Ryker

Toddlers are so fun. I love to sit around with my family and have the kids entertain Don and I. I love when something (cute, funny, annoying, etc.) happens and Don and I can look at each other with that knowing look. It's so great to connect in that way with your children's father. No one else in the world can feel that same exact joy/fear/excitement/love for your children except you and your husband. And surely no one else will think this get-up is as great as we do. (The light saber was made by Mason)

Our kids LOVE to dress up. Ryker will go from pirate to cowboy to space ranger to storm trooper to lion within a 15 minute span.

Piper's Newborn Pictures

These photo's were taken when Piper was 4 days old. It's strange how it seems like so long ago because I can't imagine our life without her, but also strange how fast time goes. I already miss holding that little 8 lb. ball of deliciousness. Snuggling with a "curled up" newborn is the best.

Piper's Blessing

Today was Piper's Blessing. Don gave her a beautiful blessing and then we enjoyed a very spiritual Sacrament meeting. Today was the first time I have been to church since she was born and it was so nice to be there. I'm so grateful for my membership in the church.

This dress was made in 1950 by my Grandma Deane. She made it from the left over fabric from her wedding dress. I think it is beautiful.

(uh...wish I would have been early to church so that we could have had photos before Sacrament meeting instead of after...if ya know what i mean)

Look at all of those pleats, aren't they gorgeous?!

My sweet SIL made this hair thing for Piper. I love it.

The high and lows of coming home...

It seems to be such an emotional roller coaster those first few weeks at home. I know that pregnancy hormones play a factor in that, but knowing still doesn't make it any easier.

Here we all are with Piper just a couple hours old
(Our new family of SIX. It makes me laugh to think that we ARE INDEED a family of SIX!) (My kids always look like ragamuffins in hospital pictures...don't feel bad Mom, I'm glad they are happy and taken care of.:))

So here are some of our Highs and Lows of the first few weeks...

High: This was my BEST labor and delivery. I really didn't want an epidural or any drugs. I did it and it felt so good. My contractions were 15 minutes apart all morning, we went in to the doctor at 2:00 to have her check me and I was at a 7. (We didn't go to the hospital first because I thought they would send me home since they were so far apart.) My contractions stayed 15 minutes apart until about 3:30, then 10 minutes apart for a couple. Then my water broke and I was ready to push. I "tried" not to push while waiting for my midwife. My midwife got there and since she was already crowning I gave one push and she was born at 4:00. It was all crazy wonderful.

Low: This is my forth time having stitches. I REALLY hate stiches.

High: Piper easily fell into a 2 1/2 - 3 hour eating schedule and has at least a 5 hour stretch each night and often a 7-8 hour stretch.

Low: Piper thinks its okay to poop like 30 times a day. This bad habit led to an ugly diaper rash for a day, but we have it under control now.

High: Snuggling a cute little person. (Don't you just love when you pick them up and they arch their back and curl their legs up...that really is the best)

Low: Our house feels VERY small now and our other 3 children seem to have much more energy than before which I didn't know was possible.

High: Having so many great friends that fed us for over a week followed by my sister who flew in from California and took care of us for 3 1/3 days AND filled my freezer with meals.

Low: LAUNDRY

High: Having a wonderful husband who has a flexible job and was able to take time off work to help and be with us for a couple of weeks.

(Maybe I should have put a bow on her head if I was going to take a picture of her in her brothers clothes. But who has time for that...remember...we are a family of SIX now.)

Meet the newest member of our family....

Piper Jane
11/1/11
8 lbs 1 oz

making things even around here...


By the end of this year we will be a family of 6. Kennedy is beyond happy that it is a GIRL! I am due November 2nd and feeling great. This pregnancy has been my easiest, by far.

St. Patrick's Day

Each year on St. Patrick's Day we make a little trap and see if we can catch us a leprechaun. This year Mason wrote a note as well. Unfortunately, we were not able to catch the leprechaun, but he did leave us some fun things for St. Patrick's Day, including a response. What a fun morning for the kids.

Trip to California

We headed down to California at the end of January. Our first stop was in Bakersfield to visit our dearest friends, Cheryl and Micah and their cute boys. I'm so disappointed in myself because I didn't take any pictures! Shocking, I know.

After a few fun days at their house, we headed to Uncle Miles and Aunt Jann's in Alta Loma. It was so fun to spend the day with them and to see Jocelyn and her family.

Monday morning took us to the Happiest Place on Earth where we meet up with Cheryl and Micah and the Moody's. It was so much fun. Once again, I just have a few pictures...:(

This picture was taken over by the Bug's Life theater in California Adventures...when we came out of the show, I could not find Mason. I was only slightly panicked, but still panicked. Someone finally spotted him over in line waiting to see Mickey. I find that I experience extreme emotions at these kind of places. Anxiety (about loosing a child, especially one crazy 2 year old), Panic (when I loose sight of 7 year old and a 2 year old a different time), JOY (5 year old LOVES fast rides), heartache...well, that's because this 7 year old boy is scared of the rides. He did better this trip but we had to convince him to go on several rides. (Okay PUSH and DRAG him on Pirates...oh yes I did.)

