Janie Lynne Taylor

Today is my due date.  And we are so grateful sweet baby Janie is already with us.  I wanted to write down her birth story before I forget.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 4 am with a very uncomfortable contraction.  This wasn't too unusual at night at the time.  Usually, after going to the bathroom, I could go right back to sleep and didn't have any more contractions.  Well, this was the second or third time that night this had happened and I was thinking this might actually be labor.  I tried to go back to sleep very briefly and quickly gave up on the idea.  I was already up when Will cried out in his sleep (he's been having nightmares lately), so I went in and comforted him until he fell back asleep.  Although I was getting more certain I was in labor, I didn't want to wake up Zach just yet.  He had felt sick the day before so I figured if we were really going to have a baby he needed all the sleep he could get. I also really didn't want him to cancel all his patients for the day unless I was certain this was it, and it wasn't going to stop. He noticed I was gone but thought I had just fallen asleep with Will.  I decided to get in the tub to help relax me and to time contractions.

By the time I got in the tub they were coming about 6 minutes apart and lasted about one minute.  I would read between contractions.  Before transition, the best way for me to manage labor pain has actually been to focus on what the contraction is doing, relax my body as much as possible, and breathe deep.  So, that's what I'd been doing.  The contractions were getting more intense and a little closer together.  I had two funny short ones between the others that was throwing the average on the phone so they were timing at about 4 minutes apart.  I had initially thought when I woke up that I would labor at home until we took the boys to school at 8:20 am and we would head straight to the hospital from there.  I realized things were moving a little faster this time around and I should call someone to watch the kids and we should go to the hospital as soon as Zach and I showered and got ready.

I woke up Zach at 6:10 am and told him.  Before I sat on the edge of the bed to tell him I thought about laying down for just a few more minutes, but had a big contraction and laying down sounded like the most uncomfortable thing ever.  "I think we're having the baby today!"  He gave me a hug and I told him I was going to get in the shower and then we should go.  We decided we'd call my friend and visiting teacher from church to get the boys off to school.  He originally was going to try and sleep for a little longer, but thankfully couldn't and got up and started eating breakfast and getting things ready to leave the boys. He came to check on me in the shower and asked if this was really it.  I told him yes, and as soon as we were ready we needed to leave to the hospital.  Things were picking up.  I had 4 more contractions in the shower.  I could no longer just breathe through them but had to start swaying my hips while I was contracting to get through them.  For some reason I was still thinking I would have time to dry my hair before we left.  I got out of the shower and called my visiting teacher and asked her to come stay with the boys.  She answered while I was on the tail end of a contraction.  I had Zach let me lean on him while I swayed my hips for a contraction.  I threw on a dress that still fit me (the fact I chose a dress made things a lot easier later on.)

I realized at that point we couldn't wait for her to get there we needed to just leave.  Zach told Joe, who was awake, that we were leaving and she would be there soon and to stay in his room until she got there.  I had another contraction and thought maybe I needed to use the bathroom.  When I sat on the toilet my water broke!  I stuck a towel in my underwear and started panicking a little.  I walked out and told Zach we weren't going to make it.  He was so calm and reassuring.  He told me everything would be fine and we would make it and ran out to start the truck.   He met me at the bottom of the stairs on his way back in.  I told him, "really, we are not going to make it.  You need to check me."  So he checked me and saw her head!  Being the wise man he is he did not tell me that.  He just calmly asked if I could make it back upstairs to our room.  He again told me everything would be fine, we had plenty of blankets and towels and he knew what to do.  Zach told Joe everything was fine, but we were having the baby at home and he needed to stay out of our room.  We made it to the side of the bed and Zach asked me if I could get on it.  I told him, "I can't move!"  I leaned forward and put my elbows on the bed and pushed (and yelled) through the next contraction.  Her head was out!  The next contraction I pushed (and yelled), again, and she was born!  Zach delivered our baby girl at our bedside!  She cried right away.

