Totally Tubular Times

Since I only have random miscellaneous things to say, I'm going to make a bullet list. Then my thoughts will appear to be organized, even though they are not.

• Logan slept better last night than he has in months. I believe that this is due in part to his 2nd top tooth poking through. I woke up early and got about a billion things done because I felt so good. Sleep will do that to you. I think I overdid it though because it is only lunchtime and I am ready for bed again.
• Jane is getting tubes put in on Thursday. She has had several ear infections over the last few years, even though she never had them as a baby. I didn't think kids as old as her needed to get tubes until the doctor said something about it. Since then, we've noticed she is not hearing well, even in between infections. I used to think that she just had problems saying her letters, but now am realizing that she's just hearing them wrong to begin with. How frustrating for her, but she is enjoying the attention and is very excited to miss school for the surgery. Don't tell her I said this, but I am hoping that once it is done she will not talk and yell quite so loudly! Seriously though, I do think it will help her out a lot.
  
• Logan has had two ear infections since getting his own tubes last month. The puss is draining nicely, so we feel like those tubes have already proven their worth. Jane is grossed out by it and won't sit close to him because she doesn't want to see it. Wonder what she'll do when she gets one of her own. And this is coming from the girl who licks hot dog juice off her plate when she is done.
  
• We have a family bet every now and then. Last summer we bet on what day the snow would be melted off Timp. More recently, we bet what day all of the snow would be melted off the yard. So far my date has come and gone, but everyone else did much better at guessing next week, which looks likely at this point. Yea for sunshine. I have officially deemed it warm enough for the kids to walk to and from school again. It is quite nice to not have to load the car every morning and is good for them as well, I think.
  
• Speaking of school, I registered Hannah for Kindergarten yesterday. She is so eager to start. So very eager. I can't believe I will have 3 kids in school. How do I decide who gets the box tops?
• I get to experience my first Blue and Gold banquet this week as both a Cub Scout leader and a parent. Next will be my first pinewood derby. It doesn't get much better than this! I am guessing that Taylor's car will be painted blue with BYU logos on it. That is his latest craze.
  
• Speaking of Taylor, he coughed up his slopes fund last weekend and he and Jef went to Sundance. Taylor did really good at saving, but didn't have quite enough, so Jef covered the rest. Then he wrote a book about it called "The parable of the slopes," which he sold at Deseret Book. Just kidding, I hope that's not sacrilegious. Taylor said he fell a lot, but still had fun.
  
• Since the boys were planning their slopes trip, I recently signed the girls up for this thing put on at our city center called "Princess Academy." They LOVED it. Dressing up, crafts, even a little lunch served. I got to go follow them around and take lots of pictures. It was fun to see Hannah sitting in her princess get up and fake burping in the other girl's faces. I am so proud of my little ladies.

Some pictures at the park in this tropical weather we've been having

Princess Academy

I stand corrected

I was reading over the last entry and hope no one got the wrong idea or is going to try and refer me to counselors. I wrote that a after a really long night and now I am thinking it sounds very dramatic and lame. I guess Logan isn't the only one around here who tries to get lots of attention! We all need to vent sometimes right, but seriously, Julie. Anyway thanks for the nice comments. Great advice.

