So Behind

I can't believe how far behind I am on posting pictures. I have pictures from Jacks 3rd birthday which was two months ago, family pictures, halloween, playing in the leaves, corn maze, Avas Birthday and I am sure there are many more. Jake always tells me I take too many pictures but I keep reminding him that he is the one that bought me the camera! Here is a picture of all three kids together when we went up to Dry Fork Canyon about a month ago to get some pictures of the kids.

Pain in the neck

Dear Samuel,

Just a note to tell you how much we love you and how sorry we are your neck is hurting you. It brings tears to my eyes to see how much pain you are in and I wish I could just take your pain away. Please get back to being the sweet, loving, happy Sam you are!

Love Mommy and Daddy

Poor little Sam woke up Friday night screaming in pain from his, back, neck and shoulders. We think he just slept funny and woke up in terrible pain from stiff muscles. He wasn't doing any better by Sunday even with Motrin, heat pack, massage, and warm showers so Jake took him to the ER (for some odd reason urgent care is not open here in Vernal on Sundays) They recommend doing a CT because in some cases neck injuries are not seen on x-ray. CT scan looked great so it is probably just a really bad case of stiff muscles. They sent him home with a neck brace which hurts him because it keeps his neck more straight but it will hopefully help him to be able to relax and hold his neck more upright. Poor boy has been walking around so slowly and crooked with his back turned to one side and his head and neck to the other side since Saturday. Every time you touch him or if he thinks you are going to touch him he screams in pain. The hospital recommend we talk to a spinal surgeon who comes to town on Wednesday just to be safe. Most likely he will be just fine and hopefully in a couple days should be back to his normal self.

First full day of being ONE!

I still cannot believe that my little girl is really ONE! We actually had her open her present and do the big cake smash today instead of yesterday because both her and Jack were really cranky from no naps and poor little Ava had to get the H1N1 shot on her birthday. She did great and quit crying right after the nurse handed me a sucker for her. She thoroughly enjoyed the sucker the whole ride home.

Ava loved every minute of her little party and I have to say I enjoyed every second watching her. I literally took 498 pictures of her so I have got a ton to go through! Here in one picture I took of her this morning in her cute birthday tutu. It is quite fun to dress my little girl up.....even though she will not keep tutus, shoes, clips, bows or pigtails in for very long!

First Birthday

At one WEEK old

At one YEAR old

Today is your birthday and you turned one year old. It is hard to believe that one year ago today you left your Heavenly Father's arms and joined your family here on Earth. We are truly blessed to call you our daughter. How can it be that one year has gone by, it all just seems to happened in a blink of an eye. You love your mommy and always want to be around her. You love wrestling, cuddling and sharing fruit snacks with your daddy. You love to play with your brothers and try so hard to be included. They are both pretty good about including you, especially Sam. I love seeing my two redheads play, wrestle and cuddle together!

You have grown so much in just a year......you are still tiny weighing only 16lbs but my how you have changed. You smile, laugh, giggle, crawl as fast as you can, cruise around furniture, babble when you want something, say dada, clap your hands, give high fives, has 10 teeth, knows when your not supposed to be doing something, when you get caught your immediately stop what you are doing and crawl away as fast as you can giggling the whole time, wrestles, gives kisses, and cuddles, eats some food, still nurses, still waking up several times a night, starting to figure out a sippy cup, loves to take off shoes, socks hair bow and clips, loves to find anything off the floor and immediately try it out in your mouth, you dance, you sing and best of all you love us unconditionally!

You have been a great baby....minus the no binky and bottle! I cherish all those times we have had together when it's just you and me and we get our time to cuddle and talk. I have felt happy and sad all at the same time today. I love watching you grow and discover new things but I am also having a hard time letting you grow up. I suppose that ever mother goes through this. But do you babies have to grow up so fast?! I love you my Ava Lynne and want to thank you for the opportunity I have had this past year getting to know you and giving me the opportunity to love you.

Happy Birthday baby girl

Just me and my kitty

I caught Samuel giving our kitty Olivia some much needed attention! I'm not sure if Sam likes Olivia more or if Olivia likes Sam more!

These boots are made for walking!

Jack trying out daddy's boots! This happens every so often. The boys love to wear their daddy's shoes and pretend to be him. Jack could barely walk in them since they came up past his knees so Sam was being a great helper by holding him up and helping him walk!

First Snowfall of the Season

We had our first snowfall of the season today and when the boys woke up the couldn't stop looking out the window while dancing around and singing about the snow. They were already wanting to get their coats on and go outside. Sam had preschool this morning so I told them after school I would let them go out and play in the snow. It's a good thing I let them go out right after school because it was all melted by noon! Seeing the first snowfall got me all excited for the upcoming Christmas season!