7-week update - baby Joshua

Sarah

Ok, so I accidentally deleted this picture from later in this post. This is sister Sarah as a baby.

I wanted to blog about the baby - what he's like these days - so I'll see what comes to mind right now! He's sleeping better at night! I only get up once to feed him, usually around 5 am. I can handle that! He does get the hiccups a lot, usually after that feeding, so it's not always a right back to bed deal. Joshua likes to be held. Even when he's dry, fed, and awake - if I put him down he might last a few minutes before he's crying, and stops as soon as I pick him up. So, I try to enjoy it, but there are times when I have to let him cry and get something done. He's smiling more now, letting his personality come through. If you catch him right after a nap or a feeding you can usually get some good smiles. And a smiling baby is like a "good" drug! When things are going rough or are a bit stressful, I hold the baby and talk to him, until I've calmed down.

He's loving his baths now. I like to let him just kick for awhile and he gets so excited. I'm adding a video at the end of this post. He's 7 weeks now, and already wearing 3-6 month clothing. We get comments about what a big boy he is. I like to call him my little man. I still can't get over his perfect skin and little frog legs. He's lost most of his hair, now, just like Ben did. He's got a little cold or allergy right now, with a snotty nose. It hasn't seemed to bother him too much, except when I try to suck it clean. And I've gotten pretty messy from holding him on my shoulder!

So, people either ask us if he looks like Ben or Sarah - or tell us he looks like Ben or Sarah. I thought it would be fun to post pics of all three of them and have you decide - I'd like to see what the majority is. I love what my friend Mindy said the best, "He comes from the family mold!"

Joshua

BenjaminThis is Kannon's brother, JJ, when he was a baby. We thought Ben looked like him, but I think this picture looks more like Joshua. Definitely related!

First day of School

Ben's been looking forward to this day for a long time - me too! He almost didn't live to see Tuesday! But, here he is eating his chosen breakfast of toast and applesauce.

He almost left without us. Sarah had her own lunch ready and packed, too. She ended up eating it as soon as we returned from the drop-off. She didn't really like her breakfast.

When we got to the school, we walked around to the playground and looked for his teacher. We didn't see her, so we headed toward the classroom and found her just outside the door. He took off inside and I waited for him to come back to tell him where I'd meet him after school.

But, when he came back he took off to the playground. I couldn't see him at first and finally found him playing on the slide. Before I could remember why I was waiting around the bell rang and he was gone again!

So, we left and as soon as we got on the sidewalk Sarah, who had been whining about playing on the toys and staying at the school, said, "I don't want to leave my brother here." And started sniffing. =( I promised we'd have a special lunch together later. Which we did. We walked across the street to Jack in the Box. I tried really hard not to rush her. She just eats slow and I eat fast and I was ready to go home, but I waited until she said she was ready. It was such a nice day. I really enjoyed the peace. No fighting, screaming, bugging, yelling, hitting, naughty-spot, etc. It was great!

Sarah asked about getting her brother, or when he'd be home, quite a few times. I know she missed him, but she did really well on her own. She played quietly, we read a story, she watched a few shows. But, again, I loved it!

Sarah took a nap after that and when it was time to pick up Ben I just took the baby with me. I waited outside his classroom, with a bunch of other parents! He looked tired, but was still anxious to tell me about his day. We recorded it so that Kannon could experience it ,too. (He's got class Mon-Thurs this week, so he hasn't gotten to see the kids since Sunday!) He forgot to raise his hand a few times, he'd been worried about that. I guess today he had to move his clip to "lose 5 min. recess time." He was talking to loudly to the girl who sits next to him, she's his new friend. He is also excited to have 2 other friends in class, Britten and Jonathan, and has made new friends, too. He was surprised it was only 3 when he got home and not 7! He thought he'd be home that late. Don't know where he got that idea.

Since the kids have to share a room, still, we are going to change bedtimes. They end up talking, playing, fighting, etc. So, Ben will go to bed at 8 and Sarah at 9. Because she takes a nap, she isn't tired enough at 8 and never goes to sleep til 9 or later anyway. But, we end up fighting and Ben is kept up by her, too. Hopefully he will be willing to accept that he has to go to bed first. And maybe later, as her naps fade out, she can switch to an earlier bedtime. OR - we can just get a bigger house, with 3 bedrooms or more!

