Jess Joins the Family!!!!

The last picture of my pregnancy. This was just 5 days before birth!
On July 7th at 12:00pm Jake and I dropped off Jack at my mom's house and headed for our 38.5 week appt. It was just like any other appointment....the weight, the blood pressure, etc. Except this time Dr. Davis said, "Well, you're 38 weeks. Do you want to see if there's an OR open for today?" Of course Jake and I were overjoyed at the possibility that it could really be that day when Jess would be here, and five minutes later our nurse Jen came in and said, "Yep. We got it. 6:00 tonight. Don't eat anything!"

We met my whole family and Jake's mom at Papa Joes for lunch and surprised them with the news that Jess would be here in only 5 hours. This was very exciting for everyone since we had just been through the delivery process with Juli just 5 days earlier when little Bethani was born. After that we went home and packed our last minute items into our hospital bag and made preparations to be gone for a few days. At 4:00pm we checked into labor and delivery, and to our surprise- my contractions were Very strong on the monitor and coming every 2 minutes apart. I was in Labor anyway! :)

Jess was delivered by C-section at 6:36 pm on July 7th 2009 and he weighed 6 lbs 12 oz. The surgery went even better then I could've dreamed, and our second little boy was finally here. Jake and I both agreed he looked like a little old man with his wrinkled face, but we fell in love with him instantly! I was in OR recovery for a few hours due to low body temperature, but then we were admitted into my room and spent the next 3 days getting to know our Jess Melvin Claus.
We have had lots of family support which was such a blessing, and the last 4 weeks have just flown by! We LOVE our little family of four, and we're enjoying every day we have together.

Jack's 2nd Birthday!

Well, it has happened so fast! Jack is already 2 years old, and it seems like the last year has gone by even faster than the first. We had to have a fire engine party again, since that's Jack's obsession because daddy is now a real firefighter! We enjoyed making a new fire engine cake in bright yellow (for Eagle Fire, who Jake works for).

On his birthday we went to Boise Fire Station #5 and Jack got to meet Boise firefighters and see all of their equipment at the station. He even got to sit in the huge truck up in the driver's seat! We got to watch as they got called out to a fire and Jack loved hearing the real siren! What a cool experience for a 2 year old! Thanks Boise Fire!


Jack got lots of Fire engine toys which he plays with every day and also some great outfits and books. He really loves reading- and isn't too picky about which books they are, although he recently has started really like the Berenstein Bear books. He also loves cars, and he likes to line up his collection of cars wherever he plays. We love our little boy so much, and we find ourselves in awe at what he learns every day. He is talking so much now, and repeating everything he hears.

The Waiting Game

Taken at 37 weeks pregnant!


Well, We've made it to the 9 month mark, and now we're just waking up every day wondering if that will be the day that Baby Jess will join our family. We had to make 2 trips to the hospital at 32 and 34 weeks to stop preterm labor....and now we've got the green light to give birth! Jack has been extra cute these past couple weeks, making it hard to imagine loving another little boy......but I know we will as soon as we meet him! Not only are we waiting for our little boy to arrive, but also Juli and Andrew's little girl Beth. We are both due in the next couple weeks, so we'll see who gets here first! We can't wait to meet both of those sweet spirits!

Our little man Jack

Jack is constantly leaving Jake and I speechless with his growing intelligence and personality! He has very definite ideas about what he likes and doesn't like, and has become very vocal about every little thing. He loves to announce the names of anyone who comes over, and to point out the cars that he sees that resemble those of our family members (ex: Juli's car, or Grandpa's Car). His new favorite game is Hiding, and he loves to have daddy chase him around the kitchen island. Jack loves to read (anything) and sometimes if he gets up early, we'll find him sitting in his room reading a book all by himself. He's very good about telling me when he needs a diaper change, or when he wants a refill on his juice. He's also the best little reminder when it comes to praying as a family or reading scriptures. He loves his scripture books, and he's memorized several primary songs that we sing before bed. Just like daddy, he insists on having his hair cut every few weeks, and loves to have it done! Sometimes the things that he's capable of shock us because he still looks so small at only 20 lbs, but Great things come in small packages! We love our little boy, and he will be a fantastic big brother!

In Celebration of Mother's Day...

Since, I have them, I decided to post these few pictures of my growing belly. The first two pictures are when I was 5 months along (taken the beginning of March).








This picture is when I was 6 months along. It was taken the beginning of April. At this point I was definitely into my maternity clothes....and starting to actually feel pregnant!









This picture was taken last week (the beginning of May) and it's my 7 month belly. I am currently on my 31st week, and I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by. Jake and I are very excited to meet our second little boy, and hopefully He and Jack will be great friends! Only 2 more months to go!

