Kate is 4!

My beautiful Kate turned four today.
This also marks the four year anniversary we officially became parents.
It seems longer than that. It seems like we have always been parents... in a good way.

The day she was born seems like forever ago.
Not only has she grown and changed so much since this picture when she was just an hour or so old. I have too. We've grown up a bit together.

She's growing up way to fast, but somehow it doesn't make me so sad.
It fills me with awe to watch her learn.
Her mind works so well. She is always figuring things out, puzzles, "mysteries", she knows letters, numbers, simple reading and writing and I swear I spent very little time with her on these subjects. Not to mention she has a vocabulary and social skills that would beat most 6 year olds. I can see her always thinking, when she is playing and talking and even just watching tv. Sometimes I think she thinks to much, and gets a little anxious or worried about things. Her birthday celebration was a really great time because she just stopped thinking and had fun. It is hard on a parent having their four year old be keen. There is not tricking or forgetting something I said- she keeps me an honest parent for sure.
She has lots of little friends now, and talks about time- past and future constantly making plans and talking about memories. She likes to dance, but it is not wild, it is more interpretive with lots of hand movement and facial expressions. She is still my side kick like always. Even if that means spending the afternoon on the couch because I am not feeling well. And when I fall asleep she only sometimes reminds me "But Mom who is going to take care of me?". She loves going anywhere though, stores, restaurants,outside, and always wants to go to ice cream.
She is excels at being a big sister. She helps Sam play and is almost always kind to him.
She tells me she loves me the most and always wants me to but her to bed because she knows I cuddle longer than dad will. She changes what she likes everyday. Usually based on a cartoon she saw on Netflix, or something she saw at a friends house.
I love this little girl. I see myself and Jake in her so much.
Though I am not sure where she gets her awesome faces- she is always making crazy expressions.
I am really proud of her too. Proud of her for being so smart. Proud of her for being so nice. Proud of her for adapting so well to new things. Grateful she was my 1st born-and is such an awesome kid to lead the others.
Happy Birthday my Sunshine!
I love you so very much!

Kate's Birthday Celebration

Kate turns 4 today.
We decided to celebrate yesterday.
It was one of the best days ever. She woke up in the morning and didn't seem to remember a thing about the midnight meltdown over picking the wrong theme for her birthday. Thank goodness. It would have broken my heart. At 9:30 am she was ready to get the party started. Why not? I asked her if she wanted to help me get things ready for the party or surprise her like we did Dad and Sam. She wanted to help of course. She knows how to get ready for a party and instructed me on what we needed to do. I gave her the box of party supplies and she got to work. She hung Strawberry Shortcake decals all over the walls and windows in the kitchen. Next it was time to hang streamers. In between some of the decorating I would tell her and Sam we needed to pick something up (so there would be room for opening presents) it worked really well and soon we had the house decorated and clean. We had balloons to blow up and spread all over the living room, party plates to set, and of course she had to decorate her cake some more too.
When everything was ready and to her standards she asked if it was time for the party.
Sure Kate.
We told Dad at 10:30 in the morning that he had to come home from work because it was time for the party, presents and cake. It was just the four of us for this part of the day after all.
She picked to open presents first.
Well who wouldn't. especially when she saw the pile we had for her.


Kate got way to many presents. Way to many.
I knew this was going to be the case. She just hadn't thought of anything she really wanted, and me wanting her to be delighted, just kept picking stuff out.
From Jake and Sam and I alone she recieved a a talking princess song book, an Ariel purse, a Strawberry Shortcake book, a new train set, a talking Kai Lan doll, a Disney shirt, and her favorite thing- a Barbie laptop with games like mom and dad's phones to play.
This cake Kate picked out at the store. Then she added more pink and green sprinkles, candles, and some strawberry shortcake figurines.

Showing us how old she is.



This girl is beautiful! I love how happy she is.
The party was a success. Kate was 100% pleased with everything and loved all the specialness of the day. In the car later she was singing "it is my special day, its my special day, it my birthday today, its my special day" and also started singing Happy Birthday to herself. She smiled a hug smile the entire day.

