ripple effect……

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

We had visits at Dr. Reddy’s office for the boys yesterday. Both the boys had shots and poor Ethan wasn’t really happy about it later. He had a hard time going down for a nap and nothing would comfort him. Of course his crying woke up Bryce pre-maturely. Bryce then cried waking up Hope from her nap  pre-maturely. I couldn’t hold them all at the same time so I attempted to make Hope happy by having her hold Ethan while I held Bryce.  But Ethan just screamed harder…….anyway a few pics of my poor, sad children.

It was just such a orchestra of wailing and tears that I couldn’t help but laugh. We went from peace and tranquility at home to sudden despair and gloom. What was I thinking when I took the kids to be immunized on the same day?!?

Current Stats:

Ethan: 2 months old, 12 lbs., 23 inches  (about 50th percentile)

Bryce: 20 months old, 24lbs. 2oz., 33 1/4 inches (hooray, Dr was happy that weight has come up to 25th percentile) 

Quotable Quotes

 

Mommy: Hi bug! How did you sleep?

Hope: I didn’t sleep well. I am black and blue all over!  (can you tell that she has the book “princess and the pea”)

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Mommy: Hope do you want a scratch?

Hope: Yah.

Mommy: Oh look, Brycie is going to help Mommy scratch you.

Hope: No! He don’t have good scratchers!

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Mommy: Hope, what are you doing?

Hope: Putting Ethan on the pillow with me. Ethan and Hopie is friends!

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Ethan at 8 weeks

Tuesday, February 8th, 2010

Our sweet Ethan is smiling now! I live for the moments when our babies start showing personality. I guess it has been a few weeks now that he has been smiling, and he seems to do it to all our family members. It just lights up my life. He is losing his hair, and changing every day.  He is getting pretty big and (drum roll please…….) slept through the night the last two nights! That is of epic proportions for our children. Hope was 9 months and Bryce was 11 months when sleeping through the night was a regular thing. It would be such a great thing for me if he could continue the great sleeping……

When he is happy I just cannot get enough of this little baby!

Tidbits from our last week…..

Monday, February 1- Sunday, February 7, 2010

One day this last week I just was having a difficult time emotionally. So I did something awful. It was probably only 8:30 am, and to note I was the person who said I’d never use TV as a babysitter. I put the kids at the table with a chocolate pudding, turned on Word World (I feel a little less guilty with it being a show on KVIE) and headed upstairs with the baby. Here is the worst part. I was upstairs doing things as fast as I could and I forgot about the kids! I left an 18 month old at the table with chocolate pudding and didn’t even think to check on him!  The pictures don’t really do the mess justice, but it was all over his hands, arms, and shirt, as well as face. Well, it must not have been too bad of a thing to do because I was able to clean everything up and he came upstairs to me a happy boy!

On Saturday we got up and for once did not do our Saturday morning chores so we could do a family outing. Family outings where we all go somewhere together (excluding Grandparents houses) are very rare. The last one we did was in June. Outings with really young kids are for brave people, we think. :)  We took advantage of California Museum day and visited the Train Museum in Old Sacramento for free. They must have the stores laid out strategically there, because this massive candy store was just across the street from the front entrance of the museum. We saw big trains, let the kids pick out some candy, and were delighted with the three kids good spirits and success of the trip. (it must have been the candy)

Rachel and Savannah stopped by last night to bring us some unbelievable oatmeal chocolate cookies. Savannah is so cute. Our kids love Christian, Rachel and Savannah and are so excited that they live so close now. Hope kept grabbing Vanna’s hand and walking with her all around. And for the very keen eyes who notice something different about Jared…..he has lost 25 pounds in the last few months. He’s a fit Daddy!

   And does it get better than Chef Hopie wearing her princess gown under her apron? We made chocolate pies in her kitchen this afternoon. She was a crack up. I can tell she cooks like Mommy, with food and things all over the counter! She gave me her hat and said, “Mommy! Be careful. Don’t burn yourself on the chef’s hat!” I wish I could remember all the funny things she says. She constantly asks me my favorite color and no matter what color I respond with she says, “Oh, yuck. That is not your favorite color Mommy, your favorite color is red!” On Sunday she brought home four hearts all glued together . The first one said, “Heavenly Father and Jesus love me”. The second heart said, “I love Mommy.” The third heart said, “Ethan”. And the fourth heart said, “Santa brought me a doll house”. Another classic Hope moment is when we come home late from one of the Grandparent’s houses. We usually put her in pajamas and the kids often fall asleep on the way home. Hope will go suddenly from a deep sleep to wide awake and frantically exclaim, “Oh no! Mommy! We forgot my (shoes, blanket, dress, bow…whatever she had gone into Grandmas house with) and I always reply, “Honey, its ok. I put it in my diaper bag”. And then she goes back to sleep.

