Logan - March 2013

Hmm, yet another month when there aren't a ton of pictures.  I swear we're busy.  I guess I just don't snap pictures as often as I should.

I did get this little gem on our way home from grandma's one day.  Usually you are able to keep yourself entertained and awake on our way home, but you must have gotten tuckered out with the other 2 this trip.  I think this might have been the day of our last ice fishing trip.  Dad kind of called you out on being a grandma's boy because you decided you'd rather stay with  her and the other 2 than go out on the ice with me and dad and grandpa.  I think maybe you figured you'd had your luck with fishing for the season.

We lost a member of our family this month, Ol' Red.  Your dad and I went looking for a small truck for him to drive up on the mountain since he got the engine captain job at Big Springs.  Instead we found a really good deal on a newer F-150, so we came home that night and cleaned up the red truck to get ready to trade it in the next day.  We took pictures with the red truck, and your dad and I are still sad that it's gone.  I remember when your dad was trying to flirt with me up on a fire when we first met he proudly showed me a picture on his phone of his new truck and all I said was, "It's red.  And it's a Ford."  I wasn't very impressed since I've been more of a Chevy girl.  Now I have to admit that when we drove away in a truck that was 10 years newer I cried.  Now when I see Grandpa Rob's red truck or any other red Ford in town I get sad.  We just might have to try to find a 2001 red Ford for you when you turn 16.

We went to Grandma & Grandpa Hillier's this month to celebrate Uncle Joe's birthday and have our Easter celebration with the Hillier side.   I didn't get a very good close-up picture of you hunting eggs because you were running around too fast for me to catch you!  As always grandma cooked a yummy ham dinner with funeral potatoes, and we all had a good time.

We have been happy to have dad's cousin Dakota come down to play baseball in Kanab the last few years. It is a good excuse for us to get out to a game, and you and Ty had a fun time finding kids to play with.  I had to keep getting after you though because you kept forgetting you were watching Ty and he'd wander in the road.  Either that or you were always right on top of him to the point where he was getting annoyed.  You have decided you really like Dakota ever since he helped you catch all those fish a couple months ago.  In fact, this morning as we were taking dad to work we mentioned that Dakota was going to work on the Kaibab and you got excited and told us that he was your #1 fishing buddy.  Then you realized that dad was a little put out by that so you told dad that Dakota was your #1 fishing buddy and dad was your second #1 fishing buddy.

Last weekend dad got to work on the bunkbeds he is building for you and Ty.  Well, eventually they will be for you and Tyson, but for now we might have to let Tess sleep on the bottom bunk.  Every night after prayers you 2 go to play in your room.  Some nights she will play in there even after you have fallen asleep.  You are a pretty easygoing big brother sometimes, and we appreciate it!  You have even gotten to where you like to read Tess some stories at night.

Dad built a sandbox in the backyard again this year.  We haven't had one for a couple years, and while I like that there is something for you guys to do outside - I really hate the sand!  You guys have already spent a few hours out there though.  Now if I could just get you to quit dumping sand on Tyson.

Since this letter is for YOU, I'm going to take a minute to brag.  Buddy, you can READ!  I'm so impressed with you, and I was so happy when we got a report from school saying that you tested in reading comparable to a second grader after the fifth month of school.  2.5 bud!  That's awesome!  I've actually gotten pretty lazy about reading with and to you because I feel like you are doing well without me, but I have good memories of grandpa reading to me, so even when I am tired and have work to do at bedtime I try to get in there and read to you guys.  Some of the words you read without the blink of an eye are pretty amazing.  Pennsylvania!  The other day you read Pennsylvania like it was no big thing.  I love it.  Don't let it get to your head too much though.  I know that you have been told you are smart, but you don't know everything just yet.  Keep learning!

I love you so much bud, and we are so glad you are in our family.

Love ya,
Mom

Tessa - March 2013

Tessa, Tessa, Tessa Sue.  I can't believe that another month has already gone by.  Actually well over a month by the time I've gotten a chance to write this.  Time is going way too fast - that's why I decided one day when we were watching a show that I should take a picture.  It's really hard to take a picture of 2 people with a phone while laying on the floor, and I dropped it more than once, and this is the best I ended up with.  Of course you were too involved in the show to look at the camera, but at least you smiled!

You have a chronic problem of losing your shoes.  I have tried over and over to remind you to take them off and put them in the same place so you will know where they are, but that concept hasn't seemed to click for you just yet.  The problem is that you always seem to have just one of every pair of shoes.  We usually discover this as we are trying to walk out the door to take Logan to school.  I lost my nomination for mom of the year this month when I told you just to run out to the car quick without any since you wouldn't be getting out.  Well you happened to have on shorty shorts that you had worn to bed the night before, so you looked like a shoeless, pantless little homeless child, and there was snow on the ground!  At least you had a coat on though.

I've been practicing my braiding skills on your hair the last few weeks, and it is fun to take your hair out and see the crimps.  One night I told you to get your pajamas on and out walked my little 80s girl with short black shorts, a neon pink shirt and crimpy hair!  You are such a nerd.

