Ammon's Two Month Check Up

Yesterday was Ammon's two month anniversary and I took him to the doctor's in the afternoon. He is growing so well. He is now 10 lbs 13 oz. and 22 inches long!!! So he has grown 4 inches and over 4 lbs since he was born!! Not bad for a little guy. I felt so bad for him. He was sound asleep when I took him in. After being weighed and examined and given two shots in each leg, he was yelling when we left. He was fussy the rest of the day but that was to be expected. I gave him some infant Tylenol and that seemed to help. What they go through to stay healthy!!! I am a firm believer in immunizations!
Today I went on a lunch date with my hubby. I don't know....does it count as a date if your two babies are with you? Ammon luckily slept the whole time and Aaron was so good that I wondered what was going on!! We went to Tucanos. Scott had a coupon that was good for a free meal in your birthday month (his birthday is September 16). So, we had a nice lunch together. Tucanos has way yummy food!!!

Ammon's Blessing Part Two

These are pictures of some of my family. Grandma with Ammon and my two sister-in-laws, Katie and Hannah who is holding baby Jonathon. This is at our celebration of Ammon's blessing. I made homemade oreo cookies and punch. So instead of leaving our meetings after Sacrament meeting, I scheduled it at 6 p.m. so that we could all enjoy the rest of church. Mom made cinnamon roles and pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and more cookies so we had quite the spread. It is always so fun to be with my family. It is at these time that I especially think of Erik and Stephanie and their family in Georgia. I'm so glad my mom and dad got the webcam. It makes it so much easier for them to visit. We miss them so much. Kalli got a letter from her cousin Elizabeth and she was soooo excited!! The cousins miss each other too.

Ammon's Blessing

This is Ammon's cute little outfit that he wore to church yesterday. Kalli wanted to wear her "special" dress since it was Ammon's blessing day. This outfit used to belong to Aaron when he was a baby. They grow so fast! I was so happy to see so much family at his blessing. All my siblings were there except my brother, Erik and his family who live in Georgia. In the circle was my dad, Karl, Kris, Kevin (my three brothers), and LeGrand my brother-in-law. Eleven of my parents grandkids were there (minus Erik's kids) and that includes four babies!!! Grandma Pawlowski and Mary Ann also came. So I worried that Ammon would be fussy or crying through his blessing but that didn't happen. He was asleep in his carseat and I took him out and gave him to Scott. Scott blessed him and they were bouncing him in the circle and he woke up. When Scott showed him to the congregation, he was still blinking his eyes as if to say, "Where am I? I am still so sleepy!" Anyway, Scott did a good job. When he was up there, I was thinking please don't forget his middle name and I was repeating that over and over in my mind. When Scott sat down by me, he leaned over and said, "You are lucky I remembered his middle name, I almost forgot it!" Thank goodness for small miracles. I am reminded of two great blessing stories. One is pretty well-known. Joseph Smith, in the early days of the church was asked by two parents to bless their child for them. Instead of giving him the name that they wanted, he was inspired to name him Mahonri Moriancumr and he revealed that name was the name of the Brother of Jared in the Book of Mormon. That was a neat bit of revelation!! The other funny story comes from a coworker of my mom's. She was telling me that they were going to call him a name and the kids were all calling him the name (I can't remember what it was but it started with a BR let's just say Brock for the stories sake). Just before he was blessed, the mother (my mom's coworker) leaned over to her husband and said I decided I like the name Jordan better. So the father went up and blessed him as Jordan! Everyone (including the siblings of the baby) were so surprised!!! What his name is Brock not Jordan!!

Digital TV

We got our coupon in the mail for the converter box and now we must make some decisions. We could just not worry about it and when February comes just have fuzz on our T.V. After all, we lived without our T.V. being hooked up for a whole year from June 2007 to June 2008. That's the first option. Next option is to buy the converter box and hook it up. The last option is to buy a NEW T.V.!!! Our television is 12 years old and the color is going out and it is just old. I have been begging Scott please can we have a new T.V.!!! Scott and I are so different when making purchases on anything. We balance each other well. Scott likes to think things over, research and he takes his time. Me, on the other hand, once I decide I want to get something, I just want to buy it NOW! No waiting. I don't just buy what I want even if it is expensive. But if it is a reasonable price than I want to just get it now. So here is an instance where I'm having to be patient and I don't want to be!!! We will see what happens.
Today, Scott is helping the Roberts family move. I have such mixed feelings. I hate to see them go yet I know how much more comfortable they will be in a house. They aren't going far but it still won't be the same. I won't get to see them every week. Kael went (hahaha) on a campout with the teachers this weekend and they went fishing today. Kalli is helping me with the baby while I do laundry and other housework. Aidan is cleaning his room and Aaron is watching VeggieTales on our VCR in the basement. (The VCR is on its last legs too) Oh, well. I know there are more important things in life.

