Fire and Fireworks

There was a fire on the west side of Timp and the kids enjoyed watching the helicopter dump water on the fire to try and put it out. We thought it would be fun to follow the helicopter and find out where it was filling up it's water bucket. Turns out it was at a water holding tank just a few blocks from our house. The kids thought it was totally cool to watch it fill up and take off to fight the fire. 

Although nearly a month away, Jackson has been so excited for the 4th of July and watching fireworks.  All Spring I have been telling him what events were going to happen chronologically, like: baby Calvin will be born, and then it's Father's Day, and THEN the 4th of July...next comes swim lessons and then first day of school! 

I guess he thought that when I said the 4th of July came after Father's day I meant the DAY after Father's day because this morning (which happens to be Father's Day) he said, "Tomorrow is the fourth of JULY!!" He was so excited, but we had to correct the misunderstanding! Anyway, here they are with some cousins in red, white, and blue. 

Father's Day 2012

Happy Father's Day Brian! We love you and appreciate all your love and devotion to our family! I was lucky to have a great dad, and I'm sure Brian wouldn't be the father he is without the example he had from his own dad. I am so happy to see my children having an amazing experience with a dad who is completely involved and loves his children! Our tribute to him is so small compared to what he deserves!

 The kids gave Brian a coupon book with coupons for things they felt were essential to showing their dad how much they love him. It was so cute and included things like: a big bear hug, singing him a song, wearing hair in pigtails (Zoey), helping in the yard/garden, letting him sleep in, and being a buddy for the day. 

They love their dad best when he comes home from work and wrestles with them. They love when he reads them books and tucks them in bed at night. They love running errands with him in his truck and that special one-on-one time he shares with them. They love morning breakfasts when he makes pancakes into any desired shape they want...which has included some pretty imaginative objects to make out of pancake batter! 

Brian is a wonderful husband and father and I am so grateful for him in my life! These past few weeks would have been unimaginable without his support! 

Happy Father's day to all of you dads out there! 

One month!

Calvin is one month old! Time flies. We all feel a bit like Calvin does in this photo. Look at that huge yawn! It has been a very tiring and exhausting month for us. Calvin's reflux/colic is still pretty bad most days, although we have seen a few moments of improvement which gives me hope for the future and motivation to make it though each day. Yesterday was a day when he had painful cries from around 3:30pm until 7:30 at night. By the time Brian made it home from work, I was emotionally broken too. 

I really feel that this experience is teaching me to love deeper and greater and to have more sympathy for others in their trials. I have had more patience than I could have thought possible from me. For that, I guess you could say I'm grateful for  the challenge because of what it is teaching me. And of course, I will always be grateful for Calvin. My love for him is immense...I just wish I could take his pain away! He is a special, sweet baby.

I've learned that infants with reflux or colic can have the issue for 6 months or so. I guess you could say we are one month down, and a few more to go! That gives me something to look forward to! I also read a recent article on KSL about a family who's infant was diagnosed with a rare disease which will leave their baby unable to develop past 6 months of age mentally, and he won't be able to live much longer than that.

(you can read about it here: 

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=20746524&nid=1010&title=fighter-jett-touching-lives-with-a-flight-plan-all-his-own&s_cid=featured-1

 It puts things in perspective and I can at least say reflux isn't THAT bad. We can deal with it, at least we'll get to see him grow out of it! 

Although this picture is a bit fuzzy, you can see the greatest pleasure in Eli's face. He finally had the chance to hold his brother and was SO dang excited about it. Eli has been fighting colds, hand foot and mouth, coughs and fevers since we brought Calvin home from the hospital. Now, a month later, Eli finally got his chance! He was so happy! 

Graduate

 Jackson graduated from preschool! I love this pose he pulled with his

"grad cap" on. He is proud to be done with preschool and is looking forward to kindergarten. He can write his name, is reading a few words, can count to 100 by single digits and by tens, is familiar with the calendar, and has a repertoire of songs he knows!  

 

The school put on a big program at Noah's on Lindon showing off all the children's skills they have learned over the year. Zoey was thrilled with the whole program (she can't wait until it's her turn)!  

 A highlight for the kids was buzz lightyear made out of balloons. It was amazing...

Just a cute picture I snapped of Zoey taking care of Calvin, she was talking to him all by herself while he was in the bouncer and I thought it was such a sweet, peaceful moment.