Tyson - September 2012 - 9 Months

Tiger, Tiger...we've kind of been through the ringer with you this month.  I've been convinced you are teething for the last 2 or 3 months now, and yep, still nothing.  Why do I think you're teething, well because you continue to be a pretty miserable guy the majority of the time.  But then you make this face...

...and everybody is in love with you again.  Yes, more sniffyy face.  We love the sniffy face.

You give smiles every once in a while too.  This was on one of our walks to the Ranchos park.  We actually had dad home for a day or 2 and he went with us and let you have his hat for a few minutes.  You'll be such a cute firefighter someday.

I knew you were getting too big for your infant carrier, so I finally broke out the bigger carseat this month.  You like that there isn't a canopy on this one and quite often when I look back at the big kids I can see you doing your best to look up at me.

You still don't like to "crawl," but you're getting there.  You can army crawl with the best of them though.  That's half of the problem, you get up on your knees and go a few "steps" before deciding you can drop down on your belly and go faster.  Your dad just laughs when you make your way down the hall, and it really is funny to see you wiggle away at mach speed.

One Sunday when dad was gone we happened to have a lemon sitting around the kitchen and decided to have a little fun....

I think that one might be better than the sniffy face.

On another one of our trips to the park (dad's been gone a lot lately...), you must have been in a goofy mood because I laid you down in the grass and you just started laughing.  It was pretty dang cute.

We went to Hurricane at the end of the month and spent 3 nights there.  On Saturday we talked Aunt Lisa into going into St. George with us, and she rode in the car with me and you while the big kids went in Grandma's car.  We had fun shopping until we got to the fabric store and you got the look on your face that means we're in trouble.  I was lucky that I had diapers and wipes in the car and ran out to get them while Aunt Lisa braved the smell for a few more minutes.  I headed back to the restroom at the back of the store and got you strapped onto the changing table.  As I got the wipes out and started cleaning you up I realized I was in big, BIG trouble.  I have NEVER seen a blowout quite like that before, especially from you.  In the end I ended up plunking your bare bum on the edge of the sink and doing my best to wash you off before throwing on a new diaper and your shorts.  The shirt you were wearing, a cute brown and blue onesie that I was SO excited to put in your baby clothes quilt, ended up in the trash.  There is a point of no return for clothes that have been pooped in, and that poor shirt was well past that point.  So Aunt Lisa and I hauled you around in shorts without a shirt on like white trash while we finished our shopping, and look, she still dared hold you after we got home! (With a new shirt by that time...)

Dad finally made it home after 18 days in California, and you weren't quite sure what to think about him and his beard.  This was after he'd been home for a little while and actually decided you'd let him hold you.

Two nights after he got home he left again for the muzzleloader hunt, and the next day after school you, Logan, and I headed up too.  You'd been having a bit of a fever and were pretty grumpy, but I figured you could be grumpy at home or grumpy camping and either way I'd be holding you most of the day, so away we went.  (That right there is the difference between your first kid and your third kid.)  You actually did pretty well, although the second night you did wake up about once or twice an hour, which led to everyone else in the trailer being pretty grumpy on Sunday.  Once again, though, the sniffy face helps us all put up with your crap.

It turns out that you probably had roseola, a virus that gives you a fever, makes you irritable and lose your appetite, and then breaks you out in a rash.  We had a well-check appointment for you today (10/1) and Dr. Ott is pretty sure you had/have all the symptoms.  You weighed in at 20 pounds and 28-1/2 inches long, which is about 50th percentile for both.

Ok, so you are grumpy and you wake up a lot at night and you are clingy (and heavy!), but boy do we love our Tiger boy.  Your smiles and sniffy face and giggles are worth all the grump we get.  I'm excited to see if you decide you want to crawl or if you end up going straight from your super fast army crawl to walking (and that can wait quite a few months).  I'm also curious when you'll finally get that first dreaded tooth.  For now though, we will enjoy our favorite 9-month-old, because this is the last time we'll have one in our house blowing raspberries, blowing out diapers, and pulling hair.

Love you Tiger,
Mom

Logan - September 2012

Well we finally finished out our summer bud.  The last couple weeks before school started your dad was in Idaho on a big fire, so we spent as much time out of the house as we could so we wouldn't drive each other crazy.  On your last Friday of "freedom" we hit the park and I made you stand by the swings and pose for a picture for me.  You are such a handsome kid.

I also must have recruited you to help me feed Tyson during one of our busy days, either that or you volunteered.  I can't imagine a big brother loving his little brother more than you do that Tyson boy.