Count Your Many Blessings

I have so many blessings and it helps me to keep my perspective to think about them! Pictured above is one of them. I remember when Kael and Kalli were young I would always dwell on having more children. I would think, "What's wrong with me? Why can't I get pregnant?" A scripture in Mosiah helped me through this time: Mosiah 24:15 ...yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." I knew that this was a hard trial for me but it could be a lot worse. There are so many worthy parents out there that can't have children and here I was whining that I only had two. This scripture helped me to remember to be cheerful and live life and not complain about what was out of my control. Well, be careful what you pray for. 3 Nephi 14:7 "Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Wow, now I have just what asked for (more babies!) and here I am complaining how it hard it is!!! I am so grateful for the boys that have been sent to our family. I don't know why I was given the opportunity to be their mother but I am so grateful. On the days like today that I step in juice that 2-year-old Aaron spilled on the living room carpet and then look down to see the baby has spit up all over my shirt, this helps me so much to remember how lucky I am. He heard my prayers and answered them but not in the way I thought they would be answered but in His way. Looking back, I am grateful for such a wise Heavenly Father that knows me and knows what is best for me. I have another challenge for myself to not complain so much and count my many blessings! I guess I will have to try harder on my kindness challenge. About two minutes after I wrote the blog about being kind, Aaron turned off the computer in the middle of my writing and I yelled at him. Guess I will have to try harder.

Kindness Begins with Me

I just reread a book I love "Faraway Child" by Amy Maida Wadsworth and it really made me think. This book is about a member of the church who has two little girls 18 months apart and the second daughter is autistic. She goes to church and has a hard time even being there because some of the ward members are unkind. Like the nursery leader tells her that she shouldn't bring her daughter to nursery because she just can't deal with her. Things like that. It made me think; would I be kind and understanding to this type of situation or would I be like the nursery worker and say "don't come--I just can't deal with your situation." Being kind is hard but I love what Nancy said on her blog--that her husband had told her that doing the right thing is sometimes not easy. Something like that. It is easier to be kind to strangers and friends than it is our own families sometimes. I think about the morning I had: I was not kind to Aidan when he was disobeying me and I feel bad for getting so mad at him. I know I am sleep deprived and my house is a train wreck (which is my number one thing that sets me on edge--I hate being in a mess) but that is no excuse for not being kind. My challenge to me this week is try harder to be kind. Especially to my family. I'll let you know how the experiment goes.
An update to my last blog-Bedtime woes: The comments that were made were so helpful. Thank you for writing them. Yes, Annie, that is a normal night for me. Last night, I was so tired, I fell asleep at 10 p.m. (earlier than normal for me) but Ammon was up at midnight, 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and 6 a.m. again. Hopefully soon he will be sleeping better. I do have a playpen in my front room that I will use for Ammon (thanks one and all for the suggestion!) Aaron is still in his crib--He hasn't tried to get out again but I have kept a close eye on him. I need to just bite the bullet and move him to the bunk bed. I'll keep everyone posted!!

Bedtime Woes

I am having to make some decisions about sleeping arrangements sooner than I had planned! We had planned that Ammon would sleep in his little bassinet in the livingroom for six months and Aaron would stay in his crib that same time frame (as long as possible!). Well, two nights ago, Aaron was screaming like usual about going to bed but he really threw a major fit. He was so mad, he threw his foot up on the railing and (I left the room) the next thing I hear is a huge THUMP! He had catapulted himself out! He was crying hard because the scared him and I yelled at him (I'm sorry) and then put him back in his crib. He didn't try it again because that scared him and eventually he settled down and went to sleep. I have been so spoiled. Our routine for naptime and bedtime is put him in the crib, he screams maybe 10 minutes and then he stops and goes to sleep because he knows I won't come and get him. Now I don't trust him that he will stay in his crib so I'm always checking to see if he's okay. Anyway, he swung his foot up last night and I moved it down and told him, "NO you don't! It is bedtime." Besides this little development, Ammon is growing like a weed and is going to be out of the bassinet maybe next month--not in six months!! So the plan was that Aidan would move to the top bunk in their bedroom, Aaron to the bottom bunk and Ammon to the crib. That looks all nice on paper but I'm not ready to make the move! Besides the fact that I went to bed at midnight last night and was up with Ammon at 2 a.m., 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., I just don't know how I feel about the baby moving in with his big bruiser brothers!!!
Some suggestions that have been made to me I am thinking about: Buy a crib net that goes above the crib to keep Aaron in, also we have a playpen in the front room--maybe we could move Ammon in there. I know some people are reading this and thinking "what is the big deal!" but this is a big deal to me. Anyway, if anyone else has any more suggestions, feel free to leave a comment!

Tag!

Well, my cousin Annie "Tagged" me-so here are some pictures. I am still trying to figure out how to do my blog and I don't know how to do the picture, writing, picture, writing so this is how I'll do it! The top picture is my kitchen sink--I actually got the dishes done! The next picture is the bathroom and it is actually decent. The bottom picture is my livingroom--it is always messy sometimes messier than other times. I am trying but it is is hard with a baby. The next is a picture of the fridge. Anyway, there is no way I will post a picture of my bedroom because it is such a train wreck! Someday I will get to clean it. I haven't slept in my bed for 8 weeks (since the baby was born). I sleep in the livingroom with the baby who is still up all night.

