New Years

Changed the Christmas tree to a New Years tree with confetti balloons.  I saw the idea on a blog...can't remember right now but I'll link to it later.

For New Years Eve we took the kids bowling in the afternoon, they all fell asleep on the way home and took a nice nap. Then we had dinner, popped balloons full of confetti and sometimes a surprise of a few coins, gave them baths, and they went to bed. They loved popping the balloons so I think we'll keep that as a tradition.  Probably have to add something more exciting as they get older though!  It was a fun day but now I'm tired and want to go to bed. 

More later...it's late :)

Economics & Eating

I am a picky eater.

Hayes is a picky eater.

Generational Justice is what my mom calls it.

It has been interesting trying to strike the balance between forcing him to try foods and knowing exactly where he is coming from.  Bracken and I have tried a lot of different strategy's to get him to eat try his dinner.  It got to a point where it was a fight to get him to sit at the table because he knew what was coming.  Then it was tears and threats of throwing up when we finally got him to put something in his mouth. He was miserable, we were miserable.

Then our economic majors got put to use and we came up with a plan that works well. (at least for the last three months, knock on wood)

At dinner, Hayes' plate is given to him already dished up with what we are having for dinner.  I try to at least one thing he likes at every dinner. Sometimes it is the main dish, sometimes it ends up being something small like a muffin. There is at least three different servings on his plate. He has to eat ALL of ONE thing and ONE bite of EVERYTHING before he is allowed to leave the table.  If he leaves the table without doing that, then he owes us a dollar.  If he does the requirement he can be done with dinner.  If he eats everything off his plate then he gets a quarter.

We've had a lot fewer fights since the rules are laid out and he knows we won't budge.  Hayes already is interested in money and doesn't want to lose the money he earns. The dollar is incentive to take those one or two bites of things he doesn't like.  So far he hasn't earned a quarter....he came close once but just couldn't finish those last few bites of rice. (yeah...he doesn't like rice!?!) He has learned that he likes Edamame; he still won't admit it but he'll eat it.  Other then that, I'm glad it's just getting him to try things.

Tonight we had Penne Pasta with Parmesan & Peas. (how's that for an alliteration!) I even kept it all separated for him. He didn't want any of it. So for the 2nd time so far he had to pay us a dollar.

Luckily, Kamri isn't too picky of an eater since this strategy would not work for her. Tonight, she happily paid us a quarter for no reason. She must have felt like she was missing out on the fun?

Christmas

(The video is a tad long, so my favorite part is around :44 where Hayes "thought it was cleaning supplies"  the other parts where Kamri "love, love, love them" 1:37 and at 1:51declares the barbies won't never fit in her bag and then points out that the barbies are from Target (her favorite store))

This was our first year at home for Christmas. We drove home Christmas Eve so that we were able to see family earlier and be home on Christmas Day.

Kamri got a Rapunzel dress up from Santa and Princess Barbies from Bracken & I.

Hayes got a Star Wars Lego set from Santa and a Jetpack from Bracken & I

Lyla got a ball from Santa....and clothes from us. Hayes & Kamri got her some toy cars. Her favorite part was the wrapping paper!

We got Zingo game and It's a Wonderful Life movie as family.

I stayed up late making the jetpack for Hayes and it was a total craft fail. I didn't want to take the time to turn on the computer and look at the picture of what I had seen before. I just kind of winged it...in a hurry.  So I was nervous for him to open it. His initial reaction was not good (see video thinking it was cleaning supplies!) but the next day he wore it practically the whole day so I think it was good.  I added buttons to the strap at the last minute and glad I did because his favorite part seems to be pushing the on, off and sideways buttons.

They played with their toys and then we went to church. Stopped at Rod & Cindy's for brunch, relaxed at home some more and then to a law school friend's house for dinner.

We played some more Zingo, the kids loved it. Then after the kids were asleep Bracken and I watched It's a Wonderful Life.  My dad had us watch it every year around Christmas growing up and I hated it.  Now I absolutely love it and will force it upon my kids.  They are wiser and will love it though right?  I fell asleep before it was over....playing Santa is a bit exhausting.

It was a great Christmas and soo nice to be home!

Post Christmas Letdown

Is it just me or is it hard to get back into the groove of things after holidays? Luckily, despite my fear, there was no late night rushing to the bathroom or cleaning of sheets last night.  We all slept well. Even Lyla who has been waking up at night because of congestion.

Hayes still had a fever this morning and he pretty much hung out on the couch all day.  Watching old Looney Tune videos on my Iphone and looking at books.

