We Went to San Diego...

Back in October we took a little family vacay to California. Andy's sweet cousin Dawn was getting hitched, we originally considered leaving the kids with grandparents while Andy and I got away for a weekend (which, in our nearly seven years of being parents we have never done) but then decided to tack a few days on to the trip and bring the kids along.

 Pretending to be cobras with their neck pillows

 
My dear friend, who also happened to be my mentor early in the news business, now works in PR at the San Diego Zoo and hooked us up with free tickets (thanks, Jenn!). How sweet is that?! So, we zoo'ed it up. We did some reconnaissance work in advance, and checked out the exhibits online so we could map out exactly where we wanted to go during our visit, and which animals we just had to see. We kinda lost Jax once we told him the zoo had a cobra snake. After that, he had a one-track mind and had little interest in anything else. The Zoo has a great reptile/amphibian area where Jax got to see every kind of snake, lizard and turtle imaginable. He was jumping-out-of-his-skin excited. When we found the first of the two cobras, he seemed to have springs in his shoes because he couldn't stop jumping and excitedly yelling to Andy and I to come look. He just kept saying, "I can't believe I'm seeing a real-life cobra!"

 

The look on Ava's face pretty much sums up how she felt about the reptile area

 This is a terrible picture, but it's a cobra.

Ava's major request was the panda exhibit, she was hoping the baby panda would be on display, but unfortunately, he wasn't. However, we did get to see this three-year-old panda who gave us quite a show.  To commemorate the event, Ava chose a baby panda stuffed animal, who she named Lily, as her Zoo souvenir.

 
Eden went along for the ride, making monkey sounds when appropriate, growling at the bears, hissing at the snakes and barking at all animals whose sound she didn't know. She wasn't too keen on the stroller and wanted to walk like the big kids, which wore her out... so she was tired... but she didn't want to be in the stroller... so we carried her part of the way... until she finally gave up and let me put her in the stroller where she took a little snooze.

 

 

 Totally his father's son!

 

 All tuckered out. That snake is Jax's souvenir. It's freakishly real.

The following day, we headed to the beach where the kids were supposed to JUST put their feet in. It was pretty chilly so I kept the swimsuits in the suitcase. I should have known better. The beach is Ava's happy place. She's always loved it.

Jax was a little hesitant at first but quickly followed his sister's lead.

Eden, however, was not having any of it. She tried it out for a few minutes before deciding she absolutely hated it. She cried, she told us no when we asked if she wanted to play, she was just miserable which surprised me because she loves the sandbox at home. In her defense, she started getting sick the night before and by the time we got home she had full-blown croup, so that could have had something to do with her attitude toward the beach.

On a side note, Jax chose a very realistic rattlesnake as his zoo souvenir. He brought it along to the beach, setting it in the sand with our things. I wish that snake came with a hidden camera to capture the frightened look on beachgoers' faces when they spotted what appeared to be a live rattlesnake on the peaceful beach, or the double-takes we received as Eden walked down the pier carrying the thing. If we're being honest, I hate that darn snake. Much like the beachgoers, it has scared the tar out of me just laying on the floor in the living room or Jax's bedroom.

 

 

 This is my favorite picture of the girls! Eden rarely looks at the camera, so this is extra-special. They're so beautiful!

That evening, we headed over to Dawn's wedding. Actually, Andy did. It was a no-kids shindig, so Andy went to the ceremony then came back and got me for the reception while Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the kids in the hotel. Not only did we get a date night, but we got to spend some time with "the girls" -- Andy's three girl cousins with whom he spent many childhood summers playing, and who I just happen to adore. We spent most of our time talking about their childhoods together, and our kids, and laughing at it all.

I'm grateful our little family had the chance to enjoy some special time together. We spent all summer finishing the remodel on the house and then moving into the house which, while exciting, didn't make for the most eventful summer break for the kids. So, we made up for it, and made some great memories in the process!

So Much Halloween

My kids are pretty good about telling me what they want to be for Halloween months ahead of the actual event. Yet it seems that each year, despite a fair warning, I find myself frantically sewing just days before October 31. It just sneaks up on me. Or maybe I'm a procrastinator. Probably the latter.

Ava, since November 1, 2011, had been set on being Rainbow Brite for Halloween. I was a little surprised by the choice since Rainbow Brite is a character from my generation and not so relevant these days. But, I agreed. However, just a few months before Halloween, I introduced Ava to "Jem and the Holograms," another show from my childhood (and quite possibly my favorite). It didn't take long for Ava to change her costume. I knew most people wouldn't know who Ava was supposed to be (unless they were children of the 80's), so she just called herself a "rockstar." Oh, but she knew who she really was. 

