Fun in the Sun

Saturday we decided to go to the beach. I had a Primary Activity that morning and after I got home we decided to pack up the girls and go swimming. It was a beautiful day. Hot and humid as usual but the water was gorgeous. It was warm and very calm. This is how Cecely spent most of the day at the beach. I took her down to the water and dipped her little feet in. It was really sunny so I tried to keep her in the shade. There was a nice breeze blowing, so she just laid down and does what she does best, sucking her thumb.
Bailey loves to dig and look for shells. She takes after her father in this regard. She is perfectly content digging all day. She does love the water, but the dirt interests her more.
Aislynn is my water baby. She loves the water. The waves do not scare her at all. She loves to float and put her face all the way in. She really loves it when big waves crash over her. Daddy taught her how to turn her body away from the waves, she is quite the pro in the water.
Daddy and Aislynn enjoying the water. Bailey of course was playing in the dirt. Daddy loves the fact that he has someone to go swimming with him. Mom is always taking the pictures and tending to baby Cecely.
Here are my water babies. All three of them. I am sure if Cecely could get up and walk this is where she would want to be as well. It was such a great day at the beach. We found lots of beautiful shells and coral. The girls had a fabulous time. They were so tired afterwards. They fell asleep in the car. Cecely enjoyed herself too. She just took everything in. She even got sand in her peach fuzz of a head. I tried to get it out which turned out to be a baby massage on her head and she loved it. She just smiled and cooed the whole time. We love our beach days!!

My Big Girls

Ever since Cecely has been born I have noticed how my two older girls are getting so much bigger. Not just growing, but growing up. They can successfully go number one and two on the potty. They can pull their own pants on and off when they do go. They only thing I have to do is wipe their little bottoms. The can drink out of big girl cups. They can for the most part brush their teeth, with a little extra help from me. They pick out their outfits. They can do their puzzles and say their ABC's. They fold their arms and can follow us in prayers. In church they know that the Sacrament is "Jesus' bread and water". They can get up into their carseats and buckle (and unbuckle much to my dismay) their seat belts. This last Sunday I was cleaning up the Primary room and putting away the microphone and Aislynn had just come from Nursery. She saw I had the microphone and immediately took it and started singing into it "I am a Child of God". At night when they are tucked into bed they say "I love you Mom and Dad". I love you mucho is usually what they say. They can eat with spoons and forks. They can put their shoes on, and on the right feet no less. They give incredible hugs and kisses. They know when mom and dad are happy or sad. They love eachother. They play and fight so well. They are constantly asking, "what's that Mom? "what are you doing mom? "mom what are you eating"? That usually means that they want some of whatever I am eating. I remember not being able to wait for their first spoonfuls of rice cereal, their first step or word. I couldn't wait until they were potty trained or until they could tell me what they wanted or what hurt. Now, it seems like it all went to fast. They are growing up whether or not I want them to, it is happening. Aislynn came up to me and gave me a big hug and said "momma your my good friend". Bailey is so good with her little sister. Aislynn is too, but she tends to be a little more rough with her. Bailey will stroke her head and talk to her. She brings her toys. Cecely already loves her sisters. She gives them big smiles and talks to them. I see Cecely getting bigger. She laughs and smiles. She coo's and has some great fat rolls. I almost just want to breathe in her babyness. I know before long it will be gone too. I am very proud of my little girls. I love the fact that they are growing up to be little girls. They test me to my limits and fill my heart with overwhelming joy. I am in awe of them everyday. Here's to my big girls. Momma loves you.

Two month checkup for the Peanut!!!

Well the Peanut had her two month appointment yesterday. She passed with flying colors. She is 22 inches long. She is a shorty. That doesn't suprise me though all of my children have been short. I am not a giant you know. She is 12 pounds 9 ounces. She is a chunky monkey. I love it. There is nothing cuter than a rollie pollie baby. She smiles and coos. She is such a happy baby. She loves to listen to music and she loves her sisters. No matter how rough they can sometimes be with her she will still give them a great big smile. She loves it when her daddy comes home and he can spend some time with her. The proof is in the last picture. She had to get five shots yesterday. Three in one leg and two in the other. It was hard for mommy. No matter how many times you do this, it never becomes easy. In Utah, our pediatrician had a couple of nurses that would come in and each had a needle and they would get it over with in one shot. However here there was just one nurse so it was five pokes one right after the other. She did okay though. She was a trooper. She ate at eight last night and went to bed at around 10. I tried to feed her before she went down but she wouldn't have it. She slept until 8:00 this morning. I could not believe it.

