Three Boys and a Lady

Jaxon's Surgery

2009-02-03T23:04:00.002-07:00

Well this post is long over due. So many people offered prayers, love, support and concern for Jaxon and our family during his surgery and I know that they are waiting patiently, (well maybe not patiently) for an update. Most of you know that Jaxon was diagnosed with Positional Plagiocephaly when he was about 4 months old. So we initially started with helmet therapy when he was about 5 months. All along I had felt like there was something more going on and it was in fact true. He really had a suture in his skull that had fused prematurely. So needless to say we were told that our beautiful little boy would need to have Cranial vault surgery. This would require Jaxon to be cut from ear to ear and have the back of his skull removed and then put back together. It was a very scary time for us. We sought a second opinion in SLC at Primary Children's Hospital, but ultimately felt like we needed to be here. We met with the Cranial Facial Plastic Surgeon and Neurosurgeon here and really felt like the right thing for Jaxon would be to have the surgery done here. So our little guy had surgery on November 24, 2008. It was probably one of the longest days of our lives. We had to have Jaxon at the hospital at 6 am. Needless to say, he must have known something was happening, because he was up all night and finally at around 4 am I got up and decided to get ready. We arrived at the hospital and got Jaxon registered and then headed down to the surgery floor. Once we took him into the room it was becoming all too real. Up until this point I had not shed a tear. I don't know if it is the mother in me feeling like I had to be strong and not let anyone see my cry, but once they took Jaxon from us to the operating room I could not hold back the tears. The fear of not knowing how he was doing was hard for both Jeff and I. They took him into the OR at about 8 am. Dr. Cherny the Neurosurgeon was great at having someone call us about ever hour to let us know how things were going. He was done around 1 pm and was able to come and talk with us. It was a relief to know that Jaxon was doing well. Then the final part of the surgery was for the Cranial Facial Plastic Surgeon to do his part and put the skull back together. It was a very long and stressful day to say the least, but finally at around 3pm, Dr. Griffiths came out and told us that all had gone well. I guess the reason it took so long was because he had to hand suture most of the skull back together instead of using screws and plates. The skull was very thick in some areas and then very thin in others, so he really took his time and made sure it was done right. We finally were able to see Jaxon around 3:30 or 4. They took him up to the PICU and he was there for the first night. They basically just kept him sedated and comfortable the first night.

This is a photo of Jaxon the night before the surgery.

Here is is in the Pre-OP room before they gave him a little medicine so he would not remember when they took him to the OR and before they put him under.

Jaxon playing with the face mask

A picture of Jeff and I with Jaxon just before they took him to the OR.

Mommy and Jaxon

Here are some photos of Jaxon in the PICU after surgery

Notice the TV remote/with sound in the photo. They actually had a channel in the hospital of fish in the ocean, so I decided to leave it on in his bead because he seemed to enjoy the sound of the bubbles. He was pretty restless even with the sedation. Anything we can try to soothe our little ones !!

Here are some photos of our little man the day after surgery. They were surprised that he was doing so well. One tough little guy !!

He had some rough moments but for the most part he handled everything pretty well considering.

Here is a photo of Jaxon and Dr. Cherny the Neurosurgeon. He is such and amazing and skilled physician and we are so glad that he took such good care of Jaxon.

Day 2 after surgeryThey had these great little wagons that you could take the kids for walks in. It was great to be able to pull him around the hospital. It is hard to contain an 11 1/2 month old in a crib all day long. So Jeff piled up the pillows and made sure that Jaxon could not bump his head and we were off on an adventure around the hospital. We actually ran into the volunteers with the Therapy dogs, I of course did not have my camera, but Jaxon and Kaden both loved the dogs.

Day 3 after surgery -- Here are some photos of Jaxon and Papa Keith. Jeff's parents were able to come out and stay with us for about 3 weeks during this whole process. It was a great blessing to have them here and know that they would be able to care for Kaden and make sure his days were somewhat normal while all of this was going on. They were also a great help when we finally brought Jaxon home.

Next Post ....Thanksgiving !!! The day we were able to take Jaxon home. What a great day !!

I really am ALIVE....

2009-02-03T09:06:00.005-07:00

I feel like I have been a hermit as of late. The weather has been soo... COLD and so we have been stuck in the house for like forever !! I know many people have been wondering if I fell of the face of the earth or what? Well I am alive and waiting impatiently for some WARM weather. I really need to get some sunshine soon, I don't know about you, but this weather is really depressing. I heard today that you need to have at least 15 hours a year in the sun without sunscreen, women especially are lacking in vitamin B and we need our DAMN sunlight already !!! However, Mr. Groundhog saw his darn shadow yesterday so unfortunately we are going to have to face the dreaded 6 more weeks of this winter weather. The only good news is that today we at least will see the bright cheerful SUN and not be in another inversion. Yippie !!!

Jeff is actually out of town on business, so I am going to try and get some of my much needed updating to the BLOG done. With him working from home the only time I get a chance to get in the office is either late at night after the kids are in bed. Which, selfishly is my only time to sit down and just relax. Or early in the morning, and I would rather be sleeping in, if that is really possible with kids !!

So with much to say and BLOG about, I better get busy !!!! More to come soon......

