Harmon's Haven

Meet amazing dad Robbie, mother-in-training Jesika, 7 year old best big sister Bree, 5 year old boy in every way Gabe, 3 year old who thinks he's 10 years old who makes us all laugh McKay,
and 9 month old sweetest Quinn Marie...the Harmon Family!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

SUMMER FUN!

Wow...first I can't believe it's September (that's when I started this post...ha, it's the end of October now!), second I can't believe how fast time has gone! Life with three munchkins is fun but crazy! But we had such a fun summer that it would be a shame not to document it! Here it is in quick time:

McKay's BABY BLESSING
    So neat having both of our parents. Though our missionary efforts were unsuccessful, it was a wonderful day and McKay was an angel. (My dad's favorite thing is to take naps with babies that will sleep in his arms :)
Bree's DANCE CONCERT    She's a natural. Loves it. Dances all over the house all the time! Well, I should say we both do :) Now I'm just on the search for a dance studio I really like down here!

MOVING INTO A NEW HOUSE
    Found a house! Loving it :) Still very much in the process of decorating and it will be a while before it's all furnished, but there is so much room for the kids to run around and play! Funny how kind of like potty training, no one ever tells you how much work owning a house is! Saturdays are filled with mostly all work (picture is of our backyard...have a great shed, a fun fire pit and a pool on the other side :) and more trips to Home Depot then we want...but it feels so good too! We have a guest room and would love to have visitors!

TRIP TO MOBILE, AL
    McKay and I went to my favorite place to see some of my favorite people! I went there first in 2000 when I participated in and won America's Junior Miss...now it's called Distinguished Young Women to help move it away from the "pageant" label it gets sometimes from people who don't know what it is. Now I am the State Chairman for the state of Arizona and have the best committee in the world. I had such a wonderful time there this year and loved getting to bring one of my babies for my Mobile family to see! 

FAMILY REUNION AT LAKE POWELL!
    What can I say but I LOVE MY FAMILY!! Oh this trip was a blast. Awesome food, great converstations, Mas Que Nada dance party, neat devotionals, have to be the first on the lake mornings...and all with my favorite people in the entire universe! (You can see some pictures on my sister's blog :) Thanks Liz!)

4th of JULY IN PROVO AND A 10K
    Oh I love Provo in the summer! We had so much fun with Robbie's family...the ranch is our all time favorite. Gabe talks about the horses probably every day still and is such a little cowboy. Bree informed us while we were there that her name is "Rosie" when she is a cowgirl. We went to Stadium of Fire and surprisingly loved Brad Paisley (like his music, but didn't expect much in concert...but he was great!). Even ran in to my brother who was sitting a few rows down! My brother-in-law Tanner and sister-in-law Kassi had signed up for the Freedom run 10K with her family and ended up having an extra number cause someone didn't want to do it anymore...so I decided to. Now this was July, my baby was three months old and I had barely started back running...and even then still with a double stroller every time. Now the cool part (sarcasm) is that Kassi is an all-american runner. Ran at BYU, set national records, was sponsored by Nike. Yes, she is amazing. My sweetest brother-in-law Tanner wanted to run with me, cause he thinks it's more fun to run with someone, even though that meant he was going WAY slower than he could have. It was so fun talking to him during the race, but surely I ran faster than I would have since I didn't want him to have to go too slow. I was feeling good, but they only had ONE water stop the whole race and I really started feeling dehydrated by the end! And then when we were a mile away Kassi ran back, already having finished the race...umm having WON the race...came to finish again with us! I finished the race and it was like I was in a cloud. My head hurt so badly I could hardly see straight. My pride was really hurt and I tried not to be embarrassed (not sure why I thought I would even be close to finishing with her?)  Oh I felt so lame...inside and out. Why do I have to be so dang competitive! But after going home and sleeping it off I was ok :)  And I just adore Kassi :) I'm such a dork. Thank you Harmons for such a wonderful trip!!

TWO WEEKS IN ST. GEORGE WITH MY SISTER SARAH!
    My parents had to be out of town for two weeks, so the children and I went up to St. George to "take care" of Sarah! She's 16 and it's not like she needed a babysitter, AND as a busy Junior in high school she was hardly around. I did feel useful though, it was soccer season and so I got to make her food, do her laundry, feed the cat and dog, and cheer her on! It was SO fun watching her play! She is an awesome soccer player! AND I got to spend a little time with a few friends who I never get to see (love you girls!)! I thought I knew how hard it would be being a single mother just having Robbie travel once or twice a month, but I gained a WHOLE new appreciation :) We sure missed daddy! (And he missed us :) He had the sweetest date planned when I got back!! Oh I have the best husband.) But it was so nice having a little change of scenery and getting to spend time with Sarah. I love you sis! 

