Tyson - March 2012 - 3 months

Oh buddy, I'm long on pictures, short on time this month, so I'll probably cheat and do a short letter today.  Life seems busy lately!  You are getting more and more fun every day.  You are starting to seem more like a baby than a newborn, and that is a lot more fun for everyone.  I love newborns (my newborns, other people's newborns still scare the crap out of me), but I also don't really miss it all that much when you turn into this cute little loveable, less breakable, baby.  You could snuggle a bit more though kid.  If someone puts you up on their shoulder to snuggle the first thing you do is lift your head up and try to ram your nose into their shoulder until they get the point that you do NOT want to be held that way.  You want to see and you don't want to cuddle.  You still wake up twice at night, and sometimes I will stay up a few minutes after you have finished eating and fallen asleep just to hold you and cuddle you since you won't let me during the day and you put yourself to sleep in your crib.  There's something to be said for the bad habit of rocking your baby to sleep, but I'm not going to complain that you go to sleep on your own I guess.

So, that being said, I have lots to do while you take a little snooze and Logan and Tess are actually playing nicely together in the toy room.  Here are some pictures (or 30), because you, my child, are the most adorable thing I've ever laid eyes on.

Your dad was out of town over our anniversary, and the other 2 kids went to Grandma and Grandpa Veater's house for the weekend, so it was just me and you for a few days.  I think we enjoyed our 1 on 1 time! (This also might be your first picture other than your blessing where you aren't wearing pajamas!)

See, adorable.  A-DOR-A-BLE.

This is right before you ate...

...and this is right after.  You are a Veater boy.  Don't mess when you're hungry.

Another post-eating picture.  It's not quite the drunken look I want to try to get a picture of, but it's close...

Streeeeetching after a nap...

Tummy time.  You hate it.  I hate to make you do it.  Maybe I'm trying to keep you from getting stronger so you won't roll over, crawl, walk any sooner than I'm ready for?

See, you pretty much always have my phone in your face taking pictures of you (did you know that once upon a time phones were stuck to the wall, with a cord, and were only used to CALL people?).  Your dad loves to pretend to sneeze at you because it makes you laugh.  Those laughs are little and not very common just yet, but that's one thing I look forward to in the next month.  I can't wait to have a house full of baby giggles again.

Love you Moose (I called you that today and liked it.  Maybe it will stick?),
Mom

Logan - March 2012

Oh Logan, Logan, Logan.  Today I heard "I hate you" at least 3 or 4 times, and that was a mild day compared to yesterday!  To say you've been a bit of a challenge for me lately is an understatement.  The funny thing about you is that you are such a good kid normally so when you decide to go all crazy town on me it catches me off guard.  I know that part of it is probably still adjusting to me needing to give extra attention to Ty and not being able to do what you want me to do when you want me to do it, but holy moly boy, let's get past this stage already - it's exhausting!

Bantam wrestling started in the last month, and I debated whether or not to sign you up.  I finally decided that I wouldn't since you didn't seem too interested and sign ups were going on when your dad was out of town ;)  It wasn't that I didn't want you to wrestle, I just knew that your dad was going to be out of town off and on and the thought of hauling you to practices a couple times a week plus tournaments was a little daunting - especially since you weren't exactly jumping at the opportunity.  Well, your dad decided to take you to practice one day and after that you were excited about it.  You wouldn't warm up with them, but when you saw that you could wrestle your buddy Kasthon Kabonic you had a good time.  The next practice, though, I had to take you, and it didn't go so well.  I had Ty with us, the wrestling room was crowded, and you would NOT get out on the mats with other boys to warm up.  I was so confused because you seemed so excited!  Then when they paired off to start to wrestle and you realized you were going to be paired up with someone taller than Kashton, it was a no go.  I took you out of there kicking and screaming (who was kicking and who was screaming?), and that was that.  We went to Quade Man's tournament in Hurricane that weekend, and I'm pretty sure that solidified your decision to not wrestle.  I'm with you buddy.  In the end your dad and I decided we would try again next year if you wanted to.  We want you to try new things buddy, but if you don't like them - no sweat!  We just want you to TRY.  I know I've told you this in letters before, but don't be afraid of trying new things just because you might look stupid or might not know as much as the next person.  We're just proud of you for trying! (and looking very much forward to t-ball this year!)

Since the time change a couple days ago you and Tessa have been running the show at night.  I know it is so hard to go to bed on time when it is still light on time, but I was determined to have you go to bed at least by 7:30 by the end of this week.  By that time of the day my fuse is so short I NEED the two of you to be in bed so I don't blow up, so it really is in your best interest too!  Well last night I thought I had you 2 all straightened out.  I let you stay up and play together in Tessa's room until 8 (8!) and then told you to go to your room and get in bed and go to sleep.  I went to our room to work and about 20 minutes later Tessa walked in.  I could tell something was all over her and thought it was marker and started to laugh in spite of being upset she was still awake.  Then she said, "Logan colored all over me!"  Sure enough  you guys had been in the bathroom and dug out an old lipstick from seriously probably 10 years ago (I think the last time I used it was Halloween my freshman year in college - who knows why I still had it!), and you had colored all over Tessa's face and HAIR.  In the process you got dark red lipstick all over her floor, a book, the door, the walls, and actually I'm still finding places where there are smudges of lipstick.

