Our Little Family

My Boys

2012-01-12T23:35:00.001-08:00

Feeling extremely grateful for my boys today.

The smile Jimmy gives me when he wakes up early in the morning, hugging his monkey and blanket.

The hug I get from Mason after he wakes up, comes in my room, and asks if he can cuddle with me in my bed.

Laying on Davey's chest and talking about the day, feeling warm and safe.

We all have so many things to be grateful for.

These are mine.

Happy Wednesday!

Three Babies

2012-01-09T15:02:00.001-08:00

Yup, this is how we roll.

Hope you're having a stellar Monday.

Besides looking totally awesome in the wardrobe department,

My boys are loving life and I'm in love with how much these two adore each other.
Seriously. They LOVE each other and they never want to leave the other out.

Sure they fight like brothers do but they always end with a big hug and and an, "I'm sorry" (or "I'm saaawwwwyyy," as Jimmy would say) and then they're off to play.
I really don't know what I'd do without them.

These days Mason is asking me almost every day if we can have a baby.
He actually asks for "THREE BABIES" and no matter how many times I try to explain that babies usually come one at a time, he will not let go of it. He wants three. Nothing less. But, I know when we actually are blessed with a wee little one in our home, he'll be as happy as can be.
That's another thing about these littles... they love babies.

Maybe one day they'll get to love on our baby.

Facebook

2012-01-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, there are a lot of really neat people out there helping us.
I felt like we should create a Facebook page to help get the word our about our hopes to adopt...

And in the first 24 hours we already had 77 followers (now we have 102!) and people have already been sharing the page with their friends.

We are so grateful to those that have "liked" the page and shared it.
(And if you haven't... you still can! :) We need all the help we can get!)

Afterall, you never know who will be that connection to the one who will help us expand our little family.

Thank you friends!

Christmas Time

2011-12-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

Oh goodness, I love Christmas time.

We've had a busy few weeks and right in the middle of it, for some reason I decided to take down my kitchen cabinets and start the sanding/priming/painting process.

What was I thinking?

Anyway, besides that, here's some of what we've been up to...

Lots of family time...

Lights at Temple Square...

Family dinners and gingerbread cookie eating...

Nativities...

The shepherd...

And his sheep...

Christmas Eve jammies...

Enjoying their new tent on Christmas Day...

And that's pretty much where they've wanted to spend their time ever since.
They bring their new toys in there.
They bring their old toys in there.
They want to eat their snacks in there.
Let's just say... it was a hit.

Pass Along Cards!

2011-12-22T13:02:00.001-08:00

A while ago I won a giveaway on this cute adoption blog.

I won 500 free pass along cards from Spaces For Faces!

Well, I finally got them made, ordered, and I just received them in the mail and I love them.

They had all kinds of options that I could choose from and they even worked with me on my own personal changes.

Super cool company.

Anyway, here they are...

Front

Back

If any of you think you will have opportunities to hand some out, let me know and I'll give you some!

We so appreciate all of you who are helping us spread the word about our hopes to adopt.

Someday all of this out-of-my-comfort-zone business will all be worth it.

Someday.

Bath Time

2011-12-13T19:30:00.001-08:00

My boys and me after their bath time.

Man do these boys love their baths.

They would stay in all day if we'd let them.
And afterward, they love to be wrapped "like a burrito."

This is our "double burrito."

See the head-lock Mason's got Jimmy in?

That's supposed to be a hug.

He said "I really love Jimmy," just before the picture was taken.

Family and Kindness

2011-12-12T09:02:00.001-08:00

Have you read this story yet?

If you haven't, you should.

Go head and go. Now. Read it.

It's a wonderful reminder of how we all should be.

Not just this Holiday season, but always.

I hope you're all having a fantastic December so far.

We have family trickling in from out of town and I love it.

I get giddy just thinking about it.

Holy cow, I love my family.

Here are some pics from a day in the snow...

Mason LOVES throwing snowballs. Can you see the excitement in his face?

I shared this previously...

Happy Monday!

Adoption Profile!

2011-11-30T21:42:00.001-08:00

Our adoption profile is up!!! YAY!!!

We are SO excited!
Click here to view it.

And please, oh please, share it.

With everyone.

Help us spread the word.

Snow

2011-11-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Family Outing

2011-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Every week we try to have "Family Night."

We are all together pretty much every night but we're trying to get in the habit of having a designated Family Night so, when our kids our older and have their own busy schedules, they will already know to keep that night open for our family.

Sometimes we stay home, sometimes we have a religious lesson, and sometimes we go out.

This night we went to Costco together. First we shopped, then we ate dinner there.

Extravagant. I know.

You'd think he's being silly and sweet while I took this picture, but he's not.
He is saying, "NO!" because he didn't want me to take his picture anymore.
He just wanted a sip of soda.

He didn't mind though.

Happy Monday!

Inside Activities

2011-11-26T08:38:00.000-08:00

It's been freezing outside.

So so cold.

I've been trying to think of fun things to do with my boys where we don't have to spend too much time outside. I can't think of many things that I dislike more than being cold.

On this day we built a fort together, then we played with trains and cars and had snacks inside.

Then we went to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and we split a chocolaty treat.
We had to do this activity at a time without Davey as he doesn't even like chocolate.
Yes, those people do exist.

I have so many pictures of Jimmy looking at Mason like that.
So cute. Maybe someday I'll round them all up and post them.

Parents, what are you doing with your kids?

Have any fun activity ideas?

Here are a few things from Pinterest that we're planning on doing soon:

pinned

P.S.. Have I told you that I'm going to start preschool for my boys.
By saying "I'm going to start," that's just what I mean, I am going to teach them.

I've found some great sources for materials online.

I'll let you know how it's going.

Heaven help me.

Giggle.

2011-11-09T16:04:00.001-08:00

I hope you're having a happy Wednesday!

Mason sure is.

This clip is only audio.. I just added his pic for something to look at while you listen.

In case you don't understand what he is saying at the end:

He is trying to talk me into tickling Jimmy instead.

