#3

Baby #3 is on it's way, arriving in June!

If you would have told me a year ago that I'd be making this announcement, I'd have laughed out loud.  Jackson has been SO hard in SO many ways.  And he still is but he's has been doing great in school and making huge progress.  And really, what child isn't challenging in some way?  

As much as we joked about being done with having kids after Jackson, deep down I knew we should have another.  But I was not going to jump into that until I felt like I could manage that and the ones I already had.  It seemed way too overwhelming for a long time.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to be a mother again to another special spirit.  I know many people who have not been blessed with this and I try to always remember what a huge privilege and blessing it is.  

I feel okay now.  Just bloated and bigger than I should.  For several weeks I felt like crap but thankfully that seems to have passed.  I have been wearing maternity pants since like 10 weeks.  So awesome.  I try to not look at the scale.  I don't care if I gain weight, I just don't think I should be gaining this much already.  Oops.

I go in next week for my second appointment and then we should have our ultrasound in January.  So excited for that!

Not so excited that we are basically starting from scratch with baby gear.  We'll need a car seat, crib, swing, bouncer, A VAN, changing table, etc.  And we'll need to figure out how to get Eliza and Jackson to share a room...

Here's the little one.  And ONLY ONE.  Yay!

Sorry, no belly pictures.  I haven't done it with the others, why start now?  I'm sure a few pictures of me looking like a whale will get taken here and there.  That's all the documentation I need!

Six years old

On Saturday, Eliza turned six!  

That week at school she was the spotlight which was fun for her.  

Birthday morning she opened her present!

We're hoping it helps her not be such a chicken on her bike.

Then we went to the mall for EAR PIERCING!  It is something she has been wanting for a couple of months.  She was so brave, not one tear.

For dinner we let her pick the place but secretly invited both grandparents so it was a sort of surprise party for her.  

Then we went back to grandma and grandpa's for cake, ice cream, and a few more presents.

The Madagascar 3 DVD came with a "Marty wig."  It totally looked like the picture.  

Eliza is such a joy in my life and our family.  Every day she makes me smile and makes me proud.  She is smart, beautiful, loving, innocent, a good helper, and a wonderful big sister.  I love her so much!

Halloween 2012

I swear Halloween lasted for two weeks this year.  It's fun but it's nice to turn the lights off and ignore the late trick-or-treaters when it's all finally over.  Which we do.

This year we had a beautiful ballerina and a silly Plex the Robot.

Preschool!

When Jackson was in speech therapy they suggested that for preschool, the more experiences he can have, the better.  After we found out he qualified for the special preschool over at the elementary school, we also decided to enroll him in the same one Eliza went to.  So two days a week he takes the bus to school and two days a week we walk.  

I have been worrying and having anxiety over this week for months.  Because he's always had such separation trouble and hates change so much, I was dreading it.  But he has changed a lot in the last  month or so.  He's becoming a little more independent and is communicating better.  

His first day at the neighborhood preschool went pretty well!  He cried of course when he realized he was on his own but his teacher said it wasn't too bad.  She may have been trying to be nice.  :)  The bus was what I was REALLY sick about.  Getting him on the bus the first morning was awful.  He was clinging to me, screaming, crying, all that fun stuff.  So the whole time he was gone I kept wondering if he was still as bad or had settled down or what.  When the bus dropped him off home the bus driver said he only cried for a few minutes and according to his little note from his teacher he was "happy."  I am FLOORED.  I just expected him to survive they day and maybe not cry the entire 2 hours.  Not to be happy!  I am so relieved.  Maybe our luck will hold!  Potty training - check!  Sleeping in a bed - check!  Neither of which I thought would ever happen.  My boy is growing up and keeps surprising me!  Love him so much.

Our photoshoot for day 1 of preschool

 Check out those tonsils!

 Fell over the dog

Day 2

Big day!

When did this girl grow up?  I swear it was yesterday she was going to preschool.  And now kindergarten! 

She could not be more excited.  That's the only thing that is keeping me from being more of an emotional wreck.  At least I know I won't have to drag her kicking and screaming.  That's the other child.  :)

I know she's not the first kid to go to kindergarten but she's MY first and it's hard.  It will be sad not having her around in the mornings.  Jackson is going to miss her like crazy.  