She is growing by leaps and bounds. She is a wonderful baby and so much fun to be around. Her sisters love her and love to give her big hugs and kisses everyday. Our lives seem to be getting back to normal again. Whatever normal is. The girls no longer take naps. They just play the whole time and Bailey had another "playing in the poop" episode. She hasn't done it for so long. They end up falling asleep on the couch around 3:30 or become so angry and tired and frustrated at eachother that it becomes like a wrestling match. I have realized that I have more children than arms. Cecely often gets interrupted in feedings by mama having to discipline someone, or break up a fight, or kiss a boo boo. Thank heavens she is a patient baby for the most part. We miss our friends and family. We wish you could be here with us. I hate the fact that my children are growing up with out any family around. More pictures coming soon!!!

New Do's Pretty Princess

As you can see at our house we had a family hair cut day. Coraly, who is one of our dear friends and a member of our ward, just finished beauty school and volunteered to come over and give us all haircuts. We decided to go a little shorter for Bailey. She has such beautiful curls, but they can get a bit unruly at times. She has also never had her hair actually cut, just her bangs. So we went shorter and she looks beautiful. She loves her hair and was very pampered. Coraly blow dried it and gave her a beautiful clip to put in it. She did very well and was a good pampered princess. Aislynn got her hair trimmed and also layered on the sides to keep it out of her face. She has such beautiful straight hair. The color is so beautiful. She loved it as well and was a very good and beautiful princess. Both got star treatment and beautiful clips. Coraly did an excellent job and was so good with the girls. The last picture is to show all of you who don't believe me.... I have a thumbsucker on my hands. She has done this since the womb. We have the ultra sound pictures to prove it. We try and pull her hand out of her mouth and give her the binkie, it only works on occasion. She still goes for it when she sleeps. It's not all the time, but still. We are doing really well. The girls are growing like weeds. The older girls love to sing and dance and play make believe. They have such great imaginations. Cecely is growing like a weed and has managed to let us sleep most of the night now. Who knows if it will become a habit or not but we are enjoying it while we can. Love to you all!!!!

Happy 4th of July

Well we had a busy day for the 4th of July. We started off our day by going to a Flag raising ceremony at the church and a pancake breakfast. That started at 8:00. After that we took our little family to a place called Dubois Park. They have a lagoon there that is perfect for the girls to swim in. There are no waves so the girls can wade out there and play all they want. It was a bit crowded but worth it. It was a hot sunny day. It has been raining a lot here, which is great we need the rain, but you have to choose your activities very wisely.
This is how Cecely spent most of the trip. She was relaxed and loving the big chair. There was a slight breeze that came through so she was set. We dunked her feet in the water to see if she would wake up but she was out like a light. What a life....
Here is the lagoon. It was really fun. We sat next to a couple who had a little girl and boy. They were so nice. They shared juice and toys with the girls.
After a day in the sun the girls took a breather. They sat in the nice shade and some drinks and snacks. Of course the break doesn't last long and they are out again in the sun ready for some more water.
Here is our beautiful Cecely. This was her outfit yesterday. I bought these great headbands off of ebay. They really don't sale headbands here in Florida so I bought these off line. They are made by a lady in Utah. They are big and obnoxious but I love them. We had a great time at the beach. The girls loved it. After that we came home and got showers and then we were off to the Bishop's house for a barbeque and fireworks. We had a wonderful 4th. We missed our friends and family so much. We hope you all had a wonderful day. I do feel very blessed to live in such a great country. I am so grateful that my children have the same wonderful opportunity. Thank you to all the men and women who make this country as safe as it can be for me and my family... Happy 4th everyone

Good Advice

My mother in law gave me a little book when I had Bailey and Aislynn. It is a book of quotes from famous people on children and being a mother. I never really read it when I had my two older ones. I knew there probably were some great insights into motherhood in that book, however I just never found the time to read it. The other day as I was going through the books on my bookshelf I came across it once again and decided that I should give it a quick glance and to my suprise this was the first page that I read. It brought me to tears. Then, I was reading a blog of a very good friend of mine. I say very good friend because that is what she is. We have only had the privledge of meeting in person a couple of times, but her insights into motherhood and parenting and wifing( I don't think that is a word but we will pretend that it is---the art of being a wife) are incredible. She writes such incredible blogs and it makes me jealous because I cannot write as eloquent as she, but... to finish my train of thought, I went on to her blog and low and behold she had the same quote on her blog that I had just read in my book. So, I think I will post it again because it is that good. Thankyou Small Inkling for your post. If I could write as good as Anna Quindlen this is what I would say...


by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.