GRATEFUL...

2008-11-19T10:50:00.008-07:00

All I can say is the feeling I have had lately is that of being......

Grateful for a family that loves and supports me
Grateful for a husband who is my best friend, supports me and loves me unconditionally
Grateful for my wonderful husband that provides a warm and comfortable place for our family to live
Grateful that I am able to stay at home with my beautiful little boys (thanks to my husband)
Grateful for wonderful parents and in laws that would do anything for our family
Grateful for our extended family and their love, support and prayers
Grateful for friends that are always there for me, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed
Grateful for the prayers that everyone has offered on behalf of Jaxon, his surgeons and our family
Grateful for the blessing that Todd was able to give Jaxon in preparation for his surgery
Grateful that I have been given the opportunity to be a mother to Kaden and Jaxon and a wife to Jeff. I feel at times that I take that for granted, when the kids are screaming and out of control and I am stressed out, but truly I would not trade it for anything.

The other day Jeff and I were laying on the floor playing with the boys and I just had to stop and look at my family and think of how very GRATEFUL and lucky I am to have such a beautiful family. Kaden was loving on Jaxon and they were both crawling all over us, but it was the best feeling knowing that my boys love us and each other and that even though we are going through a rough time right now I have to have FAITH that everything will work out.

SO... I Hope and I Pray that Jaxon will be blessed by Heavenly Father with skilled surgeons and with health and strength during his surgery and that Jeff and I will be able to be strong for him as well.

GRATEFUL is all I can say !!!

Lots of Updating to do

2008-11-01T23:26:00.003-06:00

I just realized that I have not updated my blog for almost a month. I cannot believe that it has been that long. We took a visit to NE to visit family for a couple of weeks and I also spent some time at taking care of Michelle's kids. We have also been very busy with Halloween parties and trick or treating with the kids as well as some not so great news about Jaxon. So needless to say I have lots of catching up to do. More to follow......

Partners in Crime

2008-11-01T07:47:00.001-06:00

One night while I was watching Michelle's kids, I heard a cry come from Branton's room. I quickly went in to see what was wrong... He said that his legs were hurting. I took him into the bathroom to see what was wrong. I asked him if I kissed the leg would it make it better, his reply, through tears, NO, I need strawberry milk !! So after the kisses, I heard another little person come out of his room, Kaden. He too was upset and said: Mom my lips hurt will you kiss them, and then the next thing out of his mouth, Mom, I need chocolate milk !! So needless to say, both of the little boys and I were in the kitchen at about midnight making Branton strawberry milk and Kaden chocolate. They really know how to MILK it, no pun intended !! I had to take pictures of the two silly little boys, it was just one of those moments ya know !!

Two little buddies !!

They are so silly together !!

All I can say is that I am so glad that they are such great friends. They played great together and really are the best of friends, in case you couldn't tell. They really are so silly !! :)

Tired...

2008-10-04T18:48:00.005-06:00

The other day I was trying to hold Jaxon off on his morning nap so I could go and pick up Kaden from Preschool. He was in the living room playing and I walked into the other room for a minute and when I came back in this is what I found.....

Do you think someone was tired ???

Being the good mother I am, I thought it was a great photo op!!

He looks so peaceful, wish he would sleep like this all.... night .... long. He is still waking up at least 2or 3 times a night. Maybe one day soon we can change that !! He is so stinkin' cute !! :)

Someones trying to crawl...

2008-10-04T17:41:00.005-06:00

Well Jaxon has been trying to crawl for at least the last month or so. He initially would scoot on his back and arch his back with his head going upward. Now he is at least doing a little army crawl and getting on his hands and knees and also in the push up position. Here are a couple of pictures of him trying and getting frustrated with the whole crawl idea !!

Here I go,on my knees...

Now I'm in starting to get into a push up...

Like my push up...

Now I am back to my hands and knees...

Does anyone think I look like my MOMMY???

Maybe I'll get this crawling thing down one of these days.. practice... practice... practice... :)

My little cowboy !!

2008-10-04T16:08:00.013-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Kaden had "Western Days" at Preschool. So the first thing we did before school was get our "Cowboy" gear on. I also decided that it would be a good idea to make him have a mustache and goatee. He looked absolutely adorable. As I dropped him off at school and the teacher got him out, I heard several of them saying "Look at his cute mustache, I love it", and then gave me a thumbs up !! It made me smile. I am so glad that we enrolled him in Challenger. I was able to go to the school later that morning and participate in a little hoe down and some fun activities in his classroom. He kind of acted a little clingy once I got there, but Ms. Alicia assured me that he was pulling one over on me, and that he definitely participates in the class. He kept asking me if I was going to leave. I assured him that I was going to stay until his class was over. When we were walking out down the hall of the school. Kaden looked up at me and said, "Mom, I LOVE my school", I replied, I'm really glad you love it honey !! I am so glad that he is having such a good experience with school. It is so much fun to hear about his day and all of the new things he is learning in school. It is also hard to imagine that he is growing up so fast. I often think I should cherish these moments more often. Sometimes it is hard to remember that he will not always want my attention and want to do everything with me. So my goal is to try and be more present and remember that I need to cherish all of these times, because they will not last forever !! I am also hoping that I will be able to leave the house at some point and time without him having a total meltdown !! :) Jeff thinks Kaden is a mommas boy, I quickly reminded him that he is one too !! :) Nothing wrong with little boys loving their mommies or big ones for that matter !! Here are some cute pictures of Kaden in his cowboy gear!