A Baby BOY for the Big Brother!

On February 23rd, Our family was elated to find out that we are having a Baby Boy!
We had no inclinations of what the baby was when we went in....but right before we found out Jack said he was going to have a "brover". Jake is really happy to know he'll have at least two boys to take on annual camping trips for their birthdays, since all three of their birthdays will be within a couple weeks if not closer. We are most happy that Jack will have a little brother to play with, even though we know that it would've been just as sweet to see him with a little sister. As for me....I LOVE having boys....and I think it's nice to be the only girl right now.


Because of some simple medical findings during the ultrasound, we are expecting this baby boy to arrive early by cesearean delivery, just as Jack did. June babies are our favorite anyway! This pregnancy seems to be going by faster than the first, and we can't believe that in 4 months we'll be a family of 4!

On Monday night after we found out, we went out to dinner with Juli and Andrew who also found out the sex of their baby an hour after we did. Together, Juli and I told my parents what kind of grandchildren to expect. They were excited to find out that they'll be getting one of each. Juli is expecting a Baby Girl that will be born within days of our Baby Boy. Juli and Andrew are very excited to be expecting a girl, especially since girls are very outnumbered amoung Bassett great grandchildren. I have always thought that Jake and I would have boys and Juli and Andrew would have girls. We'll see if my theory stays true for the rest of our children! As for this round, Jack will love having a Baby Boy and a Baby girl to play with!

Another Baby on the Way!

Jake and I were so excited to find out that we are having another baby! I am almost through my first trimester, and I'm ready for all of the "morning" sickness to go away! Both of my boys have been real troopers about taking care of me, and themselves for the past 2 months while I have been too nauseated to do just about anything. Jake has bought me numerous pizzas whenever I feel like I can eat something, and Jack has been kind enough to let me nap with him in the afternoons. At only 18 months, Jack doesn't quite understand that Mommy is going to have a baby, but right now "baby" is his favorite word, and he has discovered that he likes baby dolls (despite Jake's attempts to replace them with more boyish toys). This pregnancy already seems very different from my first, and we can't wait to see what little personality is going to join our family. This baby shares the exact same due date as Jack, and even though the pregnancy wasn't planned....it looks like our two children will be a perfect two years apart.

What made things even more exciting was that when we told me parents at Thanksgiving dinner, my little sister Juli and her husband Andrew also made the same announcement! Juli and I are both due the second week in July, and we couldn't be more excited to be having babies at the same time. My parents were shocked that within 6 months they are going to have triple the amount of grandchildren, and they just asked that Juli and I try not to have them on the same day! :) We will both get the big PINK or BLUE news in February, and all of us are just hoping for healthy babies, whether boy or girl.

Family Portraits

Photographers seldom get nice family portraits. What happens is that we take every perfect weekend and schedule clients, and then we end up with whatever is left. This year we took our annual Bassett family pictures in the middle of a two hour rain storm. Oh, well. Thank goodness for processing and editing! :)

Jack is growing up so fast. He turned 16 months at the end of October, and to me he's still my baby. He's saying Mama and Daddy and Hi. He loves climbing everything, and I often find him sitting on the window sill 4 feet off the ground in his room looking out the window. He thinks he's a very big boy, and doesn't let his small size determine what he tries to do. He has grown to be such a sweet boy who always gives kisses when asked. We can't imagine life without him!

My Favorite Boys

Jake and Jack. The funny thing about both of them is that I thought I knew them when I met them....but they continue to surprise me daily.

Jake has been able to take some time off and spend his days at home with Jack and I for this last month, and it has been really fun! He has been so great to get up with Jack during the night and also let me sleep in every morning. I am going to be a very tired mommy when he goes back to work!

Jack is learning new things every day. He says Da-da and Ma-ma and Baby and bum bum. He really studies our mouths when we talk, and he tries to copy the things that we say. He loves to go outside, and whenever he hears the front door open or close he heads straight for it and begs whoever is near to let him out. He has discovered how much fun it is to sit in the dirt and throw rocks with Cyrus. Actually he enjoys getting into all sorts of trouble. Reminds me of someone else I know. Boys will be boys forever I guess.

Don't Tell My Dad....

WE WERE RESCUING KITTENS

So even though I was taught that cats are evil and only exist for target practice....Jake and I rescued two kittens that were in his parent's back yard on Sunday. They were sooooooooo cute, and even though I wouldn't want to really have a cat....for some reason kittens melt my heart. Jack even learned how to "pet the kitty nice". Jake had his favorite, who he named Brenda....and I had my favorite who I never named (so I wouldn't get attached). It was fun to have them for 24 hours before we took them to the Humane Society so that someone who really does want to have a cat can adopt them.