We also decided that going for walks after dinner up to the Ranchos park is a good way to kill some time before bedtime.  Pretty much it is either that or I would be sending you guys to bed at 6 p.m.  For the most part you enjoy it, but it is up a bit of "hill" to get to the park, and this particular day it must have been pretty warm because when you finally pulled up next to where I had stopped you looked at me and said, "Mom, I wish there were no uphills."  You are a boy after my own heart.

Then finally, finally it was time for back to school.  I got the same shot as I did last year with you standing next to the front door with your sign.  You are in Mrs. DeMille's afternoon class and your first day of school was August 27, 2012.

Dad was able to make it home the Saturday before school started, so we were all there to take you to school.

You found your spot where you hang your backpack and then found your name on the desk and sat down and got to work writing your name.  I really truly didn't think I would cry.  You are gone basically the same amount of time during the day that you were for preschool so it would be no big deal, right?  Well after you sat down and gave me this look like you were wondering why we were still hanging around and I realized it was time to leave I got choked up and started to get teary.  I gave you one last hug and booked it for the door.  I think I made it to the truck before I started to cry, but boy did I cry!  I was sad you were growing up, proud of you for not being scared, worried that the other kids would take your innocent sweetness.  Ugh.  So many things.  The whole time you were gone I thought about you and wondered what you were doing.  It is such a weird feeling to go from being with you and knowing how you act and what you do pretty much 24/7 to not being able to see you in this new environment to see how you act, etc.

It's been a few weeks and you still like for me to hold your hand and walk you as far as you can persuade me to when I drop you off in the morning.  Sometimes I try to convince you to just run in without me taking you, but the other day I realized that I don't need to push this.  I read something today written by a stepfather watching his stepson grow up where he said, "He is everything I rushed him to be."  I know that you will get there before I am ready.  You will be an independent boy who doesn't need his mom soon enough, so I will keep holding your hand and blowing you kisses and shouting I love you from the fence as long as you will let me.

Whew.  Okay.  So, we survived dropping you off and worrying about you while you were gone, and then we decided to have a back-to-school/dad's home party, and we headed to St. George to go bowling.  It was so funny to hear you and Tessa talking about it.  You told her, "Tess we get to go real bowling with a real ball instead of just on the Wii!"  I'm pretty sure the favorite part for both you and Tess was the ball return.  You would wait for it to come and then hurry and grab it fast.  I was just waiting for somebody to lose a finger.  Afterwards we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner before stopping at Grandma & Grandpa H.'s house for a quick visit before heading home.

The next week we knew there was a good possibility that your dad would get an order to leave again, so I packed you guys up along with some hot dogs and chips and headed up to meet dad at Jacob Lake for dinner.  We met him just as he was getting off work and drove to a neat place on the Kaibab and dad did his best to start a fire.  Of course you were right in there to help.

 After we ate we noticed a tire swing hanging up nearby, and you and Tess ran over and had dad push you for a few minutes before it was time to head home.  I love this picture with the ash smudge on your cheek.  You are 100% boy, and nothing brings that out more than a campfire in the mountains.

I can see the effect that having you in school is having on you already.  You are once again impressing me with what you are learning.  They are using a "new" way of teaching math, and you are already doing story problems!  The downside is hearing about some of the things that the kids say that have had an effect on you during the day.  Like last week you told me you needed a new backpack because yours was kind of sparkly like a girl's.  (It's not.  It has a big yellow transformer on it for hell's sake).  Your comment hit me right in the heart and I asked you who had told you that.  "Oh, just one of the kids at school."  Mama Bear came out and I said something about how your backpack was just fine and you needed to tell that kid that your backpack was cooler than his or something else that was probably inappropriate.  I know that a silly comment about a backpack is nothing compared to what you will hear from other kids that will make you doubt yourself or your family or the choices you make, but now I can see just how hard it is going to be for me to watch you doubt yourself.  Don't.  Don't do it.  You are the sweetest, kindest, most genuine person on this earth, and there is no reason to ever doubt that you are amazing just the way you are.  I've noticed lately that even when your sister is being punished for something she did you to you, you usually turn around and ask me to go easy on her.  What an example you are to me and everyone around you.  Let YOU be the one who lifts other people instead of being dragged down.  It's harder to do, but I know you can.

We will figure this school thing out together.  I have to learn to let you pick your own battles and be your own person, and that is going to be hard for me, but I trust you.

