Because she makes me laugh out loud

She's the cutest

FIVE

Noah turned 5 (yes 5 can you believe it?) the other day.
I can't believe it.
5 years ago I had my first baby.
5 years ago I felt the most anxiety I've ever felt watching a tiny little baby in a little suitcase under lights for being jaundice.
5 years ago I felt love in a way I've never felt it before and understood a lot more about love and sacrifice.
I realized some time later that mommy is the best name in the world and that parenting would be the hardest thing in the whole wide world. (Good thing I don't have to go at it alone)

FIVE! Go here to see him in the chair for his other birthdays.

He had a Batman birthday party but more like a superhero birthday party. 

Yes, I made that. I know, AWWWWWWWWWWW-some :)

Yes, he was Captain America at his Batman birthday party. 

AND just have to say thanks to the moms who let their kids come on such short notice and even got Noah presents. I let them know at 4 pm that the party was at 6 pm. Good thing we have so many kids in our neighborhood :) Good friends for sure.

Colorful! I think she might be getting bottom teeth.

Hannah with her cousin. They are one month and one day apart. Hannah's older. 

Then there is this guy...

I love him so but he sure puts me through the ringer sometimes.

He's been through a lot.

He still doesn't like to gain weight.

We are going to take him to the NAET doctor next.

He's funny and stubborn, cute and tiny, determined and polite.

The other day I took time to tickle my boys. I can't remember the last time I did that. Heath does it all the time. I love their laughs. Our windows were open and before long there was a knock at the door. We opened it to 2 little neighborhood kids. They said, "What are you doing?", I said, "tickling". They said, "Can you tickle us?".   Sure, come on in. The laughing commenced.

I find myself talking in high, silly voices to get a smile out of Hannah. 

I've been feeling a little poopy the last few days so I put on some inspirational music this morning and thought about all my blessings. I think today will be a good day.

I love my husband.

the hunt, the shave, the mimi

The hunt is on and apparently so is the shave.
Liz (Heath's lil' sister) gave him a hair cut the other day and shaved his back and chest and stomach
WITH a straight razor no doubt.
She even let me have a try (no, I didn't cut him) and yes he is on our kitchen table.

First she cut a heart, then...

 it turned to this. What do you meant what is it? it's an elk. It's hunting season don't you know. 

and oh so attractive. Yes, it's still there and yes he's hunting as I type this and yes for an elk.

Heath caught this a while ago and I can't remember if I put it on the blog but definitely blog worthy.

AND then there's the stories of this week

We got rid of Asher's mimi (pacifier) this week. Heath told him if he put in the trash he could get a toy. He wanted a toy from Target. So, Monday morning he threw his mimi in the trash and we went to Target. He picked out an iron man toy. He did pretty well throughout the day and I didn't push a nap but when night came he was ready to throw iron man in the trash and go dumpster diving for the mimi. Well, I didn't let him. I rocked him to sleep that night which I felt was a good trade and he ended up in bed with us which I felt was also a good trade. The next day he was ready for a nap and then asked for the mimi a few times and I reminded him that he traded it for a toy. He said, "oh, I forgot". Then he was really tired and the screaming, biting, scratching, and gnashing of teeth began. I didn't know if we were going to make it and I thought about the back up mimi. I was strong and he finally fell asleep. phew! I rocked him to bed one more night and now there's no word of the mimi. 

Now that he's given up the mimi he's done with his hair doll (Mr. Beans or Beansies). This, apparently, has given him more time to do other things like wrapping himself in toilet paper, spinning around and around until he looks like a mummy (that's when I came in), and tearing his toast to pieces and throwing in on the dinning room floor while I was at the sink, or spilling his yogurt on the floor and trekking though it, or dragging a chair over to the sink and playing in the water until there's a swimming pool on the floor beneath. I'll stop there but you can tell we've had some excitement. 

The aftermath. 

