Cute

Third Christmas party

The Green Christmas Party is held out at the farm house, it is not very big, but it makes it all the more cosy. There were a few people who did not make it because of the sickies that had been going around.

Azrielle borrowed a flower that came off of Kati's little girl, Brielle's head, for the night.

 This is Papa Green, it warmed my heart to see Avery go and give him a big hug, twice, even though Avery had only met him, I don't count last year, and did not know him very well. We have such a happy friendly boy.

 Avery with his monkey blanket. He liked it much more once he knew it had a hoody and paws.

 Not only did Avery get a kids white elephant gift. This cowboy hat was opened by one of the adults and Avery had it on his head in less than two minutes. Jessica and I traded "gifts" so that I could bring this hat home for Avery. It is actually a chip bowl, and has been going around the gift exchange for a few years. It looks like it has finally found a home, at least until he grows out of it.

 I tried to put Azrielle down on time. She did fall asleep, but with the house being so "quiet" she did not sleep very long at all. The pink by Jeremy's right arm is his gift from the exchange, it was a pig watering can with candy inside. Jeremy emptied the candy and we turned it into yet another gift for Avery. It is now his piggy bank, Avery totally scored on the gift exchange this year.

Jeremy is looking rather tired in this picture because he worked most of the time we were up there trying to get a new shower installed for Martha and Wendy. The shower has not worked for almost 10 years. My husband is very wonderful and agreed to fix it for them for Christmas. It turned out looking great.

This is yet another gift that Avery appropriated from someone else, and then found a great use for it.

Plummer

We went up to Plummer, Id, for the Green Family Christmas party, I have been adopted into their family. 

Azrielle had to be kept up off the floor so that Roo, Wendy's 12 week old red heeler puppy, could not get her. As I could not always hold her, she got to help in the kitchen some. This is also my good friend, Wendy.

 Avery and Roo ended up being pretty good pals. Except Roo kept trying to take the toys that Avery was playing with.

 Avery wanted to see where Roo slept, since Roo would climb up in the cot with Avery when he got the chance.

 Out in the barn there was a pile of hay in front of all the stacked hay that Avery loved to slide down. Roo would sometimes come and help, if Billy were there, an older Australian Shepherd(I think), he would get in front of Avery so that Avery would not "fall" down off the hay.

It was a fun filled four days, we stayed out on the farm with Wendy and her Mother, Martha. They have cows, horses, cats, dogs, chickens, and some wild turkeys and coyotes. Avery loved getting dressed up and going out to help feed and collect the eggs. He loved to run and ride on the four wheeler. There was no snow this year, which made driving back and forth much easier.

We played hard and this is my little monkey sleeping hard. He got this monkey blanket in the kids white elephant gift exchange.

Second Christmas Party

We had an enjoyable time at our Ward Christmas Party on December 10th. No pictures from this one, we were there 5 minutes, when I turned to Jeremy and told him I had left the camera at home.
One very memorable thing did happen, I do wish I had it on video. All the primary children went up and stood on the stage to sing a couple of Christmas songs. When Avery saw all the little ones going up, he did not want to be left out, so he went too. He was one of the last ones there. He could not see a way up until he looked down at the other end and saw a chair pulled up close. He ran down and climbed up on the chair and onto the stage. Standing at the end of all the kids, not knowing the songs they were singing, he decided to climb back down. He was back on the chair when one of our young women went and "helped" him back up on the stage.
 He still didn't know the songs so he started to look around. You could tell the instant that he saw something that he wanted, he started sliding sideways then bent down and picked it up. It was a good thing an adult was close and thought quick, he had grabbed the microphone, that was still on. We were sitting halfway back in the gym and on the other side, so we could not have done much. It was very cute.

First Christmas Party

We had the opportunity to go to three different Christmas parties this year. The first one that we attended was just the kids and me. Both of our wonderful elves had the pleasure of spending some time in the NICU. Each year they have two parties, one in the summer and a Christmas party. As I was in the hospital having Azrielle on the evening of the summer party, we missed it.

Jeremy had to work so the kids and I went ourselves. Last year there were not very many people who went, the line for Santa was five minutes long and they had lots of left over crafts. This year we got there, the two lines for Santa were 30-45 minutes long, it was hard to move around and half of the crafts were already gone. 

 We had fun, we got to visit with some friends that we haven't seen in a while, pet some dogs (one of Avery's favorites) and get into the season. A nice lady took our picture in front of the tree.

 By the time we got done seeing Santa, I didn't get any pictures this year other than the Polaroid they gave me, they had cleared out the large room and there was a guy sweeping up. After changing Azrielle's diaper, I decided to go get some pics with just the kids, this one turned out cute.

