New years

We had our second annual new years party at the Aquatic Center this year and it was a blast to have so many friends and family there. The boys couldn't get enough of the slide! There were about 7 of them that all went down in a train together over and over again. I can see our future already. A little rowdy I bet. I really can't wait. Hunter was on his own most of the time with his lifejacket on, he followed the boys around till they started going down the slide and he even went down the slide with Jeff at the end. I got to relax and talk to all our wonderful friends and family. I couldn't think of a better way to spend New Year's when you have little kids. 

 This is the line of boys as they climbed the stairs yet again. They were always so good to wait for each other and make sure everyone was in line and ready to go down. 

Growing...

One week old and ready to leave the hospital

2 weeks and ready for action or ready for mom to put down the camera

Our newest addition

Our new little one finally came on his due date January 6, 2012. After successfully having a version (which is where they turn the baby manually when they are breech) and him staying head down for three weeks. I went into labor that morning about 1AM. We left for the hospital but I didn't want to go in until the contractions were closer together. I just despise sitting there. So Jeff and I got something to eat and drove around Cedar. To make a long story short my labor stopped about 8AM so we went home and I grudgingly went to my doctor appt. instead. When he checked me, his face told it all. We did an ultrasound and there the kid was HEAD UP. To spare the details I was really upset and not prepared for this surprise. Right before surgery all I wanted though cut or not was my baby. Cut to birth took four minutes and our little Hudson Joseph was born weighing 8lbs. 15oz. and 20.5" long. It was wonderful to have him finally with us and he came out with legs to head just like he had been for 9 months.

 See his crooked head from being up against my ribs for 9 months.

 Our sweet Hudson went from this...

 to this... in just a few short hours after birth.

 That night I was totally out of it from the spinal and lots of other meds. My mom was holding Hudson while the nurse checked me out. While she was doing this my mom was taking pictures and kept saying he looked pale and washed out and the nurse kept giving her weird looks. Finally they rushed him back to the nursery and started doing some x-rays on his chest. After multiple x-rays they decided to intubate him. He had pneumonia really bad in his right lung from inhaling blood when he was delivered. They said it just happens sometimes and doesn't show up till hours after. Jeff was amazing and with him the whole time. I had only held him twice since he had been born. Once right after delivery and once to nurse. I didn't get my chance again till days later. I have never had such heartache to hold a baby. Looking at him all hooked up and not being able to breath on his own. The day I did get to finally hold him I know fully comprehend a mother's deep need and love that develops over those nine months of growing. I just cried with joy to hold him not caring about my pain, only wishing I could take all of his away. Thankfully we did not have to fly him to the NICU in St. George. We had wonderful nurses and doctors with so much knowledge. I was put on antibiotics for seven days. The day all the tubes came off and he could room with me was wonderful, I don't think I put him down for hours. Thankfully three weeks later he is still doing good. His brothers love him to death and have been so much more helpful then I could have ever imagined.

Cousin Christmas pics

The next future members of city council!

Christmas Morning

There is nothing more exciting than Christmas morning. This was the first Christmas in history that we actually had to wake our kids up. I was up long before them just waiting for their call. Finally at 6:30 or so we woke them. We all sat on the bed waiting for Grandparents to come over. The boys came in and the first thing Jake did was find his gift he had bought for Jax and gave it to him. He was so excited for him to open it. Its all beginning to make sense. This was the first year we had the boys actually pick out and buy with their own money gifts for one another. It turned out perfectly! Jake had only asked for a chocolate orange and Santa delivered. Santa did a  good job again this year. We were spoiled with lots of Legos and Knights. We played for a while and then all gathered at the Payne's for scones, eggs and monkey bread. It was awesome. Later that afternoon we headed to St. George to see cousins at Grandma Burgess'. What a beautiful day!

Christmas Fun

One of my favorite parts about the season is decorating the house for Christmas. It seems to set the mood and get us all ready for the coming excitement. The boys are getting better and more excited each year to help as well. They love helping put on the ornaments best. 

On Christmas Eve we went over to Grandma's house at noon to get the food cooking for the big day. The kids played and the men watched football and snacked. We had our annual Nativity play and everyone played a different part. Hunter was a wise man and a shepard. Jake was supposed to be the shepherd but he fell asleep after all the fun that day. Jax was Jospeph and took his part seriously as always. After eating and the play we opened our Christmas pj's and went upstairs for our talent show. Jax did the Aunt Mandy poem and him and Jake sang, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. They did awesome.

Thanksgiving Fun

We were so lucky to be able to go up to Ogden for four days! We left Tuesday after school got out and it was all fun after that. I was lucky enough on Wednesday to be able to help my mom prep most of our Thanksgiving dinner. One thing I don't make very often is my own pie crusts and my mom always makes homemade pie crusts no matter what. It was so much fun. Being in the kitchen is so much fun for me. We were bummed that night to find out Mitch and Cami weren't going to make it for the big day. They surprised us the next morning by coming and it made the day awesome! The boys went golfing for free at El Monte again, luckily it was a perfect day. We got the turkey and stuffing done and really got to just relax and watch the boys until about 2:30pm. All of us were there including my two uncles Brad and Gary. It was wonderful and I officially decided my Grandma's stuffing recipe is my favorite! Love it. We thought about Black Friday shopping and that's about it. We went and saw the lights at Temple Square which was fun on Friday along with REI (a fav store). On Saturday we hung out and then saw the lights and fireworks in Downtown Ogden. I forgot how much downtown has changed, it has some cute shops and nice restaurants I want to try next time we are up there.

Our thankful tree was filled to the brim by the time we left for Ogden. Every morning the boys would think of something new and it really helped teach them how much there is to be thankful for. Every morning though I would ask Hunter what he was thankful for and he would say Daddy every time! I think we finally have him weaned off his mother just in the nick of time for the new baby.

 The boys had a great time with Grandpa blowing the leaves, jumping in them, raking them back up and jumping again. They must have done it a hundred times!

 Everyone was nervous about the turkey, two years ago it never cooked and dinner was late and we actually had to cook it the rest of the way in the microwave. I was in charge this year and it worked perfectly. Jeff was our keeper of the turkey and kept predicting the exact time it would be done. He was off by 5 min. Pretty good!

 This was my favorite picture of the day, the boys were so excited for turkey legs and I am so glad I remembered at the last minute as we were cutting it up. 

 Here is the family! Can you tell we have a "surplus" of boys around here! Three girls to 11.5 boys. The odds are against us. 

 I have been waiting for the day when the boys could all sleep out in the living room and this weekend was it! In a few more years boys will be overflowing in this room.

 The boys love to play with Grandma's toys but this was the first time they have played with her Legos. They were everywhere and a total hit! The boys were so creative with what they made out of them.