Birds of a Feather

When birthdays come up in our family we no longer do big birthday parties. We let the boys pick what they want to do and we do it as a family. I would rather make memories as a family than spending money on a bunch of kids for a couple of hours.

Tommy wanted t go to the Aviary. So we packed up the kids and headed up to Salt Lake and went to see some birds.

I took like 8 pictures and couldn't one that everyone was looking at the camera.... I have learned at this point you just do the best you can.

It's not very big and after about an hour we had seen it all. It was fun seeing some of the birds that were around. And all of our favorites were the Bald Eagles.  So we played at a couple spots.

Benji still has some growing to d to match up to some of the bigger birds.

When we got home poor Swim was not feeling good and went down for a long nap, and Tommy wanted cinnamon rolls instead of cake for his birthday so I got started on that.

I love that they boys will ask for things other than cake on their birthdays.

Bird during the day and cinnamon rolls before bed... It was a fun day.

Easter this Year

Easter this year was fun. The boys were lucky this year and had a few egg hunts. It all started at Grandma's house. My sister Eliza and her husband Tyler came from New Hampshire, so while they were here we all got together and celebrated as a family.

 We were hoping to eat and then let the kids hunt for eggs outside.... but the rain decided to come and put a damp on the situation. So the next best thing was to "hide" the eggs inside. There really wasn't a whole lot of places to hide them so they were more just tossed around and left to the fastest gatherer.

 Tommy has been funny lately about wanting his picture taken. {at least I'm getting some of him now}

 Swim just liked the eggs. Opening and closing and shaking them up.

It our family there is a crazy thing we like t do... headstand competitions. Even the kids got involved in it.

It was a fun day and to get to spend it with family with lots of kids was fun.

Then the Saturday before there was a little neighborhood Easter Egg hunt. Steve took the big boys to Comic Con, and I took the little ones to hunt for more eggs.

Swim was only somewhat interested in the eggs. I pulled a few aside and put them at his feet to "find".

Benji... on the other hand....

He would pick up every egg and open it and eat the contents of it before moving onto the next egg.  I love the way he carried the bag.... very resourceful, that boy.... it is easier to get to the candy using two hands.

Then Easter Sunday there were a few treats for the boys. We do all the egg hunting on Saturday so that was Sunday is dedicated to our Savior.

Tommy has a nice set of scriptures so he didn't get any, but James and Tim did, and a friend of mine made a nice case for Benji so he got scriptures too. He's so cute to carry these around with him.

One day I'll feel like I am on top of things and have things ready and we can celebrate the Savior in the weeks up to Easter... but for now, this is what we do.

In the end, it was all worth it

 This boy.

He was a hard one for me. His birth was wonderful and everything that I wanted, but in the weeks that followed were pure hell.

The postpartum was the worst that I have ever had.

Swim cried a lot. He only slept if I was holding him, or walking him, or I had to hold him until he fell asleep. He cried almost all the time. If I put him down and left the room he would cry until I came back and would hold him again. He would scream in his bed in the morning until I would come and get him.

Looking back I can understand the reasons, but while I was in the middle of it it was hard. Not long after he was born we moved from North Carolina to Utah. He was just 3 months and his world was rocked. We stayed with my parents once we got to Utah and we were in their house for about 3 months and then again his world was rocked as we moved into the house we are at now. He didn't trust anything, or anyone... I don't really blame him.

Since we have been more stable this boy has turned from a sad, crying child into the funnest little boy. He walks around with a smile on his face all day. He giggles all the time. He babbles to me all the time. If I happen to not be paying attention to him he will climb up and touch my face, or cling onto my legs until I bend down so he can say what he needs to say. Not in words yet... all babbling it's really cute.

And bed time is a breeze now. I can give him his blanket, and sing a song to him {he likes "Teach Me to Walk in the Light"} and put him down to sleep. And not only that... but he wakes up so happy.

I love this little guy so much. I feel so bad that the first year or so was so hard for him. I did the best that I knew how, I wish I could have comforted him more, but I would go through all the crying and sleepless nights, and even the postpartum that I had to have the boy I have now.

He is such a joy to me, and makes me so happy.

To the Park

It has been awhile since we have been in an actual winter. I had forgotten how long the cold days last.... and how random they come.

We'll have a couple days that are cold, and even a little snowy.... and then the very next day it will be in the 70's.  That is what spring is like here in Utah.... until summer.

The boys had a day off, and I had some errands to run. 

The boys were great while we were in and out of the car for about 2 hours, so at the last stop I piked up some cookies and we headed to the park to play.

I think the boys really enjoyed getting out of the house and to run a bit.

We love going to parks, and finding new places to play. The only down side to this park on this day was the locked bathrooms. I had two that needed to go.... and while the little one could get away with peeing near the car.... the bigger one couldn't. So we had to leave. But this park is only about a mile from our house so easily within walking distance.

It was a great day to be at the park, the next day was back to school and routine.... and jackets because it was overcast with a "chance of snow in the afternoon"