Puppet Show

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I actually made dinner and cleaned up the kitchen afterwards! For Family Home Evening, I took Kalli, Aidan and Ammon to a puppet show at the library. Scott had to work late and Kael had a ton of homework to do so he stayed home. I left Aaron with him because I wasn't going to chase a two-year-old around the library!! Anyway, Kalli's teacher, Mr. Pulham, also works at the library. He is so talented. He did the puppet show on the book "To Kill a Mockingbird". The city of Orem is doing the BIG READ--they are encouraging everyone to read "To Kill a Mockingbird" and in connection to this, that is why he did the puppet show on this subject. He is brilliant. He kept all the little kids entertained and laughing and I actually want to go get my hands on the copy of this book and read it now! Anyway, it was nice to get out but hard too. I ended up leaving Kalli and Aidan to watch the show to find a quiet spot to nurse the baby. Usually our FHE's are together but with Scott working late, I'm just glad some of us could spend some time together!!

Babies bring joy!

It has been really hard for me adjusting to having "two" babies--Aaron and Ammon. Aaron still needs a lot of attention and I'm giving most of it to Ammon. I know that this is probably normal and a lot of people have their kids two years apart or less but this is my first experience with it. Plus Aidan is needing a lot of attention too! I feel like I'm juggling a bunch of balls and throw one more in and I will drop them all! Although as time goes by, it is getting easier to deal with life. I know that soon (faster than I want) Ammon will be old and independent and won't need me as much and I will miss my babies!! It is hard to live in the moment and enjoy the stage of life that you are in but I am trying.

Ammon Smiling!

Ammon is smiling more and more!!! I finally caught him on camera.

Well, the city of Orem has put in traffic lights at the intersection of 400 West and 800 South and Main Street adn 800 South. I grew up on Main Street and it is so strange to see a traffic light in the neighborhood. It just shows how much Orem is growing. I'm glad that we could buy a house here and live so close to my family. I am so blessed!!!

Nursery Rhyme Parade

The kindergarten classes at Westmore had a Nursery Rhyme parade today. They dressed up as their favorite nursery character and paraded in and out of the classrooms. Aidan was Little Boy Blue. Okay so he didn't have a very creative costume but give me a break; I just had a baby!!! This kind of stuff stresses me out!!!! So I just kept it simple. Aidan didn't care and he had a good time.

I look forward to every afternoon. The picture says it all!! Kael and Kalli are in school all day, of course. Aidan goes to afternoon kindergarten for three hours. After he leaves, Aaron knows what time it is! Naptime! Doesn't he look sweet? Ammon will sometimes take a snooze too so I occasionally have some free time. But if the baby is awake, we have some rare time together alone.

I Lost my Mother of the Year Award!

On Scott's birthday, he took the day off and canned peaches as I mentioned in the previous entry. While he was canning, Aaron was napping so I thought I would do some errands with the baby. I took Ammon to the library and then grocery shopping to Maceys. I thought I had all the time in the world and I was enjoying getting some things done. I got home about 3:45 and asked Scott if Aidan and Kalli were home from school yet. No, he said, but someone had called a couple of times and he couldn't get the phone because he was doing peaches. So I get the messages and yikes! It was the school secretary. Aidan was at the office and could I come get him! I cried all the way to the school. Kalli usually picks him up and walks home with him but Tuesdays and Thursdays she has Drama club. I didn't know that the school had called everyone on my emergency form. You fill out a form at the beginning of school of who to call if they can't get a hold of you. So I pick Aidan up and go home and he said he was mad at Kalli. I said Be mad at me!!! Well, I am so thankful for loving family members. Emma, my sister, and my aunt Mary Ann and Grandma Pawlowski went to the school to pick up Aidan. The school called Emma and left a message at my mom's. At least I know how much Aidan is loved. But I feel so bad for forgetting him!!! You can bet I didn't forget him today!

So two days ago, Sept 16, was Scott's birthday and what do you think he wanted to do! Can peaches!!! He did 14 quarts. So this month he has canned 42 quarts of peaches so we are set for the winter!!! Isn't he a great husband!!!

Kael with baby Ammon in early August

Kalli with cousin Henry Pyne on Sept 1, 2008

This was taken on Sept 11, 2008. I need to get a picture of Ammon smiling!

This was taken last month in August and boy has Ammon grown since then. Aidan and Aaron have both had their hair shaved off so they all look different!!!

School Pictures

Wow! I have finally joined the ranks of bloggers everywhere. With a new baby, I don't know how much time I will have to update this. We will see how it goes. Today was school picture day and since I am on the School Community Council, I had my picture taken. I usually go to JCPenny but this year I just don't have enough time so I took Aaron down today. Kalli and Aidan will have theirs taken during their class. Ammon will get his taken next month when he is smiling more!!!