I had my 36 week appointment today. It was my first pelvic exam appointment. I am already 3 cm. dilated and 60-70% effaced. The baby isn't down in a crazy low position yet, but it's still a concern that I'm that far dilated with 4 weeks to go.
I've been having contractions every day, most days for at least a half hour at a time. I wasn't surprised that I was that far progressed.
Doc has me on a pseudo-bed rest. I'm supposed to take it easy, not do anything strenuous - including going places I absolutely don't need to. It's just for this week. He says this is the most crucial week for baby to stay in - after that, it's no big deal.
The problem is this: tomorrow is Pioneer Day and we have 2 biggish things going on - parade that the kids are in and a day at Ross Park in Pocatello for my dad's company party.
Then this weekend is my family reunion in Rupert. Not something I'm willing to miss.
I absolutely agree that it's important that the baby isn't born this week (in fact, I REALLY want baby to stay in until he's due on the 18th), but I'm just not convinced that even if I keep my current level of activity I'd actually go into labor this week. I'm struggling with following his advice.
23 July 2012
22 July 2012
President Hinckley's 9 BEs
Our Relief Society teacher shared these today. I've heard them many times before, but today they really meant something to me. Definitely something I want to remember and improve.
I made this little printable instead of updating the blog. :)
I made this little printable instead of updating the blog. :)
11 July 2012
Summer Fun
Just some random pictures of the summer fun the kids have been enjoying.
Jumping on the trampoline at Madie's house. They enjoyed goggles - a luxury their mama doesn't provide!
Ice cream cones from McDonald's.
Awesome tricked out slip-n-sliding at the Hunts' and a fun trampoline game with Kennedy's older brothers.
We've also gone to the Aquatic Center (way fun) and filled up our kiddie pool (is it just me or are those things getting dang expensive??? $16.97 this year!!!!) several times. The kids are beating the heat!
We've also gone to the Aquatic Center (way fun) and filled up our kiddie pool (is it just me or are those things getting dang expensive??? $16.97 this year!!!!) several times. The kids are beating the heat!
10 July 2012
Summer Jobs
This post will be out of order, but it's had me chuckling for the past day, so I've got to get it on here.
Yesterday (July 9th), I got back on track with summer jobs. We'd fallen off the bandwagon with the extra work that was involved in getting the Nico Fundraiser organized (and the subsequent exhaustion and catching up on our home life in the weeks after) and the extra time spent with family over the July 4th holiday (the Webbs are home from Singapore!!!!!). We'd done jobs a couple of days here and there, but yesterday we hit them hard again. Well, one of Chloe's jobs was to start a load of laundry and then to fold and put away another one. She was working on the folding part and was dang mad about the whole thing. Later in the day, I found this on the TV stand:
HAHA!!!!
I bet you can guess what one of her jobs was today?? :)
Today went better and it's so satisfying to see us working hard as a family. Each kid has a list of jobs (which include things like piano practice, getting ready, cleaning their rooms, bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, window washing, sweeping, garbage emptying, reading, etc.) that takes a good 2-3 hours to complete. I still have to supervise and be a task master, but wow, our home looks so great each day when it's finished! And I do get to see moments where they have a huge grin on their face and say things like, "It's the craziest thing -- I actually feel happy when I do my chores!!!" There is the whining, too....OH, the whining....but to have those moments of feeling the spirit when we're working hard is absolutely priceless.
Yesterday (July 9th), I got back on track with summer jobs. We'd fallen off the bandwagon with the extra work that was involved in getting the Nico Fundraiser organized (and the subsequent exhaustion and catching up on our home life in the weeks after) and the extra time spent with family over the July 4th holiday (the Webbs are home from Singapore!!!!!). We'd done jobs a couple of days here and there, but yesterday we hit them hard again. Well, one of Chloe's jobs was to start a load of laundry and then to fold and put away another one. She was working on the folding part and was dang mad about the whole thing. Later in the day, I found this on the TV stand:
I bet you can guess what one of her jobs was today?? :)
Today went better and it's so satisfying to see us working hard as a family. Each kid has a list of jobs (which include things like piano practice, getting ready, cleaning their rooms, bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, window washing, sweeping, garbage emptying, reading, etc.) that takes a good 2-3 hours to complete. I still have to supervise and be a task master, but wow, our home looks so great each day when it's finished! And I do get to see moments where they have a huge grin on their face and say things like, "It's the craziest thing -- I actually feel happy when I do my chores!!!" There is the whining, too....OH, the whining....but to have those moments of feeling the spirit when we're working hard is absolutely priceless.