I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want me to keep their doors closed more than I like. Who, miraculously go to the bathroom , zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations-- what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all. Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything. Once child responds well to postitive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. Once child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow. I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child developemnent, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too. Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made.

They have all been inshrined in the "Remember-When-Mom-Did" Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preshchool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?". (She insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking? But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing:
dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how it all turned out.

I wound up with the three people I like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were.

First Smiles

Seriously if you ever thought of angels sleeping isn't this what you would picture. She always has a half smile when she is sleeping. She is such a little doll. The cute blanket you see is courtesy of one of my best friends, Heather. Thank you Heather.
I just want to pinch those cheeks all day long. Instead I just give them lots and lots of kisses. I mean she is so adorable. All of my children are beautiful to me. I of course am severely biased, but oh well.
She has such big eyes and she tends to look at the world with this semi suprised look all the time. She is already so curious about everything. She is trying to talk and makes the cutest little faces. My favorite of course is the one below....
This is her smile. She has started to do it more and more and finally I got a picture. This just isn't any ordinary smile, her whole face lights up and she has this enormous grin. It melts my heart everytime I see it. Baby Cecely we are so blessed to have you in our home. You make all of our lives so much better. Your sisters love you and so does mommy and daddy!!
First Sunday!! There will be many more. She will learn that church is like a second home. Aislynn and Bailey already think that way between our callings and activities. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Our Peanut

This is our beautiful little peanut as of yesterday. She looks very healthy and is getting better by the day. She is eating like she has a hole in her stomach. We took her to her pediatrician today for a follow up after her hospital stay. She went into the hospital weighing 9 pounds 2 ounces as of today she weighs 9 pounds 12 ounces. The Dr. gave her a clean bill of health. She only needs to do her breathing treatments once a day and no more of the nasty oral steroids. He said her lungs sounded fabulous and couldn't believe how quickly she recovered. All I have to say is the power of prayer and the Priesthood is amazing.
As you can see she is becoming quite the chunky monkey. The Dr. asked if she was eating a lot now and I told him she is constantly hungry. He said the steroids will make her very hungry. So hopefully after we are all done with these things she won't be such a piglet. I am so happy though that she is healthy and well.
This is her tennis pro outfit. This is Daddy burping her after one of her many feedings of the day. She is such a good baby, except when hunger comes a callin then she goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat. She is so beautiful.
This is when she was two weeks old with her favorite cousing Aleigha. They were blessed on the same day. Aleigha is about 3 and a half months older. She is such a cute baby. She was also sick with a bad cold too, luckily she didn't have to stay in the hospital. How many cousins can say that they were blessed on the same day?? I am sure they will always have a special bond. Such a wonderful day.
This is Cecely at one week. How can you just not love this face? Now that we are getting back to normal more pics will come. Our family is doing much better now. Thank you for everyone's prayers and support. We love and miss you all.

Sick baby

Sorry I have not posted for a while. Our little Cece was admitted to the hospital Wednesday night for RSV. She was finally released yesterday. It has been a whirlwind around here. Someone of course had to be with her all the time up at the hospital. Poor baby had to have oxygen and had an IV put in her food, not to mention a spinal tap or lumbar puncture as they put it. She had to and still has to have breathing treatments with a nebulizer every 4 to 6 hours. She has to take an awful steroid orally every 12 to open her lungs that makes her throw up everything. We have to beat on her chest and back to help loosen up the congestion. Right now we just have to wait and see. She seems to be getting a lot better. Not such an awful cough or congestion. She has her appetite back and actually gained some ounces she has lost in the hospital. It has not been a fun time at our house. However I am hoping that all will become normal again soon. My other two princesses need lots of attention and love. They are finally glad to have their little sister back. They were not allowed to come to the hospital to see her. It was a complete sterile environment. The nurses and Dr. were incredible to my sweet baby. In times like these it makes you appreciate the medical field. I know the nurses are under paid and overworked, but they were the most incredible group of people. They were very comforting to this mother in my time of need. Thank you to all of the prayers that went out on our behalf. I know that is why she is here with us now. It was very scary but I felt all the love and comfort of a kind Heavenly Father. We love and miss our friends and family especially in times like these.