When Kate started seriously talking about birthday plans the day after Sam's birthday we happen to be driving in Utah County and passed this jumping place. We had been there a time or two before. She decided that it was what she wanted to do for her birthday. She also decided that she wanted to invite her friends. Somehow she learned that some kids have parties with friends. Though I am not ready to let her invite all her friends over for a birthday party, we decided we could take three friends to Jump On It with us. She choose to take Johnny, Emilee and Kaylie. When it was time to get ready she put on her new shirt saying she wanted all her friends to see it. Then we filled our car with car seats and boosters, turned on Aristocats, and traveled with 4 kids under 4 down to Utah County. Kaylie and her Mom and sister were able to meet us there.
This is Kate friend Emilee. She talks about Emilee constantly. Calls her "my best friend Emilee". I don't know where she learns stuff like "best friend" They sure have fun together too.

Attempting to get a group shot.

Sam followed Kate's friend John around most the time throwing balls and calling his name to play.
This is one of my favorite pictures of the day. Kate really let loose, and had a crazy fun birthday.


She ended up at home with more loot.
A Tinkerbell coloring set, a paper dolls set, a tutu and hairband, tons of strawberry shortcake figurines and playhouse, and this gigantic lolipop from her friends.
Then Grandma and Grandpa Anderson came over to deliver birthday presents. Two barbies and some snap blocks.
We went to Arby's for dinner. Partially because the day had been long and also because I know Kate likes their food. Sure enough as we pulled in the parking lot she says " MMMMMM I love this place cuz they have turkey"
After dinner she got to take her birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa Freeman and pick something out at the store. She literally walked up and down the aisles of toys for 35 minutes trying to pick something. She kept saying she "wanted something really different". She ended up picking out a classic motorized fishing game, and big pink glittery ball and lots of gum. She took it to the counter and handed the lady her money and said "here is your money" She got some change back and happily put it in her piggy bank when she returned home. It was her 1st experience using money to buy something and she liked it.
We spent the rest of the night playing with the fishing game as a family.
Kate happily packed her tons of toys up to her room, sleeping with a variety of them at the end of the night.. We eventually had to tell her to put everything away and go to sleep.
It was the best day.
Seriously, I would rather have it be one of my kids birthdays than my own.
It makes me so happy to make them so happy.
It was any 4 year olds dream day.

Happy Birthday Kate!

Mind of an almost 4 year old

Tomorrow we intend to celebrate Kate's birthday.
She has spent the last 8 weeks talking about her birthday.
What kind of decorations she wants, what she wants to do and what kind of cake she wants.
She decided on Strawberry Shortcake the character with a strawberry cake with pink whip cream and pink cookies too.
I searched at a few stores attempting to find Strawberry shortcake the character party things, but when I was unsuccessful I went another way. I ordered some stickers online as well as a little figurine for the cake. Then I printed and cut out pictures of the characters from the show and mod podged them onto party plates. When I showed her the things earlier this week she shouted with joy.... mom that is just what I wanted!!!
Then when we were at the grocery store earlier this week she saw a cake she wanted, so although I normally make the cakes, I bought it for her and it has been in the fridge since Wednesday.
It appeared I had done everything right to make a 4 year olds birthday dreams come true.
At least I had never tried so hard to get everything right.

She excitedly went to bed tonight saying when she woke up it would be her birthday.
Then within 20 minutes I heard her sobbing in her bed.
Sobbing as in real tears and hardly breathing.
I asked her what was wrong.
She told me she changed her mind and now wanted a pinky do (the lamest show ever) birthday with purple cookies and a purple cake.

Really.

I told her that these were silly things to be crying about.
She kept repeating her wants and dreams for her birthday.
I told her they don't make pinky do birthday stuff. I bet they don't. I had a hard enough time finding Strawberry shortcake and people actually know who that is.
That we could decide to use all the birthday stuff I had bought and made for her or something else we could find in the house tomorrow.

I tried to be really understanding of the drama.
But it was really hard.
And she was being really dramatic.
She has been planning her birthday since last birthday really.
It will really break my heart if she in no 100 % thrilled with her birthday celebration tomorrow.
I hope we can help her to remember what she really wants and have only a happy day with no more drama about silly things.

You'll Want to Tune in For This.

35 minutes of measuring and ultrasound-ing has determined
we are having one healthy baby
{GIRL}



Kate is happy and says Jesus heard her say she wanted a baby sister and listened.
Now we feel like we can get organized around here.
We are excited- knowing what we are having makes everything feel more real and like there is an end for this pregnancy in sight!