We learned about Perler beads from our friend Meridee and her girls, and you and Logan have been obsessed with them ever since you got a bunch for Christmas.  I have little Perler bead animals and objects all over the house.  You are getting pretty good at designing them, but most of the time when I sit down to do one with you I always end up sitting at the table by myself.  Either that or you end up making me find and pick out all your colors for you.  It is fun to see your creativity, but I think we might have to "lose" a few of them before our house is completely overrun.

You were my buddy this last month when we took a few trips to Fredonia to take treats to dad.  He was waiting to hear if he was going to get an engine captain job, and I thought if we brought him treats during lunch it might help him get his mind off waiting.  We took him chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's one day, and lunch and a drink one day.  Now every time we head to Fredonia to pick up dad or drop something off to him you always ask if I have a treat for him and can you take it in the office to him?  It's pretty cute, and I know dad appreciates it.  One of the days we took a trip to dad's office he showed us the new Smokey Bear statue he had ordered and put out in front.  You and Ty were pretty impressed.

You have been learning so much the last few months it seems.  You can count to 100 with just a little bit of help, which is pretty impressive considering back in about December you were still leaving out a couple numbers when you counted to 20.  Your speech is getting better and better too.  I love to hear all the funny things you have picked up from shows or books we have read.  Just today in the car you told Logan that he was your favorite brother and he just makes you shed a tear.  Logan and I both had a pretty good laugh at that.

You still absolutely hate to help clean up and will do anything to get out of it.  You are so excited when you clean up your room or the toy room "without a single fit."  Last night I told you and Logan that you had to clean your rooms before you could go to grandma's house today.  You told me that you didn't want to go to grandma's because you didn't want to clean your room.  The funny thing is your room is so small that it literally takes 5 minutes to clean it.  I told you I would help you clean it, and somehow I ended up doing most of it.  You were pretty excited that you could go to grandmas.

You're always making us laugh, and we love you so much.  Now if only we could convince you to clean up your room without throwing a single fit every time.

Love you sis,
Mom

Tyson - February 2013 - 14 months

Well it may not have been by your dad's birthday  but you finally decided you'd give walking a try by my birthday.  At first we could only get you to take a few steps by coaxing you with your blanket.  Your dad or I would stand you up and the other one would be across the room with your blanket.  You'd stagger over to us and basically dive at your blanket as you got to it, and then we'd stand you up, toss the blanket across the room to the person you'd just left and do it over again.  After a couple nights doing that you got adventurous and started walking across the room by yourself without any coaxing.  Now I'd say you walk about 20% of the time. (Just since I started writing this 3 days ago I'd say that's gone up to 50% or more!  You're getting good!)  What's funny is that Logan and Tess are still freaked out by the fact that you are walking, Tess especially, but both of them will yell "HE"S WALKING!!!!" as loud as they can any time they see you walking.  Hopefully they eventually get over this or your teenage years could be even more awkward.  It is cute to see your little Frankenstein stiff-legged walk.  And the look on your face those first few times is always the best.  You are so excited and so proud and love the attention and fuss everyone makes.

You're also finally getting some more teeth!  All 4 of your front top teeth look like they are coming in at the same time.  They haven't broken through at the time I'm writing your letter, but they are getting close.  It's made for a bit of a rough month again, but hopefully they will come through soon and hopefully give us a bit of a break for a while.  I am sad to lose your 2-tooth smile though.  Walking and a mouth full of teeth?  If it hasn't hit me by now that my baby isn't so much a baby any more, it definitely will soon.

You've generally been a better kid this month.  You've still been cranky, some nights you get up more than most newborns, and you still destroy the kitchen as often as you can,

but it seems like I haven't spent every day with someone clinging to my leg and screaming, so that's an improvement.  Here's a bunch of pictures to recap the rest of the month...

Giving dad hugs before work.  You LOVE your dad.  Way more than you love me.  It's okay though, really it is.

Tess tried to feed you one of the warm chocolate chip cookies we got at McDonald's on our way to take them to dad in Fredonia. You were covered by the time we got there.

This laundry basket is the best toy in this house, and it is fun for all ages apparently.

Dad shaved his head in support of a friend and coworker who is going through chemo.  I love it, but I'm not the only one.  You love to pet his head when you get a chance.

Trying to figure out a way to get outside where the big kids are playing in their new sandbox.

Just standing there like you've been doing it your whole life.

Meeting the new Smokey Bear statue that dad had ordered and put out in front of the office.

I forgot how much you hate the automatic car wash until I started pulling in.  I can see how it would be terrifying for a baby.  Sometimes it still freaks me out.

Always on the inside looking out.

And still with the oven shenanigans...

...and trash digging...

And the diaper head picture I have to do for each kid at least a few times.

You're starting to show me that you do know a few words here and there.  You don't say mama or dada really, but you have started to say something that sounds like "all gone" when you scarf down your latest meal.  I think part of the problem is you don't get a chance to say much with your brother and sister around.  It's never really quiet around here.

I'll keep working with you on saying mama though since it really is so cute the first 100 times or so you say it.

Love you bud,
Momma