Kinder graduation.

So last thursday was the last day of school.  Rob had his Kindergarten graduation.  I am sure proud of this guy.  He has excelled in school this year.  Top of his class in all areas.  He scored all 4's with only one 3. (out of 4).  He is reading and writing like crazy.  I was really scared that he would have behavioral problems this year but he didn't once get in trouble.  His teacher Mrs. Miles is amazing, and just what he needed.  He loves her with all of his heart.  

The whole last week of school everyone went at 8 am.  So for Robbie this was pretty darn early.  (instead of 12:40 pm).  We had to wake him every morning a couple of hours before it was time to go.  

He was pretty nervous. 

This is so what this little guy is looking like these days.  Scowl, pj's (previously worn by three of his brothers).  I love him.  Tonight as he had his last bottle I just held and loved him after he went to sleep.  I am so grateful for all of my children. 

It amazes me how much taller Rob is than the rest of his class.  At least a head taller.  

Love those folded arms.  His teacher really likes them to have their arms folded...and amazingly they obey. 

Here he is looking right at his daddy. 

I love these two pictures of him shaking the teachers and principles hands.  He looks so serious and scared.  

He's not messing around. 

Me struggling with the two kids in the back.  haahaa. 

this was an early morning for all of us. 

We had to leave so fast too that we didn't get the right lens for the camera. Oh well better than nothing.

  

Nothing like a picture with the garbage can to show you made it out of kindergarten. 

The AMAZING Mrs. Miles.  Both of my kids had her.  She worked really hard with Rob this year and taught him so much.  Mostly to believe in himself. 

I hate me in this picture.  My shirt is doing this poof-ing thing that is really making my stomach look big (ummmm it really kinda is though...remember not too long ago I had a baby....that and I love to eat all day and night non stop.  :)

However...I love that it is a picture of all four of us.  And that Henry is trying to take his pants off.  He is having a real naked stage.  

Proud mom. 

Tired Henry. 

Tired Robbie.  (I really need to get him sunday shoes....)

For the dance festival his class danced to Little Mermaid's Under the Sea.  It was awesome.  I have no pictures or video but I had a HUGE smile plastered on my face watching both my boys dance.  It doesn't get better than that.  

Theo 6 months Henry 2.5 years

I took Oli, Henry, and Theo to the Doctor on friday.  It was pretty crazy.

Theo is getting big.  I can't believe it.  It seems like yesterday I was getting ready for him to be born.  We are so lucky to have him in our family.  He is the best baby.  (seriously, I have had a lot of really good babies and he just might be my best so far!)  He hardly ever cries, and when he does I know he means business.

He still isn't sitting up, which makes me a little worried, to be honest, but he is rolling real good.  He also has to go to see the pediatric dermatologist up at Primary Children's hospital on Friday so they can take a look at his little red birthmarks.  But other than that the doctor thought he look great.

Theo's stats:

Weight 14.97 lbs--7.86% (up from .81% last time, whoop whoop.)
Height 26.2 inches--29.65% (up from 12.55%)
Head 17 inches--44.79% (up from 26.7%)

The doctor was thrilled with his weight gain especially since he is nonstop spit up all the time.

I have been wanting Cortney to take some pictures of him but he has been so busy so I pulled the camera out today and shot a few pictures before his nap.  (i suck at taking pictures...out of focus...white balance is off...but I am thrilled to just have some shots of THEO...at six months)

He is starting to get dark hair and dark eyes.  

 He really wasn't sure about me taking pictures. Unlike Henry...henry has always loved the camera. 

 He always has his tongue out like this.  And I think he is getting a tooth, hence the drool. 

 This one was under exposed and out of focus but I LOVE how he looks in it.  It shows how big he is too.  He still has a real hard time sitting in the bumbo.  His head goes to the side, some of our other kids have done this too.  Eventually they grow out of it.  I need to do some baby stretching.

 His eyes were getting so sleepy from being outside where it was bright...plus he needed to go to bed. 

 Me tickling him with my little toes so I could get him to smile.  

What a good boy. 

The day he got his shots he was so sad.  I mean SAD.  He couldn't move his legs at all.  It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen.  He just had his legs up like a frog and kept them like that all day.  If I touched his legs at all he would bawl his brains out.  I had a picture of his legs but I lost it.  It really was so funny, and sad.  The next morning he was still under his covers because he couldn't kick his covers off or roll around at all.  I have never had a kid get so hurt from shots. 

Here he is so sad. 

