Tea Party

Kensie earned a tea party for finally deciding to use the potty.  I put it off for a while but we finally had the party.  I as usual went a little overboard but the kids had fun.

Birthday Boy

I can't believe my baby boy is 2!  He is such an awesome little kid.  He has grown up so much in the past few months.  Its been fun to watch him change and discover the world around him.  Of all my kids he is definitely the best sleeper and he gives the sweetest little boy kisses. 

He is OBSESSED with STOP signs so for his birthday I made him a stop sign cake.  He loved it.  Even though he can't quite peddle yet we got him a Diego bike.  Kensie rides it more than he does but he still thinks its pretty neat.

2 Year Bio
29ish lbs and 34 inches tall
He can say The Pledge of Allegiance, his ABCs, count to 10 and sing "I Am A Child of God"
He loves basketball, Diego, playing outside, reading books, coloring, playing with his sisters, throwing things, trying to copy his big sister
He annoys me when he screams really loud, has to do everything himself, runs away and thinks he's the funniest thing ever
He hates to be told what to do, being dragged around by Kensie, being left behind when someone leaves

I love my little 2 boy!

Pink Skin

A few weeks ago Kensie fell off the monkey bars at the park and broke her wrist.  At least I think that's what happened.  She did fall off the monkey bars but I was able to get her calmed down and she seemed fine so I didn't take her to the hospital.  A few days later she was trying to jump over Xander and he sat up and she   started freaking out about her wrist.  Of course it was Saturday so instead of the regular doctor I had to take her and the other 2 kiddos to the ER.  3 hours, 2 x-rays and a huge splint later we were headed home.

 

After about a week she was able to get her cast.  She of course choose pink.  We were in and in out in less than 30 minutes and Kensie was so excited to have pink skin.  

Call me Daddy

The sweet sound of your own name
Nothing else is quite the same

You want it to be your babies’ first word
From their lips to your heart, daddy is heard

Nothing brings you more joy inside
Or fills your heart with more pride

Something you’ve earned by sacrifice
So having your child say it is nice

Call me daddy!

Mommy, mommy, come and see
I climbed a big tall apple tree

I’m jealous of my daddy name
Don’t make changing it a game

I enjoy the hugs and kisses
But that don’t make me a Mrs.

There’s one thing that I insist
Something lately you’ve missed

Call me daddy!

Mommy, mommy, come and see
I found a yellow bumble bee

For the hundredth time, that’s not my name
Moms and dads are not the same

We’re different in ways I can’t say
As spirits, God made us that way

I love you, so I’ll try to be nice
Listen, I don’t want to tell you twice

Call me daddy!

Mommy, mommy, come and see
I met a three-girl just like me

Trying to be the patient dad
I bite my tongue and don’t get mad

Boo-bear, what you’re saying is absurd
Not just a slip-of-the-tongue or careless word

Do you really want two mommies?
Then call me daddy, PLEASE!

Okay, mommy-daddy

Poem for Xander's Birthday

He thinks his name is Buddy
Since we call him that so much
Cheeks are nice and chubby
His skin is kind of ruddy

Loves to play basketball
And draw on all the walls
Trips over his own fat feet
Is growing really tall

At night hates to go to bed
Routine of books & snuggles
Pitch black with white noise
Sing and stroke his head

He’s sweet to his little sister
Says, “baby’s sooo cute!”
Plays with her on the floor
And tells us that he loves her

Has a temper for a little tike
Tends to be a bit OCD
Repeats stop sign & Snake River
Or anything else he might like

Walked and talked real early
Especially for a boy
Copies his older sister
But is definitely not girly

Loves to make a mess with yogurt
Hits you, laughs, and runs away
Is shy but can be surprisingly bold
Cries giant tears when he gets hurt

Plays in the sink and gets everything wet
Says the Pledge of Allegiance
Sings, “lead me, guide me”
Knows his numbers and alphabet

I love this little boy
Being his daddy is a joy!

Catching UP

Life with no internet makes it seriously hard to blog...

Kensington

- She started Preschool last week and she LOVES it.  She is doing so well and the only drama we have is that Xander wants to go to and so he screams when I drop her off
- She is finally potty trained!  She decided she wanted to do it and so it happened.  She earned a princess tea party with her friends that will happen in a few weeks.
- She is art obsessed lately and is constantly coloring and drawing.  She is learning her letters and writing.
- She got a haircut a few weeks ago and we cut about 5 inches off.  She had so much fun having her hair washed and loved all the attention.
- She can say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing a few church Primary songs.  She is always changing the words of the songs and making them silly.