Pregnancy Dreams
I used to have what I thought were horrible nightmares as a child. They were bad enough that for many years, I prayed sincerely that I would not have any dreams at all.
And I rarely do. At least that I ever remember by the time I wake up.
Enter: pregnancy. I'm up multiple times per night going to the bathroom (hourly lately) and to add insult to that, I'm waking up from vivid and frightening dreams.
The past hour it has been zombie attacks. I can't remember the hour before that, but it was freaky, too. This zombie one has had me scared to go back to sleep for a half hour.
Ready to go back to sleep - I'm exhausted. Here's hoping that my childhood prayer will continue to be answered - no more dreams for the rest of the night!!!
And I rarely do. At least that I ever remember by the time I wake up.
Enter: pregnancy. I'm up multiple times per night going to the bathroom (hourly lately) and to add insult to that, I'm waking up from vivid and frightening dreams.
The past hour it has been zombie attacks. I can't remember the hour before that, but it was freaky, too. This zombie one has had me scared to go back to sleep for a half hour.
Ready to go back to sleep - I'm exhausted. Here's hoping that my childhood prayer will continue to be answered - no more dreams for the rest of the night!!!
34 Weeks and dreaming of zombies. :)
04 July 2012
ABC Pediatric Dentistry - Brigham City
The Brigham City office has been seeing patients since January, but they had their official Grand Opening on June 22nd. Stanton wasn't able to be there for the ribbon cutting ceremony because he was busy helping me with our Project Nico fundraiser. (More to come on that one).
We're really grateful that the business has been able to expand and that Jesse is part of the practice now. He owns the Brigham City office and contracts his employees and management from Stanton. It's been a great partnership.
We are in the process of purchasing land in Providence for a new office of our own. Stanton is going to build with an Oral Surgeon and an Orthodontist. The process has been slow, but they are ticking along and getting things designed. Stanton's office is going to be awesome and it will be big enough to have an associate/partner right there with him. It's really exciting to see the business growing. Stanton has such a great mind for business and has been working tirelessly to make things successful. The patients and parents love him and he keeps his staff happy and accountable, too. I really admire him.
Congratulations, Jesse and staff!
We're really grateful that the business has been able to expand and that Jesse is part of the practice now. He owns the Brigham City office and contracts his employees and management from Stanton. It's been a great partnership.
We are in the process of purchasing land in Providence for a new office of our own. Stanton is going to build with an Oral Surgeon and an Orthodontist. The process has been slow, but they are ticking along and getting things designed. Stanton's office is going to be awesome and it will be big enough to have an associate/partner right there with him. It's really exciting to see the business growing. Stanton has such a great mind for business and has been working tirelessly to make things successful. The patients and parents love him and he keeps his staff happy and accountable, too. I really admire him.
Fun on the iPad
The kids love to take weird pictures on the iPad. Before deleting over a hundred of them recently, I had to post my favorites here.
Wind Caves
At some point back in June (before Grandma passed away), we took a hike up to the Wind Caves with the Westfalls.
It was a great hike. Cannon needed to be carried much of the way, but the other kids were little troopers!
And what a view! Totally worth the crazy intense hip pain I had for days after. Ha! Yeah, my joints are starting to relax and spread and going downhill on them was not the best idea I've ever had. But life can't stop just because I'm pregnant, can it?! No. And I'm thankful to be physically able to do these great things with my family. And the Westfalls. They're awesome.
It was warm....as evidenced by Brigham's sweaty head (and the fact that he wore his cowboy hat didn't help matters!).
At one point, Lily felt like she wanted to give up. Brian asked her if she wanted him to carry her. I said, "No, she doesn't need to be carried, she just needs a rest." We took a little break and she was able to carry on just fine. Brian told me a few weeks later that after I was out of earshot, she whispered to him, "I wish you could have carried me." Hahahaha! I love that girl. And I was really proud of her for sticking it out and making the whole hike on her own two feet.
I really enjoy hiking with my little family. It's a great activity for us!
It was a great hike. Cannon needed to be carried much of the way, but the other kids were little troopers!
And what a view! Totally worth the crazy intense hip pain I had for days after. Ha! Yeah, my joints are starting to relax and spread and going downhill on them was not the best idea I've ever had. But life can't stop just because I'm pregnant, can it?! No. And I'm thankful to be physically able to do these great things with my family. And the Westfalls. They're awesome.
At one point, Lily felt like she wanted to give up. Brian asked her if she wanted him to carry her. I said, "No, she doesn't need to be carried, she just needs a rest." We took a little break and she was able to carry on just fine. Brian told me a few weeks later that after I was out of earshot, she whispered to him, "I wish you could have carried me." Hahahaha! I love that girl. And I was really proud of her for sticking it out and making the whole hike on her own two feet.
