Swimming at the Rec Center

We headed to the pool today to cool off. But this time it was really cloudy and humid and the temps were only in the low 90's instead of 110. It still felt nice to get in the water. We all had a fun time. Ayla spent the afternoon snoozing in the stroller. We were only able to stay at the pool for about an hour before it closed due to lightning in the area. I really wish all that weather would have been more intense than just a tiny sprinke here and there. We need the rain, and the van could use a good virgin run with puddle splashing.

Ammon coming down the fast slide.

Gideon walking in the water with Daddy. He took the time to stop and look at every plane that flew over us. It make me think of the parts in "Up" when the dogs stop everything because of a squirrel.

Jumping in the deeper pool

Pepsi cake

So, I love Pepsi. I love the taste, I love the smell, I love all flavors I have tried that aren't diet (Pepsi next is really good), it goes so well with pizza and breadsticks, and it's a comfort food for me. When it comes on sale for less than a dollar per 2 liter I buy some. However, with my last two kids, I have not been able to drink it because I figured out the caffiene comes through my breast milk which makes the babies not go to sleep at night like they should. So I have a couple of bottles in my garage that I cannot enjoy. On pintrest last week I came across a recipe for a Dr. Pepper cake, and since I had Pepsi in my garage, I decided to make this cake and use my beloved soda instead. It turned out really, really good. The only change I made was to use 1/2 cup of applesauce instead of 1/2 cup of oil. I hate putting oil in cakes. The less fat in desserts, the better in my opinion.

Waterslides

Our stake sponsors a tri-stake parade and breakfast to celebrate the 24th of July Pioneer Day. It was super hot for the parade, even in the meager shade we found. At the end of it everyone met at the park and had a fantastic pancake breakfast and games. It was really hot, so we only stayed long enough for the older boys to go down the waterslide two times. They loved it. Gideon spent his time wandering around on the grass, and Ayla slept most of the time. It was more fun to watch my kids than anything else. They are hilarious sometimes. I sure love them!

Cleaning up

Gideon cleans off the table....and throws everything onto the floor. He's such a good helper hinderer.

Ayla's first swim

This is the smallest swim diaper we can buy.

What's a good swim without noticing airplanes?

Baby health

Today I was again reminded of the health issues all of my sweet children have had when they were babies. Ammon had pyloric stenosis and a false positive for cystic fibrosis. (Click the links to find out exactly what these conditions are). When he was 10 days old he started puking all of his food, every feeding. Finally after loosing a pound and a half, the doctor had him admitted to the NICU. After a week at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, ID with no improvement, our doctor determined he needed to be transported to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, UT. At one month old - the day after Thanksgiving 2004, he had stomach surgery, but because he lost so much weight before the solution was found it took him a long time to start gaining weight after the surgery. He was at PCMC for 9 days. He had a genetic test done to determine if he had the DNA markers for CF. The test results came back in January, which were negative. We did treat him for CF in those two months though, just to make sure he was getting meds if he needed them. It was ironic that he didn't start gaining weight after his surgery until we started giving him digestive enzymes as part of the CF treatment.

When Zenock was three weeks old he had to be hospitalized because his jaundice wasn't going away. He had to be under bili lights for 3 days in the NICU, and when he was discharged we took home a bili blanket for a week.

At three weeks old, Gideon had an enlarged testicle, called a hydrocele. Basically it's a pocket of fluid left over from fetal development. At the time it seemed he was swollen to the max that his skin would stretch. He has been monitored by our pediatrician and a urologist. It has gone down significantly, but there are still occasional mild flareups.

Ayla was born with a small degree of ankyloglossia - tongue tied. The skin where her tongue connects to her lower jaw inside her mouth was extended further than most people's. Some people's skin goes all the way to the tip of the tongue. This condition is known to create speech impediments since the tongue can't be fully used and extended when forming words. Today she went to an ENT to have it clipped so the skin would loosen and her tongue would be released to normal capacity. She screamed, not so much from the actual procedure but from being restrained on the head and arms while having a tongue depressor shoved in her mouth so the Dr. could snip the skin. The whole procedure took about 3 minutes.

I am so very thankful this is all the health troubles our family has had. I know it could be so much more complex. I love my children so much, and as a mother, it breakes my heart when they are sick. Especially when there is nothing I can do to help them. I am so thankful for access to modern medicine. I am so thankful for capable doctors, nurses, and other medical staff who have taken care of all of us over the years.