I was LIVID.  I very firmly made it known that the 2 of you were in DEEP trouble and there would be no TV all day the next day, etc.  Ha.  I hate it when I do that.  You finally both fell asleep some time after 9, and I got a good laugh when I looked in on you and saw you reading this...

Yep, that's Tessa's princess book.  I had to get another shot to be sure we would always know this was indeed a princess book...

Awesome.  After scrubbing lipstick out of the carpet for 30 minutes, I definitely needed that smile!

So this morning I woke you both up at 5:30 a.m. (that was 4:30 a.m. just a few days ago!), and told you to go play since you couldn't watch TV.  It was a LONG day, but after school, the park flying kites (run Logan, run!), a breakdown where you asked me to let you live with Kashton's mom and then begging for forgiveness as I started packing your overnight bag, and some more time outside (to get a break from me, you said), you and Tessa are now both asleep and have been since 7:20 p.m.  Success?  I think so.

Another bright spot in the day?  Your teacher came out to the car today as I pulled in to pick you up to tell me that she thought you were the student who had made the most improvement in your handwriting this year AND that you are reading really well.  The handwriting I was a little surprised about (start at 2 o'clock Logan,  2-O-CLOCK!), but I have been so impressed with your reading.  In fact, you read your whole book tonight all by yourself with only a little bit of help on the word "much."  I am so, SO proud of you and how well you continue to do in school.

With all your "I hate you"s and wanting to live with a "nicer" mommy, I know you love me, and it is so sweet to feel a love like the love a little boy gives his momma.  Thanks for that buddy.

 I love you too,

Mom

Tessa - March 2012

 Oh Tessa Sue, I'm actually drawing a blank on anything that we've done in the last month that is exciting enough to write about.  A lot of the time it seems like Groundhog Day around here.  We get up, we eat breakfast, get everyone ready (most days...), watch cartoons, eat lunch, take Logan to school, play while he's gone, pick Logan up, play when we get home, eat dinner, play, and then prayers and bed.  The routine doesn't change too much, but I guess that isn't a bad thing.

It seems like most of the pictures I download onto the computer lately are of Tyson, but I did find a few that I had taken of you.  This has got to be one of my favorites.  I can see this being one that I like to show future boyfriends.  The look on your face along with your bed head just cracks me up.

 We actually got that mop of hair cut the other day.  You, me, and Tyson ended up in Hurricane at the last minute on a Saturday, and the only place open was the little salon at Walmart.  We had to wait 15 minutes or so, so we wandered around the store for a few minutes.  You were walking along behind me when all of a sudden you yelled my name to get my attention.  When I turned around to find out what was wrong you looked behind you and said, "I think I lost my haircut!"  I guess I need to get your hair cut more often if you are almost 3 and still a little confused about what a haircut is.  Later that night I got the scissors out to try to straighten up the back of your hair a bit.  Well the next day I came out of my room because I heard you playing with the scissors.  There on the floor were 3 or 4 little chunks of hair.  Luckily you must have done a pretty good job with the placement of your cuts because I still can't find where all that hair came from!  Stupidly I just took the scissors away and put them back in the drawer.  Later I walked into the toy room to see that you and Logan had cut the hair of almost every doll and horse you own.  Now the scissors are on top of the fridge...

Oddly enough one of the other pictures I have from this month is you making more mischief.  After we send you and Logan to bed your dad and I can usually hear the two of you playing in your room for a while before you fall asleep.  A few weeks ago you ended up with a gray marker in your room to color with, and when I went in to check on you this is what I found...

It's a bad picture, I know, I know, but there is gray marker all over your hands and on your face and a big spot right next to your mouth.  This was a Saturday night, and I had just gotten you out of the bath before bed so we would have an easier time getting you ready for church early the next morning.  So much for that...  Your dad and I tried to sound mad when we found you because you had not only colored on yourself but on the book of princess stories he bought for you and also all over your sheets, but eventually I had to leave the room because I was cracking up.  You were making the saddest face, and with the marker all over it it was just too much for me to take.  Your dad held it together long enough to give you a little lecture, but we laughed pretty good after you were back in you room in bed.

One of my favorite things about you right now is the way you speak.  I know I need to start correcting you when you say things wrong so you will learn, but I love to hear you say yous instead of yours or theys instead of they.  The other night it was your turn to say the prayer and I was trying to help you.  Normally your standard prayer is "Heavenly Father, bless the food, Jesus Christ, Amen.  It doesn't matter if it is the dinner prayer, family home evening prayer, or nighttime prayer - that is the prayer you say.  So this night I was helping you say some different things and I whispered in your ear to say than you for the gospel.  Well you tried your best, but it came out, "thank you for the gospital."  So much for trying to teach Logan to be reverent during prayers because it was all your dad and I could do to make it through the rest of that one without laughing out loud.

You are such a fun-loving, happy girl, and I love to watch you play.  You could play all day with your horses and your "pet shops."  You still love to jump off things, but since that time you hurt your foot you haven't been as crazy.  You and Logan also like to spin around until you are dizzy and fall over and/or give mom a heart attack because you get too close to a wall or the TV stand.  You are so much fun.

I hope you still have a goofy, funny side by the time you are old enough to read these letters. You are such a pretty girl, but honestly I think your personality is your #1 feature by far.

Love you sissy,

Mom