Joined at the Hip

I have not felt like blogging in a long time. I have not kept up on a lot of things in a long time. I have not slept in a really, really long time.
I keep thinking - why has our family been so busy lately and why have I been so stressed out and tired? I've blamed Jef's school, I've blamed our church callings, I've blamed the laundry, the messy house, the playgroup, the holiday rush, recuperating from the holiday rush, the projects we've been trying to do, even the fact that it is February and therefore just a depressing month. These things are all true, but they are not the real issue.
I think I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that our dear sweet Logan, who I love so much, is a very, very time-consuming baby. More-so than other babies. Much more, more-so. I haven't fully embraced this truth before because I haven't wanted to make him feel bad. I really like him a lot, but it's time to face facts. I thought once he got out of the newborn stage it would help. Then I thought once he had his tube surgery done it would be better. But it's not better - in fact, I think it may actually be getting worse.
I am holding him as I type this. I shower with him crying outside the door. I sleep (in spurts) while holding him. I wear him in my backpack while I cook dinner. Jef and I even took him on a double date with us last weekend because we didn't want to overwhelm the babysitter. After trying to hold him in one arm while simultaneously helping the Wolves with the projects they were doing for Den Meeting this week, I turned to my fellow den leader and exclaimed in exasperation - I might as well just have him surgically attached to me! I've been pondering this idea and am not sure it's such a bad thing.
When I was pregnant with said child and seeing the doctor for one of my final check ups, the doc told me that I seemed very calm for a mother of 4. I loved this compliment (I was nine months pregnant and would have loved ANY compliment.) But then he turned to me and said, "This might be the straw that breaks the camel's back...." I may be adding things to my memory, but I'm pretty sure his voiced echoed and I got the chills when he said that. It was like it was prophetic or something
So, with all due respect to Logan I tell you this. We've given him enough excuses - ear infections, swine flu, Roseola, RSV, colic, allergic reactions, and getting teeth excuses. But I'm tired of excuses. His siblings are growing restless. Jef and I are worn thin. Our Logan has way too much spirit for such a small body to contain!
Anyway, if you've actually taken all of the time to read this really long post that probably sounds quite whiny and complainy hang in there - my point is coming:
In finally accepting the reality I call Logan, I've had a revelation. I am not a camel, I'm a person. This Mommy thing is not just something I am doing until I can get on with my life. It IS what I want to do with my life. I don't even care if Logan never grows out of this stage. I wouldn't trade him or any of my other kids. I am lucky to have him. I going to try harder to put off what commitments are put-off-able and focus on the basics. Relax a little more. Pray a lot more. And just take things one day at a time. I've had some sobering eye-openers lately reminding me how lucky I am to have what I do. Cliche though it may be, I'm thankful to know that Families are Forever.

P.S. Here are some pictures of us.Understandably jealous Jono. We have not forgotten you! We hope you had a happy third birthday!!

Taylor and Jane "helping" him open his new Woody and Bullseye.

The sheriff enjoying his cupcakes served on Lightening McQueen plates while wearing a Diego backpack.

Just a couple of small projects we got done. A coat rack and painting the girl's room. It is fun to have them done, although the room looks much more like rainbow sherbet than I originally anticipated.

Good times at Hogle Zoo with awesome cousins

Logan. You are adorable.

Once in a Blue Moon

Last week, according to my husband, who is the king of random cool information, was a blue moon. This means that there was an extra full moon this year, which is rare. I thought it was fitting that it happened on Jane's birthday, since now it is verified that girls like her only come along once in a blue moon. Also, that's about how often I've been updating my blog lately, so I'm going to try a super-post to wrap up 2009 and recap things that have happened in the past while.

We'll start with the birthday girl Janiecakes, who is now the big 7.
Received almost all things Littlest Pet Shop for Christmas and her birthday, and therefore got exactly what she wanted. Informed me that even though we usually light off fireworks for her since her birthday is on New Years Eve, she doesn't really like it that much, so we skipped it this year. Likes coloring, doing crafts, and being read too, but does not like writing in the journal her teacher asked her to keep over the break. Loves hot dogs, sausage, and bacon. Got strep throat on Christmas day and had to wait it out since for some reason we couldn't find a doctor's office open anywhere that day. Likes to eat snow, no matter where she finds it.

Jonathan. Who is called Jono so often he may not even be aware that he has a full name.
Learned to pick bathroom/bedroom doors with a butter knife resulting in no privacy as well as a strange trail of cutlery scattered throughout the house. Loves pretending to turn down his hearing aid whenever someone does the Junior Wilderness Explorer call. Is the most fearless of all kids on the local sledding hill. Hits people in the face to get their attention and then promptly apologizes as though he had no idea he was going to do such a thing. Would rather be visiting his Grandparents than anywhere else in the world.

Jef. Who finished his first semester of his EMPA program, as well as his leg lamp. The real question is, which was he more excited about? Got to (had to) be home with us the last two Wednesday nights and didn't even have homework to do the rest of the time. Helped Santa get Taylor a snowboard and therefore gets to take Taylor to the slopes at least once this winter. It's about time he used the skiis in the basement. May have started a new Christmas tradition by shooting his marshmallow gun at the kids shortly after they acted out the Nativity. As of last week, has been married to me for 10 years.

Taylor. Has started a "slopes" jar to save money in so that he can help Jef pay for the big event. Saved up $6 last month and asked to be taken to the dollar store so that he could buy us each a Christmas present. Loves his new Wii Resort game and begs to have someone play it with him - he does not enjoy "alone" time. Has discovered that he likes reading and vows to have Percy
Jackson read before the movie comes out next month. Is quite the little comedian and does not believe in straight faces, or even just regular smiles in any photograph taken of him.

