Adjusting

I really worried how this little one would adjust to the change. I was worried that his happy little world would come crashing down upon him . . . but luckily he hasn't seemed phased by becoming a big brother. When people ask I happily reply, "He could take or leave the new baby. . . and to be honest that is exactly where we want him."

One Week Old

A few things I forgot about:

How much LOVE you can have for someone so little
How much it HURTS to get up every three hours at night
How much HAPPINESS there is in just sitting and holding
How much there is TO DO in sitting and holding
How much I TREASURE this privileged

Smoothered

Best Find of 2009

This was the best find of 2009.
Matanuska Glacier.
Privately owned which means that it is "tromp-able" and grounds for discovery.

Uncle Scott

My brother Scott came to Alaska and watched our kids for a VERY LONG week while Eric and I were off EFYing in Idaho. He was a trooper and endeared himself Eternally to our children by simply bringing a Nintendo Game. Warner keeps asking, "Where did Uncle 'Cotty go?"

Bock Bock Chicken

Warner can't quite say chicken, but he's got the "Bock, Bock" down pat and insists on going with his big brothers to gather chicken eggs every evening.

A perk to chicken duty are the strawberries and raspberries from the Ripps Garden. YUM!

Tired

If I don't happen to take a nap in the middle of the day, this is how I FEEL around dinner time.

Eight Hours a Day

This is how I spend a good portion of my day. . .


The boys have been FASCINATED by every aspect of Newborn Life . . .

The first day home the boys walked in on me changing Talmage and were so curious about his "black poop"
"Mom, what does it smell like?" Sam asked. So yes, they ALL took turns smelling.

Then today while changing Talmage's diaper he hiccuped and pooped at the same time. The boys thought he was the best little brother ever.

And of course, I get the feeding questions. "How do you know he's getting milk?" "If you drink water does it fill you up?" "Did I really do that too?" . . .

Look A Like Contest

I went through some of the boys baby pictures tonight . . . and found one that looked remarkably like Talmage.

Can you guess who is baconbit A?

Can you guess who is baconbit B?

Happy, Happy Birthday Sammy Dear. . .

Sam always has the best parties. I don't know if it is because it is summer time and the kids just love being together. . . but his parties are always so simple and so much fun. This year he had a really hard time deciding what "theme" to have for a party. He finally decided on a lego car derby party with ice cream sandwiches.

After he opened each present he said something like, "this is just what I wanted."

Talmage Grant

Talmage Grant
Born July 23, 2009
Alaska Regional Hospital
11:16 p.m.
7 pounds 3 ounces
19 inches long
(Eric would want me to add 9 on both Apgar Tests!)

A Pair for a Pod

These two are truly two peas in a pod.

They adore each other and on most occasions are inseparable.
It makes me wish that all my kids were twins, just so they would have a built in BEST friend.

Lately these two spend HOURS, literally, HOURS on the trampoline together. They jump. They wrestle. They flip. They play swords. They tell jokes. They jump some more. And when they are all jumped out, they'll come in and take a bath for HOURS and HOURS. Then if the sun is shining, which is usually is, they ask to go back out on the trampoline. . .

Unique Characteristics:
Tanner--Wants to tell you every detail of a story. Every detail. He also loves to laugh at his own jokes. He thinks he is hilarious. Best eater and willing worker.
Christian--Forever our rule Nazi. Loves personal ownership. Complains about chores. Always willing to laugh at Tanner's jokes. Loves to read (even more than Tanner).
BOTH--LOVE Warner and cannot keep their hands off of him. Right now they insist on giving him piggy back rides everywhere.

Sam

Sam turned 7 today.

His 7 favorite parts of the day:
1. Getting "the mostest best"Lego set from his "favorites" in Alaska. Thanks so much for thinking of Him!!!
2. Phone calls from Grandparents.
3. Getting sung to during Primary (church)
4. Picking the menu for tomorrow
Breakfast: Swedish Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup
Lunch: Ramen Noodle Soup
Dinner: Cheese & Broccoli Soup
5. Getting an EXTRA-LARGE root beer float.
6. Wrestling with his Dad
7. Looking forward to his Lego Party

P&Q

This little boy has ALWAYS been our talker.
Always.
and he's always been loud.
But I think within the last month he's stepped it up a notch.