W

My Friend

As the kids and I were on the way home from the Carlson's late last night, at least late for the little munchkins, Avery was in the back seat talking up a storm. I think that he was trying to stay awake. I started asking him questions about what he was talking about, he replied that he was talking to his friend. I then asked him what his friend's name was, with no hesitation at all he says "Jeremy Himle". It is nice to be thought of as a friend in your child's eyes.

When we got home he started to play with Azrielle a little while she was still in her car seat. He got her laughing so much. She sure does love her big brother!

Full Moon

Last night was a full moon, and I think that somewhere in either Jeremy or my ancestry, there was a werewolf.  Avery went to bed just like normal. Then after sleeping peacefully for about 2 hours he started to scream and cry and have a horrible night. The first half of the night I went in to try to calm him down. I would try and make sure that he was awake; take him to the potty, get him a drink, pick him up and hold him. He would go back to sleep for a little bit and then be right back to screaming and crying.
Jeremy finally told me to go to bed at quarter after midnight. Jeremy was holding Azrielle on his lap, she did not want to go to sleep either, watching a movie. He put Azrielle down at 1am. This morning Jeremy told me that Avery had been up about every hour until 4am. We were all really tired this morning. We got around to eating french toast around 10 am.

We had our ward Christmas party tonight. For the first part of the program, after we ate dinner, the Primary children got up on the stage and sang a couple of songs. When Avery saw all the little ones heading to the stage he decided that he was not going to be left out. He ran up at the end and found a chair pushed up close and climbed on up. I had mentioned to Jeremy that I wish I had remembered the camera earlier, now I really wish that I had it. He was so cute. After being put back up there by one of our Young Women, he decided maybe he had made a mistake in going up there with the other kids. He then noticed something on the stage just out of his reach. He leaned down picked up the mike that was just setting there. Thank goodness to some quick acting parent that was near to save the day, we were seated halfway back in the gym.

Our little Princess

 Comfy cozy and ready to brave the outside temperatures. 

"Who said that you could take pictures of me naked?"

 Avery and Azrielle reading a Christmas story together.

This is definitely one little girl with a big personality. She talks all of the time. Heaven help the unlucky parents who ever give this girl a cell phone. 

Happy Halloween

What a fun couple of days for Avery, and Azrielle. On Thursday, for preschool, we had a little Halloween party. The kids got to play bingo, decorate cookies and do an art project (not that the cookies weren't). The first time I put the Spider Man costume on him, he said, "Mommy, I have boobies!"

On Saturday night we went to the Trunk or Treat at our church. We ate hot dogs and chili, played some cute games, Avery got his face painted, then he got lots of candy.

Azrielle was a hit with all the ladies, and girls, in the trunk pumpkin patch.

Today, I was going to take Avery to the Discovery Center, he won a free pass from the library this summer. But when we got there they were closed, during the winter they are closed on Monday's. Avery asked if we could go to the park, so we went across the bridge and went to the park. I threw him up in a tree to get a couple of cute pictures. I got two before he wanted to be "saved" from the tree.

It had sprinkled a little bit this morning sometime and so the slides all had water on them. Of course he picked the one with the 2 inches of standing water at the bottom to slide down. Then he wanted me to "save" him from the water.

We ended the evening with a little bit of a walk around our neighborhood. I can't believe some of the things he got, a dollar, a book (which we read as soon as we got home), a movie size box of candy, and lots of little candies. He did have fun, and was polite and told everyone, "Thank you".

BAM

On the first Thursday of each month the Boise Art Museum is free admission. We discovered a couple of months ago that from 5pm-8pm they have a craft that anyone can come in and do. Last week Jeremy's trip to the Teton's was delayed a day so we decided to head down to the Museum after dinner.

They also have a kid's room that is set up just for kid's. It has computers, books, magnet boards, puzzles, and more. Avery is really starting to like the puzzles. Azrielle was having fun just being there.

The craft this month was oil chalk on paper. Jeremy was very serious about his. Mom's and Avery's were not so much.

Good Gifts

There are some gifts that we get in life that just keep on giving, our chickens are one of them.

Not only are we getting 4-5 eggs a day, we have fewer bugs in our yard, and Avery has some play mates. They run around the yard together, he will pick them up and carry them around. In return they will chase him around and peck the "bugs" off his pants. He has just started to pick them up.

This is a video of how he gets one. This is Ruth, Jeremy nor I can touch her, I think that Avery has the magic touch. After catching her he took her over to the porch and sat there with her for over 5 minutes, until Mom decided to give her a break. :)

Camping

Last week Jeremy decided to take Avery for an overnight camping trip.

