Swimming and snoring

and don't forget the cute baby :)

5 months

He celebrated his five month birthday with his first giggles at Mommy! (That isn't saying he has never laughed before, it was just more like a courtesy one-time chuckle). Can you tell it was filmed by the 10 year old? One of Rydon's favorite things is kisses on both of this cheeks. He always smiles so big when I do it.

Next surgery date

Last night, after all of my children were in their beds I had a few moments to reflect on my day. My mind was filled with wonder, stress, happiness, fear, and so many other emotions. Shriners Hospital in LA finally called me in the morning to give Rydon's cleft lip surgery date. We are going in very bright and early in the morning on July 7th. I have waited for this call since June 4th. I have waited for this surgery since October, when we saw the cleft on the ultrasound. This little boy's surgical journey has been in the back of my mind constantly since then. Some days I feel so much stress about the pending difficulty he will have because of the cleft lip surgery and the cleft palate not getting fixed until he is one year old. I feel so much happiness knowing that this first surgery is the beginning of the end. I know he is in very good hands with Dr. Howell and her team at Shriners. I am so grateful to have access to good medical care for our little boy, even if it is out of state. Rydon's face will be forever changed in two weeks.

Crafting

 I did a big order for these custom license plate frames. I marketed them for Father's Day and got a few more custom orders. It was a really fun, cheap project.

This is my impromptu skirt in under 30 minutes. I love knit! It is not my favorite to sew, but it is so comfortable to wear. I even cheated and didn't hem the bottom.

Just pictures from swimming at Brady's mom's house yesterday afternoon

Fun Summer Preschool Class for Gideon and Ayla

An email about their day from the teacher:
I wasn't too sure how my shy friend Gideon would do?! But the minute he walked in a little guy here came over and told him he likes boys not girls. :O) This little guy hung near Gideon most the day. Gideon didn't say a lot but he was smiling and happy doing all the activities. Ayla was cute and sat on my lap during their music time. She told me she wanted food right after they got here. :O) She was excited for snack time but she did everything else too. :O) She loved having a spray bottle and spraying the tortoise…who also loved to be sprayed. They were great and seemed pretty comfortable the whole time. :O) Thanks for bringing them. (I know Gideon is one that needs to be warned … so trying to get him to rush over Wed. was not going to work out but I'm glad he was willing today. :O))

Two birthday parties at the pool today.

Party before nap time with the Vargas family. Party after dinner with the Hedden family. We got our vitamin D soaked in today! The kids fell asleep so fast tonight. I know they got worn out today.

Insight from Brady

We had a really good fast and testimony meeting today. I can't even say how strongly and how frequently the principle of immediate obedience to the LORD had been brought to my attention the last couple weeks. It has reminded me repeatedly of the talk Elder Bednar gave in our ward the week after being called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He said, in essence, that the day is soon coming when both our spiritual and temporal safety will hinge on the speed with which we respond to the counsel of those who hold keys.

From today's reading, the 4th chapter of Matthew. 17 ¶From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 ¶And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Ronald Mcdonald House

Facebook status from Brady:

Little man discovered nature's first toys this morning. And I must say that Ronald McDonald house charities is one of the most worthwhile organizations on the planet. They have done so much to help people dealing with medical issues, there are really no words to say thanks. This is the second child we've had with a medical issue requiring out-of-state travel and they have rescued us again. If you want to do good where it is needed and will for sure be put to good use, I ask you to donate today. I will, too. You will probably get sick of me saying it over the next couple months, but these people are amazing. Please visit http://www.rmhc.org/ to learn more about the Ronald McDonald house in your area. — with Keiza Lindsay at Pasadena Ronald McDonald House.

Plastic surgery consult at Shriners in LA

We met with Dr. Howell, the plastic surgeon at Shriners, who will fix Rydon's lip and palate this year. She is much more approachable and communicative than Dr. Menezes. She told us she will fix his lip in July, at her next available surgery date. We will meet with the anesthesiologist on a Monday, have surgery Tuesday, and do a check-up with Dr. Howell on Wednesday before we go home. Then the next Friday we have to go back for another check-up, and again a month later when she removes the nasal stint he will have to help shape his nostril and nasal cavity. She told us the initial lip repair will take about two and a half hours. We are planning to make a small vacation out of it by going to CA on the Saturday before, visiting friends there, going to the beach, and probably the LA Zoo as well. Honestly, I just want this all over with so he can have a regular mouth. I am getting tired of waiting and waiting. We ended up being at Shriners Hospital for almost three hours because of paper and computer forms, doctor visit, and waiting for our turn. After we left the hospital we went to lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp, just inside Universal Studios Universal City Walk. It was really, really, really good!!! I love seafood so much. After lunch we went home. A stop in Baker, CA for dinner required a visit to the Alien Jerky Store. We got Abducted Cow, honey teriyaki, and sweet and hot flavors to try. We brought the kids some freeze dried ice cream flavors. 

Here is my facebook post about the day:

Tonight I am so thankful for good doctors who communicate treatment plans well, family to watch the older kids for us so we could take care of our baby (thank you a million times! ), a very fun time with Brady (my very favorite person ever! ) and finally to be back home. We start a whirlwind of trips back to LA next month. Thank goodness for summer vacation!

Smiles

This little guy had 22 ounces of milk today. He ate three times before 7 am, and six more times during the day. I am pretty sure he has never eaten  that much in a 24 hour period before. Babies his age should be eating 20-24 ounces every day, with bottles being 4 ounces or more each time.

Love swimming

Last night was the school swim party at the rec center. Yesterday morning the kids played in the water out back.  Saturday we went to the splash park. With all the water exposure one would think they are water logged. However, we are just getting started for the long summer here. It is already 100 degrees. Blah.

Exercise

I take the little kids with me to exercise after the older kids go to school. When it's not hot we walk the wetlands trails. During the hot  season we use the equipment at my friend's club house. This is how my kids exercise sometimes.