Skinny hair!

One day as we were getting out of the car, I said to Sarah, "come on my yellow-haired girl." She said, "my hair's not yellow!" When I asked her what color it was she said it was "skinny." I laughed, not sure where that came from. Then, last night she was looking for a teddy bear. The kids had all kinds of teddy bears out that day so we asked her which bear. She kept saying "my bear." Finally, I asked her, "what color is it?" She said, "skinny like me," and patted her head. I asked her again, today, about her hair color and she called it skinny! So, I don't know where that came from, but I think it's adorable!

Sarah never lets me do much to her hair. She definitely won't let me use a curling iron. So, we cut her bangs again. But, last night when I was combing it I asked her if I could put curlers in it and she said I could. She was so patient! These curlers were a gift for MY 3rd birthday and I was excited to use them on my own 3-year-old.

It turned out pretty kinky and Ben was laughing at her, but I think it's really fun - something different and she likes it, too!

Jobless

Okay, so I am just going to get this over with. It's got to be said sometime. Kannon lost his job last week. Not just a temporary layoff - although I'm hopeful it will still be just temporary til he gets another one. I guess he was upset with his foreman, didn't like where he was working and pulled an attitude. They fired him without any kind of warning. So, right now we are hoping something good will come along, trying to be faithful, and asking for your prayers on our behalf. Our budgeting has us set for at least a month, financially. We have our year's supply of food storage. And family willing to help us if we need it.

On a happier note - Ben is going to the school down the street - yay! I don't have to drive him across town. And he got a wonderful LDS teacher! He also gets to be in the same class as one of his good friends from church. So, I'm excited for him to start school next week.

Another Big Family Weekend

First off - this little man turned 1 month! We're still learning all about "it" here. He wakes up whenever he wants, but doesn't always want to eat anymore when he cries. So, I have to figure out what he wants - usually just a cuddle! He's super sweet that way. I love to hold him and sometimes do even when it's my only chance to shower or get some work done! He likes to be held when he is awake. Fusses after a few minutes if I put him down somewhere. The kids still adore him and kiss him or want to hold him all the time. Still not sleeping real well. At least once a night he's up for a few hours!

So, I loved the cool weather of the weekend! We got our a/c fixed just in time for it! We had to pay another whopping $1000 + to get it fixed - again! We've learned not to take your specialty service needs to a general automotive place. Apparently, when we had it fixed last summer and the summer before that, they put in some wrong parts and didn't clean out the metal stuff and it just ruined it again. At least now the kids won't be so hot and I'm even willing to ride in the back again. Just wish we could have kept that money for the baby bills that are arriving now!



We left Friday afternoon for Elko. We had dinner and stayed up to play games. Joshua was very fussy and I was very tired - not a great combination. Plus, there's always the worry that we will be bothering someone (with the crying, etc.) Still not sure if he was colicky or just out of sorts with the travel and so many people around. He did pretty good the rest of the weekend. On Saturday morning, Kannon went to yard sales with his Dad and I slept in a bit. Helped get things ready for the wedding reception, took a shower, and went shopping with my 2 sisters-in-law, cousin-in-law and Kannon's aunt. I found a couple pairs of capris to get me through the summer and some school clothes for Ben. Then we rushed home (all of this in pouring rain) to get ready for the wedding. Kannon had the kids ready, I changed and we went.

Kannon's brother JJ was getting married to Misty. It was a quick, simple ceremony. We're very happy for them and excited to have a bigger family - new aunt and 3 new cousins!



This is new cousin Gaby - she and Sarah are inseparable!

I was pretty cranky on our drive home. I really wanted a nap, but the kids weren't sleeping and if I did fall asleep Kannon would hit the "wake-up" bumps. I feel like I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep - I basically sleep through the night-time feedings.