Kamri changed her clothes approximately 46 times but left her swimsuit on every time. Just in case. You never know when you'll get the chance to go for a swim in December. Kamri loves changing her clothes, especially when she is bored. So she was most definitely bored today.

Lyla is STILL getting over her cold, getting her top two teeth in and had a diaper rash.  Not a happy camper during diaper changes but still her happy self in between. What a trooper.

Me, I'd like to say I was feeling like I might be catching Hayes' sickness but really I was just being lazy. Started reading my newest book from the library (No Biking in the House without a Helmet) and did some laundry and dishes. I always do the laundry and dishes when I'm feeling lazy because you "get something done" but really the machines do all the work.  Then read books to Hayes & Kamri. We read "Ain't gonna Paint No More" and "Shake my Sillies out" about as many times as Kamri changed her clothes.  My kids reactions to the books still keeps me entertained though. The part where the boy "..is such a nut, gonna paint my.....WHAT??!" sends my kids into hysterics.

Bracken...he was at the school editing Sources for a Law Review Article. (and you thought OUR day was boring!!) He did have a debate on fb with some law school buddies that he read to me during dinner...wait...that doesn't help out with the boredom factor unless you are me, Bracken's mom, Andy Rassmussen or on occasion Dixon (people who care about Bracken's political opinion).

Are you asleep yet? Maybe procrastinating until next week would have been a good idea...we're a bit dull around here!


My favorite line today (FLT): Kamri as we were reading a star wars book: "Darth Vader is VERY modest!!"

Helper Hayes

When I'm making dinner or busy with something and Lyla gets fussy.  Hayes asks if I want him to do his trick.

 Works like a charm.

The first few weeks I am probably going to scatter in some catch up posts. So today's  catch up post was about Lyla.

I cleaned out the inside of the car today.  After four car trips in one month it was disgusting. 

Kamri helped and was proud of the finished job.  

Hayes & Kamri both fell asleep at five while I was reading them books.  Really Odd.

They woke up at 7 and ate dinner, then had a hard time falling asleep at 9.

Hayes threw up at 10....

sure hoping it was only once and it doesn't spread to the rest of the fam.....

Lyla's Firsts

Since I haven't been very good at documenting Lyla's "firsts" here are a few firsts in pictures.

First Swing ride Nov 14

Ok so this was like her fifth hike,
but the first time she really got out of
the carrier to roll around. Nov 10 

another hike picture, in carrier

Doing the Longhurst family trick Nov 14

First Fort

First Friend, Miss Scarlet

First solid foods Oct 1. 

First teeth (two bottom, first week of Nov) Top two came in this week!  (Dec  27)

First sticky situation---rolled under the bed & got stuck

Christmas Pajamas from Great Grandma Anne

First Breathing treatment. A first I wish we never had!!  We had never done breathing treatments before this and Kamri and Lyla ended up both having to have them at the beginning of October.

New Years Resolutions....

Last year on facebook I joked, " I was going to make a new years resolution to stop procrastinating, well maybe next year".

It's next year.

I've been thinking of things that I need to improve on and a big one is procrastinating! I wait until last minute to do pretty much everything and it has caused me a lot of stress this year. I have always felt like I am a pretty laid back person but after having Lyla I feel like I have been stressed a whole lot more. Three kids is going to cause me to change my ways...I have to start planning ahead for things. I hate always rushing my kids out the door or being stressed because I have to get something done right then. Especially when I COULD have done it days before. I can't promise I'll be super organized, but I'm going to try and do stuff BEFORE it needs to be done.

A bit too general of a goal to some, but I know it will help me if I just do it.

Another goal I have for this next year is to blog everyday.  My cousin, Emilie,  (well Bracken's cousin's wife but I'll claim her as my own) is finishing up blogging everyday for a year and I  enjoyed reading her updates, especially knowing there would be a post from her everyday while i was on bed rest!  I also turned the first year I blogged into a book and love it. So I want to keep blogging and use it kind of like a scrapbook.

Now applying my first resolution to my second resolution....I'm starting a week early.  So here is my first blog post for the next year and you'll be hearing again from me tomorrow!

Thanksgiving

For thanksgiving my parents joined us in Las Vegas!  We decided to go on a hike before we had our thanksgiving dinner. My parents got here around 10am and we left to Red Rock.  The kids & I had hike the Calico Tanks hike a week earlier with friends but ran out of daylight and weren't able to make it all the way to the tanks.  We made it to the natural tanks, unfortunately my mom's foot caught on a rock, she fell and broke her nose!  I felt terrible and even worse that she had to have the "walk of shame" out and have everyone comment on her scraped up face and if she was okay.  I'm so grateful she wasn't hurt worse though and able to hike out.  I had forgotten my first aid kit in the car so we improvised and she used Lyla's burp cloth/cloth diaper.  It made me realize I need to be better prepared for our hikes. We made it back to the house and she was able to rest on the couch while we made dinner.  I'm grateful they came down and hoped they had fun, even with the mishap! I wasn't great about getting pictures but here are a few.