I'm trying really hard to. . .
not cover my ears and run out of the room screaming.
Because it is always really important things like,
"Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom. . . "
(I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that I really didn't validate him until the third mom, but somewhere in there I surely said, "What Hyrum?"
But it continues, "mom, mom, mom, mom."
I finally get his attention. I'm not sure if he is talking to be heard or just talking.
He goes on, "Mom. .. ummm. . . I don't like my sandwich." or "Mom. . . umm (I think he's trying to think of something to say). . . the sun is shining." or "Mom. . . umm. . . I like Sam."

Do you know what I like? Peace & Quiet.

Not Yet

Nope, not mine.
(My sister Kari's little Cooper)

Baconbit #6 is still stubbornly inside.

The clothes are washed. The diapers bought. The porta crib/bassinet set up. The bottles boiled and bleached. The carseat by the back door. The camera charged.

And not so much as a contraction.

Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.

We have 14 people coming to stay with us this weekend. . . so I'm sure it will happen during the most inconvenient part of the weekend. I am so antsy. Not so much to get the baby out, but to have an end date. I'm the girl that LOVES being induced, but my midwives are holding strong to their "natural" ways. Give me a break. Strap me up to that Epidural and let's get things going!

Heaven help me if I make it to August.

Aleknegik 2009

This captures just a taste of our GREAT ADVENTURE in Aleknegik this summer.

It started over a year ago. My brother-in-law was building a cabin in Aleknegik (just outside of Dillingham, and hour plane ride West of Anchorage). He mentioned that we could use it anytime, but with it not being on the road system, we knew our opportunities to make it out there would be few and far between.

One day, I casually mentioned to my sister Kari that I would be interested in spending a summer at a cabin (something that Majorie Pay Hinckley did with her children and had always inspired me). I was thrilled when she said that they would love to go too.

The planning began. 5 weeks. Fishing. Hiking. Cabin Living . . .

I had to call my sister in January to tell her that our 5 weeks would be cut short on account of Baconbit #6 arriving. Dillingham Hospital. . . No Epidurals. . . No Way. So our little family only stayed for two weeks. . . but it was two GREAT weeks.

Just getting there was an adventure. A plane ride to Dillingham. A 25 minute drive to Aleknegik. A boat ride across the wood river. A four wheel ride to the cabin. This was true Alaska Adventure.

We all had a great time. Casting. Rubik's Cube Conquered by Eric, Fishing for Dolly Varden. Playing Games. Dock Jumping. Reading all of Fablehaven. Four Wheel Rides. Hiking. Food. Watching Home Videos. Family Kickball Matches. The Crawl Space and Playing Chess. Subsistence Net (Eric's type of fishing), Quarantining Sick kids & Eric, Tipping Over the Canoe. Mosquitoes and 4 cans of Deet Bug Spray.

Kari and Kids

My sister Kari and her kids came to Alaska a week before our big trip together to Aleknegik.

The majority of the week was spent packing and shopping and packing and shopping, but we did squeeze in a little Alaska. It was fun to see the kids having so much fun with their cousins and it is always a treat to be with one of my sisters.

Biggest moment, never to be forgotten . . . My sister, her husband, five kids, 30 pieces of luggage (yes really 30 pieces of luggage), and a Alaska Airlines employee saying, "I'm sorry, you missed checking in your luggage by THREE minutes. I'm sorry, you won't be able to make your flight."

Fun With the Folks

My parents came last week and we had a blast enjoying our hottest summer in Alaska.
Highlights were Swimming (yes swimming) in Mirror Lake, Winner Creek Gorge, Slurpees (of course), 14 Mile Bike Ride on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Eagle River Nature Center, Bear Paw Festival & Parade, and Thunderbird Falls.

We also fixed the the pop-up trailer canopy, the crib, the ride-on toy, the digital piano, and my mom did a years worth of mending. Did I mention that my flower beds have never looked so good?

Sam and Grandpa were on the piano several times a day playing duets, and Grandma soon became Warner's favorite person I think because of the endless walks and book reading.

Wish you were still here!