I am a Mother

Sorry there are no pictures on this post. I promise that I will put more up. Life has been very busy this past month. Instead of taking pictures of my new beautiful baby she has been to several Dr. appts. My poor baby has bronchitus, double ear infections and a cough that sounds like a barking seal. She is such a good baby though. She only cries when she is hungry. When she eats she just ends up throwing it all up because she starts coughing and her gag reflex kicks in. She is so congested. Poor baby sounds horrible. As a mother I feel completely helpless. The Dr. has to listen to her lungs to make sure they are not filling up with more fluid. She will have to then be admitted to the hospital. I can't let her temp get above 100.5 or else she has to be admitted to the hospital. She got sick from her older two sisters. They have been very sick as well. I haven't really know what sleep is for the past month. Not just because of a new baby but I have had two toddlers up all night coughing and also needing love for their fevers and pains. Bailey has decided that she needs to take her pull ups off at naptime and nighttime and take out her poop and play with it. Not just play with it but smear it all over her room and all over Aislynn and Aislynn's bed. Yesterday it took me two and a half hours to clean the room. I had to wash all of the bedding on both beds. Stick both of the girls in the shower. We don't have a tub so I have to get in with them and scrub them off. I had to scrub poop off the walls which are textured, so you know how easy that is. She had also decided to get underneath the beds and smear it all over the mattresses and carpet. This happened twice yesterday. It doesn't seem to matter what I threatend her with or how mean my voice sounds. She is acting out because of the baby I am sure and she needs love too. After many loads of laundry, many showers, a baby who is sick and can't seem to keep her food down I was completely exhausted. As the night came and I reflected on my day feeling very helpless and dreading the thought of having to do this again tomorrow I was gently reminded that I am a mother. No one said this calling as a Mother was an easy one. I am frequently reminded of how not easy it is. As a mother there are so many things that you blame yourself for. My child is acting out because of something that I obviously am not doing for them. It is a constant battle of feeling inadequate, of never quite feeling that you are giving enough and of loving too much.

As a Mother I want my children to know I love them. I never want them to doubt this. Even after poop smeared walls and spilled carpet cleaner and underwear being flushed down the toilet, I want them to know I love them. As a Mother I have come to realize that there are a lot of tears. Tears of joy, tears of frustration, tears of helplessness. I believe that if anyone need be truly humble then they should be a mother. I am reminded of a story from my husband's great grandmother Hannah. I am sure like all mothers she was feeling the same why that I felt today. Overwhelmed, exhausted she was putting clothes out on the line and she said to herself " I guess you are good for nothing but to take care of little children". Right beside her she heard a voice tell her "Do you not know that if you teach your children and bring them up acceptable before the Lord, you will accomplish one of the greatest works a woman ever perfomed on the earth?" So in all of her wisdom great grandma Hannah said "With the help of the Lord, I will do the best that I can".

I often feel like that. I love being a mother. I love my children and feel so blessed that I get to have these incredible little spirits in my home. I am not perfect. I need to learn more patience, I need to learn that a little poop and messes are okay. One day my children will be grown, one day they will go and experience the world on their own. They will soon learn that their mommy isn't perfect, that I don't know everything and that I am learning on a day to day basis. One thing that I hope they will never doubt is that their mommy loves them. That with the help of the Lord I will do the best I can. After all I am a mother. Not just a mother, but a mother.

