Snowmen and a seriously good comeback

Last week Liam really wanted to make a snowman. I have become a bit lazy in my old age and this particular activity did not appeal to me at all. But with most outside activities in the cold, once you get out there with all of your gear on and get going, we had a lot of fun. We even made two-Liam named them Mr. Snowman and His Little Friend, Buddy.

Mr. Snowman does not have a tumor, Liam just gave him a prominent

forehead.

Last night at dinner, Liam was telling us a story about how he and Luke were jumping on the couch and then jumping off the couch onto the cushions. Justin looked at Luke and asked him why he thought it would be a good idea to do this. Luke tried to defend himself by telling us that Liam had taken the cushions off and he was just playing along. Justin asked him how old he was ("seven") and how old is Liam ("four") and being older he should think about things before he does them and not just follow along.

I then told him he needed to be a good example for his little brother and then asked him the age old question that many other mothers have asked:

"If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you?"

Luke: "With a parachute."

His comment left us speechless.

Two random comments by the boys...


Last night, Justin took the boys to Iceberg for a treat. I had some people over at my house last night so when they got home I wasn't able to talk to them about what they had chosen. We were talking about it this morning while getting ready for school and I asked Luke what kind of shake he got. He said "Cookie dough, but I didn't really like the dough. Cookie dough shakes have cookie dough in them." But disgusting or not, he ate the whole thing.

Then...the sinks in the master bathroom are constantly covered in toothpaste. Last night as I was cleaning, Liam saw me scrubbing the gobs and gobs of paste off the counter. He said, "Mom, we need touch and brush." (I guess it is a contraption that attaches to your wall and you push your toothbrush up against it and it dispenses just the right amount of paste without getting it all over.)

My dad reminded me tonight of a funny comment that Liam made a couple weeks ago.

My dad was holding Liam at Nick's football game and Liam was nuzzled into my dad's neck. He lifted up his head and said: "Grandpa, you smell like soap."
My dad leaned over and sniffed Liam and said: "Liam, you smell like diesel fuel."
Liam: "I know."

My first born

My life was forever altered on November 9, 1998 at 12:52 p.m. No other moment in my life would change me in this way and nothing could prepare me for the stress, the unconditional love, the tears, the incredible joy and frustration that would come along with this new calling.

I became a mother.

I was handed this perfect, helpless, beautiful boy and I was completely smitten.  And now, he is eleven years old and I love him more than ever.

Nick, I love you for the young man you are becoming. You have such a big heart and although you know how to push buttons and be a big pain in the rear, you really want to do the right thing and be a good person. I love that in front of your friends at your class halloween party I was helping at you came and gave me a big hug and let Liam hang around with you and sit on your lap. Your teacher came up to me that day and told me that you are such a big help and so sweet to a girl in your class that was adopted about a year ago from China and struggles sometimes. You help her with her classwork and you make sure that she has a friend to play with at recess.

I love that you are nice to your brothers most of the time.

You came home from school the other day so excited because you received straight A's on your report card. You then said: "If I keep this up I can get into a good college." Even though you know how to have fun and be a goof ball, you have a good head on your shoulders and think into the future and what will be good for you.

You are a perfectionist. This can be good and bad because you want to be perfect at everything you do. You are also very competitive and this adds to the perfectionist spirit you have so you are either really easy or really hard to live with around certain events like football games.

Lately we have been having some really good conversations before you go to bed. You were upset a couple days ago because a sixth grader threw your football over the fence because you accidentally hit him when you were passing the ball to your friend. You had tried to get it but the fence had barbed wire on it. You didn't want me to tell anyone because you didn't want anyone to get in trouble so I told you to go to the office and tell them you accidentally threw it over the fence. You looked at me and said you couldn't do that because it would be lying. Luckily, your good friend was able to get the ball and for you and you saved your integrity.

I love you so much and am excited to see what the next year brings!

Having banana splits on his birthday!

