Baby Love

My neighbor, Evie, took this picture of Spencer while she was babysitting. She LOVES to babysit him.  She has a daughter Isabelle's age and one Luke's age and we hang out a lot.  She's a single mom that lives with her workaholic mom, so Evie is the stay-at-home mom that cooks, cleans, does the laundry and comes over for playdates. She really wants another baby, so she's is loving mine. I rarely take Spencer places because she wants him. She will show up to hold him if we haven't hung out together for more than a few days.  She is magic with him.  She holds him just the right ways and is so patient when he's fussy.  She speaks Spanish to him and takes pictures every time she sees him.  We are lucky to have Evie around!!!!

Double Diapering

Line up for clean bums!  Due to the lice episode, I never finished Luke up on potty training, he's still interested and doing a decent job, but in the meantime we still do this occasionally.  They both still fit.  They love to lay there and giggle and laugh as I do one at a time, but together.  

Coolest Birthday Party

Isabelle got invited to a science themed birthday party.  It was pretty cool. Definitely expensive with all the supplies they used and a lot of  mess/work, but really cool.  I might adapt it a bit for a boys party someday. Since parents don't seem to leave little kids at parties these days (or at least down here) these parents put us to work and it was nice to not just have to sit and make small talk with people I won't ever see again. 

They had safety goggles and a "lab coat" (a white t-shirt cut to make a coat)

Making Slime

Making Snow with her "lab partner"

It was a really fun afternoon. Isabelle had a blast.  She got to bring home her snow and slime and the party favors were two more science experiments to do at home with the supplies.   We loved playing with the slime and snow for the next few days, but still haven't done the other experiments yet.

For my reference....they started out making a rocket and then the dad took the girls to the living room where he set up ground rules (1. wait 2. listen and 3. don't taste anything) and explained some of the science they were going to do while the moms set up the first experiment.  They did food coloring in milk with q-tips and dawn.  Then the kids went with the dad again while we switched projects to foam fountain in a soda bottle and slime. We went outside and did Mentos in Diet Coke and made snow with insta-snow while the dad finished the rockets.  Then we went to launch the rockets in a nearby field.  

GROSS!

 I have two huge fears as a mother.  Two things that are pretty inevitable, but horrifically scary to me.
1. A stomach flu raging through a family of 6.  Gross.
2. Lice.....even grosser to me.  And now your head itches just thinking about it.

Well, it happened.  We got lice.  Ok actually Isabelle got lice, but WE got to deal with it.  A month ago, there was a small outbreak after a church event with a horse riding helmet.  We didn't get it, but at that point I was overly paranoid.  Anytime Isabelle scratched her head, I used my monkey skills to start picking.  Never found anything.  Last week she scratched in the same spot a couple of times.  Once I figured out what I was actually looking for, I may have frieked out.  Luckily we caught it super early.  One adult and a very fresh, small batch of hatched eggs.  Mike ran to the store for the "Stuff" and came back to help with the madness. He buzzed boy heads and checked them. I went a little crazy.  Everything that could be washed was put in garbage bags to be washed.  Everything that couldn't be washed I sprayed and vacuumed more than once and spent the next two days cleaning every nook and cranny in my house, pulling out furniture and everything.  My poor washer and dryer were running non-stop for days. No one else had anything, but I felt itchy for days. (how many times have you scratched your head reading this post?)

Isabelle was a little champ. We were all up late that night (started this adventure at 7:20....bedtime).  When we were sitting there combing and combing we had this little conversation. 

"Mom, do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

"No, honey, it's almost 11"

"Can I sleep in?"

"Absolutely!"

"Like sleep in past breakfast?"

"Absolutely!"

"Like sleep in til almost lunch?!  I'm SO tired!"

It was a horrible night where I crawled into bed well after 1. But as I was laying there trying to settle my mind, I thought of all the little tender mercies from the day. Mike was home that evening.  He was possibly going to be at a dinner for work and ended up not going. I didn't have to go to the store at 7:30 at night with 4 kids and lice. I got to enjoy some mommy/daughter time as we spent 2 hours combing her beautiful hair and talking about boys, school, friends, and other 6 year old interests.  Best of all that was the day Spencer learned to suck his thumb.  Every night he eats at 6:30 and then off and on eats, cries, sleeps, cries, and plays until 10:30ish eats and then goes to bed for the night. This night, he layed on our bed and sucked his thumb and didn't make a peep until I got to him at 12:30 to feed him and get him to bed for the night.  Such a blessing to me.  

The boys new hair dos.  I don't like them all one length, but in this instance, I didn't care.  "JUST CUT IT OFF!"  Haha.  Luke always looks so old after a hair cut.

We survived, but lice is as horrible as I had pictured it to be.  I have been doing a few more prevention techniques.  Isabelle's hair is up for school A LOT now, bun, braid, etc with some hair spray (lice can't attach as well, not to mention it's helping with that homeless child look she's been sporting most of the year).  Lots of blow drying wet hair (kills live lice, but not eggs).  Let's hope we don't have to do that again!