Jax, didn't waver one bit on his costume, despite my best efforts. He, without a doubt, wanted to be a cobra snake, or a "flathead cobra" as he calls them. I went back and forth with how exactly to make said costume and came up with this. Not too shabby, although far too many people called him a dinosaur or lizard, for his liking. 

I was so excited to make Eden a unicorn costume until, just weeks before Halloween, she developed a serious aversion to all headgear. Hats, headbands, clippies, hoodies. She rips them off her head either with a resounding, "Uh-uh!" and a head shake, or she coyly removes them and then hides them so I can't replace them on her noggin. So, I had to change my plans. Jax and I saw a cute little octopus costume online that would have been easy to recreate, but because of my aforementioned procrastination problem, I never got around to it. So, at the last minute, I made a little ghost costume. 

We had a quite the extended Halloween, first going to Andy's brother's town the weekend before for a town-wide shindig. Then, on actual Halloween, we joined cousins for trunk-or-treat at their church building, then "real trick-or-treating" (as Ava calls it) in this awesome neighborhood where residents set up movies outside their homes, offer popcorn, hot apple cider and even NBA basketball on a large TV. 

Jax, Nathan, Bracken and Ava at Trunk-or-Treat

Most importantly, the kids got quite the haul. One nice lady at trunk-or-treat even gave them all her leftover Dum-Dums (about 40 total), which just happen to be Jax's favorite treat in the whole world. Seriously, he'll take a Dum-Dum over any dessert. 

 We had a great time and, of course, the kids are already planning next year's costumes. Maybe I'll get a head start this time around. Probably not, though. 

When Eden is Quiet...

When Eden is quiet...

You know she's sneaking food.

Exhibit A: 

As I got our things in order to head out the door to pick Ava up from school then take kids to gymnastics, I noticed my usual little shadow was nowhere to be seen. That's the first sign. Then, when I called for her, there was no response (I usually get a high-pitched, "Mama!" in return). Sign number two. The greatest indicator of Eden's attempts to hoard anything edible, though, is the silence. She's rarely quiet. So, I went into the pantry (because that's where all the good stuff is) and found this:

MARSHMALLOWS!

Sharing with Mama

So pleased with herself.

Exhibit B: 

I gave Eden and Jax each a little bowl of goldfish crackers to snack on. Eden gobbled/spilled hers very quickly and promptly began begging her brother for some of his ("Please. More"). He gave her a few but that simply didn't suffice, so as soon as he got up to go to the bathroom, she went in for the kill.

 First I caught her with her hands in his boots. Nothing out of the ordinary.

 Then, I noticed she was sticking something into said boots. A little weird. So, I peeked into the boots and guess what I found?

 She didn't want her brother to take the crackers away from her so she was hiding them. My first reaction was to be impressed by her ingenuity. Then, when she heard Jax coming out of the bathroom, I saw her stick one of the boot crackers in her mouth and, while disgusting, it also proves just how far she was willing to go That's dedication.

Cousin Fun

Our kids are so blessed to live near all 7.5 of their cousins, they have built-in buddies all around! We see cousins Nathan, Bracken and Marco every week while Ava takes piano lessons from Aunt Courtney (the added bonus is the kids hang out for a bit after lessons and Courtney and I get to have adult interaction!), but we try to get together for fun stuff as much as possible. While the fair was in town, Court and I thought it the perfect opportunity to have some fun.

The kids had a blast riding all the kiddie rides together, Jax was just plain giddy. Really, the ride could have been a man pushing him around in a laundry basket and he would have loved it. I think it was just the idea of being at the fair with cousins that made him so  happy. And I must say, I was pretty impressed by how well the four older kids compromised and took turns choosing rides. 

Look at us, we're having fun at the fair too!

It was way past Eden's bedtime so she spent most of the fair in her stroller with this exact same look on her face.

Just a few weeks later, during fall break, Courtney and I loaded the kids up for a trip to the local zoo. Our zoo is small, but it's just perfect for a little family outing. The walk is nice, there's a wide variety of animals and it's fairly inexpensive (especially with our discount card thanks to the PTA!).

I love watching these kiddos play together! Each of our three kids areabout a year apart: Ava is 6, Nathan is 5, Jax is 4, Bracken is 3, Eden is 15 months and Marco is 8 months, it's so neat to think they'll all grow up making fun memories like these together. 

Soaking Up Summer

Summer is slowly coming to a close in our little town. The days are still nice --- in the low 80's, but I've noticed some leaves beginning to change colors and feel a slight breeze in the air as we're outside playing most days. The nights have quickly turned chilly and I've even had to turn the space heaters on a few nights.