Reach for the sky "Partner" !! What a cute little "Cowboy !! :

Here is a picture of Kaden in his classroom and one in the multipurpose room.

I have a new JOB !!

2008-10-04T16:07:00.001-06:00

I am now a personal assistant !! Yes, I know, when do I find the time and energy to be a mom, play with my kids, feed the kids and husband, do the dishes, clean the house, do the laundry, take Kaden to preschool, Jaxon to Dr appointments, go to the gym, and still be a personal assistant !! Well let me tell you, I needed to make a little extra money to pay for that great Preschool we put Kaden in and support my husbands many extra curricular activities (addictions), like golfing, mountain biking, fly fishing, road biking, hunting, and so on... I'm sure you get the picture. So I decided to get a job on top of everything else. My boss is pretty demanding. He is insistant on having his coffee nice and hot, with flavored creamer first thing in the morning. He also likes to have his breakfast brought to his office, some days it is eggs, bacon, toast, juice, etc. You would think he is at a 5 star hotel or something. I don't know about you, but most companies I have worked for in the past do not require so much from their personal assistants. I am trying to see the silver lining in the job, I know there must be one. I just thought of one: I don't have to leave the house and drive to my job and I don't have to pay for a babysitter. I can set my own hours, I do get to come and go as I would like, with the exception of having to prepare his lunch for him as well, every day !! In case you have not guessed yet, Jeff is now working from HOME !! YIKES !! It has been since the end of August and to say the least, it has definitely been an adjustment. Kaden thinks he always needs to be in the office working with daddy, so I try and keep him as busy as I can. It is hard to make sure that the boys are quiet, so needless to say, we spend a lot of time in the playroom. And if Jaxon is screaming for more than a few minutes, (while I am doing laundry, cleaning, etc) Jeff comes upstairs to see what it happening. Just my little love bug having a melt down if he can't see me for ONE minute. He is definitely going through separation anxiety for sure !! With that said, I need to get a routine down so that I don't feel like we have to be sequestered upstairs all day long. Especially with the winter months approaching !! Wish me Luck !!

Kaden caught his first fish !!!

2008-09-26T17:13:00.008-06:00

Jeff, Kaden and I decided to go fishing while we were at Tamarack. They had a small fly fishing pond that was actually on the golf course. So we decided that Kaden and Daddy would have a great time and I was basically along for the photo ops. Jeff had gotten Kaden a fishing pole before we left and he of course was showing Kaden how to use it the night before. He of course had his fly rod out and was practicing as well. He has not fished since we lived in Michigan, which is going on four years. We had to trek a little ways through the brush to get to the pond, but it was worth it. Except for the fact that Kaden did not like his regular little cheap rod, (spinner fishing) he wanted to use Daddy's fly rod. So, Jeff got it ready and with his first cast they had a fish, only to loose it. Second cast, what do ya know, a fish. Kaden was so excited to catch a fish for the first time. He even reeled it in with Jeff's help. He was a little confused as to why we had to but it back. He kept telling me that we have to "CHOP" his head off and eat him !! It was so much fun to be able to see Jeff and Kaden together. I don't know who was more excited, Kaden or Jeff. Not too bad for not fishing in 4 years. However, I don't think he got another fish the rest of the time.

Here are some great photos of Jeff and Kaden fishing together !! I am glad that Jeff will be able to share all of these wonderful "ADVENTURES" (as Kaden would say), together with both of the boys. Maybe they will let mom tag a long every once in a while !!

Grandma, Papa and Tyler's Visit !!

2008-09-24T21:12:00.003-06:00

We had Grandma, Papa, and Tyler in to visit for a week so we decided to take a trip to Tamarack over the Labor Day weekend. Jeff and his dad were able to golf at Jug Mountain Ranch on Friday and also at Tamarack on Saturday. Two places that he has definitely been looking forward to playing. It was Kaden's first time in the mountains and he was so excited. He kept saying that we were at "Our House" in the mountains. We stayed in a townhouse in Tamarack and it was absolutely beautiful up there. I was however a little disappointed because I thought there would be more to do up there. I guess with all of the financial problems the resort is having the construction has come to a halt. It was kind of like a ghost town.

The first day, Kaden, Jaxon, Grandma and I drove up together. We found out that we would not be able to get into our townhouse until 4 so we thought we would have a bite to eat and see what the resort had to offer. Well, I was a little disappointed because it was like a ghost town. The only place to eat was at the little market. All of the restaurants were closed with the exception of the one at the Lodge. So we just got a quick bite at the Market. We tried to eat outside, but the bees were terrible !! Once we finished, we walked down to the area where the chair lifts were. Kaden kept calling them the Zip line. He said that he wanted to ride the "Zip line". So I stayed with Jaxon and Grandma and Kaden trekked down to the lift. Neither of us knew that it was actually quite a walk to get to the lift. Grandma was wearing her slip on shoes, white pants and Kaden was wearing flip flops, but that didn't stop them. I kept wondering why it was taking so long, then I realized what lift they had gone up. It was Kaden's first time on a chairlift and it went probably two thirds up the mountain. Grandma did not realize that it was going to go so high, but Kaden absolutely LOVED IT !! I tried to take a picture of them coming down, but I did not have my telephoto lens on so they look like little dots in the picture.

