Family comes

Dane's face explains our excitement for our family being able to come for Noah's ordination.  January is a hard time to travel to Denver and both sets of grandparents had a lot of other things going on so we were so grateful when they were both able to make it out for the same weekend.  They were both only in town for Saturday and Sunday so we had to pack a lot of "special time" into a short time - but I think we did it pretty well.  This is going to be out of order - but it would take more time then I have to put it in order.

On Saturday afternoon both Brock and Noah had a Young Men's basketball game.  I was proud of Noah for wanting to play.  As he says ,"sports are not my thing" - but when he is out there doing it he really enjoys it and has a big smile on his face... for the first 10 minutes anyways.  

We ate a lot of food.  We made a big brunch on Saturday morning and then again on Sunday.  Debby helped out so much in the kitchen - she always comes ready with ideas about what to make and is ready to help make it!

In fact she taught my kids how to make a scrambled egg in the microwave and they have been doing it daily ever since.

We played several board games and card games.

Saturday morning Brock had a basektball game.  So we all went to that!

On Saturday afternoon my parents to the older kids bowling and then (not pictured) Jason and I went out to dinner with them Saturday  night at Texas Roadhouse for our birthdays.  My parents left Sunday afternoon and Debby and Randy stayed until Monday - so we were able to have some alone time with them Sunday evening.  

Noah's ordination

Noah was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday, January 12th.  Both of his grandparents were able to be there.  He was very excited.  One year ago when we got the announcement the 11 year olds would be ordained in their 12th year I was nervous about Brock - but felt like the announcement was inspired and Brock would rise to the position.  But I said, "There is no way Noah will be ready for the priesthood or to go to the temple in one year!"  Boy did he prove me wrong.  I think he was more ready, prepared, and excited then Brock was.  Heavenly Father really knows what he is doing and these kids are ready for more gospel knowledge and responsibility then we know.  I am so glad Heavenly Father knows them better then we do!

Before the blessing: (most of these pictures are from my father-in-law)

After the blessing:

The men who ordained him

Brett Scott, Randy Herbert, Jason Herbert (who ordained him), John Ricks, Joe Hanna.  Brock did not stand in the circle - but got in the picture :)

Our newest Deacon!  

Here is is getting ready to pass the sacrament for the first time.  This is only half of our deacons!  They had to split into 2 quorums this year.

Back Row: Emerson Clark, Brock and Noah, Penn Smith, Evan Roper

Front Row: Riley West, Dayton Ahlstrom, Cameron Neyenhuis, Shea Jensen, Boston Wauddoups

Noah likes to look really nice for church.  He needed a new suit (first suit that wasn't a hand-me-down).  He wanted a blue, 3 piece suit.  We fought for a while about the color of belt and shoes.  I insisted that they be brown while he insisted they be black.  In the end I let him win becasue he decided to just buy a black suit if i was going to force the brown.  So I backed down.  Regardless, he looks so handsome and I love that he likes to dress so fancy.

These 2 deacons make me so happy! (funny to think a year ago at Brock's ordination Noah was taller than Brock!)  I am so glad they will get to be together for a whole year.  Brock has done a great job welcoming Noah and watching out for him.  When the bishopric decided to split the deacons quorum they asked us if we wanted the boys in separate quorums or in the same quorum.  I talked to each of the boys separately and asked what they wanted.  I was so overcome with joy when they both responded that they wanted to be in the same quorum - even if that meant not being with their best friend (which is what ended up happening).  They were both sad - but said it was ok becasue they are with each other. 

And some family pictures:

Dane is walking

I will take a pause on catching-up (I am still at the first week of January) to talk about Daner-man (that's what I call him - which is interesting becasue he went from Baby-Dane to Daner-man - ha).  He is walking now.  It took him a loooong time to learn to walk.  All of my other kids were walking by their first birthday.  And when they "started" walking - taking a step or 2 - within days they were "walkers".  By Dane's first birthday he hadn't taken a step.  By Christmas he had taken a step or 2.  By mid January he had taken about 5 steps.  He stayed at 5 steps for about 2 weeks.  Then one day I took him to the library for story time and he saw all these other kids his age walking around and he was like "hey - they are my size and they are walking, I want to walk too".  He tried walking all over the library that day.  Taking 5 steps, falling and instead of just crawling he would stand back up, take 5 steps, fall, and stand back up and try again.  It still took about a week - but pretty soon after that he was walking.  Now he walks everywhere.  I LOVE crawling babies and I was in no hurry for him to walk becasue I loved him crawling - but now that he is walking I am reminded that I LOVE walking babies. We also remembered that babies walk better holding something.  So here he is holding Brock's socks.  Ha

Also I must pause here to talk about my FAVORITE baby stage.  14 months.  I LOVE 14 months.  Anywhere from about 14 month to 17 months is the best!  I am not 100% sure why.  I have most of my "next babies" at 15 months so I think it is because it is my last month with my baby as my baby and I just soak it up and have very endearing memories of my baby at that stage and of my "old baby" when I bring my "new baby" home.I can vividly recall all my kids at this stage and I just have such tender feelings.  They are also all SO GOOD at this stage.  Some mothers hate this stage because they start getting independent and wills and but they can't really talk to it is a lot of tantrums.  That was never my experience.  I naturally give my babies a lot of freedom, independence, and great daily activities so we hardly had problems.  I love how they are so inquisitive at this age and seem to learn something new everyday - sometimes every hour.   So here is the problem with Dane at 14 months (I have been pondering what the "problem" is this last week and this is what I have so far).

