Doctor's appt.

I had my regular visit at the OB yesterday and everything was fine except that I am measuring small, so he scheduled an ultrasound to make sure everything is alright. He said usually what happens is the baby is laying transverse (side to side) which makes me measure smaller, so hopefully that's what it is. I go in on Mon. evening to get my ultrasound, and I'll take the whole family in with me. We still want to be surprised, but I am really excited to see the baby and know that everything is fine. So stay tuned for ultrasound photos on Tues.!

Connor turns 2

Connor's birthday was on Labor Day, so we spent most of the day at Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bob's house. My aunt likes to spoil kids just like my mom, so she bought Connor a cute cake with Elmo and Big Bird cars on top. These are two other cute pictures I snapped of him that day. The first one is his "cheesy smile". The second is him pretending to fly a plane. Just like with Hayden, I wrote Connor a letter for his birthday.

Connor's 2nd birthday letter You have grown so much in the past year. When you turned one you couldn't even walk yet, now you are running! Your personality has really shown through this past year. You are very spunky, full of life and energy. Almost always you are smiling or laughing, doing silly things to make your brother and Mommy and Daddy laugh too. You have very strong emotions that always show through, whether you are happy or sad. You tend to scream a lot right now to communicate your anger or frustration, we hope that once you start talking the screaming will diminish. You love to listen to music and dance, and you love books. Right now you want to read the Ten Little Ladybugs and Baby Einstein books every day. You have a very loving big brother who helps teach you things. It's so nice to see the two of you playing together. You do a good job of sharing and you already recognize ways to serve and help others. You always help people by picking things off the floor and putting things away. Soon you will be a big brother and I can't wait to see how much you will love your new brother or sister. I know you will be very helpful to Mommy and the baby. You will have the responsibility of being an example to him or her while Hayden is in school. You can help teach the baby how to play, sit up, and crawl during this coming year. I am so grateful you came to our family. We waited a long time, but Heavenly Father gave us such a wonderful blessing. You are a miracle in our family and I am thankful that we are sealed together for eternity. I love you with all my heart. Mommy

Our cousin Norah (Ady's little sister) turned 1 just a few weeks ago so we celebrated her birsthday too. She did a great job tearing into her cake! (I still don't know what that feels like!)

24 weeks

As of Wenesday, I am now 24 weeks along and am starting my 6th month. I'm feeling pretty good right now. I look pregnant but I'm not huge and uncomfortable yet. Connor and I go for walks every day after dropping Hayden off at the bus stop. I'm still sleeping well at night which makes for a happy mommy. I'm able to eat most foods now, and I seem to be on a pizza kick the past few weeks. Not that greasy restaurant pizza, but homemade pizza, using my Italian dough recipe. I'm also enjoying fresh garden tomatoes. And the best part is feeling that baby move around inside of me! You can keep track of my pregnancy by checking the ticker at the bottom of my blog page.

Hayden is off to school

I sent my baby off on the bus to kindergarten today. He was so excited which I was really glad about. It would have been so much harder for me if he was crying. I got a little choked up after he got on the bus and I walked away. It's a new phase of life-bus schedules, checking the backpack for papers and homework, PTO meetings, limited activities with girlfriends during the day, new friends for him to hang out with. I don't feel like the mom of a 6 yr. old. But he is definitely ready for this new stage. I'm glad we didn't send him last year, I can tell a big difference in him since last year. He has a lot more self confidence now and I think he is more excited to learn. I can't wait to pick him up from the bus stop at 3:45! It's nice that he has afternoon kindergarten. We can relax in the morning and the boys can play together, then after I drop Hayden off, Connor and I go for a walk, then he goes down for a nap and I have lots of Mommy time! (At least until Dec.)

Nature at Gram and Pap's

We just read an excellent book for book club called Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. I learned many things from this book, but one of them was the importance of my children to experience nature. Our children's generation is so different from how we grew up. I used to go with my cousin Jason down to the creek and search for things, or hide in the woods across the street from our house. Now we don't dare let our kids go out without us because of "stranger danger". We don't have a very big yard but at least we have a garden that we plant each year and the kids can learn from growing vegetables, and we have plenty of bugs! I love my parent's house because of all the land they have. Sunday we ate the first batch of corn from my Dad's garden. (We would have had some earlier, but he has had a problem with racoons this year.) After dinner the kids and adults were having a fight with the bad apples that had fallen, and Hayden helped to shell Pap's lima beans. Then while we were sitting there, a fox goes walking across their property! That was the first fox the boys had ever seen. Of course I had my camera at the ready! Hayden and Connor always find frogs at the pond and toads in the yard too. And my Dad has a hummingbird and a finch feeder near the patio that they feed on while we are nearby. I would love to find a house that has lots of land and nature around so that my kids can experience what we were able to experience. I LOVE this picture!!!!!

