Christmas Catch Up In March

So for the past couple of months I've been bothered by the fact that I don't post anymore, and I really would like to keep up on my blog a little better this year.
We've had a lot going on so far, but we'll start with covering Christmas.

Christmas was suppose to turn out differently for us. We were suppose to spend Christmas Eve dinner with Amy's family, then spend the night at Kraig and Karen's and then spend Christmas night with Tyler and Gina. But none of that happened.

Christmas Eve morning the boys woke up puking and feverish and horribly lethargically ill. They laid around all day and did nothing. They didn't even talk, and that's when I know it's serious.

By Christmas Eve evening they started to perk up, feel better, open up Christmas PJ's, and we started to make plans to go up to the valley on Christmas day.

After the fun pajama posing, sorry for the red eye, we tucked them all into bed for the night.

And that's when Tom and I started our long night of suffering, taking turns in the bathroom until four in the morning, nonstop. The bug hit us hard.

Bouncing children at seven in the morning was more than I could bare. I managed pictures Christmas morning, but I was still suffering, Tom was recovering much more quickly than me.

Santa left presents!

The older boys got their helicopters that they've been dying for. They were a huge hit and are still alive and working today.

Caleb couldn't get over one toy to move on to all the rest. Very focused.

Talin and his long awaited scooter.

Tom & Monet.

Collin is always super enthused.

Caleb and his planes.

Talin's dream of mass amounts of Legos.

And Collins.

Monet.

Tom with his creepy photo bomb.

Besides all the puking in our home it was a great Christmas.

The End.

More tomorrow.

Tatum

I know we all feel this way about our children, but for the past couple of months I’ve been overwhelmingly surprised by how intense my emotions really are when it comes to this little girl in our home.

When I found out I was pregnant I was panicked and distraught. Very distraught. I couldn’t imagine another person in my life, I felt stretched too thin, like I couldn’t take care of all the needs in my little world already.

Then we found out we were expecting a little girl. I wasn’t surprised, but panic levels escalated a little. The pregnancy was harrowing to say the least. I was immobile, impossibly plump, too stubborn and too poor to buy clothing to fit my expanding body. I think I wore two pairs of pants the entire pregnancy, and on the third day they would finally be perfectly comfortable, but then hygiene would insist I wash them and they’d shrink up again. I hated that cycle.

Anyway. Her birth was miraculous. Quick, intense, shocking. I squeezed my eyes shut the entire time and missed it. The whole thing was endurance for me. The quickest, longest 20 minutes of my entire life. But then she was there, being laid on top of me, round swollen face, swollen eyes, button mouth, and slippery. I looked at her and I wanted her off me.

How horrid is that? My first reaction to my daughter was not the instant bonding I felt with my sons. I didn’t look at her and feel like I knew her. She was a stranger, and an unhappy one at that. And I was tired.

And that’s how the first three months were. Was it post partum? I had never experienced anything like that. I loved her, more than I can say. I loved her soft squishy head, her eyes too big for her face, but I felt like she belonged to someone else and I was just borrowing her, and for heaven’s sake when was this babysitting jig up?

Over the past few months something has changed. She has completely become mine. I’m seeing her, and she is beyond fantastic. I want to hold her and squeeze her and look at her all the time. This is how it’s supposed to be, and whatever that horrible fog was, I’m glad it’s over. This is the mom I’m supposed to be, and this is the girl I’m suppose to have, and the sister my boys belong to. She has rounded us out more perfectly than I could have imagined. And all the worries and stress are gone, because it’s not about how I can do this with her, but how I can’t imagine doing it without her.

Eight IS Great!!

I love this boy.
I love those baby blue eyes.
I love his dimpled smile.
Collin is the bringer of fun, silliness and joking in our family.

November 22nd he turned eight.