Zach looked up and Max was standing in the doorway and had watched the whole thing.  He then called Joe in and through him the phone and told him everything is fine, but call 911.  Joe was understandably a little flustered and said he couldn't.  By then I was on the bed and Zach placed baby girl on me and called 911 (at 6:42 am) himself.  He covered us in blankets while the dispatcher told him to tie the cord and check other basic things like that we were breathing.  He couldn't find a string to tie the cord, so he used a shoelace like the dispatcher suggested.  Later he realized he has hemostats he could have easily used, but our brains were in a little bit of a fog.  Joe woke up Will (who somehow had slept through the commotion) and all the boys came in and looked at the baby.  Will's first question was, "Is your belly small now?"  Haha.  Not yet, buddy.  The fire truck and ambulance showed up at our house shortly after we called 911.  They clamped the cord a little closer and had Zach cut it.  It felt a little ridiculous having them show up and taking the ambulance to the hospital, but we weren't properly equipped for an at home birth!  They carried me and Janie out on a stretcher and Zach followed behind the ambulance.  I was finally able to nurse Janie in the ambulance.  She latched on right away and nursed all the way there.

When we got to the hospital the NICU nurses were right there as we entered, but realized immediately that we didn't need there assistance (thankfully).  They wheeled us to labor and delivery.    I think Zach was already in the room when we arrived.  We were telling the Dr. about our crazy morning and tying the cord he said, "you know, they say you can just use a shoelace for that..." lifting up the blanket, "oh, you really did use a shoelace!"  I finally delivered the placenta and the Dr. stitched me up.

The hospital had an unusual number of babies born, so we got to go to a NICU family room for recovery.  The boys came to officially meet Janie when they got home from school.  They were immediately smitten (it helped that they didn't have a fire truck distracting them!)  My mom flew in late that night.  She had purchased her tickets months earlier.  She has a knack for buying them at just the right time.  The last three baby (when I have lived far away from her) she has been there the day after the baby was born.  I think she has a sixth sense.  Actually, I truly believe it is a tender mercy.  She and Zach both came and brought me and Janie home the next day.

I am amazed every time I have had a baby at the human body and what a miracle pregnancy and childbirth is.  We are soaking in every exhausted beautiful moment with our sweet baby Janie.  

Boundaries

Well, we moved.  I may or may not ever get around to posting about that, but I wanted to document at least a few snippets that have happened since then.

We currently live in a duplex.  We have our own very small fenced yard.  A couple days after we first moved here Will said to Zach, "Dad, why did you order a small yard?"

Our neighbors have a little boys our boys love to play with.  Moving in was made much easier because they were entertained for much of the day while we unpacking by standing on the crossbeam of the fence and talking with and watching the neighbor boy.  This habit has continued.  Our boys set up a chair to reach the crossbeam so they can see over the fence.  Our neighbor has a ladder propped up on his side, so he can do the same.  They will go out in the morning and yell for the friend and make plans for the day.  It is mostly a blessing and occasionally can prove to be challenging because they want to be playing all the time and even Max feels comfortable leaving to go next do whenever he feels like it.  

One morning Will climbed over the fence to play with his friend who was playing in his backyard.  I went over and got him and we talked about how it wasn't ok to climb over the fence, and he always needed to ask before he went to play at the neighbors.  A while later the boys went over to see if they neighbors could play and no one was home.  They came home and Will headed to the backyard.  I reminded him that he could play in the backyard, but he was not allowed to climb over the fence.  Two minutes later he came walking in our front door, with the neighbors dog!  He had climbed over the fence, retrieved the neighbors dog, walked through their (empty) house, and brought the dog into ours.  We had a little talk about how it is not ok to go into someone else's house without their permission, especially when they are not home, and a little reminder that we don't climb over the fence.