I really enjoy hiking with my little family. It's a great activity for us!
Grandma Barbara
Sweet Grandma Barbara passed away on June 12th. It had been several months coming, but the last couple of weeks were particularly telling. She stopped eating and was very agitated. Her breathing was labored and she slowly got weaker and weaker.
It was one of those experiences where you welcome death because you know how miserable they've become in their mortal bodies, yet there is sadness that accompanies death. We all miss her and love her dearly.
Dave spent hours and hours transcribing the life histories she had written on a few different occasions. She was a neat woman. She told the good and the bad, but she dwelt in detail on the positive. She had a difficult adult life. Her marriage was much less than ideal. Her family was estranged from one another. She could have had every excuse to be bitter and hard, but her love of the Gospel and her testimony of eternal families carried her through all of the hard times. It was amazing to read her history and how she dwelt on the many good things that her life offered.
We were so lucky to live close to Grandma during these twilight years of her life. Our children have solid memories of her and a lot of love. We were able to spend a lot of time with her and I'm so thankful for that -- especially because I'm not as close, geographically, to my own grandparents. I feel like this is a way to stay connected to them - to lift where I stand and spend time with the grandparents I can spend time with.
Grandma's funeral was wonderful. Her children came together in love and celebrated her life. Only grandchildren spoke and sang at her funeral. It was amazing. One of the neatest funerals I've attended. Fences were mended and love was abundant. It was a spiritual feast.
I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Judy helping her during the week before the funeral. I went and helped her clean her basement and then Rachel and I helped her choose the flowers for the casket and around it. It was a bonding experience for us and I will really cherish it. Judy doesn't often let me help her because she knows my life if full with my own little family. But, I crave that opportunity and really love being able to serve her in any way. I have been blessed with goodly parents and parents in law. I hope they all know how very much I love, respect, and appreciate them.
I didn't take many pictures on the day of the funeral, but I did grab this sweet one of the boys during the viewing.
And these at the graveside dedication in Idaho Falls (the funeral was in Hyde Park).
Actually, Stanton shot these ones. It was a lovely dedication and it was especially nice to see my mom and Grandma Johnson there. Grandma knew Grandma Barbara because they raised their families in Idaho Falls and were in the same stake. Well, and because my Grandma Johnson was on a date with Grandpa Cannon when she met my Grandpa Johnson. They were all very excited when Stanton and I met and were engaged. :)
This was a really wonderful day. The beauty of death at these older ages is that it allows families a chance to be together and reminisce. We don't get to see the distant family as often as we'd love to, so it was wonderful to spend some time with them. And I am certain Grandma was overwhelmed with love seeing her family all together enjoying one another.
After the cemetery, we stopped by Grandma's house on Santalima Blvd. This was the home where Judy and her siblings grew up.
We ended the day by introducing Stanton's entire family to Rupe's Burgers in Blackfoot. I worked there in high school and loved seeing how much everyone loved it. We go there pretty much every time we get to Blackfoot and so it was awesome to share it with more people that I love. :)
A wonderful day celebrating a wonderful life. We miss Grandma Barbara, but are so thankful she is freed from the mortal body and mind that were holding her captive. What a joy the resurrection will be --- reunited with our physical bodies, but those bodies in perfect form - never to separate again. I'm thankful to the Savior for His love and sacrifice that made that truth possible.
(The obituary that ran in the Herald Journal)
HYDE
PARK, Utah - Barbara Ethel Smith Anderson, 88, died June 12, 2012, in
Logan, Utah. She resided in Idaho Falls for most of her adult life.
Barbara was born April 10, 1924 in St. Anthony, Idaho, to Clifford
Wallace and Elveda Cherry Smith. She married Cannon Christian Anderson
on Oct. 17, 1943, in St. Anthony. They were sealed May 31, 1946, in the
Idaho Falls LDS Temple. He died Sept. 19, 2003, in Idaho Falls.
Barbara's school years in St. Anthony were busy and happy. She was the drum majorette for the marching band, played the violin and was a vocal soloist in school performances. With grandparents in Rexburg and West Yellowstone, she learned to love that beautiful country. In December of her senior year in high school, Pearl Harbor was bombed. Barbara supported the war effort by traveling all over the county, often four or five times a week with her state representative singing "God Bless America" to sell war bonds. She used to be called the Kate Smith of Fremont County.
Her husband was drafted six months after their marriage and served in Europe during World War II. He learned to lay carpet on his return and years later they operated a floor covering and drapery business called "Cannons" in Idaho Falls.
