Teach them well!

Its up to us to teach our kids to love the finer things in life!

Jolly Ol' Sant Jethro?

I had no idea that Jethro was asked to play Santa at our Ward Christmas party and he didn’t expect it either LOL  When Jethro and I arrived at the Ward Christmas party he left to go see if they needed any help in the kitchen he was gone for a little bit but came back just before the party was started. I was pleasantly surprise he came back because usually at our ward parties he is gone helping the whole time.  Well as we were sitting at the table Bro Reid, the first councilor in the bishopric asked Jethro if he could help them real quick. So Jethro followed him out into the hall and into a classroom where he showed Jethro a Santa suit and asked if he wouldn’t mind playing Santa. Jethro was hesitant……ok so he full on said NO at first and walked out. But after some pleading and begging Jethro put on the suit and made a lot of primary kids really happy!! As this was all happening I was thinking he was helping in the kitchen again and Ana wondered off somewhere and I figured she was with him. Then the Primary leaders announced they had a big surprise that just landed on the roof and asked all the kids to come to the front. I was wishing Ana was in the gym with me because I didn’t want her to miss out on Santa. So I was filming Penina when Santa came in the room (still not aware that Jethro was Santa) she was excited and wanted to go closer.  Then I started to look around for Ana to see if she came in the gym yet. I wish I had the camera on still because when I made eyecontact with her  Ana had a terrified look on her face and because she was across the room from me she mouthed to words “HELP” to me! It was the funniest thing I have ever seen!! Ana has always been afraid of Santa and as  she came toward me I was walking with Penina to see Santa but Ana sat in her chair and wouldn’t join us. Penina had no fear she walked right up to Santa, he handed her a present and when I saw he was just handing out the gift and the kids weren’t sitting on his lap I went back and got Ana .  As I walked with Ana back up to Santa Bro Reid said something to me that made me look twice at “Santa” then I realized it was Jethro!  I whispering in Ana’s ear that it really was daddy and she looked at him and her look of terror turned into a big grin  and she laughed and laughed. I told her not to tell the other kids because daddy had to be Santa’s  helper.  She was pretty proud that her dad got to be Santa!

Lost!

Ana lost her first tooth! We were eating breakfast when Ana’s tooth fell out! Even though she was anticipating this moment she was a little freaked out and got all teary, I think the taste of blood in her mouth was disconcerting!  The tradition Jethro grew up with was when you lose a tooth you throw it on the roof for the mouse to get and he will give you one of his teeth to replace it with and that is what grows in place of the old tooth.  I didn’t think Ana would be too excited to follow that tradition especially when all her friends got a visit from the tooth fairy and she got a tooth from a mouse so we went with the “my” tradition  LOL We put the tooth in a baggy and she kept asking me all day if it was time to put it under her pillow, normally I would just let her but Penina has been her shadow lately I knew that if Ana put it under her pillow Penina would see it and go get it and do who knows what with it. So I made her wait until bedtime. The next morning she was excited to wake to a $1 under her pillow and her tooth gone!  (Bytheway if you are wondering why Ana’s hair looks kind of funky it because Jethro’s sister came to visit and she put cornrows in Ana’s hair, I didn’t get a good picture of it but it looked really cool especially when we took out the braids her hair was really curly)

Blessed!

Tautua was blessed a couple of Sundays ago by his daddy! It was odd for me to go shopping for a blessing outfit because the girls used my blessing dress so I never had to go shopping for one.  It was a perfect day, I was worried about the weather because I didn’t want my family to have to drive in the snow, thankfully it was a beautiful sunny day!! Cliff and Maile were kind enough to let us host a dinner at their home. I gave Jethro the camera to take pictures because I was busy making sure everyone was fed so we didn’t get to many picture from Jethro. So I gave Ana the camera and told her to take some pictures and she did a pretty good job!!  I want to thank all the family that came out to support us and Tautua you made the day all the more special!!! 

Three little monkeys

 My three monkeys!