Spring Break 2015

Zach had to work Spring Break, but since Joe and Will were both home from school the whole week I decided we should at least do some things a little out of the ordinary.  We kicked off by roasting marshmallow Sunday night with Zach.  The boys loved the fire, but Max and Will both decided they prefer marshmallows plain rather than toasted.

Monday the boys and I headed to the Bean Museum.  Usually Will just runs wherever he wants, much to my frustration.  This day however, he was really good and staying with us and we only had about two instances where he went too far from us.  On one particular occasion he was especially patient when Joe and Max were interested in an exhibit that he wasn't and he waited patiently until they were done looking.  That boy really has grown up a lot.  Since we were in the neighborhood, I thought it would be fun to go to the creamery for lunch.  We have never been in all the time we've lived here.  We were not the only ones with that idea and it was quite busy.  The boys weren't too bothered by that though because they just got to eat their ice cream before their food because the wait at the grill was so long.

That night we picked Zach up from work and headed to the Park City outlets to shop a little for Joe and Zach.  We found some things for Joe for Summer and some dress pants for both him and Will, which they both needed.  Will and Max both had fun accessorizing while we shopped.

Tuesday we joined Ashley and Nicole and their kiddos in St. George.  It was fun to play with the cousins and just hang out.  I was a little nervous about driving there without Zach, but the boys did surprisingly well on the way there.  Wednesday was full of more play and a short trip to a nearby trail to let the kids ride bikes, scooters and wiggle bikes.  Will took quite a spill down a hill, but rebounded pretty quickly until we were back and Justin and Nicole's and he remembered how much he was hurting.  A little showed quickly cured him.  Nicole let me take a little snooze and after that we headed home.  It was a short trip but it sure was fun!  On the way home we stopped in Beaver at the Cache Valley Cheese Factory Outlet.  The boys got ice cream (it was good!) and I got some cheese curds too (original, yummy, salsa flavored, not so yummy).  The ride home wasn't quite as smooth, but we made it home without major incident.  We were so happy to see Zach when we got home!

Zach left super early Thursday morning for a trip to Billings.  So, we went to Grandma Jeans for lunch.  The boys always ask grandma for Yoplait yogurt when we're there, and she always has some for them.  I never buy it, so it's a special treat for them.  She made us homemade mac and cheese that was scrumptious and we had some fruit with it too.  It was fun to visit with Grandma.  We swung by my mom's on the way home and we ended up staying for dinner!  The boys played with the chickens and watched a movie with uncle James while I went across the street to Gram Betty and Grandpa Ivan's to visit with them and Paige who was in town for a visit.

I had plans Friday to go out and do something but we ended up having kind of a rough morning and the most exciting thing we did was have a backyard picnic to try and turn the day around.  Max refused to nap even though he was exhausted and the boys ended up just playing at home the rest of the day.  I didn't feel like cooking, so we had scrambled eggs, green beans and green smoothies for dinner!

Saturday morning the boys all crawled in bed will me and cuddle for a bit.  It was a pretty sweet moment.  I'm so lucky to be their mom.  Then a few hours later Zach got home!  He had driven all the way to Pocatello on Friday so he got home around 10am.  He took a nap and we spent the day at Costco and the park (which was my original plan for Friday).  Then Zach and I got a sitter so we could visit our friends Trevor and April who just had a baby without overwhelming them with our crazy kids!

Even though we didn't get to everything we planned, it ended up being a really fun week.  I think one thing I need to do better is always take advantage of the fun things there are to do around wherever it is we live at the time.  I think too often I think I need to have things perfect before I leave the house with the kids or need to have a certain amount of time wherever we're going to make it worth it.  Sometimes I just need to do it anyway!

Cute Things Kids Say

I will forget if I don't write them down so...

The other day Joe says out of the blue, "Mom, when is Grandpa Ed going to come back to life?  I really miss him!"  So sweet.  I love that my boys got to know their Grandpa Ed while we lived with them.  Also, we explained that we don't know when exactly we'll be resurrected, so it might be a while.