Logan. Rang in the new year with ringing in his own ears and will probably have to get tubes put in soon. Can pretty much crawl now, but adapts to our wood floors with his own kind of bum scoot/crawl. Discovered that wrapping paper is not only pretty, but absolutely delicious. He loves other solid foods as well and is very advanced for his age in his eating abilities. After months of sleeping in his own bed, decided that this being sick business causes Mom and Dad to hold you all night, which is much, much better. Apparently, requires a very small amount of sleep to keep highly energized. We think he much have some kind of new lithium battery that allows him to keep going with little recharging. Loves his older siblings, but is also learning to antagonize Jono and they fight over mom and dad's lap space. Likes to clap and his favorite place is the bathtub.

Julie. Thanks to Jef even her children refer to her as Bruce some days. Would like to know how to replace her batteries with some of Logan's. Doesn't want Christmas Break to be over yet. Is waiting for her new present of blinds on the front windows to be installed so that they neighbors can't see her walking around in her PJs much later than is socially acceptable each day. After all of the illnesses passed around our home so far this winter, is thinking about going back and getting a Medical Degree. Did almost all of her Christmas shopping online this year and recommends it to anyone with small children and a long way to drive. Thank you sister, for informing me about Walmart's sight to store.

Hannah Banana. May be one of the only people I know who wears dresses and skirts under her snow pants. Idolizes her primary teacher. Can quote movies with the best of them. Has learned from Jane every song and rhyme that a 1st-grader comes home with, and is getting impatient to start school herself. Loves to dance and pose. Is the excuse queen for reasons not to go to bed and apparently has magical powers as well. The other day after she told me that cleaned her room, she somehow enchanted all of her toys to scatter themselves all over the floor again. She swears that she really did clean and that somehow they did this all by themselves, so I can come up with no other explanation.

Anyway, Happy New Year! We hope this next year brings as much fun stuff as the last, and maybe even more.

A Whole Handful

Hannah turned five this week. My Grandma Callister used to tell me that when I got to be five I would be a whole handful, and Hannah loves this story. She's been telling everyone that she's now a whole handful, but I think she has been for a while! This afternoon I took her to get her five-year-old check up and shots. She now thinks that she needs to start Kindergarten immediately, and asked me tonight if she will be going to school in the morning. It is hard to explain to her that she will start when she is five, but not until next fall.

I've decided that since Jef and I have 5 five kids now, that means we have a whole handful. I admit (and you may have sensed from my last few blog posts) that I've been feeling a little overwhelmed lately and sometimes I get a little sarcastic/whiny about it. But I want everyone to know that I am thankful for this life I have, for my family, for our blessings. I wouldn't change it. I am thankful for the peace and love I always feel during this Holiday season . I am thankful for our Savior and all the ways I can see his hand in my life.

Now, here's some pictures of the last little while:
Logan isn't crawling, but seems to get around pretty well. He has learned to do the old scoot backwards-and-get stuck under the couch bit, and so I took a picture of it.

The other night Logan pulled himself up to standing in his crib. Jane and Hannah called for us to hurry and get in there and see. We all cheered and laughed and took pictures and even lowered his crib mattress to be safe, but he hasn't done it since. I talked to Jane about it again the next morning and she admitted that she may have "helped" him. Taylor used to do the same thing with Hannah - telling us she could roll over, but somehow she only seemed to be able to do it when we left the room. Ah well, at least we got some cute photos.

Here's one last shot of Hannah as a 4-year-old. Just posing like she always does.

Thanksgiving dinner with Jef's family and Jono at the head of the table (with his shoes and socks off - his latest obsession.) I don't think I've ever been out to eat for Thanksgiving before, and I must admit, it was pretty awesome to get lots of good food and fun and not have to cook anything or wash any dishes. We also went out to a movie afterwards, something we haven't done in ages. Thank you Jef's family for a fun day. And Jay, Taylor has been bragging to all of his friends that he has ridden in a mini-cooper AND a Scion.
Everybody loves parfait.

Jane thought that the food coloring I always put in when I make birthday cake frosting was what made it so good, so she tried drinking some. I think she was quite surprised to find that it doesn't taste nearly as good as it looks. Somehow we didn't believe her when she first told us that she didn't do it - the purple mouth might have given her away.

The birthday bash with my family. Hannah came out all dressed up, so we spread the word that everyone else who wanted to was welcome come in costume. Apparently, all of the kids wanted too. And they looked awesome.
I always refer to these as "cousin parties," but Hannah kept asking when all of her "friends" were coming over. I'm glad that her cousins are some of her best friends. Yea for cousins.
Cousins pictures. I loved these shots.