It was good to get home, but it took me a few days to get all the stuff put away. Kannon's getting anxious to do some canning - he got out all the bottles and canners. We've got beets ready, pears on the way, and he wants to buy tomatoes since our plants didn't produce like we wanted.

I finally got Ben his swim lessons. That was one of his birthday presents (April!). When I had gone in to sign him up, they were finished until June 15th - right when I was expecting a new baby! Well, the baby didn't come and didn't come - then he came and I needed some time to adjust, obviously. So, Kannon finally got him signed up for the last session of the summer. But then I didn't have a car and had to rely on family and friends to take him the first 3 classes. When I finally got to go I realized he was in the 2nd level - again. He's taken that level the last 2 years and passed it! So, after a lot of talk and negotiation we got him into a level 3 group. We had to switch our time, but it's worth it to me. What a waste it would've been to keep him in 2. He's doing so well. Yesterday he swam across the pool all by himself. We've got one more day. I don't know if he'll pass, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt him to do this one again since he missed so many of the days. Sarah also got lessons. I hadn't planned on signing her up. I thought I'd wait til she was 4 like we did with Ben. But, the 2nd day of his lessons, she was in her swim suit waiting for the ride. She cried when he left and I told her she had to stay. Tears again the next day and when we took Ben she was begging me the whole time to get in the water. So, I went ahead and signed her up, too. She's loving it, not learning much, but I guess that's what this first level is really all about - getting them comfortable in the water. We'll probably repeat it next year. But, they've both loved it and it hasn't been too bad for me either. (Just wish I could swim, too!)

She was eating bananas - they reach up and pick them with both hands, teaching them how to move one arm out of the water at a time.

Ben's favorite part is getting to jump off the diving board at the end of each lesson. He does great to swim to the side by himself.

Finally catching up on some sleep. All 3 kids took naps and I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity, so I laid on the couch with the baby. When Ben and Sarah woke up, she climbed on me, too. I got about 2 hours of sleep, yay!

Friends, Family & Joshua's Blessing

We said goodbye to some really good friends last week. Kiersten and I went through our pregnancies together, even in the hospital at the same time. Sarah and Eliza playing dress-up.

Ben and Ezra playing the Wii. We've enjoyed having many play dates with them and visiting for hours. We got to have them over one last time before they moved on to bigger things. We already miss them - have teared up many times - but hope they are doing well, fitting into their new place and meeting new and wonderful friends. We'll see you when you come to visit!


This is my gift. The one creative thing that I make. I made a few of these for my m-i-l to give as gifts and made a few to give as well. If you are interested I am selling them! Vintage handkerchief onesies, each one is an original!


Loved spending another day at the lake. Now let me write how I really felt: I loved the time with my family, but hated that I didn't get to swim - again! I hit the 6 week mark soon and hope that we can go one more time before the water and summer are gone.


Grammy, Ben and Sarah (& Sandy)

Sarah made sand piles with Jackie.

It was kind of a family reunion weekend. We had all but John and Heather here. So we did the lake and Rock Band and had a Baby shower for Jackie - they're having a girl in November. My cousin Heather got married and we all went to the reception -very happy for her and Spencer.

This outfit got many "aah"s.

And on Sunday we had Joshua blessed at church. My mom made his blessing outfit, which we picked out together. I think it's adorable!

It was an incredible blessing - I so appreciate that Kannon has and honors the priesthood. It was special to hear the emotion in his voice. I was trying to write down the blessing and had to often tell Sarah to "sh". Joshua was a good baby during the blessing. Kannon said he only moved once, when he talked about the temple. I loved having so much of the family there to participate. From my family was: my dad, Nathan, b's-in-law Levi and David. Kannon's family had: his dad, Kreg, b-i-l Clint.

Most everyone stayed for church and we had a really nice barbecue at our house afterward. It was nice to have had everything prepared in advance and to have such a nice big backyard. It reminded me of dinners at the Bake Reunion.

So, it was a big weekend. Way too many late nights for me. I think it was worth it, though. I sure enjoyed visiting with everyone. Wish it could have lasted longer. Will be looking forward to Christmas when we all get together again!