I was cuddling with Max before his nap and got a stray eyelash off his cheek.  He wanted to look at it, so I showed him and he said, "Wow, that's beautiful!"

Tonight we were driving home from Costco, and it was dark.  The kids are a little fascinated with it getting darker earlier these days (I don't love it).  Will said, "I can't see anything.  I can't see horses... or Cinderella... or anything!"  Not sure where that came from.  Or when he ever sees Cinderella.

These boys sure have a laughing and smiling.  We love them.

First Day of First Grade

We've really been enjoying Summer at our house.  Joe was ready for more structure though.  He missed the first day of school because we got to pick Stephanie up from the airport from her mission! Wahoo!  I gave him the choice to come with us to pick her up and miss his first day, or go to the first day of school and see her that night and he decided to miss the first day.

The night before and morning of school Joe was a little sad, and told me he was going to miss me.  And Max.  He was also concerned that school was going to be hard since he was going to first grade now.  I tried to alleviate his concerns, telling him that kindergarten helped prepare him for first grade and that we will still get to spend  a lot of time together as a family.

When he got home from his first day he told me it wasn't very good and "I really missed you, Mom." So we talked about his day and some of the things that happened.  It's a little hard to tell from his perspective, but I think the recess after lunch Joe missed the bell, and was out with another class and got  a little lost.  He got a little teary that fist day.  He was re-telling the story and dinner and said, "...I was sitting by the wall...just thinking about you, Mom, and how I really missed you..."  When he started crying at the dinner table Zach had him get out of his seat to give Zach a hug, and Joe said, "I don't know why water is falling out of my eyes?!"  Oh, it was so sweet and funny.  And I was a little flattered that he missed me so much.

So that night, Zach gave Joe and Will a blessing, and then Max sat on the chair and said, "my turn!"  So, Max got one too.  Every day since then Joe has said that it has gotten better.

And then there is this kid who is just too cool for school.

No, but seriously.  I took Will to sign up/meet preschool teachers this summer and it was a major flop.   He froze up and freaked out and two of the three preschool and the third one he was ok with, but I wasn't a huge fan.  Anyway the first day of Joe's school was rough for Will!  He missed him a lot.  I would love to get a little play-group together, but he doesn't have a lot of friends his age and two of them are pretty shy.  So I saw this sign driving home one day and I thought, "why not?"  So I took him to meet the teacher, and although he never made it inside the home, he didn't freak out and he even agreed he would go back to the open house next week, so we'll see what happens.

Solo Sunday

Zach woke up this morning with a terrible migraine, so I took the boys to church by myself.  They are generally a handful in sacrament meeting and I was worried about managing all three of them without Zach.  Things were going pretty well, although I wasn't able to listen much, until halfway through the final speaker.  I can't even remember what set him off but Will started throwing a loud tantrum complete with hits, pinches, and yells.  I told Joe to go out to the foyer and had to carry out Will.  What about Max, you ask?  The girl sitting next to me kindly accepted to keep an eye on him while I was gone.

I took Will outside to have him sit in time-out for his behavior.  Of course he was upset about it and was very vocal about it.  I'm sure the people in the foyer were distracted from the rest of the meeting.  After the meeting we went and collected Max.  Poor guy just laid on the floor after I left.  He probably thought I had abandoned him.  Will couldn't very well go to nursery after an outburst like that so I took him and Max home to put them both down for naps.

It took all of Gospel Doctrine, but once they were asleep I headed back to church (don't forget, Zach was home, but his migraine left him incapacitated).  I made it for Relief Society where we had an excellent lesson about having a peaceful home.  The Spirit taught me a lot that meeting and I was so grateful to be there.  Then I started thinking of how it would have been different had Max and Will still been there.  It's likely they would have run out of steam before Relief Society was over and I would have had to intervene.  Even if that weren't the case, I would have been at least slightly preoccupied with thoughts of how they were doing.

