Sunday, July 25, 2010

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday to My Taeya:

I love you so much and I am so greatful Heavenly Father sent you to me and trusted me to raise you, I know I am not the best mom, but I am sure trying! I love your excitement and energy, I get tired watching you, you never stop! Somedays I want to pull my hair out, other days I just smile with pride. You are so stubborn and fiesty some moments, and others you are so loving and adorable. Everyday is a fun day with you and I love you so much. I cannot believe how fast these 4 years have gone by, you are such a big girl now. I hope the next 4 don't go by so quickly. I need to remember to stop and play more because time is going by so quickly, and soon you won't want to play with me anymore.

I hope you had the best 4 year birthday ever! Thank you for letting me be your mom, I love you more and more each day.

Love, Mom


(Newborn)

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday





Broken Elbow?

On Sunday, July 11th, we went for a walk as a family. Taeya and Gordon stayed at the fishy park while I went home and got dinner ready. Taeya came in from the park crying pretty hard. She had fallen off the monkey bars (we didn't even know she could do the monkey bars by herself, she was almost to the end). At first we couldn't tell exactly where she was hurt. She wouldn't move her arm at all. We tried to turn a movie on for her on my bed, but she wouldn't even lay down cause she said it hurt. That night she slept sitting up. I had to prop up pillows against her dresser and she slept sitting up. After she fell asleep I layed her down, but a few hours later she woke up and was mad at me for laying her down. So I gave her some tylenol, propped up her pillow and she went back to sleep - sitting up!

The next day she showed me that she could move her arm, but she didn't unless she had to. I asked her if she wanted to go to the doctor and she got really mad when I mentioned it, I figured she was probably fine. I had to work on Monday, so I thought I would give it one more day to see how it was.

On Tuesday we had another busy day. She stayed at Mariel's while I went to a class and I asked Mariel to watch her and see if she thought I should take her to the doctor or not. She thought I should, she said she wouldn't do anything (she usually goes straight for Asilia's dress-ups, but since she didn't want to move her arm, she refused to change her clothes), so I called and made a doctor appointment, but Gordon wanted to go so he asked me to make it for as late as possible. I was still doubting that anything was wrong, because I figured since she could move it, it would be fine.

Tuesday our appointment was at 4:40 pm. The PA looked at her arm, and diagnosed that the problem was her elbow. It was swollen which usually indicates a fracture, but Taeya didn't seem to be in as much pain as most of the other patients with fractures, so she splinted it, and sent us over to the hospital for x-rays. They called us that night with the results. The said that their was no definite fracture but they see fluid, which indicates a fracture??. Apparently elbows have to be set by an orthopedic doctor, so we were referred to another doctor.

On Wednesday I called the orthopedic, but they didn't want to see her until the swelling went down, so we made an appointment for Monday (July 19th).

On Monday we had another x-ray at the orthopedic office, with the same results. No definite break, but still fluid, so the casted her arm just to make sure. Apparently the fracture is the bone on the back of the arm, above the elbow. She told us she wanted a red cast, but while we were waiting to get the cast on she saw a purple cast with flowers painted on it, so we went with that one instead!

She loves the attention she is getting with her new cast! Thank goodness she can swim with it! Now we just have to wait for 3 weeks until we can get rid of that heavy, hard cast!




This pictures was taken Tuesday night (July 13th) when we got home from the doctor, not sure if it was broken or not. She didn't like the sling cause her arm kept sliding out.

Here is the cast on Tuesday morning (1 week later).

Here is the cast an hour of so later after we painted on some pretty flowers!

10 months old

Anastyn is 10 months old and so busy!

She has 7 (almost 8) teeth, she loves to eat, I nurse her in the morning and night, she dances, she sleeps through the night, she loves to climb anything she can, she plays peek-a-boo, she waves, she claps her hands, she says "ma" which we figured out means "more," she is very loved by all the family!

She loves reading he books, she turns the pages for me, and if she doesn't want to read the book she will throw it on the ground! We read every night before bed and she is often found playing in her books in her room.

She also getting really good at standing - hasn't dared to take a step yet, but she loves to stand. She can go from standing to sitting, back to standing all on her own. It's just a matter of time before she is running around!

Girls Trip 2010

The yearly girls trip has come and gone (July 15th-18th). It was another successful year. The only thing that would have made it better was if Kimberly, Kristy, and Kelly could have been with us. We were sad they couldn't come.

This year instead of going to Las Vegas, we went the opposite direction, we headed to Island Park. We went back and forth about having a girls trip this year since everyone is having such a busy summer, but after much chatter, Chantel was nice to let us have a inexpensive, relaxing weekend at her cabin. It was so beautiful and so much fun.