We Have a Thumb Sucker!

Picasa is being dumb.  I've been trying to blog the easy way for a few days.  I give up!  The latest on Spencer....

Last week on Tuesday, running errands, I got Spencer out of the car to see this......

....how cute is that!?!?!? (I also can't upload my cropped ones right now, lame!)  Throughout the day, he gradually would find it. I took a ton of pictures because it was so cute!

He's loving the Bumbo.  How about that double chin?!

He also loves the exersaucer.  

He's up where he can see and he's so happy.

Until his neck gives out and he's not so happy. 

He also loves his hanging toy thingy.  He's happy staring at that mirror and grabbing the toys to suck on.  When he gives up on the toys, he goes for the thumb. 

This thumb sucking is awesome and not so awesome.  He sucks his thumb instead of being my alarm clock for feedings.  His schedule has been completely off since Tuesday.  I've got real alarms set on my phone and we are getting back to our normal routine. The awesome part....he goes over 10 hours at night. :)  Way to go fat happy thumb sucking cute baby!!!  

It's Working!!!!

Meals....I never have a problem making anything people tell me to make for dinner, but coming up with 7 meals a week was just not working for me!  It was often pathetic, late, rushed, or the same old thing.  Then when we would sit down to the table the complaints started "you never make anything I like,"  "this isn't my favorite" etc, with an occasional "I like this."  So since just before Thanksgiving, every Sunday at dinner, everyone picks a meal for the week.  For now, Mike gets two picks and the two big kids pick.  I only have to come up with 3 meals!  Done!  Easy! The week is planned. Dinner is on time, and delicious.  Everyone gets something they love each week and if someone starts to complain, "Well, it was so and so's choice." It's working great for our family!  We have only had spaghetti twice since Thanksgiving as opposed to almost once a week!  I love when we find a gem of a routine that works well for our family and makes life a little easier!

The Big Man

Last week Luke decided to potty train himself. It was time and I've needed to do it, but hadn't gotten it all together enough to put my life on hold for a week to be a cheerleader.  I'm glad he's giving me the shove.  He woke up asked to wear underwear and used the toilet.  I didn't even have to use much candy for the day.  The first few days were decently accident free even.  I have been busy with the house and didn't even do any of my normal stuff, ie. NEVER let him leave my sight.  He ran around and played and I'd check every so often.  After about 3 days, around 3 in the afternoon he has started to have lots of accidents and finally asks for a diaper the last couple of days, almost like "Ok, I did it, but it's exhausting! Can I have some down time?!" I'm going with his lead and give in.  I'll do it a few more days, but then I'm going to crack down and finish it up.  Seriously easiest first week of potty training by a LONG SHOT!  Way to go Luke!

His potty train toy is two of the planes from the new Planes movie.  He earns them with a success, and loses them with an accident.  Worked great with my other two! However, Luke is quite tricky about it.  He will lose his planes, and then in the next minute sit on the toilet until he squeezes a couple drops out and comes to get his planes back.  He obviously gets it.  Haha! And can I tell you how nice it is to have overly helpful big siblings?!?!?!?  At this rate I won't even have to lift a finger for Spencer's turn.  :)

Finally!!!

So last year was pretty much a bust when it comes to just about everything.  Routines, home organization, child discipline, meals....blah blah blah.  Oh how the list goes on.  The last month has been going so well!  We still have lots of bad habits to break and other improvements, but in general, we are off to a good start!  I finally feel like myself again.  Haven't felt like this since after Michael was born (which is also leading me to believe diet is HUGE for me)!  I have energy again and am going room by room and getting stuff organized and put together.  I've been getting rid of TONS of stuff!  In Spokane it was difficult and expensive to get rid of lots of extra stuff.  Here you can literally put ANYTHING on your curb and it's gone. Fantastic!  I had a serious nesting urge while pregnant, but couldn't do much about it.  I'm so glad it stuck around a little.  I'm left with our bedroom. That's the project this week, or maybe the next two or three weeks, because as things haven't found a home in another room, it's gotten stashed in our room "for now."  I have LOTS of piles to sort through, but the rest of my house is becoming clutter FREE and organized!!!  After living here for over a year, I am finally starting to feel "moved in!!"

Yay for visitors!

On New Year's Eve day my brother and his wife and Jessica, 3, and brand new baby Spencer, 10 days, stopped through for a few days.  They just adopted a new baby in southern Florida and we were a good stop for the drive home.  It was so fun!  We had a great New Year's Eve, just watching football and visiting and eating food.  The kids ran around like crazy.



Isabelle and Jessica were going to have a sleep over, and the boys felt left out.  So we started out with all 4 in the same room....they gradually got peeled off to other places to sleep due to being obnoxious.


