St. George

For Family Home Evening a couple of weeks ago we talked about "The Family: A Proclomation to the World."  In the proclomation it talks about the importance of "wholesome recreational activities."  Dallas and I decided when we first married that we were going to work hard to ensure that we went on a family vacation every year.  This year we let the kids choose where they wanted to go, and they chose Zion.

It was splendidly warm, the kids were sweet, and we had a wonderful time hiking around in redrock country.  Our favorite of the trip was Pioneer Park- located just blocks from our hotel.  Zion was beauitful, but having to ride the shuttle was difficult with three little ones, and the kids were beat after just one hike.  Lease favorite part?  Getting to the hotel we had originally booked and realizing it was a mess!  Thankfully Best Western had a room available and we were happy to pay triple the amount of the other just so our beds didn't fall over.

A few random joys:  Pools, wings, Target, General Conference, no cooking!, sun hats, sandals, sand, lizards, the temple, cacti, and smiles.

Paigey Abigail turns one!

We celebrated a "Bird-Day" at our house!  Our sweet Paige turned one.

We had some family join us at grandma's in celebration of Paige.    I decided on a bird theme and pulled out some craft skills- which is a HUGE deal for me because I do not craft.  (Last time I crafted the item ended up in the garbage.  Being a perfectionist is rough when you have no skill).  I ended up making tissue balls, a bib and onesie, and a fun birdie timeline.  Here are some of the details.

We had "bird food" (chicken salad sandwiches, fruit and veggies), birdie sugar cookies, and birthday cake.  Paige was a little overwhelmed with opening presents, but ended up loving what was on the inside.  She especially loved her Minnie Mouse Airplane from mom and dad.

At cake time she picked like a true bird!  And then ended up eating fruit instead.

The kids did a little crafting themselves!  They painted birdhouses... and ruined shirts in the process.  Sorry Jenn!

James, Annie, John, Will

Alli, Miles

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!

O-N-E

Paige.  It breaks my heart a little to know that I'm writing about your one year milestones!  A whole year with a perfect angel.  At one you are:

18 lbs 1 oz (8%)
30.5 in (90%)

• Still nursing, and struggling to get you to take a formula bottle.
• Intermittently sleeping through the night, but if you wake up, mama lets you cry.
• Crawling champion!  You will walk around furniture or holding onto fingers.  You like climbing the stairs- I think the challenge excites you.
• You say- mama, dada, dog, ball, uhoh, wow.  "Uh oh!" was your first word.  You will also sign "more."
• 5 teeth- 3 top, 2 bottom.
• Giving biting kisses.
• Patting my back when I pick you up.
• Loving the outside!!!

We are so thankful you came to our family a year ago.  Can't wait to learn more about you over the next year!

Annie & Paige

To be fair- these two are the best of friends, and will be for all of time. 

Mad Hatter

The hats that I wear take many shapes

Some are small, some are big, and some make me late;

I’ll share them with you, if you can give pause,

And then you will see which hats have good cause.

In the early morning I wear hat of runner,

You would think at 5 I could find something funner.

A hop, skip and a jump and then I am home,

Only to mark what I did on my cute green iPhone.

A minute goes by, ten, twelve, or twenty?

How much time have I spent?  I can tell you- plenty.

I put it down for there are babies to bathe!

On goes hat number three- children servant.  Or slave?

A mother am I, and this hat is my favorite!

They take most my time, but I try to savor it.

Each babe is fed, dressed, and looking so cool,

Then on goes the chauffeur hat and off to the school.

Along with that hat I wear one or two more,

Multitasking at hand, I make the telephone grand tour,

“Hi Bre, Audra, sister, grandma,  mom, and hi Jenn!”

“Hello!”  as I wear hats of daughter, sister and friend.

At home once more and the youngest asleep,

I’ve got a mess to clean up and a floor to sweep.

On goes my maid hat as I fold endless loads.

It’s easy to see this is the hat that I loathe...

The day goes on as I wear hat of teacher,

Helping kids in brother’s class become better readers.

A cook I am also! See chef hat so white,

Come into my kitchen and I’ll share a bite!

Some days I also pretend to be younger,

Cute girls forgive me when often I blunder.

At work an apron instead of a hat,

A coach also! A whistle I use for that.

It’s hard to remember that I’m also a wife.