Mom, Mariel, and I left on Thursday afternoon and drove to Chantel's house, she made us dinner and we helped load up all the groceries. We left her house late that night and arrived at the cabin around 10:00 pm.

Friday we ate yummy food, cut and colored Chantel and Mariel's hair, took a little dip in the lake, and watched 3 movies - "When in Rome," "Leap Year," and I can't think of the name of the other one!!

Saturday we went to West Yellowstone, shopped a little, went to lunch, and than went to the play "Beauty and the Beast." I wasn't sure how Anastyn would be during the play but I bought her lots of treats and thankfully she fell asleep right before intermission and stayed asleep til the end of the play, so I actually enjoyed it! After the play we drove back to the cabin. Casey and the boys had driven up for the afternoon to do some boating and they were still there when we got back, so Casey took us for a boat ride so we could see the lake, on the way home we watched CJ do some wakeboarding. After the boys left we watched the movie "Dear John" then went to bed.

Sunday we went to Sacrament meeting, had a yummy breakfast burrito for brunch, packed up and drove all the way home!


Anastyn joined us this year (Gordon was happy). She did great and was so much fun.


She is just so darn cute - and dirty!


The cabin is right on the Lake, and it was so beautiful. Cynthia and I had to check out the paddle boat. It doesn't go as fast as we thought it would, we had fun though.


Anastyn loved putting her feet in the water, she would just kick and kick and try to slide her way back into the water when we tried to pull her out. Chelsea was nice to play with her.


All of us girls: Anastyn, me, Chantel, Cynthia, Chelsea, Mom and Mariel

Thanks Chantel for such a fun weekend!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Stillwater Condo

A few weekends ago (July 11th) we were going to all of us neighbors were going to go camping but the weather forcast was calling for rain. The ladies didn't think that rain/mud and toddlers would mix so well together so at the last minute we found a condo right by Jordanelle that we stayed in instead. We wished we could have gotten their a little sooner to be able to enjoy our time away but it was still a nice weekend.
We got to the condo friday night at about 6:00, put some lasagna in the oven and went and checked out the pool and the grounds while the men practiced their fly fishing. We ate, hung out, played "catch phrase," and went to bed. Early Saturday morning Gordon and Seth went fly fishing on the provo river while the rest of us had breakfast and went swimming. We checked out at about noon and went to the outlets in park city where we ate lunch and did a little shopping (against the wishes of the men!) It turned out the be a nice weekend.

I don't know if Anastyn was just tired, but she sure didn't have the greatest time swimming - maybe the pool was too cold. Alayna and Bryce had a good time though.

And of course Taeya and Brielle had fun too, they actually liked the hot tub better. (The sun was especially bright when I was taking the picture apparently!)


Taeya and Brielle loved having a "sleepover" at the condo. We made them a little bed side by side underneath the table. I told Lawni that Taeya wasn't really that crazy of a sleeper so they would be fine sleeping next to each other in a small space. They did great sleeping that night but Saturday night I went to check on Taeya before I went to sleep and this is how I found her! I guess I spoke to soon!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Fireworks

We had another fun family day/night at my parents house on the 4th of July. While Gordon was home having his RUSH party we hung out at my moms and helped get dinner ready. We had a delicious family dinner. Afterwards we cleaned up, visited, hung out outside and lit off fireworks. It was nice to have some cooler weather for the 4th of July. I really do love the 4th of July, it's one of my favorite holiday's. Here are some pictures to document our night.

Karsten helped us lick the bowl after Kimberly made us a yummy chocolate cake.

Kimberly gave Taeya this nighgown for her birthday and thought it would be fun for Kierra to have one too. They kept saying "were twinners!"

My cute girlies waiting for dark so we could get the fireworks going.

Cute Jayne would not let go of the flag - she is so adorable.

Jayne and Kelly - one of the few moments she didn't have the flag in her hand.

Taeya and Kierra have so much fun together - because of the cooler temperature they were snuggled up in the blanket.

Daylen lighting his sparkler. All the kids loved the sparklers, I don't think Taeya even paid attention to the bigger fireworks.

We love our beautiful Kenzly!

Mom and Dad (aka: Papa and Nana)

Taeya was a little afraid of the sparklers at first, than she got warmed up to them and wouldn't stop!

Anastyn liked them too. (We were glad Gordon came and joined us for the fireworks after his party was finished.)