 Since Hayes, Kamri & I weren't going to eat turkey I let everyone have requests.

Hayes requested a Quesedilla, Kamri Rice with pineapple, Bracken Coconut Creme Pie and I wanted candied Yams.  I still made a turkey for Bracken and my parents.  Bracken helped rub spices all over it and it turned out great (or so I was told).  I didn't get a picture though!
Bracken's grandma makes an amazing coconut creme pie so I was worried I'd botch her recipe.  It turned out good though!  The only thing that didn't taste as good as usual was the candied yams. The one thing I have made before and it wasn't as good cause I was worried about everything else.

We also had a thanksgiving tree. At dinnertime all through November we would each come up with something we were grateful for and write it on a leaf. Then we taped them up to the tree in the playroom/office.  Then we read all of the answers at dinner.  It was great to listen to the kids every night come up with things we were grateful for. It was also good for me to look back on my day and realize just how blessed I am.  Here are Hayes & Kamri's lists from the leafs and I hope to do this again next year.


Hayes

Nothing got broken in our house

We have a baby

Temple

We got to Carve Pumpkins

We get to play computer games

We don't have to eat stuff that people eat in Africa like Pig Brain

Christmas

We have enough money to buy things

We have a calendar so we know what day it is

For Me!

Kamri, Mom, Dad & Lyla

We we have enough money to buy food

Friends coming over to our house

Dishes! Can you imagine having no dishes & having to eat off the floor. That would be gross

people don't slam forks in our face in this house

cups with milk in them to splat in dad's face I have a school to go to

Kamri

for Lyla

We can go to the park

I get to go to nursery

Heavenly Father

My Dress ups

People who share

We are a family

that this house doesn't stink

Hayes

my daddy

we don't have a stinky house

Hayes was Luke Skywalker for Halloween

We can do projects

We have a family

ABC's Lyla Milk & formula (that's what Hayes & Kamri told us she said)

Poor Neglected Blog

I was looking through pictures tonight and realized all the things I've missed blogging that I wish i would have. Maybe I'll go back and blog them. But for now I'm still too lazy to upload them. So hope this will suffice for anyone that still checks.

My favorite lines from today:

Hayes trying to guess what the fun surprise toy they got to play with in the bathtub.

"Frosting?! We get to swim in frosting?!" (sorry bud, it was glowsticks)

And Kamri telling me at a time as random as the subject:

"Zebra claws tickle!"


and Bracken's facebook status on Sunday

"Skye: Today's sunday, so maybe you should watch church videos.
Hayes: High School Musical is kind of a church video.
Skye: How is it kind of a church video?
Hayes: They play basketball and you can play basketball at the church.

You really can't beat that kind of logic in a 5 year old."

Dane's 2nd Birthday

We want to keep the tradition of doing something fun as a family to celebrate Dane's birthday.  Bracken had a full load of classes on that day but we still made it to go see the Lions at MGM.  Really it is kind of lame, the lions are sitting in a cage with their caretakers and they pretty much just sleep since the cage is their break from training.  The kids liked it though so good enough.  Then we went home and had cake and ice cream.  The kids decorated the cake themselves. I didn't get any great pictures, now I wish I had gotten at least one of all of us together.

Lyla had her first visit to her brother's grave in July. Added them here since I never posted them earlier.

This year was harder than last year, I'm not sure why.  You would think having a baby to take care of would  make it easier but around his birthday the "hole" in our family between Kamri & Lyla seemed much more tangible to me. Maybe it's also because I think 2-year-olds are so darn cute. Always getting in trouble but making you laugh at the same time.
I'm writing this post in January and last week I was making cupcakes with Hayes and he asked if the whole family could help. I told him yep and he responded. "Even baby Dane can help! Mom, he is always with us."
really?  "Yep, but we can't see him, I'm not sure why you can't see angels."  I'm grateful that Hayes is so willing to include his brother, even if we can't see him.  Kamri has also made comments at random times about baby Dane and how we can't give him things because he is in Heaven.  It will be interesting to see Lyla's take on everything as she grows and knows she has not one but two older brothers watching over her.

I Don't Want to Work...

Hayes was discussing jobs at lunch the other day. Then realized my lack of outside employment.

Mom, what is your job?

