quick update

Caden got his first tooth today.
Colin got glasses on Friday.
Randy turned 33 today.
Grace is a Sunbeam.

Don't Blink!

In case anyone was wondering why I haven't posted in a while, I submit these photos.  One day you give birth to a tiny, little, helpless fellow and the next thing you know, he is turning into a real boy and becomes impossible to keep track of!  He is getting so fast!  I can't keep up.  He is crawling all over the place.  Today he tried climbing on the stool and learned to crawl through the tunnels. As I am posting this, the crazy little guy is attempting the stairs.  YIKES!  

He loves to eat his solids, especially peaches, and his sisters are thrilled to help with that job. (Hooray for big sisters!  A big sister should come standard with every new baby, they are very handy to have around.)  

His pincher grasp is developing nicely and he can find choking hazards to practice it on no matter how recently I just vacuumed or swept.  

Motherhood is very scary and very, very fun!

Caden is 6 months

Caden is 6 months old today.  Crazy how time flies.  We just got back from his well baby check.  He's a well baby.  He now weighs 17 lbs - no wonder I'm so tired.  It's time to get serious about feeding the boy solids.  I am not excited, it is soooo much easier to just nurse him.  

Gracie for Mitt

I was working on the descriptions of us for this blog yesterday and I asked Grace what she liked.  

She said,  "Mitt Romney."  

That's my girl!  

I took this picture of her on Saturday at the last nursing home performance.  She was up there fiddling away, then all of a sudden she walked over to me, sat down in my lap, and she was a sleep in less than one minute.  

Grace and I like to open Lexie's blog and snuggle while listening to "The Gracie Song."  Today Colin  figured out how to get it on my blog.  Oh, how wonderful to be the mommy of such a talented boy!  Thanks to Lexie for the inspiration and the great song.  

Seven years ago

Seven years ago at this moment I was in the labor and delivery room trying my darnedest to get this kid OUT!  He has always been a bit stubborn- obedient but on his own terms and on his own time schedule.  The darn kid waited until 13 minutes into his due date to finally arrive into this world.  He is paying now - he has to wait until tomorrow to open his presents.  Hah!  It coulda been today, oh! how I wanted it to be today those seven years ago.  

Work it Baby!

Caden is working on his muscles.  If he keeps at it he may get as strong as Uncle Glen someday.  :)  Perhaps I should follow his lead, I may need more muscles to keep him up in my arms when he wants to get down and explore while we are out watching the other kids play their fiddles in nursing home cafeterias.  I have issues with busy babies on nursing home cafeteria floors.  

You may notice from his head wear that he has been playing with the princesses this afternoon.   He is secure enough in his manhood to go along with it. 

Princesses and Babies

After breakfast this morning, the girls came back to the kitchen and very sweetly asked if there was anything they could do to help me. Oh boy, was there ever!! They picked up clutter, mopped floors, and wiped counters until the main floor looked great.
It turns out that they had talked it out together and decided that maybe if they helped me with all my jobs, then I'd have time to play with them. Great Thinking!!
After lunch I got to play "Princesses and Babies" with them. The first thing you have to do to play is don a princess dress. The girls were very surprised to find that I had one as nothing in their collection would even come close to fitting me. Of course, mine didn't fit quite like it did the last time I put it on. Goodness, that was 10+ years and four pregnancies ago. I am feeling good that I got that sucker over my hips. Luckily, I had a sweater to hid the fact that it is a sleeveless dress and the tiny little matter of the zipper not even coming close to zipping up all the way.
After we dressed, we took our babies and went to the royal ball where we danced with scarves to Vivaldi. Lovely time. Lovely.
Then we played a delightful game of tidy up the castle (yes, this was my idea). If you have never folded and put a way excessive amounts of laundry in you prom dress, you are so missing out! I think we should do it at least once a week. It was a fabulous way to put deposits in the emotional bank accounts of my girls and get my jobs done at the same time - BONUS!

Rock and Roll

Oh, the joys of motherhood!
My adorable little Gracie May blessed this evening by putting a rock up her nose. Oh, how we wished we were closer to Grandpa Byron tonight!! (He got to be quite a pro at removing items from eyes and noses thanks to Auntie Ky. Sometimes I think that Grace was supposed to be Auntie Ky's little girl, but she just couldn't wait to get here. Thank Goodness! I'm really glad she's mine!)
Anyway, in the absence of a loving Grandpa, we spent the evening at Primary Health waiting for the very nice PA to remove the rock. Grace was very brave and I pretended to be.
All is well that ends well.

Merry Christmas

We went to our ward Christmas Party on Saturday. I am sure that the Santa that was there was the "real" Santa. He was fabulous. He spent several minutes talking with each kid and never did ask them what they wanted for Christmas. He asked them things like what books did they like to read instead. It was great!


After the ward party (it was a breakfast party), we went to spread Christmas cheer with the Junior Jammers. The kids played their fiddles for two different care centers. It was so fun. The kids got to talk to the residents before and after the show and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Caden made lots of old ladies happy with his cute smile and a few hugs.

After the fiddle shows, we went to Great Grandma's for a quick visit. She was putting up her Christmas tree and her house was all very festive with all her decorations. We couldn't help but take a few more pictures.
It was a very busy and fun day!

Gingerbread House

My friend Julie surprised us with this beautiful gingerbread house yesterday.  I love it.  It makes me smile every time I look at it.