Working at Home

When we moved, I was so happy to
learn that in the new house we
would also have room for my
office and a studio for my
photography business as well.
http://alloutdoor.smugmug.com

I have LOVED working at home, and
I feel really blessed to be able to do so.
Jack likes to be in my office
as much as I do!

I have been pretty busy with summer weddings as the season came to an end, but I still find lots of joy in what I do. Boise is such a great place for photography because there's just so much variety in outdoor settings for all 4 seasons.

Now it's time for the fall Weddings, Senior Pictures, & Family Portraits!

Just to keep things interesting.....

Well, we thought we would be settled for a while when we moved into the Case house, but that would just be too boring I guess! 2 months after that, we all moved into a new house together that's just ten minutes away from the old house. The only problem was that the lot in from of the new house was completely covered in weeds that were about 5 feet tall! It has taken quite a lot of work from the boys to get those down to where we finally just have dirt! We love our new big house now, and everyone is enjoying have their own space! Our new address is 4581 W. Niemann Ct. Meridian ID 83646

Erin, Lex, Jake and I and the boys are still having tons of fun together. Jack and Cyrus have really started to play together, and Jack just wants to do everything Cyrus does. It's really neat to see Jack reacting with Cyrus as if he were Jacks older brother, because if it weren't for living with Cyrus, Jack wouldn't have been able to experience that.
Jake is still waiting to hear back from the Boise Fire Dept. to find out whether they are going to hire him for the academy starting this november. We're very anxious to find out! Jake's being more calm about it than I am, and he's constantly reminding me that it will all happen in due time. I still wait for the mail every day and hope to see a letter. He's done very well with his summer job of selling pest control here in Boise for GemTek, but he'll be happy to have a change when that is over with in 3 weeks. A couple weeks ago he finally got to have Lasik on his eyes. He's been waiting to get rid of his glasses for a couple years now, and that's what he decided to do with his summer bonus. It was a bonus for me too, because now I can see his beautiful blue eyes!

Happy Father's Day Babe!

Jake has applied for the Boise Fire Dept. so I thought it's be cute if I made him a Fire Fighter Father's Day card. We had a great day!

P.S. Sorry to all those looking at my blog- These posts are out of Order!

Jack's First Birthday!

We celebrated Jack's 1st birthday and Jake's 28th Birthday at the same time this year. Their birthdays are only a week apart, so We decided to have a big Fire Engine themed party and Jack even got his own little fire engine cake to eat! And then a week later Jake's mom threw the boys another party, so we all got double cake! Yay!

Living Happily in a Nut CASE!

Well, I think we can officially be classified as Nomads. We never stay in any place very long! A few weeks ago we moved in with Erin, Lex, & Cyrus Case. Since Erin and I grew up together, practically living at each other's houses- this seemed like a splendidly fun idea for our two families. Jack is having fun following Cyrus around and learning tons of new things from him. Cyrus is a great buddy, and I think for the most part he likes having another little person around! Of course Jake and I are having a blast! Jake is doing very well with his job selling pest control here in the Boise valley this summer. I am keeping busy with photography, and loving it! Jack is growing up even faster now that he's around Cyrus. He'll be 1 in about 6 weeks, and we can't believe it! He's standing up to everything and can scramble up the stairs quicker than I can! Jake and I feel so blessed to have been able to take advantage of the opportunities that have come our way, and we couldn't have if we didn't have such wonderful friends and family that have been a huge help to us!
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So Much Has Happened!!!

I've heard people say, "We plan, God laughs." Now I can tell you from personal experience that it is, in fact, true. In the beginning of February, Jake had a full-Time job where he was the manager of a warehouse, and was also enrolled in BSU for the spring semester, We had an apartment that we loved, I was in the Primary Presidency in the ward....but we had no real direction in our life as far as our bigger plans, and Jake's goal to be a Boise City Firefighter. So by the middle of February Jake dropped is classes at BSU, quit his job, and took on a full time EMT course with the Fire Department, signed on for another summer of working in California (which we thought we'd never do), we moved in with his parents....(Which we really thought we'd never do), and left the ward that I've been a member of for 23 years!!! Change, Change, Change.....I've heard it's a good thing...and I guess I'm finally figuring that out for myself. We realize that we have been so blessed by the timing of the opportunities that we were presented with, and we thank our heavenly Father every day for helping us recognize what we needed to do. Now it seems as though our plans have a more concrete foundation, and we are very happy with our current circumstances.


We have done a few fun things recently...I guess we're all embracing change. Jake cut and dyed my hair, and I LOVE it! It was a late night split second decision (like most decisions I make), and It turned out well. It was a fun way for me to completely trust Jake....and hope that It didn't look like a complete disaster.