Halloween!

2011-11-08T13:49:00.000-08:00

I hope your Halloween was as fabulous as ours.

My boys were thrilled about walking from house to house for candy.

So thrilled they didn't even notice that I ate most of the good stuff from their bags.

Someday they may react more like the kids in this video, but for now they don't notice and I love it.

What a little cheeser...

Just for fun here are some Halloween pictures from the last few years...

2008

2009

(Jimmy was still in the hospital and Davey wasn't dressed up so he took the picture)

2010

As you can see, Mason was a tiger last year too. He had other options but insisted on being a tiger again.

Happy weekend everyone!

Don't forget about our fundraiser!!

My baby's a bug killer...

2011-10-15T21:04:00.003-07:00

It started out as an innocent observation.

They were curious about the little creature.

I thought it was cute so I quickly snapped some pictures.

Then he did it.

He stepped on it.

And as if that wasn't enough....

He wanted to finish the job with his ball.

I don't know where this boy came from.

But he sure can rock a cute innocent look.

That's for sure.

Davey

2011-10-15T21:04:00.001-07:00

I love him.

Make-up Pro

2011-09-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

My Mason has entered the beauty industry and is currently looking for clients on which he can apply his skills.

Anyone interested?

His rates are great.
I'm sure he'll do your make-up for trade if you're interested..

Do you have any candy?

Jammies

2011-08-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

I was looking through cell phone pictures and I came across these.

There's just something irresistible about little boys in pajamas.

Even if they're on their heads.

Or they're wearing them as cats and dogs..

Even at the grocery store at 9:30 at night searching for some quality, reasonably priced avocados.

Davey was out of town and I was sick ofbeing alone at night after the kids went to bed so we hopped in the car and wentlooking for avocados for guacamole. We ended up going to a few grocery stores and seeing several people we know. Who brings their whole family to the grocery store in their pajamas?

Salsa Boy

2011-08-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

This...

is a boy after my own heart.

He'll sit with me at 9 in the morning to share a bowl (or two) of guacamole/salsa and chips.

I would eat salsa, chips and avocado for every meal if my husband would let me get away with it.
Jimmy's fine with it.

Washing it down with a cup bigger than his face.

Happy Friday.

ps.. I apologize for the blurry cell phone pics.

Adoption Bio

2011-08-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

I updated our bio a bit...

Why do we have a bio?

Well, as most of you already know, we are planning on adopting

And we decided to write up and post a little family bio for people to refer to.

Maybe someday a miracle will happen and a sweet birth mother somewhere will see our bio and decide to place their baby with us. Maybe. I can dream right?

This can only happen if they have the chance to get to know us.

So, if you can.. help us spread the word.

I will put this in our side bar for easy reference.

Click the image to enlarge.

My Baby is 2!

2011-07-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

One July night

Two years ago..

This little guy was born.

I remember the moment..

It felt like a bad dream I couldn't wake up from.

I was scared.

And shaking uncontrollably...

While my body was being cut open and my much-to-small infant was taken away, not breathing.

I was holding Davey's hand so tight and I didn't want him to leave me but at the same time I needed him to go.

I needed him to be there with our baby in case he lived for just a moment. One of us needed to be there.

Fast Forward 2 years and our little one has beat so many odds.

We were told he might not do things that other kids do.

That he might have some serious motor issues.

They showed me a list full of serious health problems and rattled high percentages, telling us many of the things that 25-weekers usually have "wrong" with them.

So far, aside from being extremely stubborn and strong willed, his small size is the only thing that shows he was premature.

When I say "extremely stubborn and strong willed," I mean it. He is the most stubborn child I have ever met.

And if there was a "stink-eye" competition, he would win. With flying colors.

He loves his big brother and follows him around all day.

He loves to cuddle with his monkey and any blanket he can get his hands on.

I am positive that he loves his "Bampa-Bob" more than he loves me.

He can say so many things and will say any word we ask him to, if he feels like it.

He loves to run through the sprinklers with his brother. And play in the dirt.

We love everything about our little Jimmy.

Family

2011-07-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

My goodness, he's 3.

2011-06-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Since when did I get old enough to have a 3 year old boy constantly asking me questions while assuming that I know everything?

I swear he was just here, in my arms for the first time.

I miss baby Mason but I so love the things he is doing right now.

He is so curious and will ask anyone anything.

He recently asked me if I had a baby in my belly. I told him that I didn't and he proceeded to point at my chest and say "Yes, Mama. You have two babies."

He has an irresistible giggle that makes anyone around him laugh right along with him.

He is fascinated by tiny babies.

He still calls his little brother a baby and when he is in an lovey mood he speaks to him using phrases like, "You're my bubba baby sweetheart" or "I love my bookie baby."

He loves animals. He especially loves to imitate the growling ones. His favorite one to imitate is the puma. His growl is scary and startling. For real. I think the strangers in the grocery store are curious about my parenting when my 3-year-old boy just growls loudly at them when they tell him he's adorable.

He asks every day if he can go to his grandma's house.

He gets distraught if I squish an ant that has made it's way into our home. "Mama, don't squish it! We need to take it outside!"

He loves going to nursery at our church.

He reminds me at the end of every day that we need to pray and read scriptures.

He still has no bum and is constantly pulling his pants up, it's becoming second nature.

He loves to watch Diego because he's an animal rescuer.

He and his little brother are chips and salsa lovers. You can't eat a plain tortilla chip without him reminding you that you forgot the salsa.

He loves any kind of ball and would play sports all day if he could.

He is a sweetheart who loves to hug and kiss and tell us that he loves us.

Lately, when we tuck him in at night and tell him that we love him, he giggles and says, "I love you more."

Man, I love this little boy.

This I Believe

2011-06-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Before my huge family reunion that was held recently my totally awesome sister decided it would be cool to put together a book of This I Believe essays written by my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and everyone else who was willing.
(The idea was based on the This I Believe radio station that started in the 1950s. Super cool idea.)