I was supposed to take Henry in for his 2 year appointment right around the time when Theo was going to be born.  However, I forgot all about the appointment in all the stress that surrounded Theo's birth.  So here are Henry's 2.5 year stats...

Henry 

Weight 33.29 lbs---82.01%

Height 36.7 inches---65.83% (haha he's a little heavy for his height)

Henry didn't even flinch when he got his shots...he just wanted a bandage so bad.  He loves the doctor.  He just kept wanting it to be his turn. 

Oliver went to the doctor because he eyes were almost swollen shut.  I thought he maybe had pink eye but it turns out it was just really bad allergies.  :)

'round here

Things have been going pretty good over here at the a-frame.  We are adjusting pretty well.  Henry still says "I wanna go home mom....please??", every time we pass our old house on the way to take the boys to school.  It breaks my heart every time.  He has stopped waking up in the night though...and that is nice. I too experience pretty strong heart pains every time I go over there and have been avoiding our old house.  I feel sad closing that chapter of my life.  I have some really good memories there.  (still getting the run around on closing...ahhhh biggest stress ever)  We are meeting lots of our new neighbors and there are TONS of little kids for my kids to play with.  Just last night I let my boys stay out playing night games until WAY past their bedtimes.  Oliver said he's never had so much fun.  It makes me happy that there are so many kids.  They are constantly playing basketball, baseball or tag in our huge yard (or one of the neighbors).  

Tomorrow we go to a new ward, and we are ALL REALLY nervous about that.  Oliver already has his scriptures by the door ready to go.  So scary. 

Cortney and I both spoke in church last week.  We talked about mothers.  It was a HUGE stress for both of us.  Our friends Will and LorriAnn sat with our kids so we could sit on the stand.  (of course Henry stayed with us...and took his shirt off during Cortney's talk...happy mother's day...hahaa)  I had told Cortney I would try my hardest to take up 20 minutes and leave him with 10, however the night before I did a little run through of my talk and it took 8 minutes!!!  That left he and I freaking out.  (I honestly have never seen Cortney so nervous...well not in a long time anyways)  I got up and the first time I looked at the clock to see how much time I had left I had already gone 30 minutes.  OOOPS.   I felt like my talk went great and I said all of the things I wanted to say (funny, heartfelt, informative..hahahaa).  They canceled the intermission hymn and Cortney was left with 5 minutes to speak.  He gave a touching testimony and before we knew it, it was all over.  I went on to primary and we said most of our goodbye's.  It was really sad for me to leave the ward, and I mostly just keep pretending it isn't happening.  I think it will probably hit tomorrow when we are at a place where we know no one.  

Besides having to speak in church my mother's day was great.  I love being a mom. Cortney and the kids got me our traditional dozen bagels from Einstein's and some coconut m&m's (to die for seriously...I polished off the whole big bag in two days).  Cortney asked the boys what kinds of things I like and Rob said "burp rags"...haha, he is so right.  The boys both gave me beautiful cards.   Rob's said "Mom thanks for always taking me to church."  I loved that.  Oliver's was a play on the book "if you give a moose a muffin",  It was about giving mom a muffin, and then the rest of the book was talking about how I really like my house clean and my kids to be well behaved.  Hahaa.  So true.  

I just said to Henry.. "my back hurts".  Then he said, "your back hurts? you need a bandage?"  I love that kid. 

I have been so stressed out about our house selling or not selling and then having two payments...but I have really been trying to remember how good my life is.   Stress, shmess.  Haha.

Last Thursday the office at Rob's school called me.  She said "I am here with Rob and his teacher... (I immediately thought, oh crap, what has he done to get in trouble)...then she goes on to say...he isn't bleeding or crying, but he bumped his head pretty bad at recess and you need to come here."  I wasn't too stressed out, bumps are old hat for me.  I deal with that kind of thing all the time.   When I got to the school I walked into the office and there was Rob sitting with an ice pack on his head.  He took it off and I gasp in surprise.  It was much worse than I expected. 

We took some pictures the second we got home. 

 He fell and hit his head on the bars at school.  I am pretty sure now he had a concussion because he didn't remember anything from the next day.  

Oh did I mention that this tough guy didn't even shed a SINGLE tear??  

 Look at that.

I took this one a couple of days later.  His eye swelled so much that he couldn't see out of it at all.  He couldn't even open it.  (yup still wearing the same shirt)

I snapped these next pictures one morning when Rob was helping me out with the morning feeding.

 Sweet boys. 

Henry joining in too.  He got a hair cut last tuesday and looks so grown up.  (where did my baby go)

I am kinda coming around to this mother of only boys thing.  :)

Gotta go, henry is standing on top of Cortney's desk and getting down a fly rod.  YIKES. 

