are going to be getting into all kinds of little boy mischief.

My Daddy

2007-10-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

My Daddy took me to the park

We played 'til it got dark

Hanging out is what we do

The magic number is two

He is so very cool

He works hard at school

He comes home ready to play

I shout out loud "hooray"

He makes me laugh and smile

I'm happy for a long while

My Daddy is who I love

Thank you God above

Happy Birthday Auntie

2007-10-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

Isaiah and Luke wished their favorite Auntie Happy Birthday this week.

Isaiah helped make some special cream filled chocolate cupcakes.

A Trip to Rotary Park

2007-10-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Isaiah and Luke got to spend some time with some fun-loving ladies at Rotary Park Playland and Storyland the other day. What a blast we had with Mema and Auntie Jodi. This is the same exact park (and the same exact rides) that Josh and Jodi went to when they were kids. The trees are just a tad bit bigger and the rides just a bit older.

Whoever says grandmas can't play as hard as kids has not met "Mema." Isaiah goes down the slide with his bud. Storyland is the cutest part of the park where kids can walk through enchanted looking gardens where kid toys and buildings are laid out to visually tell them their favorite stories. This slide is a shoe. Can you guess the story?

Auntie Jodi was in town and got to join us on our little adventure. Her and Isaiah had a blast going on all of the rides together (including Isaiah's first roller coaster). Isaiah's favorite ride was the train in the picture that took you all around Storyland and Playland.

Even Luke got in on the fun and had his first ride on the merry-go-round. He slept in the sling the whole time, but definitely got some practice in for his trip next month to Disneyland.

Here's Isaiah cruising in the same cars that his dad cruised in when he was his age. Next car will be a '66 Chevelle.

Bath Time

2007-09-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

Occasionally in the hustle and bustle of double diaper duty life, we find time to bathe. What a concept. Fortunately, Isaiah is quite the little helper when it comes to bathing Luke. Even better, Luke loves baths. I am not sure if it is the warmth of the water, the calmness of the lavender wash, or the gentleness of Isaiah splashing water all over him and laughing hysterically. It is truly a family affair.

Toz Boyz

2007-09-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Luke's latest and greatest...
Our big guy is already up to 8 lbs 8 ozs! Go Luke! He is quite lucky to have a big brother to show him the ropes and give him hand me down clothes with gingerbread men on them (Isaiah was a Christmas baby). Its never too early to celebrate Christmas, right? Jingle all the way!

Isaiah and Luke look less than enthusiastic for their glam shots. They are pretty darn cute together. Isaiah is completely fascinated by Luke and loves to just stare at him or lay down next to him. He gives him lots of kisses and pets him like a cat (it could be worse). Luke is getting much more attentive in his old age of 5 weeks and totally checks out Isaiah now. Who is this crazy guy? Future best buds...

Family Time

2007-09-17T13:45:00.001-07:00

Oh, the blessings of family. How very lucky we are to be related to such wonderful people that care so genuinely for Luke and Isaiah.

What a blast the boys have hanging out with their cousins Mason, Julia and Ethan. Auntie Tiffany is always generously handing out hugs and homemade cookies. And who can forget Uncle Doug (aka the Toddler Whisperer) who is so good at teaching important things like how to give knuckles.

Mema (Christi) is such a joy to have around. She is always willing and available to help out with whatever is needed. Mema is probably Isaiah's favorite playmate. She is always full of energy and such fun to be around. These boys won't be running circles around her.

Ahhh.. the perfect parents. Ok, maybe I am a little biased. Nana/Ma (Nancy) is such a natural with kids. I wonder why. While she was up taking care of Isaiah while Mom and Dad were in the hospital with Luke, he was pretty much attached to her side. Each time he spends time with her he gets smarter and learns something new. She'll probably have him making his own blog in no time at all. There is something about Papa (Terry) that the boys and their cousins just can't get enough of - the enthusiastic smile or the loving embraces, its all great.

Heavyweight

2007-09-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Check out these chins! At his weekly doctor's appointment last Thursday, Luke weighed in at a massive 6 lbs 13 ounces. He almost gained a whole pound last week. What a champ. We also got back the results from his upper GI test, and his digestive system checks out good. Thank you so much to everyone for your continued prayer for our little guy. We are really happy to see him healthy. We are truly blessed.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. -Luke 6:21
Go Luke!