Although Will's behavior was a far cry from perfect, I felt like it was a blessing in disguise.  First, it was an opportunity for me to practice patience.  Although I often enjoy those opportunities, I need them.  Second, because I took the boys home I was able to fully participate in Relief Society.

On the surface it may not seem like it, but today was a good day.

The Birthday Boy

Joe is five!  I cannot believe I will have a kid in kindergarten this fall.  He will love it though.  Every time we drive past a school Joe asks if it's his school.

Joe's birthday started with his favorite breakfast, crepes.  He was so appreciative when I wished him "happy birthday" in the morning.  I thought it was pretty cute.  That evening we had over our new neighbors and some family to celebrate.  Joe's big gift was a bike.  We had also bought him some "Joe-Joe" cookies from Trader Joe's.  I wasn't really thinking and we had him open the bike first.  I thought it would be a little anti-climactic opening the cookies next, but Joe was just as excited for the cookies as the bike.

Joe is such a fun boy.  He loves to make people laugh.  It makes him so happy when someone thinks he's funny.  Sometimes I have to remind him what appropriate humor is.

He likes to get as close to doing something against the rules as possible, without actually breaking the rule.  For example, in our house "pee," and "poo," are potty words and are only allowed in appropriate conversations.  So, instead he likes to say "diaper," and "toilet," as much as possible, because he knows those words are game, and they are pretty close to potty words.  I used to tell him we only used potty words in the bathroom, but then anytime he would go in there to take a bath or for any other reason, that's all we would hear the entire time.

He likes to tell jokes.  He learned one from Wreck It Ralph recently that he thinks is hilarious.  It's a potty joke.  Of course.

He is learning to read.  We are using The Reading Lesson.  We aren't very far into it, but it's fun to watch Joe learn, and sound things out.

Joe has a bit of a temper.  Zach and I both had temper issues when we were young. Sometimes when he is having a bad day I think I am just getting what I deserve.  And I apologize to my mother for ever being that way.  Haha.

Joe loves to sing and listen to music.  I will catch him singing "That's What Makes You Beautiful" often.  He also loves Collective Soul.  And he will make up his own songs.  The other day he was singing one about the church being true and the first vision, that he had made up.

Although we limit screen time, Joe loves shows.  He asks all the time if he can watch a show.  We have always limited the amount he watches, but I'm trying even more now because I feel like he's a little obsessed.

He loves to be the big brother.  This is good and bad.  He is such a good helper so much of the time.  Other times he bosses his Will around, or tried to enforce rules himself.

Is Will's best friend.  I've overheard him tell Will several times,"remember Will, we're best friends."  Will says the same to Joe now.  So sweet.

Loves Max.  He still clobbers him.  Max is such a sport.  Joe picks him up all the time.  Carries him.  Pulls on him.  Sits on him.  Usually it's to try to get Max to laugh.

Joe often cooks his own eggs and toast.  The eggs with supervision, the toast without.

He wants to be a good boy, and make good choices.  We had a family reunion recently and were having FHE all together.  Jerry was teaching the kids about choices and consequences.  Joe piped up that he was trying, but sometimes made mistakes.  He was SO sincere, and it was just like Jerry and Joe were the only two in the room.

He is such a good boy, and we are so glad he is in our family.

On his birthday, with some of his favorite people

We love our Joe Joe!

Max These Days

Oy, it's been a while since I've posted.  So, a little about Max.

Still so happy.  He gives the biggest grin, squints his eyes and tenses up his whole body sometimes when he is trying to be silly, or knows we are watching him.

Loves to be crazy with the boys.  If they are being rambunctious, he tries to join in best he can.  Usually he does this sort of scream thing.

Is moving like crazy.  Runs all over the place.  Because of this he's lost some of his baby chub.  Makes me a little sad that he's not going to stay a baby!