Kids This Week

Sam is in the middle of throwing what has been a thirty minute tantrum about boots.
I won't let him wear his boots- they are covered in mud, and it is suppose to be 70 degrees today. Weather that hardly warrants snow boots.
Plus they smell. They smell because he wears them everyday and usually without socks.
He has searched the house for them and is now in his room dumping out his drawers trying to find them.
It is sad to see him cry, but mostly funny because it is about boots.

Kate is great at praying by herself now.
It is fun to hear too.
She prays for normal things like for us to be healthy and to bless our food.
But then she prays for all the awesome things three year olds think about.
Yesterday alone included for us to be warm, for it to be warm outside, for the sky not to be windy and for her to find some more money.
Apparently her thoughts are full of Spring and getting more quarters for her new piggy bank.

It is April Fool's Today.
The perfect day to get our ultra sound for the new baby.
I promise there will be no jokes from me... lets hope my OBGYN is not a jokester either.

Jake is 32!

Jake is celebrating his 32 birthday today.
Well really all week in small pieces.
I think he would agree it has been one of the best years of the 32.
I would comment that that is because we spent more time together as a family than was ever possible before.
Happily because Jake's working from home plan is working out so well.

Sadly his office was looking like this.
It had become the temporary storage while we refinished the basement starting back in November.
With us still working on (but very close to finishing) the rest of the basement I couldn't let him work in this disaster any longer.
What is that- a microwave? our christmas decorations, furniture with no place?
Oh and flat white primer on the walls.
I think his computer is somewhere around here!
How was he even running a successful business out of this hole?
For his birthday we surprised him and sent him away for the day.
We 1st had to clean out everything, then the walls got real paint.
New furniture and accessories, a CD player and a selection of books on tape finished the room off.
Now when he meets with clients, they won't have to sit on the old microwave.
It is a much better arrangement.
Since then sometimes I sneak down in the middle of the day just to sit in the cleanest, prettiest room in our house.
We had a cake and some presents the kids picked out for him too.
When the kids pick out presents for you it is the best.
A Thomas the Train card- a nerf ball and a squirt gun.
Yesterday for his birthday I planned a date for just the two of us.
Forgive the horrible pictures- they were taken with my video camera.
Just the two of us haven't been on a date other than a quick trip to buy Christmas gifts in secret since, I'm going to go with October. How pathetic.
We decided to try Joe's Crab Shack for dinner. Not only had we never eaten here- we also basically got free parking for the soccer game later because it is across the street. Jake and I always say we don't eat seafood. We don't. That is because we think we don't like it. That is because we both got really bad food poisoning from it years ago.
Turns out we really do like shrimp and crab legs though on special occasion.
Whole buckets full of them.
Really we haven't decided if we like the food so much because of what it was, or because it is the 1st meal we have eaten without our children in several months.
Either way- I am already planning on eating my weight in crab legs when we go to the coast in April.


Jake and I at the Real SL game.
It was our 1st time at the new stadium and it was so much fun. They have crazy fans, and it was a full house. It only rained on us a bit too though the forecast had predicted lots of snow. They played LA Galaxy- with some of the best players in the league- but Real pulled out an easy victory. Our tickets were front and center too so we didn't miss a thing. Well except for when I went to get us churros and the line was like twenty minutes long.


All in all, I am so glad it was Jake's birthday.
It was so much fun to spent time just the two of us doing new and different things.
Its not like I can forget how awesome Jake is.
He gives me small reminders every day of his awesomeness.
Like when he gets up with the kids and makes them blueberry pancakes.
or when we comes upstairs from work to change a diaper because I am sure it will make my pregnant self vomit.
Or how every night we watch a little tv before going to bed, and he laughs out loud, and it makes me laugh too.
Or how he feeds my dog every night because I am tired and don't want to go out in the cold.
No, I don't need to be reminded of how awesome he is,
but spending all evening just the two of us made it just that much more clear.

St. George Weekend

Relaxing inside to movies and treats.
Coloring with the markers I let them have.

Loving all the donuts.
Hanging out on the patio

Bubbles

Kate dancing in the sun and rocks.
At the temple together.
Best part of this- Sam waving hello to the Christ statue. Kate joined in too. They sat and listened to the recording so well and reverently, it almost made me cry.

Kate is proud of her rock tower

"walk! walk!" Sam says.
He really talked a lot this trip, proud of all his words, asking for things, pointing for things, asking questions.

