Happy 2nd Birthday Dylan!

Today Dylan is 2!!!!! I can't believe how fast it's gone. He has been the funnest and easiest baby there ever was. There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't bring joy to my life. He continually makes me smile. He just has the absolute cutest personality on the earth! He is doing so many things now too. He is walking all over the place. Once in a while he still loses his balance but he just gets right back up and keeps going. He is saying so many things now too. Almost every word he signs, he will say the word too, while he signs it. He signs and says please (peez), banana (nana), thank you (coo), bubbles (bubu - pop pop pop), cracker (cacko), candy (nanny), drink (gink), more (mo), night night (nigh nigh), eat, hi and bye (waving) and several more. He also says Hello (hewo), mine, mom, daddy, TJ, Tyra (Tywa), up (bu), truck (kuck), baby, Lily, yellow (lellow), blue (boo) and many more. He folds his arms and bows his head for the prayer and says amen (ah me) when it's done. But I can't get him to close his eyes for it yet! He now goes up AND down the stairs and he also drives his little toy vehicles all over the house. His favorite is his fire engine. He will sit and look at books forever. He looks at each page in detail, like he's actually reading it. It is so cute!! He also uses a pencil the correct way and has done since he first tried. He loves to color and I often find scribbles on the floor, walls, table and etc. His obsession is with anything electronic, especially cell phones. If he even sees me holding mine he will throw a huge tantrum if I don't let him play with it. When he throws the fit I won't let him play with it at all, but if he asks nice I have a hard time not letting him. He loves to talk to grandma Joan on the phone and once in a while he will say quite a few things to her. I can usually get him to say, Hello, I love you and bye-bye. He loves playing with his brothers. He will follow them around while they are playing with guns and he will make sound effects like he is trying to shoot them. It is so funny! It reminds me of TJ when he was little. He can drink very good out of a cup now, that is, when he's not puting his food into his drink. Dylan is actually a pretty good eater except that he likes to put everything in his mouth at once. He doesn't like chewing his food very good. He loves Dum-Dum's or any kind of sucker. He actually would eat candy all day if I'd let him. Now that he knows how to say it so cute, it makes it even harder to say no.

Dylan loves stuffed animals. We have a huge panda bear that he thinks is so fun to play with it. He will pull it down from it's chair and tackle it and roll off and laugh and laugh. He'll do it over and over again. He loves looking at himself in the mirror. He will pull faces at himself and start giggling. When I am reading stories to the kids before bed he loves to go to each of their rooms with me and play while I read. In his room while I'm reading to Braxton he likes to climb up on the bed and read with us. Although it doesn't usually last as long as the book does. When we get to Tyra's room he likes to pull out all of her videos and books off of the shelves and pull her clothes out of her drawers. But Dylan's FAVORITE room is TJ's. He loves to play with TJ's cars while I read. Now maybe because he has so much fun before going to bed, he absolutely does NOT like having to go to sleep himself. Poor Braxton has been kept up till real late a few nights listening to Dylan make noise. Dylan is so sweet with his new baby sister. Anytime he sees me burping her he will come and pat on her back to help. When she is crying in her car seat he will walk over to it and rock it to try and calm her down. He also loves to try and give her her binkee but no matter how many times I show him the right way, he still tries to give it to her backwards! He is a very rough and tumble little boy. He loves to tackle his brothers. They both love playing with him because it's so easy to get him excited and laughing. He absolutely LOVES it when Tommy throws him around too. He cries for more when Tommy quits. Dylan loves watching the "Wiggles" and other cartoons. The other day he started throwing a fit when it was time for a nap because he wanted to keep watching Barney. Dylan loves cars, trucks, trains and all other automobiles. One time he found an old electric toy train of Braxton's and he played with it straight for about a week before the batteries finally went dead. He'd turn it on and watch it go clear across the room and then chase after it. Sometimes it would get stuck under a cabinet though and he didn't like that much. He actually loves anything with wheels. He will turn a big truck upside down and play with the wheels forever. He also loves books about automobiles. In fact his favorite book is still the one about "Things that GO!" that his grandma Joleen got for him. He loves taking all the books off the book shelves too. He actually loves to take everything out of any drawer or cupboard that he can get into. Needless to say, once he started getting around, it wasn't long before I had to baby proof everything. He is my most self entertained kid that I have ever had, but he's also my messiest. I never thought anyone could beat Tyra, but he definitely has. Dylan loves whistles too. When he first learned how to blow one he thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Dylan is doing very good with his therapy's. He now has two days of speech therapy, two days of physical therapy and one day of occupational therapy a week. All of them are at Camp Hippo except one of the physical therapy's and it is at our house through the Infant Toddler Program. Kris is his occupational therapist and the owner of Camp Hippo. She has been working with him since he was 5 months old. Dale is his PT at Camp Hippo and has only been working with him for a few months. Michelle is his Speech therapist and also has been working with her for a few months. Through the summer he had a different one, but she left when school started. When he first started speech therapy I wondered what was the point. Some days he wouldn't even make a sound with his voice. Now he does amazing. Each time he goes it seems like he says new words. His therapist is so sweet too. John is from the Infant/Toddler program and comes out to our house on Wednesdays. He has been working with Dylan since he was 8 months old. Dylan absolutely loves him. He has so much fun during his sessions. John is about ready to retire which makes me really sad. I hope he stays around for a little while longer.