And I love you, LOVE you, so much,

Mama Bear

Tessa - September 2012

Oh my silly sweet Tessa girl, as I was adjusting the pictures on this letter just now I realized that they all have something in common - a smile (except for the one where you are sleeping).  We love those silly smiles.

On our camping trip at the beginning of the month we got to get away from camp for a bit and go for a 4-wheeler ride.  After a while you got tired, so we ended up putting you in the box of grandpa's 4-wheeler.  You didn't fit as good as you did on our trip to Powell Point last year, but you thought you were pretty funny.

Another Tessa being silly shot.  You and Logan find the strangest things to entertain yourselves in the car and truck.

I was taking a picture of Tyson one morning, and as soon as you know the camera is on you and Logan always say, "Take a picture of me, mom!"  Here's your picture, with another silly little grin.

We went to the creek a lot more this year because of the pool being closed, and one day when we were there about 6 dogs came bounding out of the bushes towards where we were playing, followed by their owners.  Two of the dogs were HUGE!  I had you stand next to the biggest one so I could send it to dad and show him just how big it was.  It wasn't until later when I had posted it on Facebook that someone mentioned how brave you must have been to stand next to a dog who was taller than you were!  You were a little nervous at first, but you warmed right up to the big sweetheart pretty quick.

My favorite thing to do at the end of the day is to kiss you guys goodnight and turn off your lights.  One night as I did that you looked so sweet and peaceful and reminded me of when you were Baby Tessa.  Lately you have been my little tornado of elbows, knees, and feet going a hundred miles a minute, so I sure did love that reminder of my sweet little baby girl.

Oh your poor baby brother.  If Logan isn't trying to cheer him up by making some of the most obnoxious noises I've ever heard, he's got you sticking your fingers in his mouth or pulling on his arms and legs and pushing you over.  He's going to have to learn to be pretty patient - either that or get big enough to whomp on both you and Logan.

I was working on a new skirt for you after seeing a tutorial for a cute one, and the whole time I was working on it you were right by my side.  "Is it done?  Can I wear it now?  Can I help?  Do you need this pin?  What does that do?  Are you ironing it now?  Will it fit me?"  We had a lot of fun, and in the end it did fit you.  I've got another layer to add to the bottom, but you were so eager to get it on that I figured I could add that when it gets a little cooler...

Now to my 2 favorite pictures of the month that show the biggest and best Tessa smiles.  This day we were running off some energy after dinner one night.  Dad had been in Idaho for about 10 days by this point, and the evenings were starting to get LONG.... You normally don't like the splash pad, but we got you in there and you and Logan got soaking wet.  Somehow we ended up in a tickle fight on the grass, adn I had to try to get a picture of you laughing.  I hope I always remember that laugh!  It is such a girly high pitched squeal, and it is awesome.

And this one.  In the tub getting your hair washed and being a dork.  We were just talking the other day about how you have a million nicknames and one of them is Cindy Lou, and you definitely look a little like Cindy Lou Who in this one.  We call you Tess, Tessa Lin, Tessie, Bessie, Susie, Sus, Susie Q, Lindy Lou, Lindy, Linny, etc., I'm sure I'm missing some.  Whatever we decide to call you, we sure do love you.

 As I type this right now, at 9 p.m., you are in your room just jabbering, surely using that imagination of yours to play with your shoes or crayons, or whatever you can find.  I love your imagination.  You didn't get into preschool, but you are going to take a Kindermusik class, and when I told you about it the look on your face was 100% excitement.  I'm excited for you to learn more about music and use your imagination at the same time, and maybe, just maybe, you will be a little more musically inclined than your dad and me.  That is a BIG maybe though.

We love you sis,
Mom

Tyson - August 2012 - 8 Months

Oh Tiger, how we love you in our family.  You are such a twerp about 80% of the time, but that other 20% makes up for it all the way!  I'm not sure how that works, but I was never very good at math...

We decided to try another camping trip with you after Uncle Dusty and Aunt Sylvia invited us to go with their family.  We left Thursday, and your dad had work off clear until Sunday, but we were taking bets on how long we (as in YOU) would make it.  I'm happy to say that you did awesome!  Much, MUCH better than our last camping trip.  It still wasn't very easy by any means, but you definitely felt better and slept better than the last time we had tried camping with you.  Good call bud.  I'm pretty sure if you were a camping dud the second time around your dad might have tried to talk me into finding a good home for you ;)

One of the days we were there all adults and the big kids went for a long 4-wheeler ride while you and I stayed back at camp.  We had such a nice time!  You took a nap and then I tried to take a nap (stupid dogs kept barking!), then we got up and ate lunch....