So yeah, I'm going to be THAT mother that cries as she walks into her school.  Oh well.  I can't help it.  But it's so dang early that I won't have any mascara on to ruin so that's good.  

She's going to do amazing.  She already reads at a first grade level. I can't wait to see how much she grows and learns this year.  

Could she be any cuter in her uniform?  I love this girl so much.

No pictures, but...

We have been complete fail with taking pictures lately.  But we've had a fun couple of months!  Girls camp was really a good experience.  I'm so thankful I wasn't the one in charge but I'm glad I went.  And I'm really, really glad that Matt and the kids survived.  I was more nervous about that than going to camp!

The day after I got back from camp, Matt threw me a surprise party.  Which is brave of him considering he knows how much I HATE stuff like that.  Honestly, I had no idea he was doing it.  He and Eliza are very good secret keepers.  Even when we walked in the house after church and I heard a little bit of talking, I thought we had left the TV on.  Totally surprised!  The fact that he was mopping the kitchen floor Saturday night should have tipped me off!  It was fun though and I had a good time.  I just made him promise to never do it ever again.  

I had to teach Young Women's the day after camp and then the next week I had to speak in sacrament meeting and teach part of the lesson again.  So stressful!  I am happy that is all over with.  

Matt's dad has his stake Lagoon day at the end of July.  We had never taken our kids there and they had a BLAST!  I hadn't been to Lagoon in years...so much has changed!  Luckily, Jackson was just barely tall enough to ride a lot of the adult rides.  He and Eliza loved Tidal Wave, Rattlesnake Rapids, the Log Ride, and Bombora.  Also all the kiddie rides.  I hadn't realized how bad my fear of heights had gotten!  So lame but I was TERRIFIED on the Sky Ride.  Yes, the calmest ride in the entire park.  I was with Eliza and she had to tell me to not grab her leg so tight several times.  Matt and Jackson were in the cart in front of us and I kept picturing seeing Jackson falling out.  He has such a hard time sitting still and I was freaked out the whole time.  And of course we were stopped for 20 minutes who knows how many feet above solid concrete. So scary!  I will not be doing that ride again.  We took videos of the kids on rides but didn't get any pictures. 

Then this last weekend Matt was in Colorado.  I think he was paying me back for leaving him while I was at camp.  We had a fun weekend.  For once in his life, Jackson surprised me by being good when we took away the crib and made him sleep in a bed.  Totally shocked!!  He doesn't sleep in long enough in the mornings but he never (knock on wood) gets out during the night.  It's the only time he has cooperated for anything!

School starts at the end of August for Eliza and the first week of September for Jackson.  This is going to be a huge change for him but I'm excited to see how much he grows and learns!  

While The Cat's Away...The Mice Will...

Go Crazy!   That is what these past couple days have been without Emily.  We have had fun and eaten way too many treats, but staying home with kids can be exhausting.  They wear me out and I think I have worn them out at the same time.  I have dragged them to different places and through different stores.   I think what is frustrating, and now I see it in the eyes of Emily, is when you go to a store and get done with what you need, only to realize you forgot something on your way home and you think to yourself, "there is no way I am taking the kids all the way back just to get one more item".  We have had our share of fun though.  Last night was snow cone night and the night before was dinner with Grandpa while Grandma is also out of town.   We are going to try to hit up a family rivarly baseball game between a nephew and a cousin today at 4, which should be fun but hot.  After, we will make a solid effort to clean everything up before dinner.   This shouldn't be too hard as we have tried to clean up and do dishes as we go, but we will try to get a more thorough cleaning done soon.  The nice thing is Jackson has slept really well, or maybe I have slept really well and haven't heard him.   Eliza decided on Wednesday night that she would put herself to sleep and has been a really good girl so far.  I really can understand why Emily enjoys the peace and quiet after bedtime.   As I work full time, I tend to enjoy driving home because I consider that "me time" but Emily never really gets that until after the kids go to bed.   I have really learned to appreciate all she does for the kids and me.  So this is a pretty random post, but my point is that I believe I could be a full time stay at home dad, but Emily will always do a better job than I ever could.   T-minus 26 hours until the return of mom. 