Time for Cookies

2007-09-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

You know things are going well, when you have time to bake cookies. Baking is one of Isaiah's favorite activities (just like mom). He seems to like the end of the process the best. I wonder why. He makes for a great dishwasher with that tongue of his.

Luke is doing great. He has been eating like a champ and has his next weigh in tomorrow. We are praying to break into the 6 lb range. We'll keep everyone posted. As for Isaiah, we don't really worry about him gaining more weight. The kid is definitely a healthy porker. Must be all the cookie dough.

Weighing in at...

2007-08-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Luke is chunking up! He weighed in yesterday at a whopping 5 lbs 15 ozs (up 4 ounces from Tues). It may not seem like much, but this is definitely an answer to prayer. We are just going to keep working hard to keep his feedings going well and his weight gain going up. He is still having some pain with eating, so we have an upper GI today at Valley Childrens Hospital. Please pray that the test goes well and proves to be helpful.

Meanwhile... As I was taking this picture of Luke sleeping like an angel, Isaiah took advantage of the alone time to "water the plants" (aka flood the yard). This kid sure keeps us laughing. He is such a wild and crazy guy.

Update on Luke

2007-08-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, our little Luke has been home for a week now. Its good to be at home, although we are definitely exhausted from all the work that comes from caring for a newborn, trying to entertain a toddler, healing mom's c-section war wound, and dad going back to work.

Luke did well for the first few days and even started gaining weight. However, we are having some challenges now with getting him fed and he is losing weight again. We were at the doctor's today, and it looks like Luke may be having some reflux issues. Isaiah has similiar feeding issues when he was a newborn. Luke hasn't been able to keep any food down, and keeps throwing everything up. After everything the poor little guy has been through, you can imagine how it breaks our hearts to see him in pain. The doctor is scheduling an upper GI exam for Luke at Valley Childrens so we can find out exactly what is going on.

Please continue to keep Luke in your prayers. We are praying that he will be able to keep food down and start gaining weight again. Feeding him well is pretty much our main focus in life right now. As a parent, you want your child to be strong and healthy and know how critical being well fed is. As I started worrying about this, God gave me the thought about how He must be the same way with us. God wants the best for us and wants us to be well fed; praying and being in the Word. It feels so good as parents when you have a baby who is happy and has a nice full belly. I think God must feel the same way when we get a nice full spiritual belly. We just need to keep looking to Him. That is where we are right now. Thanks again for all of your continued thoughts and prayers. We are confident that each person praying makes a big difference.

Luke's Homecoming

2007-08-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

WE ARE HOME!!!!!!!!!!

As of last night, we are finally a complete family. Yesterday morning, Luke was discharged from UCSF (thank you for all the prayers) and we were able to bring him home. It was a nice long drive back to Fresno (especially for Luke being so tiny in his carseat), but he was a champ. He isn't even two weeks old, and he has already been flown in his own private jet and picked up some extra miles on his first road trip.

It is great to be home, and especially to have both our boys together. We missed Isaiah a ton. He is being such a wonderful big brother, full of kisses for Luke. I think he is already counting down the days until Luke is big enough to play with him. Thank you again to everyone who has been praying for Luke and our family. We cannot express enough how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness.

We are just going to be taking it easy at home now, finally getting into that normal newborn craziness of sleepness nights and loads of diapers. What a joy! We are actually really enjoying every moment of having a healthy, happy family. We'll keep everyone updated with more adorable pics as they come.

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his we are his people,

the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations."

-Psalm 100

Good News

2007-08-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Luke 11:9

Sunday mornings at the hospital are very peaceful and quiet. I guess that is why the doctors choose this time to do their rotations (we always seem to miss them). This morning, lucky us and lucky doctors, we all happen to be in the same place at the same time. The great joy from this is that we got to create a dispatch plan with the head doctor this morning. He is very impressed by Luke's progress (especially since mom showed up). He said that eventhough he said a week, he thinks we could be out of here as early as Tuesday at Luke's rate. This was obviously both exciting and a bit scary for us (but mostly exciting). As long as Luke continues to eat well and gain weight, we could be looking at a Fresno homecoming a few days before my birthday goal date (what an overachiever Luke is already turning out to be).