During the night Jeremy was woken out of a dead sleep by a Screech Owl. The owl was perched on a branch 20 feet away. He threw his shoe at it. The owl flew a little further away. So he threw his other shoe at it. The shoe hit the branch the owl was perched on and it flew off. Avery did not wake up for any of that, even though he did ask about, "the rooster" in the morning. He did wake up when the moon rose though, thinking that it was morning.

Avery came home with lots of bruises, scratches and some sun burn. But he had a great time with Jeremy.

On the way home they stopped at a friend's house in Crouch. While there they were able to feed and pet his horses, a calf and some chickens.

Silver Lining

I had to have a root canal three weeks ago. While I had my bad tooth I also had canker sores on the same side of my mouth. I was unable to chew anything, so all my food had to be things that I could just swallow. I quite drinking milk, I usually only have it on my cereal in the morning, and eating most dairy (well most everything).

After two weeks I again started having cereal in the morning. I had not realized how much less Azrielle had been spitting up, nor did she have the putrid smelling gas. A couple of days eating cereal with milk and I was amazed at how much more she was spitting up. After discussing her symptom's with the lactation consultant and her MD. It has been decided that she does not have the enzyme to break down the protein in cow's milk. I am now trying to find something to drink that will be OK on her little stomach.

I grew up drinking goat's milk, it took me three years after we moved to Boise before I would drink cow's milk. I have often wondered if I would like it if I got the opportunity to drink it again. It is definitely not my first choice for a beverage. I tried putting strawberry Quick in it, it was like I was licking a strawberry goat. I will try this for a few days, if it does not work I will try a different milk until I find something that will work.

It is nice to finally find out why she has been having so many problems. I just wish that I would not have had to go through such hard times to figure it out. I get my new crown on in October.

Mommy's Big Helper

The other day we were trying to get ready to go to an appointment. I set Azrielle's car seat over by the swing, which is right next to our brick hearth, in anticipation of putting her in. I then went back in the kitchen to do one more thing. Avery was in the kitchen with me and then went in the living room. As I came around the corner into the living room I just about had a heart attack. Avery had picked up Azrielle and was transferring her from the swing into the car seat. At a time like this you want to scream, but you know that if you did things would go very wrong.

The transfer went with out a hitch, he even got her almost in the right position. Now I know why children give you grey hair, or heart attacks.

This is the first time that Avery has held Azrielle long enough for a picture. It is, "I want to hold her, please.", then 10 seconds later, "Mommy, hold her", as he pushes her off his lap.

So I would like to know who had the bright idea to go ahead and get into some serious potty training of their 2 1/2 year old, with a month old baby and canning season coming on? Ooooh, that would be me. Avery has been running around with his little bum and other parts hanging out this last week.

He has been really good about going pee on the potty, but poop has been another story. Avery is a two to three a dayer. So when he got to Wednesday morning without any thing, I was pretty sure he would explode soon. I was trying to can beets that my neighbor had brought over, be aware of what he is doing, and making sure that Azrielle doesn't cry, he runs into the kitchen with poop on his hand saying, "Yucky, poopy on the lid.". I am so excited, thinking that he is just getting ready to poop, I rush him into the bathroom and put him on the toilet. He keeps saying "Poopy on the lid." I finally decide that I had better check out his room. There is a huge pile on a lid of a box, at least it was an easy clean up.

On Thursday we head over to the Farnsworth's for dinner. I did put him in a pair of sweat pants, I didn't think they would have very good appetites if he came over naked. Avery did not eat very much and soon after goes to head outside. On his way out I ask if he needed to go to the potty. "No, No Potty!" was his reply. Within five minutes he had poop all over their back porch and all over him. Daddy got to hose him off. Thank you Daddy!!!

I then decided that he would not leave the house until he can go poop on the toilet. Friday night he started to and then stopped, thinking we could get him to go he was up until 10. He did not go on Saturday either. I was not going to put pants on him and have him go in church, so we stayed home today.

I am happy to say that he ran in to the bathroom this morning saying, "I need to poop." And low and behold, he did!!! We did a dance and yelled and celebrated, he got his treats that we have been promising him, and the present that has been hanging on the back of the bathroom door for over a week. Then not two hours later, he poops on the floor of his bedroom. Oh My!!!

Pat-a-cake

Avery just loves his new sister. He does have a hard time when she cries though, he will say,"Baby is crying, pick her up."

The other morning while I was making breakfast for Avery and I, she was in the swing and started to wake up and fuss a little bit. Avery let me know she was crying and then I hear him singing. I look around the corner, just to be sure that he is not trying to pick her up and I see him bending over and holding her feet and he is singing pat-a-cake. I wish that I had the video camera, but who does when you really need it? Azrielle loves to listen to her big brother sing, he can almost always get her to calm down when she is fussy.