Barbara was a very devoted mother, wonderful cook and immaculate housekeeper. She was very involved in church and community service. She taught singing lessons and sang often in church and at weddings, funerals and civic musicals. Her religion has given her strength and been an anchor in her life. She served faithfully in many positions and has given countless hours of service to those in need. Barbara served in the Idaho Falls Temple for many years.
Cannon and Barbara had five children, Linda Beal of West Jordan, Utah, Richard (Andi) Anderson of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Judy (David) Allen of Hyde Park, Utah, David (Jennifer) Anderson of Providence, Utah, and Sue Zan (Lance) Hammerland of Lawrenceville, Ga. She is survived by her brother C. Wayne Smith of Centerville, Utah, 14 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren with three more coming. She was proceeded in death by her brother James M. Smith.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at the Hyde Park Stake Center, 535 E. 200 South in Hyde Park, Utah. There will be a viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the stake center. Interment will be in the Ammon, Idaho, Cemetery, 3601 Schwieder Lane in Idaho Falls.
We are deeply grateful to the staff of Legacy House and Encompass Hospice for the loving and kind care they provided for Barbara.
It was one of those experiences where you welcome death because you know how miserable they've become in their mortal bodies, yet there is sadness that accompanies death. We all miss her and love her dearly.
Dave spent hours and hours transcribing the life histories she had written on a few different occasions. She was a neat woman. She told the good and the bad, but she dwelt in detail on the positive. She had a difficult adult life. Her marriage was much less than ideal. Her family was estranged from one another. She could have had every excuse to be bitter and hard, but her love of the Gospel and her testimony of eternal families carried her through all of the hard times. It was amazing to read her history and how she dwelt on the many good things that her life offered.
We were so lucky to live close to Grandma during these twilight years of her life. Our children have solid memories of her and a lot of love. We were able to spend a lot of time with her and I'm so thankful for that -- especially because I'm not as close, geographically, to my own grandparents. I feel like this is a way to stay connected to them - to lift where I stand and spend time with the grandparents I can spend time with.
Grandma's funeral was wonderful. Her children came together in love and celebrated her life. Only grandchildren spoke and sang at her funeral. It was amazing. One of the neatest funerals I've attended. Fences were mended and love was abundant. It was a spiritual feast.
I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Judy helping her during the week before the funeral. I went and helped her clean her basement and then Rachel and I helped her choose the flowers for the casket and around it. It was a bonding experience for us and I will really cherish it. Judy doesn't often let me help her because she knows my life if full with my own little family. But, I crave that opportunity and really love being able to serve her in any way. I have been blessed with goodly parents and parents in law. I hope they all know how very much I love, respect, and appreciate them.
I didn't take many pictures on the day of the funeral, but I did grab this sweet one of the boys during the viewing.
And these at the graveside dedication in Idaho Falls (the funeral was in Hyde Park).
This was a really wonderful day. The beauty of death at these older ages is that it allows families a chance to be together and reminisce. We don't get to see the distant family as often as we'd love to, so it was wonderful to spend some time with them. And I am certain Grandma was overwhelmed with love seeing her family all together enjoying one another.
We ended the day by introducing Stanton's entire family to Rupe's Burgers in Blackfoot. I worked there in high school and loved seeing how much everyone loved it. We go there pretty much every time we get to Blackfoot and so it was awesome to share it with more people that I love. :)
A wonderful day celebrating a wonderful life. We miss Grandma Barbara, but are so thankful she is freed from the mortal body and mind that were holding her captive. What a joy the resurrection will be --- reunited with our physical bodies, but those bodies in perfect form - never to separate again. I'm thankful to the Savior for His love and sacrifice that made that truth possible.
(The obituary that ran in the Herald Journal)
Barbara Ethel (Smith) Anderson (1924 - 2012)
HYDE
PARK, Utah - Barbara Ethel Smith Anderson, 88, died June 12, 2012, in
Logan, Utah. She resided in Idaho Falls for most of her adult life.
Barbara was born April 10, 1924 in St. Anthony, Idaho, to Clifford
Wallace and Elveda Cherry Smith. She married Cannon Christian Anderson
on Oct. 17, 1943, in St. Anthony. They were sealed May 31, 1946, in the
Idaho Falls LDS Temple. He died Sept. 19, 2003, in Idaho Falls.Barbara's school years in St. Anthony were busy and happy. She was the drum majorette for the marching band, played the violin and was a vocal soloist in school performances. With grandparents in Rexburg and West Yellowstone, she learned to love that beautiful country. In December of her senior year in high school, Pearl Harbor was bombed. Barbara supported the war effort by traveling all over the county, often four or five times a week with her state representative singing "God Bless America" to sell war bonds. She used to be called the Kate Smith of Fremont County.