My neighbor gave Spencer this onesie for Christmas.  Happy New Year!


David and Liz stuck around New Year's Day and left Jan 2nd late morning.   Everyone was in love with Spencer.  He's just 6lbs!



Even Spencer found him interesting.  The birth mom was in Jacksonville and stopped by to see the baby again.  She is great!  I can't understand all the emotions that go along with being a birth mom!  It's such a wonderful blessing to so many lives.  We are excited for another baby in the family.  I couldn't get enough of his tiny little cuddles.




Had to do a side by side...didn't go super well, but still fun anyway



It was so fun to hang out for a few days!!

Super Mom

My mom made a set of these way back in the day.  I remember having a blast in them. I asked for a set for Christmas for the boys....ask and ye shall receive.  YAY! They have been a big hit.  The best part of them playing super heros,  Michael only refers to me as Super Mom.  "Super Mom?  What's for Super Dinner?"  I can definitely handle that. Not only am I Super but the food I make is too.  Awesome!

A Rare Moment

Spencer LOVES to sit.  I plop him in the crack of the couch and he's happy for a while.  Michael sat by him and said, "MOM!  Take our pictures!"  This never happens. Not only did he want to sit by Spencer, he wanted a picture and sat still.  Shocking!

Good Bye 2013

Mike and I call 2013 our medical year.  As we were picking our insurance plan last year we said, "oh we won't have that much medical.  We aren't having a baby.  Let's pick a crappy plan." Yeah, never a great idea.  Found out we were pregnant in February and that was only the beginning. 

In May, on Mother's Day, Luke bit through his bottom lip.  I say it wasn't my idea to take him in, and Mike swears it wasn't his idea.  Either way, Luke ended up in the ER instead of Urgent Care. They didn't do anything.  Told us to feed him soft things like applesauce and yogurt until it healed. 

The end of June Mike had his hospital adventure.  Just so happened it was the end of June and he got released from the hospital on July 2. 

August came along and Michael busted his chin. 3 stitches in his chin.



September on a Monday when I was 38 weeks along, my doctors sent me to labor and delivery for preeclampsia (which apparently you can have ALL the symptoms of, and not actually have).  Spent a few hours there. They gave me some meds for my cluster headache and sent me on my way.  On that Wednesday, I was having contractions 3 minutes apart, so we went back to labor and delivery again. After a few hours of staying at a 4, they sent me home with some other drugs for my head stabbing pain. It got worse, so my OB told me to go to the emergency room that afternoon.  After an MRI, a boat load of drugs and a few other things, they finally gave me oxygen.  The cure for a cluster headache.  I felt SO much better at least for a day until it gradually came back. Showed up on the next Friday for my scheduled induction at labor and delivery which I got sent home due to lack of space.


Finally Spencer came into this world on Saturday....5 trips in September.  I swore I was never actually going to get to leave with my baby outside of my body.



We took October off from the hospital.  Just had 5 trips to the doctor office for well child checks and shots for random children.

November landed Spencer in the hospital for a few days for a fever in a 6 week old baby.



December we've been dealing with Isabelle and her UTI's and kidneys.



With a difficult pregnancy and Mike traveling a lot, it is easy to say 2013 has been horrible, VERY VERY expensive, and nothing seemed to be going our way. I've found myself less optimistic than normal. Looking back I can't help but see all the blessings 2013 has brought.  Mike and I were talking about it the other day.  Mike had a job all year (Despite lots of changes at work), we had our Mom's come help us numerous times and had Ana, we could afford all these medical bills, we had another healthy baby, kids have started school and are doing well academically.  We have enjoyed parks, the zoo, beaches, Disney, another YMCA, and the temple. All of the medical things that happened could have been SO MUCH WORSE! We have been showered with service from friends and a wonderful ward. We hit our 10 year anniversary and are still happy. As I search for the good, it's all there. It's all in our perspective. As I focus more on these blessings, I'm gradually pulling out of my "woe is us" and "Debbie Downer" attitude. The Lord has truly blessed us another year. What will 2014 bring? I'm sure lots of adventures that I will be optimistic about this time. :)

Merry Christmas!

We had a low key Christmas.  I love the ages our kids are at.  The Santa part is magical and the Christ part is simple.  They get it and it's all wonderful. The kids slept in pretty well.  We didn't get up until after 8!

Isabelle got her Crazy Loom.  Pretty much the only thing she asked for.


Michael got some Micro Drifter Cars thingy


What did Luke get?  A peppermint patty


A Rolo


A candy cane....and every other piece of candy he could get his hands on.  Literally the kid didn't even notice presents.  He just was on a candy hunt.  I'm remembering something similar last year.








Gears are totally NOT what they used to be! Still fun, but not the toy Mike and I grew up with.


"Ahh, it's finally quiet, this huge crazy mess is overwhelming.  I'm just going to take a nap."


Merry Christmas!