Recent Happenings

I feel the need to catch up on life.  This will probably be long and rambling, so I don't know if anyone will make it through to the end, but here it goes...

My blog has been completely neglected, as well as many other things around here lately.  I was doing so well on catching up but life has gotten crazy as it sometimes does.  We have had some very life changing events in the past couple months related to Darren's work.  Things I never imagined having to deal with.  It is a long story, and one that I don't really want to post on the world wide web, but we are now in the process of purchasing the practice as Darren's business partner has passed away.  There was a lot leading up to that, but I won't go into it.  It is a very sad situation and I feel terrible for those involved.  Especially his family. It caused a lot of stress on our family and left us with a lot of questions and pretty hurt as well. I think over the course of a couple weeks, I felt just about every emotion.  I felt sad for the situation and his family, excited for us and the possiblity of having our own practice, stressed over what was going to happen and overwhelmed with everything going on and at times, I felt so alone.  It also threw our schedule into total chaos.  Things at the office changed from one day to the next, so Darren's 6 hour schedule suddenly became a 12 or 13 hour schedule in order to cover all the patients.  It was a big change!  Things are starting to settle back down and he is going to 8 or 9 hour days now.  It is still a lot different to not have him around as much and to change a lot of the way we do things.  For instance, I used to do all my volunteering at the school on his mornings off and now I'm having to scramble to find people to help with my kids and things like that.  I realize most dads work that many hours, but we just are not used to it yet and the kids are having a hard time with it.  (And I am, too)  We are excited for the opportunity though.  I think in the long run, this will be a really great thing for us.  It is just very sad that it happened the way that it did.

It is also tax season.  I hate that.  I do the books for Darren's office, but I don't keep up on it very well during the year so I end up with lots of work to get things finished up for the CPA.  I just got the file emailed today.  I feel so much better!  It means that I don't have as much time for blogging or anything else. 

I also have a new calling.  I am the Stake Women's Sports Specialist.  Or something like that.  I am not sure what the official title is.  I really like it.  It just means that I have to be at the church once a week at night to run things, even when I have other stuff to do.  It has cut into my blog time, too.  But I am having fun with it and it is a pretty perfect calling for me, although I don't really feel like I know what I am doing yet. 

And, winter is turning into spring!  Well...it started to and then it snowed...  I hate that part of Utah spring!  We seem to get MUCH busier in the Spring and it has already started.  Rylee has started figure skating.  She really likes it.  At least she did the 2nd time she went.  The first time was pretty rough.  Hopefully, it keeps getting better.  Avery is taking dance and has a recital this week.  I'm excited to see if she will actually perform on the big stage.  She is pretty excited about it though.  She has 2 rehersals and 2 performances this week!  BUSY!  And soccer starts up for Logan next week. 

It is also birthday season at our house.  Rylee lost her first tooth and turned SIX the last week of March.  She had a Hello Kitty Extravaganza party and spent the day shopping at the mall.  We even had our pictures taken in one of those photo booths and she picked out best friend necklaces for us.  I felt like I was back in Jr. High.  When she picked them, I asked who she planned to give it to and she said, "you, of course."  I wanted to bawl my eyes out!  Of course I bought it after that.  I hope that she will want to wear best friend necklaces with me when she is 16.  But chances are, she won't.  So I'm enjoying it now!  She loved her day at the mall and shopping and having her nails done - She is such a girly-girl!  And she LOVES her birthday party and loves helping me plan and has such high expectations for them!  Her Hello Kitty party was great and she loved all the decorations and everything. 

After her birthday, it was Easter, which was so fun but lots of traveling to family events and super busy.  We had a really great time though and the kids looked so cute in their outfits.  The following week was Spring Break and we took a quick trip to St George.  We had a great time enjoying the warm weather and hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa Webber's brand new home down there and spent some time hiking and hanging out with Brian and Val and their family.  It was a good trip and we were able to see some friends, too.  And have some delicious sugar cookies and Dirty Diet Coke from Swig's.  That was a highlight for sure. 

We came home from our fun Spring Break, and I turned 32 yesterday.  I think.  I kept telling people I was turning 33 and I had to be corrected.  I don't think it matters once you are 30.  Everything just kind of blends together.  I had a fabulous day and was spoiled by my family.  I love them.  The kids were so excited for my day and it made my heart feel good.  And my phone buzzed all day with Facebook notifications and texts and it just put a smile on my face.  It feels good to be remembered sometimes.  I guess Facebook is good for that.  Darren treated me to breakfast in bed from Kneeder's (Chunky French Toast...YUMMM!!!) and then surprised me and got a babysitter and took me to lunch at Paradise Bakery.  I went in to Rylee's class to volunteer and her cute class sang to me.  It was so sweet!  Darren took the kids out shopping for me and we had dinner at Cafe Sabor and then had cake.  The kids got me some lotion and lip gloss and sunglasses and Darren got me a bike and a bike trailer/jogging stroller!  I am excited to try it out.  Except that it SNOWED yesterday!  All that warm St George weather and then...snow!  No fun!  I love birthdays.  I love my kids' birthdays and mine.  There is just something so great about having a day for you.  It makes you realize how blessed you are.  And I am so blessed.  Really.  I have everything I need and I have the greatest family.  I love them. 

I felt like this rambling post needed a picture.  So, now you can see how blessed I am.  And, how cute my kids looked in their Easter outfits. 

Up next...  Darren and I are taking a trip with no kids.  I am a bit nervous, but also excited!  We haven't done that for a LONG time.  I'm just worried about leaving my Bronson.  I hope it will be OK.  I stress over that stuff so much!  And then when we get back, Bronson will turn ONE!  My baby!!!  I am freaking out a little over that, too.  Time goes much too quickly! 