I'll be moving back to the hospital tomorrow morning and staying near Luke to test out a 24 hour breastfeeding-only cycle. Josh will continue to stay at Ronald McDonald House. Then hopefully from there its homeward bound to be together as a family with big brother Isaiah finally. Please pray that Luke keeps up the good work and that our transition home will be smooth. Everyone's prayers have been so productive, and we could definitely use them once we get home and try to parent without a team of doctors and nurses on standby. Although we still have some long term concerns with Luke and his development because of this whole experience, we definitely feel good about God getting us to this point. Since the doctors can't give us any clear answers about Luke's future at this point, we will just do our best to love for and pray for Luke everyday (pretty much all parenting in a nutshell). For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Thank You

2007-08-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

Friends and Family - Thank you so much for your continued prayers and kind messages. We just want you to know how much we enjoy reading your notes and thoughts posted on the blog. It really makes our day.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Time with Mama

2007-08-18T13:51:00.001-07:00

I got to come up to San Fran on Friday and am now staying with Josh at the Ronald McDonald House. We are spending the day at the hospitals and then heading over to the house to get some rest at night. I am so happy to be here with Luke and with Josh. Isaiah is having a blast at home in Fresno hanging out with my mom, spending tons of time with his cousins. It will be so great when we all get to be together as a family, but we are each hanging in there in the meantime. Again, it is so good to finally have mama and baby together. That is how it is meant to be. It just feels so right. I love this kid!

Feeding Progress

2007-08-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Now you see it.... Now you don't. Luke has been doing such a good job feeding through bottle and breast that they took out his feeding tube this morning. Praise the Lord. This is such an awesome step in his progress. At this rate, he may be out of here in a week. I've told Josh that all I want for my birthday (the 24th) is to bring home Luke. What a great present that would be.

Here are some of the latest and greatest pictures of our little darling Luke...

New Home

2007-08-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

So here are some pictures from my closet/room on the highest floor in UCSF Long Hospital. It's 6 feet by 8 feet with a window. Just outside my window are some other room windows and the 2nd one is Luke's. I am 10 seconds away from his bedside. Kind of nice, even though I will have to move into a room in a Ronald McDonald home about 15 minutes from the hospital. (I knew all those Big Mac's would pay off somehow). This will be a little different as once I leave the hospital, I won't be able to just peek in and say hi and spend some time when I want. It will have to begin and end in a one stretch. We will see how that goes, but what is nice, is that mom is coming and will be better off in the new room. I don't know if I will have internet there, so this could be the last post for a while. Luke also had his MRI done today and we will not get results for a couple of days. He also had his IV taken out, so now it's all about the feeding. I fed him after his MRI and he had his eyes open the whole time. They must have done something because he normally wants to sleep. Pretty cool though for dad. A full feed is 50 cc's and he has taken one or two full feeds through a bottle, but mostly he takes about half and then is fed the rest through his tube. He needs to start taking all of it through the bottle before he is ready to come home. Hope for this and keep thinking of us. I know HE hears you. GO LUKE!!!!!!

Today's Prayer Request

2007-08-16T09:29:00.001-07:00

Today's Specific Prayer Request

Please pray today for Luke's MRI. It is scheduled for 1pm. Specifically, we are praying that Luke stays still and calm on his own so that we don't have to have him sedated. Also, please pray for wisdom and insight for the doctors and technicicans that will be performing and reading the MRI. Finally, please pray that we will be able to get results communicated back to us before the weekend. Most of all, we are praying that the MRI comes back clear and normal.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

"Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks." Philippians 4:6

More Pic's From Mom's 1st Visit

2007-08-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

It truly doesn't get much better than this. Holding Luke for the first time really made time stand still and everything crazy going on around us just stop. I was full of joy to see how sweet and serene he looked, even in the midst of tubes and plugs. He was also such a pleasure to hold compared to the 25lb monster that we carry around at home. Just kidding. Isaiah is the cutest sweetest monster in the world. He got to meet his little brother for the first time yesterday and he definitely was curious. Isaiah has been such a trooper through all of the changes and chaos going on. God has definitely blessed him with a spirit of joy and tenderness. Having to be away from Luke has been bearable only with the comfort of having my other baby near me to make me laugh and smile all the time. I thank God for both these boys. What blessings.

One of the doctor's main goals with Luke right now is to get him eating well. He has already shown he is not afraid of any challenge, and is working hard to meet that goal. I got to actually feed him his first "mama's milk" feeding while I was there yesterday through the feeding tube. You can see in the picture where I am holding up the container that is draining straight into his stomach. He took the whole thing.

