Tessa - April 2013

Tessa, Tessa, Tessa Sue.  As I type this you have just come out of your room at night for about the 30-hundredth time.  Earlier you came out and said you were hungry.  I told you to get a piece of bread, but you said you wanted 1 potato chip.  I asked if you thought that 1 potato chip would fill you up, and you said yes, so you got your 1 potato chip and went back to you room   It is always fun to hear what you will come up with the next time you come out and stand next to the couch and say "Um....Mom?"

If we're watching American Idol or The Voice or another singing show you always come out and ask if you can dance.  I never did get a great shot of your smooth moves, but I have to laugh at this one.  You found these footy pajamas in your drawer. I told you I didn't think they'd fit you still, but put you them on and decided they will now go in the rotation even though they give you a wedgie!

We've been so happy to get out of the house a little more this month.  One day while Logan was at school I took you and Ty in the stroller up to the park to play for a bit.  It was cold, but I had to get some pictures of my purple girl having fun before we headed back.

We had a fun early Easter at Grandma and Grandpa Hillier's house this month with Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe.  Logan did his best to get all the eggs before you and Ty, but you got a few too.

And played with Uncle Joe...

You and Ty have started having a bit of a tougher time getting along lately. I think you are starting to realize what Logan's learned - having a younger sibling isn't all fun and games!  You hover around him and try to keep him from doing things, which just makes him mad and try harder to do the thing you don't want him to do!  Sometimes you still get along pretty well though, and you both love to make each other laugh.

You're still quite a diva, and I had to put this picture from when we took Logan to see the Smokey Bear statue because the look on your face absolutely cracks me up.  You might as well be a celebrity in L.A.!

Driving down Rodeo Drive...

Fortunately for me, though, you are also an outdoorsy hiking girl.  You got to be my hiking buddy when we hiked the Squaw Trail with dad and Logan and Ty earlier this month.  I was kind of glad because even though it is a pretty easy trail, I apparently hike a lot faster when I am chasing buffalo.  I didn't do one bit of complaining taking up the back of the line after you.

I also loved being behind you so I could see you jump down off the rocks every chance you got.  You stopped to look at flowers, rocks, and whatever else was on the trail you thought was interesting.  I pointed out that one of the rocks was stripey, and then you had to point out every. other. rock. that was stripey, and there were a lot!

We went to the sand dunes one day when Logan was on spring break.  We got some lunch and ate at the Ponderosa Grove campground area before we headed out to the dunes.

And then you and your brothers had a blast going up and down the sand and watching the snake at the visitor's center.  I was so impressed that you didn't seem to be bothered by the snake at all!

Last weekend we went out camping for the Pollock Easter picnic.  The first night Grandma and Grandpa Veater came out for dinner and took Ty home with them so we could hang out with you and Logan (plus not have to worry about Ty keeping everyone up all night!).  Dad decided to hike us up a  nearby hill to watch the sunset.  Part of the climb was pretty steep, but you and I ended up getting to the top before dad and Logan.  You were so excited that we beat them.

We took some pictures, watched the sun go down, and had a fun time hanging out and just relaxing for a while before we headed back down.

On our bums...

Back at camp Logan kept putting big juniper branches on the fire.  All of a sudden you came running by and said "Just in time!" and held up your branch.  We all got a pretty good laugh out of that, and I love the look on your face. You are seriously just so happy all the time.

Marshmallow hands!

The next day at the picnic you had a blast getting your candy

And getting some lessons on the 4-wheeler.  You're getting better! No cars were damaged this time!

Later when we got back to camp we hung out with Grandma and Grandpa Veater and Uncle Boo, Aunt Bre, and Tinsley.  Somehow you and Grandpa got playing the "don't smile" game.  I have to say, dear, you aren't very good at that game, but we loved watching you try!

Not smiling...

Ha!  Smiling!

The last day we were there we hit Kodacrhome State Park before we headed home.  We didn't do much, just a short hike, but you did get to climb on a few hills with Logan.

You are so sweet and silly and fun, and we love you so much.  I love how every time we go to one of the grandma's houses on our way home or on our way there you always ask if we are in "our world" or "grandma's world" yet.  You have such a fun way of thinking and putting things that you make us laugh all the time.

Love you silly gh-oul,
Mom

Tyson - March 2013 - 15 Months

Oh Tiger, we are so glad it is starting to warm up around here.  We've been lucky and have been able to spend a lot more time at the park and outside in general this past month - even if we do still have to wear jackets and hats.

And other times we have to wear our snow clothes....

You weren't a fan of Logan's old coat and bibs, but you wanted to be outside with the big kids SO bad.  So out you went.  Of course I couldn't resist throwing you in the snow where you got stuck and started to scream.