Ava's sweet friend from church and school came over one day to help us celebrate the last days of summer. Grandma and Grandpa got the kids a little play pool at the beginning of the season, but this is the first time we actually filled it up, it spends most days as a cover for Jax's sandbox. It's a teeny little thing, but seemed just perfect for the three big kids and Eden. It did take some convincing to get the older kids to actually submerge their bodies in the water. Apparently, it was pretty cold. But Eden, our little water baby, could've cared less. I finally had to pull her out of the pull, kicking and screaming (more like grunting), her lips blue and toes about to fall off.
 

Jax mostly enjoyed squirting the girls with his squirt guns which, of course, they didn't appreciate. They threatened to get him back, so rather than give his big sister and her friend the satisfaction of soaking him, he took matters into his own hands and plunged into the water. This is the result:

A freezing Jax

 What a great way to send summer off. Soon enough, we'll be playing in the snow, longing for days like these.

One is Fun!

I seem to have made it a habit this year to post about the kids' birthdays TWO MONTHS after their actual birthday. At least I'm here, right?

Our sweet Eden turned one on July 16. Already?! I know! I was thinking the same thing. This has been a busy year for us, you know, with moving across the country and remodeling a house, so Eden birthday seems to have snuck up on us.


Now that we're back in AZ, the whole family joined us for our Little Mushy's big day. G-Ma and G-Pa came up for the whole weekend, which we kicked off with a round of goofy golf. It was fun, I mean the name says it all, but if I'm being completely honest, it's something we'll wait to do again until the kids are a little older. Jax was impatient and just wanted to wack the ball every which way, which was quite dangerous for the rest of us. Ava was easily frustrated at the difficulty and Eden, well, Eden just wanted to get out of her stroller and boogy. It was HER birthday after all. Despite my complaints, the kids really enjoyed themselves, but like I said, I think we'll wait a few years to do it again.


After our 18 holes, we headed out to lunch then back to our house to hang out. The next night, we celebrated with a big family BBQ. One of the great things about having G-Ma and G-Pa around is they entertain the kids while I work in the kitchen. It's amazing how much faster things go without all the hands, but I'll admit it, I kinda miss all the "help" when its not there.

That evening, all of Eden's grandparents, uncles (except Uncle Dusty and Uncle Ben), aunts and cousins gathered at our house for birthday fun. Eden opened presents, actually, Ava and Jax opened them for her but she didn't seem to mind. Her favorite was a little ride on truck from Grandma and Grandpa. It sings and everything, which is why I have found myself humming "Do You Know the Muffin Man?" EVERY DAY since Eden's birthday. Anywho, our little Eden hopped right on that little toy and scooted herself around the living room saying, "Vroom, Vroom."

Eden's birthday cake was pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself. Because we call Eden Princess Polka Dot, I made a white cake with pink and purple polka dots inside the cake, so when it was sliced, each slice had dots. Seriously, cute. And, of course, Eden devoured it!

So, our sweet baby is officially a toddler now. She started walking about a month after her birthday and now she's perpetual motion. I love the look of excitement and victory on her face as she toddles around the house, or sneaks away with a snack, or tries to "run away" from Daddy as he chases her. Eden, like her brother and sister before her, is such a happy kid. She rarely cries, and will smile at just about anyone. She's super cuddly, and will often just climb up on my lap, just to give me a hug, which includes sweet little pats on my back. She's finally starting to sign and talk. She's definitely not as verbal as Jax and Ava were at this age, but she comprehends way more than I sometimes give her credit for. Her vocabulary consists of: Mama, Dada, Bubba, VaVa (Ava),  Mamaw (Grandma), Jesus, ball, baby, Boo!, more, no, hi, shoes, please, this, woof-woof, vroom-vroom, go and pew (which is what she says when I change her diaper). At her one-year-checkup Eden weighed 18 lbs 11 oz (which is three ounces less than Jax's weight at THREE MONTHS) and was 28 inches long. She's a teeny little thing, but having a big brother and big sister to follow after gives her a false sense of size. She often attempts to do things meant for much bigger kids, and surprisingly, often she succeeds. As of late, she's proven to be quite the master climber. She'll climb ladders, fences, to the top of my piano, on the kitchen table, out of the grocery cart, she'll hang from the pews at church, there's no mountain too high. She's extremely efficient too, it doesn't take long for her to reach her destination nor does she realize just how dangerous her little tricks are. Fortunately, I haven't suffered a heart attack... yet.
 