Ahhhhh summer fun. But now I am excited for it to cool down so I can get out my sweaters and start making pumpkin everything! Can I just tell you how much I LOVE pumpkin :)

Sunday, October 9, 2011

~A Birth Story~

So here it is...six months later, but at least I'm doing it! This birth story is SO worth writing about. A beautiful experience for such a beautiful baby (can't believ he's six months already!!) If I would have shared my experience the morning of March 29th, it probably would have had a slightly different tone than it will here. That is because time has an interesting way of teaching, softening, and helping one realize certain things. That must be why as imperfect people here on earth we have "time"...cause without time we wouldn't be able to learn!

So Monday March 29th, contractions started early afternoon. They got more consistent and harder as the evening went on, but were still just light. We actually had Family Home Evening with Robbie's aunts and uncle and cousins and that was nice cause it distracted me a bit. I had decided part way through this pregnancy that I wanted to do it natural. I had an epidural with both Bree and Gabe, and had great experiences, But there was something in me that just wanted to try. Wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. Around 9 PM I started timing the contractions. They were still 7-10 minutes a part, only 30 seconds long, and not too hard. I tried to go to bed, but just as I would doze off a contraction would start. So after about an hour after that I went out to the front room and turned on a movie (Meet the Parents...needed something funny), just needing something to keep my mind occupied. I was wishing it was the day time and I could be playing with the kids cause I could imagine Bree saying, "You can do it mom! You'll be ok!" But, Meet the Parents would have to do :) As they got harder and closer together I found myself on my hands and knees, just breathing through them. I wanted to get Robbie, but I knew if we ended up in the hospital that night it would be better if he had some sleep. And  I could handle them. I was feeling SO grateful and really happy that my water hadn't broken and I could stay home and labor as long as I thought. About 1 AM I called my doctor because the contractions had gotten harder, were 3-5 minutes a part, and were about 1 minute long. (The cue to go to the hospital is if that stays consistent for an hour = the contractions 3-5 minutes a part, 1 minute long, and getting harder) Though it had only been 30 minutes, since I had tested + for Strep B (they test your urine a few weeks before you're due...everyone actually has it and it's not harmful, just at different times does it travel through your urine for a few months, and then it goes away...if you have it when you are delivering there is a possibility it can cause infection in the baby) they like to run an IV with antibiotics for the baby before you deliver. So I thought I maybe should go in a little earlier so they could start those for my baby. He said yes come in, and we arrived around 1:45 AM. On the way in the car the contractions were getting harder. (My legs get REALLY shaky when I'm in hard labor, and I figured out this time around that it must be when I am dilating.) I tried to prep myself the whole way to the hospital to not be discouraged if I was only dilated to like a 4 or something when I arrived...not trying to get my hopes up. But when they checked me I was almost an 8!! I was SO HAPPY!
The next hour was so intense. But the miracle was this sweet nurse named Leslie. I could NOT have done it without her! And without tips from my sweet friend Nicole who delivered her last baby naturally whom I had talked to a couple weeks prior. She said that she told her husband not to let her have an epidural...and if she asked for it to remind her that they didn't want one...so I told that to Robbie and he was so good..."Jesika you know you don't really want one. We talked about this, you can do hard things (thank you Janae! That was from you! I love that!). Just make it through this contraction..." He was so good :) And Nicole told me that with every contraction think about that it's just moving my baby down, bringing him out. That visual helped a ton. And then Leslie would just say the perfect things..."Your body was made to do this. Just breath through it, faster now, just make it through this one..." in this perfectly calm, serene, inspiring voice. There were several times when I would just cry out, "I can't do this!!" and Robbie and Leslie would just keep encouraging me. Leslie was an angel. Literally. I was SO exhausted. My mouth was SO dry and Robbie would give me ice. I think I had my eyes closed for that whole time of hard labor. And my sweet husband was so great (compared to our first delivery when he was "saying all the wrong things" bless his heart :)  every time a contraction would come I was up on the bed