Yes, we used the animal lease at Disneyland. We needed it. The time we lost sight of him was the one time we took it off, which was while we were eating lunch. He wandered away and thankfully a family sitting near us saw him. Awesome.

Our kids with the Nilsson kids. The taller boy right in front of the tree....see him...that's Kennedy's future husband.

Had to add this one.

Cheryl and Asher.

Just 2 of the Moody kids in this one. Ya, I'm awesome with the camera. Speaking of awesome, check out Ryker in the bottom left corner.

The was another heartache for me. We went over to the Star Wars show and Ryker caught sight of Darth Maul and covered his eyes for about 30 minutes. It was pretty sad. We left right away when we saw how scared he was, but he just kept his eyes covered.

The last part of our trip we headed down to Carlsbad with the Moody's to stay in a condo right on the beach. It was so beautiful I could have stayed their another week. Unfortunately, I don't have a pictures. Surprise, surprise.

Christmas 2010

Here are all the things that the kids left for Santa this year. Mason had a letter asking a few questions and his wish list. Kennedy left an ornament that she made at school.

Check out Ryker in the background. He wasn't into opening presents. He just wanted to watch a movie, so we let him.

Even though we only have a few pictures, we had a great Christmas. They kids loved their gifts and I loved watching them be so excited. Since they are young it is really easy to keep things simple and they are still so happy. (I do wish I had a few more pictures though.)

*SNOW* 2010

It's so exciting when it snow around here. We had quite a bit this year and the kids loved it. I remember playing in the snow as a kid and having the best time. But boy oh boy... its so much work when you're the mom. Getting everyone all dressed in their gear, then undressed when they want to have some hot chocolate, then re-dressed to go play again, and on and on. I wasn't quick enough one morning and Ryker got himself ready to go play in the snow. He isn't worried about the details.

We had to shovel quite a bit this year as well. Our walks/driveways and several others who aren't able to shovel their own.

Daddy's Boy

Ryker is such a Daddy's boy. He loves his daddy. Every morning the first thing Ryker says is "Dad?". Asking where his dad is. When Don gets home Ryker is always so excited. Ryker always wants to sit by Don or on his lap. And he would much rather Don put him to bed than me. It's makes me so happy that my kids have such a great Dad and that they love him so much.

HALLOWEEN 2010
We had a cat/leopard (?), a giraffe, and a vampire. Super easy this year. All hand-me-down's and stuff we had around. Awesome.


Halloween always ends up being so stressful for me. My kids love this day and I try to squeeze way too much in, making it not too fun for me. We trick-or-trick in the late afternoon to all of the shops in the up-town shopping center. This is fun for the kids because it is still light and they can see all of the other costumes. We then rush home for dinner then head over to the church for our ward Trunk-or-Treat. This is fun to see lots of friends. Then I always want to trick-or-treat around the neighborhood because its so fun to see the kids getting excited over the decorations. And because I love walking down the sidewalks that are covered in the fall leaves and I love the crisp air. We also try see grandparents in there somewhere too.

In the end, its all fun, but a little too much. However, I know we will do the same thing next year.

Pumpkins

We love to go over to Uncle Paul's pumpkin patch. There is no crowd and we get the royal treatment. (A long hay ride, Hot Cocoa, and lots of wonderful produce.)

We then went to Grandma and Grandpa Peterson's to carve our pumpkins.

We were happy that Uncle Chad and Aunt Musashi were there to carve with us!

Fall Soccer

Kennedy and Mason both played soccer this Fall. Kennedy loved practice. The games...not so much. She didn't like all the people on the sidelines watching and yelling so she mostly stayed back and played with her ponytail. (nervous habit)

Mason was on a team of boys that were all older than him. (His b-day is 7 days too early to play with his own grade.) So he didn't really like it too well. The boys had all played together before and he felt a little left out. He did manage to improve dramatically through-out the season.

I guess we didn't take any pictures of Mason out on the field. We only have these super fabulous ones of Kennedy. :)

First Day of School

We now have a Kindergartner and a 1st grader. They were excited and ready but I was not really ready to send Kennedy off to Kinder this year. She just seemed too young to go.


Mason loves school and was excited to go back. His Kinder teacher moved up with him and I was so happy about that. She is great and has done well at pushing him to perform at his level.

Kennedy kind of had 2 first days of school because she had a short day with me and then her "real" first day. I was so nervous, she actually looks a little nervous here too. She gave me such a big hug when I was leaving.

On the third day of school she didn't even want me to walk her up to her classroom, she wanted to go by herself. So I stayed parked where I could see her and her tiny little booty walk all the way down that long sidewalk to edge of the school and then I was so worried if she was in the right line. I had told Mason he had to stay with her until she was in the right place, so I had to tell myself she was just fine.

That next month I would always watch her run down the sidewalk as fast as she could toward her classroom. One day the 1st bell rang as she was about half way there and when that bell rang she kicked it into high gear and her huge backpack was bouncing all over the place. She looked so cute as she was dodging the older kids trying to get around to her door before the teacher opened it. I wished I'd had my video camera.