October 13, 2013

This was a fun but trying week.  Annie was not sleeping well as she healed from the surgery - and struggled to adjust to sleeping in her bed again.  Tommy has been fussy and waking one to two times a night.  So Mommy and Daddy are pretty exhausted.  Thankfully on Friday night all the kids slept through the night and we were able to catch up on some precious hours of sleep.  In spite of sleepiness, we had some really fun times as you're about to see....

Some neighbors hold an annual outdoor Halloween carnival early in October before the weather gets too cold.  Unfortunately this year it was really cold, wet, and windy.  The carnival was moved to our church meetinghouse.  We started with a parade.  Poor Annie was not a fan of being in the parade.

 After the parade, all the children were given a punch pass for over twenty games and activities.  Lily was excited and ready for fun!  Annie wanted to be there but was still very tired from her surgery so she had to take it easy.

 Three very tired Halloween hooligans after a night of fun.  It was a spectacular evening.  We are so grateful for good friends who are willing to put in the time and money to provide a safe celebration for everyone in our neighborhood.

 How adorable is this auburn haired rodeo queen?  Lily was invited to her first birthday party for a friend.  She had fun shopping for a gift and planning her outfit.  It was cowgirl/rodeo themed so we dressed to the nines.  Lily had a blast.  It was emotional for Mommy to drop Lily off at the party.  She is growing up too quickly.  At the party the girls were given a cowboy hat.  Lily was excited to bring home a purple hat for Annie.

  Just had to throw in a cute picture of messy faced Tommy.  He's doing pretty well.  We're struggling with a diaper rash that just won't quit.  But he's generally a good baby.

 Annie turned a corner in her recovery on Thursday.  She is now making it all day without medication and eating almost all her normal foods again.  Our main issue now is anxiety at bedtime and frequent waking at night.  Hopefully that will calm down soon and she'll be better than ever.

 Our neighbor gave us about six pounds of plums last week.  We love plums but haven't been able to get through all of them, so I made some jam.  Just one batch made 11 half pint jars.  It is tasty and the color is so pretty.  I'm glad the kids like it since they'll be eating a lot of PB&J sandwiches with it.  Lily was eating it by the spoonful.  Tommy was all smiles in the kitchen while I worked.  It was a long process and I am glad our little Bubba was cooperative so I could get my work done.

 Annie needed a break from the house and an incentive for potty training.  I took all the kids out for burgers and fries for lunch.  The toy in their meals was a donkey costume - REALLY? - what kid thinks it would be totally cool to dress up like a donkey?  Lily was a good sport and modeled the costume for a picture.

 After a fantastic week of no accidents - even post surgery - Annie had a slight set back.  She's had about two accidents a day for the past three days.  She even peed on her dress and the carpet at church today while I was playing the piano in Primary.  We had to rush home and change clothes because I had only brought extra panties and tights in case of an accident.  Overall she is doing great and she's doing it eight months earlier than Lily did so we're just happy it is happening so soon.

 Papa came for a quick weekend visit to help us fix our roof and see Brady's choir concert.  It is fun for me to be back in the hall where I did so many performances and see my brother having fun onstage too.  Brady's choir was very entertaining.  It was a great show. 

 The roof job was a quick and inexpensive fix.  Hopefully no more shingles will come off before winter!

 Tommy is NEARLY crawling.  I feel like we say that every week.  But he's closer than ever this week. 

Annie and Lily really liked having Papa here.  They played games, did puzzles, snuggled at nap times, and read stories.  Lily cried Sunday morning after Papa left.  Good thing he'll be back with Puna very soon.

October 06, 2013

Our whole week was wrapped up in Annie's tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.  Monday and Tuesday were all about getting laundry, shopping, and cleaning done.  Wednesday we had our pre-op appointment and labs.  Wednesday night Grammy and Grampy Hall came to stay with us and help care for Lily and Tommy.  Thursday morning we were up before the sun at 6:00 a.m. to get Annie to the hospital.

All the people and monitors were a little overwhelming at first.  But once she got to put on a gown and watch some cartoons, she was all smiles.

The first gown was too big so Annie got a new purple one.  She was given a teddy bear.  When the nurse came to prep Annie for her IV catheter she gave Annie and Teddy cute matching headbands.  We were still all smiles until the IV went in.  Annie's only protest was to say "I don't like it." But she left it alone and didn't complain about it any more.

She started getting loopy and struggled with dry mouth and coughing fits due to the medication.  But she was still a trooper.  The last thing she asked about before surgery was Lily.

Of course girls with matching headbands need to have matching gloves too!

Post-op was a little tougher than I expected.  Annie woke up early and had blood and fluid coming out of her nose.  She was agitated and didn't want to swallow anything.  Then she got really exhausted and weepy.  After trying many different treats and drinks at various temperatures, we got her to take in warm blue jello.  She perked up within 30 minutes of finishing the jello and we left to go home at 11:00 a.m.