I don't have one, I get to stay home and take care of you three....that's my job.

No but like a police officer, a lawyer, a fireman, stuff like that...what's your job?

I used to work at an office but then I had you. Now I stay home and play with you guys and take care of you.

Kamri obviously wanted to enlighten Hayes and end the conversation. In a tone of voice like Hayes was the silliest boy in the world she said:

Mom has a job, it is cleaning up!!

I need a new job description and looks like Kamri needs some more chores.

and by the looks of our house right now...I should be fired.

Hayes' Birthday Party

Hayes turned 5 in August. A lot of his friends have had birthday party's this year so he was soo excited to have his birthday and wanted a party. My younger sister, Heather, got married on Hayes' birthday so we had to postpone his birthday until later the next week. He thought it was pretty cool that she got married on this birthday though.


Hayes requests for his birthday was a water balloon fight and a pinata. He's pretty easy to please. I tried to think of something he liked that was round so we could just make a simple pinata by Papier-mâchéing a balloon. Angry birds fit the bill. Hayes and Kamri did all the Papier-mâché and painting, I just added the facial characteristics. Now if only I had thought of them trying to hit the pig with the red bird instead of using a bat. That would have been more true to the game.


They played hit the pig with the angry bird...version of pin the tail on the donkey. Played red rover. Ran around the sprinklers, played in the pool and had the requested water balloon fight. He invited his friends from church and preschool class but he wanted to invite their younger siblings that were Kamri's age so they could join in the fun too. I didn't think about the fact that it would add up to be A LOT of kids. So chaotic is putting it nicely. I think they had fun and Hayes loved it, next time I might keep track a little better of the numbers :) Thanks to Melissa, Cyntha and Britney for sticking around and helping Bracken and me out controlling the crowd.

Lyla 4 Months

4 months

12 lbs 5 oz · 24 inches

blue-eyed beauty

Sometimes I wonder what they are thinking

and then they ask the question out loud...

Me: "Hayes, comon Bud! We gotta go!"

Kamri: "Mom, why do you keep calling Hayes a Butt??"

Hopefully, after an explanation of what I was really saying and what Bud means she understands that I do, in fact, love her older brother.

Just chillin....the sisters aren't as enamored with angry birds.

Lyla's blessing

Bracken was able to give Lyla a name and blessing at church on June 5. Lyla Hope Longhurst. (Thankfully No sudden name changes ala Dixon style.) She was a great baby the whole day, even waited until much after the blessing to spit up all down the front of her dress. It was so great to have Bracken's parents and all of my side of the family down to celebrate with us!

Lyla's beautiful dress made by Grandma Neice! (Denise)

Mimi & Grandpa Dane

Grandpa Paul & Grandma Neice

The D & R Leavitt Fam



Just had to add this picture. Love Paul's expression, like there is no way in heck I could do that!

Pinocchio

Sunday night game of Pinocchio, Monochio, Ponopoly....Hayes is still a little confused of what to call the game but he is obsessed with playing it.

and for those of you wondering how Monopoly and Pinocchio could be confused, you need to sing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with young children more often.

2 months

Here's Lyla at 2 months and pictures of Hayes & Kamri at around 2 months. Who do you think she looks more like?

I've always thought she looked more like Hayes but lately people have been saying Kamri...maybe because she is chunking out a little more.

important

Bracken took Hayes & Kamri to the Young Men church activity tonight.

So I had an hour to get stuff done.

Somehow there is always stuff to get done.

So i started on stuff (which is now looking like an extremely odd word to me)

Then Lyla started fussing.

So I held her while I tried to get stuff done.

Then I realized holding her and getting stuff done was frustrating.

Stuff wasn't important.

So I laid down next to her on my bed.

Stared into her sweet baby blues

Her hand in a tight fist around my finger

and she slowly relaxed, knowing I was there to help her fall asleep.

Kamri is 3!

Kamri turned three last week. No huge party but she did have a fun day including ice cream and cupcakes with her friend Audrey. She has been looking forward to her birthday and since Lyla's due date was May 15th I would tell her that her birthday was around the time the baby would be born. A little confusing when the baby is born 6 weeks early! So the morning of her birthday I woke Kamri up saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! and she didn't believe me at first that it was FINALLY here! The whole week before she would practice holding up three fingers and would get so excited when she would count 1, 2, 3 fingers and then show them to me. "Look mom, free!"

A little (turned into a lot) about Kamri:
She hates having her hair done and likes to dress herself. For a few weeks she would choose crazy mixes of clothes or not want to wear pants (like her lovely ensemble in the photo below, she was helping Bracken do yard work) but currently all she wants to wear are dresses. Luckily she has plenty of cute summer ones to keep her content.