Thank you again to everyone for your continued prayers and support. Its a tough situation, but we are being blessed with patience and peace through everything. We are praying that Luke continues to eat well and gains some weight. Once he has completed his MRI (one of the last big test they still need to perform) and has demonstrated good eating and weight gain, we are hoping to bring him home. We are not sure what that timeframe may be, but trust that the timing is God's. This was a great visit, and I am counting down the minutes until I go back after my own follow up dr appt tomorrow to see my little darling (and my big darling) again.

Family Dining in SF

2007-08-14T21:03:00.001-07:00

I got to see the family and have a quick dinner down the street from the hospital. It was nice. A little mexican restaurant well known by the locals "L'Aventeria". I think. Isaiah and mom were good to see. It's been since Saturday and they left to go back to Fresno right after dinner. It might be some more days before I see them again, so these pictures are great for me. Thanks to all for thinking of us and praying for us. We are feeling very blessed by all the people sending us messages, emails, phone calls, etc. Hope to see you soon. GO LUKE!!!!!!

Mom's First Day with Luke

2007-08-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

This was special. Mom left Fresno with a little pain, but a big heart to come and see her second son. As you might imagine, "special". Nothing like seeing your wife hold your son like that. She basically held him until her body could do no more. She brought him some food (Cholesterin????). You know what I mean. He did take some food today. Hooray! It looked as if he started digesting it which is good news and I think they gave him 12 cc's. Hopefully tomorrow, I will be talking to the neurologist to piece together some things they are seeing and some timeframes for him. It looks like we might do an MRI on Thursday. As of now, we are just watching how he does with some food and checking in on him. He is still being given calcium, I believe, but that might be all he is getting through his IV. Isaiah got to see his brother as well, and there seems to be some resemblance. Luke opened his eyes and saw his mom too when she was holding him. He doesn't do that too much. God is good! GO LUKE!!!!

It's getting ready for chow time

2007-08-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, here he is breathing the same air as us. He has been doing that for a few hours today. That is pretty good. The nice looking tube in his nose is a new piercing he wanted to get for his mama. No, its a feeding tube and they put it there because they won't be pulling it out and putting it in, blah, blah, blah, medicine talk stuff reasons. But that means, he might be able to start taking in food, like milk or formula. That is a good sign. Here is some more updates: his heart rate is a little low for a baby, it's like an adults right now, but not in the worrysome category because his other numbers are ok. If the other numbers decline, then they will worry about the heart rate. The neurologist has done an EEG and an ultrasound on his brain and has not made any longterm assessments yet. Yes, there is evidence that the brain was not receiving oxygen and there could be or could not be effects from that. Some babies will recover fully from that they have said. They basically will just respond to Luke's behavior. They will monitor him and go from there. So right now, Luke is in the fighting mode or healing mode, so keep thinking of him. This picture is ok, because he is very cute in person. His little blonde peach fuzz hair and his daddy lips. Also, he is off of antibiotics and the something barnal? This is what stops what could have been siezures and makes him tired. Off of it could mean a good thing. Thanks everyone and hope to see you soon. GO LUKE!!!!!!!

Thoughts from Mom

2007-08-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Last week, I was searching through the Bible looking for the perfect verse to use for Luke. I just finished painting a picture of a cute little pirate boy looking out towards the ocean for Luke. Isaiah had his own verse and pictures, so I thought it would be great for Luke to have his. When I came across Joshua 1:9, I knew immediately this was Luke's verse. Little did I know how God would also use this verse to encourage me in the days to follow.

Most of you have heard that our little one Luke was born Saturday morning at 10:30 am. It was a whirlwind of a morning that ended in a surprise and emergency c-section. I was actually put out completely, and Luke was taken away before I had a chance to see him. They brought him by my room in his traveling incubator right before he left so I could see him and touch his little hand. It wasn't easy to see Luke leave me right after he was born and fly away to San Fran. My comfort was in knowing that he was not going alone. Although I couldn't go with him, I know the LORD our God is with him wherever he goes. It was also my saving grace that Josh was able to go to San Fran to be with Luke. His earthly and heavenly fathers both watching over him. What could give a mother more comfort?

Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts. They are keeping us strong and at peace. I am healing well, and looking forward to our family being together soon. I am still at Clovis Community Hospital. Isaiah is hanging out with grandmas and grandpas and cousins and getting spoiled with lots of love. Josh and Luke are in Pediatric ICU at UCSF. We are taking everything in stride as we continue to wait for tests and updates on Luke. The amazing thing about the Word of God is that you can truly cling to it with the little bit left that you have, and that truth will prevail.

Love in Christ,
Amy

Good Times

2007-08-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

I did this for about a half an hour. He is small, but doesn't seem to be too small. I watched his throat the entire half an hour to watch for breathing, and he did. A couple of times it looked as if he yawned and had a couple of little spastic reaction (kind of like a nightmare reaction), but other than that, he chilled with me.

Older Photo;

2007-08-12T14:51:00.001-07:00

This was before he had the tube removed for breathing. As you can see, his face is pretty covered up, but a cute hat on.

Sour Patch Kid

2007-08-12T14:48:00.001-07:00

He got a little grumpy being moved around a little, but as you can see it's a face only a mother could love; and daddy too :) Kind of funny look huh?

Looks like a basketball head!

2007-08-12T14:46:00.001-07:00

Perfectly shaped noggin. Must be a mommy thing. Isaiah is going to have some competition for symmetry.

Posing Luke

2007-08-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

There he is getting ready to go into daddy's arms. Does he seem relaxed or what?

Little tiger

2007-08-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here he is after his bath in some homemade attire. The nurse cleaned him up good, washed the hair (maybe some red), and cleaned his face up. He is just chillin right now.

Luke Tosland

2007-08-12T14:37:00.001-07:00

My first time holding him. And not breathing tube. We miss you MAMA! He is AWESOME. Perfectly shaped little head and will be putting more up in a sec.

Isaiah's Summer Treats

2007-07-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

Isaiah's Summer Treats

1. Chowing Down on Watermelon

2. Swimming with Dad and my cousins

3. Hanging out with Dad's basketball team

4. Road Trips with Buddies

5. Cooling off in the water fountain

6. Water basketball with Brady

7. Shopping with the girls (Meilani)

The Latest and Greatest in Summer Fun

2007-06-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Day at the Fresno Zoo (one of our favorite field trips). Josh and Isaiah feed Golly the giraffe. Isaiah love feeding the giraffes. Must be the nice skin exfoliation he gets from their nasty tongues as the rip the leaves out of his little hand. Can't get more fun than that.

This is a really nice summer look for Isaiah. No, he didn't just get slimed. He just finished a nice orange sherbet push up (one of his favorite summer treats). Best part is hosing him off afterward.

We spent last weekend up at Bass Lake with some friends. Hanging out in the water with about 10 layers of sun protective clothing and sunscreen. Oh the free and fancy days of summer with a overprotective mom.

You can't get much better than this. Josh and Isaiah love to spend a good chunk of the day wrestling around, chasing each other, tickle fighting, and all those other fun ways that guys show affection.

Isaiah's backyard paradise. We have been garage selling a lot lately and seem to always come back with a cool new $2 toy for him. We are running out of grass, but Isaiah doesn't seem to mind. What's the best way to cool off without a pool? Well, after the hose down from mom the next best thing is playing with your very own Nemo sprinkler.

So he may not be a big fan of mom's cooking (more of it ends up on the floor and him than in his mouth), but who can resist a kid with an adorable little grin like this? We eat dinner outside a lot since the weather has been so nice. Well, looks like its time for another hose down.

This Week's Highlights

2007-05-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

Best part of the week - playing on his new backyard slide ($2 find at a garage sale).

Cleaning with Dad - what a way to spend a Saturday morning.

T-ball with cousin Ethan - Isaiah seemed to enjoy the snacks more than the hilarious T-ball action. His time will come...

Waz up? - Isaiah hangs out by the dugout at Ethan's T-ball game.

Nice diaper job - Isaiah knows a bad diaper job and can undo a bad diaper job when he sees one.

Stingray Bay

2007-04-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

This week, Isaiah got to spend some time at the zoo in the new Stingray Bay exhibit. You get to actually reach in the pool and touch the rays. Very cool.

Rainy Day

2007-04-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Isaiah loves playing outside so much. Last week when it rained all day, he sat in front of the window and just gazed sadly into the wet yard wishing away the rain. It was the cutest thing. It must of worked because the sun came out the next day.

Arena Football Night

2007-04-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to our first ever Arena Football game, the Central Valley Coyotes. We went as chaperones for the Fresno Christian Sadie Hawkins Event. We had a great time. Isaiah got to get close and personal with the players near the field with Dad.