Theo firsts

When I went to go get Theo out of his bed last night he was on his tummy.  It was his first time rolling over and he officially beat all my other kids...they didn't roll for a while.  It makes me happy, especially because he was supposed to be handicapped.  I have a feeling that every milestone is going to be a huge accomplishment for me.  (I can't wait to see him rolling in person)

Also, I may have accidentally given him Henry's milk bottle this morning instead of the formula one.  (ooooopppss) Poor baby drank the whole thing right down.  (oh and yeah I know Henry is too old for a baba...but he LOOOOOVVES it.)

Yup...we live in an a-frame

The first weekend of April when we first got an offer on our house we were a little panicked because there was nothing for sale in the neighborhood we were looking to buy in.  we weren't sure what we were going to do.  The day we got on offer I looked in our local rental listings...and I noticed there was an ad for a house that was an A-frame.  There is only one A-frame house around and it happens to be right by Cali's house.  So we went right then and looked at it (all of these pictures are from that day).   It was big (like almost 2500 sq feet) had four bedrooms and two baths and best of all was in our budget.  We filled out an application that day.  

Over the next month I kept looking for other places but no other place came up that was in the right school boundaries.  It looked like it was just meant to be.  We were supposed to live in the a frame house.  

We moved here on Saturday.  So far it has been weird for all of us...just trying to get used to a new house.  

We rent the two top floors.  In the bottom floor lives 3 single girls.  They brought us a welcome basket the first day we were here.  

The house is on .44 acre lot.  Nice and big. 

We get to our house from the stairs on the side where you can see a deck. 

living room. 

 

Yup there is a catwalk going to one of the balconies. 

I really hope my kids don't die on this. 

 Both bathrooms are huge.  We have never had more than one bathroom so it feels pretty decadent to have two.  

The house also has a HUGE laundry room.  I love it.  It might be my favorite room in the house. 

 My room (plus cortney too) main floor. 

 Cortney's office. main floor. 

Kitchen (it has the smallest oven I have ever seen in my life....guess I won't be making cookies that often)

 Henry's room (upstairs)

 Oli and Rob's room (upstairs) (this room is huge....at least double their old room)

I took this picture today...it is taken from the boys window and it is a picture of Rob and a neighbor kid.  Oliver is there too you just can't see him.  They were playing baseball.  There are tons of kids my kids ages around here.  I am SO excited for that.  (I really hope my kids never fall out the window, we are sooooo high up)

It feels weird to be living in a new space....but good at the same time.  We are trying to get used to it and trying to get unpacked.  I need everything in its place before I can really relax.  So far, I have got the kitchen and The boys room done.  I am really working hard.  It is hard for me to have things out of order.  

Neighbors have come by and greeted us.  The kids have been walking back and forth to Cali's house.  I think it is going to be great.  I think it is the right thing for us (so hard to know). 

Cortney said to me today...someday we are going to look back on this time of our lives and say..."remember when we lived in that funny house that one time...."

not okay

So we're moving.

I am kinda freaking out.

It is really hard to pack up your whole life (six years in one place!), and be okay with it.

I am excited for a new chapter of our lives.  I really am.

But this is sad, and scary.  (and not fun at all)

I used to be a old pro at moving, not so much anymore.

Really all I want to do is climb under my covers with a good book and pretend that none of this is happening.

Hey, if you are in the neighborhood, you wanna help us load up a u-haul tomorrow?

long gone

I don't think I have ever gone this long without posting.  I think I have been too stressed out to even think about my life.  Hahaa.

We went on a lovely spring break vacation to Phoenix to visit my parents at their new house down there.  We had a great time.  Cortney is in the middle of organizing the pictures on our computer so right now they aren't on the computer...but as soon as they are I will post about the trip.

In the meantime how about some more phone pictures...

 Henry spent a lot of the time on our trip being exhausted, and throwing tantrums.  He he is asleep in the car after driving about 30 seconds...we were on our way to see the chipmunk movie in the theater. 

 chillaxing on my mom's bed. 

My big boys are the best travelers.  They sleep so good in the car. 

Henry not so much.. He is definitely the weakest link. 

 Theo was a dream in the car.  I would sit by him to give him a bottle but other than that I didn't have to a thing for him.  He slept most of the time. 

Saturday night I twisted my ankle on the way down stairs.  I heard it crack loudly when I landed.  I said as loud as I could "Cortney I need your help!"  He was outside and came running as fast as I have ever seen him run.  How romantic.  Honestly, I was writhing around in some pretty intense pain.  I almost threw up...that is how bad it hurt.  I was instantly nauseous. 