She thought it would be neat to have a book full of things that we all believed in, not only for us to read today but for posterity.

So those that come after us can get a feel of who we were.

I sat down brainstorming about the things that I believe so I could pick one to write my essay on.

After a while I read through my list and realized that, if I died tomorrow, I would want my children to read what I had written on that scratch paper,
this list of things that I believe with all my heart.

I believe…

I believe thatfresh air is healing.

I believe thatactions can only take you so far; faith will take you the rest of the way.

I believe thatthe best kind of friends are those that listen.

I believe inLove.

I believe wehave a Maker, a Heavenly Maker, who loves us more than we can comprehend.

I believe thatlaughter can help cure any emotional ailment.

I believe in theamazing impact a smile can have on anyone who is willing to accept it.

I believe in thepower of prayer.

I believe thatmothers can have more influence on their children than anyone their childrenwill meet throughout their lives.

I believe in my mother and know that she has shapedme in the best kind of ways. That being said…

I believe thatbiting your nails is not that big of a deal.

I believe thatwe all need someone to hug us regularly.

I believe inservice. There is no better way to live your life than to do so helping others.

I believe inexercise and living a healthy lifestyle.

I believe thatthe best kind of people are those that make sacrifices for those they love and those they don’t.

I believe infamily.

via

This I believe.

Adoption Yard Sale

2011-05-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

This cute paper was found via.

My goodness, he did it!

2011-05-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

My sweetie graduated!

It was such an exciting day.

He has worked so hard, for so long.

And he's finally done it.

I'm so proud.

Davey and his mom

Family

2011-04-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a happy Easter.

We sure did.

We attempted to snap a family picture to document the day..

it was lunch time, nap time and the boys wanted nothing to do with it.

But we did it, sort of.

Present Joy

2011-03-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."

-Anonymous

Today Mason came to me with a box in his hand.

He was trying SO incredibly hard to hide the huge smile on his face.

He handed the box to me and said, "Mama, I have a present for you."

I opened it to find this...

He found these hair-things in my hair drawer.

I love how much joy he had, giving me something that he knew I would like and I would use.

Best. present. ever.

Hair Cutting Dreadfulness

2011-02-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

I am not good at cutting hair. Not. At. All.

But.. I don't want to spend money on haircuts for my boys when they'll just need another hair cut in a month or so.

So.... I am learning how to cut their hair... by practicing.... on them :)

I've learned that these boys will not sit still for more than a minute so I trapped them both in the tub (with no water-didn't want hair going down the drain).

Jimmy's face is a pretty good depiction of how it went.

These pics were taken with my phone because I was COVERED in hair and couldn't run get my camera without tracking hair all over my house.

Blog

2010-11-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

Because we are hoping to adopt and doing what we can to spread the word.. we are leaving this blog open for people to see.

But, as you may have noticed, we don't update it very often. Our other blog, here, is updated a lot more often so head on over there if you are interested.

.....................

I hope ya'll are spreading the word about our hopes to adopt
'cause we're really good parents.

random

2010-09-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

Mason and some of his cousins.

He has SO many cousins.

This is just a few of them at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I recently drove to Idaho to visit my cute friend who just got married.

Mason somehow found a pen while buckled in his car seat.

He was trying to draw in-between his toes when I noticed what was happening and confiscated the pen.

Of course, I had to take a picture with my phone as soon as I arrived.

I have no words for his shirt except for... it was a long car ride. don't judge.

This is my cute friend Whitney and me.

We were roommates while teaching English in China.

She is so awesome. I love her and I'm so happy for her and her cute new hubby.

While we were there we had the opportunity to stay with my sister and her husband.

They snuck away with my camera and this is what I found later...

Adoption Fundraiser

2010-09-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't already know.. we are planning on adopting. I have always wanted to adopt..... some day. But, due to pregnancy related health risks, that someday came a lot sooner than I had planned.

Anyway, adoption costs a lot of money. A LOT.

So we are doing some fundraising to raise money.

We are selling prints on our website and all of the money we make from that will go into our adoption fund.

If you would like to buy some, go to our website and click on the "adoption fundraising" link.

If you don't see any that you like, check back because we will be adding more and more pics as we go.

Also, if you don't want to buy any pictures but you would like to donate to our cause, click on the "donate" link in the sidebar to the right.

Thank you!

Bubbles

2010-09-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Mason wanted to go outside and "blow bubbs" so out we went.

He insisted on wearing the beanie, even though it was hot outside. Whatever makes him happy.

Jimmy was just content with the lid.

no longer private, for now..

2010-09-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Because we have decided to get started with the adoption process, our blog is no longer private, for now.

We decided to make it easier for potential birth parents to see our blog

as well as others who will hopefully help us get the word out about our hopes to adopt.

Please help us.

This is going to be a long journey but we know it will be so worth it in the end.

Thank you.

Stubborn Child

2010-09-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today I asked Mason if he wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and he insisted that he did NOT want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich..

then he asked for bread with peanut butter and jelly on it.

ummm.. I guess it had to be his idea?

via

Oh my goodness.

2010-09-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the low quality phone picture.

I just wanted to share Jimmy's first store cart ride with you.

He loved every second of it.

He was bouncing and dancing and laughing, sometimes all at the same time.

Isn't he just the cutest little creature?

Jimmy's One Year Video

2010-09-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

I finally posted Jimmy's "One Year" video online for those interested.

Click here to view it.

PS.. I love the songs I chose for it I hope you like them too.

Tired Boy

2010-09-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

Right this moment Mason is asleep.

And he is snoring away.

Changes

2010-07-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time I was lying in a hospital bed

hoping my contractions would stop...

Been busy.

2010-07-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been absent from this blog for quite some time. I've been busy..

editing photos.

vacationing.

shooting sessions.

going to school.

house searching.

and spending time with my boys.

It's been a crazy summer.

I have a lot of updating to do.

A little bit about myself.

2010-06-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

Random facts about Lizzie.