Well, I could go on forever and ever about my little man. He truly is just the funnest kid to be around. He always makes everybody smile. In fact, one of the cutest things about him is his contagious smile! I feel so blessed to have him in our family and am eternally grateful to Holly and her family for placing him with us. They really are good people and I am so glad that they have accepted us into their family the way that they have. We love them. Happy Birthday little Dylan!! You are such a "BIG BOY"!!

One week left to go!!

I figured since I haven't blogged about anything in forever, that I had probably ought to now. As of today I have 7 days until my baby is due. I am getting very anxious, nervous AND excited!! I still need to pack my bag and set up the baby bassinet, but everything else is ready to go. I can't believe it's so close. I just found out that the midwife that is going to be on call the weekend that I'm due is the one that I'd prefer not to have. She is very sweet but I don't feel real safe around her for some reason. I hope if I end up with her, that that feeling changes or it's not going to be the experience that I've hoped for.

Tommy, my mom and sister and going to be the three people allowed in the room while I labor. JaNae is going to be the photographer and mom and Tommy are going to be there to help me through it. I am going to try to do it natural, but having never been through it before, I am not sure if I am capable of that or not. I guess the main thing it depends on is how long my labor lasts. It would be SO nice if I lucked out and didn't have a real long one, but they say that usually your first is the longest, so who knows? I am not quite sure what Braxton Hicks feel like, but I don't think I have had any so far. I have been taking some herbal pills that are suppose to keep you from getting them. Maybe they are working. I do contract quite often, but nothing that causes me pain. The last few days I have felt great! JaNae said that that is the Calm before the Storm. I wonder if she is right.

I have yet to finish the pregnancy book that I started reading months ago called, "Birthing Within". It is a pretty good book other than the section on art seemed to be WAY too long. I even LIKE art, but it drove me crazy how long it was. The only other pregnancy book I read all the way through was one called "The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy" which was actually really good. It was a fun and easy to read book. I've started so many others that bore me to death so I don't finish them. The first trimester I always felt too sick to read, the second I was too busy and the third I was too tired most the time. Although I absolutely LOVE books, I really don't have a whole lot of time to read them.

Tommy took a bunch of pictures of me and my pregnant belly about a week ago. Here are just a few. Keep in mind that although it looks like I swallowed a basketball.... I really didn't!!

Well, wish me luck! Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon.

Great News!!!!!

Well, I am FINALLY back to blogging again. Now that I have lost almost all of my pictures from the past few years, sniff, sniff :( I figured I'd probably better get back to it. Had I been blogging instead of playing FarmVille on Facebook all of this time, I would have saved a lot more pictures. GRRRR! Computers can be wonderful, but man it stinks when their hard drives fail. Especially when you thought you had it all backed up.

Anyway, now for the good news... this is for everyone who wasn't at my daughter's dance recital and heard it announced to hundreds of people and for those who either aren't my friend on Facebook or don't ever check their FB account.... I am PREGNANT!!!!!! I know, crazy huh? I am now 18 weeks along. I am due on November 1st. We get to find out what it is on June 17th. Only two weeks from now. YAY!!! I am so excited!

I started a blog for the baby when we first found out. If you'd like to read the story click here. Also I have updated Dylan's blog as much as I can with the pictures that I still had on my camera card. I put a few video's on there too. So fun!! Check them out and let me know what you think. Hopefully, I will be updating this blog on a more regular basis now. I don't want to lose anymore pictures! By the way, thank you to every one who has given me copies of your photos that have our family in them. I really appreciate it and love you all.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Harvest Break 2009 - Park Valley Utah

Dylan's Sealing (tiny bit)

June 13, 2009

Ok, I know I am really late on this post and as it is, I am only going to put up a few pictures, so sorry. As soon as I get some free time I will write about the whole day.