Zach and I discovered him in the kitchen one night on a chair, trying to sip powdered sugar (from a closed bag) with a straw.  Haha, so he's learned to climb on chairs, and the couch, and the ottoman...

Loves to be outside.  He freaks out when I bring him in.

He loves Dallas (my parent's dog).  The other day I looked out on the deck where I thought he was playing and I didn't see him!  I went out and he had climbed in the doghouse and was cuddling up to Dallas.

Loves Grandma Jean.  We goes upstairs and he goes right to her to be picked up and usually cuddles up on her shoulder, even when he isn't tired.  So sweet.

Says a few words!  "ba" for ball.  "ba" for balloon.  "ba" for bird.  "ba" for pretty much anything that catches his interest.  Haha.  So maybe one word?  He's trying, and that's good.

Likes to play chase and hide-and-seek.

This kids loves books.  He could look at books almost all day.  If he is grumpy usually all we have to do is sit down and read with him for a bit and he is all smiles again.

Has never had a haircut.  I can't bear the thought of cutting off his darling curls.

When he's tired he likes to bite down on something soft, like his blankie, or my bathrobe.

Max, biting on his blankie

Louie Edwin Edwards

A week ago, on April 3, my Grandpa Ed passed away.  We have been fortunate to live with him and my Grandma for almost a year.  About ten years ago my grandpa suffered from a stroke.  After a stay in the hospital he went home.  Since then, we always wondered how much longer Grandpa would hold out.  I'm so grateful that he hung on all that time.

My boys have loved getting to know Grandpa.  Joe and Grandpa played a game with this big feather.  They would take turns hiding it from each other, and then play "keep away" with it.  The boys would race next to Grandpa's seat at the bar and he would try and reach out and touch them.  In the last year those were some of the times I saw Grandpa the happiest.  He would remind me when the boys and I came upstairs, "He's a fine boy."  He said that about all of my boys.  It was a good reminder on those days when the boys were acting a little crazy.

One of the things Joe said when he found out Grandpa died was, "who's going to play with the feather with me now?"  Joe's at a very curious age, so naturally he had a lot of questions.  He wanted to see Grandpa's body, so we took him upstairs.  He asked if he could walk, and we explained his body didn't work anymore and that his spirit was with Jesus.  We were able to get a lot of teaching moments in with all of his questions.

The burial was especially neat because my Grandpa served in the military.  First there was a three-volley salute.  A rifle party shot three rounds into the air.  Then one of the servicemen played Taps on the bugle.  After the servicemen folded the flag they presented it to my Grandma and said "this flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army as a token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service." 

The rifle party

Folding the flag

The pallbearers

My Grandma

California!

We were so happy in freezing cold January to take a trip to California to see our good friends, Nikki and Spencer.  The drive was long, but we made it.  Thankfully, kids were all asleep when we got there.  Will, woke up when we moved him a did his standard freak out.  He insisted that he wanted to go home.  I was getting a little worried but first thing in the morning he was thrilled to be there.  The boys literally ran around in circles making a racket.  They had so much fun with their buddies the whole time we were there.

Traveling is exhausting

Nikki and Spencer showed us a few places in San Francisco.  Not pictured are the two nude men we saw strolling down the street (legally).  Be happy that wasn't documented.   

Golden Gate Bridge

We went to church Sunday and didn't even make it through sacrament meeting (which is first) before we had to head back to the house.  Will loved playing outside.  I was watching him from the couch while feeding Max when I noticed him pull his pants down and pee in the yard.  He didn't bother pulling his pants back up before getting back to playtime.

Naked Bum Boy

We couldn't meet up without staying up way too late playing games.  The boys had a movie night while we played round one.  Joe and Will had never seen Despicable Me and they loved it.

All cozy for the show

After hanging out at with Nikki and Spencer at their house for a couple of days, we head to Southern California.  We headed straight for Newport Beach and went to the pier.  Afterward we were crazy enough to take the boys out to eat some seafood.  I'm pretty sure some of the people there thought we were crazy.

