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

Logan - February 2013

I only have just a couple pictures for this month's letter.  It always makes me feel bad when I get looking for pictures and there aren't very many, but some months we just don't do a lot of stuff that is worth taking many pictures.  It's been a lot of the same, getting back to our more normal routine around here after the busy holidays and the entire month of January when everyone was sick.

For dad's birthday this year he was going to be in Flagstaff at some training, so I had you guys help me draw pictures and fill a box that we sent to his hotel.  Luckily it got there a day early because dad ended up getting sick and coming home early from his training on his birthday   I know that it helped him feel a little better to get that package at the hotel that day when he was feeling so crummy and missing his kids.

After everyone got feeling better we did some more ice fishing, and you had a really great day when just you and dad went up and sat in the ice shack and just enjoyed each other's company all day.  He's also been getting you ready for T-ball by practicing with you in the basement.  You really love when you get to do things just you and your dad.  You are still doing really well in school and love to read and learn.  You gave a talk in church the other day, and I asked if you wanted to prepare something or read something out of the Friend.  You chose to read a story out of the Friend, and you did such a great job.  You never stumbled on any words, just lost your place once or twice, and your dad and I had multiple people tell us how impressed they were with how well you read.  It makes us pretty proud.

The day before Valentine's day your friend from school and church, Kaidee, brought over a Valentine for you.  It was in an iPad box, and at first you were so excited that she had gotten you an iPad.  You opened it up to find a small heart she had colored for you, and when I saw it I about died.

She knows that you like Cars and Cars 2, so she drew Lightning McQueen on your Valentine for you.  You got to work on making one to give to her and packaged it in the same iPad box and gave it to her the next day.

I should have been a more creative mom when it came to your Valentine's box, but I wanted you to be involved in it and have it be pretty simple, so this is what we ended up with.

You did have a good time making it, and I thought it turned out pretty cute.

Ever since you ended up getting a few cavities filled and a couple caps this past summer we have been good about flossing, brushing, and swishing (fluoride).  We do this every night, and somehow I missed the fact that you were getting 2 more molars on the bottom.  One day you pointed it out to me, and ever since then we have laughed about how you and Tyson are teething.

I'm getting excited for this spring and summer when we get to watch you play T-ball, go to the creek, the park, and (hopefully!) the pool.  We love you bud!

Mom

Tessa - January 2013

Oh Suzy Q, what a month.  Your letter may be on time, which is more than I can say for both of your brothers' letters this month, but I can't say that it's going to be long or very entertaining or profound.  Between Tyson being a total pain in the butt and most of the family being sick for the last part of the month, there just really wasn't too much going on.

You started up Kindermusik again, and it's been so fun.  You got a new fun game, and we have spent some fun afternoons making up stories that go along with it and playing the card game and a fun matching game you got for Christmas.  I love to hear your stories.  I especially love the silly names you make up for the people in them.  One of my favorite parts about playing the match game with you is how honestly excited you get when you make a match, and you're good at getting them too!  I've been working a lot lately and haven't had as much time to sit down and just play with you, but I really love it when we do get the chance.

You and Logan have been trying your best to help teach Tyson how to walk.  Most of the time I don't think he really appreciates your efforts much, but one day he happened to notice you had a piece of bread in your hand and that's all it took to get him up on his feet and hanging on to you trying to get to it.

We did a lot of ice fishing the first part of this month, and most of the time when we went you stayed with Grandma Lori and Ty while Logan went fishing with us.  We kept asking you if you wanted to go, and sometimes you would say yes until it came right down to it and you had to get up early in order to go, and then you'd change your mind.  Probably the coldest day we went though, dad went in to wake up Logan and he told dad he didn't want to go but you just about jumped out of bed saying that today was the day you were going!  Dad couldn't believe it, but you got up and got ready to go.  It was -20 that morning when we got out on the ice, and I'm pretty sure by the time we had walked out to our spot you and Logan both decided that we were crazy, but we got dad's new ice shack up and me and you spent our day fishing in there with heaters.  In fact, most of the day you sat on a chair with your boots off and feet propped up in front of a heater looking like you were enjoying a nice day at the beach!  You didn't touch your pole very often, and the fishing was slow that day, but I think you had fun.  We asked you if you were going to go with us again, and you said that you would but not until it warmed up.

One night your dad and Logan started up a basketball game in the kitchen.  You weren't about to let them have all the fun, so you got in on it too.  You got off some pretty good shots and made a few dunks.  It was a pretty fun way to end the day.

I love spending our afternoons together when Logan is at school and you have no one to play with but me.  Most of the time I hear, "Mom.......can I waaaatch something?" or "Can I help you?" or "Can I waaaaatch something?" over and over during that time.  You love to help me in the kitchen, and you LOVE to watch TV.  I try not to let you watch too much, but we do love to snuggle up on the couch and watch My Little Pony or Pound Puppies or any of the movies we have on the DVR.  How can I resist this face?