Almost 11 years ago I promised my life,

To be sweet and serving to my working man,

This hat’s something I actually wear on my hand.

My final hat that I’ll choose to share,

 Is a hat that requires such delicate care.

I must tend to it daily, sometimes by the hour,

For it is a hat that is filled with power.

A daughter of God, and a Queen’s crown I wear,

There’s something about this I really must share.

You each wear this crown, I hope you believe it.

I know that at times it seems hard to see it.

For God loves you.  You’re his.  He wants you to know,

That even through all other hats, this one shows.

Take time to read, study, pray and ponder,

That is how Father will talk to his daughter.

He will help you to know what hats you can put down,

Because sometimes the weight of the hats makes you frown.

Some hats must stay on, and those He will steady,

He’ll be there to catch some until you are ready.

So gather your hats! Though they may drive you mad,

With the help of our Father they won’t be so bad.

-Amylee Nicoll

March 2014

Too Fast

This is me. Right this very second, actually. I'm holding my baby when I should be cleaning my house/preparing a church talk/reading with my big kids. But I just can't do that right now. 

My baby is almost one. 

Paige's first birthday is less than two weeks away, and I'm not ready. I'm not talking about balloons and presents and cake. I'm talking about starting on cow's milk, and weaning her, and walking, and talking. I'm not ready for her to grow up. 

I feel like I've done my best to soak up every ounce of her baby-ness. I haven't rushed her milestones. In fact, I'm so happy that she is still just crawling and not cruising much around furniture. I even love her bald head! It makes her still seem small. And so perfectly perfect. 

Dallas has been teasing me because I have to actually fight back tears when I think about her turning one. 

It's because I now have a boy that is almost 8. HE still feels like he should be my baby. But he's not. He's choosing to be baptized this fall which is an important life decision- his first really. And I don't know how he even got this age when just yesterday we were sending tiny cars down a track.  

The kids grow like weeds no matter how desperately their mother wants to hold tiny hands and wash little faces. They never ask if I'm ready for the next step; they just suddenly make if known that they want you to take off training wheels, or walk to school with a friend, or go to their primary class alone, or that they only want hugs instead of kisses. Mom's don't really get a say. We just feed, water, love, and watch. And then suddenly they don't need us anymore. 

So, Paige, I'm going to hold you while you sleep today because tomorrow you'll be going to college and leaving your mama with a broken heart.

It has gone too fast, and I know it won't slow down. 

Will & Paige

I've mentioned before how Paige and Will have a special relationship.  She seems to just feel safe with him; and she is.  The other day he held her while they were watching cartoons, and she fell asleep.  She rarely does that with me anymore!  I was so lucky to capture this moment.

Happy Birthday, Dalin!

When Dallas and I were first married my Grandma Jewel called him Dalin.  It has kind of become a pet name that I call him.  We laughed out loud when his sister Kallie sent him a text yesterday that said, "Happy Birthday, Dalin!" 

Dallas celebrated his 31st birthday.  It was low key, but wonderful.  I surprised him with a new tent- big enough to fit our whole family and our whole kitchen on the inside.  We had friends over for chicken tacos and then topped our bellies off with his favorite chocolate applesauce cake.

Dallas is truly the most wonderful husband and father.  He is definitely the fun parent!  I feel so grateful that my Father in Heaven guided me to him all those years ago.  Happy Birthday Dallas!

Red Rock Dixie

This weekend I had a run-cation in St. George to run the one day relay Red Rock Dixie.  It was beautiful, sunny, and such a fun group of girls.  I got to lay on the grass, get a bit of a tan, and touch a wild burro!  I ended up getting pretty sick and really struggled running through one of my legs.  I didn't think I was going to be able to finish, but prayers were answered and I started to feel so much better.  It felt like a miracle to me.  I was so thankful I had such a sweet and understanding team and it all worked out in the end.

Our team was "Here we go again!" and it included Breona Carter, me, Mindy Kohler, Jill Tuttle, Amy Lloyd, and Katie Cummings.

Paige at 11 Months

This is the last monthly update of how my baby is growing- sad!  Nothing flies quite like that first year.