Her husband was drafted six months after their marriage and served in Europe during World War II. He learned to lay carpet on his return and years later they operated a floor covering and drapery business called "Cannons" in Idaho Falls.
Barbara was a very devoted mother, wonderful cook and immaculate housekeeper. She was very involved in church and community service. She taught singing lessons and sang often in church and at weddings, funerals and civic musicals. Her religion has given her strength and been an anchor in her life. She served faithfully in many positions and has given countless hours of service to those in need. Barbara served in the Idaho Falls Temple for many years.
Cannon and Barbara had five children, Linda Beal of West Jordan, Utah, Richard (Andi) Anderson of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Judy (David) Allen of Hyde Park, Utah, David (Jennifer) Anderson of Providence, Utah, and Sue Zan (Lance) Hammerland of Lawrenceville, Ga. She is survived by her brother C. Wayne Smith of Centerville, Utah, 14 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren with three more coming. She was proceeded in death by her brother James M. Smith.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at the Hyde Park Stake Center, 535 E. 200 South in Hyde Park, Utah. There will be a viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the stake center. Interment will be in the Ammon, Idaho, Cemetery, 3601 Schwieder Lane in Idaho Falls.
We are deeply grateful to the staff of Legacy House and Encompass Hospice for the loving and kind care they provided for Barbara.
Summer School
Before school let out, I made a plan for our summer school.
Monday: Math
Tuesday: Learn new skills (crafts, cooking, etc.)
Wednesday: Words (writing, spelling, etc.)
Thursday: Service
Friday: Fun and Fitness
Well, as you'll see in future blog posts, our June became something much different than what we expected it to be. As a result, I really haven't been diligent in doing school every single day. But wow, having a calendar to refer to on the days when we can actually get to school? It's been fantastic!
Some of the things we have done are work on times tables for Chloe, two digit addition for Lily, compound word recognition for Brigham, and writing for Cannon. The girls have also learned about personification and descriptive writing and have worked on a story here and there. We have made bread to take to a neighbor and gone to the Aquatic Center to swim. And we even had an art appreciation lesson (I stuck it under Math for some reason??) on Pablo Picasso. We read a little Wikipedia biography of his life and artistic periods, looked at some of his famous art and guessed in which period he created it and then made abstract collages inspired by his style.
These were what they came up with. I thought they were great! Chloe titled hers "The Boxer." Lil left hers unnamed. They certainly got a concept of the weirdness of Picasso's work. They did enjoy a few of his paintings, but many of them really bothered them.
I showed them one work:
We discussed whether it was a man or woman, if she was happy or sad, etc. I then told them that someone had purchased that picture for nearly 10 million dollars. They were shocked. I asked them why they thought someone would spend that much money on this picture (you know, to discuss how art means different things to different people and that someone must have really loved this painting). Chloe said, "Um, because their head was crazy??" Hahahahaha!!! Well, yes, there is definitely that explanation!
It's been fun to do school with the kids. They look forward to it every summer and it's fun to explore new things with them. I am really hoping our July and August are a little more conducive to every day lessons!
Monday: Math
Tuesday: Learn new skills (crafts, cooking, etc.)
Wednesday: Words (writing, spelling, etc.)
Thursday: Service
Friday: Fun and Fitness
Well, as you'll see in future blog posts, our June became something much different than what we expected it to be. As a result, I really haven't been diligent in doing school every single day. But wow, having a calendar to refer to on the days when we can actually get to school? It's been fantastic!
Some of the things we have done are work on times tables for Chloe, two digit addition for Lily, compound word recognition for Brigham, and writing for Cannon. The girls have also learned about personification and descriptive writing and have worked on a story here and there. We have made bread to take to a neighbor and gone to the Aquatic Center to swim. And we even had an art appreciation lesson (I stuck it under Math for some reason??) on Pablo Picasso. We read a little Wikipedia biography of his life and artistic periods, looked at some of his famous art and guessed in which period he created it and then made abstract collages inspired by his style.
I showed them one work:
It's been fun to do school with the kids. They look forward to it every summer and it's fun to explore new things with them. I am really hoping our July and August are a little more conducive to every day lessons!
Summer Nights - Cannon's Perspective
Cannon found our point and shoot camera at one of the girls' games. Out of 255 pictures he took these were a few I got a kick out of. :)
Yes, some of them aren't from the game itself, and a few may not have actually been taken by him, but I thought it was funny to see the myriad idiot faces he captured on camera. I wasn't aware he was taking most of them, obviously. My poor children. I am going to be a constant source of embarrassment to them. :)
These ones were pretty decent! I love that one of Chloe and I love the one of his hand. "Hmmmm....I wonder what THIS will look like in a picture?!"