She loves, loves, loves to tease her dad. (probably because he loves to tease her). Every morning when Bracken is leaving for school she asks him where he is going, he replies "the moon" then she tilts her head, smiles, laughing "Noooo, you going to school!" Then he asks for a kiss and she refuses to give him one unless he begs sufficiently.

She loves her siblings. She follows Hayes around and tries to do everything he does. They play so well together. She gives Lyla kisses whenever she is within reach, sometimes to the point of smothering....

She loves to sit and write, she concentrates so hard, hold the pencil the correct way, and writes lines and lines of her own little symbols. Sometimes she'll fill whole pages wtih it. Looks like angry terrorist writing or reformed egyptian or something...

Kamri lives in a musical, I used to think that musicals were unrealistic but not for Kamri. She will sing and narrate what she is playing or just sing random melodies in the car. Sometimes it is an actual song she has learned, mostly it is just random things about a book, or the car next to us, or what she wants for lunch, etc. Funny line from one of her "songs" last week was "Jesus loves Jasmine and PIRATES!"

She will sit and 'read' books to herself for long amounts of time. Most of the time she is talking so fast I can't understand the stories she makes up but sometimes I catch a gem. She was looking at Cinderella and the page where the step sisters rip apart Cindrella's dress Kamri narrated 'Don't rip my dress or I'll shoot you! Cinderella said' (Yep she has a brother!)

She also loves to dance, I have soo many videos of her dancing while I was laying on the couch on bedrest. She was my entertainment:



She also loves princesses, lip gloss, nail polish, Strawberry Shortcake, granola bars, Dora, the color pink, rice, playing dress up, Ratatouille (the movie), cereal, Inspector Gadget, going to nursery, having friends over to play, swimming, fajitas, adding 'ie' to the end of any word. Right now the most common is Lylie.

Kamri has a contagious excitement for life. She smiles, laughs and gets so excited for things you can't help but smile and be happy back. I believe it will be a strength that will help those around her throughout her life. I can't come up with the words to describe how grateful I am to be her mother and to enjoy her sparkly eyed smiles every day. She can be stubborn, throw massive tantrums, and demand breakfast at 6am every morning, but the laughter and smiles she brings into our home make it all worth it!

My crazy kids...

sure do love them!

Lyla Picture Overload

I have had no motivation to blog but have had requests for more pictures, so here are a few!
Lyla came home from the NICU on April 19, so she's been home two weeks tomorrow! She still was having a hard time regulating her temperature so we have to keep her wrapped in multiple blankets. You'd think we live somewhere freezing!

Our little Eskimo

The kids were sooo excited to have Lyla home and finally get to hold her! The day Lyla got home though Hayes woke up with a fever of 102! So he had to stay in his room and we just let him look at her but he couldn't hold her. So we had one child too hot and one that we couldn't keep warm enough! He was so good about staying away from her and not touching her even though he was very disappointed. His runny nose turned into a cough and into bronchitis so we took him in to the dr and got him on antibiotics. That cleared things up quick and he was finally able to hold Lyla Sunday morning after his bath! I had major anxiety that she'd get Hayes' cough and end up back in the hospital but he was good about staying away and prayers were answered and she hasn't gotten it.

Can you tell he was excited! They have been such good older siblings!

and some more random photos of Miss Lyla.

She has been a bundle of joy..literally a bundle with all her blankets but we've been easing off wrapping her so much this week and she seems to be doing okay. The girl is going to have a fear of thermometers when she is older and not know why, she gets her temperature taken so often!

She doesn't cry much, When she is hungry she just sucks like crazy at her hands, if I don't catch on that she is hungry she will let out one little Muwah! and if I don't come she'll wait a few minutes and let out another little cry just to remind me she is still there and hungry. Guess got the memo ahead of time that she'd have to have some patience!

She hasn't slept more than 4 hours at night, she is like clockwork and starts sucking noisily on her hands as soon as the three hour mark has hit. She hasn't ever stayed awake at night though so at least it's just a quick feeding and back to bed. Although I don't remember being this exhausted with Kamri or Hayes. I probably was, just have mom amnesia so I have more babies... I'm grateful Bracken stays up for the late night feeding to give her a bottle so I can get a little more sleep!

She gets hundreds of kisses a day from Kamri and Hayes has been trying to teach her how to roll over, she wasn't catching on quick enough for him so he decided to start with just having her lift her head...slowly but surely he's happy to note she is making some progress!

We sure love Lyla, she seems like a very mellow, patient baby...we hope it stays that way!