Here is my little rock star.

Here is our sweet red headed, blue eyed little princess.

Baby's Home!

It has been crazy today. Back and forth to the hospital. Drop Avery off at a friends house while we pick up baby. Pick Avery up, scouts at 7pm. Its 6:30. We get home, I start packing the trailer on the back of the jeep, and Avery does not want to get out. I check on him a couple minutes later, and there is white all over his mouth...he decided that he would see how sunscreen tastes. I look on the back of the bottle and is says call poison control. Great, he has poisoned himself on my watch. Poison control put me on hold for the next available person. 5 minutes later, they tell me that he did not eat enough for me to take him to the hospital, but he might vomit. He surely wont die. Celin comes home. Its time for me to go, Avery and I have not eaten, I need to change clothes, its 6:50 and Avery is in the corner pooping. But baby is home.

No more drugs!

One of the first things that the doctors did when Azrielle went to the NICU, is they took her off of everything. No milk, breast or other. They hooked her up to an IV, and gave her a sugar based fluid to keep her going while whatever was in her stomach either processed, or left. The IV started high, but when they started to give her milk, the doctors reduced the sugar based fluid in the IV. As time went on, they continued to reduce the amount of fluid given through the IV and this morning they took it out altogether. She has not vomited since yesterday, and has been eating well. This means that within the next 24 hours, if things go well, she will be released!

Having fun

So while all of this baby drama has been going on, daddy is trying to give Avery the time of his life. He has been going to aunt Shannon's house and having home made Popsicle's and swimming in the pool. Today we went to the greenbelt and did a long bike ride, then pulled out the kayak and put it in the lake. Avery paddled sitting in the cockpit for a while, but when we took a break, he decided he wanted to ride it like a horse. We sat back to back while he let his feet drag in the water. When we were done it was time for swimming, followed by dad swimming while pulling the kayak behind me with my kayak leash. Lots of sweets, and fun. Everything a growing boy needs. I am hoping he does not have withdrawals when I go back to work.

Turn for the worse?

Projectile vomiting is bad for anyone, but vomiting blood is usually something you see right before someone dies, (at least in the movies) but that is exactly what has been happening to my sweet baby girl. The doctors have put baby Azrielle back on mommy's milk no longer thinking it is allergies, and now believe that she may just have a stomach ulcer. I guess that babies can get ulcers in the womb, and come out with them. They have started giving her some medicine that helps heal any open wounds in the upper digestive tract. The GI specialist is optimistic that if this is the problem, that baby may be coming home soon.
Mommy on the other hand is trying her best to manage getting Avery time and Azrielle time. She needs to be at the hospital to feed, but she is really missing the boy. She is being a trooper through all of this. It is one thing to talk about things after it has happened, but a complete other thing to see your newborn daughter with blood coming out of her mouth, and not know what is wrong.

NICU

Another Baby, and another visit to the NICU. This was NOT in the plan, but rarely things like this are. Projectile vomiting is the cause for her to go to the NICU, but the cause of the vomiting is unknown. The doctors originally suspected allergies, but after giving Azrielle hypo-allergenic formula, and having no luck, they don't think that anymore. They have done an X-ray and an ultrasound, and say that they cant find anything physically wrong with her. I told the doctor that he is really a "Practicing physician" Because he does not know, so he just does his best guess. He made a face like the one in the picture. I don't think that he appreciated the comment.
Mom has been released, but has to go back to feed the baby. I though that it is kinda like saying that you are released from jail, but make sure that you check in every 2 hours.
Avery Loves his new sister, (so far) and enjoys spending 30 seconds with her every time he visits the hospital.

A new member of the Flock

Azrielle Marie was born at 1:42 am this morning August 4th 2011 to a very happy mom and dad.Curly hair and 8 lbs. 9oz and 21 3/4" long was where it all began. She is super content.

Mommy is so excited for this little one to be in the outside world. Celin did an amazing job, using her self hypnosis, she did the whole thing without medication, and has only taken a bit of ibuprofen since she was born. She did way better than last time, looks happier, less pain, (so she says) than having the epidural with Avery.
Avery go to meet Azrielle today, and was way excited for 30 seconds, then he was way excited about mommy's bed.
The happy family.

Swimming with the Carlsons

Just getting into the water.

Kaitlyn found friends and did her own thing.

So cute.

You know you are in trouble when you see this look in his eye.

Jumping to mommy.

Water Fight!

Cold, Tired, and happy.