It wasn't the best day for you because you really did want to be outside but you didn't like the cold and you didn't like your snow clothes and you really didn't like the snow!  Good thing the snow melted fast.  We had about 8 inches that morning and it was gone by the afternoon.

You are definitely much more mobile and sure about your walking lately.  You've even pretty much mastered the stairs.  That was nice because I didn't have to scream at the big kids to shut the basement door before you got to it and listen to you scream because they were having fun down there without you.  So you learned to do the stairs and would go down and play with the big kids and I would get a minute to cook dinner or straighten up one of your disasters or just sit on my butt on the couch for five minutes without someone screeching at me UNTIL the day you were down there with Tess playing and Tessa started screaming that you had got one of the paint cans open.  The owners of the house had left a bunch of paint cans in the basement, and we really haven't had to worry much about it.  Until you.  You somehow got one of them open and by the time I got to you you were sitting in a puddle with both hands splashing.  I screamed, carefully plucked you out of your puddle and ran upstairs as fast as I could praying that you wouldn't drip on me or the carpet.  I plopped you in the tub, turned on the water (which was cold at first and you weren't a fan) and grabbed my phone to (of course) snap pictures.  It took a few days to get it all out of your hair, and I think there is still some in the tub somewhere.  Oh child.

It's a good thing you are cute!

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Hillier's for an early Easter with Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe too.  Grandma did her best to help you get some eggs before Logan snatched them all up.

And you entertained Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa with your "evil" laugh.

Dad decided he couldn't wait for me to get around to giving you a haircut, so one evening he took matters into his own hands and busted out the clippers on the back deck.  Logan was first and all went well.  As I held you for your turn your dad took the first swipe with the clippers and I yelled "What number was THAT?!"  Dad informed me that he had used a 1 and I was so bummed.  There was no going back now.  Dad did the best he could with a squirming baby, and this is what we ended up with...

I looked at it for about 2 hours the next morning before I busted out the clippers and finished it off.  Now you're a baldy just like dad.  It's grown back pretty fast, but I was pretty sad for a few days!

We had really good weather for Cousin Dakota's baseball game in Kanab this year.  Aunt Colleen and I were remembering how last year at his game you were still a tiny baby in the carrier that I was trying to keep warm.  This year it was all we could do to keep you out of the dugouts and the road!

You've gotten a few more teeth in the last month.  You now have all 4 front teeth on the top and still your front bottom 2.  Not too shabby!  It hasn't been fun though.  We went to your 15-month checkup, and you weigh 26 pounds (75th percentile) and are 32 inches tall (also 75th percentile).  Big boy!  You've also become obsessed with ceiling fans and lights and can get pretty annoyed when no one will pick you up so you can flip the light switches on and off for days.  One day you had been so cranky I finally moved the kitchen table over to the light switch and let you go to town on your own.

We've gotten out and gone on a few hikes this month too.  We did the Squaw Trail with dad and the big kids...

and then hiked up by where the dinosaur tracks are.

We dug out Logan's old hat for you to wear so your bald head didn't get sunburned, and I decided that I really truly have the best-looking kids in all the world.

Logan had spring break the last week of the month, so I decided we should explore the sand dunes one of the days he was out of school.  We hit Subway to grab some lunch and headed out.  Earlier in the week we had gone to Grandma and Grandpa Hillier's house for the night to hang out with them, and you had gone down her steps into the family room on your nose and skinned it.  When we stopped at Ponderosa Grove on our way to the sand dunes I set you down next to the picnic table while I put a tablecloth on it so we could eat.  That fast you made it to the table, climbed up onto the bench, and promptly fell right off the other side and onto the concrete underneath and bonked your head so you now really look like you'd gotten into a fight...

You settled down pretty quick though, and we ate lunch and headed up to the sand dunes.  You thought you were in heaven, and I had to laugh at how fast you could get down the dunes after I had just hauled you up.  We did that a few times, but after I realized that you would just shimmy right down backwards as fast as you could I quit bringing you back up!  Logan and I wanted to make some tracks to roll our eggs down,

 Logan and I wanted to make some tracks to roll our eggs down, but the next thing I knew I looked down to where you had last been and saw you start barrel rolling down the dune!  I caught you before you hit anything harder than sand, but you were not impressed!

We decided we had better head back home before any bones got broken!

All in all it has been a fun month, but the more mobile you + the crazy you = lots of chasing for this momma.  Your dad and I have kind of had a feeling that you were going to be more of a challenge than the other 2, but I'm afraid we still might have underestimated you.  I hope we can keep you from too much harm before you learn that you can't dive off the kitchen table or run across the wet bathroom floor without consequences, but I imagine we haven't seen anything yet.

Love you my daredevil,
Momma

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

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