I'm excited for you to go to preschool next year, but I know I'll miss the time when you have no one to play with but me.

Hopefully we'll do more fun things next month and take more pictures.

Love you so much,
Mom

Tyson - January 2013 - 13 Months

Did I say I love this stage?  Well maybe not THIS stage with YOU.  You have given us a run for our money this month.  Cranky as can be, clingy, not sleeping well, always wanting to eat....  Yeah, it hasn't been the fun and games I remember with the other two.  Either that or I've blocked out the bad memories from them too.

One thing that makes you happy is the garage.  It's weird.  You LOVE the garage.  If someone opens the garage door you drop whatever you are doing wherever you are in the house and crawl as fast as you can to the door.  If we shut it before you get there, you sit next to it and scream.  I don't know what it is, but one day for the sake of getting 2 seconds to do whatever I was doing without having you attached to my leg or hip I let you go out there on your own for a few minutes.  This is what I found...

Maybe you're an adrenaline junky in a baby's body, or maybe you just like the fact that the garage is somewhat "forbidden," and we have a future boundary pusher and rule breaker in our midst.  I can't see a great outcome for me either way.

You made a new friend with your reflection in the glass on the oven this month.  I'm just happy it distracted you from the pots and pans and other nearby drawers full of glass pans and small kitchen gadgets you so love to toss around the kitchen multiple times a day.

Somebody gave you an Oreo.  It wasn't me.  Pretty sure it was Logan using it to distract you so he could run into the toy room and play with Legos in peace for a few minutes.  It's not just me you've been driving crazy this month.

What?!  You're smiling?  Obviously this was worth taking a picture of.  I'm pretty sure that a few seconds later when the glasses slipped off and you tried to put them back on again and didn't quite succeed you were in a crying pile at my feet.  Seriously kid, it's been THAT bad.

One day I sat here on the couch and fed you applesauce.  I'd go to the kitchen, pour some in the bowl, and then sit down and feed it to you. When you were finished I was scared that you would start to scream so I would jump up, run to the kitchen and repeat this sequence.  Finally I just got the bottle of applesauce and let you finish off the rest of the jar.  When it was gone, you cried.

Here's you, crying.  About halfway through the month everyone got sick.  Luckily (or unluckily?) it hit me and dad the worst, but you still ended up bad enough that I took you to the doctor.  It was one of those visits where I hope he finds an ear infection, but your TMs were fine.  The PA did give me a prescription for the ear drops though because he thought you might have an external ear infection, and even though I was skeptical and you screamed like a banshee every time I put them in, after a few days your crankiness seemed to get better!  Thankfully you've been a bit better since then.  I did offer to give you to the girls at the grocery store one day, and they were going to take you, but I'll have to tell them the deal is off for now.

This is the day of your doctor's appointment.  You were so miserable and tired, but every time I tried to put you in your crib you would just freak out until you finally fell asleep on the floor.  I used this time to take a quick shower before the appointment only to come out and find that Tessa had woken you up and you were miserable all over again.  Did I mention this month has been difficult?

More crying!  This is because we went through the car wash, and I'm pretty sure you thought you were done for.

Your newest trick is standing on the edge of the drawer under the oven and holding on to the handle.  It makes me cringe every time you do it, but I've honestly given up trying to stop you from doing anything at this point.  That's scary information to give you, but I'm guessing by the time you are able to read you will have figured that out long ago.  I guess for now I'd rather risk you pulling the oven door open and conking your head and screaming versus taking you away and having you scream only to crawl right back over and try it again.  Super parenting, I know.

So, for the majority of this month you've been a cranky beast, but I did catch a break most evenings when I put you in the bath.  You LOVE your bath so much that you tended to forget that hated being alive, and you'd sit in there and play nicely and laugh for a good 10-15 minutes.  I would shut the door, put my feet up on the sink, and read my book until you decided that you were done being happy and wanted out so we could fight to put your diaper and pajamas on.  Probably half the time I would figure you were clean enough and basically just sit you in there to play without even washing an inch of you just so I could get a couple extra pages in.  It was a good thing while it lasted, but since you've been feeling better you think it's funny to crawl out of the tub after about 2 minutes, so my beloved book time has been nixed.

You really have been such a stinker this month, but it makes the times when you are happy so much fun.  The fight to change your diaper has reached epic proportions lately, so the last few nights I've let you crawl around naked for a while after your bath.  I come after you with the diaper and you turn and crawl away as fast as you can then I back off.  Then you come back for more and we repeat our little game.  It's so fun to hear you laugh (at least until I have to pin you down and actually get your clothes on).

