A Year in Pictures

January 

So no Jan pics made it onto my laptop, but that month I turned 24, got my bloggie camera, and was 5 months pregnant. 

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

What a holiday! This year we celebrated Thanksgiving in Soda Springs (where we've been celebrating it since we got married) but it seems that every year the family just keeps on growing! This year we added 4 newbies to the family table. Three baby boys and Brendan's beautiful fiance Witney! Lots to be thankful for this year!

Isaac enjoyed his very first Thanksgiving. He tried some mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and even a bit of pumpkin pie! (But he hasn't pooped in 2 days, so that probably wasn't such a good idea. Oops!) Still, he enjoyed every bite. 

We got to meet our newest nephew Hyrum! Check out the thick red hair. Love it! He is such a content, precious, happy baby. I can't wait for Christmas so I can pinch those cheeks again.

Isaac getting around. I didn't get a pic of it, but Isaac loved to chase after his much faster crawling cousin Greysen. Whenever he could, he would latch himself onto Greysen's legs and bite his butt. Boys!

Having fun playing on the floor. 

Phoebe and Gwen had their fun too. 

The morning after Thanksgiving, Gwen woke up sick. It took a few days, but she finally came down with the flu that Phoebe had last week, but Gwen got it much worse. It lasted for about 36 hours, but she was completely out of it. And because of it, half the family got sick. But at least everyone got to eat their thanksgiving dinner before they got the flu! Blessings, right??

Gwen was the only one sick the day after Thanksgiving, so we still got to decorate for Christmas. Gwen got up when she could to put some ornaments on the tree, but for the most part, she cuddled with a blanket and a large bowl on the couch and watched. 

Isaac helping Aunt Maci with fluffing tree branches. 

Yesterday, we put our own tree up. Gwen's been asking if it's time for presents for a few days now. It's taken her a while to understand that Christmas isn't for another few weeks. I feel bad for her, but I think she's catching on. She so stinkin excited for Christmas this year. She understands completely what's going to happen now, and she's ready to rip into some presents. Today for FHE, we'll be discussing charity. Yesterday, when I asked Gwen if she had any old toys she might want to donate, she said, "No! I want ALL the toys!" Time to focus on what the holiday is really about, I think. She knows it's Christ birthday, but she doesn't get what giving means yet. Guess the neighbors are getting cookies tonight! 

Half Birthday!

I really shouldn't be blogging right now. Isaac is crying on my lap and is demanding attention. This is one reason I don't blog very much anymore. But I need to blog today, as this little-big one turned 6 months old! 

It is true. We've had this awesome little guy in our lives for half a year already! Hate to brag, but I'm gonna.

This last month, Isaac learned to sit. The girls think it's pretty funny. He can also get anywhere he wants to by rolling or creeping. Phoebe does not find this as amusing, because he usually rolls right on over to her toys. Phoebe's animals are absolutely not for sharing, but the little brother is challenging this rule. He's too funny. He can pull himself across the floor by grabbing onto the rug and lunging forward. He's a little caterpillar. He'll be crawling soon! Not sure how I feel about that. 

And one last thing before I pick up Isaac who is having a complete meltdown because I won't let him bang on the laptop...

He had his first big boy bath today! 

In the bathtub, I mean. He's had baths before. Promise.

He is wearing Gwen's baby towel. I've used it with all three of my babies. Why not? Who cares that it says Gwendolyn on the hood? It works!

We'll be celebrating his first birthday before we know it! 

Maybe tomorrow I'll do an update on the girls. If the boy lets me!

Tongue Tied

The past two Wednesdays, Gwen started seeing a speech therapist here in town. From the time she was little, she's been pretty hard to understand. I thought that was normal though. It wasn't until last year when her nursery teacher told us we should take her to have her speech evaluated, was I aware that she didn't sound quite like the other 2-3-year-olds. It was just about impossible for others to understand her, and since she looked older than kids her age, this really confused people. How old is she? Is she slow? (Her nursery teacher came to us, absolutely surprised that Gwen knew all her letters, because she didn't sound like she should, I guess?) Anyway, I let her get a little older to see how her speech progressed on its own. But when she started primary, and all the little 3 and 4-year-olds sounded so much older than Gwen, I decided to talk to a doctor about it. 

Last Wednesday, Gwen was tested to see how much she understood what was being said to her. She scored in the average range. Today, she was tested to see how much she could express herself, and scored in the average range again, but just barely. I really liked how they tested her. She surprised me with how much she did understand, it was just that she wasn't so good at expressing herself. I didn't realize she understood just about everything I told her. Today, her articulation was also tested, and that was well below the average mark. (Probably why she scored low in expressing herself.) After all the testing, it was discovered that Gwen has two types of lisps -lateral and frontal. Her tongue slips between her teeth (frontal) and other sounds get pushed into her cheeks (lateral.) Her speech therapist said she never saw someone with both lisps before, but it's a really good thing we discovered it early (how could we not have?) She usually starts therapy with eight-year-olds when then come in, but by then it's really hard to correct. So there's a good chance that Gwen's speech will start to clear. She sees the therapist once a week and we'll be given exercises for her to do everyday at home. Then when she starts school, she'll have speech practice there as well. Hopefully, she won't be teased too much, but Gwen has a great sense of humor and is so friendly, I think she'll do just fine with others. I think her over-friendliness is a little more shocking for kids than her speech.

So my little girl has a lisp. If we're not careful, Phoebe could pick it up from her sister. We have to correct her all the time to  make sure she makes the correct shapes with her tongue. (The therapist noticed that Gwen's tongue was a bit bigger, which might be why she's lisping.) But I'm glad that it's just a lisp and not a learning disability or something even more serious. She's perfectly fine, she just needs some speech lessons. 

And she's just that more adorable. 

My First Baby

My little girl turned four yesterday! She was ecstatic from the moment she woke up. "I'm four! I'm really four! Oh, it IS my birthday!" When she got down stairs and saw two balloons on the floor, she screamed. Then she declared it the "best birthday EVER!" Then she saw the pink princess table decorations and was rendered speechless. (God blessed me with an easy to please child, since I have zero creativity when it comes to decorating and throwing parties.) At church she told everyone that it was her birthday, and was all smiles when the primary sang to her. She even got to say the prayer and read the scripture at the microphone. Her day was just getting better and better. After church, we had a family party for her, and just basked in the attention. Her unrelenting excitement melted my heart. Since Gwen has two little siblings to compete with, I'm glad we were able to make her feel so special on her birthday. 

Here are some recent Gwen Facts:

She's incredibly bright. She reads now. There are very few words that she can't figure out. We read to her a lot, but she taught herself how to read. The downside - Logan and I can't spell out words to each other that we don't want Gwen to know. The upside - she can read! I don't feel so bad now that we can't send her to preschool. 

She's the friendliest kid I know. She greets every other kid she meets like they are her best friend. "I missed you! I love you so much!" She's a big hugger.

She's a great big sister. When Isaac cries, she is right there to sing to him. When she gets a special treat, she makes sure Phoebe gets one too. She can be so patient with them, too. She has such a big heart.

Her favorite reads are parenting magazines and she's been known to read the phone book. 

She loves to run and kick a soccer ball up and down the yard, and she's darn good at it! 

I can go on all day about my baby. She is beautiful and charming and funny. She is growing up so fast. Breaks my heart a little.

Gorgeous! I want to scoop her up right now and never let her go. Next year I'll be sending her off to school...  I don't think I'll be ready for that!

When You Have Two Sisters...

You wake up thinking "What's going on around here?!" a lot.

Just go with the flow.