I said when I was pregnant with him I had never had a winter baby and I was sad to have one.  Winter babies are the worst for many reasons the obvious is cold/flu/RSV season.  True. But also cuz you can't get out as much and those first few months of a new born you gotta get out sometimes and see people.  But it doesn't end with the first sights of spring.  The sadness of a winter birth continue.  Typically a winter baby will learn to crawl right in the middle of summer.  So at parks and pools and everywhere you go they want to be on the ground putting everything in their mouths.  Their knees get torn up because you are outside all the time, and in shorts, its the worst.  Now at 14 months in the dead of winter he has learned to walk, climb, slide, etc and he just wants to be outside or NOT in our house.  He goes and gets my shoes out of the shoe basket and hands them to me with them a few times a day.  But for the last 2 or 3 weeks it has been snowing and cold here.  We truly can't go outside - plus he has been really sick.  Like snot every 2 seconds and a hacking cough - so I don't want to take him to an indoor play place and get others sick - plus they are also all sick.  With all my other 14 month olds every day we were at the park, wheeler farm, throwing random rocks into random rivers, lakes, or ponds, temple square, feeding ducks, going on walks (they walk - not in a stroller), or children's museums, aquariums, swimming, chuck-e-cheese, etc.  Everyday was an adventure - sometimes several a day.  Also we were going to grandma's houses, aunts houses, and playing with cousins.  Dane really doesn't have any of  that.  We are mostly just stuck in our house.  Now I am only speaking to the last 2 weeks.  We have done some fun things - even in the winter.  But 2 weeks ago he didn't really care if we went and did things or not - but now he KNOWS he wants to leave the house.  And  the last 2 weeks it is cold and snowing EVERYDAY and he has been sick.  The last 3 days he has started throwing tantrums and being fussy almost all the time.  I am hoping it is just the sickness and he will bounce back to happy Dane soon.  But it has reaffirmed my testimony of taking young kids out every day and doing something fun, new and interesting.  Our house is 3 or 4 times bigger then the one Brock and Noah were in at 14 months and twice as big and the girls.  YOu would think that would help.  All this space and places to explore.  It sort of does.  But now, at 14 months, it is not enough.  

Deacon Ski Day

The deacons took the boys skiing in January.  I love skiing.Probably one of my top 3 favorite things to do.  Which is sad becasue I have been once in the last 18 years.  I was so so happy that the Deacons leaders were willing to wake up and take the boys at 5:30 am, spend their own money to buy tickets and teach them how to ski.  The best part was - the boys loved it.  I really didn't know if they would or now.  They really wanted to go again - but since I am pregnant I can't take them.  But it did give me the motivation and vision to make a goal to take them next year.  

Dane

If Dane could do anything it would be sitting next to Jason "working".  This is his joy.

One great thing about Dane is that everyone always has a buddy now.  No one is ever alone (for good or bad :)

I tried to get a cute Christmas picture.  But he is at that age.  This is Christmas Eve.

You can see Brock trying to help me.

This Pregnancy

This pregnancy has been different than all others.  Which isn't saying much becasue Danes was different then the others.  The first 4 were all very similar - so I guess it was ok that Dane's was different but I expected this one to be like Dane's.  First off the first trimester of Danes i was crazy hormonal and had some huge mental issues with anxiety, depression, and general overwhelmedness.  That didn't happen this time (thank heavens).  Next I was nauseous all the time.  For my other pregnancies I was nauseous - mostly in the morning and I could control it if I never let myself get hungry, too full, and ate the right food (not too bready, too sweet, to liquidy, etc).  But with this one I was nauseous all day and nothing I did made it go away.  There were a few things I could do to keep it at bay or not make it worse - but nothing made it go away.  This cheese ball that Mary-Anne Ahlstrom gave our family for Christmas got me through December.  I took it everywhere I went and ate it all the time.  Here it is on my lap while driving.  It was also in the front of my grocery cart while shopping, and next to me in bed.  

 

I am always tired when I am pregnant.  I even remember being so tiered with Brock.  During Brock's pregnancy I was working 40 hours, taking 16 credits, and doing my student teaching.  I obviously was busy (but who is REALLY busy or tired without kids??)

But I remember vividly usually coming home at night and doing homework or prepping my lesson for the next day and no matter how much I needed to do or how important it was I HAD to go to sleep at 9:00.  I quickly learned I was unable to "do things at night" and I had to go to bed.  This one is no different.  Except 9 is 7, and some days 3.  Just like Dan'e's pregnancy I am up with a ton of energy and have great mornings and make plans for my whole day - but at about 3 I am DONE.  I crawl through the rest of the afternoon/evening.  And if I can I crash at 7.  This leaves me feeling a TON of guilt because my older 4 only really get the 3-9 mom.  However, we do make the most of our mornings and I am happy and chatty with them then.  Hopefully that helps.

And as of Friday I am already having a lot of cramping and now for 2 days in a row can't walk at the end of  the day.  So that is new!  

Aside from all of the above complaining this baby has been more special and exciting for all of us because we know the joy it will bring.  Dane's pregnancy was an unknown and just the idea of a baby.  But to us it is now so real and I already feel so bonded to it.