on all fours and I would just breath and he would put the palms of his hands on my lower back (which was where the most pain was) and rub back and forth. It was really helpful and he was so patient with me...cause it had to be just right. I could hardly talk but I found myself yelling at him, "No UP! DOWN! HARDER! HONEY C'MON!" while he's cheering me on. So amazing they still love us after what we put them through sometimes! Then during the 2 minutes or so of rest in between I would just have my head in my hands and catch my breath, shaking like crazy. BUT, I was learning how to handle the pain. So it honestly seemed like as the contractions went on, instead of freaking out at the climax of the contraction and screaming, "I can't do this!" like I did for the first little while, they actually got easier because of my ability and knowledge of how to handle them. Leslie said when a contraction comes and I feel like I need to poop then she would check me...so after one where I felt like I needed to push she checked me and said, "The baby's head is right there, I'll go get the doctor!" Now with Bree and Gabe once they told me I could push since I had been restful on the epidural I got this huge adrenaline rush and felt like, "Ya baby! Let's get this baby out!" And I was so excited! But with this one, I was just so exhausted. I didn't know if I could do it! When Leslie said, "Ok when you feel the next contraction push..." I just yelled, "I can't! I just want to die!" (I'm laughing and crying as I am writing this!) I pushed the first push and could hardly breath afterwards. I did NOT know how I was going to push again. In my head it was like, I can't do this. I don't have anything left. BUT, there is no going back?! I can't just stop right here...like I have to go through with it. The only thing I could do was say a prayer for strength and then gave it my all. Nicole couldn't have described "the ring of fire" any better :) And as my friend Natalie (who just had her fourth baby naturally, and at home) said, "When that baby is coming out you roar your woman roar!" I'm pretty sure I roared. Two more pushes and he was out.
It was crazy. I was so completely wasted afterwards that when they put McKay on my chest I was bawling and just said, "I love you baby but I just need to catch my breath..." and was just shaking like crazy and was so happy it was over. (If this doesn't make you want to have a baby naturally then I don't know what will :) But I talked to my brother Mike a few hours afterwards, and it's neat thinking about it all now and the parallels with the gospel and the Atonement. What an amazing thing to experience. Doing something for someone else, who is totally incapable of doing it on his own. Made me love my Savior even more. I am SO glad and grateful I did it. I feel empowered, and humbled. If it wouldn't have been for Leslie though I honestly don't think I would have. She was my angel in the garden. And what a blessing to experience that. Michael asked if I felt closer to McKay because of doing it naturally. And do you know what? I don't. The spiritual experiences were there with the other two but just in different ways...like with Gabe I went in, light labor but my water had broken, got the epidural, a few hours later they said, "His head is here you're ready to push!" Got that adrenaline and pushed him out...everything was so calm and beautiful. They put him on my chest and Robbie and I just smiled and the spirit was so strong. He was here. He was healthy. What a miracle. The room was so peaceful. And with Bree it was amazing being it was our first. Having that little life, fresh from heaven, placed in your arms for the first time is unforgettable. But honestly I just feel more mature this time around. More like a natural mother with McKay. Nothing awkward, nothing new and weird. I knew my breasts were going to hurt like a mother in the next few days so it wasn't as bad, I new I was probably going to be emotional and tired, and that things would probably be crazy...and they were, but it was wonderful. Seemed SO much easier than the other two transitions. So I guess I can say my love for McKay is greater only because of my love for Bree and Gabe and my experience being their mother. So it's all actually quite equal. Maybe the father of the prodigal son loved and welcomed back his wayward son with such happiness and gratitude because of his love for his righteous older son? Because he knew the blessing of having a righteous son.
Whatever the case may be, it was a beautiful birth. Right after the experience all I could think about was how my next births I will get an epidural :) But now (don't hold me to it) but I'm pretty sure I'll do the rest naturally. I think I will get better at it too, cause after all, this is what God created us for, right? Ha, we'll see when the next one comes! Hopefully I can request Leslie as my nurse!

Friday, May 27, 2011

So Proud!