We had this weekend in St. George sort of planned since January.
But with pregnancy and our two weeks or sickness- it really snuck up on us.
Jake was signed up to attend a law conference for a few days and of course we all wanted to come along. We just love forced reasons to vacation.
Jake usually gets his continuing education for his license on one of our Sun Valley trips.
but we knew this year that would be difficult seeing as how a baby is due with in a few weeks of that conference, so we decided to give St. George a try.
I have been hearing people talk about their spring breaks in St. George for more than 10 years, and I never really got the draw. Now I do though.
We had so much fun.
Because we procrastinated so long to really plan this trip, we literally got the last place to stay in St. George. It just happened to be a condo almost the size of our house.
And it was perfect. It was great to have each kid in their own room. Some miracle of miracles our children did not wake up until 8:00 am both mornings.
Kate kept calling it "our big place". I think we were spoiled a bit, and will have a hard time staying all together in a small hotel room without a kitchen ever again. The resort had an indoor pool and a kids park to play at too. It worked out so well.
Jake had class until 12:30 one day, and 2:00 the next day.
While he was away the kids and I shopped a bit, went to the wilderness museum, had a picnic and mostly went on walks, blew bubbles, and played outside. Sam loved bubbles. He would chase them and say "pop" and if it blew away "wait". Kate enjoyed making a rock tower in a pile of landscaping rocks. We also spent a lot of time on the patio and jumping on the trampoline and collecting rocks and pine cones.
The kids are wearing sweatshirts in most our pictures, but that is only because it is before 9:00 am, and we are already playing outside. It got up to 80 degrees one day, and I even got a little burned.
When Jake returned from class, we would shop,swim, eat out, play at the park and river. We also spent one afternoon at the St. George temple and visitor center, and part of an afternoon eating ice cream and playing in a water fountain.
Some more of the kids favorite things included the selection of Disney movies the condo had, the markers I bought for them for the trip, and for Sam- eating all the donuts.
It was the perfect vacation, in to the warmth, finally being well.
It was fun to spend so much time focused on my kids and what they wanted to do to have fun.
Also I promise that I was on the vacation- there just is not one picture of me.
I didn't really take pictures like I usually do on trips- I think only 40 or so- not my usual 200.
I guess we were having too much fun to stop for photos.

Leopards and Leprechauns

It is St. Patrick's Day.
You would hardly know it if you hung out with us today.
Kate was up at night throwing up, with her 103 degree fever.... for the 12 day in a row!
I was up worried sick about how sick she has been.
In the morning instead of enjoying dressing the kids like pools of green and making a green breakfast, we were trying to get into see the Dr's and pack for a trip we were suppose to be leaving on.
I only remembered it was St. Patrick's Day as we entered the Dr's and it was decorated for the day. While we waited to check in I told Kate that we had forgotten our green clothes and leprechauns were going to come and pinch us.
Then we sat down to wait. Of course we waited for like 40 minutes. Some time during this Kate turned to me and said
" We better go home and put our green clothes on. I have green clothes. I have a green dress or something. If we don't the leprechauns will come and poke us"
I told her she was right. Then I asked her if she knew what a leprechaun was seeing as how the only mention I've ever made to her about it was just a few minutes earlier.
She said she did.
She told me "it has black polka dots, and is yellow, and is really pretty big. It lives in the forest and eats meat"
I told her I think she had leprechaun confused with leopard.
They do sound similar.
She wasn't too nervous considering she wasn't wearing green and a big meat eating leopard was on its way to poke her.


We got checked out by the Dr.
Kate made me reassure her he was in fact a Dr. because instead of scrubs or a white coat- he was wearing a green turtleneck. I told her he just wanted to wear his green to the leopard don't poke him. She was a little unsure.
He convinced me that Kate really wasn't dying despite the 103 fever for the last 12 days.
And the best part was that I believed him.
Really other than her fever, she had no other symptoms at this point and was as happy as I had seen her in over a week.
This was great news.
Since Saturday we have made two trips to the Insta- Care, two trips to visit the Doctor's office and one trip to the ER.
It has been on expensive week. and exhausting.
Not only are we getting less sleep because of all the sickness....I haven't slept because of all my worrying.
And I was sure we weren't going to make it to our vacation in St. George that started this afternoon.
Despite some left over fevers, we decided to go anyways.
Jake had to come for a conference, and we couldn't refund the condo we rented.
So we figured we could just be sick in the condo.
But we've had happy, healthy, kids so far.
We played outside at a park, went to dinner and shopping, and even went swimming.
Of course the kids just love hanging out in " our big place" per Kate.
And we are having some fun for the first time this month.
So St. Patrick's Day was a pretty great day after all.