 These pictures are after church on sunday.  I wrapped it up but had to do sharing time (twice)...It was an exhausting day (both theo and Henry were awake and needing me during my sharing time...lucky for me I have good counselors).   When I got home and took of the wrap it had swollen up big time.  I couldn't walk at all after church.  

It is black and blue today but feeling much better. 

Tonight was the school carnival.  We went buck wild with tickets.  The kids loved it. 

 I still can't believe sometimes that I have so many SONS. 

Henry getting his face painted by one of the loves of his life, Sarah, We love her. 

Is oliver Cortney's kid or what.  Cortney makes this face in almost every picture ever taken of him.  That boy. 

(the snow cones and cotton candy were 66 cents each(two tickets)....it was a great deal, so we got four of each)

Things here are stressful.  HOPEFULLY our house sale goes through...it has been teetering for a while...the people that put an offer in are having a hard time getting financing.  I think we made huge strides today though and it is looking up.  I REALLY don't want to have to try to sell this house again.  Especially with a bad ankle...cleaning would be really hard.   I know everything will be okay and will turn out in the end but in the meanwhile...it is sending my stress levels through the roof.  Luckily cort is so calm.  We found a place to rent while we look for a house to buy, and places big enough for our family plus Cortney working from home in the school boundaries that we want are HARD (like impossible) to find. So if the house sale falls through we will have a place we are renting and our home that we own that we have to make payments on.  I feel like we can't give up this rental though.  So pray for us.  Pray our house sells (is that something we can pray for? haha)  

I want to be better at journaling.  It has just been so hard lately (like the last year) because I am alway tired...and  a little stressed and I don't want to sound like I am complaining.  

Even with all of my stress, the weather has been wonderful, the boys have been getting along and we get to do stuff like school carnivals and spring break vacation.  Not too shabby. 

Oh about a week ago (when we were in arizona) this guy started talking...like baby talking.  It is adorable.  (don't mind my annoying voice)

Yeah, I had a birthday a while back.

So we didn't really celebrate my birthday this year.  No presents, no fuss.  It was actually the day of CJ's funeral...so we spent the day watching kids and going to the funeral.  Mostly we spent the day grateful to have another day together.  

After the funeral we were together with some parts of my family and we decided to try and make it down to happy sumo for some half price sushi.  We went at 9 pm, and had to wait an hour so it was a late dinner. But it was my favorite...and a birthday tradition for me.  I went all out and ordered 3 rolls all for myself and dessert too.  It was really fun....and nice to relax and unwind after a pretty stress filled weekend.  

 Linh sent me these pictures...So she isn't in any of them.  :(

 It was a delicious fun night.  I love eating.  I love this picture because we don't know Linh is taking it we are all engrossed in our food.  yummmmm. 

Yay..I had a cell phone picture with linh in it.  

Hmmmmm 32 feels pretty old. 

Now continuing my trend of only updating with cell phone pictures...

 Grace holding Theo...he looks huge!!

How sweet are they??  She fed him a whole bottle. 

The other day Henry came running up the stairs saying "fire! FIRE! fire!"  Cortney ran to investigate.  Sure enough there was a fire.  The little stinker stuck a fork in the outlet.  Luckily the breaker flipped right away and he wasn't hurt.  YIKES.   The boys is crazy.   (yeah I did that when I was little too...Like mother like son.)

Road to Recovery

Before I can get pregnant I have to go off all of my wonderful meds for my Rheumatoid arthritis.  So I spend about a year and a half not feeling as good as usual.  

This time I had an insurance change and needed to get on a new health plan.  Luckily for me Utah has a health pool for people who are "uninsurable" like me.  I have been trying to get the insurance thing figured out since Theo was born...but it takes a long time...and I wasn't working on it as valiantly as I should have.  

Anywho...I have been feeling horrible.  Worse than I have in years.  I haven't been this bad since Robbie was born.  

The good news is today I got a package of beautiful enbrel filled syringes.  I COULDN'T be happier.  Honestly, this stuff changes my life.  Cortney stuck me in the stomach the second I got them (for some reason this time I didn't get the injection pens...just syringes.)...and I just know that by tomorrow morning I will already be feeling better.  

My new insurance pays 0% before I reach a 5000 dollar deductible.  These babies are somewhere around 1600 dollars a month.  However the company has an assistance program so today I paid 10 dollars.  Not only that but the money they help with goes to my deductible.  

So happy.  

Life is good.