New scriptures were in order for this momentous occasion. (Talin has major scripture envy!)
The last thing we need, more Lego's, from Talin and Caleb.
On his actual birthday we were in Mesa preparing for Thanksgiving. But what better way to celebrate than hanging out with cousins and eating eggnog pancakes for breakfast and eggnog bundt cake for dessert?
His life long nemesis ruining the moment once again. These two have a dramatic love/hate relationship.

*
**
***

Collin chose to be baptized.

His baptism was the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I love this picture.

My camera had been touched by greasy fingers on the lens, so all the baptism pictures have a blurry effect. Not thrilled about that. But it does make Collin look like he's glowing!

Collin and his dad. Or I should say, Tom and his Mini-Me.

The Family.

Little Miss was sleeping and missed out on the picture fun.

After the baptism all the family headed to our house for lunch and cake.

(Wesley, Noah & Collin)

I'm so proud of Collin and his choices. I can't believe how quickly my little boys are turning into little men and taking these momentous steps in their lives. Baptism, Cub Scouts and before I know it he'll be twelve and getting the priesthood and then serving a mission. I see it all coming at us very quickly. And I'm so grateful to have the Gospel in our lives to raise good, kind, hard working children.
Earlier this week Collin was riding to school and got hit by a car while on his bike. He was definitely being watched out for and walked away with no more than a cut/bruised up chin and a sore knee. But it made me stop and appreciate him and hold him and squeeze him and thank Heavenly Father for this little boy in my life.

4 Months

I am backed up on blogging, but we've been busy, between a milestone birthday, Thanksgiving, and a baptism. And now we're slowing down just in time to get geared up for another birthday and Christmas.

And during all this our little girl has been growing like a weed! Or a beautiful flower.

Here are the stats:

Height: 25 1/4 75%

Weight: 14 pounds 12 ounces 75%

Head: 41 1/4 cm. 70%

She is so happy and can make anyone around her smile. She will catch your eye from across the room and burst into giggles. She really is a doll, I love having her as a part of our family.

And I find myself continually blessed and grateful for her healthy little body. It's so amazing to watch her develope so quickly and grow so easily and to smile so spontaneously.

Monet has also received two little teeth on her bottom gum. One has poked through all the way and the other is working it's way out. It makes her a little cranky, but she's been a good sport.

It's so much fun to round out our family with a little girl, she brings out a tenderness in all of us, and we spend most evenings fighting over who gets to hold her, and I mean everyone from Caleb to Talin to Collin are fighting. And she loves every bit of the attention.

Those Be Some Big Eyes

Miniature ruler of my universe.

She decides the schedule, morning, day and night.
Oh horrible nights.

She's quick to smile, quicker to scream and fears her big brother Caleb.

She's likes to make eye contact, and will use her bobble head to get your attention, or just scream.
Look into my eyes!

I'm starting to like her more and more, she is super cute, which helps a lot, and she likes me. Except for last night, when dad was gone all night and she screamed like a Banshee, and would only stop in Talin's skinny arms. That kind of hurt my feelings, but Talin enjoyed it.

Sleeping has been hard for her, especially with three very noisy brothers, and Caleb who yells and screams constantly. She never sleeps for long during the day, it's painful.

She really likes her dad. Like a lot. But who doesn't? Anyone who knows our family usually likes Tom best, I'm getting used to that.

This is her spot. On the kitchen counter presiding over the world.
She really is a special little girl, and I feel more and more blessed to have her as I get to know who she is better. My smiling, Banshee screaming, never sleeping Tatum.

Love Her!

Halloween

The Mad Hatter and a couple of zombies.

They had a great time at the Ward Party and Trick or Treating this year.

Talin as a zombie.

Collin as the Mad Hatter.

Creepy.

Caleb as a zombie.

We had to force his costume onto him, he screamed and cried and wouldn't let me do his makeup either. Halloween is not his thing. He was terrified of the older boys in their makeup.

Tatum as a tiger.

This girl is definitely the fourth child, she might be our only girl, but I only managed one picture of her for her first Halloween.