Paige has really started showing a lot of her personality this month.  She is picky, opinionated, sweet, goofy, and patient.  She hates food, bottles, and sleeping through the night.  She loves nursing, her mama, standing up to furniture to walk around a bit, crawling, playing peek a boo, and the word "uh oh!"  Paige weighs 18 lbs 13 oz, has 5 teeth (3 on top, 2 on bottom), and no hair :).

Will this morning said, "I don't want Paige to turn one.  I want her to stay little forever."  Me too, Will.

Where's Paige?

There she is!

Rub-a-dub-dub!

Why is it that kids are even cuter in the bathtub?  I don't know why, but it is a scientific fact.

I {LOVE} you!

"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you... I could walk through my garden forever."

Alfred Tennyson

I am the luckiest woman in the world.  I got a kisses and love from all three of these beautiful faces today-

 My William <3
His face still makes my heart skip a beat.  I had never loved so deeply before I held this boy in my arms.  He is kind, strong, honest, smart, funny, and a wonderful example for his little sisters.  I am always proud of Will!  I think he is an old soul, and it will not surprise me when we get to Heaven to learn that he is much older than I am.  He is wise beyond his years.

 Annie Kate <3
I remember thanking my Father in Heaven for sending me my very best friend.  Annie and I are so much alike!  I often look at Annie and can't believe she is my little girl.  How did I end up with such a cute, energetic, funny little ninja?  I hope as Annie gets bigger that she will always want to spend as much time with me as she does now.

Paigey Abby <3
It is no secret that I am enamored of my sweet babe.  I cannot get enough snuggles, smiles, babbles, and giggles.  Peek a boo, Paigey!  I love you!

And for my sweet husband~

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.  I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is not I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close." 

-Pablo Neruda

May I never know where I end and you begin.  I love you.

10 Months!

Sweet Paige.  Time is flying and she is growing and changing every day.  She has turned into a noisy little thing!  No words yet, but she is always making her presence known.  It seems like that calm quiet baby has been left in the past?

The girl can really move!  She started scooting last month, and is now on hands and knees.  She still army crawls a lot, but I think it's because she likes to be closer to the ground so she can put every little speck of anything into her mouth.  Those pincer fingers work really well!

Even though she likes to eat off the floor, she decided yet again that she doesn't really like food.  Well, unless it's the good stuff- cheese, strawberries, potatoes.  She is quite picky!

Her 2 silly top teeth came in this month.  And today she got her first haircut!  A buzz by Mom with the #4 to even things out a bit and get rid of the mohawk in the back.

I don't know how it's even possible to love her even more, but we do.  She is everyone's favorite.  Her sweetness is beyond compare.  Every day my heart could burst with gratitude for our sweet Paige.  We are so thankful for her.

Today

I read a blog post today that completely resonated with me.  It was as if she opened up my heart and was able to put into words exactly how I feel.  You can read it {HERE}.  She called it "in which I am learning to live with the ache."  "The ache" as she called it, was the longing for more children even though she knew their family was complete.

I know I will be one who will have to learn to live with "the ache."

After I had Will, I immediately wanted to get pregnant again and go through the experience all over- pregnancy, birth, new perfect babe.  I wanted a million babies.  I literally counted down the days until it was time to try again for baby #2.

Then there was Annie.  It took a little bit of trying to get her here.  Looking back I think it was God's way of saying, "Are you sure you are ready for this one?"  She came a week early when I was unprepared, and I can still say that I'm unprepared for her.  She leaves me exhausted and in awe at the end of each day.  After I had her, I went to my doctor and said, "I need to be on whatever will ensure that I will not have an accident."  I needed time to adjust to Annie.  That being said, I did miss her in my belly already.

And sweet Paige.  My loving Father in Heaven all but came down and told me that it was time for her to come.  So we let her, and it has been the most blissful nearly 10 months.  We love every piece.  I still miss my pregnancy, I reminisce about her dreamy delivery, and I worry about how quickly time is going.  How quickly my new baby is growing up on me- even though I tell her on a daily basis not to.  I'm back to wanting a million babies all over again.

I don't feel like our family is complete yet, but I am already so sad at how fast these years have gone.  I already long for the days of baby Will, and Lightning McQueen, and Annie singing "Yankee Doodle" in her footie pajamas.  And I miss Paige's tiny body napping on my chest.