Xander

- He turned 2 and he is definitely 2!
- He is obsessed with stop signs and even had a stop sign cake for his birthday
- He can say the Pledge of Allegiance and is so proud of himself
- He has become such a boy lately... climbing and being brave on the playground
- He LOVES his sisters.  He is so excited with Kensie wakes up in the morning.  He loves to play with and talk to Eden.

Eden

- She gave up on sleeping and everyone is exhausted.  We are working on this and I still have some hope that someday she'll sleep again.
- She loves her brother and sister and they are her very favorite toys.  She especially thinks Xander is hillarious and loves it whenever he is around.
- She is almost crawling... I know she is 8 months old but she just barely made it to the floor and she rolls everywhere but hasn't quite figured out crawling.
-  She is finally over 14lbs.  She is such a tiny baby and I love it!
- She refuses to eat baby food but LOVES regular food and gets so excited whenever you feed her.

Todd and Eve

- Todd is crazy busy with school and we don't see him too much.
- Eve is still looking for a job but spends most of her time hanging out with the babies

Life is as crazy and hectic as always but we are having fun.  I look forward to the day Todd is done with school and just has work and his evenings free.  I can't believe how much the kids are growing and changing but they are actually a lot of fun right now.
 

Dixie

Kensie LOVES horses so a while back we took her to ride a sweet horse named Dixie.  Dixie is my sister's mother-in-law, Amy's horse and she is the perfect horse for kids.  She is super calm and relaxed.  Kensie has ridden Dixie once before and has since named all of her stuffed and plastic horses Dixie.

The kid has no fear.  She got right up on the horse, held on and was led all over the pasture.  The only reason she quit is because Amy had to leave.  I also had a chance to ride Dixie and it was my first time ever on a horse.  I was super impressed with Kensie after I got up on Dixie.  It was so high up!

Amy has another horse, Smudge who had just had a baby a few weeks before.  This beauty is Goldie.  She was the sweetest little horse ever.

Our Sweet Girl

Eden...

- is 4 months old
-is seriously the best baby I've had yet
-sleeps 6-8 hours at night (and not in our bed!!!)
-is pretty happy most of the time and only fusses if she needs something or if its between 8 and 10 at night
-doesn't roll over yet (she doesn't get much time to just hang out on the floor)
-has gotten some solids but doesn't eat much because her bro and sis like to try and help feed her
-still has a ton of hair that is starting to lighten up
-loves to lay on the grass
-smiles a ton and loves to look at people
-is still really petite and cute
-thinks her brother is hilarious and loves to watch him play
-isn't really sure what to think of Kensie but still loves to watch her
-eats her toes
-doesn't really like baths
-falls asleep every time we go in the car
-rode in a forward facing car seat for about 5 minutes and thought it was so fun
-spits up A LOT
-will always grab your finger if its anywhere near
-loves to pull my hair
-hates it when her sis blows in her face
-I couldn't have asked for a better 3rd baby.  She is so easy going and she actually sleeps which is pretty much a miracle for my babies.  She is so sweet and fun and just brings so much happy into our family.

The Boy

Xander...

 - is 1 year and 9 months old
-loves to eat and will eat pretty much anything
-is learning how to talk and doing amazing... he repeats most everything we say and is constantly talking
-sleeps great... still takes a 2-3 hour nap every day and sleeps 10+ hours at night
-LOVES basketball.  He will point out every basketball hoop that we drive past
-loves to push buttons.. he walks around the house saying, "push button, push button..." just looking for buttons to push
-is getting much more brave on the playground
-gives the sweetest little kisses
-is really good and mostly only misbehaves when he is following his sister
-loves to play in the water
-FINALLY gave up the bottle... it was a fight but we did it and survived
-loves to shut doors
-loves to flush the toilet
-is a little scared of the bath water running but loves to jump in the bath once its turned off
-will watch TV but isn't really a TV zombie like Kensie
-is so excited every day when his Daddy comes home
-loves to play in the water
-uses kitchen chairs to get into things he can't reach
-is pretty obedient and will actually do what I ask a lot of the time
-hates being left at nursery (or anywhere) but does great once he's there
-is starting to mimic prayers and loves to yell amen at the end
-LOVES the book "the little mouse, the big hungry bear and the red ripe strawberry"
-wants to be just like his big sis and get into everything she does
-loves to play with his little sis
-He is so different from Kensie and such a neat little boy.  He is so sweet and tender and so much fun to be around.