Wedding and Jimmy

2010-05-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

My cute little sister, Molly just got married in the Provo, Utah LDS temple.

Her new husband, Lane, fits into our crazy family quite well, they are such a cute couple.

Because my husband and I are always behind the camera, taking everyone else's pictures, we rarely get pictures taken of our family all together.

Also, Its been a while since I've posted an update on sweet little Jimmy.

He is doing so well.

He struggles a little bit with his eating, but he is improving and it just takes some patience sometimes to get him to eat.

He is so happy and quick to smile.

He LOVES his big brother. Mason can get Jimmy to laugh any time.

He is really small for his age but other than that we can see no major delays in his development.

When he is in school later down the line we may see some areas where he needs extra help but he is healthy and happy.

We love him.

I love my sweet boys.

My Bro

2010-05-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is my brother Jon and his cute family.

Jon graduated from dental school last week.

He is an amazing person.. and he married one of the most amazing women I have ever met.

To see more of their family pictures click here.

Children

2010-05-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

This post is a big deal for me. And very personal.

I am emotional. I hope I can make sense.

Ever since I was young I knew I would someday have a bunch of kids.

You see, I love children.

I always thought I wanted 8. Which is crazy to some, but not to me.

Shortly after Jimmy was born I was told by several doctors that it would be dangerous if I were to ever get pregnant again. They said due to complications caused by my pregnancy, my life and the life of the baby would be threatened.

This information broke me inside. And every time I think too much about it tears well up in my eyes.

Somebody, unknowing of my situation, may ask me how many children I plan to have or ask me if I want a big family like my mother.. I don't know what to say to these kinds of questions anymore.

I am so lucky to have 2 wonderful, beautiful boys. They are my life. I am so blessed.

But, I have a strong feeling inside that tells me that I am not done. That there is another child waiting to join our family.

Maybe just by another way.

This is why we are looking into Adoption.

We aren't going through the official process yet. We are just starting to really think about it.

The process can take years, which is why we are doing this now.

I have been asking around. Trying to find information and tips from people who have been though the process and adopted kids of their own. They have all recommended I do one thing now. Get the word out. No matter when you are planning to adopt get the word out now.

Word of mouth can do amazing things. Several people I know have had a friend of a friend tell them they heard of their story and know someone who is looking for a good family for their baby.

My boys are young, and I have time to wait.. but I feel like this is what I should be doing.. Making a start. So maybe someday Mason and Jimmy can have a little sister or brother to protect, play with, and have as a sibling and best friend for eternity.

photo via: me

Marathon

2010-05-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

I ran a marathon today.

I am tired now.

Good night.

Graduation

2010-05-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I participated in the graduation ceremonies for my degree in Deaf Studies.

I will miss all the great people and awesome classes.. but I am happy to have reached this point in my life.

Here are some pictures of the event.

My little family

My awesome family members who came to the ceremony.

These two great teachers have forever changed my perspective. They are amazing.

My wonderful parents.

Most of our graduating class!!

My great mother-in-law, Betty and brother-in-law Ben

Mason wanted to wear the hat.. briefly.

I love him.

Alright..

2010-05-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

Ok.. I couldn't resist. I had to post this picture somewhere.

Every time I see it I laugh!

I hope you guys have been keeping up with our photo blog.

www.dancingtoadphotography.blogspot.com

I am going to be updating that blog a lot in the next little and we will be doing a drawing for a free session!!
Also, when you visit the photo blog leave some comments so I know you're visiting!

Lately

2010-04-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

I am sorry I haven't updated.

There has been a lot going on.

More than a lot.

I don't have much time right now so I will just give you a brief update on what's been happening in our lives.

School. School. School.. finals are in two weeks!

Deaf Studies Today! Conference

Major health issues I'm desperately trying to figure out.

We are hoping to build a house.. and be done by July 1st.

Playing on the "playset" in the beautiful sunshine with my boys.

Much Photography.

Marathon Training.

Trying to fatten up my little Jimmy.

3 year wedding anniversary.

Dave's 25th birthday.

My 23rd birthday.

LDS General Conference and Easter weekend. Wonderful.

I am sure I am missing something but I have more important things tugging for my attention. Literally. Mason is tugging on my arm and Jimmy crying behind me.

Have a wonderful day.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Take a moment..

2010-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

and read this post.

Amazing woman.

I hope you can take a second to read.

Finally!

2010-03-23T16:19:00.001-07:00

Wow, the last little while has been insane!

For some reason while mothering 2 children under 2, going to school full time, training for a marathon, and looking for a place to live

I decided that it was a good time to re-do our whole business.. hmm.. not sure what I was thinking.

But now that it is done I am happy.

If you want you can view our new website here. We also have a facebook page and a new blog.

Change is kinda fun. I just hope all the hard work pays off in the end.

Quote

2010-02-25T09:54:00.000-08:00

"Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

-Mark Twain

Boys

2010-02-21T14:53:00.000-08:00

I have heard a lot of great things about the Bumbo baby chairs.

Finally I gave in and bought one.

I think he approves.

Mason's obsession with putting things down his shirt continues...

His Grandma Vance sent him a Valentine and he liked it so much that he wanted to keep it close..

Silly Boy

2010-02-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

I was searching EVERYWHERE for my phone and couldn't find it.

I finally decided to text it from my e-mail.

It rang. But was nowhere to be seen.

I followed the ring until I was right up next to Mason.

His leg was flashing blue.

I should've known.

He has a funny fetish right now.

He loves putting EVERYTHING down his shirt (in this case- pajamas).

Every time I change his diaper I find random treasures.

During his most recent diaper change I found in his jammies...

a green spoon, a little Hotwheels car, 4.5 Wheat Thins, and a plastic bear.

Family

2010-02-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

I was on a run the other day. Running is my release. My time to relax and think.

I couldn't stop thinking about my boys, all three of them.

I am so lucky.

Mason is the cutest little bugger. Always making me laugh.

Jimmy keeps the mood light at our house. He is constantly smiling and babbling.