One thing to let everyone know, especially after the last post, is that TJ never threw up. YAY!!! After Tommy's blessing, he was actually fine the rest of the day. Thank goodness.

Dylan on his way to the temple.


Some of my family, Tommy's family and Holly's family after the sealing. Everyone else took off. I will write a list of everyone who came soon. Hopefully I remember everyone. It was kind of a hectic day, although wonderful, of course!


Dylan, Holly and I.


Holly's family and our little family.

Once in our lifetime!

I heard on the radio today that at 12:34 and 56 seconds that it would be 1-2-3-4-5-6 on 7-8-9. Pretty cool! That won't happen again for a LONG time. Either way, we'll all be dead by then.

I think I'm gonna cry! :(

TJ came in this morning at 6:30 a.m. and said his stomach was REALLY sick. That woke up the baby. I had only been a sleep for about 4 hours. UGH! I tend to stay up really late the night before a big day.

I tried to go back to sleep.

Didn't happen.

Dylan kept talking and wouldn't keep his binkee in. Then Braxton came in my room and said that he had gone up stairs and that TJ was really hungry because he wasn't talking very good. Then he went and got a piece of bread for him to eat.

Tommy said no!

I asked Tommy to please go give TJ a blessing so he can feel better for today.

A few minutes later he came back down and said that he thought TJ was going to puke.

UGH!!! (again)

We have to be at the temple in 5 hours for Dylan's Sealing.

Of all days............. WHY TODAY???

Please pray for us, especially Teej.

Dylan's Adoption Finalization

This morning was kind of crazy! Two of Tyra Jane and Brian's kids spent the night last night, so we were all up pretty late. I made a yummy breakfast for the boys and then I dropped TJ off to go to Scout Day Camp at 8:30 a.m. and Sean went with him too.

When Braxton and the girls woke up I was thinking, "Oh good, now that I have breakfast already made, I should have plenty of time to get everything ready." Well, when the girls got sat down they both looked upset. I asked them what was wrong and they said they thought they were getting pancakes for breakfast. UGH!

So, I made up a bunch of pancakes. That set me back quite a bit. It was so much fun getting little Tyra and Akasha ready though. They wanted to look exactly alike. So with matching outfits, I had to do there hair the same way too. So, cute!!

By the time we get going, I was running about 5 minutes late. When I pulled out of the drive way I realized Tommy hadn't left yet to pick up the boys. We had to take seperate cars because he had to go straight to work afterwards.

AHHHHHH!

Now I was REALLY worried. Tyra and Brian didn't know how to get to the courthouse and Jeanne and Alison were running too late to be able to show them how. Tommy kept saying that maybe we had better pick up the boys after the hearing. HECK NO!!

So I raced over and picked them up and actually still got to the courthouse only 5 minutes late. Tommy called and gave Tyra and Brian directions and Jeanne and Alison were there when we got there. Just as I pulled in my phone rang.

It was my Social Worker, Jared.

He said, "Um, the judge is wondering if you guys really want to do this today?!" Ugh! I about died. I told him we were just heading up the stairs. By the time we got to the court room, we were 10 minutes late. Which in the grand scheme of things doesn't sound that late, but our hearing was only scheduled for 15 minutes. OOPS!

My good friend Anita was there when we got there too. She was able to adopt her two little girls just this last Monday. I am so happy for her. It is ALWAYS really nice to have it all done.

The hearing was really quick and easy. Afterwards the judge said, "I actually sat right across from this little guy and his parents in class on Sunday and he seemed as happy as can be!" I thought that was kind of funny. Small world.

He had me introduce everyone after it was over and then he said that everyone sitting there looked like a choir or something. Then he asked them if they wanted to sing something. Little Akasha piped up, "I DO!!!" You could tell all of us adults cringed for just a second wondering what she was going to sing.

Last night she and Braxton and little Tyra kept putting on a show for us and she would sing, "Don't BREAK it, it took my momma 9 months to MAKE it!" So yes, we were worried.

But instead she sang, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I tried to hurry and get the camera out in time so I could video it, but I couldn't. It was so cute! I was even going to have her sing it again for the camera and after the few pictures I took, the batteries died. Dang!