Spring Break Party Time

2007-04-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2007

Although Isaiah didn't spend the week in Cancun at the MTV beach house, the kid still found a way to make the most out of every moment of his Spring Break. From car rides to Disneyland to San Diego to Easter Egg Hunts, the wild little man sure knows how to live it up.

Can't start a road trip without shining up the wheels. Isaiah helps Dad wash the car, but ends up washing more of himself...

For a Trout/Tosland boy, there is not better road food that a nice juicy In'N'Out burger.

Bored to death during the long car ride, Isaiah finds ways to amuse himself (and his parents) by experimenting with new ways to use a pacifier.

Isaiah and Dad enjoy a ride on a Bug's Life catepillar ride. Isaiah really enjoyed all of the kid rides at Disneyland this time. He is just at the perfect age. He also enjoyed Disneyland junk food as evidenced by the chocolate chip cookie remnants on his face.

In San Diego, Isaiah takes some down time to play his cousin Ethan in a game of Dance Dance Revolution. These kids can get down.

Isaiah loved hanging out and chillin in his nana's new hammock swing.

Isaiah rocked his first official Easter egg hunt. He is an expert egg locator. This green egg was carefully and skillfully camoflauged in this planter. What a genius.

Isaiah shows off his Easter egg goods.

Another great Spring Break adventure - Isaiah climbs his first tree (with a little bit of help from Dad).

More time in the car. When will it ever end?

On Easter, Isaiah and Dad looked spiffy in matching Aloha shirts that someone forced them to wear (won't mention any names). After church, they hung out and played some Wii together. Aren't they the two cutest guys in the whole world? Heck yes!

Like Father Like Son

2007-04-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

This week Josh and Isaiah both had a little too much fun, ending up with nice little head injuries. Isaiah crashed into a street light the other afternoon as we were taking a walk around the block. Josh crashed into an elbow as he was getting ready to dunk on someone the other night. Fortunately, only Josh had to have stiches. Isaiah just ended up with that nice airbag on his head. Look at these tough boys. Like Father Like Son.

Snack Attack

2007-02-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

You know something is wrong when you hear 30 straight seconds of silence from a 1 year old. Isaiah got a little hungry, and mom forgot to close the pantry door. Not a good combo. Veggie Booty of all things. The kid could live off of it. At least it wasn't the bag of cheetos. Then he would really be in trouble. What a fun mess to clean up. All you can really do is grab the camera and laugh.

Seriously, how can you even get mad at a kid who walks around looking like this five minutes later?

The Fresno Zoo

2007-02-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

For his birthday, Isaiah got the great present of an annual zoo pass from his Auntie Tiff, Uncle Doug, and cousins. We have had such nice weather lately, that we got to already start using it. Isaiah had a great time, especially in the petting zoo. He seems to be more interested in the animals hay than in the animals themselves. This will definitely become a new hang out place for us.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2007-01-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

Today, Josh turned the big 33. What an old man. We just sat around and watched football all day (Josh's ideal day). Isaiah enjoyed the day because his Grammy brought him his very first clown ice cream cone to celebrate Dad's birthday.

Josh and Isaiah... the two cutest boys in the world (no bias here)!

Isaiah and the Ladies

2007-01-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

Isaiah the Ladies Man enjoys an afternoon hanging out with Julia and her friend Morgan. This was right after he got to watch his cousin Mason win an exciting wrestling match at school. We would have had pictures of the wrestling match, but it was so excited neither one of us even thought about a camera until it was over, Mason kicked buttee, and the ref was holding Mason's arm up as the winner. I wanted to yell "freeze" at the ref so I could capture the pic, but it just didn't happen. We'll get it next time.

Adventures of Isaiah and Brady

2007-01-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

Trout Fishing

2007-01-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

Isaiah's New Fort

2007-01-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

One of the coolest presents Isaiah got for Christmas came from Tiff, Doug and the kids. Its this really huge tent/fort thing that comes with 2 crawl tunnels, a tent, and a tepee. Its a really beautiful addition to our family room. Isaiah has been having a blast with it.

"You want me to crawl through THAT?"

"Hurry, hide in the tent, a bear is coming. Oh that's just Dad."

"Don't you just hate that wake up in the wilderness with bad hair kind of day?"

