Eight Months

(Ryan enjoying his Easter basket...the bunny ears, not so much...)

This cutie boy is eight months today...yay!  I should be sad that he is getting so big (and I am...), but he is so much fun that I can't be too down about it.  Ryan's been quite busy lately trying to crawl, learning to put Cheerios into his mouth, and getting his first teeth (they are almost through!) that he is wearing himself out.  Which means he's started taking some good naps.  Yesterday he slept for two whole hours in a row.  Woah!

One of my favorite things to watch is Ryan's developing relationships with his sisters and brother.  He lights up when he sees them and reaches his arms out to them to play.  I think he sees Anna as his second mother, Aimee as someone to dance and have fun with, and Nathan....well, Nathan is the best big brother ever.  He is the first one to get to Ryan when he wakes up in the morning, the first one to help him when he cries, and the best one at making him laugh.  They are buddies and absolutely adore each other.  What lucky boys!  I can't believe that this sweet, fun little guy is really ours.  We were so surprised to find out he was coming to us, and somedays I still can't believe that he is here.   

I guess you can grow up little Ryan, as long as you keep getting cuter by the day... :)

Seven Months

Our little Ryan is seven months today! What a big boy...

So, what is he up to at seven months??? Well, first of all, he LOVES food. Anything and everything....even peas and sweet potatoes. I was a little worried at his 6 month check-up because he'd dropped all the way down to the 11th percentile (from about 50th at 2 months!) in weight. Yikes! He ate regularly, but I'm thinking that maybe my body is pretty drained after these four crazy pregnancies, and my milk isn't so hot this time around. The first time we gave him rice cereal, he downed it like it was nothing. Whenever he gets "real" food, we can't shovel it in fast enough. He is chunking up quite nicely now!

When we walk to school on chilly mornings, Ryan sports this cute blue hat. His eyes are super bright blue when he has it on. Love it...

And, our newest addition...the "Johnny Jump Up." Ryan wasn't too sure about this at first, but now it's one of his favorite things. He's puts the "bouncing" in "bouncing baby boy."

And this picture just makes me laugh...

Ryan is growing up too fast, but every day is so much fun with him. We are excited for what this next month will bring. Happy 7 months, Ry!

'Anna' Get Your Gun!

Annalyn got to participate in her class's "Famous American Wax Museum" last week. It was so cool! The kids each chose a 'famous' American to research, do a report on, and then dress like for their wax museum. When their "button" was pushed, they had a little speech prepared telling important facts about their lives. Annalyn decided to be Annie Oakley, "Legendary Sharpshooter." Scott even made her a gun out of poster board (we figured we'd wouldn't risk taking a toy gun and getting her expelled!) It was awesome...definitely came from an engineering mind. Anna was absolutely darling...although I'm going to have to make her dress up again so I can get a shot of her boots:

Aimee and Nathan enjoyed the refreshments:

Now we all want to see the movie...

A Valentine's Trip

Valentines Day this year was spent at one of our favorite places to be...Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's house. They sure know how to make us feel loved, and we had so much fun. Ryan especially enjoyed getting to know the grandpa whom he got his middle name from.

They were pretty cute together.

The kids were SO excited to drive the golf cart...Grandpa is pretty brave to turn the wheel over to them! It's every kid's dream!

The "after church, before everyone changes" picture...

This was an especially fun trip because we had a chance to sit down with Grandpa and listen to his fabulous stories. The kids had a list of questions asking him about his childhood, his courting and marrying Grandma, his time in the army, etc. He also told his stories about Old Nellie, bear hunting, the deer with the cherry tree growing out of its side, and the cat that came home with its head in its mouth. Aimee was concerned that we wouldn't know which of his stories were true. That was a valid concern! We video taped it so that we'll have his stories forever. Grandpa is one great story teller....it was pretty cute. Maybe we'll make him tell us some more on our next trip! We did the same thing with Grandma Yancey (Scott's grandma) at Christmastime. I could sit and listen to their stories for hours. They are the best!

Nathan was pretty devastated when it was time to go home (probaby partly because Grandpa was pulling jelly beans out of his ears like crazy...) I'm grateful the kids know their great-grandparents so well, and that they have fun memories of visiting them.

Six Months!

It's hard to believe, but this cute little guy is six months old today! I can't even describe the joy he's brought to our family...we are crazy about him. Scott came home from a late meeting the other night and went straight for Ryan. He said to him, "I was thinking about you during my meeting; about how sweet and special you are." I think we all feel the same way...so lucky that we get to have this little baby to play with, to snuggle with, and to love.