Ethan's Baby Blessing

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

We blessed baby Ethan at church just a few days shy of 6 weeks old. The few days prior to the blessing were challenging, as both Bryce and I were sick. There is just no time in life for a Mommy to be sick. At night I was up with Ethan to feed, change and put back to bed. Then an hour later I was up with Bryce. Then an hour or two after that I was up again with Ethan. I have learned that I can get up a maximum of two times at night and function fine in the day. More than that and the next day is tough to get through. Thankfully my parents took Hope and Bryce for a night so I could get some rest and do a few things for the blessing. It is amazing how even one kid less seems to significantly lighted the load. By the time we had shopped for food, pick up our kids, and cleaned the whole house I was just holding on by a thread. Jared and I considered post-poning the blessing late the night before, but went ahead with our plans as I was only mildly sick, and probably just more nervous about having lots of people over than anything else. I think mostly because our church is at 2:30 and it is tough to handle the kids by that time. I can't get them ready until after nap time, which usually ends at 2pm, or their clothes and hair will be destroyed . Needless to say it is a sprint to get all the kids ready by then, while keeping a clean house as well since people were coming over afterwards.

The blessing was beautiful. All our immediate family in the area came to participate and the spirit directed Daddy to give Ethan a lovely blessing. He was blessed to live up the the meaning of his name (Ethan-strong, firm, William-strong willed warrior) and to seek learning that he might be a leader. He was blessed to know of his families great love for him and to seek to serve a mission and be married in the temple to a righteous women. Significant to Ethan's blessing was the focus on gaining knowledge and learning. It has been special to see each baby blessed and know that the spirit guides what is said because each baby blessing for our children has been so different.

Even though we had family there to help with the kids I still ended up in the foyer instead of hearing the speakers but it was so wonderful to be at church with so many of our family members. After Sacrament meeting we visited with people and headed home. We had a low-key dinner with sandwiches and salads, and just enjoyed being together. It was a great day. I had forgot my camera at church and was too busy to grab it during the dinner so thankfully Grandma Forman took pictures at our house. I think there is a picture of everyone who came except my beautiful sister-in-law Jenica.

Ethan was a great sport throughout the day. And much to Daddy's relief was silent during the blessing. He is growing so fast and is such a handsome boy. I can't recommend having three kids in three years, but I also can't imagine life without him. We all love our baby Ethan!

How do you describe life?

Monday, January 18th, 2010

How does a person with three small children describe life? There just isn't one word that encompasses what this time period is like. It is everything in one. The day moves so quickly from happy, fun, to trying, challenging, crying, then laughter, joy, peace, ruckus, followed by a round of exhaustion, mess, etc. At the end of the day I feel grateful to have children, often afraid to close my eyes for prayer in that I'll fall asleep, and occasionally I fear going to sleep because then tomorrow we start it all over again! Stimulating. Perhaps the word to describe this period of life is stimulating! We are all learning and growing so much. We are permanently exhausted and yet I wouldn't trade these beauties for anything in the world.

Three Weeks Old update.....

Ethan is three weeks old today. This has been the fastest three weeks of my life! I have always felt that there is hardly a moment to breathe with an infant. As many others told me, it is hard to adjust to having three children. I believed those people, but there is just no way of really knowing what that means until you experience it. There have been times that I have melted down, and times when I felt encouraged that I can handle this. It is all still so new and we are ALL adjusting. Ethan is just doing great. We love him so much. We had a doctor appointment yesterday and our strapping boy was 9lbs. 7oz. He has gained a pound and a half already! The doctor was quick to point out that I should be careful to not have an obese baby, but I think he is just fine. I am feeling good and love each of our dear children. Its a good life. It is a crazy life right now, but a good life.