In the midst of all of the holiday/birthday excitement, poor Logan had a rough couple of weeks. He had a cold and an ear infection and then had an allergic reaction to his antibiotic. He got hives all over and his his entire face swelled up. I know this picture is so sad, but this was actually taken after he was doing much better. I didn't even put the saddest ones on here. I am happy to report that he looks and feels much better now, and we are so relieved to have him almost back to himself.
Jono really love the movie "UP" and keeps putting lotion in his hair and saying, "I'm Mr. Fredrickson." I'm not sure how the two connect, but it is always cute to hear a 2-year-old say the words "Mr. Fredrickson," regardless.

Taylor showing how we have mostly decorated for Christmas. We still need to put the finishing touches on Jef's leg lamp.
The stockings were hung by the chimny with care - in hopes that a mantle soon would be there...
Jef got some new home improvement-type tools for his early Christmas presents. He has already made some awesome improvements to our kitchen cupboards and uncompleted wood floors. We have great plans to start finishing the basement, but we've lived in this house almost a year now and are just getting to this point, so don't hold your breath.
Hannah's real birthday. (We had her party a little early.) She really loved this 5 candle. She made me put it in the hot dogs she was having for lunch and sing to her.
Since the kids get so many wonderful and much-appreciated presents from their Grandparents, cousins, and even Great-grandparents, Jef and I don't need to buy them much. So way back when Taylor turned two, we decided to start a tradition of using the money we would've spent on presents to go do something fun - we went on a steamboat ride to be exact. The tradition has kind of evolved to simpler things and we don't even spend much money most of the time, but we still try to do something around each kids birthday. On Hannah's birthday night we went out to eat and then to see the lights on temple square. It was a really fun and special night. We love you Hane-bo-daner.

I'm feeling just swine, thank you

Well, it's a good thing we squeezed in a vacation when we did because we spent the rest of the the month of October getting sick, then getting better, then getting sick again. By some miracle Jef was the only one who never got sick at all. As punishment for his doing well while we all felt horrible, he was forced to take care of us and listen to us complain. He handled it quite well, but I have a feeling that it wasn't the funnest vacation time he's ever taken.
The silver linings: I didn't eat nearly as much Halloween candy as usual this year, we got to spend lots of quality time together watching movies and not having to change out of our pajamas, we have become close friends with all of the lovely people at the Pediatrics office, and we don't have to get vaccinated for the swine flu. Please do not call it H1N1. The swine flu is definitely the more appropriate name.
Also, when we have all been able to get out and do stuff, we certainly appreciate it more. This has been one of the prettiest autumns I remember in a long time.
Logan at the park. Can you believe he is 6 months old now and has gotten his first tooth. He also says Dada. So far the score is Jef -4, Julie - 1. Jonathan was the only kid to say Mama first.

This is the stone pillar at our park that says "park" on it. I think it used to say the whole name of the park at one point, but all we really know is that Hannah likes to climb on it and do some major belly dancing for the whole neighborhood.
Taylor at his school costume parade. Jane didn't go to school that day, but she wasn't really sick that day, she just refused to go. We think there was a little first grade drama going on, so we tried to be patient and firm at the same time. We told her if she was going to stay home, she was absolutely not allowed to have fun. It was a little hard to monitor, but it must have worked a little, because she was anxious to go back again on Monday.
Where Jef found Jono watching TV. He may be just a little jealous these days. The other clue is the fact that he follows me around hanging onto my clothes and fake-crying. He has also started trying to change his own diapers. A step towards potty-training, I suppose, but not a very sanitary one.
This is Halloween night. Hannah was "Sick-or-treating," which means that she had to watch out the window. You can tell she didn't feel good because she hardly complained. Good thing she dresses up like a princess all of the time, so she will still get lots of chances to use the costume that we didn't have to buy for her to begin with. Taylor and Logan were both in bed at this point, and didn't even bother to go to the window.
Little does he know, his turn will come in a couple of days. He is just enjoying being a really useful engine.


I got this dog costume for Taylor when he wasn't even two yet. Talk about one size fits all. I love it that Jane didn't even ask for a new costume and just figured she'd use something we already had.
Please tell me if you notice anything out of place in the above picture.
Happy late Halloween everyone. And hello Holiday Season - I am sooo excited to spend our first Christmas here in our home. Last year we really enjoyed the time spent with my parents, but it will be fun to be able to get out our own tree and all that stuff that was in storage last Christmas. We've already started watching Christmas movies.