Jeff and I had scheduled to do the Zip Line on Sunday, and of course, the weather was 50 degrees and a down pour. I was really looking forward to spending some time with Jeff and the experience of the Zip Line together, but I guess we will just have to try and do it another time. I did however get a massage instead, which was really nice. I think Jeff felt bad that we were not able to go and wanted to do something for me. Thanks Honey !! It was nice to be able to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Both Kaden and Jaxon love to be outside, I wonder where they get it ?? Daddy ??? (Another post to follow of Daddy and Kaden in the outdoors.)

It was great having Jeff's mom here, she loves just to spend time with the kids. She is great !! I feel guilty when she leaves, because I feel like she does so much for me. Helps with the kids, cooks dinner and yes, even does my laundry !! She assured me that her mother used to do the same for her. Somehow, I don't think THANK YOU is ever enough !! I'm sure Jeff loved it, because he actually had clean underwear and great home cooked meals when she was here!!

Here are some great photos of Grandma and Papa with my BUG, (my little love BUG !!) Those baby blues could melt any heart !!

It was a great time had by all. It seemed to fly by too... quickly. We loved having everyone to visit !! More to come on Daddy and Kaden !!!

Best Friends !!

2008-09-12T21:00:00.002-06:00

Kaden, Jaxon and I took a quick trip to CA in August to visit our great friends, Jen, Paul, Brooke and Brandon. Jeff had two free tickets that had to be used by Sept 1st and the two places we could fly was either San Diego or Ontario. Lucky for me I was able to use the tickets, (thanks Jeff) and take a quick trip with the boys. Kaden called it our Adventure !! It was great to see our friends and the kids had a blast playing together. Kaden and Brooke loved driving each other around in Brooke's pink jeep, it even had a stereo in it. Kaden thought it was pretty cool. They also spent a lot of time in the jump house. As you can see from the pictures they really had a great time together. It was great to be able to see my sweet friend Jen. She and I met when I lived in Murrieta and we had our first kids within a few weeks of each other. We met at a breastfeeding support group of all things and then I ran into her again when the kids were about 3 months old at our Pediatricians office. We think it must have been fate. Sometime it feels like we have been friends forever. Now we each have two kids, Brooke and Kaden are 3 1/2, Brandon is just over one and Jaxon is 9 months. Hard to believe it, but we survived the first one and actually decided to have another one. Jen and I were reminiscing about when Brooke and Kaden were little and Brooke was a terror and Kaden was so mellow. Now the second time around I have the terror and she has the more mellow one. Brandon is such a cutie !! Don't you just love those cheeks !! It was so great to see the kids together. Kaden and Brooke both said that they were each others best friends. Just like their mommies !! Jen and I actually had an afternoon without the kids thanks to her nanny, Shannon. We had some fantastic sushi, great conversation (uninterrupted), manicure, pedicure, and a frappachino from Starbucks. Need I say more !!! I had such a great time that Jeff was sure that I was not going to come home !! It was a short, but very fun trip. I actually got to see a couple of friends and their kids as well, my girlfriend Gina has a son, Troy that is Kaden's age and a little boy Grant that just turned one. Jenny has two little girls Mia, 3 and Lyndee just turned one as well. It was great being able to catch up with each of them. I am glad that I was able to meet such great women when I lived in CA. So with this post I say, here is to great life long friends !! :)

Updates Coming...

2008-09-12T20:56:00.008-06:00

Well, I am finally getting a moment to update my blog. I have started so may posts and not finished any of them. So they will appear as if they have been back dated. You would think that I would be able to find some time to blog !! Not so much !! We have had lots of visitors and fun adventures this past month. So I have lots to catch up with !! My sweet friend Michelle reminded me this morning that I have not updated my blog in a very long time. The positive side is that she loves to turn her computer to my blog while she is getting ready in the morning because I have such great music !! Thanks, Michelle for always pointing out the positives. So with that said, I will try and get as much updating done tonight and this weekend, because come Monday, Jeff will be back to work in HIS office and I will no longer have access to MY computer !!

First Day of Preschool....

2008-08-26T21:41:00.008-06:00

Kaden started Preschool today at Challenger Preschool in Meridian. He was very excited to start school today. We just found out the week before that he was actually accepted. He has two teachers this year, Ms. Alicia and Ms. Annalise. They are both very nice and I am sure he is going to love school.

Jeff and I took him for his first day. They really encourage parents to just drop the kids off and not linger. So we decided the best thing would be to do that. So we drove up to the school and they got him out of the car seat and he slowly walked into the school. I don't think he quite new what was going on, but he went anyway. At least he didn't cry or anything, YEAH !!