 I love this little girl so much! Since the day she was born (four days before my scheduled c-section) she's proven to have her own plans. She's determined and independent, but still so attached to me. I love that she calls for me first thing in the morning, or that she'll roam the house calling for me until she finds me, and then exclaims, "BOO!" I love how much she adores Ava and Jax. She loves to attack Jax, bouncing on him, tickling him, squeezing his cheeks, and the sweet boy just lets her and giggles along with her. Eden gets so excited when it's time to pick Ava up from school, shrieking and smiling enormously as soon as she sees her big sister come out of her classroom. She greets Andy everyday when he walks in the door, running to him and giving him a big squeeze before he's even shut the door all the way. I love how silly she is and how much she already recognizes the importance of laughter. I love how tough she is, often when she falls, she gets up, shakes her little hands and moves on. She loves dirt and mud and would much rather play in the sandbox with Jax than with her baby toys inside. She loves doggies and seems to be able to hear them from a mile away. She plays our piano almost as much as I do. She'll climb up on the seat all by herself and play for quite some time. She loves fruit. All fruit and can't ever seem to get enough of it. But, she also loves chocolate and has quite the nose for it. I love, love, love this little girl and am so excited to continue to watch her and her personality grow!

Can You Hear Me Now?

Bright and early the morning after Jax's fourth birthday, he had surgery. I know, what kind of mom schedules her son's surgery for the day after his birthday? Ironically, the surgery was originally scheduled for the day after MY birthday but the doctor had to reschedule.

The surgery was nothing major. Breathe now. Three years ago Jax had tubes put in his ears; a result of chronic ear infections. The tubes were great! In those three years he only had one ear infection, compare that to 11 in his first year of life. Generally, tubes come out within about two years, but every once in a while they don't and surgery becomes necessary to remove them. One of Jax's came out more than a year ago, but the other little bugger just wouldn't budge. Technically, the stubborn tube could have come out on its own, but if it doesn't, it can leave behind permanent damage. When a tube is left in too long, the eardrum begins to form scar tissue around that tube. When it does come out (naturally or by removal) it leaves a permanent hole which can lead to hearing loss and require additional surgeries. To avoid permanent damage we just went ahead with the surgery. In what is honestly a 15-minute procedure, the doctor removed the tube and then placed a paper patch over the hole, which would assist the ear drum in healing properly. To protect the paper patch, Jax's ear was filled with a gooey substance that hindered his hearing for about two months. Sometimes, he would call out, "Mom, where are you." I'd respond with, "In here" and he'd walk in the complete opposite direction of my voice, still calling for me. It was like our own little game of Marco Polo. Andy and I couldn't help but laugh. Fortunately, Jax didn't seem to realize he wasn't hearing as well, or atleast never made mention of it.

The day of the surgery, our brave little dude suited up. As with his last surgery, he got to choose a stuffed animal. Just his luck, a turtle was available and he snatched him up and immediately named him, "Turtley." Appropriate. Within a few minutes, the nurse came in and gave Jax his first dose of "sleepy medicine." She warned him he might start getting a little drowsy. He very sweetly informed her that he's pretty big and wouldn't be affected by the sleepy medicine she spoke of. Within a few minutes, his eyes were droopy and he started slurring his speech. As I write this post, I'm realizing just how much entertainment I've gotten out of Jax's surgery.

Post surgery, I had to wait out in the waiting room for him to wake up. During that time, the doctor came out and told me how the surgery went. I knew everything was fine when I saw he was wearing a UofA scrub cap. He said Jax also pointed that out before he went under. That's my boy. By the time I got back to the recovery room, our little charmer had already won the hearts of all the nurses back there. As a child is coming out of anesthesia, they tend to become physically violent, so a nurse holds them as they begin to wake up. Our little man was quite the opposite. He nicely asked the nurse to let go of him, when she explained she was holding him so he wouldn't fall, he thanked her. When she asked how he was feeling he said, "I just need to get undizzy and then I'll be okay." They all thought that was pretty cute. He asked where I was and if his tube was out. And he just kept repeating that he needed the "dizzies" to go away. When I finally got back there, they placed him in my lap and he enjoyed crackers and apple juice. The sweet nurses even gave him a package of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to enjoy later, just for being "such a doll."

Within about 30 minutes we were discharged. Jax got to ride in a wheelchair to the car, which he really enjoyed, although he was pretty disappointed his nurse wouldn't pop wheelies. I guess that cute kid bit will only go so far.

To reward Jax for being so brave I took him out to breakfast. It was a special little Jax and Mama date, which we don't do nearly often enough. He said it was his favorite part of his surgery. Mine too.