Poker Night

2007-01-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

POKER
TIME!

Isaiah joined the party for our "Gap" girls poker night. He just walked around trying to steal our chips all night. We actually made it to the poker table this night (usually we just talk and eat in the kitchen). The house cleaned up the place after a little end of the night acey duecy. The best part of the evening was the return of one of our original Gap girls, Olivia (in the black). She is two weeks away from being a first time mama (eventhough you can't tell because she is still totally skinny). We kinda have a trend of having boys in our group, so we are looking forward to Olivia bringing a cute little future poker playing star girl into our group.

Christmas Light Cruise

2006-12-28T21:55:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Night, we took Isaiah out cruising to look at Christmas lights. He loved it! There are some really great neighborhoods that really get into the Christmas spirit. It was a great new tradition.

Basketball Birthday Bash

2006-12-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

Isaiah spent the night of his 1st birthday proudly watching his dad coach (and win) a great basketball game. The birthday boy definitely enjoyed all the attention he got.

Isaiah and Coach Andrea...

Isaiah cheering on the Eagles from the side court...

GO EAGLES!

Salon Tosland

2006-12-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Isaiah got his first haircut on his 1st birthday by his own personal stylist. We did just a trim, and he was very well behaved. He still has both his ears.

"Mom... I am not sure about this do..."

Its Party Time

2006-12-23T22:45:00.000-08:00

We got to celebrate Isaiah's first birthday tonight with our family. It was a great evening of food, gifts, cupcakes, and smiles. Isaiah got some great gifts (as you can see below) and truly enjoyed his first real "sweet." He chowed down a whole cupcake with no problem. Looks like he has his mom's sweet tooth (I blame heredity). He had some birthday experts on hand to show him how to open presents (his cousins). He got some good practice for Christmas. By the end of the night, Isaiah was on cloud 9 smiling and loving every moment of his party. What an animal. We'll see how he does tonight with all that sugar pumping through his veins.

What an awesome kid! This year has been so great. What a blessing Isaiah has been to us. There have been some tough times, some sleepless times, some messy times, but each day has ended with us realizing how much better our life is now that Isaiah is a part of it.

Happy 1st Birthday Kid! And many more...

Isaiah's First Year

2006-12-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

THE BIG DAY IS HERE!

2006-12-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday to our litle man Isaiah Quinn Tosland. At 7:08 tonight, Isaiah will have completed the momentous first year of life, and we will have officially survived and enjoyed the first year of parenting. What a blast it has been.

We have a great day planned for Isaiah. His favorite blueberry muffins for breakfast, his first hair cut (by the ever so famous celebrity hairstylist his mom), luxiorious bathing and styling at the Tosland Day Spa, power napping (taking place right now), basketball games (dad is directing a tournament this week and coaching his team in it), and I'm sure we'll fit in some goodies and presents in there somewhere. We gave him his first present this morning. His own cell phone (seen in his hand in the picture above from this morning). We decided to be the most obnoxious parents ever and break the record for youngest kid with a cell phone. Watch out little Barron Trump. Actually, its our old cell phone that we found yesterday and thought he would like. Lets see how long it takes for him to figure out there's no service plan agreement.

Happy 1st Birthday to the best baby in the world (there's no bias on this one folks, the kid is awesome)!

"I've been a good boy."

2006-12-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread Weekend

2006-12-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

Isaiah got to hang out with his cuz Jules this weekend and make his first ever gingerbread house. What a beauty.

The highlight of his day was when his Auntie came to pick up Jules. He always has a hug and a smile for Auntie.

Nudey Beauty

2006-12-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

Bathtime Fun

2006-12-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Splish Splash I was takin' a bath, and lovin' every moment. Isaiah is bustin' out of his ducky tub and ready to move on to bigger and better waters (the real tub). Wow.

Lots of Leaves

2006-12-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

Wild winds blew almost all of our leaves off the trees this weekend, giving Isaiah a whole new backyard for play. He really enjoyed stepping on the leaves and crunching them in his hands. We went from Fall to Winter in one day as all the trees in town were blown empty. As we were driving around town, the leaves were flying all over the place making our car seem like it was going into hyperspace. We had lots of fun with the crazy weather and beautiful, colorful leaves this weekend.