My beautiful, wonderful sister Lizzy graduated Cum Laude from Fordham Law School in NYC last weekend! I honestly get emotional thinking about it...she has worked SO hard over these past three years and I am so proud of her!  She said, "I really am grateful that I've been able to have this experience in Law School. I wanted to be a mom long before I ever wanted to have this degree, but it is amazing how God works and gives us what we need to make us grow. So I guess I would say that knowing that this is God's plan for me, I wouldn't want it any other way, and I know that everything is happening in his timing. I am grateful and really wouldn't change it." I know she has changed the lives of those around her and been an amazing light and example of good. I think everyone has experiences in life where you realize that you can't choose exactly how things are going to go. (I forget this too often!) And once you let go and trust in God you learn that God's plans are always better in the long run. I love you my dear sister...and as Bree says, "GRADULATIONS!" (Combination of graduation and congratulations :) 

Sunday, May 22, 2011

McKay update

Our sweet little McKay isn't so little anymore! He is almost two months old and has grown out of all his 0-3 month clothes! At birth he was 7.1 lbs, at one month he weighed 10.1 lbs, and I'm going to get him weighed this week and am so curious how much he is since he has outgrown the size 1 diapers (which say 8-15 lbs...but there's no way he's 15lbs!). He has mastered the art of pooping out of his diapers, up onto his back...he's so good that he can do it numerous times a day, especially when I'm out running errands! He has been smiling so much this past week and we all get so excited :) His neck is getting strong, he is sleeping well, and is just a little angel! Bree and Gabe are still so great with him. Bree is getting really good at burping him and feels so big when she gets to carry him :) It has been a blessing to have her help! I can only imagine once she gets older what a great help she'll be!
Things are a little crazy around here though because we just bought a house (ha ha, nice timing with a newborn!)! We've been looking for a while, and  though this one isn't in the location we eventually want (ideal location would be in Scottsdale really close to Robbie's work. But we'll have to save for a long while to afford that!), it is in a nice neighborhood in Mesa, closer to his office than our current house, and has a den where Robbie could work from home a day or two a week. It was a forclosed home that needed quite a bit of work on the inside...new paint, new carpet, new bath tub, cabinets, etc... and we're trying do all we can ourselves. We were supposed to close sooner, but just closed on Thursday, and we have to be out of this rental house by June 1st!! So we spent all weekend tearing out tile (well, Robbie and his awesome cousin Parker did :) buying supplies and fixtures, sweeping, planning, meeting workers...and we are just praying that everything will be finished by this weekend so we can move in! Needless to say, this week will be filled with packing and tons of work! But we are SO excited to have our own place! There will still be a lot of work once we get in, and it will be a long time before it will be furnished and decorated (we'll have to save for a while :) but the big stuff will be done and it will be such a wonderful place for our family to live and grow. I can already picture the kids and Robbie wrestling on the carpet!

Cute things from this week: We were driving in the car and Bree said, "Mom, when I'm a mom I'm going to teach my kids what you teach me." Me, "What do I teach you?" Bree, " Mmm (with a shrug), just good stuff." Made me smile so big :)
Bree and Gabe have been loving to watch  the movie "Singin' in the Rain" (it's an old musical classic I grew up on) and I'll catch Gabe in our room in front of the mirror singing one of the songs, "Make em' laugh"...and he'll put on Bree's tap shoes and try to tap like the guys on the movie...it is so funny!

Here's to a wonderful week!  


Sunday, April 10, 2011

McKay is here!

Our sweet McKay Joseph Harmon arrived at 3:41 AM, Tuesday March 29th. He weighed 7.1 lbs and was 19 3/4 inches long, and has a good bit of dark hair! The labor and delivery went so well...I was so wanting to do it naturally and feel so blessed that it all worked out!! (More on that later :) But he honestly could not be any more perfect so far...eats well, sleeps well, and hardly makes a peep. The worst he's done is pottied out of his clothes three times in one day. Really I think he hasn't woken up to the world yet (he was two weeks early) so we'll see how these next few weeks go! But honestly, the best part has been watching Robbie, Bree and Gabe...they ADORE McKay! Bree and Gabe get so excited every time "he wakes up" to eat and both are constantly asking if they can hold him. Bree is feeling quite confident (a little too confident maybe?!) in burping him and carrying him around...though I try and have her only do that when Gabe isn't watching! But she is such a wonderful helper. And Gabe can't get enough. He's the one that has surprised me with how much he loves his brother! He wants to hold him for so long and is always saying, "watch this Ma-tay!" as he jumps off the couch or something. There has been so much love in our home these past two weeks...I know the sleep deprevation will hit soon, but I have been feeling SO good and am so grateful for this precious little life that is blessing our family. I feel like I am so much more relaxed with this one and am enjoying him SO much! And watching Robbie with him...wow. He is amazing. By the time we eat dinner, get Bree and Gabe to bed, do the dishes, and finish some laundry it is late and we are both exhausted...but then he'll take McKay and give him a bath and sing to him and get him ready for bed. The other night as he was about to bathe McKay I said, "Honey you go relax, you haven't stopped since you got home." He said, "No way! I love this. The evenings are the best part of my day." I don't know what I did to deserve such a man. He is amazing. So far #3 has been the easiest transition...but we're only 14 days into it :) so I'll check back in a few!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Ahh ya baby!