 Instead of a wheelchair, we rolled out in a wagon.  The nursing staff really knows how to cater to children.  They were wonderful.

 Since Thursday we've been resting and pushing fluids.  She spent most of Thursday sitting on someone's lap and whimpering because of the pain - then when she'd try to eat or drink she would cry because she was hungry but it hurt too much to swallow.  That was the roughest patch.  Our nights are going pretty well - if only Lily and Tommy would stay asleep as well, Mommy could get some rest too.

By Sunday Annie looked like this.  She's eating very well and trying to understand why her throat hurts so much.  Hopefully this will pass soon.  She sounds so different when she talks and she breathes so quietly at night we can hardly hear her.  Get well soon Annie!

Six Months

Tommy turned six months this week.  He's almost exclusively bottle feeding and he loves his cereal and other solids.  Bananas are his favorite food - followed closely by green peas.  He's not crawling yet, but he can turn around on his tummy and push himself backwards.

Playing with his favorite toy.  He figured out how to open and close the doors to hear the animal sounds.  It keeps him entertained for a long time.

 Tommy loves his bath time.  He splashes like crazy and gets everything wet.  But he's just so darn cute that it's hard to make him stop.

Tommy also loves to bang on the xylophone.  It surprises him at first but then he sits and laughs while whacking away at the poor instrument.  Maybe he'll be a drummer when he grows up.

 Taking his bottle like a pro.  The whole family is getting in on the fun.  It warms my heart to see the girls try to feed him.  And Tommy and Daddy have been bonding a lot more with these feedings.

 Look who can sit in the high chair now!  It is a lifesaver at dinner prep time.  He likes to sit up and play with toys on the tray while I cook and talk to him.  He looks so big sitting there.  Annie still uses the high chair at mealtimes but we're thinking it is time to let Tommy have it.

Aw Mom....no more pictures!  He knows when to close his eyes to avoid the flash.  Poor guy.  He's just so cute I can't help but capture every moment I can.  And he knows that when the orange light starts to show on the camera that it the flash is coming soon.

He has adjusted to more bottle feedings very well and seems to have less spit up and gas now too.  He usually sleeps through the night and still wants EVERYTHING in his mouth.  He is super ticklish, laughs when Lily enters the room, and follows Mommy's every move with his eyes.  Everyone says he looks just like Daddy.  But we think he has a lot of Mommy in there too.  We love you little bubba!

September 29, 2013

Annie took up a sudden interest in potty training.  Mommy wanted to hold off until after Annie's tonsil removal but there is no stopping our little firecracker.  She picked out big girl panties and a sticker chart at the store and has been trying hard each day to use her potty.  We've had a lot of accidents but Annie really wants to try and is excited to be a big girl like Lily.  It can only get better....right?

Annie was so excited about her potty chart, we decided to get Lily a chore chart.  It really helps get Lily moving in the mornings before preschool.  She actually wants to do her jobs because she can earn a sticker.

Ahoy Matey!  Pirates have taken over our house!  Lily and Annie love the show "Jake and the Neverland Pirates".  They especially love the Pirate Princess episode.  So this year for Halloween we'll be taking two adorable buccaneers out to Trick-or-Treat.  I let the kids try on their costumes so we could be sure they fit.  I just love Annie's attempt at a mean pirate face.  We'll keep practicing.  It was tough coaxing them back into their regular clothes.  They wanted to spend the day swashbuckling on their imaginary sea.  Arrrrg!

Annie seemed to grow overnight in some areas.  Just this week she mastered puzzles and loves to put together this Ariel one at least five times a day.  She is really quick at it and likes the challenge.

She also started using scissors all by herself.  Look at that tongue!  She always sticks it out when she needs to concentrate on something. 

Saturday morning snuggles in Mom and Dad's bed.  For the first morning in a few weeks, we all slept in and celebrated by putting off our work a little longer with a family snuggle.  It turned cold here overnight and it is hard to want to get up and moving when it is so chilly - and when we have such cute littles to cuddle.

 Saturday night Lily was wearing her Angry Birds blanket.  I realized that one day she won't think it's cool to wear her blankie and I asked Daddy to sneak a picture.  Unfortunately she caught us.

 Lily helped me put up some decorations for fall.  She was most proud of this creation and took the photo of it all on her own.  I'm not sure what it's supposed to be.

Annie and Daddy sharing their love for puzzles.

Our cuties before church this morning.  We sure love these little ones.

On Saturday night Mommy went to the Relief Society Broadcast.  It was a wonderful evening.  I gained some personal insights on how I can feel more peace in my life - even with three little ones who need me constantly.  I'm going to try some experiments this month to help myself feel a little more centered and close to my family and my Savior.  I'll let you know how they work out.