Straight Out of a Jane Austen Novel

I've been shut away, sick in my room since Thursday night.
I keep telling Jake I feel like a Jane Austen heroine whose under the weather and confined to her room in the east wing for the week. I always found these sections of Austen era writing unbelievable. That somebody, even a sick somebody, could sleep for days on end.
But I am a new believer. I've been under the covers since Thursday night aside from a five hour trip to the ER. I literally was only awake for about 6 hours on Friday, and only a few more on Saturday. Some how my children- 2 and 3 years of age, have better immune systems than their pregnant mother. They seem to have cooled their fevers and calmed their coughs.
Though Sam's fever went back up to 103 tonight I think 1st thing Monday morning we will be headed in to have some ear infections checked.
Jake has to this point escaped the death cough thankfully and been our dutiful care taker. Without direction, groceries have been purchased, meals prepared, children bathed and but down for naps.
I have missed caring for my children, and playing with them, and feel they have grown just in my not seeing them for three days. But am completely grateful for the capable husband I have, who has completely abandoned his plans and work to assure the rest of us are alive and well.
My prescription allowed me to sleep an additional 6 hours Sunday afternoon, and I woke up feeling only sick- not on my death bed. I came down stairs to children eating popcorn and watching the velveteen rabbit with stories of their 1st adventures playing outside on the grass for the year. After they were put to bed I proceed to disinfect the house. I am still working on washing all the linens, but at least all surfaces have been sanitized and all toys submerged in boiling water. I am determined to not let this bronchitis follow us into next week or turn into pneumonia.
I'll be the 1st to admit our family, especially my kids, seem to catch things more often than others. But we really have been well aside from a brief cold since Christmas. This caught us off guard, how use to only Mom being pregnant sick, being the only sick around here. Thank goodness it seems we are on the road to recovery.

Disney On Ice- A Tragedy

Yesterday afternoon a commercial for Disney on Ice came on the television saying they were opening tonight. My favorite two year old excitedly pointed to the tv yelling "Buzz" and the character skated across the screen. So on a whim I got us all tickets and anticipated the fun our family would have later that evening.
I'll admit we've been suffering from runny noses around here, but nothing serious enough to keep us away from a peek a "Mackey" and the gang. Kate dressed up like Ariel and we were off.
The kids seemed a little bit tired, but we made it to Salt Lake with time to spare. We walked around, convinced the children they didn't need $22 glow in the dark wands, and found our seats. The show started and it seemed our children were not interested, I whispered to Jake "whats the deal, or kids sit better for Sacrament Meeting" and it was true. Then we traded kids, putting Sam on my lap. He was burning up. My mom thermometer put him at 103 or so. The show was more than half way done, so I had him drink the frozen water bottle I had brought, then Jake regrettably bought some $10 snow cones. He regretted the fact they were $10. I regretted they were red and blue. You'll see why in a minute. After the snow cones everyone perked up a bit, plus Buzz came out. Kate did seemed pleased to have seen the princesses. But mostly I was disappointed. Not only did I spent the entire time worried about Sam, and not feeling to fabulous myself, I had imagined all the fun we were suppose to be having, and I was let down. We made it to the car and within minutes both kids were sleeping.
Unfortunately in Parley's Canyon Sam woke up to throw up- that snow cone was now purple slop all over him and the car.
At home we got Kate in bed, cleaned up Sam and finally got to bed around midnight.
I suppose it was selfish to think my kids were well enough to have some fun.
But I also find it most tragic that the little colds turned so much worse literally as we were waiting for the show to start. The 3 pictures we took were from that waiting time.
It does serve us right in a way. We've steered clear of most of this all winter. Mostly because I've felt so crummy we never go anywhere. And we did go to the pediatrician's office for Well checks last week.... the breeding ground for this sort of thing.
The funny thing is whenever we have something to look forward to it seems something prevents us from going- usually illness. But this time the fun wasn't planned- just last minute. How could something spoil our plans in a few hours.
Ugg.
Now we are going to spend the weekend trying to breath.
Perhaps by the time we are better it will be Spring and we can have some fun outside.