Bronson - 9 months

My little heartbreaker at 9 months old.  

Some things about Bronson at nine months old...

Started climbing stairs!  (Dec 26 for the first time - Jan 9 went up 6)
Is everywhere and into everything!!! 

 
Likes to eat food on his own - Loves anything he can pick up

Crawling so good on all 4s

pulls up to everything now! and Occasionally lets go when he pulls up and stands on his own for a minute.  

LOVES balls!  His little arms go up and down over and over and gets so excited!  He is getting good at throwing too
Slept from 8:30- to 6:45 - 1/16
Funny eating mashed potatoes at Texas Roadhouse

Loves having free reign of the house and exploring everything on his own - Is so happy all the time when he can do his own thing - HATES having things taken away from him, especially if he's eating it!  loves to venture around and explore - is in heaven in the toy room cruising around and finding toys and doing his own thing!
Doesn't hold still for diaper changes anymore
Likes touch and feel and peek a boo books

Loves to bang anything he can together or on something to make noise

so happy all the time

Still struggling with sleeping at night - starting to get into a pretty good schedule of 2 naps a day for 1 -2 hours each - first between 10 and 11, second one around 3.  Bedtime around 8

Loves to dance and move to music!  

Sick...  Got the flu and threw up and then had something else with a fever and couldn't sleep - wanted me to cuddle and snuggle him and I kind of loved it

Hates to be fed.  Likes to feed himself.  He does like yogurt and sweet potatoes but that is about it
Is a Mamma's boy - When he gets upset, he cries so loud and will hold his breath
Says "da da da" for everything! He says it all day long. I thought he was saying it for Darren because one night he kept saying it whenever Darren would whistle or he could hear Darren talking when I would put him down for bed.  But then I realized he says it for everything! 

Loves his tub time!    
Did say "ba" a could of times for ball  - Has said "ma ma" a couple of times while crying in the night
Tooth #3 came through on January 26th (top front his right)
starting to give kisses
loves to do little headbuts or "noggins" when he puts his forehead against ours
loves being totted around by Rylee even thought it drives mom crazy
crawls with one leg out to the side.  I don't know if that is faster or easier to stop and sit up... 
grabs my glasses and loves to grab noses and faces in general

Has the sweetest smile and laugh and I love to tickle him and hear his giggles

love when the kids play peek a boo with him or throw the ball with him or read him books.  and he loves pat a cake and is getting really good at it
Starting to figure out signs for finished, and more.  Loves the sign (and sound) for elephant and figuring out the sign for dog.  He pats his leg for any animal he sees
Is always on the go and it is getting really hard to put him down at night or for naps because he never wants to stop and is not much of a snuggler

has some crazy bed head!  

Finally got a hair cut!  It was not his favorite thing.  Before, during and after.  His mouth is blue from his sucker that we used to bribe him.  

Bronson - 8 months

EIGHT months!  

Some things about Bronson at 8 Months Old.

2nd tooth - Dec 5th --- Super fussy while his teeth were coming in, at least for him.  Hes usually so happy.  

He Loved our Disney trips!  He was so good and did whatever we were doing and was so happy to be there.  Loved the rides with bright lights and lots going on.  Learned to clap there and was clapping all the time.

Did awesome on the LONG ride home.  Bought him some squeezy toys and he was in heaven!  He chewed them all the way home!  Best $18 I've spent in a long time!

LOVEd the characters - Whenever we met one, he wanted to grab them and got really excited!  His little legs and arms would go crazy!
He loves to stand up next to the couch or whatever and he pounds his little hand down over and over again - kind of funny!

Is crawling!  Army crawling really well - can get wherever he wants to go.  Hoping our tree can last.  Starting about Dec 5, he was starting to push up on his toes and is doing it more and more.  I think he will be a hands and knees crawler soon.  Starting to crawl on just hands and knees - not much army crawling anymore  He gets on his hands and knees and rocks and rocks and then takes off for one or 2 crawls and then switches to his belly because he is faster

starting to like more real foods - tried peaches.  Like real bananas and his snack foods (puffs and the cheetoh things)
Has this funny growly voice lately - screams and squeals when he is happy but when he is hungry or crawling around trying to get something he has the gremlin voice.
when it is time to nurse he gets so funny - he gets really excited and he starts doing lots of short, breaths and flails his arms and makes the funniest face

Loves to play Peek a Boo!
he has the funniest excited face, especially with his new bottom teeth

sings (or moans) himself to sleep a lot - Really likes bouncing to go to sleep
obsessed with mom lately - doesn't like anyone else to hold him if I am in the room and freaks out if he notices I am not close to him.
sits up in the tub
Started to pull up to things and also walk along the furniture a little bit

Bron and Grandpa at the family Christmas party
He is getting fast and eats everything!
Loves to clap!
Anytime music comes on, he starts kicking his little chubby legs - love it! and bounces
Loves Ry - She can make him laugh being so crazy and he doesn't seem to mind how rough she is with him.

 

Cute little Christmas out fit for church.  He loves the tree!  So many balls!  
Still not sleeping great - Gets up 3 or 4 times a night most nights.
Takes 2 or 3 naps a day.  Usually 1 long one and then 1 or 2 shorter ones depending on the day
Sings himself to sleep - cutest thing!  No more binky
Starting to wear mostly 12 month clothes!

First time meeting Santa....  He freaked out at first and then he just kept staring up at Santa.  It was pretty cute.  

First Christmas!    He loved his new baby hoop!


Also....all the babies born in the ward just this year!  EVERYONE had a baby this year!  And this isn't even all of them!

So many babies - in the back.... Bridger Milligan and Carly Hyde

Front Row....  Cyril baby, Bronson, Cannell baby, Jaxon Hurd, Hicken baby, Benj Andrew, Ellie Gatherum