Joe entertaining himself in the restaurant

Max loves chillin with something hanging out of his mouth

At the pier in Newport Beach

We had so much fun!  The boys are still talking about it.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was pretty normal.  The boys didn't even know it was a holiday until the morning of.  I did zero decorating, and we had zero fun plans.  So, we last minute, made some cinnamon rolls to deliver to daddy at work during lunch, and a few other places.  It was fun, but I felt a little guilty that I hadn't really planned anything, or built up any anticipation with the boys for the holiday. 

Will must have known it was Valentine's Day, he decided to wear some mascara for the occasion.

Joe with our Valentine cinnamon rolls.

I remember holidays were one of the best parts of being a kid.  There was always something fun and special about that day.  I don't mean I want to give our kids gifts every holiday, there are ways to made days special without that.  When we lived in Omaha it was so much easier.  There were always parties and activities for playgroup, music time, etc.  And there were tons of kids around so it was easy to throw together an impromptu party.  Now it just take a little more effort, and I need to be willing to put forth that effort to make things fun and exciting for the boys. 

Max at One Year

Oh boy, this baby is so fun and so happy.  Max is almost always smiling.  He has this cheesy grin that he has been doing to almost everyone he sees lately.

He is very social.  He loves people.  He gets a little unsure about a new face, but it doesn't take very long for him to warm up to people.

When someone makes a joke or says something funny and the rest of us are laughing, or even one person is laughing, Max joins in.

I know, I've mentioned it before, but he is pretty patient.  Will loves to "help" him walk these days, and  Joe loves to "cuddle" with him on the floor, Max tolerates a lot of that before he start to complain about it.

Max takes several steps frequently.  His record is eighteen steps, but crawling is still his primary mode of transportation.  And he is a speedy crawler.

He has no idea how to go down stair, or get off a couch etc.  The turning around to get down concept has not clicked yet.

He still loves water.  The bath, the shower, the toilet...  He loves it.  I always have to make sure the bathroom door is shut.

He likes to dance.  Even if you start singing a catchy tune he starts dancing.  He'll sort of bounce up and down for quick songs, and do this sway for slower songs.

Max gets a little intense sometimes.  He will get so excited he'll start shaking.  Usually this excitement is in response to food, or my mom's dog.

He usually takes one nap a day now.

If there is a shelf, cupboard, or drawer within his reach, it will be emptied in no time.

His hair has a little bit of curl to it.  I think I'm going to let it grow out for a while because I love those curls.

He loves to eat.  Some of his favorites are, frozen peas, mandarin oranges, yogurt, cooked carrots, and berries.

He's usually very soft.  He'll softly touch my earrings without being told to be soft.  The other day he was very softly strumming Zach's guitar.

Although he's usually happy crawling around and playing, he loves to be held.  He'll stand at your feet until you pick him up.

Stats:

Weight: 25.73lbs (96%tile)

Height: 30.9 in (87%tile)

Head Circumference: 19.1 in (97%tile)

Will at Three Years Old

Will loves to call people on the phone to talk.  Almost every day he requests we call Babica, Lily, or Dad.  And if I'm not careful where I put my phone, he finds it and calls the most recent person I've talked to.

Has taken more of an interest in books and being read to.

Loves to pretend to be a puppy.  He'll crawl around the house with his tongue out, panting and will play fetch with me.  Licks just like a puppy, I try to tell him to just pretend lick, but he forgets.

Covers his ears if he is scared while watching a movie.

Will is not potty-trained.  We are currently taking a break for my sanity.  A few incidences that have prompted this break:  The other day I walk into his room only to find him with his pants down and peeing into the toy pitcher from his kitchen.  The same thing happened another day but then he poured it into another cup, and then into the dirty clothes hamper.  Another time it was a toy dinosaur on the floor of his bedroom.  

He and Joe have starting playing for longer stretches of time without incident.  They definitely still have their moments, but it's fun to listen to them play together.