Alpha Male
Stanton is absolutely Charlie's Alpha Male. And he respects me as well (as long as there aren't new people at the house -- then he goes crazy loco). The kids are pretty well his alphas, too, especially Chloe. But she might have to move over because Cannon is a natural alpha. :)
He thinks it is really funny to do Stanton's meat on the nose trick. And amazingly, Charlie respects him when he does it!
That is one good doggy. We love him!
That is one good doggy. We love him!
Summer Nights Now Mean One Thing.....
Baseball! Well, two things: Baseball! and Tee ball!
Wow has it been insane to juggle coach pitch baseball for the girls (thank the heavens that they're on the same team!!!) and tee ball for Brigham. In June we were doing two practices per week each plus two games per week each. Thankfully, July has slowed down a little. Fewer practices, no games in this holiday week, etc.
Stanton and I have avoided extracurricular activities for our children thus far. Chloe did gymnastics for a time, but it was too much for a little 6 year old to have 6 hours a week of that, so we pulled her out. We've never done rec sports or anything like them. Well, a few rounds of dance here and there, but even that felt like too much!
We decided it was time to pull up our big girl pants and dedicate some time to helping our kids improve in sports and have a team experience. Baseball felt like the perfect fit for our first go around. I love that there isn't any school to worry about right now, so the nights can be more fluid. And the kids have LOVED this experience so much. They are learning a ton, improving, and having FUN. Their coaches couldn't be better and it's been an all around positive experience. I don't regret not doing it sooner, but I'm sure glad we did it now!
Maybe every parent feels this way about their child, but little Brigham seems to have a knack for baseball! He is very intent on the game, watching what's going on, wanting to get to the ball and make plays. He doesn't goof around in the outfield and (maybe a bit annoyingly to the other players!!) always has advice for his teammates. Of course, he hasn't mastered the fine art of catching the ball yet, but he's got his head in the game and has a pretty decent arm on him!
He lives for practice and games and thinks his coaches are pretty much the smartest people ever.
It's funny to be writing about this now that the season is almost over, because he's improved so much since then. But that first game was SOOO funny! Brig was so excited to be out there playing that he couldn't keep things quite straight. When he went up to bat, he hit a good little grounder and then, instead of running to first, he ran after his ball. We got him headed in the right direction and then did it with the next batter's ball instead of running to second! Everyone was yelling and laughing, etc., and he got really embarrassed when the second baseman got him out. We called him over with tears in his eyes and Stanton helped him figure out that when you have your glove on, you go for the ball, but when you have that batter's helmet on, your job is to RUN! He made the connection and didn't have a problem afterward. And really, I thought the fact that he was so intent on getting that ball showed that he has his head in the game and knows the basic goal - he was just a little confused!
That first night, his coach's mom came over to him, got down on her knees, and looked him in the eye. She said, "I have been a baseball coach for a lot of years and I know my stuff. You have hustle, you have heart, and you have ball smarts. YOU are a baseball player." Brigham's eyes were on fire with pride. She got up and said to me, "I mean that. He gets it and he's going to be a great ball player." I have to admit that my eyes might have sparkled a bit, too!
Baseball is one of those sports that Brigham can play even into the varsity level (as long as he wears a chest pad). It's awesome to see him actually maybe have a knack for it. I want him to be able to have a sport that he loves and can play long term. We'll keep presenting tennis and skiing and track along the way, of course, because those are life long sports...but having a team sport like this that is an option is just awesome. There aren't very many of them. Now, I have to clarify that at this point, he can play any and every sport without his heart being in danger. But any kind of contact sport (football, basketball, soccer, etc) will be a danger as it gets to the varsity level. Any big hits to the chest could hurt the electrical system defect that just isn't possible to fix. Because he can't play the other sports long term, we've shied away from encouraging him to explore them now. I don't want to have to pull the rug out from under him a few years down the road after he's fallen in love with something.
I honestly don't think about his heart very often anymore, but seeing him play tee ball and enjoy it so much has caused me to go back and reflect on that time and how precious Brigham's life is. And I love that there is something here that he can enjoy and love and be great in.
NOW, on to the girls!
This adorable picture was taken when she was playing pitcher and threw the ball to first....only to bonk the runner on the head with the ball! She got a kick out of that one. :)
They're old enough for coach pitch baseball, which is super fun. They're the only girls on their team and are on a team of boys that, many of them at least, have played for quite a few years and are pretty darn good. You'd think that might not be a positive thing, but let me tell you - it's been awesome. Their coaches are so kind and are only concerned that the kids learn skills and have fun. These dads who are the coaches are the dads of the boys that are really good. And even though that's the case, they are equally interested in every team member playing good field positions and having their turn at bat.