We celebrated Nick and Andrew's birthdays with the family on Sunday night. We are so lucky to have such great family who support us and the boys and we love to be with them. We missed the Beckstrom fam who are living in New Hampshire at the moment and Mistie and Seneka--hope Seneka is feeling better!

The party was great--we had really good food and I made these little ditties...I am so proud of myself!

For the recipe, go here

Ashton, Luke, and Jackson

Headlamps!

Luke, Ashton, Nick, Andrew, Halle, Liam

Happy birthday to you!

Ashton as Darth Vader

Erika and Matt

Happy birthday Andrew!

Nine years ago on November 8, 2000, I went in to have an induction for my second baby boy for IUGR and low AFI (Intrauterine growth restriction and low amniotic fluid). I had been on strict bedrest from 24 weeks until 34 weeks and then it was modified up until this day at 37.4 weeks. The doctor said a good goal for me would be to make it until 26 weeks. I did not know then what I know now and I am relieved and so grateful that he did not come then.

I went in for a routine non stress test on Monday the 7th and found my level was around 3 and a normal one is between 10-25. My doctor was out of town that day and so they wanted me to wait until he returned home to be induced. I remember being nervous going home because my doctor said that he would induce me if my fluid was less than 5. Luckily he was a friend of the family and returned home the next day and he told me to go on in.

I arrived at the hospital and I am pretty sure they were slammed. When I went to check in they asked me who my doctor was and if I had an appointment. I said no, Dr. B just told me to come on in, they replied: "Oh, that's typical" and  had me wait in the waiting room. I got into my room at about 10:00 and was started on pitocin. I remember asking the nurse just how long this was going to take because the baby has to be born before midnight since I had my first son's second birthday the next day. She told me the typical answer that I now give my patients: "Oh, labor can take a while. Once you hit four centimeters we want you to dilate at least a centimeter an hour, but you are only two centimeters now..." I thought to myself that if they did share a birthday, we would just lie to them and tell them their birthdays were on different days to let them have their own special day.

I got my epidural at 1:00 and after that I think I was the least important patient for a while because I don't remember much happening, just loving feeling comfortable. Right before 4:00, Justin went to go grab something to eat and at 4:00 I received a phone call from my mom: "Why isn't the baby here yet?"
"Sometimes these things take time, mom, I will call you when he gets here."
And as if he heard the phone call and wanted to please everyone, my water broke. Holy pressure. Pushed the call light. Pushed it again. Twenty minutes later the charge nurse came in and checked my cervix..."Oh, the baby is right there!" Really? Because it feels like my bum is going to fall off. Page Justin overhead. Page the doctor. All present and accounted for? Okay, push. 4:58 pm. Boy.

Nine years later you continue effortlessly to make people happy. You love collecting things--it is hard keeping up with the changing of all the fads...Pokemon cards, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and now Bakugan. You love legos. And you still love, love Star Wars.

My darling Andrew, you are such a sweet, sweet boy. You are always concerned about others and to give an example of how much you care about others and their feelings is at your friend party, you received 200 tickets for being a birthday boy so you could pick out a cool prize. You pooled your tickets with two friends and one of their little brothers and ended up with just 100 tickets in the end. Not one complaint, not one remorseful thought. You just wanted to help out your friends and give them more than they could get on their own.
You get so concerned when others get upset and try to make things better by offering solutions or even just a hug.
You love with all of your heart and try to do what is right all the time. You do your best and work hard to get what you want.
I love you dearly and am so glad you are my not so little nine year old boy.

Birthdays galore and an ode to Erika

Fall not only marks the changing of the seasons, it marks the beginning of a very busy birthday season.

Justin's birthday was on November 3rd. I will not disclose his age in respect for him but it is smack dab in the middle of 30 and 40. We were planning to go out to dinner that night but Luke was sick so we just had a little party at home and he received some apparel to show his Utah man spirit appropriately in this heavily populated BYU fan neighborhood we live in. Happy birthday love!