... and then the clouds started to move in.  I thought, Oh a nice little sprinkle will feel good!  It's been too hot out here in the afternoons...  Well that nice little sprinkle turned into a downpour REALLY fast!  I tried my best to get all the camp chairs under the awnings while holding you with one arm, and then we sat down under the awning of Uncle Dusty's trailer to watch the lightning and listen to the rain and thunder.  That didn't last long, because this was the look on your face...

You really weren't as scared as that picture makes it look, but pretty soon the rain was coming in sideways under the awnings (and soaking all the chairs anyway), and the lightning was starting to hit a little too close for comfort, so we went into the trailer to listen instead.  Even with the rain we had a nice time hanging out at camp together.

You still don't have any teeth yet, so my options are still limited as far as what to feed you, but boy do you love your solid food.  This is what happened one morning when I wasn't shoveling your pears in your mouth fast enough...

It's not very smart to smack the spoon from the lady who is trying to feed you.  I borrowed a food grinder from Meridee, and your favorite thing to eat for dinner is spaghetti.  We ate it for a few meals last week (Dad left for Idaho, so we had a bunch left over), and you liked it so much that I made it again tonight.  You also love your fruit for breakfast and your cardboard (oatmeal) cereal at dinner.  You would eat an entire container of puffs in one sitting if I would let you, and Cheerios (baby crack) are right up there at the top of your list too.

Logan and Tessa still LOVE to love on you.  I caught this picture the other day.  It doesn't do the look on your face justice because I could read in your eyes that you wanted me to help you.  Yep, you are wearing Tessa's pink tutu.  Instead of helping, I pulled out my phone to take a picture.

For the most part you've been a decent baby when we try to go do fun things this summer, as long as you aren't tired, or hungry, or just cranky for no reason....  I really have to time things just right!  Here are a few pictures of you being cute and not cranky while we were out having fun...

At the Ranchos park.  The big kids played, you tried to figure out how to keep the flies off your arm.

At home after swimming at the Fredonia pool.  I threw on Logan's T-shirt to cover you up for the ride home.  Then you slept like a rock for your nap and woke up just as adorable and wide-eyed as can be.

At the splash pad in Hurricane.  We stayed and Grandma and Grandpa Hillier's house for a couple nights, and you thought the splash pad was okay.

On a walk in the stroller after a summer storm.  You are kind of glaring at me in the picture, but you really did enjoy our walk.  They have become my secret weapon to stop you from being cranky for 2 hours before your bedtime.

You haven't stopped growing, and the last time I weighed you, you were over 19 pounds.  It's about time to break out the bigger carseat!  I had you in the infant carrier today as we were taking some papers in to the elementary school.  I walked about 5 steps with you that way before I turned around and put the carseat back in the truck and just hauled you in on my hip.  It's WAY to heavy to try to carry you in that thing these days, and you are sure trying your best to break my back.  You haven't really gotten too far in learning to crawl, but I can't say that I'm surprised.  Tonight you were on your belly and I put a couple puffs a few inches away from where you could reach to see if you would squirm your way up to them, and as soon as they hit the floor Logan and Tessa each reached for them to put them closer to you!  You have no need to learn to crawl - you've got 2 slaves that will DO anything for you so you don't have to move.  It's so cute to see you stretch and reach and wiggle your legs to try to move around when I do tell them to make you get things yourself.  You're just adorable.

We love you Tiger,
Mom

Logan - August 2012

As I write this we are soaking up the last few days of summer before the big Kindergarten starts next week.  I have definitely noticed little changes in you as I think you are starting to feel that this is getting real, quick!  You were more nervous last week, but then we were able to stop in and meet with your teacher, Mrs. DeMille, and then went back again yesterday so you could do a few little assessments and pick your spot on the rug and find your cubby, etc.  As we were leaving yesterday you told me that you were SO excited for Kindergarten to start.  I think you really mean it, and I know that you will love it.  When I asked Mrs. DeMille how you had done on your assessments she was impressed with how well you read.  She said she has had parents ask to move their kids up to first grade that didn't read as well as you.  Good job buddy!

Like I wrote on Ty and Tessa's letters from this month, we got our family pictures taken by Aunt Lisa this summer, and this is my favorite shot of you.  You've got 2 matchbox cars in your hands that are out of sight and the silly little grin we get whenever someone asks you to smile.