Then there's baby Hannah. Adorable and Asleep. She's got a little ouchie bum that breaks my heart every-time I change her diaper and she screams. She's beautiful and has blue eyes so far.

Wondering where I've been? ...I've been wondering the same thing. The move, a baby, and a job.

So, here it is. We moved from PA back to Utah.
There was a big mess with the moving company.
They were suppose to be at the house in PA on the 1st or 2nd of July they still hadn't shown up by the 17th.
So my father and brother-in-law (thank you both soooo much) flew back to PA rented a truck and brought all of our things to Utah. Again, thank you thank you!

Also, we had the birth of our 3rd child, Hannah Catherine, on July 28th. She weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces 19 1/2 inches long. Seriously, she's a cutie pie and we are all in love with her here at our house.
I had a c-section and was a wake this time (I was completely out with my c-section with Asher because it was an emergency and my epidural wasn't working). I threw up twice, right before the surgery began and once during. I know, I'm not sparing you the details. I want to remember everything about this especially because we didn't take any pictures in the hospital. I know, what kind of parents are we?
It all went pretty fast and the only thing I could really feel was Dr. Lunt pushing on the top of my belly to get that girl to come out. Everyone was so nice. I'm  not saying it was a pleasant experience but everyone was nice.
Heath kept standing up to look beyond the "curtain". I told him he needed to sit down because I would be very angry if he passed out on me. At one point he said, "What's that?" the doctor said it was my uterus (it was just handing out outside my body). Heath was trying to be funny. I think for two reasons, he was nervous and he wanted to calm me down. But seriously Heath you don't say ,"Do you hear that noise? I think it's a saw." to a lady on the operating table. Love you anyway.
After they wrapped the girl up and handed her to Heath he brought her around so I could see her. And then I saw them. yes, the chubbiest cheeks ever. I really thought she would weigh more.
He told me both of her arms worked.
I have to admit I would love any baby that I could be blessed with but after you have a baby that experiences a few things that you weren't expecting it makes you think...and check. Although Heath and I didn't express any feelings toward that to each other after he made that comment I knew we were both wondering the same things.

My pain was controlled so much better after this c-section and the transfer to my bed was awesome compared to the one in PA. I threw up again when they moved me upstairs (this time is hurt like crazy)  and I thought I might die if I didn't stop dry heaving. I threw up a few more times and then they gave me something awesome for nausea. (and I was on morphine so that helped some too). First day I was kind of out of it but I got up and walked around that evening.
Next day was way better. Hannah passed her hearing test and her biliruben score was a little high but they didn't have to put her under the lights (Yes, double YES!) . We had to get it checked a few more times when we got home but still no lights. So grateful for that!
I had Hannah on Thursday and my parents were here on Sunday. They stayed a week and today they left. My dad has to get back to work I guess. boooooo!
So, we had lots of yummy food to eat, good company and I got to take lots of naps.
I like having a summer baby. You don't have to worry so much about them getting sick.

Here's some more exciting news. Del Parson (yes, the famous artist that does a lot of paintings of Christ) called Heath right before we left PA and offered him a teaching job at Dixie College. What?  a job? In his field that he graduated in? Yes, double YES!

I just want to say that we are sooooo blessed. There have been so many people who have helped us in so many ways these past few months (ok really years). Some in small ways and other in large ways (you might compare the large ways to the size of a van) but all are appreciated.

President Spencer W. Kimball said:

"God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom... In the Doctrine and Covenants we read about how important it is to '...succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.' (D&C 81:5.) So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!" ("Small Acts of Service," Ensign, Dec 1974, 2).

Hannah Catherine

Asher likes to put Heath head phones on and listen to his ipod sometimes and dance. Isn't this the best picture EVER?!

for some  reason it's not letting me put more pictures on here

I'm convinced that swaddling is a good thing

that when there's a will there's a way.

so glad I can sleep on my belly and bend over to shave my legs.