We drove off and Jeff turned to me and asked me if I was going to be okay. I said "YES" !! He said are you sure. Once again, my response was "YES" !! He said, you are actually excited aren't you. I told him that it would be good for both of us. Kaden and I have been together 24/7 for the past 3 1/2 years. He is going to have a great time learning and socializing with the kids in his class. That just leaves me and Jaxon. I plan on going to the gym and trying to get a little bit done in the time he is at school, we will see how that goes. I think Jeff was more concerned than I was. He told me that I should go back to the school and check in on his class to make sure he was okay, once school started !! I assured him that he would be fine, but I told him I would go anyway. So, Jaxon and I drove back to the school and walked to Kaden's classroom and peeked in. They have windows outside each of the classrooms that allow the parents to view the class without the children being able to see them. And what do ya know, my son is participating and having a great time. There were several kids that were laying on the floor, sucking their thumbs, running around and not paying attention, but not my kid !! At least not on the first day !! So far, so good !!!

Potty Training Update !!

2008-08-19T14:02:00.007-06:00

We are proud to say that Kaden has been potty trained for a couple of months now !! Yippie !! Congratulations to Kaden, who is such a big boy. I can't believe how grown up he his getting. It seems like just yesterday he was a little baby. He is going to be starting preschool soon and in a couple of years Kindergarten. Hard to imagine how quickly time goes by !! Way to go Kaden !! Mommy and Daddy are so... proud of you !! :)

Papa Keith's Visit...

2008-08-16T15:35:00.012-06:00

Papa Keith came to visit the boys a couple of weeks ago. Kaden was so excited to see him !! He would wake up every morning (early) and go down to see if Papa was awake yet. They would sit outside on the porch and read the paper or just hang out and have breakfast together. He had so much fun hanging out with him. Kaden also had private swim lessons while he was here, thanks to Grandma and Papa. So grandpa was able to go with him each day and watch Kaden learn how to swim. I think Kaden had more fun going under water than actually learning all of the strokes. We also took the boys to the zoo with grandpa. Here are a few fun pictures from the visit.

Here are some photos of Papa, Kaden and Jaxon in the kiddie pool.

How much fun to be able to hang out in the pool with Papa !!

Papa, Kaden and Jaxon at the Zoo.

Papa and Kaden checking out the tigers.

Kaden was playing hide and seek in the tunnel.

My beautiful blue-eyed baby !!! What a heart breaker !!

Mom, I'm not tired....

2008-08-08T14:44:00.006-06:00

So Kaden has been refusing to take naps for like the last month or so. This is difficult because the only time I seem to get anything done or time to myself is if both of the boys are napping. So one day I kept telling Kaden that he had to take a nap and if that he got out of his bed he would get his blanket taken away, golf clubs, toys. etc. So I kept hearing him open and shut his door. Finally, I don't hear anything so I assume that he has gone to sleep. Then all of the sudden I hear something, it sound like someone breathing hard, like some one snoring, something. I thought, surely, I would not be able to hear him all the way downstairs from his bedroom, so I decided to go upstairs and investigate the situation.

This is what I found....

My cute, not tired, little boy asleep on the stairs. I could not believe that he had not fallen down the stairs. So instead of picking him right up and putting him in his bed, I decided it was a good time for a photo op. He was so tired that he didn't even wake up when I put picked him up, all 43 lbs of him and carried him to his room.

Lesson learned, trust your instincts...

2008-08-08T14:26:00.009-06:00

Well we decided to take Jaxon in for a second opinion for the helmet. We had not been satisfied with the current orthotist so we sought out a new company. We took Jaxon in for an evaluation and low and behold, our concerns were validated. He told us that the helmet was too small and we should not even have him wear it for now. So we decided to have a new mold of his head made and get a new helmet. We are still in the process of obtaining a new prescription from the Cranial Facial Dr. Hopefully she will see the need for a new helmet. I feel so extremely frustrated. We have been voicing our concerns with the helmet for the last couple of months to the current orthotist and are basically being told that we are paranoid parents and that we should just trust that they know what they are doing. I guess it just goes to show that when you have that feeling in your gut as a parent that something just is not right, you should always trust your instincts. So now I feel as though I have failed Jaxon in some way and can only hope and pray that we have not done more harm than good. We will keep everyone posted as to what happens next.

Good Morning Jaxon !! :)

2008-08-03T14:25:00.004-06:00

One morning I found Kaden in Jaxon's crib with him and now he thinks that he needs to get in bed with him every morning when he hears him wake up. He also thought Jaxon needed like five million blankets. At least this time they weren't all on his head !! My silly little boys !! I don't think Jaxon seems to mind !! Too cute for words !!

Our little ROCK STAR !!!

2008-08-02T22:46:00.003-06:00

Kaden loves to jam out on his guitar and pretend he is a ROCK STAR !! He actually is really good at keeping the beat to most songs. It is so funny to watch him when music comes on, because he usually starts with the head moving and then the body follows. He also loves to dance around all the time. He thinks these PJ's are his rock star pajama's. Too Funny !! He also likeS to look at himself in the reflection of the TV, I think he gets that from Jeff not me !!

Look at that form...

ROCK ON DUDE !!!

Spending time with cousins...

