Three Years Old

Paton's birth was a miracle altogether. I didn't know it at the the time, but three days before my due date my placenta was separating from the uterine wall resulting in Paton's drop in heart rate (placenta abruptio). I thought I was just having contractions and going into labor. Upon being hooked up to many machines, they quickly suspected the problem and sent me into emergency c-section. Even now, everything was such a blur right up to the moment of his birth.

When they took him out of me, he was discolored and not crying. That was the scariest part for me. They proclaimed that he was out yet I couldn't hear him nor did they show him to me. It was as if time froze for a bit. Soon though I did hear his faint little squeak, and my first glimpse of him was on the scale. I was shocked at how little he was--4 lb. 12 oz--and was certain they'd have him hooked up to machines to keep him alive.

But God was gracious in giving us a very healthy little boy who didn't need any assistance to live (aside from the c-section). The doctors told me that my condition was so severe that if we had waited but 15 more minutes to come into the hospital, he would have suffocated in the womb and been still born. The thought of that at the time and even now makes me sick to my stomach.

Paton turned 1 while we lived in Missouri. Since Greg was the youth pastor, we invited the entire youth group plus several others from church. I remember that I had to stick his hands into his cake in order to get him going. He really doesn't like messes...even at 1.

Paton turned 2 right after we moved into our new home in Utah. Since we had just moved in, we didn't have much planned for his party. We had an open house so that the church folks could come over, and I ordered a cake from our local market. Normally I like to make the cake, but since we just moved in and since I was headed to NH in a few days, a pre-made cake was fine with me!

Paton turned 3 just a few days ago. We had all of the toddlers from our church over (plus their parents), and Paton was thrilled to have so many friends around. I thought it was going to be difficult managing that many kids, but it was so easy! I was thankful to have my parents around to help. His birthday theme this year was Mickey Mouse.

I'm very thankful that God has given us three years with this little guy.

Marathon & Paton turns 3

This past weekend was filled was exciting events! First, my parents drove here from CO in order to be with us for Paton's 3rd birthday. As it happened, Greg and I were running the Ogden Marathon/Half Marathon that same weekend. It really helped having them here for such a busy few days.

Dad got a new, very nice camera, and he practiced on his grandchildren all weekend! Charlotte has been much more vocal lately, and he enjoyed shooting her many expressions.

Greg took Dad up to Powder Mountain Ski Area. During the winter, Powder has some of the best powder around! Regardless of the season, it has some of the best views.

Greg found a beaver dam and brought me home one of the gnawed off sticks.

Friends of mine are on an Alaskan cruise, so we're watching their golden-doodle while they're away. I couldn't possibly ask for a better dog for the children. Sasha and Paton are great friends, and she adores Charlotte and guards her when we're at the park.

On Saturday, I ran a half marathon while, at the same time, Greg ran a marathon. What a great experience it was! This was Greg's second marathon and my first half. Even today I'm still feeling the pain of that run!

We all love to dress Charlotte up for church!

Paton's birthday is officially today, but we celebrated it on Sunday. It was a Mickey Mouse theme since he absolutely loves Mickey!

Since there were 11 toddlers at my house, we decided to make our porch the eating area.

One of the games was for the children to find a mouse with their name on it. Parents helped those who couldn't read.

Bubbles are always a hit!

Paton got a bike from my parents! We're still practicing the whole pedaling part.

A wonderful weekend....and now I need to recover from it all!

So far in May....

We're half way through May and have been quite busy already! Paton's friend Jonathan had his 2nd birthday. I got a lot of good ideas from this party to use for Paton's party.

Paton loved talking to and sitting next to Jonathan's grammy.

Uncle Dom held Charlotte

Tape the trunk on the elephant

For a prize after one of the games the kids got animal balloons

The pinata did not involve a bat (for obvious reasons). So each kiddo would pull on a streamer. One of the streamers was attached to a removable bottom.