Jack has made a lot of big steps in his life too. He's crawling and pulling himself up to everything. He waves occasionally, and has mastered going up the stairs all by himself to see grandma at the top. He also has two new teeth on the bottom...and he's trying to eat everything he can get his hands on...except his beef and veggie baby food....which we can't get him to eat. His new favorite phrase is Da-da-da-da-da.....it's a happy time for Daddy!

Claus' go Cruising!

Jake and I got to do something we've both always wanted to do- and that was go on a cruise! I had never been to the ocean before! Our friends Danny & Erin surprised us with this 5 day trip to Baja, Mexico last October, and we had been looking forward to it ever since. We were able to leave Jack with his grandparents for the week, and left on January 6th 2008 for San Diego and were on our first cruise ship two days later. We were constantly in awe of all of the different things to do, and the insane amount of food we were expected to eat! We had a formal night where we all got to dress up and attend cocktail parties, have portraits taken, Dance, and continue to our 5 star dining experience.

The Food was our favorite part. Every night came with new menus, and endless plates of dinners and desserts to try. Jake tried several new things including Escargot and Lobster...and I tried the patience of our servers! They were so awesome with me and my picky eating habits. They prepared everything exactly as I asked- and I was in heaven!!

We docked in two different locations in Mexico. The first was Cabo San Lucas, where we Parasailed and Snorkeled. The boys also went Cliff Jumping, which was the highlight of the trip for them! Then we also docked in Ensenada, where we bargained at all of the local street vendors for souveniers. Jake found what he had been dreaming about for months- Mexican wrestling masks, and he bought several! This is also where I ate my first real taco......which I have to admit was delicious.

The last couple days at sea where highlighted by Air Guitar Contests- Which Jake took 1st in, nightly shows, hot tubbing on deck, eating of course, taking pictures, and just trying to take advantage of every moment that we weren't attending to a baby, or working, or in class. All in all the cruise was amazing, and we would love to make it a tradition to go every year....but we'll see if that ever happens! Oh- and Jake also ran into his brother Jesse's Stunt double! We couldn't believe how much he looked exactly like him!

Christmas in the Claus House

Finally! It's almost the end of January, and I'm getting my Christmas post up! We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It was our first Christmas with Jack, and we had lots of fun pretending like he was actually excited about presents. We had a great time waking up at our apartment with our friends that live across the street. We all opened presents together and then spent the rest of our day with families here in Boise. Jake and I have been really blessed to be surrounded by our siblings and parents for as long as we have. Things won't be the same when we all go our separate ways!

Jack got lots of fun presents from everyone...but I think he enjoyed the wrapping paper and ribbons the most! He got to have lots of new experiences that day, including eating Smoky Davis Jerky (a family tradition at Christmas time). It was especially fun to let himtry waffles and syrup for the first time.

Jack is growing up too fast...

Jack is doing so many new things now. He'll be 6 months old right after Christmas, and it's going by way too fast! He started sitting over the weekend- which Jake and I are very excited about. We are so worried that he's going to do too many new things during the week that he is staying with Grandma while we go on a cruise.

Well, It's finals week, and Jake just has one more left to do now. Then I think he'll be much less stressed for a little while at least. It will give him some time to concentrate on some other ideas that he wants to pursue.

Last weekend after we got home from our ward Christmas party, I was reorganizing the closet and came across my wedding dress. It was 2:00am, and for some reason I felt the urge to put it on. We are always doing weird things in the middle of the night! It was fun to get into it after 18 months. I never thought it would fit again after having a baby- but babies are the best workouts!

The last few months in a nutshell....

Jack is just growing up so fast! We are amazed by him every day. He is babbling now, and really recognizes people that he knows. Everything is going into his mouth, unless it's baby cereal, which he absolutely detests! He's grabbing for everything, and busy trying to roll over and sit up. We have two favorite sounds right now; when he's laughing, and when he's sleeping. We have found that life really begins when you have children!

Our first trip as a family was conference weekend in October. We all traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah for Jake's Mission Reunion. He really enjoyed seeing all of his buddies from Singapore and the surrounding areas. One family that was baptized on his mission was actually there at the reunion, and I got to meet them.


We had a great Thanksgiving with both of our families. Watching football, Movies, and of course eating tons of Junk was on the agenda for the weekend. Gravy was Jack's favorite, and about the only thing he was able to eat at barely 5 months old!

We are both very excited for the semester to come to a close. Having Jake work full-time and go to school full time has been quite a challenge, but I know that we'll look back on this as the best time of our lives- or at least the time where we learned the most!

I can't believe it's almost Christmas, and a New Year is around the corner. We have had such an eventful year, and it's always mind boggling to try to think of what will be coming next in our lives.