Penny goes to preschool

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Today was Penny's first day of preschool.  She goes to Melissa Goff on Tuesday and Thursday of each week from 8:30 (yikes, that's early for Penny!) to 11.  She's been excited for school all summer long!  She was most excited about going to school with cousin Coco.  This morning I went into her room at 7:45 to wake her up.  She stayed up later than usual last night singing in her bed so it was difficult waking her up.  I almost let her sleep and miss the first day.  Once she was awake I asked her if she wanted to go to preschool and she said, "yes!"  The night before she told me she wanted to wear her flower dress, so we had her clothes and shoes all set out.  She wanted her hair in "one little braid." She had cereal and yogurt for breakfast.  The boys were all still sleeping (they start school next Wednesday) but Eve woke up just in time to come along.  We listened to Disney songs on the way.  Collette pulled up just as we did so Karla and I took a couple pictures of the girls (Penny didn't want to smile for any pictures.  She was still waking up!) and then walked them inside.  Penny was especially excited that there was playdoh out to play with!  I showed her the bathroom (we went just before she left and she told me she wouldn't need to go at school) and we put her backpack on the wall.  I gave her a kiss, took a few more pictures (by about this time Eve was getting in to the kids water cups) and told her I would be back to pick her up.

Eve and I returned just before 11 to get Penny.  She was waiting by the front door with the other kids, with her dress tucked into the front of her underwear and her backpack on.  She saw me and didn't move from the teacher's side or even crack a smile, until I called her name and told her to "come here!"  She ran up to me with a smile on her face.  Her teacher said she did really well and that she was making her laugh by doing all of the animal noises.  I wish I could've heard that!  Once we got in the car she and I was buckling her she said, "Mom, I have to tell you something!  I played with playdoh and cut it up and we got a sucker and fishies!"  She said it was so fun!  She even asked if we were going back?!  On the ride home I asked her if she went potty.  She said she went "pee pee and poo poo!"  I wondered if Miss Melissa helped her and she said she did it herself (oh boy)!  Once we were home she said, "Miss Melissa is my teacher and she loves me!"  Sounded like a great first day of preschool to me!

Eve's blessing day 

April 13, 2014

Those in the circle included, Tim, Dad (Jared), Cam, Brad, Ladd, Wade, Porter, Jim (Grandpa), and Bishop Baird.

I was planning on having Eve wear the same blessing dress as Penny, (my wedding dress made into a blessing dress) but it just didn't seem right for Eve, plus it was huge and would've swallowed her up.  I decided to just keep it simple and dress her in a soft, cream dress.  She looked beautiful and everything was perfect.  Lots of family came to support, which is always nice.  Jared took a couple photos before church and I will cherish them forever.  Eve looked like an angel!  

 Levi sure does love his little sister!

Eve Christine was born Friday, December 27, 2013 at 7 in the morning.  

Eve’s birth story:

I had a dr appt Thurs 26th around 11 and asked Dr Beck to strip my membranes.  He asked me if I wanted to schedule an inducement if this didn’t work (I didn’t really want to be induced and sit in the hospital all day, but I decided to schedule a day to be induced just in case...so they had an appt Fri at 5 am.  I set the appt but then called back after talking to Jared and cancelled it because he had appts at work that he didn’t want to miss and because I originally didn’t want to be induced!)  I was dilated to a 3 but not very “soft” so he didn’t make any guarantees this time (like he did with Penny).  I had had some contractions on my own, but nothing would stick around.  The procedure was mighty painful and I hoped it would work!  For the rest of the day I did have contractions, but nothing out of the ordinary.  That afternoon we dropped Penny off at Grandma and Grandpas and took the boys to dinner and a movie (Frozen).  Still nothing, so I figured we wouldn’t have a baby today.  I started to get a little anxious/upset because I was feeling really uncomfortable and was regretting canceling my inducement.  Jared and I went to bed.  Jared’s parents were planning on coming to our house if anything happened through the night.  I remember waking up every once in awhile with a pretty good contraction, but wasn’t too worried because they weren’t consistent and didn’t last.  But, around 2am I had a really sharp contraction and so I stayed awake deciding to time them just to see.  2:00, 2:07, 2:18, 2:29, 2:33, 2:44, 2:53, 3:02, 3:12, 3:23, 3:33, 3:43, 3:52, 4:00, 4:07, 4:09, 4:21, 4:26...there were a couple sharp ones so I woke Jared up and continued to time them but they weren’t close enough together I didn’t think.  Jared went a head and started to get things ready around 4 am just in case.  He got into the shower.  I got out of bed and wham-o!  The contractions were coming hard now!  And they were really close together!  Like one after the other.  I had to sit on the edge of the tub and couldn’t talk through them.  Jared was just showering away while I was crawling on the floor back to the bed.  I told him we needed to call his parents and he asked me to do it, not knowing how painful the contractions were now.  I told him I couldn’t do it!!  Finally he was out of the shower and called his parents to come.  I started to cry and shake.  The contractions were super close and I was worried that we wouldn’t make it to the hospital on time.  It seemed like we waited forever for his parents to get here!  Jared got me and my bag in the car while he went inside to grab a few things (he was making a sandwich).  Each time I had a contraction I would breathe out loudly and grab onto the handle of the car squeezing it tightly.  Jim finally arrived and walked up to the car as I was having a contraction.  He took one look at my face and knew I wouldn’t be able to say anything so I told him Jared was in the house...Jared came out and we were off!  As we’re driving down the road he whips out this pb&j sandwich he made and the smell is making me sick...so I yelled at him “what is that?, peanut butter?!”  So he kindly rolled the window down for me.  Once we were at the hospital I waited a minute in between contractions on the curb and then we made a mad dash inside.  Of course the lady admitting us had questions for me, so I sat in her chair and tried to answer her questions in between contractions.  We had a good laugh because we got to the hospital around 5am, which would’ve been the time my induction was set for if I didn’t cancel it!  The nurses were super quick and knew I was in a lot of pain, so they got me all set up right away.  I was smart this time and asked for the epidural while I was in triage...so they called the anesthesiologist  and had that set up for when I got to my room.  In the bathroom while changing my clothes I dropped to my knees and dressed on the floor because the contractions were so intense.  They checked me and said my bag was bulging and ready to break...I think I was dilated to a 6?  And fully effaced.  Next I was wheeled into the delivery room and given the epidural.   Hallelujah!!  Dr Beck was called and he came  pretty quickly.  I was at a 8-9 shortly after he arrived and he said he would be just outside if I felt like pushing. I was definitely feeling pressure, so he came back in, suited up, and had me start pushing!  A couple pushes later Eve Christine was born.   She was beautiful!  We thought she looked a lot like Luke as a newborn.  Dark hair, tiny face and features.  Her fingers were long and beautiful and her feet and toes were long too.  We were so impressed with her long toes and how she could bend them back to almost touching her shins!   She liked to tuck her top lip up and push her bottom lip out.  What a sweet baby girl!

I wanted to avoid the terrible first night in the hospital (like I had with Penny) so I got off dairy the week or so before delivering Eve.  (I ended up going dairy free with Penny because I figured out that it was really upsetting her stomach and messing with her skin and bowels).  Prior to having Penny I had an ice cream sundae every night!  No luck going dairy free with Eve.  Our first night in the hospital was pretty bad, just as it was with Penny.  Very little sleep for either of us.  I watched Sleepless in Seattle, which reminded me of mom, so that made it better.  I really dislike being in the hospital, dead tired, weak, on pain pills (not all there) and trying to deal with a colicky newborn.  Needless to say, I was relieved to have Jared back for moral support in the morning and to get home!  Just a side note, this time around I decided to go easy on the pain pills because I really don’t like the way I feel when I’m on them!  I did feel a little better because of that.  Poor Eve didn’t do too well even once we were home, either.  The dairy free wasn’t working on her like it did for Penny.  She would spit up a lot, and once it was a bright orange color.  I ended up taking her to the doctor after that, and they gave her the same stomach drops they gave Luke, but those didn’t really seem to help either.  Eventually she seemed to feel better.  

  

Reality right here.  5 crazy kids!!  

.baptism.

September 21, 2013

Today my Wyatt Henry was baptized.  I had been busy planning and preparing this day for a couple weeks in advance.  I really wanted to make a dvd of Wyatt (slideshow of pictures throughout the years with music) to play either at his baptism or at home.  I organized all of his pictures and was able to finish the video this morning.  Also, we wanted to have treats/ snacks at our house after the baptism, so I of course wanted to decorate and get the house ready for friends and family to come over.  Jared and I hoped that the day of his baptism would be a calm and good day.  We didn’t want to let anything get in the way of enjoying Wyatt and our family.  

