Cereal

Hunter finally likes rice cereal, seriously who would though. He will open his mouth and actually swallow it. He has been eyeing our food the past month or so, seeming to know something is happening and he is not in on it. His first taste of rice cereal was not to his liking and he had nothing to do with it when I offered it theses past two weeks. Its nice to have him eating something other than milk so I know he is getting all he needs. My kids have all loved to eat baby food and I don't know why but I love feeding them. I love to see what their facial expressions will be as they try different foods. Hunter is a spitter however, he spit back out his cereal this morning right in my face. All of us were laughing. I'm just waiting for a nasty spit and splatter back in my face. It would serve me right though, we have a picture of me spitting my carrots all over my dad. One step at a time though Hunter, time is flying by and I don't want it to. I have enjoyed having him as a baby, lots more than I did Jaxon or Jake. With Jax I was too stressed about him eating and my milk and my first baby and when Jake was born Jax wasn't even two so I wanted him to grow fast. So take it slow my sweet Hunter!

TOFW

This past weekend I was able to go to Ogden and attend Time Out For Women. I was skeptical at first when my mom bought tickets and I knew Hunter would have to come along. I didn't know if it was going to be worth it. Wow! It totally was. Even walking into the doors there was a line of women waiting to get a seat and I did not want to go in. We did and boy am I glad I did. There were lots of speakers and musical numbers. I am a do it myself gal and I don't really rely on anyone unless I have to, much less just call and chat with a friend. I consider Jeff the only one I have to talk to and I tell him all that I am thinking. Boy have I been wrong all these years. I have heard lots of women say, "Women NEED other women!" Sure, we do I would think. But I realized this weekend that there is something empowering about being around other women who are in the thick of mothering and even those in the thick of grandparenting. It gives you strength to face things together, to share in the hard times and heartaches (this sharing part is the hardest for me, I am a great listener, just not a sharer). Needless to say I learned so much and am ready to face those dirty faces again! I learned something from each of the speakers. Jenny Oaks Baker was there and talent just oozes from her. Made me want to start taking violin lessons. John Bytheway is always a great speaker, he talked about praying for the spirit to be with you each morning and night and then throughout the day picture the Holy Ghost with you. Still gotta try it! He talked about the armor of God and how the only offensive part of the armor is the sword of the Spirit and how Satan tries to take that away from us first, then all we can do is defend ourselves. Chieko Okasawki spoke and wow, what a spunky 83 yr. old! She talked of simple treasures we all have in unlimited supply; like smiles, time, song, prayers! The Eyres spoke, this is why I wanted to go in the first place because I had just read their book. They just reviewed their book, so I knew most of what they were talking about, so many great ideas. My fav though was coming up with a family mission statement and then displaying it in your home. Still thinking on that one, I've got to trick Jeff into thinking we are doing something else. Its all about being sly sometimes. This other guy Richard ??? was a scripture genius on the old testament and changing the way we look at things, talking off our glasses and looking at things through someone else's view. This lady Mariama was from war torn Africa and told a story that has totally changed my perspective on life and service. Emily Freeman also spoke mostly on hope, which was the theme. Just amazing! I am still soaking it all in and sorting it all in my head. Thanks mom for doing this and for everyone who helped with the boys. Thanks Jeff, you are amazing in so many ways. I am so lucky to have you.

These days...

I just printed out our blog into a book and I love it. It works as my scrapbook journal and it is accurate because when I put in pictures I also talk about the event. So I don't have to rack my brain for details months later. Love it! Since receiving this I have been thinking about what my kids are doing in comparison to a year ago and I need to write these everyday happenings down so I don't forget how life was with little ones under my feet. Here it goes...
My kids love cereal, much to my chagrin sometimes, because if I have time I would much rather have a hot breakfast.
Physical, physical, physical. Not all sports either. The wrestling, pushing, all boys type of physical. Wears me out somedays.
Jaxon is my organizer, I find him randomly rearranging his shelves and mine. Must have gotten that from his mother.
Jake is all about saving princesses. Each day I have to ask him who he is today. It's usually Prince Charmy (aka: Charming), Prince Phillip, Eric, Knight is Shiny Armour. I am usually the princess and he loves it when I pretend to be asleep from the witch and he kisses me. The kiss must be on the lips or it won't work and we do it again.
Hunter is an angel sent straight from Heaven. I don't know if I will ever be able to resist that smile of his even when he is a screaming toddler
Jaxon loves to be with friends, I am not talking about just a playgroup. We need playgroup from all day or he doesn't survive and neither do his brothers and I.
Jax wants it his way and I am learning that I have to trick him into my way and make him think he chose that. Funny, I thought this ended when they were two or so.
Jake does not stop talking, I mean all day! Whether it is to someone or just pretending.
I love the way Hunter's smile makes his whole entire face scrunch up.
Jaxon is always asking questions and why we do things or how.
Hunter seems to be as social as his brothers and sometimes wants me to just put him down so he can be free and watch.
We are early risers for the most part and I love it until Saturday and Sunday come when I just want to stay in bed till 8am.
When it is warm outside we do not come inside to play, ever!
Bedtime stories are always read by dad when he is here. There is never even a question, the boys love it and I think Jeff likes it just as much.
Family time is constant, we always have a family gathering or a cousin over. We love living close enough to just walk to one another's houses and play.
There is nothing I like better than to watch them pretend together.
The boys are so helpful at cleaning up and doing chores, even the dishes! That is Jake's favorite job. Jax likes to vacuum the most.
Exercise is commonplace, even the boys join in on workout DVDs and know some of the moves involved. Jax likes to do the bicycle move on P90X as well as pushups, man he is tough!