You've taken a step here or there, but for the most part you are kind of being a chicken about the whole walking, or even standing, thing.  You're getting better in the last few days though.  I think when you had your first overnight trip at Grandma Hillier's that's pretty much the only thing she did was try to get you to stand.  You even took a couple steps at her house the other night to reward her for her efforts.  It's coming though, and I'll be sad to see your prancing, strut-like crawl go.

We love you Tiger, even when you are being a beast.
(But we do prefer it when you AREN'T being a beast.)

Love,
Mom

Logan - January 2013

Your letter is late.  Really, really late.  I'm sorry about that, but for the last week and a half we have been in survival mode as each and every person in this house has been sick.  It's been hell bud.  I knew the 15th came and went without any letter or any time to write it in sight.  I thought about letting this month go, but after going through a few of your oldest letters the other day your dad and I got a good reminder of how important these letters are going to be to us, and hopefully someday to you too.  So, while Grandma and Grandpa Hillier have all 3 of you at their house tonight to give your momma a break, I'm sitting down to (finally!) write your letter.

In the last month you were able to go to a fun birthday party of one of the kids in your class.  We were supposed to be heading to Cedar that day to spend the night to go to Tinsley's blessing the next day, but you were so stoked to go we decided to wait a little longer and let you go to some of the party.  You got these funny sunglasses and didn't want to take them off.  You're a hoot.

The next week you had the kindergarten program.  You were so excited for this and had been singing your songs all month long.  Dad, Tess, Tyson, and I were able to go and watch, and while I wasn't able to get any pictures of you dancing with JayCee or being an elf, I did get this little gem...

Oh you make me laugh.  We also got this one after the program was over.  There's just no getting you to smile "normally," but that's ok.  I just love your goofy faces.

We went up to the Kaibab one day after it had snowed.  We pulled up to the yard at Jacob and got out to play in the snow.  The second you got out of the truck you were throwing snowballs at me.  I got this picture just perfect right before that snowball hit my phone and knocked it out of my hands into the snow.  I guess I got a little hyper after being attacked by your snowballs, so I picked you up and threw you in a snow bank.  BIG mistake.  BIG.  I think it surprised you that your usually dull mom would do that, but whatever it was you got TICKED and threw a fit about being cold and then sat in the truck and basically refused to talk to me until we got back to Kanab over an hour later.  Guess I won't be doing that again!

We spent the Saturday before Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Hillier and Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe.  We had a really good time eating and playing games and opening presents.  You got a sleeping bag and really cool Iron Man guy that turns into a car and back again.  On Sunday we had the Pollock Christmas party, and you sat on Santa's lap and asked him for a Transformer.  That was news to me since before that time you had said you wanted a Skylander Giant, which Santa didn't have a clue about.  Santa gave you a Lego set that night, and you were pretty excited.

On Christmas Eve we finally got around to making sugar cookies.  The last few times we have made them I have really tried to resist the urge to turn a fun activity into an activity where mom is getting after everyone about the mess.  I didn't even have to worry about it this time, you and Tess did such a good job with the frosting and sprinkles, and I only caught you licking the frosting knife once!

Later that night we made homemade pizza.  You and Tess made Santa faces on yours, and I made a Christmas tree on mine and dad's.  We drank green Grinch soda, and then settled in for our Christmas Eve movie of The Grinch.  You and Tessa had to use your new sleeping bags, and we spent a lot of the night trying to keep Ty from bugging everybody.

I don't have any pictures from Christmas because we have the "present opening" on video.  You were pretty excited though.  You got a bunch of Legos, a big cardboard dinosaur to color, a remote-control monster truck, and a Batman-type guy you could build along with a bunch of other things.  All in all i think you were pretty impressed.  We got everyone ready and hit the road to Panguitch for the Veater Christmas breakfast at Uncle Wally's.  We ate and then went back to Grandma and Grandpa Veater's with Aunt Bre and Uncle Boo to open presents.  You and Quade got presents for each other this year, and it was so funny because you had gotten each other the exact same thing, a remote-controlled truck.

Your dad was kind of annoyed that Santa hadn't gotten you a Transformer like you asked, so for your New Year's present you woke up with a Transformer in your arms.  You guys are pretty spoiled.

The other night you and your dad started throwing around a basketball.  Then you ran downstairs and grabbed your hoop, and pretty soon we had a pick-up game going in the kitchen.  Almost all the pictures I got were blurry, but it was such a fun, spontaneous moment for you guys and your dad that I wanted to include it here.  Your dad loves to see you show an interest in sports, and you had a blast playing that night and made some good shots!