Still adjusting to three kids, its getting better but  it’s a lot of work having three kids especially one that is nursing I forgot you can’t just leave the house at a moments whim, you’ve got to time it just right make sure that baby is fed and changed. Trying to get out of the house is a big routine making sure all the kids have their socks, shoes, and coats on. Then loading them in the car as fast as I can before they start playing in the snow and end up getting all wet while I get the baby in the car. I don’t like to leave the house a whole lot but because Ana has school we don’t have  a choice. I can’t wait for summer already!!  I love my kids despite the chaos, but one thing I am looking forward to for sure…..Christmas morning. I think Christmas is going to be extra fun this year!!

4 weeks

Time sure goes by fast, its been four weeks already since we welcomed our baby boy to our family!! He has already grown so much and has lost his newborn look. I am loving having a boy, sometimes I can't wait for him to be a little older and start seeing his personality, but for now I am enjoying holding and snuggling him all I can.
This may sound cheesy but sometimes I miss feeling that "first love" feeling you get when you first date your spouse but I now remember you get those feelings all over again with each new baby. I can wait to hold him when he is sleeping in his crib I can't kiss him enough and I can't help but feel so overjoyed with love when I look at him! I am so in love with my kids and I feel so privileged to be a mom!

Home sweet home!

Finally some down time to catch up with cyber life lol! Its been a whirlwind couple of days but I am glad to be home, as much fun as it is being "pampered" in the hospital. Well some what pampered the nursed bring you your food and drinks and all that you need but on the flip side they annoy and bug me getting my vitals and such when I'm trying to rest and make me feel a lot of pressure if I don't feed my baby every two hours on the dot. But when all is said and done I am grateful for the care of the doctors and nurses who make sure that this baby is going to be well cared for once it leaves the hospital.
Speaking of I had a fabulous delivery nurse. Her name was Katy and she was just a pro! The best part is when she did my IV she got it in the first time! After that I knew this was going to be a good nurse! Since the baby was 5 days past due date we went in Wednesday morning at 7 AM to be induced, I was so excited and nervous. I was dreading all the needles and poking and proding that I have to go thru but I knew once I got my epidural it wouldn't be so bad. Things went along quickly they hooked my up to IV and pitocin and my body was set. The doctor came in and broke my water and then things got going fast. I was surprisingly a 5 when we arrived and then the next hour a 6 and then reached 7 by 10AM. The nurse warned me once I reached a 7 I could progress to a 10 in minutes and I thought that wouldn't be my luck, I don't think this baby will be here until noon. But like I said she was a pro and she was right with in 5-10 minutes I was a 10 and after 4 pushes the baby was out! That was the fastest delivery I ever had but certinaly not the most painless. My epidural didn't really completly numb out the contractions like it has before although my legs were numb I could still feel a lot of painful contraction so I wasn't shy about pushing the button to take the edge off the pain I think I pushed it 3 times in 40 minutes but it just made my legs more numb I don't know how women can do labor without drugs. It hurt so bad but luckly the baby came fast and I didn't have to endure hours of pain. I was surprised after I delivered I didn't even use the "good" stuff my pain level was low that motrin was all I needed. I was so happy that everything went has quick as it did and as easy as it did. The one annoying part was there was a medical student tagging along with my nurse and the nurse asked if I would mind if she let the student do some of the after birth cleaning up and stuff. Well that was a long and slow process but I do what I can to help the medical field.

Baby Tautua arrived weighing in at 7lb 2 oz and 19 inches long. He had some fluid in his tummy and was having a hard time breathing at first so they took him to the nursery for observation while I waited for my epidural to wear off. After that I was taken to my recovery room, my girls loved visiting me, they especially loved the bed and pushing the buttons making it go up and down!

I am always so glad to be back home recovering and being with my family. Being a mother of 3 is a little trying. Everyone wants mommys attention and I feel bad that sometimes I am to tired to give it. I know with time I will adjust and figure out how to divide my time with each kid and husband but for now I am going to do what the doctor ordered and take my naps everyday!!

8 years down, eternity to go!!