Everyday life is always full of surprises! What would I do without them, I don't know!

Differently Amazing

If you know Jake at all you know he does not like to be called little, baby or any of that. This name "baby" was what made him decide to get potty trained. I was not up for another excursion of this because Jaxon was so awful and the process lasted like a year. Well, Jax kept calling him a baby because he wore diapers still, so he then refused diapers and I being 7 months pregnant was forced into this situation. Looking back now he did it all on his own. I wasn't really into it consistently, he decided and did it. Well needless to say according to him big boys don't wear pull ups either. This was decided after two nights of them. I did not want this and tried to force it, but finding him asleep one morning, the bottom half of him naked, I gave in. I starved him of all liquids two hours before bed and he never had accidents. Well months later after being great he started wetting the bed, mostly because I didn't even think about not giving him drinks. After changing three nights of soiled sheets, I decided we had to make a change. I kept talking to him about getting up in the night, peeing, then going to sleep again. I folks we did it! Last night he got up, Jeff helped him, then went back to bed. I know this is not particularly amazing to most, but my four year old Jaxon can't even do this yet! Why? I don't know? This is where I am learning that they are individuals with different ideas, ways of accomplishing things and all sorts. So give it up to Jake for being so differently amazing!

The mind of a child

Hunter started sitting in this Bumbo chair we borrowed from Mari, which is good and bad. Good because it means he is getting bigger and stronger and will be entertained for longer, which now that I think about it is also bad because my sweet baby is growing too fast for me to keep up with. Jake was taking an uncharacteristic nap (Good thing considering today), so Jax and I were playing with Hunter and showing him new toys and seeing how long he could hold onto them. Well I got up to get the phone and I came back in and Jax, Bumbo and Hunter were nowhere to be found. I listen and here Jax saying here we go as dreadful thoughts go through my brain still thankful there isn't any screaming though. I came in to find this and I couldn't help but laugh hysterically! Jax pushed him, carefully thank goodness, into here and was taking him for a ride like a cowboy. Hunter thought it was great fun! Totally enthralled by it all. I honestly couldn't stop laughing. What an imagination! Why do we seem to lose this imaginative ability as we grow older, no wonder babies adore other kids because they are so creative and entertaining. Way better than boring old mom who sticks a pacifier in my mouth and a toy hanging in my face! Mothers need this imagination to come back as soon as they have kids. Love it!

Don't you love this face! Whoa mom! Back off!

A profile picture! I wasn't interesting enough, what does Jax have over there?

Mommy Dates

Before Hunter was born I was really worried about how Jake would react to having a new baby and him not being the baby anymore. But to our surprise Jax has seemed to have the hardest time adjusting to it. Not with Hunter himself, he adores him and is such a huge help to me! Since Hunter has been born he has turned into a torturer, teaser, and tormenter of his brother and mother. Granted I am not the ideal patient, nuturing, perfect mother, not even close, so part of his problem was definitely how his mother was reacting to him. I couldn't figure out how to help him adjust to all this new stuff and my attention not all his and Jake's. Well I was reading this book and it had some wonderful ideas and one of those was Mommy dates. It's nothing big, a grocery store trip with just that kid for example. On your "date" your attention is focused just on them, not how fast you can get your errands done or which can of beans is cheaper. If they want to check out and talk about each piece of cheese, go ahead and let them. Its all about them and you. I have only done it once with each boy. Jake a took to the grocery store, he got to sit in the cart, I carried him into the store and everything. It turned out great and he was having an especially rough couple of days prior to this. I loved it more than he did I think and I was more excited as well. Jax a just took today to lunch. He wanted to go to McDonalds and I was fine with that but the playland is there and we didn't get quite the talking time like I did with Jake. But he had fun and I played foosball and air hockey with him. We will see  how it goes. This has changed my attitude as well, and I have tried harder everyday to stay calm and be patient no matter what kind of torturing is happening, not that I don't slip up still. The more I think about the future with these the more excited I get, I just have to remember to make it all about them and not make it this elaborate date every time either.

A Ride of a Lifetime...

This month has been in overdrive, it has been go go go since day one and I'm afraid it doesn't look like it will slow down. Jeff is starting his hardcore Ironman training this week, not that he hasn't already been training like crazy! Hit class is Tues. and Thurs. nights till 9pm and 8:30pm along with his basketball schedule with games every Wed. and Friday and training on the weekends usually in St. George. I don't know where my brain has gone. The poor boys are dragged this way and that with a little free time in between. Last week I think Jake had finally had enough and told us he was done by going a little nutsy, throwing screaming tantrums and everything. That is not normal for Jake, I didn't even know he was capable of such craziness. A couple of afternoon naps and lots of cuddling and holding has done the trick though. As this Ironman race approaches ever faster I can't help getting butterflies in my stomach for Jeff! It is such a lifetime achievement that only a very small percentage of the world population accomplishes. In my opinion it is the ultimate test of physical fitness! I'm sure he gets tired of my constant nagging about what his training schedule is next or if he is really thinking about how he is going to fuel for the race. Maybe its just me living vicariously through him. These next few months will be a test for us all, him physically and mentally. It will be a test of my patience, mothering skills. And the boys it will be a test of how well they can handle their crazy mother! It will be a ride like no other and I can't wait.