He's our miracle.

Dave is wonderful. He works so hard. When he is home life can't be better. I love him.

A man that lives not far from me recently lost his entire family in a car accident.

One accident.

Wife.

3 Children.

Gone.

I ran by his house wondering how is doing now.

Wondering if I could survive something like that.

Knowing that every day for the rest of my life I would wonder why I couldn't go too.

How grateful I am for my family.

I have been blessed.

I only hope that I can live a life worthy of the blessings I have received.

Recently someone shared a story with me. If you haven't already heard about little Bronson and his amazing family you should check it out HERE.

It's is best to start from the beginning. Just go to the blog archive on the left side and click on February and start reading from the bottom.

This story has made me want to hug my boys a little tighter and give them a little extra love.

Life is so fragile and can change in a second.

Project (AKA: Avoiding Homework)

2010-02-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

My jewelry is always in piles here and there, making it really easy to forget what I have and never wear much of it. So.. I made something to hang it on.

I haven't decided where to put it yet and will probably do something else with the necklaces because it's kinda cluttery, but for now at least it's serving it's purpose...

February Goals

2010-02-02T22:30:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. The start of a new month. As I said at the beginning of the year, I will be doing monthly resolutions because yearly resolutions just aren't practical for me.

February Goals

Read at least one book to Mason and Jimmy every day

(Lately homework is consuming my free time. This is something that is important to me and I hate to admit that I have been letting myself get too busy for the little things that really matter.)

Read scriptures daily (Something I really need to work on.)

Lose 5 pounds (I am not usually one to publicize my weight goals but I have had a goal weight for quite a while now.. maybe if I post it I will feel more obligated motivated to actually reach it.)

Photos found here, here, and here.

Signing

2010-01-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

As most of you know Mason is learning to speak and sign. Most of the time he prefers sign.
I thought I would share a funny little conversation we had this morning..

Preface: I am really not a mean mom, I do let him have snacks and treats. Often. Sometimes too often. But prior to this he had already had a snack. He ate until he gave me back his food because he wasn't hungry anymore.

Mason: (signing) CRACKER. PLEASE?

Me: Not right now, you just had a breakfast and a snack.

Mason: (signing) COOKIE. PLEASE?

Me: Nope.

Mason: (signing) CHOCOLATE. PLEASE?

Me: No.

Mason: (signing) CANDY. PLEASE?

Me: Maybe after lunch.

Ha ha.. Man, that boy loves his treats!

Jimmy Update

2010-01-26T09:21:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted information about Jimmy. He is doing so well. We found out a couple weeks ago that he for sure doesn't need eye surgery. He is still off all machines.

He is technically 6 months old but because his actual due date was in October, not July, developmentally he is like a 3 month old. He is babbling and smiling like crazy. He is such a fun baby.

Mason is pointing out the bear on Jimmy's shirt

Boots and Pajamas

2010-01-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

St. George Half Marathon

2010-01-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

I ran the St. George Half Marathon his weekend. It was a lot of fun! I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. I ran it in 1 hour and 48 minutes, 8:19 minute/mile pace.

Better than I thought I would do. I'm glad I ran it.

We had a fun weekend. We stayed at my dad's house and just relaxed (except for during race time) and enjoyed spending time with family.

I thought this picture was funny.. I look am so short!

After the race.

After the race we got hamburgers and fries (healthy I know).

Later on we picked up some frozen yogurt and sat outside the St. George LDS temple. Of course we had to take some pictures.

Mason eating his ice cream and looking at the temple.

Mouse in the House

2010-01-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

I never really worried when Mason had candy with a wrapper on it.

Until he learned how to bite through the wrappers.

Stinker.

Mason is going through a kissing phase. He kisses all the stuffed animals that he gets his hands on and, of course, Jimmy. Every time Mason goes near his Jimmy he has to give him a kiss wherever his lips will reach.. his hand, his cheek, his toes, his elbow, the car seat he is sitting in, etc.

This time he got his forehead.

Oatmeal

2010-01-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

For a long time Mason has fed himself at meal time.. except when he has oatmeal. We have always just fed him his oatmeal to be more quick and less messy.

He now insists I give him the spoon, then pushes me away.

This Semester

2010-01-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

The babes are asleep and I just sat down to do homework.. trying to decide where to start.

This is what this semester looks like for me.

May not seem like a lot to you.

It is for me.

I am due to graduate this summer.

If I survive this semester.

Some Days

2010-01-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

Some days are like this...

But most the time they are more like this...

He sure can make me crazy.

I love him.

New Man in Town

2010-01-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Recognize Him? That's right. Starting today NO MORE WIRES. NO MORE CORDS.

My little munchkin no longer needs extra oxygen, a monitor, or a feeding tube.

And he is happy about it.

My brother Aaron holding Jimmy. He adores Aaron.

Prune fingers and toes. Mason LOVES the bath and will stay in as long as we'll let him.

Mason loves books.

Belated New Years Post

2010-01-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

2009. What a year!

As I look back on 2009 a few words come to mind..

Hard.

Long.

Worth it.

It truly has been a tough year. But everything is smoothing out and I believe that I have learned a lot from my experiences. I hope that 2010 will be easier. But if it's not.. I'm ready. I do believe that everything happens for a reason and as hard as it is to accept at the time, we need our trials. They are made for us. And we can overcome them. I started 2010 prepared to make resolutions, but I've decided to do it a little differently this year. Every year I start out with a pumped attitude, ready to change, make goals and conquer them. Do I usually conquer these yearly goals? No. So this year my only yearly goal is to set monthly goals and follow through with them. I will start every month with a goal or two and by the end of the month I will accomplish them. This may sound weird but I think it's a lot more practical for me. Maybe if the goal for the month isn't too personal I will post it on the sidebar of this blog.

Warning: to outsiders some of my goals throughout the year may seem menial and stupid but I have a lot of little things I need to work on to improve myself.

January Goals

Pray morning and night. Every day.