Every time I complain about how lame it is to feel like I am not doing anything productive being on bed rest, Robbie (and my mother  :) tries to convince me that I am really doing the most productive thing any woman could be doing...incubating and growing a baby. Though I know it's true it hasn't made me feel any better...until I saw this picture.  Ahh ya baby. Now I feel better :)
AND, at my doctor's appointment this morning he said that next week I can go off of bed rest since I'll be 37 weeks (which is full term)!! So only 10 more days! When I told Bree she clapped and squeeled with excitement! It's amazing how much more doable it is when there is an end in sight! And sorry that Top 10 Worst things list was so negative...I still feel bad for even posting it! But thanks for all of the helpful and happy comments!

Monday, March 7, 2011

~Musings of a mommy on bed rest~

Yes, it is true. It's day #33 of being on bed rest and let's just say it's been a roller coaster. It's amazing how many girls after learning that I am on bed rest have told me about when they were on bed rest, and for many of them far longer than I. It's been nice feeling like I'm not alone in this, and if they did it for FOUR months, I can do it for two, right? Bree and Gabe have been little troopers. Bree is surely the sweetest little girl on the planet: Getting a washcloth to wipe hers and Gabe's mouths, helping Gabe get his shoes, getting a diaper and wipies for me to change Gabe, getting them a snack, being so sweet to her brother...and almost always helping with "Oh sure mom!" and a happy attitude. Gabe has had a harder time dealing with mommy on the couch, but in his own sweet way has been such a good boy. He will be getting ready to go to a friend's house or something and will ask, "Mommy come too?" And I'll say, "I can't, remember..." and he'll say, "Doctor say no." And then cheerfully say, "Bye mommy!" as he runs out the door. And of course the #1 husband I have has been amazing...couldn't be more perfect. Honestly. I am so grateful for him, and honestly this would be so much harder if he didn't already help out so much anyway!

So for anyone who is curious about life on bed rest, I compiled a Top 10 Best and Worst List. (Let's be honest, I wouldn't be showing a truthful picture if I just highlighted the Top 10 good things!) So here is goes:


Top Ten WORST Things About Being On Bed Rest:

10. Finishing your "To Do" list (of all the things from like the past year I haven't been able to to finish!) and then wondering what else I can do that is productive...Robbie jokingly suggested starting an online business to make us some money (ummm, only half jokingly...he told me about a friend of his whose wife did that when she was on bed rest "and made them a ton of money"...I started trying to think of some ideas but it didn't take me long to think about what time I could spend on it after the baby comes?! Ha, I was feeling pretty productive until he suggested that!)
9. Having to look at stuff left out all over the house, not being able to pick it up or cook for my family or clean, but trying to remind myself that if I over do it and end up in labor my baby will be in the NICU and I will be sorry!
8. Watching moms, friends, and my husband do EVERYTHING!
7. Having an emotional breakdown after 1 month and realizing that I still have 1 month to go...and it seems like eternity!
6. Taking anti-contraction medication that makes you feel like you had "coffee on steroids" (that's seriously how the doctor described it!) and being all shaky with a head-ache!
5. Yearning...dying to go for at least a walk outside!
4. Wanting to do something to thank all of the people who are helping me but not being able to come up with anything other than measly thank you cards!
3. Feeling like every muscle in my body is turning to mush, trying not to think about all of the extra weight gain sitting on my rear all day, and thinking about how hard it is going to be getting back in shape!
2. Hearing your child say when grandma is trying to help, "No! Mommy help me!" and not being able to (and then hearing her carry him away to the bath screaming!).
1. Bascially the feeling that your emotional well being is slowly declining and you don't have any control over it!
Phew! Oh that was pretty negative. Sorry. But now, the
Top Ten BEST Things About Being On Bed Rest:

10. Having some time to do all of those things I have wanted to do for the past year! (Like Gabe's 1st Year baby book, plan and organize food storage, file and organize all the bill records and stuff in the filing cabinet (don't worry Robbie got it down for me), get everything planned and ready for baby to come, write some letters I have been feeling prompted to write, planning family holiday traditions, read some books, catch up on my blog, etc...)
9. Getting to take naps.
8. Doing a meaningful scripture study every day.
7. Getting totally caught up on the news! I love feeling like I am informed (even though I know after baby #3 comes it may be a really long time before I have time to read the news again!).
6. Catching up on family and friends' blogs (that I haven't looked at for so long!)
5. Seeing SO many people who are willing to help: take my children, bring meals, calling, sending texts, and checking up on me...it's been unbelievable.
4. Being able to actually answer my phone when friends and family call.
3. Learning to let things go (like what Bree is wearing when she goes out the door...this morning it was a black skirt, dark pink shirt, different shade of pink with cream polka-dots button-up sweater, white tights with a huge hole on the shin and a dirt mark on the other leg, silver shoes, and a wooden beaded necklace from the West Indies...at least we got her hair done.)
2. Having my kids return from playing somewhere or being out with grandma or something and come running through the door towards me on the couch, "Mommy we're home!" and giving me the biggest hugs like they haven't seen me for days :)
1. Gaining a new appreciation for how much I love to be a mom who gets to dedicate all of her time to her family and home. How much I love to help my children, cook for my family, exercise, have a clean house, and be normal! (Honestly I think after this baby comes out I will just cry when I can pick up Gabe and hold him...or when I first get to go running...)

Yes, it has been a roller-coaster. But I must remember:
D&C 58: 3-4

"Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
For after much tribulation come the blessings..."

And my favorite by Elder Wirthlin:

"If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be the times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead to times of greatest happiness."

So for the next month (or less?) I'm going to try and focus on the Top 10 Best Things about this bed rest challenge :)

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

~My January Babies~


My sweet BREE ELIZABETH
Sunshine to all she meets.
January 23rd, 4 years old now...
My little girl is not so little any more!
She is a kind friend, and a loving big sister.
She loves dolls, barbies, dance class, and dress up.
She loves to run fast, can ride her bike without training wheels, jump off of tall things, and wrestle with her brother.
She loves to paint, do play-dough, and sketches everyone and anything.
She knows and can write all her letters, and is starting to sound out words.
She sings like an angel, dances all around the house, and loves to help mom cook.
Her favorite movie is Cinderella.
Her fruit of choice is watermelon...but when it's not in season she loves strawberries and oranges.
Her vegetable of choice is cucumber...and loves when they are cut long and calls them, cucumber popsicles.
If she could pick any snack (besides candy) she would choose frozen go-gurts.
She enjoys testing her limits, and has quite a strong, independent personality.
Bree is the biggest helper around the house! Always willing to run and get me anything I need.
She loves Primary and loves helping daddy read the Book of Mormon each morning.
She says the sweetest prayers, and I think has more faith than anyone in our family.
I am so blessed to have such a sweet daughter! Happy Birthday Bree!



My little angel boy GABRIEL ROBERT
January 26th, I can't believe he is already 2.
He is rough and tough and can hold his own wrestling his sister.
He love balls and horses and trucks.
But he'll play dolls with his sister too :)
He is getting so good at riding his little green bike, and runs everywhere he goes!
He loves to eat...loves to eat...
He is saying more words every day, but my favorite is when he is hiding and pops out of his hiding spot and says, "Here me are!"
He knows most all of his colors, and his shapes...and pretty much every animal! 
He loves Nursery and is the first to run and kneel down for family prayer when we call.
His fruit of choice is bananas or blueberries (he would eat them all day if I would let him!).
His vegetable of choice is avacado or edamame. And he can down a V8 in ten seconds flat.
If he could pick any snack (besides fruit snacks...and popsicles) he would choose go-gurts.
His favorite Christmas present (besides his bike) was the car vitamins in his stocking...he carried them around everywhere for a month! Even wanted to sleep with them!
His favorite movie is Toy Story.
He just moved to a "big boy bed" and loves it, so long as his four horses are along side of him when he sleeps.
He tries to do everything his sisters does, and says, "No me do" if you try and help him with anything else.
Happy Birthday my sweet boy!
Oh what a joy! I am so blessed to have such wonderful children. It really is so fun having Bree and Gabe's birthday's so close. They both get so excited for each other and it makes both celebrations even more fun! AND, then we get to have parties for what seems like all week! I love my children and feel more blessed every day to be a mom...and not just a mom, but their mom. I just want to take advantage of this time because I know it will pass so quickly. And to think we'll have another sweet child join our family in just another month or so!
I love this life of mine.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