We fed the horses down the street one day

Our church's ladies' tea "In the Bag"

Mommy and Charlotte's first ladies' event

Charlotte's first time in the Bumbo!

The Foot Book, by Dr. Seuss

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Read by Daddy and Paton

Left foot, left foot, right foot, right
Feet in the morning, feet at night
Left foot, left foot, left foot, right
Wet foot, dry foot
Low foot, high foot
Front feet, back feet
Red feet, black feet
Left foot, right foot, feet, feet, feet
How many, many feet you meet
Slow feet, quick feet
Trick feet, (aw) sick feet
Up feet, down feet
Here come clown feet
Small feet, big feet
(snort, snort) Here come pig feet
His feet, her feet
Fuzzy fur feet
In the house, and on the street,
How many, many feet you meet
Up in the air feet
Over a chair feet
More and more feet, twenty-four feet
Here come more and more..............and more feet!
Left foot. Right foot. Feet. Feet. Feet.
Oh, how many feet you meet!

Baker Stay-cation 2012

Greg and I thought it would be nice to get away for a few days during the week of Easter. Unfortunately, Greg got really sick during the time we wanted to get away, and had we gone, it would have made for a really bummer vacation.

Greg eventually healed the next week, but that particular week was not a good one to get away. Not abandoning the idea of vacation altogether, we decided to have a vacation at home, our own "stay-cation."

So this passed Tuesday, a friend from church offered to take us snowmobiling in the mountains. While the guys got the machines in order on the trailer, I took a picture of the dogs...our own resident wolves (two malamutes and one husky).

Because of the warm spring weather, we unloaded the machines at the highest point and then rode the snowmobiles on the partially snow-covered roads. And let me add, maneuvering a snowmobile on the pavement is not easy!!

Once we made it to snow, the machine was much easier to handle. Around lunch, Kearny took us to a great lunch spot where it was warm enough to shed our parkas and snowpants. After lunch, we went to a large, open field where we found out just what our machines could do. In fact, when Greg and I raced, I got my machine up to 70 mph! And the best part is that I beat my husband! I suppose I should add that my machine was a bit more powerful than his!

The weather was so perfect after returning from our snowy adventure, we decided to tackle a few yard projects. One major motivation to do this was that the weather forecast for Thursday and Friday was thunderstorms and snow. Therefore, Tuesday afternoon consisted of disposing of the monster pile of dead tree from our front yard into the trailer and then to the dump pile, collecting large pine cones off the front yard and storing for winter wood stove burning, rake up the dead grass where the sandbags were, and move several wheelbarrow-full loads of dirt to the front of the basement windows. Paton was outside with us during those several hours and was a trooper...even after a few knee-scraping falls and being covered with ants at one point. Thankfully, I didn't have to make dinner since Greg got us pizza that night!

Wednesday was my husband's and my date day. We had about three hours where the kids were with the babysitters and we could go into town on a date. First we went to Starbucks and enjoyed some free coffee-thanks to two coupons. Then we went to Applebees for lunch-thanks to a gift card from a church member! Once we returned home, that afternoon was spend with more dirt moving, raking dead grass from the front yard, and boulder-removal from the back yard, and then our church's Awana ministry that evening.

Thursday was our "chilling-at-home" day. We moved the crib that Paton had been sleeping in to Charlotte's room and then assembled Paton's big boy toddler bed. Below is the before and after in Paton's room. The transition wasn't as hard as I thought it might be. He had a few tears when he couldn't find his bed, but then was super excited about his new special bed.

The forecast was correct, as you can see below. This was my view this morning...3 inches of snow! Plus it rained all day yesterday without even one break! So I'm really thankful we tackled the yard projects earlier in the week.

Though not quite the way we had planned, our stay-cation was the relaxing family time we had been needing. And now back to reality!

"Daddy, I stuck!"

While I was out running, Greg discovered Paton stuck after a climbing expedition!