Little Miss Diva

I keep thinking I should blog more.  Not because people actually read it (I'm convinced most people don't, including my family) but because I like to look back at it and see how my kids have grown and my life has changed.  In that spirit I'm going to make an attempt to blog every month about my crazy kiddos and all the fun and mostly boring things they do.

Kensie...

- she is 3 years and 4 months
-still uses a pacifier even though it drives me CRAZY (I don't have the patience to take it away but its coming...)
-isn't potty trained - she knows how to use the potty she just won't unless she wants to
-LOVES Barbie movies - her favorites are 12 Dancing Princesses and Diamond Castle
-Dances all the time but she has to have her glass slippers and a dress to do this
-Talks about getting married every day -this week she is marrying one of the boys that lives in the house upstairs... he says no but she is persistant
-loves to hold her sis and help take care of her
-"reads" the stories she knows
-shows off her growing imagination every day and is starting to play pretend a lot more
-ALWAYS wants to go outside
-tells me most days that she needs a new mommy and that I am mean
-makes her brother be her handsome prince and dance with her
-is being somewhat reverent in church.  The past 2 Sundays we have sat by the same family and she sits with them and reads or colors and tells them stories.  Its no where near where I want her to be but it is definite progress.
-must have a snack and a drink to go to bed
-misses her Centerville home and tells me about it all the time
-thinks she has a baby in her stomach.  His name is Dachshund, he is 4 years old, he talks and walks and he will be coming out in a few weeks...
-is so full of energy that I don't know what to do with her most of the time
-has started dressing herself and goes through multiple outfits her day (I moved her clothes out of her room to try and cut down on this but it hasn't really worked)
-is super excited to go to preschool in the fall
-She is a crazy, active little girl and so much of the time she makes me crazy.  I'm not sure either one of us will survive these years but she's so special.  She is sweet and kind when she wants to be and despite what she says she loves her little family.

A New Song and A Trophy

Kensie sang me a new song today.  It went a little something like this...

Mama Mama
You are so mean
I don't love you any more
Mama Mama

And then Todd walks in the door from school and Kensie runs down the hall.. "Daddy, you're home!  I made you a trophy!" and then hands him a pretty cool trophy made of legos. 

Oh the joys of stay at home parenting...

5 Years!

Despite the fact that some people said we wouldn't last a year (thanks Becca!)  Todd and I have now been married for 5 years.  I didn't really think I would get married and it wasn't something I was all that interested in doing but this cute boy from California caught my heart over the phone and I've never been the same.  The past 5 years have been crazy and nothing like I've anticipated but we've had fun!

 In the past 5 years we've...

- had 6 different jobs (Todd 2 and Eve 4)
-bought a home
-sold a home
-moved 4 times
-bought 1 brand new car
-been to 10 states (WA, OR, ID, MT, UT, AZ, NM, TX, TN, GA)
-lived in 3 different states
-had 3 kids
-welcomed 5 nephews, 3 nieces, 1 sis-in-law and 1 bro-in-law to the family
-earned as Associates degree (Todd)


Tonight we celebrated our anniversary the same way we have celebrated at least 4 of our other anniversaries... we went to dinner with my mom.  Crazy I know but thats how it always seems to work out.  Its been a crazy 5 years but there is no one I would rather have spent it with.  I look forward to many many more years, many more adventures and even a few more kiddos... eventually!

Bear World

For Easter this year we went to Bear World.  They had an Easter egg hunt, some small rides, a petting zoo and then the drive-thru to see the animals.  While we were there we saw a bear climb on top of someones car.  It was awesome!

Finger Paints

A few months ago I tried to do finger paints with the kids.  They had fun but lost interest a lot sooner than I thought they would.  Most of the paint ended up on their bodies but it was fun.  I have dreams of someday being able to do projects like this with my kids on a regular basis but I'm not sure it will happen any time soon.

Graduation!

Todd graduated from LDS Business College in April.  It was quite the whirlwind weekend.  Graduation was on Thursday, Todd spent Friday in Provo taking some tests and we moved on Saturday.  Busy and crazy but I am so proud of Todd for this accomplishment.  He worked really hard and learned a lot over the past 2 years. 

Family Pictures

We went and had family pictures made. We've never had professional ones done and the last family picture we have is from my sister's wedding last May. It was certainly an interesting experience. Eden screamed the whole time. Kensie wouldn't listen and was just being silly. Xander was scared of the photographer. It was a pretty crazy hour but we got some good shots. I can't believe how grown up my babies look.