Finish training for and run the St. George Half Marathon

Christmas

2009-12-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

The best part about Christmas break was having Dave home with me for 2 weeks! No work, no school, just hanging out and spending time together as a family. So fun. For Christmas we decided to sleep at my parent's this year. It was fun.

My little boys

The first thing Mason got excited about Christmas morning was the oatmeal.

Tired but still wants to play

Signing PLEASE

First family picture of the 4 of us. In our Christmas pajamas.

Showing daddy where Jesus is in the picture.

My Mama and Papa

Mason with his cousins, Tayton and Sadie.

Quote

2009-12-16T20:41:00.000-08:00

"Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds."

-George Eliot

Life lately

2009-12-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

Everything has been pretty crazy lately. Jimmy is growing and getting better at breathing and eating. He LOVES to be held and knows exactly what to do to get us to pick him up. Mason is like a sponge. Seriously. He picks up on things so quickly. He is signing like crazy and speaks when he feels like it. Dave and I are almost done with the semester. Next week is finals week. We spend a lot of time at home to avoid Jimmy getting sick. Life is good.

Half Smile

Jimmy and his Grandma and Grandpa Vance

Whenever the pantry door is left open Mason hurries inside, picks a can of food, and if I won't open it for him, he walks around pretending to eat it.

Here he is "drinking" chicken broth.

Decorating the tree with his toys

I love him.

My Little Sweetheart..

2009-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

Smiled today.

A real smile.
Not in his sleep.
Not on accident.
He looked at me.
And smiled.
Several times.

My heart leapt.

Munchkin Brother

2009-11-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

My cute little brother Trevor is getting married! I just took his engagements, he and Joni are so cute together. It was fun spending the morning with them.

Wires, Cords and Machines

2009-11-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Life has been pretty crazy these last couple weeks. Mason is loving having a baby around, he loves him a little too much sometimes. He is especially loving everything that has come home with him.

Mason playing with some of Jimmy's wire leads.

Jimmy's pouty face.

Sleep,

2009-11-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

I miss you.

Home.

2009-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

We brought little Jimmy home from the hospital yesterday. Finally. He is doing well. He still has to be on oxygen and he also still has to keep the feeding tube in. We feed him breast milk with a bottle but sometimes he won't eat so we have to give him the rest of his feeding through an NG (nasal gavage) tube. This is a small tube that goes into his stomach through his nose.

Bath Time

Packed up and ready to go.

In this picture you can see his small oxygen tank in the black bag. We hook him up to this small tank when we go places, at home we have a huge one. The machine in the small square bag is his monitor; this measures his heart rate and respiratory rate and beeps really loud when one is off.

Home.

Halloween

2009-10-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

Little Monkey Mason and me. I had a banana costume for Jimmy to wear but he isn't home yet so maybe next year.. Dave is a stinker and didn't dress up this year.

Party at my parent's house

"CHEESE!"

Attacking the camera

Papa's Birthday

Mason and Grandpa Bob

Mason with Kaitlyn and Jacob, cousins on the Barrett side

Cute

2009-10-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have time to do a full post right now but I just love this picture...

Our little one is growing!

2009-10-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a while since I've updated. Jimmy is doing pretty well now. Getting fatter by the minute; he now weighs 6 lbs 14.5 oz. He is awake and alert a lot more now. His eyes haven't gotten any worse since I last updated; if they get worse he will probably need to have surgery. They still do an eye exam once each week to check his progress. He is getting better with his breathing but still requires a little help from the nasal cannula. He is improving with his eating but still isn't great. As soon as he learns how to eat better on his own he can come home, he will just have to be on oxygen at home for a few months.

Mason is doing well too. I will update more on him when I post the pictures up that I have of him in a while when I have a little more time, for now here are some pictures of Jimmy..

Tummy time

Through his "jail" bed bars

Jimmy on the right with his friend Remington.

They are the grandparents of the NICU, they have been there the longest.

Bath time

Little photo shoot

Getting tired of pictures

Jimmy and his neighbor Zander.

We know his family so we decided to take a picture of them together.

Loving the mobile

Still truckin along...

2009-10-10T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jimmy boy now weighs in at 6 lbs!! He is getting a lot more chub lately, he now has 2 chins. :) He is doing pretty well. He still swings up and down on his oxygen a lot, but not quite as bad as he did before. His eyes have gotten a little bit worse but they are not bad enough yet to need surgery, they will keep checking them once each week to make sure they don't get worse. He still needs to learn how to eat on his own. He is improving with that.. just very SLOWLY. Once he learns how to eat he will probably be able to come home, he will most likely just need to be on oxygen. He has been moved to a "big boy bed" where he is propped up to see the world and has a mobile that plays music and spins colorful toys around above him.

Chins!

Big Boy Bed (minus the mobile)

This will probably be our last post before we make our blog private so if you haven't already, please leave me your e-mail address if you want an invite.

Going Private

2009-10-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

The time as come for us to make our blog private. If you want to continue to read our blog just click on "comments" at the bottom of this post and leave your e-mail address so I can send you an invite!

Those of you who don't have a blog or google account just need to set up a google account on blogger to have access.. it's easy.. if you need help let me know.

Another one down...

2009-09-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

5 lbs 1 oz!

Our cute little munchkin is getting bigger and bigger every day. He is still having a hard time with his oxygen, swinging up and down like crazy. His eyes haven't gotten any worse, which is good. He is really looking like a normal baby lately with his chubby cheeks and double chin. He is so fun!

Oh my..

2009-09-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Chicken Legs!

My Sister JoAnna's sweet mother-in-law, Betty made these cute hats for Jimmy and sent them to us from Arizona. So cute! She also sent one for Mason, I'll take a picture of him when he is wearing it later and post it.

Loves laying on his daddy

Happy Day

2009-09-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

My sweet sister Melanie had a baby a few days ago.

Thomas.

He is beautiful.

Jimmy's visitors

Little Stinker

Yumm..

Little Jimmy had his

two month birthday yesterday!

