Big BIG Beds!

The kids were very excited to set up their big BIG beds, as Kenzie calls them. They helped, some, mostly dumped out the washers over and over. Grant was fascinated by all the tools and gizmos! It took a better part of a Saturday, but Joshua (with minimal help from me) put a bunk bed in their room.

McKenzie was very, very excited to have a "princess bed". She felt so grown up and trusted!

My fourth child had to climb up there too, you know, to test the strength of the bed...

Grant's favorite thing to do is to hang on Kenzie's bed at night and say DD, right back!! You can tell he is so comfortable on his new bed, he even got a pillow!!

*~*~*

I just found these pictures of Joshua and Grant, they were taken from a front door one year apart, almost to the day! 

December 22nd (ish)  2012

January 8th (ish)  2013

How funny is that?!?

I love how close Josh and Grant have come the past couple weeks, Grant loved having his daddy home for 3 weeks during Christmas break.

Surgery

I've mentioned 'recovery' some in other posts, I wasn't talking about baby recovery, but in a way, it is.

I was a good size with Kenzie...

Remember how big I got with Grant?

(and this was taken a month before he was born!)

I got even bigger with Aspen!!

So really, I just had a tummy tuck. :)

I had an umbilical hernia and one long vertical tear in my muscle just above my belly button. 

I've known for about 2 years now, and now is a good time to take care of it. The surgeon did a great job, everything went well and I'm doing fine now, just taking it easy. (it is SO hard! to 'take it easy', I could write a whole other post on this!!)

I wasn't going to write about having this surgery at all, but I feel it may be good to get it out of my head. 

I was very scared. I had surgery when I was seven, and all I remember hurting a lot. But my main concern was and still is if I'll be able to have more children. I was reassured that if I wait a little longer for the next baby, my abs would be able to stretch with me. 

My next concern was my milk supply and getting back to Aspen pronto.
Both of which are no longer concerns. 

I'm so grateful my parents-in-law are so quick to jump in and watch the kids!
It has set me at ease knowing they can come help.

I woke up in recovery in a lot of pain and unable to speak for a while, which meant I didn't get pain medicine until the anesthesiologist noticed the tears down my face. About 30 minutes later, I kept my eyes closed when Joshua came into my room. It was very painful to cry. And boy would I have liked to cry then!

I'll just say I have a new appreciation and sympathy for anyone who has had surgery and for their care takers. 

Joshua was wonderful, as usual, and loved taking care of me. I am a spoiled wife, no joke. He helped me so much he threw out his own back ten days later. So there we were, two oldies, broken and sore, taking care of the 4 and 2 year-old, and 7 week old. Luckily we picked the right time to be out of commission. We had his family taking care of us a lot, plus people from church and we are much better off with all their help!

One More Party

My dad came rolling by in his big truck for the weekend. The children were very happy to see Grandpa! He brought them both a birthday present, he could hardly carry Kenzie's. She got a barbie car (mostly because I always wanted on when I was little). Her face was priceless! She sat in it a solid hour since it would take a day for the battery to charge. Grant pushed her too, a great way to keep them busy, no? Grant got an airport track, which keeps him very busy too!

Luckily, we hadn't celebrated Kenzie's birthday with the Foster's yet so we did on Sunday night and my dad got to be there. Grandpa Foster came too, straight from Arizona. Kenzie had a friend party and a family party, but I think we confused her since she keeps asking if she's five now.




I've decided on any warm day I can, the children and I are going for a walk. We have been inside so much since November, for very good reasons; huge pregnant, new baby, surgery. We also get easily dehydrated, so I grabbed some cups and we all went out to the spicket to get some water, then out to the wild unknown. The children armed themselves with sticks, so we were definitely safe. I enjoyed feeling the sun burn my face and seeing Grant get mud all over his hands.

These guys love being outside, we can look at the horse, chase chickens, jump on the trampoline...I'm very excited to be recovered and for warmer weather. Hold the bugs please.

Birthdays Galore

We had a string of birthdays to parallel the holidays.


First was Aspen, born 10 days overdue. (I must be very comfortable on the inside.) Her birth was fast and easy. I love the first sight of a new baby, love the rush of love sweeping over my heart. It's so fun to adore someone I've barely met.

 I loved watching Joshua faun over her, beginning to build her confidence the moment she's born.

She is so excited, you can tell she loves her already!

Kenzie's telling everyone she has a baby sister!

Grant is thinking, "I' guess I'm not the youngest anymore..."

One happy Daddy!

Sweet little feet!

Joshua picked out her bow, he says she likes blue.

My next favorite part of bringing a new spirit into our family is watching the older children meet the baby. Grant already wants to help Aspen, his job is finding the binkie. McKenzie wanted to be her mommy right away and change her diaper for me. She is always asking to see the baby's eyes and will comfort crying Aspen from wherever she is in the house. Once, we thought she was asleep, but she cooed, "it's ok baby girl, you're alright" from her bedroom when Aspen was just whimpering. I'm very grateful the children still love the baby who takes up so much of my time and energy.

*********

Grant turned 2. I couldn't believe it. I guess I thought he was going to be my baby Grant man forever but at the same time I feel like he should be 3, not barely 2. He has become very intense, loves to scream and run and wrestle. But his lovey dovey side is still there, just hidden most times. He's so quick to say sorry and he'll notice when I'm hurting or sad and try to mourn with me. Grant is very observant, he mimics others well, especially Kenzie. He is unusually obedient, even at his 'terrible' age.

 I love you Grant man! I love you're excitement and enthusiasm over the smallest things. You care about everyone's feelings, even the chicken's and the dog. You are growing so fast and I'm enjoying having your kind and energetic spirit in our family.

***********

I had a good birthday; breakfast in bed, didn't have to do dishes or change diapers, and Josh made a delectable dinner and one amazing chocolate cake. (no surprise there!) Very relaxing.

I was afraid my hair would catch fire from all the candles!

Kenzie will turn 4 tomorrow. I just put her to bed, I'm not sure I wanted to do that. But at the same time, I have been treating her like a 5 year-old since she insists on bargaining with me and disciplining others; mainly her brother and stuffed animals.

So it logically makes sense that she will be 4 in a few hours, but there's still that part of me that wants her to be little, a little longer.

*************

McKenzie's birthday party was a huge success! (especially once Grant calmed down, he thought it was his birthday, again). Kenzie had one friend over and they had a great time eating cake, doing presents and decorating wands. I think they had the most fun chasing the balloons!

Oh Kenzie, you are my cutie pie Kenzie. You are so easy to love and easy to trust, especially if we need a laugh, you will provide. Thank you for helping me so much with the baby and recovering. I will never forget when you were born, my heart leaped at the sight of you. Your happy go lucky attitude eases the daily grind. You can always brighten my day. I love you!!

***********

One Year in One Post

I guess I only post annually now, but hopefully more often since we now have internet. We've had a long year. A move, new job, and new baby! Aspen is a very big bundle of strawberries, cute and sweet!

She smiles a lot and has a similar mellow nature that Grant used to have. Emphasis on the 'used to'.

Kenzie was beyond estatic she finally had a new baby sister

She is quite the easy baby and has made the 2 to 3 kids a good transition. More on her later, right now, I'm going to wrap up 2013 in one post using only pictures. They tell most of the story :) Our last few months in Atlanta were so fun! We were so sad to leave all our friends and the beautiful country.

Our new house is also very, very old. Josh spent his teenage years living in this house, built by his great grandfather. There's plenty of room on the outside; a trampoline, a dog, cats, and chickens! The kids could have played outside all day every day and never be bored!

and Happy New Year!