We went up ice fishing the first Saturday in January and had a great day.  Overall we caught more than 70 fish, and you caught 17 with very little help!  It was pretty cold, so you sat in Uncle Dakota's ice shack with him, and it seemed like every time we turned around we could hear you two carrying on with one or the other catching a fish.  Well anybody that goes fishing and catches 17 fish is going to be hooked, and you are SO hooked.  Luckily so are your dad and me.  We've been up quite a few times since then, and each time you have had a great time whether you are catching fish or playing with your cousins.  You did stick your foot in a hole and soaked your boot once, but even after I took your sock and boot off and made you sit in a chair you still had fun.  You and your dad have gone a couple times without me, and I'm always jealous to hear about your day.  Your dad REALLY loves when you show an interest in doing stuff with him outdoors, and I think you guys have had a lot of fun in the last month.

Uncle Dakota's red shack on left and your dad's brand new birthday present double on the right...

Overall it has been a fun month with lots of fun memories made.  You have always had a good memory, and I don't doubt that you will be able to remember some of these things as you get older.  I hope so.  As we were driving home from dropping you guys off with Grandma and Grandpa today your dad and I were talking, once again, about how you are such a GOOD kid.  We talk about this a LOT.  I'm so glad you are the oldest.  You are such a great example to your brother and sister.  We love you so much bud and are so glad you are in our family.

Love you,
Mom

Tessa - December 2012

Whew, to go back to the beginning of December feels like forever ago!   Luckily all my worrying about leaving you guys for my bison hunt was for nothing, and we came home after 3 nights away with the bison cape and head in tow.  Dad had it all laid out in the garage so you guys could see it.  You weren't as freaked out by it as I would have been at your age.  I think you were just glad we made it home in time to make sure you didn't miss your Kindermusik class on Tuesday.

We got a good snowstorm or 2 this month, and dad decided we had better run up on the Kaibab and check out the snow they got up at Jacob.  We got out of the truck and threw a few snowballs.  You and Logan are relentless, and it seems like everyone gangs up on me!  You were a good sport and had a great time playing in the snow.  Now if only we could toughen you up enough to get you to go ice fishing with us!

Grandma Hillier got you this Christmas tree shirt, and you were so excited to wear it that right after you put it on you stood by our tree and asked me to take your picture.  Don't mind your too-short pants, you've decided that all the jeans I bought you hurt, and I hadn't gotten you any new comfy pants yet.

We spent the Saturday before Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa H. and Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa.  We had lots of yummy food and had a good time seeing what was in your stockings.  You got some new Hello Kitty pajamas and a princess Barbie and a sleeping bag that you were excited about.  The next day after church we went to Panguitch for the Pollock Christmas party where you visited with Santa and got a present.  This year you asked Santa for "flying petshops," which was code for the Littlest Petshop Fairies.  (Santa didn't end up getting them for you, but you got one on New Year's.)

Christmas Eve day I finally got around to making sugar cookies for you guys to decorate.  You impressed me with how well you frosted the cookie and how careful you were sprinkling the sprinkles on top.

Christmas Eve night we had our family movie night.  I had to put this picture in because this is pretty typical Tessa, too busy looking at the TV to pay much attention to anyone else.  You and Logan cuddled up in your new sleeping bags, and you had a "sleepover" in Logan's room that night.

Since we video'd Christmas morning I didn't end up getting any pictures, but you got a lot of My Little Ponies from Santa and some fun workbooks and other fun stuff in your stocking.  After we finished opening presents at our house we headed to the Veater Christmas breakfast where you scarfed down 4 of Uncle Wally's sourdough pancakes.  We were impressed!  Later that day you opened your stuff from grandma and Grandpa Veater including a Barbie and a new outfit, and your gift from Bosten.  All in all you were pretty darn spoiled missy.

That morning we were able to get Logan up before you.  He ran out to look at the tree and then ran back to his room where you were still asleep and yelled for you to wake up and come see what Santa had left.  It's so much fun to see you both get so excited to see what you got and show each other and show us.  I LOVE this part of being a parent.  We try not to spoil you too much at Christmas because you kids already have so much, and the nice thing is you guys seem thrilled with whatever is under the tree anyway.  I hope we can teach you to be grateful for what you get and what you have as you grow up...

One last thing I put in my phone to remember for you letter.... One afternoon after dropping Logan off at school we were heading to the grocery store and you were making random animal sounds.  All of a sudden you loudly said "Art-de-ROOOO!!"  It sounded like a cross between a coyote howl and a rooster crow, but when I asked you what on earth animal made that sound you matter-of-factly replied, "a giraffe!"  I know it was one of those things where you had to be there to hear you say it, but I flat out cracked up, and as soon as I pulled into the parking lot at Honey's I got out my phone to write it down so I wouldn't forget.  I love your sense of humor and imagination - they are unlike anyone I've ever met, and I hope that never changes.

Love you sister,
Mom