Kimberly and Kent

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

9 1/2 Months

I have tried to have a little photo shoot with Anastyn on her month birthday this past year but somehow I let 9 months slip by - so I did 9 1/2 instead. Now that she is 10 months (10 month post will be coming shortly) I have kind of forgotten what she was doing at 9 months but here are the few things I remember.

-she has 5 teeth and one just about to poke through
-she is still not sleeping through the night
-I have to put her to sleep by putting my hand on her face til she falls asleep - I know really annoying but kindof sweet at the same time!
-she stands, but only for a few seconds
-she playes peek-a-boo, claps her hands, waves
-nurses 4 times a day
-loves food, LOVES water
-can drink from a staw and sippy cup
-is so darn adorable and smiley
-loves her mama
-prefers to be outside
-still has swim lessons almost daily
-she is starting to climb
-a little wiggle worm
-still so very cute!

RUSH

Gordon and his siblings have got to be some of the biggest RUSH fans I know. Sean even has a RUSH tatoo - which is saying alot in my opinion. Apparently a new RUSH movie was just released so Gordon thought it was the perfect opportunity to get together with his brothers and sister. On the 4th of July they all put on a RUSH t-shirt, Gordon made steak and french fries, and they watched the new movie, Gordon said it was awesome! I thought this party was just for adults so I made plans to go to my mom and dads with the kids. I felt bad when I realized frank brought his girls and Cheryl's kids came also. My excuse for not staying is that they didn't have a RUSH shirt for me?!?
Sean, Cheryl, Gordon and Frank

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Stadium of Fire

After Taeya's b-day party, we went home for a little rest before heading to the Stadium of Fire. We went with my family (sadly the Whitmer's had seats far away from us). Carrie Underwood did not disappoint this year, we all really enjoyed it. We were disappointed that they didn't have sky divers, and the beginning was really boring, but once the entertainment started the girls did great. They both got a little wiggly at the end, but what do you expect from 2 little girls at a 3 hour show?!


Gordon refused to stand up when they asked all the eagle scouts to stand up, but Ryan and Garrick didn't!

We told Taeya that if she was a good girl we would be able to go again next year - and she was so I guess we get to go again. Stadium of Fire is definitely one of my favorite 4th of July traditions.

Early Birthday Party

Last year we had a combined family birthday party for Daylen and Taeya and it went so well we decided to do it again this year. We had the party in my mom and dad's backyard. Their yard was perfect. We had the waterslide set up in the sun and the chairs arranged in the shade. It was a perfect day and I think we all had a great time.

I made the 2 kiddos coordinating cupcake cakes. I didn't get a great picture of the cakes because all the pictures I took with my camera ended up dark for some reason :( The kids loved them. We had yummy chicken on croissants, cheesy potatoes, fruit, chips, homemaid rootbeer, and homemaide cake and ice cream. I ate way to much.


Both of the kids got such nice gifts. Here is Taeya's List:
Papa and Nana: Ariel barbie with changing outfits and $5Granny: $20
Whitmer's: New princess nightgown
Connelly's: Barbie bathtub and accessories
Garrick, Kelly and Jayne: Little Critters Kitten Family
Frank and Girls: Mermaid (Ariel) barbie

Taeya loved the singing card from Frank and the girls.

Papa, Kenzly, Nana and Anastyn

Kelly, Kristy, Mariel, Skyler, Asilia and Ryan watching the kids open presents.

Taeya, Kierra, Asilia, Kenzly, Skyler (Zach climbing the tree).

The Sisters: Mariel, Kelly, Brandalyn, Kristy, and Kimberly (we just needed Chantel and Mom)

Kristy, Daylen and Ryan - such a cute little family!
Since we had the party 3 weeks before Taeya's actual birthday (it worked out better for the family that was in town for the 4th of July) she was a little confused. She said to me the next day:

Taeya: "Mom I'm 4 right?"
Mom: "No you're still 3 for a few more weeks."
Taeya: "No, I'm really 4!"

Still Swimming

Just a little swimming update: the girls are still taking lessons. Anastyn goes pretty much Monday thru Friday each week, unless we have something going on in the morning. Taeya has a lesson one or two times a week. Taeya usually swims for fun while Anastyn has her lesson. She is doing great. She is a great little swimmer when she wants to be, but sometimes she gets a littl lazy. She loves the water, I think she would rather be under the water than on the surface. Her favorite thing is diving. She is always throwing in the diving rings and retrieving them. It's so fun to watch her.




Anastyn is finally getting used to lessons. She doesn't cry anymore and she is doing great. She floats so well now, it is so fun to watch such a cute little person swimming. I love the way she looks in her little goggles.