Two months of pink

Today is Ayla's 2 month birthday. Isn't she sweet? And to answer your question, no, I did not make this dress. It was the first thing I bought when I found out is was a girl. But I am flattered that you thought I made it. Every time she wears it to church, someone asks me that question. Just in case you were wondering :)

Ayla has finally outgrown newborn diapers and newborn clothes in the last month. She has an adorable fat roll on her thighs and one on her forearms too. She has started smiling and cooing a little. She doesn't cry as much, and she is content in the swing for more than five minutes....usually. In the last week or so she has started sleeping for about 7 hours regularly. For that I am SO thankful. I have really missed my sleep since she was born.

Today is also the first time I have been able to capture her smiling on camera. So I went a little overboard....just a warning. I know Dad loves to see pictures of the grandkids, so all of these are for him. But everyone who reads this can enjoy them too. In the above picture she is almost smiling. It's really hard to catch a smile at the right moment. I almost need a camera with a fast action shutter option.

There it is!!

She has her eyebrows raised like this a lot. I told Brady and Abby the other night that if her eyebrows stay like this much longer her face will permenantly stay this way. Hehehe!

And another smile with a coo too.

She's not really waving, but you can think that. She's just wiggly.

Do you see the dimples? I hope she keeps them when she's older.

I love the birthmark on her nose and upper lip.

Adventurous toddler

I'm in trouble now! Check out the video below to see what Gideon figured out he can do. It happened this morning for the first time. How long do you predict it will take him to fall off a chair and have to get stiches?

Family Home Evening

Stow-and-go seating is awesome. We can fold our seats down in the van and enjoy watching airplanes land in the comfort of a/c when it's over 100 degrees outside. They all loved it, but I think 18 month old Gideon loved it the best. You missed the tears of sadness when he had to get back in his carseat to go home. We pointed some out on the way home and then watched a few on the driveway. That made him feel better.

Sometimes I wish I lived in Washington and a quilt

                                    

Rain on Sunday, July 15th. It stopped all of a sudden right after this video ended. It only lasted about 20 minutes. I miss the rain so much. I think living in WA would be awesome because it eains so much. But then being soggy all the time has its drawbacks aas well. I guess I appreciate rain more now than I did in Idaho.

Full rainbow after short storm on Friday the 13th

Baby quilt I finally finished from our service auction back in February. The colors are much more vibrant in person. Cell phones don't take good pictures.

Fireworks

The best part about fireworks is watching and listening to the kids excitement. I had hard time focusing the camera in the dark. Sorry about the poor picture quality.

Our Independence Day

First, Ayla had a checkup on Monday. At 6 weeks old she weighed in at 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 inches long. She is as big at 6 weeks as my nephew was when he was born May 1st. I must have one petite little lady.

We started our holiday with a wonderful breakfast at our friends house, the Van Wagoners, with a bunch of other families. All the kids had a great time. Gideon loved running around with the other kids too. Brady slept the rest of the day since he worked the night before and had to go back again that night. The rest of us had a small dinner BBQ at Brady's mom's house with swimming after. It was my first time back in the water after Ayla was born. Gideon loved jumping off the edge to me and making big splashes. Ammon practiced his swimming like they do in the Olympics in the deep end. He has done really well learning to swim. Zenock had a good time squirting everyone with the squirt gun. Ayla got to hang out with Grammy on the patio. We finished off the night with fireworks - Brady's all-time favorite - on our street with the Van Wagoners and the Wolfes. I'll post a video of that in the morning because it takes a long time to upload from the computer. We all had a great time, even more so than normal because we got to share it with others.

Timeout

The boys had trouble listening and following cleanup instructions today. Their consequensce is no electronics of any kind for the rest of the day. Zenock asked if that meant his leapster too. YES! Then he said in his best whiny voice, "But I have to learn!!" I had to restrain my laughter.

Holiday time

Happy Independence Day! What a wonderful opportunity it is to celebrate the founding of our Nation! I also reflect on the great blessing it is to be a citizen of this free country. How grateful I am for the men and women who have sacrificed everything so that we can remain free. Thank you to every Soldier for the freedom I get to share with my family every day.