Happy Mother's Day

Well, as you can see I have been very blessed this Mother's Day. I have a beautiful new healthy baby, my two other beautiful daughters, a wonderful husband and my fabulous mother was able to be here for Mother's Day. As I reflect back on this day I know that it will always hold a dear spot in my heart. I know I am truly blessed. I feel it every time I look at each of my precious children. Why Heavenly Father has chosen me to be the earthly mother of such precious children will always be a question. I feel like I try and live my life as I should. I feel that I am a good mother to my children, but like all mothers I know there is room for improvement. I had the oppurtunity to have my mother here with me this Mother's day. I haven't seen her for over a year. I forget that no matter how old you are, your children are your children and you never stop worrying over them or taking care of them. My mother took very good care of me this week. She cooked, she cleaned, she was the best friend or grandma any two toddlers could ask for. She blew bubbles, she took walks, she bought slurpees, and ate chips with them. She took them swimming and loved them and held them when I couldn't because of my c-section. She loved my new baby Cecely. She held her and rocked her and changed her. She talked to her and smothered her with kisses. She woke up with her in the night when an exhausted mommy needed more sleep. She is still the same woman I knew and loved growing up. She is still my Wonder Woman. She left today to go back home, it was so sad. Too fast. The girls woke up wanting grandma. They missed their playmate. I missed my mommy too. It was nice to be taken care of. I forgot about that. I am thirty one years old, yet I will always need my mom. Enjoy the pictures. There will be more to come!!!!
my mom with Cecely....
Beautiful Cecely.
Aislynn and Bailey checking out this new stranger to our home
Bailey and grandma. Don't they look alike????

Baby Cecely is here!!!

Hello all, Cecely made it to the world at 759 am EST.
She was 7lbs 14 oz, and 19 inches long. Very healthy. Mom is doing well. She developed a condition called placenta accreta where the placenta adheres abnormally to the uterine wall and is extremely difficult to remove without causing bleeding that is normally controlled with a hysterectomy. Her doctor new he needed to avoid that and was able to remove the portion of the placenta that was attached. Most doctors won't even try and will just remove the uterus. He did a good job. Trina has had no bleeding, no pain, and was walking in 8 hours. Her doctor was amazed at how little blood was lost during the whole procedure. Everything went extremely smoothly despite the nausea during the repair and sewing up. We have been richly blessed with another beautiful daughter. If I did this right, there should be pictures to see. If not, I will try again.



Like always, we are missing family at this moment and wish you all could be here. We will see some of you in a few weeks are looking forward to that. Meanwhile, all my girls are happy and healthy! Some will need to get used to being big sisters now!!!

Love you all,

Proud Papa Adam

Happy Easter Part Two!!!

This was in the morning when they were opening their Easter Baskets. Daddy was the basket giver. They were both so excited!!
Here is Aislynn trying to find more eggs. This is her "I can't find anymore eggs" look.
Here is Bailey still looking. This is our backyard. As you can see we had lots of fun people. The girls where in their own little world. They just wanted the eggs.
Here is another shot of our backyard. We have a really cute picnic table in the back so we put all the food out there. Luckily it wasn't too hot or humid. It was just right.
This is right before church. They got to wear the hats to church. Of course they also brought their purses. No outfit could be complete without them. The girls looked very beautiful and we had a good day. We loved hearing from our friends and family who aren't here with us. We missed you!!!

Happy Easter!!!

Okay, so the Easter pics are a little late, but you know the old saying, better late than never. We had a great Easter. We missed our family very much but we surrounded ourselves with good friends. The girls had a blast. Our back yard is pretty big so we decided to do an easter hunt in the backyard along with a little picnic for the adults. Here is Bailey right before the egg hunt started. Both girls got new dresses along with new shoes and new hats and purses. My family made Easter pretty special for us as kids, I always got a new dress with an really cute Easter basket. We decided to keep that tradition for our kids.Here is Aislynn's basket about half way through. They were having a blast running around and trying to find the eggs. Dad and Pete(Kyla's daddy) did a really good job of hiding them. They also did a great job of giving little hints so that all the eggs could be found.
This is Aislynn's victory dance. She had a really good day in Nursery. Since it was Easter the kids were givin some lovely candy and plastic eggs and other goodies. We of course tried to explain to the girls what the real meaning of Easter is. We told them about Jesus and his resurrection. It is really hard for almost three years old to comprehend. Although I know they understand a lot more than what we give them credit for. I am sure at this point in their lives they understand it even more than we do. Such special little spirits. It was a good day.
Here are the three girls together. This is when we could actually get them to sit down and not fight over the eggs. When they play together they are so cute but for some reason(being almost three and not wanting to share anything) they also love to fight. Bailey and Kyla for the most part get along fine, it's usually Aislynn and Kyla that end up fighting. This was a good day though and we had a lot of fun with everyone. We really missed our family but it was nice to be surrounded by great friends. Happy Easter!!!