Today is our 8th Anniversary! It’s not at all what I thought it would be both of us forgot this morning. I called Jethro an hour after he left for work and wished him a Happy Anniversary lol. I guess with the anticipation of baby #3 we just didn't think about it. As I reflect back on the past years we've been together it’s amazing to see how far we come and how much we've grown. I can honestly say I love Jethro more than I ever have and I am so grateful for the man he is today. I lean on him more then he knows. His thoughts and opinions matter so much to me and I look to his example of compassion and kindness all the time! Jethro is always so observant of those around him and looks for ways to serve and help where he can and I'm always so grateful for that.....even though I have to nag him sometimes to help around the house LOL I am so grateful to be married to him and have him by my side raising two almost three beautiful kids!! Happy Anniversary Jethro! Thanks for all you have given me!

Dear BYU...

Dear BYU

This is how you catch a football!!

School is cool!

Doing the school thing has been so much fun. All my worries have been for nothing so far. Ana has LOVED school, she goes to afternoon K and every morning asks me "Is it time for school yet?" Her class is no bigger then 20 kids  and she seems to have a great teacher. One day she came home with a book full of drawings of her done by her classmates labeled "Queen for a Day" she was so excited about it that she looked thru the book over and over! Ana also came home with a certificate that says she is "Star" student of the week not sure how prestigious of an honor that is yet, (we are still learning the schools reward system and all that) but we are pretty proud of her!

Yesterday Ana participated in a "Jump-a-thon" to raise money for the PTA and it was so fun to watch, she was having a lot of fun! So far so good, we are loving school and look forward to all the fun school activities and things in the future!

Photography giveaway....check it out

"Michele Reyes Photography is doing a newborn session giveaway - check out her blog - michelereyes.blogspot.com for details!"

First day of Kindergarten

September 1st 2010 was Ana's first day of school. We have been anticipating this day since she turned 5 and now its finally here!! Ana woke up with a smile on her face and was ready to head out the door but she had to wait until after lunch and it was the longest morning of her life!


Finally the time came and she rushed to put on her school clothes and get out the door.


Jethro came home for lunch to join us and see her off on her first day.


She was so excited I didn't cry like I thought I would. To see her standing in line with a big grin on her face made me so happy and excited for her!!

I am so proud of her she wasn't scared at all! As I watched her walk away and was snapping pictures I wanted so bad to follow her and just be with her all day but I knew I had to let her go!




On our way home Penina fell asleep and Jethro stayed and we had a quiet lunch together reminiscing about when Ana was a baby and how much she's grown. As soon as Jethro got up to leave for work I realized how quiet the house will be and started to cry because I didn't have Ana home. I know I will come to enjoy "MY" time while Ana's at school and Penina's down for a nap and soon the new baby will arrive but I couldn't help but miss her so much and wonder how she was doing at school.

As soon as school time was over I was out the door to pick up Ana and anxious to hear about her day. We got in the car and I could see she was sad and was fighting back tears. My heart broke, a million thoughts went through my head of who could have hurt her and what must have happened. I finally got it out of her that she was sad because she wanted to ride the bus home. She thought that she was gonna get the "full" school experience I guess. After I explained to her why kids have to ride the bus and bought her a few treats at the store she was much happier and excited to tell me about her day.

Summer fun

I have been going thru my summer pictures and just had to attempt to blog about it. We've been having a blast this summer, Jethro is really into fishing this year and so is Ana, so we've been doing a lot of fishing and hanging out at the lakes, reserviors and ponds. Ana has the lucky Barbi fishing pole and usually catches more fish than her dad.







Penina loves to copy Ana and tries to do everything Ana does. It is so fun to watch them play together. Penina is talking more and more everyday and loves to "fraw" aka draw. She had left her art work all over the table, couch and some of her toys but her favorite place to "fraw" is on her legs.




Baby number three has yet to be named, we haven't really found a name we both love and most likely won't until he's born. He is VERY active and kicks and punches harder than any of the girls ever did that I can rememeber. We are very excited for baby boy but at the same time I am nervous to have three monkeys to deal with, I know we will find our routine but its hard to imagine especially with Penina barely turning two I feel she will be more jealous and be a little more harder to cope with then usual uuugggg BUT we'll just have to see I hope and pray she will adjust fast!!