He is doing well. He had another eye exam and his eyes haven't gotten any worse but they haven't gotten any better either so they will just keep checking up on them and hopefully they will heal and develop properly without the help of surgery. He is still desatting often with his oxygen and they think it may have to do with reflux so he's on medicine for that and they are just watching him closely.
He weighs 4 lbs 5 oz now.

Holy Moly.. He's Huge!

2009-09-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe "huge" isn't the right word to explain our little munchkin but he is getting big! Last night he weighed in at 4 lbs 1 oz! As far as his breathing and oxygen goes, he has always desatted a lot, one minute his oxygen numbers will be really high and the next they will be low, it seems that he just kinda forgets to breathe sometimes. We thought as he got bigger he would grow out of it but he hasn't yet.. So right now the doctors are trying to figure out why he is desatting so much.
He had his eyes checked a few days ago to see if his retinas and blood vessels around them are developing properly and he has a little issue there so the doctors are going to check them again next week to see if they improve, if not he may have them fixed surgically. Other than that, He is still improving every day. He is currently trying to learn how to eat on his own.

Giving Jimmy a Bath

Keeping him warm afterward

Mini Fro

Meanwhile...

2009-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mason is just being Mason. He still doesn't walk fully on his own yet but he does take a few steps on his own here and there.

Found one of Grandma and Grandpa Memmott's peppers

He loves carrying his clothes around in his teeth

He is looking at a dog that passed by.. he LOVES dogs

Yes, he is wearing socks with sandals.. good thing babies can pull off anything

Just like his daddy

Moved!

2009-09-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

Jimmy has moved from nursery A to nursery B. Nursery A is for babies who are in more of a critical situation focusing on major lung development or vital organ development, etc. Nursery B is where most of the babies are learning how to eat. So, he has moved up in the world and is improving. He is still on the cannula and is doing well. He now weighs 3 lbs 6 oz.

A Visit With Our Boy

2009-08-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Still doing well.

A Whopping 3 LBS!!!

2009-08-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

That's right, our little Jimmy is now 3.1 lbs! He is tolerating his feedings really well right now, which is great! He is now being fed through a tube that goes into his nose instead of his mouth. He is also still doing well on the cannula!

He is about to be weighed..

Yay!

Bundled up and ready for bed

Don't know..

2009-08-25T10:34:00.001-07:00

what I'd do without him. I love this little boy.

Cannula

2009-08-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

If you read the previous post.. this one is a follow-up...
So far he is doing pretty well on the high pressure cannula.. we hope he gets to stay on it and won't have to go back to the CPAP or the ventilator.

Just Truckin' Along

2009-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Jimmy is still doing pretty well. He is gaining weight, he now weighs 1230 grams which is 2 lbs 11.5 oz. His breathing capabilities are improving, so far he hasn't had to go back to the ventilator and he is moving from the CPAP machine (he is on the CPAP in this picture) to a high pressure cannula today. The cannula is just a little tube that goes in his nostrils and around his ears, similar to what you might be given if you were in the hospital and lacking oxygen. This is a good change because it isn't as intense and it will be much more comfortable for him; as you can see the CPAP looks VERY uncomfortable.

His cheeks are getting a little chubbier!

One Month!

2009-08-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday marked Jimmy's one month birthday! It's crazy that he is already a month old but at the same time this last month has been the longest of my life. I am so grateful for this wonderful little one.. We are so blessed! He is getting bigger every day.. he now weighs almost 2 lbs 7 oz, which is a full pound more than his lowest weight so he is doing great! The biggest thing right now is that today he went from the ventilator back to the CPAP machine! So he is doing much of his own breathing now just with help of the CPAP which goes into his nose instead of down his throat and into his lungs. I don't have any pictures yet of him back on the CPAP.

2009-08-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

JIMMY ABOUT 4 DAYS OLD

Finally we held him!

2009-08-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today was our first time really holding Jimmy! I can't even describe how wonderful it felt to finally get to hold him for the first time! He is so perfect and tiny; I love him so much.

Munchkin Update

2009-08-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Jimmy has been doing pretty well lately. He is getting bigger every day; he now weighs over 2 lbs! He is still on a ventilator but it is now a different type of machine that helps him learn to take breaths on his own and will better prepare him for when he is taken off the ventilator.

My first time giving Jimmy a bath

Mason looking at little Jimmy through the window

Mad that he couldn't come in

Mine and Jimmy's hands

Mason

2009-08-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

I realized that not much has been said about Mason throughout all of this craziness... He is still as cute as ever! He is at such a fun age right now, learning so much every day. He does several animal noises now, which is really funny. He is picking up ASL signs like crazy lately and he tries to say some words. He is oblivious to everything that is going on right now but it is obvious that he is LOVING getting babysat often by his grandparents. When I leave him with my mom or Dave's parents to go see Jimmy he just waves goodbye to me and is excited to be with them. We are so lucky to have such a sweetie for a little boy, he is so fun and is always making us laugh. The only thing we need now is for him to learn how to walk!

My mom singing to Mason

Mason eating a popsicle in the sink

Grandpa Bruce feeding Mason ice cream

Mason discovered the hose!

Update! 7/31/09

2009-08-01T00:04:00.001-07:00

I am sorry that I haven't been the best at updating you all! I have received a few sweet phone calls from some worried blog followers wondering if everything is alright. Everything is fine. Little Jimmy's weight went down during the week after birth, which is common, but he is now back up to his birth weight! Yay! He is able to be fed my milk now, which is another great thing! Every day as he gets bigger, his dose of milk climbs also. He is fed through a tube. As you can see in the pictures, there are 2 tubes going down his throat, one is for feeding and the other is the ventilator which is still breathing for him until he shows that he is competent enough to breathe on his own again with the help of the CPAP machine. He has his ups and downs, there are good days and not-so-good days. This is all just a pretty slow process, we take everything day by day, hoping for the best.