I'm making it sound like Chloe and Lily are terrible! That has been the funnest surprise of all -- they AREN'T!! They're actually pretty darn good! But I know that's due in part to coaches who have the absolute perfect idea of what rec sports should accomplish.
I do wish that we had maybe had the girls play tee ball for a couple of years, just so they'd be better at catching, but they're good little ball players! Chloe can out throw most everyone on the team (still working on accuracy and not lobbing it as hard as you can when the person is closer to you!) and they both really have their head in the game while they're out there. And it's so nice to not be embarrassed when they're up at bat. They're certainly not perfect, but they do connect with the ball most every time they're up. They've been really fun to watch and they're really having a great time playing this summer. I think they'll be bummed when the season ends! With games pretty much every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night, you'd think I'd be ecstatic for the season to end, but somehow I won't be. This has been a really great experience for our family. And we've seen how great it is for the kids to be there cheering each other on. It's been really positive and I will actually miss it quite a lot!
Wow has it been insane to juggle coach pitch baseball for the girls (thank the heavens that they're on the same team!!!) and tee ball for Brigham. In June we were doing two practices per week each plus two games per week each. Thankfully, July has slowed down a little. Fewer practices, no games in this holiday week, etc.
Stanton and I have avoided extracurricular activities for our children thus far. Chloe did gymnastics for a time, but it was too much for a little 6 year old to have 6 hours a week of that, so we pulled her out. We've never done rec sports or anything like them. Well, a few rounds of dance here and there, but even that felt like too much!
We decided it was time to pull up our big girl pants and dedicate some time to helping our kids improve in sports and have a team experience. Baseball felt like the perfect fit for our first go around. I love that there isn't any school to worry about right now, so the nights can be more fluid. And the kids have LOVED this experience so much. They are learning a ton, improving, and having FUN. Their coaches couldn't be better and it's been an all around positive experience. I don't regret not doing it sooner, but I'm sure glad we did it now!
He lives for practice and games and thinks his coaches are pretty much the smartest people ever.
It's funny to be writing about this now that the season is almost over, because he's improved so much since then. But that first game was SOOO funny! Brig was so excited to be out there playing that he couldn't keep things quite straight. When he went up to bat, he hit a good little grounder and then, instead of running to first, he ran after his ball. We got him headed in the right direction and then did it with the next batter's ball instead of running to second! Everyone was yelling and laughing, etc., and he got really embarrassed when the second baseman got him out. We called him over with tears in his eyes and Stanton helped him figure out that when you have your glove on, you go for the ball, but when you have that batter's helmet on, your job is to RUN! He made the connection and didn't have a problem afterward. And really, I thought the fact that he was so intent on getting that ball showed that he has his head in the game and knows the basic goal - he was just a little confused!
That first night, his coach's mom came over to him, got down on her knees, and looked him in the eye. She said, "I have been a baseball coach for a lot of years and I know my stuff. You have hustle, you have heart, and you have ball smarts. YOU are a baseball player." Brigham's eyes were on fire with pride. She got up and said to me, "I mean that. He gets it and he's going to be a great ball player." I have to admit that my eyes might have sparkled a bit, too!
Baseball is one of those sports that Brigham can play even into the varsity level (as long as he wears a chest pad). It's awesome to see him actually maybe have a knack for it. I want him to be able to have a sport that he loves and can play long term. We'll keep presenting tennis and skiing and track along the way, of course, because those are life long sports...but having a team sport like this that is an option is just awesome. There aren't very many of them. Now, I have to clarify that at this point, he can play any and every sport without his heart being in danger. But any kind of contact sport (football, basketball, soccer, etc) will be a danger as it gets to the varsity level. Any big hits to the chest could hurt the electrical system defect that just isn't possible to fix. Because he can't play the other sports long term, we've shied away from encouraging him to explore them now. I don't want to have to pull the rug out from under him a few years down the road after he's fallen in love with something.
I honestly don't think about his heart very often anymore, but seeing him play tee ball and enjoy it so much has caused me to go back and reflect on that time and how precious Brigham's life is. And I love that there is something here that he can enjoy and love and be great in.
They're old enough for coach pitch baseball, which is super fun. They're the only girls on their team and are on a team of boys that, many of them at least, have played for quite a few years and are pretty darn good. You'd think that might not be a positive thing, but let me tell you - it's been awesome. Their coaches are so kind and are only concerned that the kids learn skills and have fun. These dads who are the coaches are the dads of the boys that are really good. And even though that's the case, they are equally interested in every team member playing good field positions and having their turn at bat.