On Friday night, my parents took the older two boys out shopping and to dinner for their upcoming birthdays. Justin and I took the younger ones out to dinner and then we came home and watched a movie. I fell asleep about five minutes into it but at least I was there in body, right?

The next morning we headed to Boondocks for the combined friend birthday party for Nick and Andrew. I told Nick last year that we were done having friend birthday parties when they turned 10...he could invite a couple friends to dinner or to a movie...but it was just easier to have one friend party and we will just have to play it by ear next year. They are only young once.

Let me tell you, Boondocks is an awesome place to party. Everyone was able to run around and do their own thing and we had originally planned to just stay inside the whole time because November is so iffy in the weather department, but the weather cooperated and was absolutely gorgeous so we played outside too.

Andrew and his buddy Jacob

Ryker, Nick, Justin, Reese, Turner

Andrew and Jaxon

Then after the birthday party, Nick and Andrew went to the U game with my dad and my sister, Erika. Nick opened up one of his presents early to wear to the game:

On November 4, Liam also wanted to write a note to my sister, Erika. He dictated it to me and I wrote it down to give it to her. I thought it was so cute that I didn't want to forget it. Ever. It said:

Dear Erika,

You are so nice, ever.

Ever, she is so nice, ever.

(giggle)

I love Erika.

I love her.

Simple, yet so satisfying

Today Luke was sick. I always love an opportunity for my little Lukey to stay home because he is such a love. He wasn't so sick though that we couldn't meet Justin for lunch at Paradise and do a bit of shopping.

I was not in the best mood when we headed to Salt Lake. I was blasting my music, singing along and felt the black plague enter my heart because while Justin was making me upset as I was talking to him on the phone, Luke and Liam were just sitting there in the back seat, quiet while Lady Antebellum latest hit was blaring. I think I just wanted to feel sorry for myself. I wanted the boys to feel as sad as I did. Really? What kind of a mother am I?

With one push of a button, Liam's CD came on and the mood changed. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. The boys, singing along with Liam's little arm shooting up into the air shouting "Hooray!"

We went to lunch and then went shopping. Not to kid friendly stores, but stores like TJ Maxx, Kohl's, and Roberts. I wanted to get a birthday gift for Justin and see if there were any decent Thanksgiving decorations left out there. The boys were delightful. Yes, crazy running pell mell throughout TJ Maxx dancing to the random ringtones on my phone, but delightful. We didn't find anything so walked down to Kohl's. They had to climb through the big hole made in the brick wall and Liam didn't want any help. We walked all over because of course they had to use the restroom but it didn't seem cumbersome.

We went to Robert's next. They squished together in the little cart and sang and laughed the entire time. At the end, they received a free red balloon. I had my camera but left it in the car and I was bummed that I couldn't capture one of the cutest things I have ever seen. As we went outside, they were running and laughing like this free balloon was the best present they had ever received. Luke wanted his tied around his wrist and so Liam wanted his done the exact same way. Liam was squealing with glee. After they were tied securely to their wrists, more skipping and looking behind them at their balloons following them, dancing in the breeze. Two adorable boys enjoying being little. I am so glad that I have this memory.

Happy Halloween!

I think we can open up our own candy store. Trunk or treat on Tuesday night, Justin's work party before their school fall carnival on Friday, Saturday they plundered the neighborhood trick or treating then a party at our neighbor's after with tons of yummy food, donughts, and making smores. No better way to get the kids all souped up on candy and sugar. At least there was an extra hour of sleep to have visions of sugarplums dance in their heads...oh wait, that is not for a couple months yet!

Cutest bunch of trick or treaters around!

                                                                                       Luke as Spiderman

Nick as Michael Jackson

                                                                        Andrew as Commander Cody

Liam as Mover Scott from Imagination Movers

                                                                              Showing off his Wobble Goggles!