The birthday party

The boys had a great time with some of their friends and family on Sat.. Hayden's friends that came were Vienna, J.J., Harrison, Zane, Grace (well, Grace was Connor's friend too!). Connor had Nikki Bowman from church and Will and Ewan were there too but didn't do too much because their just barely one. The first activity was a type of pin the tail on the donkey only it was Spider-Man and Elmo. Then we had the kids make necklaces out of Fruit Loops, and then had a contest to see who could eat them the fastest. Harrison won, Vienna and Hayden tied for second. But they all did a pretty good job. It was fun to watch them. Hayden requested a red velvet Spider-Man cake, Connor got a strawberry Elmo cake. After they ate cake and opened the presents from their friends (which they loved them all-Thank you!), we went outside in the oppressive heat to bust open the Pinata and then get in the pool. Only the kids had their swimsuits on, but I guess Josi looked really hot because Dave decided to throw her in the pool without her permission! She got out right way but at least she was cooler than the rest of us! I suppose this is going to become a tradition because last year at the party Mike decided to throw me in the pool (with my cell phone in my pocket!). Ewan decided he was going to bond with nature (with a little help from his Daddy). Jamie took it really well. As soon as she saw him she got out her camera. That's what you always do as soon as something happens, isn't it?! Connor got a really cute tricycle from my parents which he loves because he can reach the peddles. After the party we met Jamie, Andy, Dave, Josi and the kids up at Laurel Lake to cool off a little more and let the adults swim. Actually, Dave and Andy were going to go kayaking, but they got stopped by the park ranger for not having proper registration so they had to take the boats out. We felt really bad for them.

By the time we got home and had dinner, I was tired. I was glad the next day was Sun. and we were going over to my parents for dinner. A day of rest! No more birthday parties for another year!

Hayden turns 6

So many personalities!

Each year when we go to the beach I take time to contemplate things. I always write a letter to Hayden for his birthday about how he has changed in the past year. I always put this letter in the scrapbook, but I thought this year I would also post in on my blog.

Hayden-I can't believe how much you have changed this past year. It seems like you've grown about 5 inches, you seem so tall and your legs are so long.

You grew a lot in preschool this past year and are ready to head off to kindergarten (I can't belive I'm a mother of a 6 yr. old!). Your math skills are amazing-you can already do a lot of addition and subtraction (in your head!) and you are fascinated with learning. You've even gotten excited about reading. We've started reading longer chapter books to you like Beverly Cleary's Henry Huggins and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. You are really enjoying that. Your coloring and drawing skills are incredible, you have such an imagination! I hope you keep drawing and don't get the fear that it's not good enough. You are also very witty.

You've also learned a lot about money this past year. I think you're learning the value of it. I'm impressed at how well you can count money already and it's exciting to see you work so hard to earn it. You've been helping us clean the bathroom and just last week you got excited about doing the vaccuuming. It's especially nice right now while Mommy is pregnant!

Your favorite thing right now is Spider-Man (along with every other 5 and 6 yr. old!). Sometimes you talk about other super heroes, but it's mostly just the red and blue guy. Your birthday party will be Spider-Man and that's all you asked for as a present.

You are such a great big brother. You are always helping Connor to do something and most of the time you guys do well playing together. It's cute to hear and see you guys scream and run around and jump on couches together. Connor really looks up to you and I know your new brother or sister will also. You are a great example to them.

Primary has been a wonderful experience for you. There are several songs that you have dubbed your favorites and you always remember what you learn in your class. When we read the scriptures together or have our home evening lesson, you often can tell the story before we read it. I can tell your little testimony is growing and I am grateful for that. You will need it as you go off to school and have to make good choices on your own without us there. Your dad just gave you a blessing to start school and one of the things he mentioned was that you will be a leader and an example to the kids around you.

One of your big accomplishments from last year happened at the beach this week. You realized how much fun it is to get in the ocean and jump in the waves-what a breakthrough!

I look forward to this next year of growth and accomplishments, I know there will be many. You are at an exciting time in your life when you start to realize how much there is to learn. I love you more each day and am so grateful to be at home to spend them with you.

Love, Mommy