I'm making it sound like Chloe and Lily are terrible! That has been the funnest surprise of all -- they AREN'T!! They're actually pretty darn good! But I know that's due in part to coaches who have the absolute perfect idea of what rec sports should accomplish.
I do wish that we had maybe had the girls play tee ball for a couple of years, just so they'd be better at catching, but they're good little ball players! Chloe can out throw most everyone on the team (still working on accuracy and not lobbing it as hard as you can when the person is closer to you!) and they both really have their head in the game while they're out there. And it's so nice to not be embarrassed when they're up at bat. They're certainly not perfect, but they do connect with the ball most every time they're up. They've been really fun to watch and they're really having a great time playing this summer. I think they'll be bummed when the season ends! With games pretty much every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night, you'd think I'd be ecstatic for the season to end, but somehow I won't be. This has been a really great experience for our family. And we've seen how great it is for the kids to be there cheering each other on. It's been really positive and I will actually miss it quite a lot!
Last Day of School
I got a kick out of these pictures on the way home.
Lily was ecstatic and ran home as fast as she could.
She ended up having a good cry for a bit and then we moved on with life. She's now looking forward to 3rd grade, but still apprehensive about growing up. I am just fine with that. She has a lot of time to be little still and I want her to enjoy it to its fullest.
It's been a really busy and wonderful summer so far. June was insane. I have pictures and individual posts for some of it, but not everything, so here's a snapshot of our calendar for that month:
In addition to their camps, the girls did piano lessons, tennis, and baseball. Brigham had tee ball to go with his camp. It doesn't sound as crazy or look as crazy as it felt, but those mornings when we were racing from one thing to the next sure felt crazy! But they were fun, too, and made us all excited to have a little slower July and August.
I remember a few years ago when I really quite dreaded summer. I would hear my friends with kdis in school talk about how excited they were for the break and how fast it went by. Because I had so many little ones in such a short period of time, it turned out that I had one full calendar year from when Cannon was born to when Chloe started Kindergarten. So for 5 years, I felt like I was a hamster in a wheel. I know a lot of moms experience that. No day was ever different - the weather just changed. Summers dragged along as slowly as any other months and it was so hot that the kids didn't spend a ton of time outside anyway.
That was a depressing paragraph, but its point is that now here we are, just 3 years later, and I am one of those moms who just can't wait for summer vacation to start and those sweet kids to be all mine for a few months. The time is flying by and we are loving most every second of it. It's not all sunshine and roses, but I don't wish they were back in school yet. Time just has this way of marching forward and the trick, I think, is to just try and enjoy whatever moment in time you happen to be in. I made an effort at that when the kids were all so little - I really did - but I have to say, it doesn't take much effort to do it right now. This phase of life is so perfect. Everyone is small enough to have small problems. They love me still and want to be with me. They don't face many of the temptations that I know will come their way ever too shortly. But they can make their own sandwiches if I'm not available. They can help with chores. They play together pretty darn amazingly. We don't have to get to bed on time every single night - Cannon and Brigham still get up somewhat early even if they've been up late, but they're able to handle it better throughout the day. Life is just becoming more flexible and it's a truly perfect phase of life.
So, of course, we're going to throw a newborn into the mix so that everything can change again! Hahahahaha! Yes, I do think Heaven is having a good laugh over that one! But I am equally excited to see how little baby boy will meld into our new normal here and how we will have to change for him. I do hope, however, that we don't have to find out for another several weeks. I would love to have the rest of this summer to just play and enjoy our freedom!!
I won't ever tell a young mom with her hands as full as her heart that the time is going to fly by, because those earlier years didn't fly by for me. But I will say that I don't know how we ever got here so quickly. And that now that we're here, it is, magically, flying right past my eyes with nary a second to blink. Life is great. Marriage and children make it better!
Ha!
Well, you can see how that goal went!
Laundry still isn't done, but I did make a dent in it. And had a fun day with the kids, too.
It's the 4th of July and everyone is still asleep (miracle!!) after a late night of fireworks. I'm going to pound through a few posts this morning while I have some time.
Laundry still isn't done, but I did make a dent in it. And had a fun day with the kids, too.
It's the 4th of July and everyone is still asleep (miracle!!) after a late night of fireworks. I'm going to pound through a few posts this morning while I have some time.
03 July 2012
My Agenda for Today:
*Laundry
*Take the girls to tennis
*Update the blog
Let's see how we do, shall we?
*Take the girls to tennis
*Update the blog
Let's see how we do, shall we?
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