Wow, I do not get as much time to blog as I used to. Weird. :) Mostly because one of my "rules" is that I don't turn on the computer until Jason gets home. I don't need the temptation to check email or blogs during the day - it helps keep me on track. So this is going to be a "catch all" post. Most deserve, as was intended, to have their own post. But just one long one will have to do.
*Note: this post still took 4 days to write.
While Jason was home for our "family month" we did a lot of activities. Most don't have pictures. But I did grab one at a park one day.
Madison started smiling in her sleep around 3 weeks old. Her and Brock are just not smilers as babies. Noah and Megan would smile at you in the hospital. So when she decides to smile at you - it means she really likes you.
Another cute one of Maddie - there are going to be a lot of these
This is more how she looks at you. Jason tried eating her hand because it always made Noah and Megan smile or even laugh. Not Maddie. She looked at him like he was stupid.
Brock is starting to write a lot. This says: Brock, Noah, Megan, Maddie (Maddie is backwards).
We love to go to our local high school football games. We used to always go to the Brighton games to watch my brothers play - and now that they are both out of HS we go to Copper Hills (sometimes Kearns) just to watch.
My boys actually sit and watch most the time and get really into it. With each play we all guess if they are going to "run it or throw it".
Megan doesn't care so much - she has fun playing on the bleachers. Although this last week she started to notice the cheerleaders.
Madison sleeps the whole time - but she is cute enough for a picture - don't ya think??
So Megan is driving me INSANE these days. She is not my typical 18 month old. My boys were generally calm, obedient, rational, and persuadable (if that is a word). Megan has her own agenda and does not appreciate when I try to interfere. I joke that this is my first child with a will. I feel like a first time mom again. She thinks she is just one of the "older kids". We were outside playing and I turned around and found this:
She did it all by herself, helmet, buckle, climbed onto the bike.
I think this is from conference weekend. Fabulous by the way. I wanted to get the kids involved this year. I meant to take a picture of our game - but forgot. But it was a huge hit - so I thought I would share it. I got pictures of all the apostles at the distribution center (.50 each) and taped them all up on one side of our room. I typed up all their last names and taped them onto another wall. When a speaker got up they had to go find their matching picture and find their name. It was great to incorporate so many developmental categories and get to know the apostles at the same time. The kids loved it. We also would pick a word for a talk (like prayer, church, or Jesus) and when they heard that word they got an M&M. This was was awesome (except for Ballard's talk was the word "Church" - and he spoke about our name being The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he said the word Church about 200 times. - oops)
It is funny to see this picture. This is how I look most days. One of my other "rules" is that I have to get up and get showered, hair done, make-up on, eat breakfast, and read scriptures before any of the kids wake up at 7. But my other "rule" is that I don't wear real clothes unless I am outside the house. So at 7 am I my hair is done and makeup on - but I am always wearing jammies. I look kind of silly.
I LOVE the scrunchy face!!
More cute Maddie.
Those three pictures might look the same to you - but to a mom they are all very different - capturing a unique face. :)
My kids are wonderful. They all love and take care of each other. Brock is such a great big brother. Even though he is just 4 - he has 3 younger siblings, so a lot of responsibilities fall to him - and he does them all so great. I saw him and Megan cuddling on the couch while watching an "Elmo" movie that he put in for her. (side note: ALL my kids LOVED Elmo - but Brock and Noah called him "momo" - I loved it - but Megan pronounces it correctly "Elmo" - it makes me sad)
Noah just adores Madison and is so sweet and soft with her. I put her in her swing one afternoon and I came back a few minutes later and found Noah just sitting there - staring at her. I sat and watched him watch her for about 10 minutes. It was so sweet. He sings to her and loves her - he is so tender.
Did you make it through?? 10 points to you if you did!