2008-08-02T22:42:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, I decided to drive to Logan and visit Jason, Becca, Madison, Hadley and Emma. Needless to say, I told Jeff that if I ever think of making the drive again by myself with the kids to shoot me. It was the longest trip ever. I made it as far as Mt Home, which is only 50 miles from Boise, before I had to stop. Jaxon was screaming like no other. I finally made it to Tremonton, only to find out that the road to Logan was closed due to construction and that I would have to go to Brigham and then over the canyon, thus adding more time to my nightmare of a drive. I think we finally made it to Logan 6 hours later, when it should have probably only taken 5. As for the ride home, it was just as bad if not worse. I think I stopped a total of 5 times between Logan and Meridian. Finally the last stop was in Jerome, (I think) and I just had to laugh, because this is MY life !! Really !! Between Jaxon screaming and Kaden not listening when I would ask him to give Jaxon a toy, binky, something. It was one fun ride !!

The first day we got there Kaden found a new toy, GUNS !! Yes, my son became obsessed with guns. Not that anyone who knows Hadley or Jason should be surprised. I can't believe that I actually was able to get a picture of Hadley smiling. I guess the fact that he has a sword and was playing Pirates with Kaden, might have been the reason. Notice the gun in Kaden's pants !! Madison joined in the dress up fun with a wig that Grandma Olsen left for the kids to play with and her pretend guns !!

We decided to take the kids to Willow park and see the animals. I use to go with my dad when I was a little girl. For some reason I always remember it as being much larger than it is. I guess when you are young everything seems like that.

Hadley was climbing on some boulders so I tried to get a quick picture of him, hopefully smiling, and then there is my cute little boy, who says, "Mom take a picture of me and yes, he even posed for it, on his own of course, really, ask Becca, he is such a ham !! Love the glove that Hadley wears, he is such a little Jason !!

Two cute little boys !! They have so much fun together !!

Cute little Madison just turned 9, I can't believe it !! She is such a good helper to her mommy and daddy !! What a beautiful little girl !!

They had a lot of fun feeding the fish and ducks.

Jaxon and Emma also had a relaxing day at the park hanging out in their strollers !!

The next day we took the kids to first dam and had a picnic on our way to Stokes Nature Center, which is up Logan canyon. Madison was trying to help Kaden climb the tree.

Hadley also wanted Madison to try and climb the tree and was a very helpful little brother and tried to give her a little boost !!

Just a little more... and finally...

She made it !! Way to go Madison !!

Once again... Kaden trying to get in on the photo ops !! He is such a poser !!

I swear I don't tell him to pose, REALLY !!

We had to walk about a 1/3 of a mile to this little cabin, which is the nature center. The kids were able to see snakes, spiders, skulls, fossils, birds, etc. Kaden had a blast. He was so excited. He actual touched a snake and brave little Madison actual held it and it started to slither up her arm, Hadley was also brave and touched it as well. There was a huge tarantula. Kaden kept yelling, "Look mom a big spider !! " He loved it !! Here are a few photos of their little adventure.

The rest of this post to be continued.....

You say Corn......

2008-08-02T21:14:00.004-06:00

We say HUSKERS !!! I actually got Kaden to eat something new the other day. He said that he wanted some corn on the cob so we made some and what do ya know he actually ate some !!! Could it have been that he was wearing his Big Husker shirt? (I only happened to notice the coincidence while he was eating the corn.) Really, It was not planned !! Probably not, but if that works in the future, great !!

His shirt says, "I may be small but I'm a BIG HUSKER fan !! I guess the corn goes to prove that !!

Great Grandma and Papo Ferrara and Great Grandma Giles and LeRoy would be so proud !! GO BIG RED !!!

Tubby Time !!

2008-07-24T19:31:00.007-06:00

I can't believe that Jaxon is almost 8 months old. Where has the time gone? He just loves his bath time. He gets so excited when he hears the water start, he can hardly contain himself. He starts kicking his legs and flapping his arms like crazy. He sits up now and with the stinky helmet I bathe him every night. And Kaden of course has to take a bath with him. The two of them have so much fun together.

Look at those rolls and those beautiful blue eyes !! Watch out ladies !!

My two handsome little boys !! I swear sometimes Jaxon can stare at Kaden forever !!

Kaden loves to make Jaxon laugh !!

I have a feeling that they are going to be the best of friends !!

My little observant one !!

2008-07-24T16:57:00.003-06:00

So Kaden, Jaxon and I were at Winco the other day. We were back at the tortilla's and a guy walked up with long hair in a ponytail, with tattoos and my cute little boy said, "Look mom a ROCK STAR !! I have no idea what gave him the idea that he was a rock star. He is soo.. funny sometimes. Maybe it was all of that American Idol we watched. Because every time we see a ford pickup truck or the coke a cola emblem he also says "Look mom American Idol !! " All I can say is, he is definitely very observant. I can't decide if that is a good or bad thing??

Fourth of July !!

2008-07-23T17:35:00.001-06:00

Our development had a get together at our little splash park for the kids, with a BBQ and a bounce house for the kids. They also let off fireworks, illegal ones, they were great !! The best part about it was that we walked two blocks from our house to enjoy the festivities. It was a late night for all, but a fun one!! Here are few fun pictures of the boys. Kaden had a great time with all of the kids. He was so excited for the fireworks.