Right now.  Today.  This is going to be the time that I will long to go back to.  I will want to be so annoyed at how Annie doesn't let me have 5 seconds to myself to think.  I will dream of waking up in the night to nurse my sweet baby because it's the only time that I can have her all to myself with zero interruptions.  I will miss Will thinking I'm the coolest mom ever because I can beat Skylanders!  I'm going to miss it all!

Today felt like a day that I didn't appreciate it.  I didn't appreciate the little things that come with having children- and they are beautiful things because I have children.  Not everyone has that gift.

I'm calling a do-over.

So, TODAY, I'm going to be grateful.  I'm grateful for this little apartment and how it fits us all and allows me to stay home with my babies.  I'm grateful to have Annie on my heels because that means she wants to be with me.  I'm grateful that Dallas and I have the same goals, and that other things can come later.  I'm grateful that I have no time to myself because my day is filled with taking care of little souls.

I know I will miss it all one day.  I'm going to be grateful today.

"When you have been given the tremendous gift of being able to have a baby, to give birth to that baby, to love that baby, it marks you. It should, perhaps, and so this season has marked more than just my stretched-out body, it has marked my soul." 

 -Sarah Bessey

Brand new Will.

Annie Kate and her footie pajamas.

6 pound Paige.

All of my kids.  Together.  Under one roof.  Every day.

Summit Engineering Group, Inc.

The week of Christmas was pretty stressful.  We were happy and enjoying every minute of the holidays, but there was something looming over our heads:

A JOB

Dallas' first official job offer came in at about 10PM the night before Christmas Eve.  We were waiting for an offer from another company before we made our decision.  The problem with this is that during the week of Christmas nothing happens.  We waited... and waited... and waited.  The offer we were waiting for finally came in one week later.

On December 30th Dallas accepted a job offer at Summit Engineering Group, Inc. right in Heber City!  We could not have been more excited. 

Dallas started his first job of his Civil Engineering career on January 22nd.

What It's All About

Will taught us the Plan of Salvation during Family Home Evening tonight.  This was a first for us!  He was so excited to teach us what he had learned in primary.  He wrote it down as he talked about each place, and Dallas would add details here and there.  I loved seeing my whole family- my whole world- bent over a piece of paper on the floor talking about our ultimate goal- to be a forever family.

For a bald baby, she sure has some crazy hair!

Paige is 9 Months

My sweet babe.  She has now been on the outside for as long as she was on the inside!  She has grown so much.

29"- 90%
17 lbs 5 oz- 20%

Paige is a hand clapping, peek-a-boo loving, rolling, scooting, ball of sweetness.  I think she is going to be the peacemaker in our family.  She has such a calm and gentle spirit; she calms the rest of us down.

Paige has decided that she does, in fact, like food.  Her favorites are sweet potatoes and broccoli.  She's more a fan of veggies than fruits, which is surprising.  I make nearly all of Paige's baby food and she prefers it that way.  She now refuses to take a bottle and hasn't figured out a sippy cup.  This has made getting extra fluids difficult; I end up feeding her with a syringe.  What a spoiled babe!

Paige also decided that she doesn't like sleeping through the night.  She has been waking up 1-2 times.  I spoil her and nurse her rather than make her cry it out and self soothe.  I need to stop this!  I must confess that I secretly like snuggling my babe in the wee hours of the morning when the world is all asleep. 

Paige loves the outside, banging things, stomping her feet in her exersaucer, and putting everything in her mouth.  I've never had a baby put so many things in their mouth!  I don't even know where she finds it all!

She lifts herself in the crawling position and is doing many yoga poses, but she still just army crawls on the floor.  I have a feeling in the next month she will be on hands and knees.  We're in no rush!  I want her to stay a baby forever.

New Year

*Deep breath.  Exhale.*

WE. MADE. IT.

Welcome 2014!  The first year of the rest of our lives.  School is behind us, Dallas has a new position at Summit Engineering Group, Inc., right here in Heber City.  No more homework, no more commuting, no more student loans (well, at least racking them up anyway).  We have waited for this day for a long time, and now it is actually here.

Sooooo, what do we do now?

Right now we're spending evenings playing board games, watching Parenthood on Netflix, and continuing the 10PM nacho ritual. 

This year has lots of potential.  Potential for vacations, more family time, and maybe a possible house in our future?  We're not sure!  But we are very excited!  We welcome the new year with all of its challenges and adventures.  Here we go!