Loves to jump on our sectional.  When we first got it, I tried to tell him not to, but he has so much fun doing it, and I figure it's not really that important.

Will still loves to be independent.  I find him on many occasions helping himself to the milk or whatever else he wants in the kitchen.

The other day I heard him cry out from the kitchen.  He had tried to cut himself a granola bar with a sharp knife and cut his hand between his thumb and index finger.  It was bleeding a lot and I thought it might need stitches, but I couldn't really tell.  I took him to the Instacare and they said they could glue it for me if I wanted them to, or I could just bandage and keep a real close eye on it.  So, no stitches, and no glue.

He goes without a nap most days of the week.

He is so sweet.  When Max is crying Will often sings to him, to try to soothe him.

Loves to go to Babica's house.  He tells me often "Mom! Mom!  I have a dea [an idea]!  After we go Babica's house, we watch a show!"  I think that would be his ideal day.

Loves to play pretend.  Tells me or Joe what role to play.  "Mommy, I'm the bad-guy, and your the mom."

Grandma has nick-named him the Tornado.

We love our crazy Will and are so glad he is part of our family.

Happy Birthday Max!

I told Zach that in the future, we'll have to change Will and Max's birthdays up a little bit, or we'll be feeling a little bit a deja vu the first week in February every year.  We put up balloons and streamers, had family over, sang and had cake, and opened gifts, again.

He was so dainty with his cake.  I thought he would be shoveling fistfuls of cake in his mouth.

He eventually ate a piece, once Zach cut a bite for him.

And a few times he bypassed the fork and the hands.

Testing out his new toy

My boys.  I love them.

Happy Birthday Will!

I think Will had a pretty happy birthday.  We started of the morning with a trip to Provo Bakery.  We have been missing Olsen's, in Omaha, and a birthday was the perfect excuse to find a new donut shop (not that we frequent donuts shops, but they make for an awesome occasional treat).  Provo Bakery didn't disappoint, they even had a little bar to enjoy our donuts in the shop if you wish, and we did.

Later on Zach brought home bunk beds for the boys.  They were super excited.  My parent's gave them for us to use and I  think they may have been Will's favorite part of the day.

Pizza was on the menu for dinner.  Will couldn't make up his mind what kind of cake he wanted.  It went from Lightning McQueen, to Percy, to Thomas, then to Lightning McQueen again.  I decided I wouldn't ask anymore and we'd just run with that.  He blew out the candles on the birthday cake about half-way through the birthday song.  I guess the excitement was just too much.

The kids posed themselves.  I love how happy Will looks.

The new tool kit is a hit.

Some of the birthday crowd.

I'm no cake decorator, but I was happy with how it turned out.

The babies were there too!

We love you Will!

A Very Merry Christmas

I think every day in December we went to Babica's house, Joe asked if he could have a sleepover.  He was so excited to spend the night there Christmas Eve.  I had a last minute Christmas project that I should have long before the time I did, and without my mom's help, it never would have happened.   My mom and I made them super hero capes.  Thank you Mom, for making it happen.  Thank you, Pinterest for the idea.  Joe has been running around the last few weeks with my apron around his neck, backwards so I thought the capes would be a hit.  Will hasn't worn one for more than a few seconds, but I think he'll warm up to them in no time.  So I was up until the wee morning hours finishing the capes.  Max woke up and would not go back to sleep.  Will woke up and freaked out, then finally calmed down after joining us in bed.  It was a long night.  I'm not sure how many Christmas Eves in the future we'll be spending away from home.  We might just join everyone Christmas morning. :)

Opening Christmas Jammies

Joe and Sarah

The biggest slinky you've ever seen.  Thanks Sean and Aubs!

Lining up in the hallway Christmas morning

Will checking out his new truck

 Where's Max, you ask?  Sleeping.  Thankfully he slept in a little that morning.  He needed it.