The boys all got up early and mowed the lawn with Jared.  I stayed inside decorating the cake and finishing up the dvd with Levi and Penny.  Once the boys were done they ate breakfast quickly and everyone got ready for Wyatt and Luke’s soccer game.  Both boys did great!  It was fun being outside and together.  Jared then took Levi and Luke to Costco to grab last minute things while me, Penny, and Wyatt headed home.  I finished preparing food, laid Penny down for a nap, and wondered where Wyatt was?  He was building Legos in his room, so I wanted to take the opportunity to talk to him while I had the chance.  I asked him how he was feeling?  Was he nervous?  He told me he wasn’t, but I knew he was.  Earlier that morning he had walked into my room while I was watching the dvd slideshow and saw me crying.  So, I asked him if he knew why I was crying earlier.  I told him how much I loved him and how it does make me sad to see that he is growing up so much.  But, I told him how exciting it was that he was growing up and taking this big step in his life today.  He wanted to know why he was special?  I told him all of the reasons he was special to me.  I explained that he is a good example to everyone and that everyone loves being around him because he’s happy and kind.  I reminded him or how much his brothers (especially Luke) look up to him and how grateful I am that he is a good boy and someone they can look up to.  I am constantly impressed with Wyatt’s choices and with his love and compassion.  I told him that I love how he is always happy and laughing.  What a special boy Wyatt is and how grateful I am that he’s mine and a part of our family!  I love him so much.  

I felt like the day went well and I myself felt happy and stress free most of the time.  Right before the baptism it got a little stressful trying to finish last minute things and trying to get everyone, including myself ready, but we managed to all arrive early and even took a few pictures.  The baptism was beautiful.  There was 1 other boy (who happened to be from our ward) that was baptized as well.  We met in the RS room and it was filled.  I was happy to see people from our ward, school, and neighborhood.  Georgia from Jared’s office was there and Grandpa Don and Grandma Jeanne came as well.  Jordan and Jessica sang, If The Savior Stood Beside Me.  It was perfect.  Grandma Williams talked about the Holy Ghost and did such a great job.  She presented both boys with a soft blanket to represent the Holy Ghost and how he makes us feel.  I loved her talk and I am so so thankful that my children have such wonderful grandparents.  Jared baptized Wyatt and Grandpa Williams and Webb were witnesses.  Wyatt was then confirmed.  Jared, Cameron, both Grandpas, Ladd, Wade, Troy, Porter and Bishop Baird all stood in.  I wasn’t able to hear much of the blessing (no microphone and noisy children), but I liked how Wyatt got up and gave everyone a hug.  Such a sweet boy!  I then got up and bore my testimony.  I got emotional and heard Luke laugh nervously at me.  I explained how I had the chance earlier to talk to Wyatt and let him know how special he was, and now I was grateful for the chance to bear my testimony of the things I know are true.  I bore testimony of the Book of Mormon, a living Prophet, my Savior, and eternal families.  

After the baptism was over it was nice visiting with everyone.  Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker weren’t planning on coming over after, so I wanted to take the time to visit with them (it had been almost a year since we last saw them!).  We visited until Bishop and the primary presidency turned the lights out on us.  

Mostly family came by afterward.  I know Wyatt felt special when I turned on his dvd.  He sat down and watched most of it (it is 35 minutes!).  I thought it was really cute that Wyatt thanked me for making a cake for him (I wanted to make cupcakes because they would be easier).  Jared and I planned on going out after everyone left, but we asked Wyatt if that was ok and he really wanted us to stay home and play games.  So that’s what we did!  Penny went to bed and we stayed up and played several games together as a family.  It was a lot of fun.  Right before bed Jared gave Wyatt a journal to write his feelings in.  He wrote about his soccer game and how they won.  He also wrote  about how he felt happy after he was baptized.  

Those in attendance:

Christian Godfrey (friend from school)

Gavin Goodman (friend from school)

Amy Nyman (Evan was sick/neighbors in our ward)

Phil and Brittny Tew (neighbors in our ward)

Sharon and Mackenzie Black (neighbors)

Amber Balle (primary pres)

Jenny Stephan (primary 2nd counselor)

Georgia (from Jared’s office)

Williams

Webbs

Cam and girls (Jenny was out of town)

Wade and boys

Troy and family

Ladd and family 

Jordan and Jessica

Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker

Merrills

Carrie and Drake

Porter and family

.preschool.