Look how hi I can jump mom !! I don't know about you, but it sure would be fun to be a kid again, sometimes !! :)

To fun !!

There were a bunch of older boys in the bounce house, not that it bothered Kaden much. I think he can hold his own most of the time.

Jaxon's first fourth of July celebration. He had a great time, he loves being outside. Wonder where he gets that from. Daddy????

Jaxon and Daddy !!

Kaden was waiting very patiently for Daddy to get the fireworks going.

Kaden had the best time watching the fireworks !!

Big Boy Underwear !!

2008-07-22T10:32:00.001-06:00

Yesterday we took Jaxon to get his helmet adjusted and Kaden refused to wear a pull up. He is still having accidents and not consistent with the whole potty thing, but I didn't feel like arguing, so needless to say, he wore big boy underwear out of the house. I made sure I took an extra pair of shorts and a pull up just in case. Wouldn't you know, he went potty at the DR and the grocery store. NO accidents all day !! Mommy and Daddy were so proud of him. Maybe it was because I told him that he would make Lightning, Mater and Mack sad if he went pee or poop on them. I guess you do what you have to some times. It worked, at least for yesterday !!! We will keep working on it !!

What UP Jeep ?

2008-07-22T10:32:00.000-06:00

Kaden has some of the funniest sayings. The other day he was wearing some pjs that are gangsta looking so Daddy and Mommy started saying "What up Gee?", so now he goes around saying "What up Jeep !! " Too Funny !!

Here are some photos of my little gangsta's !!

Peace Out !! :)

Playing Catch Up !!

2008-07-22T10:21:00.000-06:00

First let me say that I thought this blogging thing would be great. I have since found that I sit down to write an entry, get interrupted by something, save as a draft and then come back to find that I have several posts from like weeks ago still not posted. SO with that said, I'm going to make an attempt to get caught up today. We will see how it goes !!

Yippie, Kaden is a Big Boy !!

2008-07-05T17:39:00.000-06:00

Today was a great day in the Keith house. Kaden has been dry all day and today he told mommy that he had to go poop on the potty. We ran upstairs, put the diego potty seat on and what do you know, he went. I guess when everyone says that it has to be their idea and that it will happen when they are ready, they were right !! He was so excited. He said " Mom, I DID IT !! I went poop on the potty, know I can ride my tractor !!" Daddy will be so proud of me !! " Yes, we are both very proud of Kaden today. He is getting to be such a big boy. He is such a help to daddy and I, we are very lucky to be his parents. He is also a great big brother to Jaxon and loves him like crazy.

Potty Training, A Mother's Nightmare !!

2008-06-29T15:48:00.000-06:00

So we have been trying to potty train Kaden, for like, forever !! I have threatened, YES, what a great mother I am. We have put away most of the toys and now he has a new basketball outfit that he loves and today it was taken away because he pooped in his pants. Needless to say, he had a total meltdown. Daddy has also taken away the tractor as well. I bought the Diego Potty seat, I have done the reward system, where I created a calendar and each time he went potty he would get to put a sticker on the calendar. That worked for like ONE day !! I have done the bribe with candy, M&M's, any kind he wanted, and that doesn't even work. So I decided that I would leave him without a pull up on one day, surely he would not PEE or POOP on the floor ?? I thought it was a great idea for the first couple of hours, then it happened. I was BF Jaxon and asked Kaden if he would go and get me a burp cloth, the next thing I hear is "Mommy, I peed !!" My reply: "What !!?, where did you pee?" Kaden: "In Jaxon's room on the bag. There was a bag on the floor and he went on the bag and a little on the floor. So I stopped feeding the baby and got the carpet cleaning spray and put him in time out, still without a pull up on, but I thought, it had to just be an accident. Not more than an hour later, I am in the laundry room folding clothes and I hear: "Mommy there is POOP on the floor and it is on my foot !!! " As he comes running from the bonus room, down the hall to the laundry room and deposits a nice little brown dropping right in front of the laundry room door. I could not believe it !! I assessed the damaged and thankfully it was not too bad. Cleaned him up, the mess on the floor, put a pull up back on and put him back in timeout. I know that I need to be more patient, but it is SO hard sometimes. I know he understands, but I guess he will do it when he is good and ready, he's a little stubborn at times, wonder where he gets it? So with that said, I am praying for more patience with Kaden and the potty training and hope to have good news soon !!

Saying Goodbye to Grandma Olsen !! :(

2008-06-28T21:41:00.000-06:00

It was great to see my mom, but also sad to have to say goodbye. She came to visit a couple of weeks ago with my Aunt Vicky and her girls MiKayla and Keira. Kaden had a ball with the girls. They went to the splash park, road the tractor, bikes, and jumped a lot on the trampoline. They tried to have a slumber party one night, but Kaden wouldn't stop talking. So, needless to say, he had to go and sleep in his own room. Which caused a total meltdown !!

I kept telling mom that Jaxon wouldn't eat anything, needless to say, she had no problem getting him to eat !! She said it was because Grandma just had the right touch !!

Someone didn't like peaches !! What a funny face. We couldn't stop laughing !!