Ryan is finally starting to LOVE his baths. He gets a kick out of splashing in the water and bubbles. (I'm thinking this will last until he's about three...that's the age Nathan started to despise the tub!)

Ryan's got the sweetest smile...he's kind of a serious little guy around people he doesn't know, but at home he's so happy and fun. He certainly has plenty of people to play with! Nathan is the expert at making him laugh.

Oh, and this is his newest "thing." If there is something Ryan can see that he wants, he puckers his lips as far out as they can go....like if he reaches far enough with them, he can reach whatever it is! It's too funny. What a cutie! And did I mention he's sitting up all by himself now?

This baby's also got some serious eyelashes. So angelic, don't you think?

We sure love you, sweet Ryan. What a fun first "six months" it's been!

Five Months

This cute boy is five months old today. I can't believe how fun it's been having him here. He's falling in love with his brother and sisters. He gives them huge smiles when he sees one of them coming to play. Nathan is the master at getting him to laugh. This age is so fun. He's so interactive, but still little!

Everyone asks if he is a good sleeper. I've had to answer "no" until about a week ago. He started taking some great morning naps (yay!) So in that one to two hours I run around like a crazy woman trying to get things done. The rest of the day he does little 20-minute power naps. We'll take those too! Nighttime....well, we're still working on that.

It is strange to me that a year ago I was so sick I could barely get out of bed. Those days are etched in my mind from January 2 (the day I found out I was having a baby) on out. Every day I think "a year ago today, we were doing this..." I can still feel the weight of discouragement and sickness, and just wanting to eat and feel well again and have my life back. That was so hard. It makes me so grateful for everything....waking up in the morning and being able to eat breakfast without feeling horrible for the rest of the day, walking the girls to school, playing with Nathan, making dinner for my family, going to Young Womens, going to Anna's poetry reading that I missed out on last year, cleaning (yes, I love cleaning because I can do it!), and so much more. The boys and I got caught in a super heaving rainstorm coming out of Costco this week. It was insane, Nathan and I were soaked through, my cart full of stuff was sopping wet, and I didn't even care. I was so happy to feel well, it was no big deal. Maybe that's one of the blessings of being so sick for so long....I am just grateful for a normal life, crazyness and all. I can handle it.

Happy "five-months" Ryan. We're so happy you're here, and we love you soooo much!

My Big Five-Year-Old

I can hardly believe this little guy is turning five today. When I was pregnant, I was sure we were getting another girl. That was fine...I had tons of cute girl things, and three sisters would be so cute together. So, I was completely floored when the ultrasound showed "boy." My first thought was, "Oh, no. I'll have to send out a missionary!" (That has to be one of the hardest things a mother ever does.) I was certainly excited for another baby, but not quite sure if I'd know what to do with a boy.

Well, months went by, and one morning in early January, Nathan decided to make his appearance. He was my fastest and easiest labor (thanks to a great epidural). The first time I laid eyes on that sweet baby boy face, my heart melted. It didn't take me long to realize that there is a special bond between a mother and her son. All I wanted do was sit and hold him and look at him. He was so sweet.

Nathan has done a lot of growing up in 5 years, but I'd still use the word "sweet" to describe him. He's always got a hug and kiss for me, and my heart jumps a little every time I see that cute smile. I have absolutely loved seeing what a fabulous big brother he is for Ryan. We've got a super special little guy here, and we are so lucky he is in our family.

Five things we LOVE about Nathan:

1. His Aunt Crystal always says that he is the perfect little boy (and I would have to pretty much agree!) So cute, so sweet, and so much fun.

2. He's got the best smile, and shares it freely. When he was one, he fell off of a rocking chair and got a big bruise on his cheek. A few days later, I noticed that he had a dimple in his left cheek where the bruise had been. Strange, huh? So he's got a dimple for a scar....lucky.

3. Nathan loves to share. Everything from toys to candy to the cooked carrots on his plate at dinner last night. Hmmm....

4. He is ALL BOY and loves trucks, balls, muscle cars (he loves the yucky smell of Scott's 60's-era Mustang exhaust....he is truly his father's son!), dirt, animals (especially reptiles, bugs, and dogs), sticks, and just plain being outside.

5. Nathan is always making us laugh with the funny things he says. He came home a few months ago from the Father's and Son's camp-out telling me he got to "go tinkle on an artichoke." I was totally confused for a while until Scott clarified. I guess he relieved himself on some poison oak. I love his cute little voice, and how his "r's" sound like "w's". I know he is going to grow up on me way too fast!

Happy Birthday, Nathan. Love you lots!