2010 Wrap Up

Yes, I've been out of the blogging world for a few months, but all for good reasons :) Life is so good!! But has been so busy! Here are some of the highlights from the end of our 2010:
Uncle Kurt's Return from the Helsinki Finland Mission! We were so happy we got to be there to watch him step off the airplane :) He looked so great and though he has an added sense of maturity and growth, he still has his wonderful sense of humor! My sister Lizzy and her husband Dave who live in CT couldn't be there, so we had them on Skype :) Bree had been so excited all day, and had been telling Gabe how much he was going to love Uncle Kurt. Even though she was barely 2 yrs. old when he left, she acted like she remembered him perfectly. She was so diligent about praying for him daily and could not stop talking about him all day. His plane didn't come in until 11 PM, and as soon as she saw him she got a little nervous, and went and hid under the benches! But it didn't take long before she and Kurt were best friends again! Gabe warmed up in no time as well...and as Bree said in her prayers just this week, "We are so grateful Kurt is home!"
NOVEMBER FUN! Our little Bree bird has had a busy Fall! She is LOVING pre-school (and all the fun things they get to make), hiking with daddy is a new favorite, she joined a soccer team and for the most part had a great time (though she is by far the fastest on her team, hopefully the connection between "running fast" and "kicking the ball" will come! I didn't think I would get so into it while watching her! Had to remind myself constantly, "...she's only three years old...she's only three..."), and of course, Bree loves dance :) She is a natural and did such a great job in the Christmas concert! Gabe of course is her biggest fan through it all! He LOVED the soccer games and never stopped cheering, "Ra ra ra ra ra, gooooo Bree!" And you would have thought Bree was the star of her dance class with how excited Gabe was watching! All smiles the whole time :) Such a proud brother!
~THANKSGIVING in UTAH~ Snow snow snow! Oh Bree and Gabe loved the snow...not to mention Robbie was in heaven as well. He loves to plow the driveway! (And yes, Gabe is in a pink snow suit...but we can't be too picky when we don't have any snow stuff!) The kids loved the carriage ride, the Christmas lights, and Thanksgiving at the ranch was awesome! (Unfortunately we didn't get many pictures there.) AND we got to spend a little time at Opa Rollie and Oma Phyllis's! I love my sweet grandparents and love that any time we are there our time is filled with music of some sort. Bree and Gabe love them! But of course the best part of being in Utah is cousins! Gabe couldn't get enough of baby Summer (sometimes we'd have to break him away from holding on to her!), and Bree and Grace were by each other's sides most of the time, laughing and running non-stop. So fun! Thank you Grammy and Grandpa for such fun!
~CHRISTMAS~ Then in no time at all we were back in Utah for a Christmas we have been waiting for...the first time the Henderson family has been together in EIGHT years!! Each of our missions have overlapped...I went to Hungary starting in 2003, Michael left for the West Indies in 2004, Lizzy left for Croatia in 2005, and then Taylor left for Russia in 2006 (then Lizzy came home and at least there was only one missionary out at a time, not two!), and then Kurt barely missed Taylor as he left for Finland the end of 2008. So this Christmas was a gift for our sweet mother...all of her children home at last! It was such a blessing to have that missionary spirit in our home though, and we all made such amazing memories, learned so much, and are each SO grateful we had the opportunity to serve! But oh Christmas was such a blast! My mom had the most delicious meals planned (and each of the girls got to plan a breakfast...nice work ladies! They were all delish!) We did a fun service project, played outside, the boys played golf (it wouldn't be a trip to St. George without a round of golf!), and we even had a mad game of Around the World ping pong (I even won a round!). The only damper perhaps was our fault...Bree and Gabe had the flu the weekend before we got there, and the Robbie came down with it the day before...we offered not to come, but Grandma Carrie said no way! Alas, after an amazing German meal on Christmas Eve, Kurt, Taylor, Michael, Rachel and Lizzy all woke up in the night with some variation of the flu...needless to say opening presents wasn't quite the same with half the family passed out on the ground! Oh I felt SO bad! Fortunately by the end of the day everyone was feeling much better, and we still had a fun filled three days afterwards :) A Christmas to Remember, that's for sure! Thank you mom and dad for such an amazing time! I LOVE YOU FAMILY!
All in all our 2010 ended with a bang. What a wonderful year!