Crash and Burn

2006-12-09T10:20:00.000-08:00

Isaiah seems to think that since he has been walking for a month, he should be able to start running. Running right into things to be exact. Yesterday, Isaiah crashed into a rubbermaid container full of Christmas lights. He landed right on his mouth. You can see him showing off his sexy big lip in this picture. "Adrian, Adrian..."

Isaiah's Latest Glam Shots 2

2006-12-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Still working his way towards a dynamic career in male modeling...

2006-12-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2006 -

Escondido (Papa and Ma's Casa)
Hanging out with the cousins - one of Isaiah's favorite past times. The kids like to wake up early in the morning and find the only morning person in our family (Ma, not me shocker). They sit on the counter and drink hot cocoa. Isaiah is just about ready to join in the hot cocoa tradition, but instead gulps down some cherrios and a smoothie (his favorite morning treat).

Isaiah and Ethan cruise the house in their PJs looking for some trouble. Isaiah will follow Ethan almost anywhere he goes. Ethan fell off a chair during the vacation and broke his elbow, but Isaiah didn't get to follow him late at night to urgent care. Ethan has a cute blue cast on his arm for a few weeks, but doesn't let that stop him from continuing to have adventures with his cuz.

Thanksgiving Olypmics 2006

Isaiah wins a silver medal for the Tosland Team (The Nation of Land of Toz) during the ping pong drop event. We trained him well.

Team Tosland - The Peoples Republic of the Land of Toz
Each family made their own flag representing their country. Our motto...
"There's no place like... 1st place"

The Olympic particpants and delegates. We had a blast playing ultimate frisbee, putting and driving golf (Josh scored an amazing hole in one during the driving contest), basketball, ping pong drop, M&M wars, and horseshoes. The Land of Toz walked away with 3 gold medals. Yeah Baby!

New Thanksgiving Tradition

We ended our vacation on a high (and fast) note by visiting this indoor racing place where we got to race each other with these mini racecars (going up to 40MPH). It was a blast. I'd like to say I came in first, but I didn't. I was too busy waving to Isaiah at the starting line every time I drove by (yeah, yeah, excuses).

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are so thankful for our amazing family. Mom, Dad, Doug, Tiffany, Mason, Julia, Ethan, Nick, Midi, and Tim. We love you!

Disneyland - Basketball Team

2006-12-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

The Fresno Christian Girls Basketball Team and Coaching staff spent the weekend before Thanksgiving down in Anaheim for a little team bonding, Disney style. Yes, we were one of those really cool groups that had all matching shirts and sweatshirts. We had a great time!

Halloween Party Time

2006-10-30T15:16:00.000-08:00

Trick or Treat!

Isaiah had his first Halloween party this weekend. It was a blast. We decorated pumpkins, frosted cookies, scarfed down chili boats, pounded on a pinata, and inhaled as much candy as possible. What a night. We are definitely going to have to make this one a Tosland Family tradition. Here are some pics from the party...

Arrggghhhhh! Yar in me way! Eventhough Captain Isaiah was feeling under the weather all weekend (he's fighting a cold), he still made an adorable, I mean, ferocious pirate baby. I think the snot drizzling from the nose only added to the spirit of the costume.

Jordan, Isaiah, Benjamin, and Lucas hang out in Isaiah's pirate grotto.

Everyone loved the delicious sugar cookies (baked from scratch by Tiffany), as well as the mobs of frosting and candy decor loaded on top.

Dorina and Meilani (cutest flower and butterfly mom and daugther costumes ever) decorate cookies with Krizia. Meilani was much more interested in eating the plate than the cookie. What a doll!

Its not a true party unless you have a mummy pinata (a powerranger wrapped strategically by Josh in toilet paper) to pound on. Benjamin sends the mummy flying across the yard with a huge swing.

The cutest little good witch in the west. Julia brews up some cute cookies to munch on during the party.

Isaiah and Mom

2006-10-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

Finally got the Mommy and Me pictures done...
Isaiah is almost 10 months old already. Wow! This kid has my heart in his hands big time. What a doll.

Isaiah's First Horserace

2006-10-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Go Horsie Go!

Isaiah watches intensly during the showing of the horses before the race. He wants to be sure to carefully select which horse he wants Dad to put 5 bucks on.

Isaiah definitely gets into the competitive spirit of the race. If he could talk, I think he would be screaming "move your bloomin' arse."

The dramatization continues as Isaiah's horse of choices places and scores us an extra couple of bucks. What a great day at the Big Fresno Fair and at Isaiah's first horserace.