Everything with me and my Pulminary Embolism is going well. Not too much pain anymore. I just have to take a medication for it and get my blood tested 1-2 times/week for the next 6 months, nothing too extreme.

Dave giving Jimmy a "bath".

Another "bath" picture

Looks like he's smiling :)

This is what his area looks like. Lots of wires. Lots of machines.

Update 7-23-09

2009-07-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! So this last week his been quite the roller coaster for our family! We have had some improvements and some set backs but overall we are doing well and little Jimmy is just truckin along.
Something unexpected happened during all of this madness... After I had several days of chest pain and difficulty breathing I had a CT scan and found out that I have a Pulminary Embolism, which is a clot in my lung. I was readmitted into the hospital yesterday so that I can be watched and treated for a few days. Luckily I don't have to stay too long because Dave can just give me the needed shots and medication from home.

For the remainder of this post I will just update through pictures..

Soon after birth the doctor did a heart echo on Jimmy and found that he has an open PDA, which is where a valve in his heart is open where it should be closed. For all babies this valve is open when they are in the womb and it just closes before birth, but since he was born so early his was still open. For the last several days they have been giving him medication to try to close the PDA and if it didn't close by today they would have needed to do surgery to close it. After much medication and many heart echos they saw in this morning's heart echo that it closed! We are so thrilled!

It's hard to tell in this picture but these are the tiniest diapers ever!

Jimmy has had a lot of ups an downs with his oxygen levels. I explained in my last post about the CPAP machine that goes over his nose and allows him to do much of his breathing on his own.. Well due to some brain seizures which repeatedly caused him to forget to breathe, he has had to take a step back and go off the CPAP machine and back onto the ventilator, which does his breathing for him. In this next picture he is still on the CPAP machine but in the following pictures he is on the ventilator, which is a tube that goes down his throat and to his lungs.

This is Dave's wedding ring around Jimmy's wrist.

Because of the Swine Flu and other sicknesses going around, the Newborn Intensive Care Unit has made some strict rules on who is allowed into their section of the hospital. Throughout Jimmy's several month stay in the NICU he is only allowed to have 4 visitors in addition to Dave and I and we have chosen those visitors to be his grandparents. This picture is of my mom, Corinne and little Jimmy.

Update - 7-18-09

2009-07-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 new posts for the last couple days...

For those of you hearing about the baby for the first time, just scroll down a couple posts and you can see the first post and know exactly what's going on. Our little one was born on Thursday the 16th at 1:42 am, he was 13-15 weeks (3-3.5 months) early, 1 lb. 14 oz and 13 in. long.

The baby's name is James William Barrett and we have been calling him Jimmy. Friday afternoon Dave and his dad were going to give him a blessing and so we decided to give him his name blessing also because he will be here for a while.
Thank you everyone for being so kind and for all of your offers to help. For now we are just fine, we are heading home from the hospital today and for the first little bit I am going to be staying at my mom's so I can get some extra help with Mason while I can't lift much and so I can go back and forth to visit Jimmy more easily. Everything is going pretty well, I am going to try to keep up with updates as best as I can.

Last night I got to hold Jimmy for the first time. Sorry about the low quality picture, it was taken with my phone.

He's a hairy little fella.. When babies are in the womb they are covered by lanugo hair which they usually shed by birth. Since Jimmy was born so early he still has much of the hair but over the next few weeks it will shed.

Update 7-17-09

2009-07-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken Friday the 17th. As you can see he now has less tubes in his mouth and something over his nose. For much of the first day he was on a ventilator to help him breath but because he is doing pretty well he was able to step up in the world and be put on the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine which helps air flow through his nose. The benefits of this are that it is less intrusive, as he doesn't have to have a tube going down his throat and into his lungs and he is able to do much of the work so his lungs can grow stronger.

Most babies born early have to be under a light at some point to keep their Jaundice levels low.

He doesn't have much fat on his body so he has wrinkley baby elephant skin. :)

Holding his Daddy's hand

This little strap with the red light on his foot measures his oxygen levels, they have to switch it back and forth between feet every few hours so it doesn't burn his sensitive skin.

He is so funny.. As you can see he likes to sprawl out and make himself comfortable which kinda drives the nurses crazy.

Today I got to change his diaper and check his temperature for the first time! It was so fun, he is so tiny!

Unexpected Update - A True Miracle

2009-07-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hello! It has been quite some time since I have updated our blog and a lot has been going on but I will skip it all for now and give you the most recent happenings in our little family. It is late Thursday night, I am sitting with my laptop in a hospital bed unable to sleep so here goes.. I hope the tiredness and the meds don't keep me from making sense..

As most of you know, we have been expecting a baby boy that was due October 15th. Well, that special baby boy has decided to enter the world much sooner than expected, 13-15 weeks (3-3.5 months) sooner to be exact. He was born at 1:42 this morning and he weighs 1 lb 14 oz and is 13 inches long. He had to be delivered via emergency C-section. He's a fighter and luckily is still alive. He is hooked to machines to help him breath because of his underdeveloped lungs and is being fed through a tube and more. He will need to stay at the hospital at least until around the original due date, which is mid-October.

I'm sorry that you can't see his eyes in any of the pictures, they are much too sensitive at this point to be uncovered and exposed to too much light. I haven't even seen his eyes yet!

We are so blessed to have so many supportive family members and friends who are already offering and helping us out immensely with this ordeal, it is nice to know that we have so many people to turn to if needed. We are especially blessed to have a Heavenly Father who is watching over our little family and blessing us with this little miracle child. I am thankful every minute for the opportunity to have this complete miracle in my life.

For the first little while he needed to be surrounded with ziploc bags in order to hold in warmth and moisture.

St. George

2009-06-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

We went on a little trip to visit my dad and his wife, Barbara, in St. George. It was a lot of fun! We didn't take many pictures but here is what we have.

Dave and Mason in the Pool

Mason loved the cat, he would follow it everywhere. In this picture the cat is trying to hide from Mason but he found it!

Snow Canyon

Got a little sunscreen in his eyes :(