For the 24th of July parade the primary kids from the entire valley rode their bikes.  I decided since Tessa wanted to ride to that I would represent the primary presidency from our ward and push Ty in the stroller while you guys walked.  Well....about a block down the road you took OFF!  You have figured out that you have to ride a certain speed to keep from tipping over on your bike, and I guess we were just moving too slow for you.  The parade route doubled back at one point on Hwy. 89 at the end of town, but I couldn't even see you coming back the other day.  I spent the entire parade with that sinking feeling in my stomach and trying to get Tessa to go as fast as she could on her bike so we could get done with the stinking parade (plus it was HOT).  As we got back to where the parade had started and where the truck was parked you all of a sudden came out of nowhere and fell in with us.  I was NOT a happy momma!  I was hysterical as I said, "What if you hadn't been able to find us?!?  What would you have done if you hadn't found us?!?"  to which you calmly responded, "But mom, I DID find you."  Yeah.  I didn't strangle you, but I wanted to!

The first weekend in August Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Dusty invited us to go on a camping trip with their family.  Dad just happened to be able to get some time off, so we spent 4 days up on Mt. Dutton, and it was fabulous!  Everyone had a great time, and you and Quade just about wore out the tires on his 4-wheeler.  You got to shoot your BB gun, go on a scavenger hunt with me and Tess, go on a long 4-wheeler ride, ride your bike down to the creek and back, and spend hours with your cousins in your "hut."

You and Tessa being goofy and trying on her helmet...

You still ADORE your little brother, look, can you tell?

Between you and Tessa that boy will never go hungry or be starved for attention.  Now that he is eating more solid food it seems like you are always putting a Cheerio in his mouth.  Whenever he starts to fuss or cry you and Tess start to make SO MUCH NOISE.  I think you are trying to distract him and make him stop, but holy cow it is enough to make me crazy!  Now not only do I have a fussy baby but I have 2 older kids making noise/baby talking/yelling/singing, etc.!  I do appreciate the gesture though.  Just tonight I had to laugh because the 4 of us were out on a walk with Ty in the stroller and you and Tess on your bikes (dad is in Idaho until this weekend), and you were literally falling off of your bike for an entire block because you were insistent on riding right next to Tyson, and I wasn't walking fast enough for you.  I had you on one side talking to Tyson and falling off you bike and Tessa on the other side talking to Tyson and falling off HER bike.  You two sure do love that brother of yours.

Well I can't wait to see what fun things I have to write about next month as you get settled into the routine of school again.  I know you will do great and make lots of friends because you are the sweetest, smartest boy I know!

Love you bud,
Mom

Tessa - August 2012

Oh Tessa Sue, another month has gone by already.  We've been busy with reunions and holidays, and I'm pretty excited for school to start so things can settle down!

I snapped this picture quick on our way home from the Hatch reunion this month.  You see your dirty foot propped up on Tyson's carseat.  You are such a little twerp.

And a self-potrait you took with the phone on my camera the morning of the Veater reunion in your camo hat.  Your dad bought it, and it is pretty cute.  It says, "If I'm wearing camo, my daddy dressed me."

Every night when we go in to turn off your light your dad and I get a laugh at the way you end up falling asleep.  This is how I found you one night, and yes, you are actually asleep standing up.

Just a silly, silly girl.  I wouldn't have you any other way though.

This isn't a great picture, but that's you in the black sweater with Aunt Sylvia waiting to start your race with the other 3-year-old at the Hatch reunion.  You totally smoked her, which kind of blew me away!  You had so much fun riding your new bike with Quade and Bosten and Logan.  You are such a daredevil too, riding down off the banks and flying down the campground hills with your feet out.

You with some of your goodies from teh fish pond.

You and Logan took turns trying on daddy's hard hat one night as we took him to work to say goodbye to leave on a detail - it was a little bit too big on you though!

We got our family pictures taken a few weeks ago, and we definitely got some cheesy ones from our cheesy girl, but this one is by far my favorite.

You and Logan rode your bikes in the parade for the 24th of July.  You did awesome!  You cruise on your bike like a pro, and I think you will do awesome when it is time for you to learn how to ride a bike that has pedals!

We haven't found out for sure if you are going to school this year or not, and I can't decide if I want you to go or not.  On one hand, I think you would LOVE school and would learn so much, but on the other hand I think another year with you home with me all day would be good for me!  I guess we will know by the next letter I write, so we will have to try to pack in as much fun as we can in the next few weeks either way.

We love you so much Tessa Sue!
Mom