First day of preschool (August 21, 2012) vs last day of preschool (May 1, 2013)

It's always a surprise to me how much these kids change and grow through the year!  Levi went to preschool with Mrs. Melzer on Tuesday and Wednsday.  When Jared and I lived with Jim and Ola Mae, after moving back to AZ, I met Kathryn.  She lives in their neighborhood and is in their ward.  Levi was super excited to start preschool (wanted to be just like his brothers) but as the year went on he would often (and still does even though he's on summer break) ask if today was preschool, and when it was he would say that he didn't want to go.  "School is boring!" (learned that one from Luke!)  He even tried telling me that Mrs. Melzer was mean.  I think he was just upset that he couldn't play with the toys the whole time!  Mrs. Melzer was a great teacher and she had some pretty extravagant parties.  The last day of school she gave each child a folder with pictures, drawings and stories of memories they made through the year.  Levi was really excited to look through the folder.  It was really fun having cousin Reed in his class too.  Levi and Reed really became great friends this year.  

.levi john.

Levi-isms

Age 2-3

• tells me, “In a minute”
• tells me, “I’m building” (loves to build towers with the legos and will yell for me saying, “mom, fall down.” and then “got it” when he fixes it)
• likes to watch Baby Einstein movies, especially the one with the frog (lizard) 
• more recently has been wanting to watch Scooby Doo and Thomas the train
• Levi wanted to watch Nacho Libre the other day, so I put it in and left the room.  A few min later he starts yelling for me.  I come in the room and he’s crying saying, “Nacho scary.”  Now he just wants to look at the cover and asks who each character is.
• loves to read books 
• knows his colors and can count (with a little help)...repeats everything clearly
• loves to point out “city buses”, tractors, trucks (“fwuck”), school buses
• likes for me to sing him Twinkle twinkle little star, ABC’S, Praise to the man, I am a child of God, Keep the commandments
• loves his Thomas the train book and sings along with the “Down by the docks” song
• jumps high and is very strong
• knocked out his tooth, lost his pinky nail, has had stitches in his chin
• knows the words to Praise to the man, I'm a child of God, twinkle twinkle, I see the moon
• calls grapes, “rapes”
• says, “cause”   Like when I ask him why he did something he just says “cause”
• Levi is very stubborn and strong willed.  On Sunday I had to take him out twice, so I took him into an empty room and talked to him about being reverent.  I asked him to fold his arms and then I’d let him down from the chair...it seriously took him like 10 min to fold his arms!
• whenever he spills or drops something he says, “that’s okay!”
• has the saddest “sad” face, but does it on purpose (because he knows it makes us feel bad)
• pretends to be sad and wants us to sing “if you chance to meet a frown” while trying not to smile
• makes me give him tons of hugs and kisses before I can leave the room and let him go to sleep
• has to sleep in Wyatt or Luke’s bed and room because he won’t nap in his own room, he just plays with his toys
• gets scared very easily
• loves to read (look at) books
• loves the song “old mcdonald”
• LOVES tractors, trucks, trains, city buses, school buses...and will point one out every time he’s in the car
• is a terrible shopper...he hates sitting in his stroller and is very noisy
• can get his arms out of his 5 point harness carseat
• loves shoes (especially Luke’s boots)
• Says, “what the heck?”
• says, “Don”t tell me no!” and “I’n the boss!!”
• watches Toy story 3 everyday!
• pretends his blanket all bunched up in a ball is a baby
• Does not care to be potty trained!
• says, “hey mommy!  I need a hug!”
• likes watching Cars 2
• loves the Christmas lights and every time we pull out of the garage he checks to see if they’re on...
• if he’s ever feeling insecure or afraid he says, (while looking around for me) “My mommy!”
• Wyatt asked him what/who was in my belly and he said, “Baby Jesus!”
• I said, “I love you Levi” and he told me that he loved me and then I told him that he was a good boy and he said, “Yeah, I’n a good boy and I’n smart!”
• loves Doritos
• was yelling from his room one morning: “1,2,3 open the door right now!”
• is very worried when he accidently pulls my hair or hits me...asks me if I’m ok and pats and hugs me
• I hit my knee on the table and was wincing in pain...he gave me hugs and said over again, “it’s otay mom, it’s otay...be brave!”
• We were talking about being polite and having manners for FHE the other day.  Jared was telling the boys that if an older person (or anyone) asks the boys a question that it’s polite to look at them and answer back.  He said, for example, Levi, lets pretend Grandpa asks you what you did today...what do you say?  Levi then says, “I tooted!”