Here is Dylan shaking Judge Scott Hansen's hand after the hearing.

The Judge, Tommy, Dylan and I, and our social worker Jared. YAY!!! It's all done!

THE CHOIR!!! From top to bottom and left to right: Anita, Alison, Jeanne, Siler, Braxton, Tyra Jane, Ashtyn, Brian, TJ, Sean, Akasha, little Tyra and Alexis.

After the hearing most of us went over to eat at Rupe's! Here were all the adults that went. Sorry about Tommy being cut off. TJ took the picture for us. Left to right: Tommy, Lorraine, Jeanne, Alison, Tyra Jane and Brian. It was crazy finding enough room for all of us right at lunch time, but we eventually worked it out. It was a good lunch! I had their mushroom burger, YUM!

For some reason all of the kids decided that they needed to get tattoos for them selves. I think they all just want to be like Brian!! Left to right: Dylan (he didn't get a tattoo!), Siler, Sean, TJ, Alexis, Akasha, little Tyra and Braxton.

Close up of TJ's Tattoo.

Close up of Tyra's Tattoo.

Close up of Braxton's Tattoo.

Although the tattoos are just absolutely beautiful, I think I am going to have a great time trying to get them off before the temple. Actually, I really did think Tyra's was kind of cute, but the skulls.... um, NOT so much!

After lunch everyone went their seperate ways. Tyra Jane and her family went back to Utah, (Brian will be heading back for Korea in a few days.. sniff, sniff.) Alison and Jeanne had to get back to what they were doing and Tommy had to go to work. I took TJ back to finish his Scout Day Camp (he really wanted to shoot the bow and arrows), and then I took Dylan to his doctor's appointment, which that in itself deserves a whole nother post for a later time.

It was a great day today. I am so glad that this part is over with. I am so grateful to everyone that came and made the day even more special for us. You are all wonderful. Thanks again! Now for the rest of the day... Soccer and Baseball, here we come!

Dylan's Adoption has been changed

Just for anyone who might be planning on going to the adoption hearing today, I just wanted to let everyone know that the time has been changed from 1:15 p.m. to 11:30 a.m. Apparently the judge has to have knee surgery so they put us with a different one. At least they only changed the time and not the day though. WOOOSH!! Hopefully everyone gets this info.

Tyra Jane and her family are here!!

After Tyra Jane and Brian got to our house we hung out and talked for a little while and then we left to go get something to eat before TJ's soccer game. We went to Wingers. While we were there I let TJ have free reign with the camera, just for fun. Here are a few of the pictures he took:

All of the kids have so much fun together! (I took this picture.)







Here is a picture of all of us: Dylan, Lorraine, Ashtyn, Brian, Tyra Jane, TJ, Sean, Little Tyra, Akasha and Braxton. Tommy couldn't come because he was still working. It started POURING rain again while we were eating so I kept calling and checking on whether or not they were going to cancel TJ's soccer game. Finally they did. YIPEE!!!!! Not that I don't LOVE to watch him play, I just really didn't feel like watching in the pouring rain. Plus we ALL would rather just hang out together. I was glad it got cancelled and so was TJ.

During dinner, Tyra Jane and Brian decided that they would like to get a hotel. Tyra wasn't feeling up to par and needs to get some good sleep. After dinner I needed to run and get a few things from Walmart, so TJ, Sean and Dylan went with me and the rest went with Tyra Jane and Brian to check into their hotel. I just hurried and ran in quickly so the boys waited out in the car.

Apparently TJ had a lot of fun taking pictures at dinner time because when he and Sean found the camera they decided to take a few more. Here are some of their photos:

TJ with glasses... Hmmm!

They were having WAY TOO MUCH FUN!

Eew!! GROSS!

This was their BEST picture of the night!!

After Walmart everyone came back out to our house and Tommy got home and we talked and hung out until pretty late.

Tommy likes to play this little trick on kids with his tie. TJ used to LOVE doing it with his daddy when he was little. Tommy did it to Ashtyn and I videod it. I will try to add the clip as soon as I can.

Tyra Jane, Brian, Ashtyn and their two Great Danes went back to the hotel and Akasha and Sean got to spend the night. The kids had tons of fun playing together. I love that they all get along so well!

Well, it's been a long day and I am very ready for tomorrow to be here and gone. I decided to take a picture of little Dylan on his last night before he becomes our son for good. Man, I sure love this little guy!