Jackson turns 3!

7-8-9  That's how I remember Jackson's birthday.  Sunday he turned three!  I can't believe it.  In some ways it's been the longest three years of my life and in other ways, it's gone by really fast and I can't believe he's that old.  Here's what Jackson is like at 3 years old

• Would eat treats all day long if we let him
• Is finally staying in nursery by himself
• He will leap off anything and everything
• Loves to play with the hose outside and will drench himself with it.  But if he gets a drop of water on himself during dinner, he cries
• Loves basketball 
• Still won't drink much milk
• Is communicating much better but still has a long way to go
• His favorite shows are Star Wars and Curious George
• Is obsessed with Robots (pronounces it Bobots)
• Still sleeps in a crib and melts down when we try to change that
• Is a lefty like his mom
• Usually naps every day but it's fading
• Cannot sit still for more than a minute
• Wakes up grumpy 90% of the time
• Cries for at least 30 minutes when we have to put on church clothes.
• Has had 2 surgeries, a broken foot, and stitches
• Can point out a car wash no matter where we are
• Loves his 93 year old great grandpa and calls him "big grandpa"
• Sings along with I am a Child of God
• Has big, beautiful blue eyes and dark eyelashes

Jackson has been such a challenge for me.  A lot of the time I feel like I still don't know what I'm doing with him.  And I often wonder who thought it was a good idea to make me his mother.  But I love him so much and we can't imagine our family without him.  He has taught me patience and to be grateful for small accomplishments and miracles.  He's my sweet little boy and I am so happy to be his mom.  The good days and the snuggles make it all worth it. 

Those lashes...  Didn't get them from me.

  It's not Jackson's birthday until Sunday but we had an early party for him so most of my family could come.  I have to say...the majority of the time I try anything for the first time it just doesn't work out.  Recipes, crafts, anything.  So I was stressed about the cake I was attempting to make.  But I was so happy it actually turned out!  Minus the messy wax paper underneath...I couldn't get that out without destroying the cake. 

He loves his scooter from grandma and grandpa!  Can't believe this little stinker will be 3 soon.  


I actually did TWO things that turned out better than expected yesterday.  The cake and then this patriotic wreath.  I love the colors of July!

We had Jackson's IEP meeting today to get him all ready for preschool in the fall.  A couple of weeks ago I took him to the child development center to have him tested to see if he qualified for this "special" preschool.  And he didn't!  I couldn't believe it.  He was super uncooperative and was crying or hyperactive basically the whole time.  Hardly said a word.  It was obvious he needed extra help so they had me fill out an ITSEA test which measures behavioral issues as well.  And that got him in.  

So the plan is for him to go to the elementary school for preschool on Mondays and Wednesdays and then our neighborhood preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I hope it's not too much.  It's going to be a huge challenge for him.  And me.  But I KNOW it's what he needs.  He'll ride the bus to the elementary school.  Oh. My. Word.  That is not going to go well.  He's going to freak.  Just like he does anytime anything changes.  I'm hoping that if we take him to his school all the time and meet his teacher a few times, it won't be as traumatic.  But I doubt it.

It's hard because he JUST got used to his toddler class, which has been wonderful.   But now that is ending and we're going to have to start all over.  Nothing is easy with this kid.  Good thing I love him.  How sweet is that face?

Good Day Circus

Today Eliza graduated from preschool!  I can not believe it.  She has grown up so much these last two years.  For their graduation they had a circus.  It was so cute!

The all sang a few songs together

The tigers did tricks

The tightrope walkers performed

The clowns jumped out of a train and sang a silly song

Then the graduates got their diplomas!

The costumes

Proud mom and dad!

We love Eliza's preschool and her fantastic teacher.  There was never one day in two years that she didn't want to go to school.  She has learned a ton and is so ready for Kindergarten!  Eliza is such a happy, smart, sweet hearted, special girl.  We love her and are so proud of her!