You can definitely tell Grandma was hear, hence the perfect lipstick marking on Jaxon's chubby cheek !! :)

I wish I would have thought to take a picture with her. I will miss her terribly !! She moved to Omaha, NE to work for Dennis and Michelle in their new dental practice. I know that it will be a good opportunity for her and Todd, but it was so nice to know that I could just drive 4 hours to spend a week with her. It was also nice to be that so close to family again. With each move we have made it is so hard to not be able to see our families as much as we would like. I know that Grandma Giles and Leroy (they live in Lincoln, NE) and Grandma and Papo Ferrara are excited, (they live in Wahoo, NE) they hope it will mean that we will get to see them more often. I know they REALLYwould like to see more of their great-grand babies. Today is actually Papo's birthday, wish we could be there to celebrate with him and the rest of the family. It is great to have such wonderful and special grandparents. They are mine through marriage, but I feel like they have always been a part of my family. I hope we are able to see them soon !!

Dallas Aquarium and Rain Forest

2008-06-28T20:00:00.000-06:00

While we were in Dallas grandma and papa took Kaden, Jaxon, Daddy and Mommy to the Dallas Aquarium and Rain forest. The first thing out of Kaden's mouth was: "Mommy it doesn't smell too good!" And he instantly plugged his nose. He had it plugged for most of the time. I have to admit, it really smelled horrible. We saw alligators, penguins, sharks, monkeys, etc. And I think I actually saw the biggest tarantula ever !! Good thing it was behind a very think piece of glass !!

Kaden and a very BIG SHARK !!

Kaden also loved the penguins !!

Here is a picture of Kaden and Grandma with a leopard !!

Jaxon just chilling out in his stroller !!

Motivating Spin Class

2008-06-27T16:47:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally made it to the gym yesterday !! After a night of no sleep, Jaxon up at least 4 times, and he and Kaden up at 6 am, Yes, I still made it to the spin class with my hubby !! I decided that the excuse of being too tired will always be the case, but I have to do something about this post-baby FAT body of mine !! Jaxon was great in the daycare and Kaden is now old enough to go outside with the older kids. He has been telling mommy that he wanted to go to the gym and run on the treadmill with her. I told him that he would be able to go outside and play with the kids. His response: "Mommy, you go workout with the other mommies and their Booies", and Daddy will work out with the other Daddy's. YES, my son is obsessed with Booies !!

I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through the hour long spin class without passing out, that is just how out of shape I am. But my motivation for the day was a woman in our class. She was an amputee !!! Yes, she was doing a spin class with only one leg. I thought for sure, if she could do the class with one leg, then surely I could make it through. Can you imagine the strength you would need to do the climbing portion out of the saddle, with one leg !! It was truly amazing !! SO, I say thank you to her for being in the class and being my motivation to make it through and not give up !!! Also, it was fun to be able to spend some time with Jeff again, like in the pre-kids phase of our marriage. I hope it is something we can continue to do !! SO thanks honey I had a great time, even if I thought I was going to pass out a couple of times !! :)

Visit to Dallas

2008-06-24T16:07:00.000-06:00

Daddy, Kaden and Billy on the Train !!

We recently made a visit to Dallas to see Grandma, Papa, Ashley, BT and Tyler over the Memorial Day week. Here we are taking a train ride on a old steam engine train through the town of Grapevine. It was a very hot and humid day, but Kaden had a blast !! They actually had a train robbery as well. Here is a picture of Kaden and the train robber. I don't think he really knew what was happening. They also had robbers outside of the train on horses with guns a blazing too. It was pretty exciting for Kaden !!

We also had lots of fun swimming in Grammie and Papa's pool !! Grandma was teaching Kaden to swim. He liked to use the noodles and sometimes he would actually forget that he wasn't using one and swim by himself.

We also got to visit with Auntie Ashley and Uncle Billy. Kaden loved running around the house and using the walkie talkies. Ashley took Kaden and Jaxon to feed the ducks and then swimming.

Kaden enjoying the crackers we were feeding to the ducks !!

Yes, that is Kaden chasing after the geese !! I think he actually thought he could catch one !! Daddy would be so proud !!

He also loved to hang out with "His Kasey", Yes, he thinks Kasey is his dog !! Sorry, BT, he may have a new best friend !!

Today is the Day

2008-06-20T16:53:00.000-06:00

I have finally decided to get started with the online journaling. Several of my friends, (Jamie and Jensa) have been trying to get me to start one for a while. But the other night I was talking with my sister-in-law, Becca, who recently started a blog all because of a very sad story. She told me of a little girl in Park City Utah, who recently passed away. Her mother had started a blog before she was even born http://www.jacksonparkcity.blogspot.com, and I thought to myself, WOW !! What if something tragic were to happen in my family? Would I have a journal of all of the beautiful memories of my family to treasure, NO !! This really brought it home that life is short, and it has convinced me to stop with the excuses and take advantage of each and every moment I have with my family. Having a blog will provide me with just that, a lasting journal to archive all of the wonderful precious moments in the life of my children and family. It will also allow me to keep our family and friends up to date with all of the happens in our little family. I am not promising that my posts will be funny or interesting, but I hope that through this journal I will become a better mother, wife and friend, by taking more time to listen, live and learn all I can about my kids, my friends, my family, and myself each and every day. With that said, here goes !!