• Levi has been missing mommy while over at G&G and cousins house (after I had Penny).  He cries for his mommy!
• Will now hide and look ashamed when he poo poos in his diaper...
• has been a little naughty recently and runs away or says no!
• can be caught with his light on reading books on his floor when he’s supposed to be asleep in bed
• Levi was telling me “no” one day and then he told me that I was in trouble...I asked him if he was the boss and he told me he was....I asked him what he was going to do and he told me he was going to “break my arm!”
• says he’s 4 and not 2
• Levi can pick out every garbage truck, cement truck, tractor, crane etc on the road.  He loves seeing them and will now make requests while driving.  If we ever see one on the road he wants to follow it.  He gets angry if it turns a different way.
• Levi wanted to go into Luke’s school on morning as we were dropping him off... Luke usually doesn’t want us to come in but he really did this particular day, so we came in to observe (me, Levi and Penny).  Levi didn’t want to sit and listen to Miss Greta at all, so he looked at the snake and turtles.  I didn’t want him to get into any toys, but after a while he spotted the trains and started playing with those.  Once Penny starting getting fussy I told Levi to put the trains back.  I took Penny out to the car and then started putting the trains back quietly.  Levi didn’t want to put the trains back and started getting noisy, so I quickly put them away and picked him up.  He then started to kick and scream and was trying to get out of my arms as I was trying to not drop him and open the door.  Luke looked horrified as we walked out.  All of the kids were staring at us...Levi was scratching and hitting me as I tried to get him buckled into his seat...well, he proved stronger than me, so I put him in the car while he screamed and yelled...we waited in the parking lot till he settled down...must have been 20-30 min.  What a tantrum!  Levi is very, very strong willed.
• At Costco we saw a small man (midget)...as we walked past him (I knew Levi would see him and say something) Levi said, “Look at that boy! ...Look mom, he’s funny!   Look mom!”
• asks “why”  all day long...when I say because, he says “why because”
• whenever I say “ok” he tells me “its not ok”
• has a funny fake laugh
• Levi is potty trained! (almost 3 yrs old) but was afraid to go poo poo.  He was constipated and we had to give him several suppositories and a couple enemas...talk about traumatic!  He sat on the toilet crying, “I don’t wanna go poo poo” for an hour and a half.  When he does go potty he asks if he should go “a big one?” or if he should get it “all out” or if it will be a “big snake”
• still takes a nap and thinks he has to have toys (he has to sleep in Wy and Luke’s room or else he will play with the toys in his room and not nap).  His favorite toy to have are his trash cans with lots of marbles.
• loves pie
• loves to help mom with the mixer or the blender.  He loves helping mom make cookie dough and loves eating it.
• At night he wants me to sing songs (made up songs) about tractors or garbage trucks, etc.
• has started hitting
• If anyone is paying attention to Penny or is holding her Levi makes sure they know she’s “my (his) Penny!”
• Levi’s 2011 Christmas list: tractor, woody doll, anything from the movie Toys
• We were eating at Firehouse subs and Levi put on the firefighter hat and said, “Look, I’m a fireman!  Yeehaw!”
• says, “Mom, I’m just kidding!”
• when he’s embarrassed he covers his eyes with his hands
• he yells hi daddy or that’s my daddy from our seat in church (Jared sits up with the Bishop)
• I gave Levi some tylenol in a cup after he told me his ear was hurting.  I looked down right as he was about to pour the tylenol in his ear! 
  

.easter 2013.

The boys woke up before 7 am thinking it was Christmas morning.  They lined up in the hallway beyond excited to find their Easter baskets.  Wyatt was a little disappointed that he didn't get a lego set. I'm not sure where he got this idea that the basket is filled with toys?  Our day and evening were a lot of fun anyway.  It was also Grandpa Williams birthday, so we invited them over for dinner.  Jared smoked ham and we at potatoes, gravy, rolls, and asparagus.  After dinner we joined family over at Jim and Ola Mae's.  We snapped a few pictures before Penny decided to get upset over nothing and then 30 min later she was as happy as could be.  We still don't know what made her upset!  

I am grateful for my little family.  I love being a mom.  I love the Gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ.  Earlier in the week we watched a movie about Christ, his life, death, and resurrection.  At the end when Christ is resurrected Levi yelled out, "Jesus is alive!  He lives!"  I know it too.  I'm so thankful for His Atonement and that we will all be resurrected some day.